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.
words al perfection as immortalitie wisdome truth innocencie power c. Geneua After the likenesse of God created he him ¶ That is after the shape and Image which was before appointed for the son of God The chiefe part of man also which is the soule is made like vnto God in a certeine proportion of nature of power working So that in that we are made like vnto God Tindale How God made man to be vndestroied God made man to be vndestroied ¶ That is when God made him in the Image of his owne likenesse neuerthelesse through the enuie of the diuell came death into the world whereby it may be easily gathered yâ— the wise maÌ„ doth speak ther of Adam being in the most perfect state of his first creation in the which if he had continued abiden still obaieng the commandement yâ— the Lord his God had giuen him neither death nor hel could haue had anie power of him he shoulde haue bene immortall he should haue liued for euer God then had created him to bée vndestroied if he had not through disobedience broken his commaundement I. Veron ¶ For God would not that man shuld perish But they after that they were created haue defiled the name of him that made them and are vnthankfull vnto him which prepared lyfe for them How the death of man and beast is alike It happeneth vnto man as it doth to beasts euen one condition to them both as the one doth so doth the other ¶ There is no difference betwéene a man and a beast as touching the body which of them both dieth but the soule of man liueth immortal the body of man riseth vp againe by the mightie power of the spirit of God The Bible note ¶ Man is not able by his reason and iudgement to put difference betwéene man and beast as touching those thinges wherevnto both are subiect or the eye cannot iudge any otherwise of a man béeing dead then of a beast which is dead Yet by the word of God and fayth we easily know the difference Geneua Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpward ¶ Meaning that reason cannot comprehend that which faith beléeueth héerein Geneua ¶ The immortalitie of the soule is not knowne by carnall reason or sense but by the word of the spirit of God The Bible note How mans life is but sorow and care What profit saith the wise man hath man more of all the labour wherewith he wearieth himselfe vnder the Sunne but sorrow and care and nothing without paine griefe ¶ Euripides saith if thou which art borne mortall doe thinke to liue thy selfe without labour and vnquietnesse thou art a foole I. Northbrooke Of mans good purpose before grace A reason of the Pelagians Dunce men of mans good purpose before grace The grace of God say they doth helpe mans good purpose so that man doth first intend and purpose well as Dunce saith dispose himselfe by attrition to receiue grace and then God doth helpe him Aunswere Of truth there is no good purpose in man no good disposition nor good intent but all is against goodnesse and cleane contrarie against all things that agréeth with grace till that God of his méere mercy commeth and giueth him a will to will goodnesse yea and that when he thought nothing of goodnesse but doth cleerely resist all goodnesse This doth S. Austen proue in these words The Pelagians say that they graunt how the grace doth helpe euery mans good purpose but not that he giueth that loue of vertue to him that striueth against it This thing doe they say as though man of himselfe without the helpe of God hath a good purpose and a good minde to vertue by the which merit proceeding before he is worthy to be holpen of the grace of God that followeth after Doubtlesse the grace that followeth doth helpe the good purpose of man but the good purpose should neuer haue bene if grace had not preceded And though that the good studie of men when it beginneth is holpen of grace yet it did neuer begin without grace ¶ Héere we sée S Austen cléere against them D. Barnes How mans ordinance my be altered There be some orders in the primitiue Church commaunded by God some other were deuised by men for yâ— better training of the people Such orders as were coÌ„manded by God may in no wise be chaunged onely because God commaunded them for as God is euerlasting so is his word commaundement euerlasting On the other side such order as haue bene deuised by men may be broken vpon some good consideration only because they were men that deuised them For as they be mortall so all their wisdome and inuentions be but mortall And so indéed as touching such things as haue ben ordeined by men we are not bound of necessitie to the order of the primitiue Church But such things as God hath precisely coÌ„manded by his word may neuer be broken by any custome or consent Iewel Of the disposition of man As mans strength is so is his worke as is his will so is his worke as is his forecast so is his dooing as is his heart so is his mouth as is his eye so is his sleepe as is his mind so is his talke either of the law of the Lord or of the lawe of Behal In the Testam of Neptalin Of mans will and running It lieth not in any mans will or running but in the mercie of God Whereas some vpon this place doe ascribe part of iustification vnto the grace and mercie of God part of it vnto the same will and running or indeauour of man S. Austen maketh answere thus If saith he the Apostle did meane none other thing but that it doth not onely lye in the will and running of man except the mercy of God doe helpe we may also say on the contrary that it lyeth not only in the mercy of God without the will and running of man but sith it were a plaine vngodlynesse to saye so let vs not doubt but yâ— the Apostle did attribute all to yâ— mercy of God that he did leaue no manner of thing vnto our owne will endeuour Againe he saith in an other place Therefore that we should beléeue in God liue godly it lyeth not in the will and running of man but in the mercy of God not that we ought not both to will runne but because that he himselfe doth worke in vs both to wil and also to runne I. Veron Of two Hebrew words that signifie man A man sent from God ¶ The Hebrewes haue two words to signifie man Adam and Ish. Adam signifieth a man subiect to mortalitie miserie and calamitie Ish signifieth a man of reputation The Prophet Dauid comprehendeth both in one verse in the Psal. Heare this all ye people c. Bâ—th children of Adam and children of Ish. The Greeke word which the
the Priests eare for that is but mans inuention but to God in the heart and before all the Congregation of God how that we be sinners and sinfull and that our whole nature is corrupt and inclined to sinne and all vnrighteousnesse and therefore euill wicked and damnable his lawes holy and iust by which our sinfull nature is rebuked And also to our neighbour if we haue offended any man perticularly Then Contrition sorrowfulnesse that we be such damnable sinners and not onely haue sinned but are wholly inclined to sin still Thirdly Faith of which our olde Doctors haue made no mention at all in the description of their Penaunce that God for Christs sake doth forgiue vs and receiue vs to mercie and is at one with vs will heale our corrupt nature And fourthly satisfaction or amends making not to God with holy works but to mine neighbour whome I haue offended if anye open crime be found in me and submitting of a mans selfe vnto the Congregation of the Church of Christ. And note this as satisfaction and amends making is counted righteous before the world and a purging of sinne so that the world to whome I haue made a full amends hath no farther to complaine euen so faith in Christs bloud is counted righteousnesse and a purging of all sinne before God Moreouer he that sinneth against his brother sinneth also against his Father almightie God as the sinne committed against his brother is purged before the world with making amendes or asking forgiuenesse Euen so is the sinne committed against God purged through faith in Christs bloud onely for Christs â—ake Iohn 8. 24. Except ye beleeue that I am he ye shall dye in your sinnes that is to say If ye thinke that through anye other Sacrifice or satisfaction to God-ward then me ye remaine euer in sinne before God how soeuer righteous you appeare before the world Wherefore now whether ye call this Motanoe Repentaunce Conuersion or toâ—â—ing againe to God either amending c. Or whether ye say repent be conuerted turne to God amend your liuing or what ye list I am content so ye vnderstande what is meant thereby as I haue now declaâ—ed Tindale fol. 37. HOW repentaunce is attributed to God I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vppon them ¶ When the Scripture attributeth repentaunce vnto God it is not that he doth contrary to that which he hath ordeined in his secret counsell But when he threateneth it is a calling to repentaunce and when he giueth man grace to repent the threatening which euer containeth a condition in iâ— taketh no place And this the Scripture calleth repentaunce in God because it so appeareth to mans iudgement Geneua The Lord repented of the plague ¶ In the diuine nature there is no such affections or chaungâ—ablenesse But God is sayde after the mauner of men to repâ—â—it when he doth not execute that he had denounced or doth deferre the plague which he had threatened Geneua I repent me that I made Saule King ¶ God in his eternall counsell neuer chaungeth nor repenteth as ver 29. though he séemeth to vs to repent when many things goeth contrarye to his temporall election Geneua ¶ The repentaunce of God is onely chaunging of the deede And as the affection of mercie and of fatherly loue is attributed vnto God euen so doth the Scripture attribute vnto God after his manner of speach to affliction of anger and of fury and of repentaunce also for men cannot otherwise speake of God T. M. ¶ It repented the Lord that he had made man ¶ God doth neuer repent but he speaketh after our capacitie because he did destroy him and in that as it were did disaâ—owe him to be a creature Geneua Of Esaus repentaunce And founde no place of repentaunce ¶ Nouatus did not well vnderstande this place gathering thereby that they which doe of a fraylenesse sinne though they repent neuer so truly ought not be receiued to fauour againe For heere is not one word spoken of remission of sinnes but of the right of the first borne which being sold for a vile messe of poâ—age could not be recouered againe though he sought it with teares Sir I. Cheeke The meaning of this place following My repentings are rouled together ¶ Meaning that his loue wherewith he first loued them made him betwéene doubt and assuraunce what to doe and héerein appeareth his fatherly affection that his mercie towards his shall ouercome his iudgements as he declareth in the next verse Geneua Of two manner of repentaunce I finde saith Frith to Rastall two manner of repentaunce one is without faith is such a repentaunce as Iudas Rastals Christen men which continue still in sinne haue at latter end which doth rather purchase them an halter then the remission of sinnes Another repentance followeth instification remission of sins is a florishing fruit of faith for when by faith wee do perceiue the fauour kindnesse yâ— our louing father hath shewed vs in his sonne Iesus Christ and that he hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe by the bloud of his sonne then begin we to loue him the more we hate the body of sinne and lament and be sory that our members are so fraile that they cannot fulfill the lawe of God and so in mourning and bewailing our infirmitie it causeth vs to abstaine both from meate and drinke and worldly pleasures which is the pure fasting that we talke off but you vnderstand it not And this repentaunce commeth not to purge the sinnes which is committed before but onelyâ— taketh an occasion by the sinnes before committed to know what poyson there remaineth in our flesh and seeketh by all meanes to make vs hate this body of sinne and to subdue it with all manner of workes that God hath appointed to the intent that it should in time to come no more displease God our most mercifull Father which of gentlenesse so often pardoneth and forgiueth vs as I touched before This is the manner of repentaunce which I finde in scripture but this helpeth that we should sinne no more but what Rastall dreameth I wote not But to expresse the vttermost what I meane by repentaunce marke this example If a man builde an house which doth cost him much labour and money and haue layed no sure foundation but that when a tempest commeth his house doeth fall then will he be very sorie and repent that he hath so foolishly bestowed his money and labour Notwithstanding all this great sorrow and repentaunce cannot set vp his house againe which is fallen but onely it taketh an occasion by the ruine of the house to teach the owner wit against another time yâ— when he buildeth againe he may make a sure foundation Euen so though thou repent neuer so much that cannot get remission of thy sinnes that is but that must be pardoned onely by the faith in Christs bloud Neuerthelesse it doth
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
5. 6. BATHES How bathes without God are of no force or vertue IF the Bathes that be in Swicerland◠in Iuliers in Sicilie in Valeria in England and diuers other countreies doe helpe those that are diseased the same is to be attrributed to the goodnesse of God For there is no earthlie things which haue in them any force or vertue to help men except they be made effectuall by the power of him is y◠Omnipotent Neuertheles those benefits which are giuen to vs by meanes are not to be contemned neither ought we to abuse them For all the giftes of God ought to be vsed to the glorie of God to our soules health and for the necessitie of our bodie But we must alwaies beware that we doe not ascribe that to Creatures which belongeth onelie to God Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 147. Of Bath a certaine measure And it contained two thousand Bath ¶ Bath Epha séeme to be both one measure Euerie Bath conteined ten pottels The Epha conteined in drie things that which Bath did in liquor Read Eze. 45. 10. Geneua BEELZABVB An Idoll whom the Philistines worshipped GOe and enquire of Beelzabub the God of Ekron ¶ The Philistines which dwelt at Ekron worshipped this Idoll which signifieth the God of flies thinking that he could preserue them from the biting of flies Or els he was so called because flies were ingendred in great abundance of the Sacrifices that were offered to that Idoll Geneua If they haue called the master of the house Beelzabub ¶ It was the name of an Idoll which signified the God of Flies and in despite thereof was attributed to the Diuell and the wicked called Christ by this name Geneua BEHEMOTH What beast this is thought to be THe word Behema signifieth simplie a Beast and vnder that name are Oxen al other Beasts comprehended Héere it is said in the plurall number Looke vpon Behemoth whom I created with them◠although y◠word Behemoth be the plurall number in the Hebrue yet it is spoken wit of one Beast no moe Howbeit forasmuch as God meant to betoken héere one sort of beasts that is the cause why he setteth Behemoth in the plural number Neuertheles it cannot be coniectured what kinde or beast it is that he speaketh except it be an Elephant by reason of the hugenesse of that beasts bodie c. Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 730. ¶ The Hebrues vnderstand by Behemoth the greatest beast in the earth that is an Elephant Other vnderstand thereby anie earthlie beast that is great but vnto an Elephant doe all the properties héere recited right well agrée wherfore it séemeth most agréeable to the truth that by the word by signified in Elephant T. M. BELEEVE What it is to beleeue TO beléeue is not to doubt of the promises of God but rather to be fullie perswaded of the promises of God that as God hath promised so shall it vndoubtedly chaunce vnto vs. Basill ¶ To beléeue is certainlie to be perswaded and assured in minde through the holie Ghost that by the Lord Iesus we are purged from our sinnes and made the children of God that by his mans nature we are made pertakers of his Diuinitie by his mortalitie we haue obtained immortalitie by his cursse euerlasting blessing by his death life brieflie that by his descending into the earth we ascend into heauen Traheron ¶ To beléeue in the name of Christ is to receiue him as the Sonne of God and the Sauiour of the whole world which is done of vs when we depende whollie vppon him by a sincere faith and trust and commit our selues whollie as disciples vnto him c. Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 18. ¶ To beléeue in God is to be sure that all thou hast is of him and all thou néedest must come of him Which if thou doe thou canst not but continuallie thanke him for his benefites which continuallie without ceasing receiuest of his hande and therto euer crie for helpe for thou art euer in néede canst no where els be holpen And thy neighbour is in such necessitie also wherefore if thou loue him it will compell the◠to pittie him and to crie to God for him continuatlie and to thanke as well for him as thy selfe Tindale fol. 238. How it is prophecied that few will beleeue Christs words Who will beléeue our report and to whom is the Arme of the Lord reuealed The Prophet sheweth that very few shall receiue this their preaching of Christ of their deliuerance by him Iohn 12. 38. Rom. 10. 16. And that none can beléeue but whose hearts God toucheth with the vertue of his holie spirit Geneua Lord who hath beléeued our report ¶ Meaning the Gospell and the good tidings of saluation which they preached Geneua How men are driuen to beleeue through the workes of God Then beléeued they his workes ¶ The wonderfull workes of God caused them to beléeue for a time and praise him Geneua The meaning of this place following He that beléeueth shall not make hast ¶ He shall be quiet and séeke none other meanes but be content with Christ. Geneua I beléeued therfore did I speake ¶ I felt all these things therfore was moued in faith to confesse thē 2. Co. 4. 13. Geneua BEAME What this beame signifieth O Hypocrite cast out first the Beame that is in thine owne eie c. ¶ Thou vnderstandest all Gods lawes falselie and therefore thou kéepest none of them trulie his lawes require mercie and not Sacrifice moreouer thou hast a false intent in all thy workes that thou doest and therefore are they all damnable in the sight of God Hipocrite cast out the Beame that is in thine owne eie learne to vnderstand the law of God truly and to doe thy workes aright and for the intent that God ordeined them and then thou shalt sée whether thy brother haue a mote in his eie or not and if he haue how to plucke it out or els not Tindale fol. 237. BENEDICT Why he is set among the Heretikes THis man was the first founder of the order commonlie called Saint Benedicts and died saith Volateran li. 21. in the yeare of our Lord. 518. He was the first and the onelie deuiser of a seuerall trade of life within y◠first 600. yeares after Christ and because he presumed to inuent a new waie which all the godlie Fathers before him neuer thought of I saith the Authour laied him heere downe for a Schismatike couched him in this Catalogue of Heretikes BERILL The description of Berill and what is betokened thereby THe eight a Berill ¶ This stone glittereth like water when the Sunne shineth vpon it and it is said to heate the hand of him that holdeth it It betokeneth men enlightened with the grace of the holie Ghost which bring other to the loue of heauenlie things by preaching and teaching the same grace Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 300. ¶ The Berill is of a pale
much shadowed Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 574. ¶ Brooke Cedron was a déepe valleie through the which a streame ranne after a great raine Geneua BRVSED REDE Looke Rede BVDDAS Of his heresie and finall end BVddas otherwise called Terebinthus was a little before Manes the heretike He taught about Babilon that he himselfe was borne of a Uirgin and that he was bred and brought vp in the mountaines He wrote 4. bookes The first of Mysteries the second he called the Gospell the third Thesaurus the fourth a Summerie Through witchcraft he tooke his flight into the aire to offer sacrifice but the diuell threw him downe and broke his necke Socrates li. 1. cap. 17. BVLL The Bull of Pope Clement the sixt published for the yeare of Iubelie 1350. WHosoeuer purposeth for trauaile sake to come to Rome maie choose that daie whereon he setteth forward a confessor or confessours or els in his iourneie by the waie or in anie other place vnto the which confessour or ghostlie Father we giue full power to giue absolution in all causes that concerne the Popes owne prerogatiue in as ample manner as if our owne person were present Item we graunt that if anie béeing confessed die by the waie that he shall bée frée and discharged from all their sinnes And farthermore we commaund the Angels of Paradise that his soule béeing fullie deliuered from Purgatorie they receiue it into Paradise In an other Bull he writeth thus We will not that anie man be formented in himself with the paine of hell And also we graunt to al those that weare the crosse thrée or foure soules at their pleasure whom soeuer they will to deliuer them out of Purgatorie Bale Of a certeine Priest that cast the Popes Bull before the Popes feet There was a certeine Priest which comming before the Pope cast the Popes Bull downe before his féete saieng Loe héere take your Bull vnto you for it doth me no good at all I haue laboured now these thrée yeares with all and yet notwithstanding for all this your Bull I cannot be restored to my right The Pope hearing this commanded the poore Priest to be seourged and after to be cast into prison what became of him afterward the writer of the Storie Henricus de Erphodia maketh no mention In the Booke of Mar. fol. 487. How Doctour Whittington was slaine with a Bull. There was a faithfull woman that suffered martyrdome in a certeine towne called Cheping Sadberie in the time of king Henrie the seuenth condemned by the Chauncelour called doctour Whittington At whose death a great concourse of people there gathered together to beholde hir end Among the which the foresaid Chauncellour was there present to sée execution done The Sacrifice béeing ended the people began to returne homeward comming from the burning of this blessed martyr It happened in the meane time that as the Catholike executioners were buisie in slaieng this séelie lambe at the towne side a certeine Butcher in the towne was as buisie in slaieng of a Bull which Bull he had fast bounde in ropes readie to knocke him on the head But the Butcher belike not so skilfull in his art of killing beastes as the Papists be in murthering Christians as he was lifting his Axe to strike the Bull sailed in his stroke and smit a little too lowe or els howe hée smote I know not This was certeine that the Bull although some what gréeued at the stroke but yet not striken downe put his strength to the ropes and brake loose from the Butcher into the streete the verie same time as the people were comming in great prease from the burning Who séeing the Bull comming towards them and supposing him to be wilde as was no other like gaue waie for the beast euerie man shifting for himselfe as well as hée might Thus the people giuing backe and making a lane for the Bull he passed through the throng of thein touching neither man nor childe till hée came where the Chauncellour was Against whome the Bull as pricked with a sodeine vehementie ranne full but with his hornes and taking him vpon the panch gored him through through and killed him immediatlie carrieng his guttes and trailing them with his hornes all the stréet ouer to the great admiration and wonder of all them that sawe it Booke of Mar. fol. 919. Wherevnto the Bulls of Basan are compared The strong or fatte Bulls of Basan haue compassed mée in on euerie side ¶ A Bull is a beast not onelie stoute and strong but also boisterous blockish fierce and cruell If his nimblenesse and quicknesse were to his might there were lightlie no beast to bée compared vnto a Bull Of these naturall properties and speciallie of his hornewoode and madde fiercenesse when hée is well baited and bitten with dogges the cruell enimies and the spitefull persecutours of our Sauiour Christ are verie aptlie and liuelie called Tauri robusti Boisterous Bulles By Basan ye shall vnderstand that it was a plentiful land full of woods and pastures ouer the which Og that great fat hogge was king Which Og was a Gyaunt whose bed was of yron in length 13. foote and a halfe and in breadth 6. foote and an halfe This countrie Basan ◠Pinguedo was a land of such fertiltie and plentie that the Prophet verie aptlie doth translate and applie the same vnto the persecutors of Christ which for their worldie wealth their tyrannie and pride are verie properlie called fat Buls of Basan ◠men wallowing in wealth in riches and plentie euen as the Bulles of Basan doe wallow in fat pastures And if a man would nowe narrowlie drawe and applie this place of the Prophet vnto the manners of such wicked men which now a daies doe persecute Christ in his members then by the fat Bulls of Basan ye maie wel easilie vnderstand al such idle rich fat couetous worldlie rich men which in our time doe so much gather togethers and kéepe to them and to their hefres that no poore man nor meane man nor handie craftes man can haue anie competent liuing by the true labour of their handes Ric. Turnar ¶ He meaneth by the Bulles of Basan that his enimie◠were so fat proude and cruell that they were rather beastes then men Geneua BVRDEN What is meant by the word burden I will laie none other burden vpon you ¶ Although there be some which in this place vnderstand the worde burden to be ment of the griefe of minde and bitternesse of heart which the godlie shold susteine by reason of his errour which they should be faine to indure till Christ come and deliuer them by his visitation yet is the place more rightlie vnderstood of the burden of the lawe For we know it was the propertie of heretikes and false Apostles to burden the Church with ceremonies whereas contrariwise Christ saith my yoke is swéete and my burden light Mat. 11. 30. c. Read Act. 15. 10. Rom 8. 15. Gal.
5. 1. Marl. vpon the Apocalips fol 53. ¶ My minde is to yoke you with no other lawe nor to burden you with anie other traditions then I haue alredie giuen you neither with ceremonies rites nor auncient customes in the obseruation of daies moneths times nor yeares in holie daies fastings vigils nor Sabotes for they were but shadowes of things to come Bale vpon the Apoc. fol. 40. The meaning of this place following What is the burden of the Lord. The Prophets called their threatnings Gods burden which the sinners were not able to susteine Therefore the wicked in deriding the word would aske of the Prophets what was the burden as though they would saye you séeke nothing els but to lay burdens vpon our shoulders And thus they reiected the word of God as a burden But bicause this word was brought to contempt and derision he will saith the Prophet teach them another manner of speach and will cause this word burden to cease and teach them to aske with reuerence what saith the Lord. For the thing that they mocke and contemne shall come vpon them Geneua ¶ The wicked mens hearts were so hardened against 〈…〉 truth that they vsed scornefullie to scosfe at Gods threatening prophestes in mocking calling them Gods fardle or burden The Bible note Of the burden of Babel The burden of Babel which Esaie the sonne of Amos did sée ¶ That is the great calamitie which was prophesied to come on Babel as a most gréeuous burden which they were not able to beare In these twelue Chapters following he speaketh of the plague wherwith God would smite those straunge nations whom they knew to declare that God chastened the Israelites as his children and these other as his enimies And also that if God spared not these that are ignoraunt that they must not think straunge if he punish them which haue knowledge of his lawe and kéepe it not Geneua BVRIAL How Buriall is a looking glasse of resurrection BUriall was brought in by God It is no inuention of man without good ground but it is Gods ordinaunce to the end it should be a witnesse to vs of the resurrection and euerlasting life When men be buried they are laid vp in the earth as in a store house vntill they be raised vp againe at the last daie and so our buriall is vnto vs a loking glasse of the resurrection Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 472. The Pompe of buriall forbidden But when thou doest heare saith Chrisostome that our Lord did rise againe naked cease I praie thée from the madde expence of the burieng what meaneth this superfluous and vnprofitable expence which vnto them that make it bringeth hurt and no profite to the dead but rather harme What the Greekes and Hebures doe call their buring places The Gréekes doe call their burieng places Camâ—tereum that is to saie a Dorter or sléeping place signifieng thereby that we ought to be as sure or rather more sure that they that be buried shall be raised againe at the last daie of the generall resurrection then we are sure to rise againe when we lay our selues downe to sléepe and that therefore we ought no more to 〈…〉 be wâ—ese 〈…〉 out friends when wée sée anie of them to be laide into the ground then wée ought to be soriâ— when we sée them goe to â—edde and laie themselues downe to take their rest béeing most assured by the vndouted infallible word of God that we shall receiue them againe immortall and most gloriouâ—â— The Hebrues doe call their burieng placed oâ— the 〈…〉 〈…〉 the liuing because that they that be buried 〈…〉 God and shall be receiued againe by his 〈…〉 I. Veron What 〈…〉 is to be buried with Christ. 〈…〉 buried with Christ 〈…〉 Bapâ—â—â—e in to his death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorie of the Father so wée also should walke in newnesse of life ¶ This partaking of death and life with Christ is nothing els but the mortifieng of our owne flesh the quickening of the spirit in that the olde man is crucified and we may walke in newnesse of life Calâ—ehill Of the Burial of Iohn Baptist. ¶ Looke Iohn Baptist. BVRNE What it is to Burne IT is is better to marrie then to burne ¶ To burne after Saint Ambrose is when the will consenteth to the lust of the flesh Tindale ¶ Then to burne with the fire of concupisence that is when mans will so giueth place to the lust that tempteth that he cannot call vpon God with a quiet conscience Geneua What these burning lights doe signifie And your lights burning ¶ These burning lightes that Christ willeth us to haue in our handes are a liuelie faith working through charitie The works of the Christians ought to be liuelie feruent and burning Sir I. Cheeke Of burnt offerings and peace offerings They offered burnt offerings and peace offerings ¶ Burnt offerings were they which were all burnt but of peace offerings a certeine part was offered an other part was giuen vnto the Priest an other part returned vnto him which offered it to eate it with his friends in the sight of the Lord. Pet Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 271. Whie it was called a whole burnt offering And offered a whole burnt offering◠¶ It is called a whole burnt offering because the whole sacrifice was consumed with fire by the which is signified that the person which did offer the same should haue his heart and minde wholie vppon God as it is written Loue thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule c. The Bible note How the Christians doe offer burnt 〈…〉 Although that the burnt offering of 〈…〉 〈…〉 Sheepe of Calues and Birdes offered in the olde lawe be abolished by the glorie of Christ whose death and passion they did adâ—â—brate aâ— S. Paule witnesseth Heb. 10. Shall we thinke thereâ— fore that we now which be Christians haue not burnt 〈…〉 fice to offer vnto God yes mâ— then they had For so often as we doe preach or the king or anie other godlie man doth cause or helpe Christs Gospell to be purelie and sincerelie preached to the people so oft doe we offer a burnt sacrifice of swéete sauour vnto God a sacrifice that pleaseth God farre aboue the offering of a young fat calfe that hath hornes and houesâ— This is that swéete sacrifice whereof Malachie the Prophet doth speake in the first Chapter saieng From the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same great is my name among the Gentiles and in euerie place shall sacrifice be made and offering set vp to my name This sacrifice and burnt offering is not the sacrifice of the wicked Masse but it is the sacrifice of the preaching of Christes death and the meritas of hiâ—â—sionâ— We doe also offer burnt sacrifices vnto the Lord when we doe offer our selues our hearts our mindes and all 〈…〉 dilie members to the true seruing of God in
seconde Chapter to the Hebrewes doth alleadge this vearse of the Prophet to this purpose and intent to proue that Christ tooke the same nature of man vpon him that we haue This is a verie truth that I doe now teach saith Saint Paule Qui sanctificat qui sanctificabitur ex vno omnes that is both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one Christus sanctificat purgat abluat emundat nos nos vero mortales sanctificamor illum per Christum And this Christ which by the morites of his bitter passion doth sanctifie vs and wée which are sanctified be all of one what is that to saie we come all of Adam concerning the nature and vertue of flesh and bloud Christ came of Adam as well as we and that is the cause why S. Luke describeth the pedegrâ—e of Christ after the flesh he beginneth at Ioseph qui putabat illius pater which Ioseph saith Saint Luke was thought to be Christs Father This Ioseph was the sonne of Hely Hely was the sonne of Mathat which was the sanne of Leâ—â— And so he descendeth in order vntill he come to Adam signifieng thereby that Christ concerning yâ— flesh came of Adam as wel as we And that is the thing which S. Paul saith Qui sanctificat et qui saÌ„ctificatur ex vno omnes so they yâ— sanctifie they yâ— be sanctified by Christ come all of one nempe Adamo that is to wit of Adam Propter quam causam Christus non confidetur vocare nos Fratics For the which cause Christ is not ashamed saith S. Paule notwithstanding we be sinners to call vs his brethren according as it is written Narrabo nomen tuum fratribus meis I will set out spread thy name among my bretheren not bretheren only by affection as when Christ saith Mater mea fratres mei hij sunt qui verbum Dei audiunt faciunt but my bretheren because they be made of the same kinde of flesh and bloud that I am my bretheren because they come of Adam as I doe Ric. Turnar ¶ We cannot haue God to be our father vnlesse we acknowledge Christ to be our brother c. Saint Ambrose saith Hée is our Mouth by the which wée speake to the Father our Eie by the which wée sée the Father our right hande by which wée offer vs vnto the Father The lieng of Christ in the Stall expounded Chrisostome saith As Christ was in the Stall so is he now vpon the Altar And as he was sometimes in the womans armes so is he now in the Priests hands ¶ Erue it is that Christ was there Christ is héere but not in one or like manner of being For he was in the stall by bodilie presence vpon the holie Table he is by waie of a Sacrament The woman in hir armes helde him reallie the Priest in his hands holdeth him in a mysterie So saith Saint Paule Christ dwelleth in our hearts and no doubt the same Christ that laie in the Stall It is one and the same Christ but the difference standdeth in the manner of his beeing there For in the stall he laie by presence of his bodie in our hearts he heth by presence of faith Chrisostome saith that Christ heth vpon the Altar as the Seraphins with their tonges touch our lips with the coales of the Altar in heauen which is an Hiperboricall loquution of which Chrisostome is full Bradford in the booke of Martirs How Christ is called the Rocke ¶ Looke Rocke What it is to put on Christ according to the Gospell The putting on of Christ according to the Gospell consisteth not in Imitation but in a new Birth and a new Creation That is to saie in putting on of Christs innorenâ—ie his righteousnesse his wisedome his power his saâ—ing health his life and his spirit We are clothed with the leather coate of Adam which is a 〈…〉 garment and a garment of Sinne that is to saie We are all subiect to Sinne all solde vnder Sinne. There is in vs horible blindnesse ignoraunce contempt and hatred of God moreouer euill concupiscense vncleannesse couetousnesse c. This garment that is to saie this corrupt and sinfull nature we receiued from Adam which Saint Paule is wont to call the olde man This olde man must wée put off with all his workes Ephe. 4. 22. That of the Children of Adam wée maie bée made the Children of GOD. This is not done by chaunging of a garment or by anie lawes or workes but by a new birth by the renuing of the inward man which is done in Baptime as Paule saith All ye that are baptised haue put on Christ. Also according to his mercie hath he saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renuing of the holie Ghost Tit. 3 5. Besides that they which are baptised are regenerate renued by the holie Ghost to a heauenly righteousnesse and to eternall life there riseth in them also a new light and a new flame there rise in them new and holie affections as the feare of God true faith assured hope c. There beginneth also in them a new will And this is to put on Christ according to the Gospell Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 167. How Christ first loued vs and not we him Who loued me and gaue himselfe for me ¶ Paule saith héere that first he began and not we He euen he saith Paule loued me and gaue himselfe for me as if he had said he found in me no good will or right vnderstanding but this good Lord had mercie vpon me He sawe me to be nothing els but wicked going astraie contemning God and flieng from him more and more yea rebelling against God taken led and caried awaie captiue of the Diuell Thus of his méere mercie preuenting my reason my will and my vnderstanding he loued me so loued me that he gaue himselfe for me to the ende that I might be free from the Law Sin the Diuell and Death c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 82. How Christs corporall presence is hurtfull I tell you truth it is expedient for you that I goe awaie ¶ The corporall presence of Christ is hurtfull vnto men and that through their owne fault For why they are too much addicted vnto it Therefore his flesh must be taken awaie from vs that we maie waxe and increase in the spirite therefore they are farre out of the waie that dreame in the mysticall bread and wine a bodilie presence Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The absence of Christ according to the flesh is profitable to the Church that we maie wholie depend vpon the spirituall power Camerarius How Christ is God by these prooues following First almightie God said let vs make man in our owne Image and after our likenesse Which words no doubt doe signifie vnto vs the Triplicitie of the persons in the Godhead which are thrée distinct in name
no robberie to bée equall with God neuerthelesse he made himselfe of no reputation taking on him the shape of a seruant and was found in his apparel as a man c. Héere we sée that forasmuch as he was in the shape of God he was equall with God and inasmuch as he was in the shape of man he was lesse then the father for he made himself of no reputation Thus ye doe sée the sentence they bring foorth is verie true and yet maketh nothing for that purpose they alleadge it But if they list to cauill about this word shape or likenesse of God therefore he was not God for it is one thing to be in the shape and likenesse of GOD and another to bée GOD. To that I aunswere that as he saith he was in the shape of GOD so he saith also that he tooke on him the shape of a seruant and was found as a man And if they will prooue him heereby not to bée God so on the other side I will proue him not to be man because he tooke on him the shape of a seruant and was found as a man and the one is euen as true as the other which if it shuld bée graunted the whole work of our saluation should be of none effect Thus do you sée of what force this argument of theirs is Obiection Christ saith all power is giuen vnto me in heauen earth And againe the Father loueth the sonne hath giuen al things into his hand Thus sée we the Father giueth and the sonne receiueth and greater is he that giueth then he that receiueth wherefore it cannot be that he should be equall and all one God with the Father Aunswere This obiection maie be answered like as the other the Christ was equall with his Father as touching his diuinitie lesse then the Father as concerning his humanitie In the which humanitie he receiued all things of his Father but as touching his diuinitie he created and made all thinges and giueth the selfe same gifts to men that the Father giueth For Saint Iohn saith the world was made by him and as manie as receiued him to them gaue he power to bée the sonnes of God Thus sée we the Scripture which they alleadge serueth nothing for their purpose Obiection S. Paule 1. Cor. 15. 25. saith Then commeth the end when Christ hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God the Father whē he hath put downe all rule all authoritie and power For hée must reigne vntill he put all his enimies vnder his feet For as much then as Christ shall deliuer vp his kingdome to God the Father and shall reigne vntill he put all his enimies vnder his feete néeds it must be graunted that his kingdome shall haue an end whereby it is euident that he is not God Aunswere The kingdome of Christ doth consist in conquering our auncient enimie the diuell vnder whom we were a long time in bondage in that he should die to redeeme the people and so together in one and so to ascend vp on high and to leade awaie captiuitie captiue to sit on the right hand of God to make intercession for vs and last of all to sit in iudgement on all flesh whereof part is alreadie done and the other part is a dooing part to be done For first y◠redemption of man is alreadie done and wrought by his death and passion Againe euen vnto this daie he fighteth in his members against Satan the enimie of God and reigneth as a king in the heartes of them that be his beside this he continuallie maketh intercession for vs. And the last daie he shall as a righteous Iudge reward them that be his with eternall lyfe but the vngodlie with death euerlasting All the which béeing done this kingdome of his shall cease For he shall deliuer it vp vnto his Father so haue an end For it shal be no longer néedfull forasmuch as the saluation of man shall there vs altogether finished and made perfect But doth it nowe followe that although this kingdome of his shall haue an end that then he shall cease to reigne and haue no kingdome By the selfe same reason maie it bée proned that God the Father was without a kingdome all the while y◠this kingdōe of Christ hath continued for Christ saith All power is giuen me of my Father Héere ye sée that the Father gaue all power and authoritie vnto Christ Ergo the Father was without power and authoritie for the time that Christ had it The which I am well assured that no man that is in his right minde will bée content to graunt And beside all this we haue the plaine testimonie of Scripture that the kingdome of Christ is euerlasting For the Angell said Of his Kingdome there shall bée no ende Thus if the Scripture be well weied it maketh nothing at all for their purpose What Christ hath done for vs. Christ is the Sauiour of the world Iohn 4. 42. Christ is the Sauiour Luke 2. 11. Christ died for vs. Rom. 5. 6. Christ died for our sins Rom. 4. 25. Christ bought vs with his bloud 1. Pe. 1. 17. Christ washt vs with his bloud Apo. 1. 5. Christ offered himselfe for vs. Gal. 1. 4. Christ bare our sinnes vpon his back Esay 53. 11. Christ came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1. 15. Christ came into this world to take awaie our sins 1. Iohn 3. 5. Christ was the price that was giuen for vs and our sins 1. Timo. 2. 6. Christ hath paied our debt for he died for vs. Coll. 2. 14. Christ is our sanctification 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is our redemption 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is our peace Coll. 2. verse 14. Christ hath pacified the Father of heauen for vs. Rom. 5. 1. Christ is ours and all his 1. Cor. 3. 22. Christ hath deliuered vs from the lawe from the diuel and from hell Coll. 2. 14 The Father of heauen hath forgiuen vs our sinnes for Christs sake or anie other like the same which declare vnto vs the mercie of God ◠Iohn 1. 7. In the booke of Mar. fol. 1110 CHRISTIAN The definition of a Christian. SEE that will expresse the name of a Christian must bée such a man as excelleth through the knowledge of Christ and his doctrine in modestie righteousnesse of minde in constancie of life in vertuous fortitude and in confessing of sincere pietie toward the one and the onely vniuersall God Eusebius fol. 8 The right Christen man consenteth to the lawe that it is righteous and iustifieth God in the lawe For he affirmeth that God is righteous and iust which is the author of the law He beléeueth the promises of God and iustifieth God iudgeing him true and beleeuing that he will fulfill his promises With the lawe he condemneth himselfe and all his déedes and giueth all the praise to God He beléeueth the promises and ascribeth all truth vnto God thus euerie where
were as white as Snowe and with him was seene Moses and Helias talking with him Et ecce nubes lucida obumbrauit â—os And behold a cléere Cloud did shadow them and close them in and out of the Cloud was heard a voice saieng Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo mihi bene complacui ipsum audite This is my beloued Sonne for whose sake I am pleased and pacified toward all them that beléeue in him and will hearken vnto his doctrine ipsum audite heare him Furthermore in the first chapter of the Actes of the Apostles we read that a Cloud compassed and closed in the bodie of our Sauiour Iesus ascending vp into heauen and so tooke him out of the sight of the Apostles Thus by these manifest places of Scriptures conferred together ye see euidentlie the wordes of the Prophet put in practise when he saith The Lorde hath made the darkenesse his secret closet and the Cloudes of the aire his Tabernacle to compasse him round about Ric. Turnar How the Cloudes are called Gods pauilions and Chariots The Cloudes and all the cope of heauen are tearmed Gods Pauilions or Tents And diuers times it is said that yâ— Clouds are his Chariots namelie because he guideth them and maketh them to goe forward or els doth as it were walke vpon them to make his triumphs Thus you sée how God is presented vnto vs as a Prince in that he vseth the Heauens as his Palaice and his maiestie sheweth it selfe there Againe the Clouds are as ye would saie the pillers of his pauilion to the end we shuld be the more moued to consider the royall workmanship Then séeing it is so let vs learne to yéeld God that which is his owne and let not his glorie be lefaced through our vnthankfulnesse Cal. vpon Iob. 672. COCKATRICE EGGES The meaning of the place following THey breede Cockatrice Egges and weaue the Spiders web ¶ To bréede Cockatrice Egges is to go about that which is mischieuous and wicked to weaue the spiders web is to go about vaine and trifling things which are of no value although they séeme neuer so excellent vnto the doers T. M. ¶ Whatsoeuer commeth from them is poyson and bringeth death Geneua COLDE What it is to be colde I Would thou wert either hotte or colde ¶ In some mens opinion to be colde is as much as to be vtterlie void of faith and to be hot is to persist stedfastlie and stoutlie in faith that is workfull by loue and to be luke warme is nothing els but to be a counterfetter and dissembler that is to saie to be hot and faithfull to outward appearaunce inwardly to be void of faith Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 67. I know by thy works that thou art neither hot nor cold c. ¶ Thy works are euidentlie open before me saith the Lord I knowe them in their kinde I sée thou art neither cold nor hot thou art neither a full Infidel nor a full beléeuer neither a perfect Pagan nor a perfect Christian thou art neither constant in thy faith nor yet all without faith Outwardlie thou art hot but within thou art cold as yâ—e Inwardlie thou abhorrest the word of God yet dost thou not outwardlie condemne it I wold thou wert either cold or hot either a Christian or none at all either a perfect louer of the veritie or els a ful hater of it not a dissembling Hypocrite as thou art iudging euill good and good euill calling darknesse light light darknesse making sower swéete and swéete sower allowing fables and lies and contemning the wisedome of God None is so farre from the kingdome of heauen as is a false Christian. Much sooner is he conuerted to the truth that is all colde or all without faith then he that vnder the colour and pretence of Gods lawes maintaineth errors and lies Forsomuch therefore as I finde thee betwéene both neither of both halfe colde halfe hot and neither fullie cold nor hot neither faithfullie giuen to Gods word nor all whole with out it but a false and glosing hyporrite I will begin to vomit thée as a morsell out of season spew thée out of my mouth as a thing out of kinde Thou shalt not be digested Neither shall my word allow thee nor my promise admit thée to rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen But thou shalt be throwen forth into exterior darknes wheras shal be wéeping gnasâ—â—ng of téeth I will cast thee out detest thee abhorre thee For much worse are they that abuse or despise yâ— gift of God then they which neuer receiued it c. Bale vpon the Apoc. COALES OF FIRE What the meaning of S. Paule is in this place FOr in so doing thou shalt heape hot coales of fire vppon his head ¶ This place maie be vnderstood two manner of waies either that our gentle kindnesse towards our enimie shal be vnto him a cause of great damnation and so by the coales we shall vnderstand the vengeaunce of God or that our enimie being ouercome by our gentlenesse and as a man might saie being kindeled with loue might repent and become our friend Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Either thou shalt wound him with thy benefit or els his conscience shall beare him witnesse that Gods burning wrath hangeth ouer him Geneua ¶ Thou shalt as it were by force ouercome him insomuch that his owne conscience shall moue him to acknowledge thy benefites and his heart shall be inflamed Geneua ¶ After this sort doth Salomon point out the wrath of God that hangeth ouer a man Beza COMFORTLES The meaning of this place of Iohn I Will not leaue you comfortlesse ¶ Some vnderstande this of the returne of Christ vnto his Disciples after his Resurrection But other some a great deale better referre the same vnto the comming of the holie Ghast As if Christ should haue said ye shall thinke when I am gone from you in my bodelie presence that you are Orphants without a Father but if you consider the matter well I will neuer leaue you For I will come vnto you with the spirit of consolation which shall helpe you with fatherlie affection in all aduersities So beneficiall shall my departure be vnto you so great profite shall my death bring vnto you Marl. COMMAVNDEMENTS OF GOD. How they be impossible for man to fulfill IF thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commaundements ¶ Remember that when God commaundeth vs to do anie thing he doth it not therefore because that we of our selues can doe that he commaundeth but that by the Lawe we might sée and know our horrible damnacion and captiuitie vnder sinne and therefore should repent and come to Christ receiue mercie and the spirit of God to loose vs strength vs and to make vs able to doe Gods will which is the Lawe Now when he saith if thou wilt enter into life kéepe the Commaundements is as much to
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
man saith he hath a tyrannicall heart for he would rule all men as hée lust and not by anie reason or lawe Also he writing in his 3. booke De repub saith that Dronkennesse maie be suffered in anie man rather then in a Magistrate for a dronken man knoweth not the ground whereon he is on If a Magistrate be dronke then hath the kéeper néede of a kéeperâ— This is moreouer to be added that there is nothing kept secret where Dronkennesse raigneth How Dronkennesse is condempned by holie Scripture Paule saith Be ye not made dronken with wine wherein is wantonnesse But be ye filled with the spirite speaking to your selues by Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songs Upon which place â—ierom saith we cannot at one time be filled with wine and the Holie ghost for the Apostle putteth these things as contraries euen as we cannot serue two masters He that is filled with the spirit hath wisedome méeknesse shamefastnesse and chas 〈…〉 cie and he which is filled with wine hath foolishnesse furiousnesse malipartnesse and filthy lusts They which are not â—illed with wine can easelie sing Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songs which thing they cannot doe which haue gorged themselues with wine Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 162. Proplâ—ne examples of Dronkennesse Alexander of Macedoniâ— the Conquerour of the world was most filthelie ouercome with wine and being dronke slew Clitus his friend most valiant and faithfull whose diligence industrie labour prudence strength he had in warres long time vsed to his great commoditie Wherefore when he had slept after his wine and being awaked and remembring the wicked act that he had committed he was so ashamed and sorie that he wished himselfe dead But yet he amended not the vice of dronkennesse Yea once afterward he dronke so much wine in one night that he fell into a Feuer and for that he would not temper himselfe from wine within a while after he died Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 163. King Philip father to Alexander the great was a noble Prince and fortunate yet notwithstanding yâ— vice of dronkennesse raigned too much in him wherefore it followed that after he had giuen iudgement vpon a time against a poore widdow woman she aunswered straight she appealed The Nobles then present hearing the woman what she said demaunded to whom she appealed since the king himselfe had giuen sentence She aunswered and said I appeale to King Philip which is now dronk that when he is sober he returne and giue sentence The woman was nothing deceiued in hir appelaâ—ion for after king Philip had reposed and slept a little he reâ—oked and repeaâ—ed that sentence that he had before giuen against hir This Cambices the sonne of Cyrâ—s had a Counsalour about him named Prexaspes because he admonished the King somwhat boldlie of his dronkennesse he commaunded Prexaspes to bring his youngest sonne vnto him for I quod he will shoote at him with my bowe And if I hit his heart with my dart then maist thou thinke that I am not beside the capacitie of reason but if not then maie it worthelie be saide I am dronke and so the childe being bound to a post the king after he had well dronke shot at the childe with his dart and pearced him through the heart which being ript he shewed to Prexaspes the childes father saieng heere thou hast good euidence that I am not dronk for the heart is rightlie hit Carion A good woman had an husband who would be oftentimes dronken wherewith she being ashamed and deuising by what meanes she might cause him to leaue that horrible vice at the last when he was asleepe she caried him vnto the Charnel house wherin were put the bones of dead men and leauing him lieng there she made â—ast the dore and departed and when she thought he was waking she taking with hir bread and meate returned to the Charnell house knocked at the dore hir husband faintlie asked who knocked there The good woman aunswered I which haue brought meate with me for the dead men Peace quod hir husbandâ— thou increasest my paine in speking of meat bring me some drinke I praie thee that hearing the good woman Alas said she tâ—at euer I was borne for this vice gotten by custome my husband hath made it an habite which will neuer forsake him â—xamples of Dronkennesse out of the Scripture Noe a great man iust and loued of God who saw two constitutions of the world for he liued both before after the floud is set foorth vnto vs as an example vtterlie to auoid Dronkennesse When as he hauing dronke more wine then was méete laie in the Tabernacle most filthelie naked and his priuie partes which were wont to be couered he lefte bare and vncouered and hée that was wont to be a Master of vertues was a great offence vnto his children Châ—m mocked him the other two sonnes of a better and holier nature were sorie and verie much ashamed of their fathers filthinesse By this act it is sufficientlie declared that shame derision and offence folowe Dronkennesse But of this sinne we haue a notable example in Lot who vndoubtedlie dranke not immoderatelie to the ende he would abuse his Daughters and to commit incest but to put awaie care and griefes which he had taken for the ouerthrow of the 5 cities for the losse of his deere wife and also of his substance He would also comfort his daughters that they should not take too much thought speciallie â—or the losse of their mother although he ought to haue inuented other waies of comforting But this I speake onelie least that anie man shoulde thinke that he didde with hiâ— will drinke too much to pollute himselfe with most filthie lusts yet for all that toâ— much abundaunce of drinke was the cause of his most vile incest being otherwise an olde man in a time farre out of purpose for as much as the iudgements of God were declared against the filthie lusts of the 5. Cities And which is wonderful wine so alienated Lot from himself that he vnderstood not with what women he had companied Wherefore rightlie saith Seneca in his 84. Epistle They which are dronken doe manie things which afterward when they are sober they are ashamed of Lot sought to make himselfe merrie with wine and he incurred a perpetuall heauinesse Let them therefore which séeke to be made merrie with wine remember that they put themselues in a most present daunger and by that meanes maie easelie throwe themselues headlong into most grieuous wicked actes Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 162. ¶ Through Dronkennesse and other vices wer the Cities of Sodome and Gomorra destroied Gen 19. 24. Eze. 16. 49. ¶ Ammon being dronke was slaine 2. Reg. 13. 29. ¶ Ela the sonne of Baasa King of Israel being dronken was slaine of his seruaunt Zimri ¶ Benhadad King of Syria with his 32. Kings being dronken were all ouercome of King Achab.
referred to the true Children of Abraham borne according to the promise and not according to the flesh which are heires of the true Lande of Canaan Geneua Shall kéepe it holie for an ordinaunce for euer ¶ That is vntill Christs comming for then Ceremonies had an end Geneua And shall serue him for euer ¶ That is to the yeare of Iubile which was euerie fitieth yere Deut. 15. 17. Leuit. 25. 40. Geneua EVCHARIST What Eucharist is EVcharistia in Latine is Englished a Thankes-giuing and is now taken for the Sacrament of the Altar Eliote When the Fathers saie that Eucharist is but bread they speake hyperbolicallie and vnderstande that it is not bread onelie or alone or common bread because vnto the bread is added the word of God whereby it receiueth the nature of a Sacrament And this is a strong reason against the Anabaptists which haue euer in their mouth that saieng of Paule vnto the Corinthians Circumcision and vncircumcision is nothing but the obseruation of the Commaundements of God so they saie that Baptime the Eucharist the Ecclesiasticall mysterie are nothing but pretend onlie the obseruing of yâ— commaundements of God But we aunswere them that other things are nothing if they be alone without faith and pietie and a holie life Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 49. EVTICHAE What manner of men they were THey were a sect of Heretikes called also Psalliani of whom Epiphanius maketh mention contra Massilianos Saint Austen de haeresibus who for mumbling vp of their long praiers wer called the praieng heretikes for so soundeth the Gréeke word lukâ—eaâ— They would neuer cease praieng and singing of Psalmes daie and night And so much they gaue themselues to praier that they thought themselues bound to doe nothing els not to get their liuing with the sweate of their browes not to trouble themselues with anie Office that concerned the Common-wealth not to studie or to put their hand to anie kinde of labour but to liue in continuall idlenesse in onlie eating drinkking sléeping and praieng Of whom also thus writeth the auncient Greeke Authour I heodoret And the miserable wretches being deceiued giue themselues to no kinde of worke for they call themselues spirituall men But giuing themselues to praieng they sléepe the most parte of the daie Pomet fol. 117. Eutiches maintained the opinions of Nestorius and said that our Lord consisted of two natures before the â—iuinitie was coupled with the humanitie but after the vniting of them to bée of one nature and that the bodie of Christ was not of one substaunce with ours The Councell of Constantinople deposed him but he appealed to Theodosius and procured the Councell of Ephesus to be summoned where Dioscorus the Heretike restored him Euagr. lib. 1. cap. 9. This Eutiches béeing condemned in the Councell of Chalcedon brake out into these wordes This is the faith that I was baptised in this is the faith that I haue learned of the Fathers and in this faith will I die Tom. 2. Concil EVCHRAITES What they were EVchraites were Heretikes after the Etimologie of their name continent The Authour of their heresie was Tacianus of Mesopotamia the disciple of Iustinus Martir He abhorred mariage he forbad the vse of liuing creatures he offered water in steede of wine in the Sacrament he denied that Adam was saued The Euchraites preuailed in Pisidia and Phrigia Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 27. Epiphan haeres 46. 47. EVILL MEN. How farre euill men are to be borne withall SAint Augustine saith the good are not to be forsaken for the euill but the euill are to bée borne withall for the good Héere ought to be adedd other words which the same writer hath expreslie in other places that is if those euill men doe cast abroad no séedes of false doctrine nor lead other to destruction by their example How euill men eate not Christ bodie Looke ¶ Eating EVNOMIVS Of his hereticall opinions EVnomius Bishop of Cyzicum and the Scribe of Aetius said yâ— God had no more knowledge then man He termed Aetius the man of God rebaptised all that came vnto him in the name of the vncreated God in the name of the Sonne created and in the name of the sanctifieng Spirite created of the created Sonne Socrat. li. 4. cap. 7. Theodor. li. 2. cap. 29. Epiph. haeres 76. He affirmed moreouer that they which kept the faith that he taught should be saued had they committed neuer so great a sinne and continued therein He was about the yeare of our Lord. 353. EVSTACHIVS Of his opinions and how they were condemned EVstachius Bishop of Sebastra in Armenia went in such attire as was not decent for a Priest He forbad marriage made lawes of fasting he parted maried couples asunder He caused such as refrained the Churches to raise Conuenticles at home He tooke seruaunts from their masters vnder colour of religion He commaunded his followers to weare the Philosophers habit He caused the women to be shauen He forbad the accustomed fasting daies commaunded they should fast on the Sundaie Hée detested the praiers of married men he abhorred the Offering and Communion of maried Priests not remembring that his owne Father was a Priest and Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia He was first condemned of his owne Father in a Councell helde at Caesarea afterwards in a Councell of Gangra and last of all at Constantinople Socrates lib. 2. cap. 33. EXALT What it is to exalt or humble a mans selfe EUerie one that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted ¶ The Pharisie exalted himselfe thinking himselfe righteous by his déedes of the Lawe which was nothing at all and therefore he was brought low by the sentence of damnation The Publican humbled himselfe acknowledging his sinnes by lawlie praier by trust in Gods mercie by Christ and therefore he was exalted Hemmyng EXAMINE How we should examine our selues before we goe to the Lords table BUt let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cup. ¶ There be thrée principall points the which euerie man ought to examine and prooue himselfe before hée goe to the Table of the Lord The first is true repentaunce and a true acknowledging of his offences and sinnes for the which Iesus Christ died as he declareth vnto vs in the same Chapter The second is true faith in the onelie grace and mercie of God which is offered and graunted to vs in Iesus Christ and by Iesus Christ as that Sacrament also testifieth The third true Charitie and vnion towards all the members of Christ Iesus as it presenteth vnto vs in that wee there eate all of one felfe Bread and drinke of one selfe Cup. Viret This prouing and examining of a mans selfe is first to thinke with himselfe with what lust and desire he commeth to the Maundie and will eate that bread whether he be sure that he
holy Ghost yâ— saluation is laid vp in store for vs because God forgiueth sins he himselfe giueth merits and he himselfe giueth rewards that we may not â—aie still in this beginning Cal. in his Insti 3. b. chap. 2. Sect. 4. From faith to faith what it is For by it the righteousnesse of God is knowne from faith to faith ¶ From faith to faith yâ— is from an vnperfect faith to a perfect faith from a weake faith to a strong faith or from one battel of faith to an other For as we haue escaped one ieoperdie through faith an other inuadeth vs through which we must wade by the helpe of faith also Tindale How the faith that saued the olde fathers shall saue vs. Looke Abraham How Faith is a worke Faith is a worke therefore will some saie we be iustified by works but yâ— answere of the which so say auaileth not because loue also other vertues be the works of God yet are we not iustified by them The maior is not so to be vnderstood we be not iustified by faith because it is a worke or qualitie in vs but because it leaneth vpon mercie receiueth mercie And this saieng we be iustified with faith must be vnderstoode by the waie of a comparison that is to saye by mercie we bée pronounced iust but it must bée receiued with faith Although then faith be a worke or new qualitie in vs yet we bée not iustified by the worthinesse thereof for this faith is as yet vnperfect like as other vertues be but we be iustified by that thing wherevpon faith leaneth and the which faith receiueth that is to saye for Christs sake Out of a booke called the Summe of Diuinitie Of Faith before workes ¶ Looke Cornelius How Faith is perfect Faith is perfect when it receiueth and taketh holde of Christ perfect And yet it hath néede of increasement to the intent it maie become full in all his partes The man that saide Lorde I beléeue had perfect faith and yet was it greatâ—â—e increased afterward Likewise Peter had a perfect faith when he saide Lorde whether shall I goe c. Which faith of Peter was much more increased after he had receiued the holie Ghost at Whitsontide c. How Faith ouercommeth the world Faith is not an idle assent or thought but it is a stoute Gyaunt which as Saint Iohn saith ouercommeth the world but how Euen through the conquerour Christ which it possesseth How Faith and inuocation are inseparable No man commeth to Christ as to a Sauiour nor calleth vppon him but hée that beléeueth vppon him for like as no man beléeueth but he that heareth so no man calleth vppon him but hée that beléeueth Rom. 10. 17. Faith and inuocation are so knitte together that ye maie sooner separate the heate from the fire then plucke them asunder one from an other Hemmyng How Faith is called the marriage Garment Faith in Christes bloud maketh the marriage betweene our soules and Christ and is properlie called the marriage garment or the signe Thau Tindale Of Faith Loue and Hope Obiection If Faith Loue and Hope be thrée vertues inseparable then faith onelie iustifieth not Aunswere Though Faith Hope and Loue be thrée vertues inseparable in this lyfe yet haue they separable and sundrie offices in effectes As heate and drieth bée inseparable in the fire haue yet their separable operations for the drieth onelye expelleth the moistnesse of all that is consumed in the fire and heat onelye destroieth all coldenesse for drieth and colde maie stande together and so maie heate and moistnesse It is not all one to say the drieth onelie and the drieth that is alone Nor all one to saie Faith onelie and Faith that is alone The office of Faith Faith onelie which is a sure and vndoubted trust in Christ and in the father through him certifieth the conscience that the sinne is forgiuen and the dampnation and imposibilitie of the lawe taken awaye c. And with such perswasions mollifieth the heart and maketh her loue GOD againe and his lawe And as oft as we sinne Faith onelie keepeth vs that we forsake not our profession and that loue vtterlie quench not and hope faile and onelie maketh the peace againe For a true beleeuer trusteth in Christ onelie not in his own merits or works or ought els for the remission of sins Tindale What one mans faith doth profit in other Obiection When as Christ by the faith of the hearers healed the man sicke of the palsie it is demaunded of some in this place of Mathew what one manâ— faith doth profit an other Aunswere First of all we know for certeine that the faith of Abraham did profit his posteritie wheÌ„ as he embraced yâ— couenant promise made to him and his séede The like we ought to iudge in all the faithfull because by their faith they spread out the grace of God to their children posteritie and that before they bée borne And also the same taketh place in children young infants who for want of age are not apt to haue faith But they which are ripe of yeares whose faith is insufficient whether they be straungers or of yâ— same line or kinred an other mans faith in respect of the eternall saluation of the soule doth nothing profit them but onelie mediate Marl. fol. 173. And when Iesus sawe the faith of them ¶ And also his faith the had the palsie for except we haue faith our sinnes cannot be forgiuen Geneua ¶ That the faithfull maie praie for me offer me vnto God with their faithfull praiers yet vnles I haue faith my selfe I cannot be saued for the righteous liueth with his owne faith Abac. 2. 4. Rom. 1. 17. Sir I. Cheeke The Centurion beléeued his seruant was healed ¶ Of this we may learne yâ— the godly by their faith maie obteine corporal benfits for other but to be saued with eternall saluation by an other mans faith it caÌ„not be for no man can be saued without his owne faith Hemmyng ¶ Againe As one man by his wisdome may make an other man proue wise so he yâ— beléeueth may by his faith obtein faith for other men But as no man is wise by another mans wisdome but by his owne so is no man saued by an other mans faith but by his owne Hemmyng How faith is taken in these places following If I had all faith so that c. ¶ Héere faith is taken for the power to do myracles For when faith is taken for that assured trust in God through the bloud of Iesus Christ it can in no wise be without charitie and loue Sir I. Cheeke Faith is héere takeÌ„ for yâ— vse of doing miracles which the wicked may haue as Mat. 7. 22. also for yâ— faith called historical which beléeueth yâ— mighty power of Christ but caÌ„not apprehend gods mercy wtout him And this diuels haue Iames. 2. 19. therefore is separate from charitie but
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
the soule we saie therfore that to be in the flesh according to the Apostles meaning signifieth nothing els then in all our actions to be ruled and gouerned by the sense and effect of Nature not yet regenerate in Christ. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 198. Againe this place Ye are not in the Flesh cannot but be figuratiuelie interpreted for if we should vnderstand simply that we are not in the Flesh the truth would shew the contrarie Wherefore Chrisostome vpon this place saith that it is a thing verie daungerous alwaies to vnderstande the Scriptures according to the proper signification of the words I meruaile therfore what our aduersaries meane so much to iangle and make such 〈…〉 that when we saie that these wordes of the Lorde This is my bodie are spoken figuratiuelie and that we vnderstand meane by this place the filthie lusts and incontinencie of the flesh But by the vnquietnesse of the flesh and messenger of Satan he vnderstandeth the persecutions and troubles which by the meanes and stirring of Satan he was 〈…〉 to suffer continuallie for the Gospells sake not onelie of the open 〈…〉 but also of the false Bretheren And for 〈…〉 his 〈…〉 persecutions and troubles that happened vnto 〈…〉 praie vnto the Lord that he would deliuer 〈…〉 these afflictions and troubles which his flesh did 〈…〉 Thus both Theodoretus Ambrose and also Erasmus 〈…〉 place ¶ Looke Messenger of 〈…〉 ¶ Looke Pricke of the flesh To take no thought for the flesh how it is expounded Take no thought for the flesh to fill the lusts of it ¶ By the flesh he hèere vnderstandeth not naturall health for that is not to bée neglected that wee maie bee able the more constantlie to serue GOD. Paule writeth to Timothie Use a little Wine because of the stomacke and often 〈…〉 Heere hee prohibiteth onelie the pleasures and delights of the flesh For when wée lette loose the bridle to them the flesh is made vnrulie Wherefore seeing that we ought continuallie to wrastle against the prone affects thereof lette vs take héede that with ouer much delicatenesse we nourish them not Pet. Mar. fol. 434. The meaning of this place following My flesh is verelie meate and my bloud verelie drinke ¶ When Christ spake thâ—se words he spake nothing of the Sacrament for it was not instituted vntill his last Supper Upon this S. Austen saith Why preparest thou either tooth or bellie beléeue and then thou hast eaten him And when Christ sawe them offended hée said vnto them Doth this offende you What will ye saie then when ye shall see the Sonne of man ascending thether whence he was before Then addeth Saint Austen You shall know that he meant not to giue his flesh to eate with your téeth for he shall ascende whole And Christ addeth it is the spirite that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake are spirite and life that is to saie saith S. Austen are spirituallie to be vnderstood And when Christ saith his flesh profiteth nothing meaning of his owne flesh as Austen saith he meaneth that it profiteth not as they vnderstood him that is to saie it profiteth not if it were eaten but it doth much profite to be slaine that through it and the shedding of his bloud the wrath of God our father is pacified our sinnes forgiuen His Disciples which followed him wer astonied and abhorred his words and vnderstoode them not Againe in another place he saith when Christ said Except a man eate my flesh and drinke my bloud he shall haue no life in him they because they vnderstood him not said to each other This is an hard saieng who can heare him August in sermo ad infan What flesh shall inherit the kingdome of Heauen Flesh and bloud cannot inherite the kingdome of Heauen ¶ Our beliefe is that there shall be a generall Resurrection of the flesh according to the Scripture Esaie 26. 19. Rom. 12. 2. Iob. 19. 26. Iohn 5. 29. Neuerthelesse it shall be purged from all corruption and be chaunged to immortall life for it must be an vncorrupt flesh that shall inherit the kingdome of God Of the battaile betweene the flesh and the spirite Betwéene the flesh and the spirite is a continuall strife if the spirit ouercome in temptation then is the stronger and the flesh weaker but if the flesh get a custome then is the spirite none other oppressed then as though she had a mountaine vpon hir backe and as we sometime in our dreame thinke that we beare heauier then a milstone vpon our breastes or when wée dreame now and then that we would runne awaie for feare our legges seeme heauier then leadâ— euen so is the spirit oppressed and ouerladen of the flesh and striueth to gette vppe and breake loose in vaine till God of his mercie which heareth his grone through Iesus Christ come and loose him with his power and put his crosse of tribulation on the back of the flesh to kéepe it downe to minish hir strength and to mortifie her Tindale fol. 186. What flesh and spirite signifieth Flesh and spirite maist thou not héere vnderstande as flesh were onelie that which perteineth vnto vnchastitie and the spirit that which inwardlie pertaineth vnto the heart â—ut Paule calleth flesh heere as Christ doth Iohn 3. All that is borne of the Flesh that is to wit the whole man with life soule bodie wit will reason and whatsoeuer he is or doth within or without because that those all and all that is in man studie after the world and the Flesh. Call Flesh therefore whatsoeuer as long as we are without the spirit of God we thinke or speake of God of faith of good workes and of spirituall matters Call Flesh also all workes which are done without grace and without the working of the spirit of God howsoeuer good holie and spirituall they seeme to be as thou maist proue by the 5. to the Galathians ver 19. 20. where Paule numbreth worshipping of Idolls witchcraft â—nuie and hate among the deedes of the Flesh. And by the eight to the Romanes ver 3. where he saith that the Lawe by the reason of the Flesh is weake which is not vnderstood of vnchastitie onelie but of all sinnes and most speciallie of vnbeliefe which is a vice most wicked and ground of all sinnes and as thou callest him which is not renued with the spirit and borne againe of Christ Flesh and all his deedes euen the verie motions of his heart and minde his learning doctrine and contemplation of high things his preaching teaching and studie in the Scripture building of Churches founding of Abbaies giuing of Almes Masse Mattinâ— and whatsoeuer he doth though it seeme spirituall and after the Lawes of God So contrariwise call him spirituallâ— which is renued in Christ and all his deedes which springeth of faith seeme they neuer so grose as the washing of the Disciples feete done by Christ and Peters fishing after
accordinge as it is said in the Psalme Lord in thée is the fountaine of life and in thy light shal we be lightened Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 228. IMPATIENCIE What Impatiencie is IMpatiencie is not simply a griefe conceiued of the miâ—â—iking of our aduersities when we be weary of them but it is an excessiue hart-burning against them when we cannot submit our selues simply vnto God to dispose of vs at his pleasure Wherefore if our passions be so vnrulely as we cannot kéepe any measure in our aduersities then doth inpatiencie ouer master vs and if we haue no holde nor stay of our selues we must néedes conclude that we are no better then frantike folke against God yea and vtterly out of our wits c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 314. According to the nature of contraries looke what good things be attributed to Patience the contrarie thereof may aright be ascribed vnto Impatiencie Patience is a vertue whereby all aduersities be borne for godlinesse and honestie sake Therefore Impatiencie is the vice wherby there is no aduersitie suffered for godlinesse and honestie sake Musculus fol. 528. IMPOSITION OF HANDS ¶ Looke Laieng on of hands IMPOSSIBILITIE AS it is impossible for a Camell or Cable that is a great rope of a ship remaining in the own quantitie to go through a néedles eye remaining in his owne straightnesse so is it like impossible for a rich man remaining in his own naturall pride couetousnes and corruption to enter into the kingdome of God And therefore when those which heard were offended as king And who may then enter into saluation Christ aunswered Things that are impossible before men are possible with God Marke wel that Christ calleth the humiliation of the rich man impossible to man but possible with God Knox. As the man of Inde may chaunge his skinne and the Cat of the Mountaine hir spots so may ye that be exercised in euill doe good ¶ Upon these two things to Nature impossible did the Prophet conclude that no more could the Citizens of Ierusalem being exercised in al iniquitie leaue the same and so was it impossible Impossible I say to themselues and to their own power For what the spirite of God worketh in the conuersion of sinners ought not to be attributed to mans power Knox. For it is impossible that they which were once lightened c. This is Paules meaning They that doe beléeue truely and vnfainedly doe continue or abide stedfast in the knowen truth If any therefore fall away from Christ it is a plaine token that they were dissembling hypocrites and that they neuer beléeued truly as Iudas Symon Magus Demas Hymeneus and Philetus were which all fell away from the knowen veritie made a mocke of Christ which Paule doth call heere to crucifie Christ a newe because that they turning to their olde vomite againe do most blasphemously tread the benefite of Christs passion vnder their féete They that are such can in no wise be renued by repentaunce for they are not of the number of the Elect as S. Iohn doth say They went from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they would haue remained with vs vnto the ende If such men doe repent their repeâ—tance is as Iudas and Cains repentaunce was ¶ This text denieth no possiblitie of mercie in God but the impossibilitie of repentaunce in such men as malitiously forsake the trueh blaspheame Christ and take parte against the Holy Ghost For the truth is that with the Lord there is mercie plenteous redemption Psal. 130. 7. So that whosoeuer calleth vpon his name shall be saued Ioel. 2. 32. and Rom. 10. 13. Now they that forsake the truth blaspheming Christ and taking part against the Holy Ghost cannot repent For if sinners woulde conuert and call vpon God they should be sure of remission Tindale ¶ They which are Apostates and sinne against the Holy Ghost hate Christ crucifie and mocke him but to their owne destruction and therefore fall into desperation and cannot repent Heb. 6. 6. Geneua IMPVTATION What Imputation is IMputation is that benefit of God the Father whereby hée vouchsafeth to account Christs obedience as ours in as ample manner as we our selues had fulfilled the law and made satisfaction for our sinnes T. Beza INCEST What Incest is THey call Incest an vnlawfull medling of a man with a woman against the honor of bloud affinitie For Cestus signifieth the mariage girdle which the Bride did weare to shew that the mariage was iust lawful We Germanes saith Bullinger call this sin by yâ— name of Bloutschand wherby we signifie yâ— sin committed in corrupting or defiling our owne bloud or kinred In Leuiticus after the degrées and bloud in which we are forbidden to marrie the Lord doth presently adde In all these be ye not defiled for in all these things are the Nations defiled which I cast out before you And héereby the lande is defiled I haue visited the iniquitie thereof vpon it and the lande hath spued out the inhabitaunts thereof Ye shall therefore keepe my statutes and mine ordinaunces and shall not doe anye of all these abhominations For whosoeuer shal doe so he shall be cut off from among his people And in the 20. Chapter of Leuiticus he hath appointed death to be the punishment of Incest which is not changed in the Ciuill lawes or Imperiall constitutions Bullinger fol. 236. INFANTS How Infants ought not to be pertakers of the Lords Supper AS touching Infants the institution of Christ doeth seclude them from the Supper because they cannot yet proue examine themselues neither yet celebrate the remembraunce of Christs death the which thing the Apostle Paule teacheth to be necessary for all those which come to the Communion of the Supper Marl. vpon Iohn 226. INFIDELITIE How Infidelitie is the cause of all euill LEt there not be in any an euill heart of Infidelitie ¶ Infidelitie is it which maketh thine heart abound in euill and if by any meanes it can get roome to lodge within thée thy hart is taken and imagineth from hence-foorth all mischiefe When our Sauiour Christ so many times reprooueth sundry sortes of men he maketh this a generall fault of all that they are vnfaithfull and flow to beleeue When Saint Paule condemneth them as reprobate men which doe neuer sée the light of the Gospell he maketh this the cause of their sinne that the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of their vnbeléeuing harts c. Deering IN OMNEM TERRAM c. ¶ Looke for the exposition of this in the word Sound INSTRVMENTS How they serued in the olde lawe SIng vnto him with Uiole and instrument of ten strings ¶ To sing of Instruments was a part of the Ceremonial seruice of the Temple which doth no more appertaine vnto vs then the Sacrifices Censings and lights Geneua Whereof these Instruments were made in King Salomons time Praise the Lord vppon
at the last baptised him and sawe such towardnes in the man that hée committed vnto him the ouersight of a certeine cure in the Lords behalfe The young man being now at libertie it chaūced certeine of his old companions and familiars to resort vnto his companie who being idle dissolute and wicked persons enticed him to all mischiefe insomuch that at the last he became as head and captaine among them in committing all kinde of murther and felonie In the meane time it chaunced Iohn to come into that quarters méeting the Bishop required of him the pledge that he left with him The Bishop was now so amazed that he could not tell what to aunswere Then Iohn perceiuing his doubting said It is the young man the soule of our brother committed to your custodie which I require Then y◠Bishop with great sorow wéeping said he was dead By what death quoth Iohn◠He is dead to God quoth the Bishop for he is how become an euill man the head Captaine of theeues which doth frequent this mountaine When Iohn the Apostle heard this he rent his clothes for sorrow and rode in al hast toward the place where the young man lay and by the way was taken with théeues Then sayde Iohn to the théeues for this cause came I hether therfore bring me to your Captaine And being brought vnto him the young man béeing all armed began at the first to looke féercely vpon Iohn but comming to the knowledge of him he was striken with great confusion and shame and began to flée but Iohn following sayd My sonne why doest thou flée from thy Father An armed man from one naked a young man from an olde man haue pitie vpon me my sonne for there is yet hope of saluation I will answere for thee vnto Christ I will die for thée if néede be as Christ hath dyed for vs. I will giue my life for thée Beleeue me Christ hath sent me The young man hearing stoode still cast downe his weapon sorrowed out of measure for his offence And Iohn comforting him in Christ and in the sweete promises of saluation for his sake neuer left him vntill he had restored him vnto the congregation againe and made him a great example and triall of regeneration and a token of the visible resurrection The booke of Mar. fol. 56. How this Iohn is called a barbarous fellow Numenius an Heathen Philosopher when he had read the beginning of Iohns Gospell burst out into these words I pray God I die and if this barbarous followe haue not comprehended in few words all that our Plato prosequuteth in so manye words He calleth him barbarous because he was an Hebrew and in his writing leaueth traces of his mothers tongue and followeth not curiously the finenesse properties of the Gréeke manner of speaking but he graunted vnto him as much knowledge as the most famous Philosopher and father of all learned wits Plato had and more shortnesse in writing which is more commendable in a writer of graue matters Writers of histories shew many wonderfull things of this Iohn as that he was put in boiling oyle and came out againe vnhurt c. But it shal be sufficient for vs to knowe and consider that he was one of the most excellent singular and speciall Apostles and therefore a méete witnesse of the Lord Iesus B. Traheron IONA The interpretation of this word Iona. THou art Symon the sonne of Iona. ¶ Whereas our text hath the sonne of Iona Noinus readeth it the sonne of Iohn and not of Iona to the which agréeth this place Symon Iohanna or Symon the sonne of Iohn louest thou me But it is likely that the father of Symon was called Iochanan wherevpon the letter of Asperation being altered out of his place s. put to the end came Iohannes the which also afterward being made short became Iona. And Iochanan or Iochana doe signifie that which we call in English Iohn and is as much to say as Grecians Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 37. IOSAPHAT Of his supreme gouernement HE sendeth out Preachers throughout all Iewrie ¶ Héere is declared saith Lyra how he instructed his people to wit by the Priests and Leuits whom he sent to this purpose with them certeine of his Princes to moue the people to obedience and to punish the rebellious if they shoulde finde anie I. Bridges fol. 265. And Iosaphat appointed in Hierusalem Leuits and Priests and families of Israel that they might giue iudgement and iudge the cause of the Lord to the inhabitants therof c. And he commaunded them saieng Thus shall ye do in the feare of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart in euery cause that shall come vnto you and your brethren that dwell in their Cities betweene bloud and bloud betwéene law and precept statutes and iudgements ye shal iudge them and admonish them c. Wherevpon saith Lyra Hic ordinatur c. Héere is ordeined the gouernement of the people in difficult causes which could not well be cut off without recourse had to Hierusalem according to the which is commaunded Deut. 17. 8. where it is said If thou shalt perceiue the iudgement before thée to be difficult and doubtful arise and get thée vp to the place which the Lord shall choose c. And therefore Iosaphat appointed Iudges there to determine such difficult matters wherefore it followeth euerie cause which commeth vnto you c. Wheresoeuer the question is if it be of the lawe so farre forth as perteineth to the commaundementes of the tables if it bée of the preceptes of the tenne commaundementes as it were certeine conclusions picked out If it be of the Ceremonies so farre forth as perteineth to ceremonial matters of iustifications that is to say of iudiciall matters wherby iustice is to be conserued among men ¶ Thus is there no part ecclesiasticall or temporall exempted from the ouersight care direction and appointment of the King I. Bridges fol. 272. IOSEPH Of Ioseph the husband of Marie THen Ioseph her husbande beeinge a iust man c. ¶ Upright and fearing God and therefore suspectinge that she had committed fornication before shée was betrothed woulde neither receiue her which by the lawe should be married to an other neither accusing her put her to shame for her fault Geneua Of the equall way that Ioseph the sonne of Iacob deuised for the Aegyptians in the time of dearth That Ioseph brought the Aegyptians into such subiection woulde séeme vnto some a very cruell déede howbeit it was a very equall way for they paied but the fift part of that the grew of the grounde and therewith were they quite of all duetyes both of rent custome tribute and tolle And the king therewith found them Lordes and all ministers and defended them We now paye halfe so much to the Priest onelye beside their craftie exactions Then paye we rent yéerely though ther grow neuer so little on
to bée verie Apostles of our Sauiour Christ preaching the Gospell to mens thinking most sincerely and purelye but at length they doe cleane fall awaye from Christ and become enimies of the worde Such were Philetus Himeneus and Demas with manye other These were giuen Christ of his heauenlye Father for to bée in such high roomes and offices for a time but not to be kept vnto eternall lyfe else howe canne that stande where he sayth This is the will of my Father that sent mée that I loose none of all those that he hath giuen mée but that I doe rayse them vp at the last daye So that they which bée giuen to Christ of his Father for to bée fellowe heires with him in his kingdome canne neuer perish I. Veron Wherevnto Iudas was called ¶ Looke Chosen What the cause of Iudas dampnation was The cause of Iudas dampnation was for that he layed holde onely vpon the iudgement of GOD sette forth in his Lawe without layenge holde vppon the grace and mercye of God sette foorth in his Gospell to all repentauntes and faythfull As Saint Peter did apprehende it after he had renownced Iesus Christ. Pet. Viret Of Iudas the brother of Iames. Iudas brother to Iames called also Thaddeus and Lebbeus preached to the Edessens and to al Mesepotamia He was slaine vnder Agbarus of the Edessens in Berito Booke of Mar. fol. 52. IVDGE How Christians may iudge in matters of controuersies Man who made mée a Iudge or a diuider ouer you ¶ It is to be noted that Christ at his first comming came not to be a Iudge but to be iudged and yet it cannot followe by this but that Christians may be Iudges in matters of controuersie Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Christ chiefely came to be iudged and not to iudge notwithstanding he willeth the Christians to be Iudges decide controuersies betwéene their brethren Geneua Are ye not good inough to iudge small trifles c. ¶ We learne héere in this place that we may haue our matters discussed before christen Iudges that is to say before them that be of a good and vncorrupted conscience Howbeit it were good that in euerie parish some honest and conscionable men should be appointed to make vnitie and peace betwéene neighbour and neighbour Maister bid my brother diuide the inheritaunce with me Christ answered Man who made me a Iudge or a diuider ouer you ¶ Christ came indéede to be iudged and not to iudge hée came to worke the worke of our redemption not to decide controuersies touching landes and possessions The Anabaptists vse this text for one of their reasons to condempne magistracie amonge Christians and therefore a verye learned and late writer in his exposition of this place writeth thus Hinc colligitur c. Héereof it may be gathered howe greatlye they doate which condemne Magistrates among the Christians by this place For Christ doth not reason of the thing it selfe as though it were prophane but of his owne vocation because hée was sent to another end although the thing it selfe is holy and good Iudgement of spirituall matters to whom it perteineth It perteineth to ecclesiasticall persons to iudge in spiritual causes But if any of theÌ„ do swarue from yâ— right rule of iustice he is subiect to the correctioÌ„ punishment of the ciuil magistrate As Aaron had his authoritie of iudgement in spirituall causes yet was he reproued by Moses And Abiathar the high Priest was deposed by Salomon and Sadoch set in his place And so shouldâ— Ahas if he had bene a good Prince haue deposed Vriah for making the prophane Altar What iudgement is forbidden Iudge not and ye shall not bée iudged ¶ Christ doth not héere forbid that kinde of iudgement that perteineth to Magistrates whereby euill dooers are iudged and punished and the innocent deliuered of the which kinde of iudgement Exo. 18. 19 Psa. 82. 1. Esa. 1. 17. but rather héere we are instructed and taught that we doe not rashly vncharitably iudge or condemne other mens faults hauing alwaies an eye vnto their faults and forgetting our owne ¶ He commaundeth vs not to be curious or malitious to try out and condemne our neighbours fault for hypocrits hide their owne faultes séeke not to amend them but are curious to reproue other mens Geneua ¶ This is not meant of the temporall iudgement for Christ forbadde not that but oft did stablish it as doe Peter Paule in their Epistles also Nor heere is not forbidden to iudge those déedes which are manifest against the lawes of God for those ought euery christian man to persecute yet must they do after the order that Christ hath set but when he saith Hypocrite cast out first the beame that is in thine owne eyes it is easie to vnderstand what manner of iudgement he meaneth c. Tindale fol. 137. The meaning of these places following Iudge no man c. ¶ Some distinguish thus that he iudgeth not as man iudgeth Other referre it to the time because he being in earth tooke not vpon him as yet the office of a Iudge But more rightly it is ioyned with the sentence following that the sence may be thus Christ iudgeth not and if hee doe his iudgement is firme and aâ—tenticall because it is diuine So that the former parte where he denieth that he iudgeth ought eyther to be restrayned to the circumstaunce of the present place For that hée might the better conuince his enimies of pride he vseth this comparison because they vsurped to themselues license to iudge preposterouslye and yet neuerthelesse could not abide him teaching simply and absteining from the office of a Iudge Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 294. Of iudgement because the Prince of this worlde is iudged c. When they shall knowe that I whome they called the Carpenters sonne and willed to come downe from the Crosse am the verye sonne of GOD which haue ouercome all the power of hell and reigne ouer all 2. Cor. 10. 12. Ephe. â— 19. Geneua Thinkest thou c. that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God ¶ We maye well excuse our selues before men and make them to beléeue that we are both iust and righteous for why Men can only iudge according to the outwarde workes and according to that which they sée and heare but hée that searcheth the heart and reines nothing canne bée hidden from him Therfore we cannot escape his true iudgement Sir I. Cheeke What it is to stand in iudgement The vngodlye shall not be able to stande in Iudgement ¶ To stande in Iudgement is to winne the processe and to haue sentence pronounced on their side and to robbe Iudgement is to let the processe and to haue sentence pronounced against right and truth Esay 10. 1. So then this text meaneth no more but that the wicked shall haue such a terrible sentence giuen vppon them that they shall not bée able to abide when the Lord shall come then to generall
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
of strength for it must come from heauen and not from the strength of reason It must also make me beléeue that God the maâ—er of heauen and earth is not onely a Father but also my Father yea and that through the fauour that Christ hath purchased me from the which fauour neither heauen nor earth tribulation nor persecution death nor hell can deuide me But to this sticke I fast that he is not alonely my father but also a merciful father yea and that vnto me mercifull so mercifull that he will not impute my sins vnto me though they be neuer so many nor so great so long as I hang on the blessed bloud of Christ Iesus and sinne not of malice but of frailtie and of no pleasures D. Barnes How Cornelâ—us was iustified Cornelius a Gentile did great almes and praied vnto God alwaies vnto whome the Angell spake on this maner Thy praier and thine almes are come vp into remembraunce in the presence of God Of this text some doe gather that his good workes did helpe to Iustification The solution The Holy ghost hath openly declared himselfe there for he saith that this Cornelius was a deuout man and one that feared God How could this be without that God had taught him inwardly by Faith Yea how could he know God and that deuoutly but by faith Ergo he was iustified before God by his Faith but the world knew not his Iustification And therefore the Holy ghost doth declare his inward Iustification when hée saith that he was deuout and feared God And also doth showe openly the fruits of his Iustification when he saith that he did Almes Moreouer you haue there that the Holy ghost fell on them afore they were baptised in water the which declareth openly that they were iustified before God This well declareth in your owne lawe whose words be these Cornelius Centurion being yet an Heathen man was made cleane by the gifte of the Holy ghost afore all good workes for he was an heathen man D. Barnes ¶ Looke more in Cornelius Iustified by grace what it meaneth Are iustified fréely by his grace ¶ This saieng doth S. Ambrose expound on this wise They working nothing nor acquiting him any whit are iustified by Faith alone by the gift of God This word Fréely although many be therewith offended is also euidently expressed by Paule himselfe in these words Fréely without the lawe without workes it is a gifte and such lyke which thou maist marke for they are all one with this foresaid exposition of S. Ambrose By Faith alone we are iustified which saieng signifieth thus much onely by the beliefe wherewith we beléeue that the mercie of God graunted in Christs bloud doth saue vs are we proâ—ounced righteous The word alone exclude the workes not that thou shouldest not doe them for vnto all good workes commaunded in the Scripture art thou bound and called to walke in them and must earnestly studie and indeuour thy selfe to leaue none of them vndone but that thou shouldest in noâ— condition thinke that thou art thereby iustified or made righteous before God Tindale How this place following is vnderstood The doers of the lawe shall be iustified ¶ So must it bée vnderstood saith S. Austen that we may knowe that they can no otherwise be the doers of the lawe except they be first iustified not that Iustification belongeth vnto doers but that Iustification doth procede all manner of doing ¶ Thus by the minde of S. Augustin we see that Iustification is first giuen that men might be able to doe the workes of the lawe This is also the exposition of the common glose D. Barnes Against those men which doe say they iustifie others Bretheren saith S. Austen we haue Iesus Christ our Aduocate with our Father he is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes he that helde this was in no heresie he that helde this was in no schisme For whereof came the schismes Truly when men do say we be iust when men do say we do sanctifie them that be vncleane we do iustifie the wicked we do pray and we doe obtaine But what saith Iohn If a man doe sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ c. ¶ Thus saith he by which words he did no more touch the Donatists then hée should now a dayes if he were a lyue gall them which doe so much chalenge to themselues all the authoritie in the Church to sanctifie and to iustifie men and doe for filthie gaine set the same also ouer vnto others Mus. in his Com. pla fo 224. How God doth iustifie vs. We said in the first Article of the word of iustifieng that to be iustified is as much to say in this matter according to yâ— meaning of the Scripture as to be acquited by grace from sinne to be taken for iust Therefore God doth so iustifie vs that hee forgiueth our sinnes he hideth them doth not charge vs with them any more but doth rather impute Iustice vnto vs not ours which is none but the Iustice of his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ. And by this imputation of Iustice he maketh vs saued and blessed So the Apostle doth foure times set forth this Iustification to the Romanes least we should séeme to bring any thing with vs of our owne Lyke as Dauid saith he doeth expresse the blessednesse of yâ— man to whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saieng Blessed be they whose wickedness be forgiuen and whose sinnes be hidden Blessed is the man to whom God doth not impute sinne It appeareth verye well that the Iustification which is imputed by grace without works is the forgiuenesse of sinne the help vnto saluation For where as he might haue said Blessed hée they whome God doth iustifie without workes he saith Blessed â—e thou whose sinnes be forgiuen and whose sins be hidden Blessed is the man to whom God doth not impute sinne Muscul. fo 225. Iustifieng of the vngodly But beléeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly ¶ God is said to iustifie the vngodly because he pardoneth his sinnes and of a wicked man maketh him good The Bible note ¶ Which maketh him that is wicked in himselfe iust in Christ. Geneua Of two manner of Iustifications There is two manner of Iustifications vnderstood in holye Scripture the one before God the other before man Of Iustification before God it is truly said of S. Paule Rom. 4. 3. Credidit autem Abraham c. Abraham beléeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse And of Iustification before men S. Iames speaketh in the 2. chapter of his Epistle verse 21. Abraham pater noster c. Was not our father Abraham iustified through workes when he had offered his sonne vp vpon the Altar c. And yâ— he so ment appeareth by his very words which followeth within few lines after thus Credidit autem Abraham c. Abraham beleeued God it was reputed vnto him for righteousnesse he was
scholers say that these keyes be nothing els but an authoritie giuen to the Priests whereby they giue sentence that heauen must be opened to this man and shut vnto the other so that heauen is opened shut at the sentence of the Priest Saint Hierome is against Dunce whose words be these I shall giue thée the keyes of heauen c. This place saith Saint Hierome the Bishops Priests not vnderstanding haue vsurped vnto themselues somewhat of the Pharesies pride so that they thinke they may condemne innocents and loose them that be guiltie when afore God not the sentence of the priest but the life of the guiltie is regarded c. ¶ Héere you haue plainly that the sentence of the Priest is not looked vpon nor able to loose a sinner afore God Marke also that S. Hierom saith You vnderstand not this place D. Bar. fol. 257. How the Priests be but the key bearers The keye saith Chrisostome vpon Math. chapter 23. is the word of the knowledge of the Scriptures by which the gate of truth is opened vnto men And the key bearers are the priests to whome is committed the worde of teaching and interpreting the Scriptures Bullinger Of the keye of Dauid or keyes of the Church Which hath the keye of Dauid ¶ That is to say full power ouer the throne of Dauid that is to wit ouer the Church For the Metaphore of keyes not onely in the Scripture but also by the custome of men betokeneth the ful authoritie and ordering of a kingdome or a citie or a house Such as loseph had in the Realme of Pharao King of Aegypt and Eliakim in the house of the King of Iuda according as it is sayd I will laye the Keye of Dauids house vppon his shoulder hée shall open and no man shall shutte and hée shall shutte and no man shall open Esay 22. 22. Euen so CHRIST our Lorde béeing of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh hath all power in the kingdome of the heauenly father For looke whom the father hath foreordeined vnto saluation them receiueth Christ into his â—locke that is to say into his Church and thrusteth the rest out of the dores he openeth yâ— vnderstanding of his seruants yâ— they may be inlightened vnderstand the scriptures the rest he blindeth by his secret howbeit rightful Iustice. Whervpon he saith All things are deliuered me by my father Math. 11. 27. And againe All power is giuen vnto me both in Heauen and in Earth Math. 28. 18. And the Angell saide to Maâ—y The Lord will giue him the â—eate of his father Dauid and he shal reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his reigne there shall be no ende Luke 1. 32. To him alone therefore doeth it pertaine to rule the Church whereof he is head which thing he doth euen now by the seruice of his ministers to whom hee hath therefore promised the Keyes of the heauenly Kingdome to the intent they should set open the way for the godly vnto heauen and shut the vnbeléeuers out of heauen by the preaching of the Gospel Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 60. To whom the Keye of the Bottomelesse Pit was giuen And vnto him was giuen the keye of the bottomelesse Pit ¶ A keye is a token of power or authoritie and publike administration receiued Iohn therefore meaneth that God in his wrath hath giuen power to Heretikes and deceiuers to thrust their diuelish opinions into the Church Thou séest openly héere lyke as in many other places of the Scripture how it happeneth not but by Gods prouidence that errours and vntruths are brought in to deceiue men withall wherevnto also hée giueth such force effectuall working that they go for good payment as I said a little before Therefore we sée héere how power is giuen to deceiuers and heretikes to set their errours openly abroad and to seduce fonde men by vaine Philosophie the doctrine of whom is rightly lykened to a bottomelesse pitte For looke as no man is able to gage the ground of a bottomelesse pit euen so the more a man followeth the doctrine of heretikes so much the lesse substauncialnesse and proofe shall hée finde And in this place wee sée the Bishop of Romes Keyes which he boasteth off so greatly Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 126. How the Popish Prelates haue not the keyes of heauen but of hell As touching the authoritie of the keyes censours no Christian man ought to estéeme Satan whom men call the Pope and his vniust censours more then the hissing of a Serpent or the blast of Lucifer Also that no man ought to trust or put confidence in the false Indulgences of couetous Priests which Indulgences doe draw away the hope which men ought to repose in God to a sort of sinfull men and doe robbe the poore of such almes as is giuen to them such Priests be manifest betrayers of Christ and of his whole Church and be Satans owne stewards to be guilâ— Christian soules by their hypocrisie and fained pardons Also forsomuch as those Prelates and Cleargie men liue so execrable a life contrarie to the Gospell of Christ and example of his Apostles and teach not truly the Gospell but onely lyes and the traditions of wicked and sinfull men It appeareth most manifestly that they haue not the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen but rather the keyes of hell And they may bée right well assured that God neuer gaue vnto them authoritie to make and establish so many ceremonies traditions which be contrary to the libertie of the Gospell and are blockes in Christian mens wayes that they can neither know nor obserue the same his Gospell in libertie of conscience and so attaine a ready way vnto heauen Booke of Mart. fol. 651. KEEPE What it is to keepe the saiengs of Christ. HE that loueth not me kéepeth not my saiengs ¶ To kéepe the saiengs of Christ is nothing els but to beléeue that the same is true and wholesome and also to cleaâ—e vnto the same with our whole heart euen as we may gather by the Scripture Heare O Israel the Ordinaunces and the Lawes which I propose vnto you this day that ye may learne them and take heede to obserue them If by kéeping the Commaundements of God ye vnderstand the fulfilling of them no man shall keepe them but iâ— yâ— vnderstand for seeking to fulfill them then all the godly kéepe them For he cannot choose but giue himselfe to the keeping of the Commaundements of God which truly knoweth the same to be of God Contrary not to kéepe the Lordes saiengs is to reiect the doctrine of Christ and to contemne his commaundements which all the wicked are wont to doe Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 495. How this place following is vnderstood I haue sinned what shall I doe vnto thée O thou kéeper of men ¶ Some men expound this as though lob should dispute against God saieng I can doe none other but
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
the holy Communion euery Sunday King William Conquerour at a counsell at Winchester where the Popes Legate was put downe many Bishops Abbots Priors He gaue to Lanfranck yâ— Archbishoprick of Canterburie the Archbishopricke of Yorke vnto Thomas a Cauot of Beyon King Henrie the first toke an oath as well of the Clergie as of the Laitie sware them vnto him vnto William his sonne and made Bishops and Abbots c. King Henrie the second made Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterburie who thereat was sworne to the king and to his lawes and to his sonne Edward the first made a statute at North-hampton that after that time no man shall giue neither sell nor bequeath neither chaunge neither by Title assigne landes tenements neyther rents to anie man of religion without the kings leaue In the daies of king Richard the second it was enacted against the Pope that it should be lawfull for no man to try anie cause before him vpon paine to forfait all their goods and to suffer perpetuall prison Elentherius the Pope writing to Lucius king of England said thus vnto him Petijstis a nobis c. Ye haue required of vs to sende the Romane and Imperiall lawes vnto you to vse the same in your Realme of England We may alwaies reiect the lawes of Rome and the lawes of the Emperour but so can we not the lawes of God for ye haue receiued through the mercie of God the lawe and fayth of Christ into your kingdome you haue both the Testaments in your Realme Take out of them by the grace of God and aduice of your subiects a lawe and by that lawe through Gods assuraunce rule your Realme but be you Gods Uicar in that Kingdome A. G. How kings doe reigne by the prouidence of God By me kings reigne c. ¶ Whereby he declareth that honours dignitie or riches come not of mans wisedome or industry but by the prouidence of God Geneua How the kings hearts are in the hands of God The kings heart is in the hands of the Lord c. ¶ Though kings séeme to haue all things at commandement yet are they not able to bring their owne purposes to passe any other wise then God hath appointed much lesse are the inferiours able Geneua How kings were called Nurses The king is called of the Prophet the nursing Father and the Quéenes are named Nurses that although the ministrie of féeding perteine to the Ministers yet the prouision for the foode the ouersight that the children of God be duelye fedde with the right milke with the true bread and water of lyfe belongeth to the Princes therefore haue they the name of Nurses not to nourish children in ciuill matters and corporall fâ—ode onelye but as in ciuill so in Lacte verbi In the milke of the worde of God also Is this onelye the cherishing of the good childe by giuing lands reuenews maintenance and liuing to the Church Is this onely the displing of the froward childe or as ye call it the punishing of the heretike No Maister Stapleton Lyra his exposition and yours doe not agrée He sayth they are Nurses what to doe To féede whom The faithfull ones wherewith With the milke of the word what word Euen the word and Sacraments of God Whereof sith the ministrie and execution belongeth not vnto them but vnto the Ministers it followeth necessarye therevppon that the prouision direction appointing care and ouersight which is the supreame gouernement belongeth to them And this is that which Lyra confesseth and thereby vrgeth of Constantine that he was such another Nurse as did kéepe defend mainteine vpholde and féede the poore faithfull ones of Christ yea carried them in his bosome as it were and procured them to be fedde did set forth Proclamations not onelye against false religion but also to sette forth to exhort and allure vnto the christen fayth caused not the Idolatrous religion to be suppressed but caused also on the other part the true knowledge religion of Christ to be brought in and planted among the people and did not onelye make lawes for punishing of heretikes and Idolaters but also reformed all manner abuses about Gods seruice Thus sayth the Bishoppe out of Eusebius did Constantine playe the Nurses parte I. Bridges fol. 622. Of the kings that serued Iosua And put your feete vpon the neckes of those kinges ¶ This was not done of cruelnesse but to confirme and strengthen the Princes and the whole hoast of Israel which had not killed all but suffered some to flye into Cities that they shoulde heereafter spare no kinges of the Cananites whose possessions the Lord gaue vnto them in as much as they were commanded to slaye all Deut. 20. 17. T. M. ¶ By this Iosua woulde encourage his Captaines and signifie vnto them what victorie they shoulde looke for of the rest of their enimies séeing kings are thus by them serued The Bible note How wicked kings are of God and not of God They haue reigned and not by me They were Princes I knew them not ¶ These wordes are Gods complaint against the wickednesse of those kings of Israel that directed not theyr gouernement by Gods lawe not that they were not kings but that they were wicked kings not that they wer by no meanes ordeined of God for Omnis potestas est a Deo All power is of God And God saith in generall Per me reges regnant Kings rule by me so wel heathen as faithful kings Pilates power was from aboue These kings of Israel Ieroboam Achab Iehu c. were of Gods ordeining Yea Iehu whose house héere GOD complained vpon and sayd He and his ofspring raigned not by him were yet notwithstanding made kings reigned by him In respect of their ambition and priuate affections their reigne was not of him In respect of Gods ordinaunce of his iustice of his prouidence it was not onely permitted but also especially appointed of him as both the Text is euident and your own Glose meaning the Papists coÌ„fesseth for Ieroboam the elder yâ— it was done by Gods will although it were done also by the peoples sinne that regarded not the will of God but followed their owne selfe will And so in some respect it was not the work of God and yet in other respects it was the worke of God And so héere he expoundes himselfe and sayth I know them not not that he was ignoraunt of them but he acknowledged not their doinges Secondly neither the Prophet Ose nor anie other Prophet tooke vpon them to depose any of those wicked kings but to declare the wrath and vengeance of God to come vpon them after which declarations they did not subtract from them their ciuill obedience or counted them from that day forward no longer to be their kings or exhorted the Church of God to forsake their politike gouernement but hauing declared their message from God they let them
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
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
to accuse you that being accused ye should feare fearing you should craâ—e pardon not presume of your owne strength Againe The law was giuen for this purpose of great to make little to shew that thou hast no strengh of thine owne to righteousnesse that thou as poore vnworthy and néedie shouldst flye vnto grace After he furneth his speach to God saith Doe so Lord doe so mercifull Lordâ— commaund that which cannot be fulfilled yea command that which cannot but by thy grace be fulfilled that when men cannot fulfill it by their owne strength euery mouth maye bee stopped no man may think himselfe great Let all be litle ones let al yâ— world be guiltie before thée Ca. in his In. 2. b. ca. 7. se. 9. How the lawe was giuen by Moses The lawe was giuen by Moses but grace veritie came by Iesus Christ. ¶ This place doth Tindale in his exposition of the 5. 6. 7. of S. Mathew expound on this wise Though Moses saith he gaue the lawe yet he gaue no man grace to doe it nor to vnderstand it aright or wrote it in any mans hart to consent that it was good and to wish after power to fulfill it But Christ giueth grace to doe it and to vnderstand it aright and writeth it with his holy spirit in the tables of the hearts of men and maketh it a true thing there and no hypocrisie Folio 184. How we are dead through the lawe But I through the lawe am dead to the lawe that I might liue vnto God ¶ But I through the lawe am dead to the lawe that is by the lawe of libertie grace graunted in Christ I am deliuered from the lawe of bondage ministred by Moses and from the burthen and cursse thereof Tindale ¶ Are dead concerning the lawe by the body of Christ. ¶ Because the body of Christ is made an offering and a sacrifice for our sinnes whereby God is pleased and his wrath appeased for Christs sake the Holy Ghost is giuen to all beléeuers whereby the power of sinne is in vs daily weakned we are accounted dead to the lawe for that the lawe hath no dominion ouer vs. The Bible note ¶ Looke Vnder the lawe How the Lawe increaseth sinne But the lawe in the meane time entred in that sinne should increase ¶ The lawe increaseth sinne and maketh our nature more gréedie to doe euill because the law ministreth no power nor lust to yâ— the biddeth or to refrain from yâ— the forbiddeth Tin Why the lawe is called the messenger of death The lawe is called the messenger of death namely becaus that if we haue no more but the doctrine that is contained in the lawe we shall be vtterly ouerwhelmed afore God we shal be cast away without any remedy Then if God indite vs but according to the forme of yâ— lawe he shall discouer filthines inough in vs. Cal. vpon Iob. fo 172. What the lawe of God requireth The lawe of God requireth loue from the bottome of the heart and cannot be satisfied nor fulfilled with the workes therof as mans lawe is for the lawe is spirituall as S. Paule saith Rom. 7. which no earthly creature by his owne strength enforcement is able to fulfill but by the operation and working of the spirit of God Tindale What it is to be vnder the lawe To be vnder the lawe is to deale with the workes of the law and to worke without the spirit and grace for so long no doubt sinne raigneth in vs through the lawe that is to say the lawe declareth that we are vnder sinne and that sinne hath power and domination ouer vs séeing we cannot fulfill the lawe namely with the heart forasmuch as no man of nature fauoureth the lawe consenteth therevnto and delighteth therein which thing is excéeding great sinne yâ— we cannot consent to the lawe which lawe is nothing els but the will of God c. So that to be vnder the lawe is not to be able to fulfill the lawe but to be debter to it and not able to paye that which the Lawe requireth c. Tindale ¶ To be vnder the lawe is nothing els but to be bounde or subiect vnto sinne for the law through sinne condemneth vs as guiltie But to be dead vnto the law is nothing els but to haue that extinguished in vs by which the law accuseth and condemneth vs and that is the olde man the flesh naturall lust corruption of nature when these things be once dead in vs that Christ liueth and raigneth in vs we can by no meanes be condemned by the law c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 161. What it is not to be vnder the Lawe Not to be vnder the lawe is to haue a frée hart renued with the spirite so that thou hast lust inwardly of thine own accord to do that which the lawe commaundeth without compulsion yea though there were no lawe Tin in his pro. to the Rom. Why Paule calleth the booke of Genesis the lawe Tell me ye that would be vnder the law c. ¶ Why doth Paule call the booke of Genesis out of the which he alledgeth the historie of Ismael and Isaac the Lawe séeing that booke containeth nothing at all concerning the law but onely containeth a plaine historie of Abrahams two children Paule is wont to call the first booke of Moses the law after the manner of the Iewes which although it containe no lawe besides the lawe of circumcision but the principall doctrine thereof is concerning faith and that Patriarks pleased God because of their faith yet the Iewes notwithstanding onely because of the law of circumcision which is there contained called the booke of Genesis the lawe as well as the other bookes of Moses so did Paule himselfe also being a Iewe. And Christ vnder the title of the lawe comprehendeth not onely the bookes of Moses but also the Psalmes Iohn 15. 25. But it is that the words might be fulfilled which were writen in the lawe They hated me without a cause Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 205. How the lawe is impossible for a man to fulfill The Pelagians saith S. Austen thinke themselues cunning men when they say God would not commaund that thing that he knoweth a man is not able to doe who is there that knoweth not this But therefore God commaundeth vs to do some thing that we are not able to doe that we may vnderstand what we ought to craue of him Iewel fol. 3â—7 ¶ And the law had righteousnes but for a time not because it could iustifie before the Lord for it could not so forgiue sinne that of sinners it could make them iust But to this end it was giuen that it might be a terrour prouoking men to a godly life punishing the disobedient and vnreuerent persons Therefore is not a lawe giuen which can giue life but condempne I. Gough
How the Letter killeth For the Letter killeth but the Spirit giueth lyfe ¶ The Letter héere and in the seconde to the Romanes verse 27. and in diuerse other places of the Scripture signifieth the Lawe or olde Testament and the Spirit the Gospell or new Testament And so doth Saint Austen expounde them in sundrie places of his booke which hée wrote of the letter and the spirit And Erasmus also both in his Paraphrases and Annotations Because the lawe findeth vs guiltie and thervpon condemneth vs therefore saith the Apostle rightly that it killeth And the gospel because it pronounceth vs righteous in Christ and sheweth vs that by him we are iustified from all thinges whereof we could not be iustified by the lawe Act. 13. 39. doth therefore bring lyfe As for such as by the letter will vnderstand the litterall sense and by the spirit the spirituall sense can no learned or christen man allowe For these wordes Letter ministration of death ministring of condemnation and that which is destroied signifieth all one thing And these Spirit Ministration of righteousness and that remaineth be there verie contraries Now wordes meaning one thing must haue one interpretation And by some of the first cannot the litterall sense be vnderstoode nor by some of the last the spirituall Ergo neither by these wordes Letter or Spirit sith Letter is all one with the first and spirit with the latter Tindale ¶ Origen writeth thus Et est in Euangelio littera c. Euen in the Gospell there is a Letter that killeth For when as Christ sayth Unlesse ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man c. If ye take the same according to the Letter the Letter killeth What is Littera occidens the murthering Letter Truely the lawe which causeth anger by which commeth knowledge of sinne which is a Schoolemaster vnto Christ. The lawe first killeth yâ— Christ may make aliue it condemneth yâ— Christ may iustifie it sheweth sinne it healeth sinne Ro. Hutchynson How letter and circumcision is taken in this place Which being vnder the Letter Circumcision doth transgresse the law ¶ The letter is héere taken for the outward shew or ceremonie as a little after by the spirit he vnderstandeth the circumcision of the heart Sir I. Cheeke ¶ When the Lawe is called the Letter or that is prouoketh death in vs or that it killeth or is the minister of death or that it is the strength of sinne it is meant as we consider the law of it selfe without Christ. Geneua LEVEN How Leuen is diuersely taken in the Scripture Leuen is sometimes taken in an euill sense for the doctrine of the Pharesies which corrupted the swéetnesse of the word of God with the leuen of their gloses And sometime in a good sense for the kingdome of heauen that is to saye the Gospell and glad tidings of Christ. For as leuen altereth the nature of dowe and maketh it through sowre euen so the Gospel turneth a man into a new lyfe and altereth him a little and little first the heart and then the members Tindale fo 226. Take heede and beware of the leuen of the Pharesies and of the Saduces ¶ By leuen héere is vnderstoode the doctrine and inuention of the Pharesies and of all other men lyke conditioned vnto them Sometime leuen in the Scripture is taken in an euill sense as héere and sometime in a good sense As in the. 13. 33. and in the 12. of Saint Luke verse 1. it is noted by the name of hypocrisie because it is deceitfull false and vngodly and maketh all the louers thereof hypocrits Tindale ¶ Leuen héere is taken for the â—rronious doctrine of the Pharesies Saduces which with their gloses deprauated the Scriptures Some thinke this word 〈…〉 n is taken for wholesome doctrine of the Gospell Math. 13. 33. Sir I. Cheeke Beware of the leuen of the Pharesie◠¶ He wi 〈…〉 eth the in to beware of contagious doctrine and such sâ—bile practises as the aduersarie vsed to suppresse the Gospell Ge 〈…〉 LEVY Of Leuy otherwise called Mathew AND sawe Leuy the sonne of Alpheâ— sit at the râ—ec 〈…〉 e of â—ustome ¶ He that is heere in Marke called Leuy in the Gospell before Chapter 9. and verse 9. is called Mathew in whom we haue an example how they that be called and beléeue ought to bring foorth worthy fruites of repentaunce Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Looke Mathew LEVITES What their office was TAke the summe c. from thirtie yeare olde and aboue ¶ The Leuits were numbred after thrée sortes first at a moneth olde when they were consecrate to the Lord next at 25. yeare old when they were appointed to serue in the tabernacle and at 30. yeare olde to beare the burthen of the tabernacle Geneua â— He sayd vnto the Leuites that taught all Israel and were sanctified vnto the Lorde put the holy Arke in the house which Soloâ—on the sonne of Dauid king of Israel did builde it shall â—e no more a burthen vppon your shoulders ¶ It appeareth héere that the Leuites charge was not onely to minister in the Temple but also to instruct the people in the worde of God And where as he sayth It shall bée no more a burthen vpon your shoulders that is as it was before the temple was builtâ— Therefore your office onely is now to teach the people to praise God Geneua How this place following is to be vnderstood For the Leuites were purer hearted to bée sanctified then the Priestes ¶ Pelicane translateth the wordes thus Leuitae quip 〈…〉 〈…〉 ritu c. For the Leuites were sooner or easier sanctified then the Priestes which he expoundeth more plainely in his Commentaries saieng Intiligitur Sacerdotum numerum imminutum fuisse c. It is to bée vnderstoode that the number of the Priestes was diminished which should haue sufficed for to prepare the Sacrifices and therefore they desired the helpe of the Leuites that all thinges might bée done more diligentlye There was also an other cause of the Leuites helpe for the sanctifieng of the Temple and the preparation of the Sacrifice was so sodeinly commaunded that many of the Priestes had not time to sanctifie themselues according to the lawe which required a certeine space for the same and the Leuites might bée sanctified with lesse adoe and in shorter time And surelye the verye circumstaunce of the place doe proue this to be the true vnderstanding of it for these be the wordes that immediatelye goe before but the Priests were too fewe and were not able to sleye all the burnt offeringes therfore their brethren the Liuites did helpe them vntill they had ended the worke and vntil other Priests were sanctified I. W. fol. 11. LEVIATHAN What Leuiathan signifieth DArest thou drawe out Leuiathan with an Angle c. ¶ Leuiathan as diuerse learned men expounde signifieth the greatest fish that liueth in the Sea which is a Whale T. M. Euen
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
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
repentaunce sought of them but onely that they must beléeue Arbitramur hominem iustificari absque operibus legis We béeing taught of Christ thinke saith Thomas according to the truth of the Apostle that euery man whether he be Ieâ— or Gentile is iustified by faith Act. 15. 19. By faith purifieng theyr hearts and that without the workes of the lawe And that not onely without the Ceremoniall workes which did not giue grace but also without the workes of the Morall commandements according to that saieng of Titus 3. ver 5. Not of the workes of the righteousnesse that we haue wrought The reason is presumed that we are saued for our merites the which he excludeth when he saith Not of the workes of the righteousnesse which we haue done but the true reason is the onely mercie of God There is not therefore in them the hope of iustifitation Sed in sola fide but in faith onely Workes are not the cause that any body is iust before God but they are rather the executions and the ministring of righteousnesse In this point though he swarue from the truth in many other points he speaketh right I. Bridges fol. 143. Our Aduersaries when they doe teach that the iustifieng of vs doth not consist in faith onely but in workes also what doe they els but obscure the glory of Gods grace and extoll the merite of our workes They doe not waye that it is necessarye that our iustifieng doe consist in faith onely for as much as it is bestowed freely If they cannot abide the word onely or alone let him leaue it and vse this word fréely For in case we be iustified fréely by faith as the Apostle doeth testifie it must néedes followe that we be not iustified by faith works but by faith onely If it be not by faith onely but by workes withall then is it not freely but of duetie If it be of dutie and not fréely then there is no glory of Gods grace at all Musculus fol. 229. ONE Of one Mediatour ¶ Looke Mediatour What the Prophet Ose doth meane by one head THen shall the Children of Iuda and the Children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselues one head ¶ To wit after the captiuitie of Babilon when the Iewes wer restored but chiefe this is referred to the time of Christ who should be the head both of the Iewes and Gentiles Geneua ¶ The number of the Children of Israel shall be as the sande of the Sea shore that cannot be numbred And it shall come to passe in the place where it was sayde vnto them Ye are no people of mine there shall it be sayd vnto them ye are the children of the lyuing God And the Children of Iuda the Children of Israel shall assemble together and shall appoint to themselues one head Upon which words S. Hierom writeth thus All these things shall come to passe because it is the great daye of the séed of God which séede is expounded not the Pope but Christ. There shall assemble together the Children of Iuda that is to say the Apostles the Children of Israel that is to say the Heathen conuerted together that is to say in one Church and shall appoynt vnto themselues one head that is to say not one Pope but one Christ. Iewel fol. 101. ¶ Let vs remember saith Augustine the corner stone that is Christ and not the Pope and the two walls the one of the Iewes and the other of the Heathen Iewel fol. 101. Of one Sheepefold And there shall be one Shéepefold ¶ When the Gentiles haue receiued the Euangelicall faith they shal be associate and ioyned to the faithfull people of the Iewes and so of them both there shall be one folde that is of the Iewes Gentiles there shall be one Church One God saith Paule one Faith and one Baptime Therefore we must be one euen as wée are called into one hope c. They which gather vpon this place that there shall be a mutual consent and agréement among men in the whole world insomuch as none shall remaine as Inâ—â—dell or vngodly doe erre and know not the Scriptures neither doe consider what is the state and drift of this place Againe ther are some which gather of this place that after the last day of Iudgment all both good and bad shall be gathered into one place of eternall life But the opinion of those men is most foolish For then shall the Shéepe be seperated from the Goates the iudgement of the Shéepe shal be one the iudgement of the Goates another as the Scripture plainly testifieth Marâ— vpon Iohn fol. 374. Of one Spirit He that cleaneth vnto God is one spirite with him ¶ Nico. Lyra vpon this place saith Vâ—us non secundum rem c. One spirit with God not one in déede but one in loue or according to affection So that we are vnited vnto God by faith and loue and none otherwise ORACLE What an Oracle is AN Oracle is properly the minde and aunswere of God by some diuine Interpreter declared as by some Prophet Priest or otherwise by man ORIGENIANI Of whom these Heretikes bare their name ORigeniani were Heretikes called after aâ—e Origen not he that was the great Cleark of Alexandria they condemned marriage yet liued they beastly their manner was to haue among them religious women like Nunnes whom they deâ—â—led yet vsed meanes to kéepe them from swelling Epiph. haer 63. Of the Heretikes that sprang of the learned Origen Origeniani againe were Heretikes which so called themselues of Origen Adamantius the great Clearke of Alexandria they taught as Epiphan saith haeres 64. that there was no resurrection that Christ was a creature the Holy ghost a like that the soules were first in heauen came downe into the bodies as it wer into prison that in the end the diuels should be saued Epiphanius as I read in Socrates Eccl. hist. li. 6. ca. 11. was become the enimy of Origen through the spite malice of Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria The diuell bare Origen a displesure he procured heretikes to father vpon him lewd opinions He complaineth himselfe in a certaine Epistle how that Heretikes corrupted his works Pamphilus Martir the great friend and familiar of Eusebius wrote an Apologie in his behalfe Eusebius li. 6. ca. 3. 18. 20. 26. reporteth of the famous men that fauored Origen Socrates Eccle. histor lib. 6. cap. 12. writeth in his commendation Athanasius gaue of him a notable testimonie Chrisostome would in no wise bée brought to condemne either Origen or his works Socrates li. 6. cap. 11. 12. 13. ORIGINALL SINNE That no man is without originall sinne THe death of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God is a mightie remedie against the wound of originall sin wherewith the nature of all men is in Adam corrupt and slaine and from whence the infection of all concupiscence hath sprong Augustine in the Articles falsely
his Crosse and in mortifieng the peruerse and crooked disposition of the flesh We ought alwaies to beare in minde the saieng of our Sauiour Christ If any man will follow me let him deny him selfe and take vp his Crosse and follow me c. Marl. fo 432. How mans perfection is vnperfect Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy power Ye shall not turne neither to the right hand nor to the lefte Accursed is he that standeth not in euery thing that is written in the law to performs the same And S. Iames saith Who so offendeth in one commaundement is guiltie in all And Christ saith Be ye perfect not meaning your selues by your owne abilitie but as your father is perfect which is in heauen And yet héerby he meaneth not the perfection that is in God and his Angells but onely the perfection that is required in man I beseech you saith S. Hierom hath God commaunded me that I should be the same that God is that there should be no difference in perfection betwéene me and my Lord the Creator that I should be aboue the highnesse of Angells or that I shuld haue that the Angells haue not I sayd it is possible that a man maye be without sinne if he want not will the power of God assisting him And yet I finde that besides Christ in whom all men shall be quicknesse to life there was neuer man nor neuer shall be who being in this life shall haue this perfection Wherefore doth Christ say Be ye perfect wherefore doeth Paule say As many of vs as be perfect c. Heereto S. Hierom aunswereth thus What then doe we think or what ought we to thinke that be not perfect We ought to confesse that we are vnperfect and that we haue not yet gotten nor taken that perfection that is required This is the true wisedome of a man to know himselfe to be vnperfect And as I might say the perfection of all iust men liuing in the flesh is vnperfect He hath much profited in this life that by his profiting hath learned how farre he is from the perfection of righteousnesse Our very righteousnesse it selfe is so great in this life that it standeth rather in forgiuenesse of our sinnes then in perfection of righteousnesse Iewel fo 316. 317. 318. ¶ Looke Sound PERGAMVS What Pergamus was CHurch which is at Pergamus ¶ Pergamus was the name of a famous Citie in olde time in Asia where the kings of the Atalians were alwaies resident The faith of them of Pergamus is much cōmended because they remained constant euen in the very heate of persecution Theo. Beza PEARLE What a Pearle in Scripture doth signifie NEither cast ye your Pearles before swine ¶ A Pearle hath his name among the Grecians for the orient brightnesse that is in it And a Pearle in auncient time was in great estimation among the Latines for a Pearle that Cleopatra had was valued at two hundred and fiftie thousand Crownes and the word is now borrowed from that to signifie the most precious heauenly doctrine Theo. Beza PERIVRIE How periury is made lawfull by the Popes law YE shal vnderstand that these two worthy Martirs of Iesus Christ Iohn Hus and Hierom of Prage were called to the generall Councell holden at Constaunce and faith was made to them that by safe conduct they should come safe and returne safe and yet were they contrary to the faith taken and burned And least that holy Councell should séeme to doe anye thing wherein all their sect did not consent they made this Antichristian lawe in the 19. Session Presens sancta Synadus c. This present holy Counsell doth publish and declare that there can no preiudice hurt or hinderaunce come to the Catholike faith or to the Ecclesiastical iurisdiction by reason of any safe conduct graunted by the Emperour by Kings or other Princes of the earth to any which either be heretikes or defamed of heresie for what bond or promise soeuer the same Princes haue made vnto them their safe conduct notwithstanding it is lawfull for any compitent Ecclesiasticall Iudge to enquire of the errours yea although they come to y◠place of iudgement trusting vpon their safe conduct so that otherwise they would not haue come Neither he that maketh any such promise any whit bound to performe it if he haue done that that lay in him otherwise I. Pon. PERMISSION Of Gods permission or suffering WE must note that when either the Scriptures or Fathers doe séeme God to be the cause of sinne this word permission is not there so to be added as though he only suffered men to sinne and by his prouidence or gouernment wrought nothing as concerning sinnes Indéede he letteth them not though he can but vseth them and sheweth in them his might and not onely his patience which thing Augustin vnderstood right wel and disputed against Iulianus he confuted that sentence wher it is sayd that God suffereth sinne onely according to patience and proueth that his might is also therevnto to be added by the words of Paule who wrote vnto the Romanes If God by much patience haue suffered vessells of wrath prepared for destruction to shewe forth his anger and to make knowen his might And vndoubtedly there are many things in the holy scripture which cannot alwaies be dissolued by the word of permission or patience For the heart of the King is said to be in the hand of the Lord so that he inclineth it whether soeuer it pleaseth him And Iob testifieth that it was so done as God would But as touching the sinne of the first man when yet nature was not viciated corrupted we graunt y◠the cause therof came from the will of Adam suggestion of the Diuell we saye that God permitted it because when hée might haue withstood and letted it he would not doe it but decreed to vse that sinne to declare his Iustice and goodnesse Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic fol. 167. PERSECVTION What persecution is PErsecution is an obstinate pursuing to destroy by the which there is no place of rest and quietnesse giuen but the destruction of Innocents is sought with all kinde of violence and deceits Mar. vpon Math. fol. 81. They which doe follow vpon any man for to be reuenged so that they make no ende of pursuing of him nor leaue from that which they had begun withal be rightly called persecuters although that at length they be compelled to leaue off contrary to their determination and purpose as it betideth to all persecuters which are at the last constrained whether they will or not to breake off the race and course of their persecution Some doe take the word of persecuting or pursuing to be a ful following or pursuing in all poynts As when an Hound followeth the Deare a drye foote vp hill and downe through thick and thinne c. Both senses be applyed
to this word of persecuting The first is touched in Samuel Saule sought or pursued for Dauid euery day but the Lord did not deliuer him into his handes What is it els to séeke a man euery day to slay him but to persecute him continually Of the second we doe read in the same Chapter where he saith But in case he doe hyde him in the earth I will search for him amongst or out of all the thousands of Iuda He meaneth that he will search for Dauid diligently in euery corner and that he will omit nothing touching the persecution of him And Dauid vsed this word properly in the Psalme saieng I will persecute mine enimies and ouertake them I will not returne till they shrinke I will breake them so that they shall not be able to stand they shall fall vnder my féete When he saith I will persecute mine enimies and ouertake them he doth expresse the purpose of them which doe persecute which is bent to this ende to ouertake and catch them whom they doe persecute And whereas he doeth adde I will not returne vntill they doe shrinke it declareth his earnest diligence and desire in the persecution or following And that poynt I will breake them and crush them together that they shall not be able to stand they shall fall vnder my féete expresseth the reuenge which the persecutour entendeth to take vppon him when hée doeth persecute And these bée the partes of full and perfect persecution continually without ceasing to persecute to catch and to reuenge Musculus fol. 516. How some persecution is iust and some wrong If that be the true Church saith Augustin which suffereth persecution not that which doth it so said the Donatist let them aske of the Apostle what church Sara signified when the did persecute hir hand-maid for he saith that the frée woman our mother the heauenly Hierusalem that is to say the true Church of God was figured in that woman which afflicted hir handmayd And a little after Againe I demaunde in case that the good and holy doe persecute none but onely suffer whose saieng suppose they that the same is in the Psalme where we read I will persecute mine enimies and ouertake them and I will not tourne till they shrinke Therefore if we speake and acknowledge the truth that is a wrongfull persecution which the vngodly maketh vpon the Church of Christ and that persecution is iust which the Church of Christ maketh against the vngodly Thus saith Augustine Musculus fol. 518. How the Church doth persecute The Church saith Augustine in the place before doth persecute by louing to reforme and to call men backe from errour and to make them to profite in the truth And it is like the persecution of a louing mother and not of a spitefull stepdame Such I would haue the Church persecution saith Musculus when the rulers of the Church shall in the name of the Church persecute not the innocent but the hurtful more politikely then Church lyke But whereas the false shepheards vnder pretence of heresie and schisme doe persecute not the Goates which they cherish but the true shéepe of Christ which doe follow the voice of their onely shepheard and doe abhorre the voice of straungers with banishment and out-lawe prison wrongfull iudgements snare sword faggot and fire what shall we call it els but the tyranny of Antichrist whereas Augustine sayd that is a wrongfull persecution which the vngodly maketh against the Church of Christ he might well haue added therevnto and that in ten times more wrongfull which the malignant Church worketh against the godly But in his time the Romish Tyranny had not yet so openly set vp hir shamelesse head to practise all kinde of persecutions and publike oppressions of them that would discent from them Musculus fol. 519. Wherefore the true Christians are persecuted Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake ¶ If the faith of Christ and lawe of God be written in thine heart that is if thou beleeue in Christ to be iustified from sinne or for remission of sinne and consentest in thine heart to the lawe that it is good holy and iust and thy dutie to do it and submittest thy selfe so to do and therevpon goeth forth and testifieth that faith righteousnesse openly vnto the world in word and déede Then will Satan stirre vp his members against thée and thou shalt be persecuted on euery side but bée of good comfort and faint not Call to minde the saieng of Saint Paule 2. Timothy 3. 12. Now all that will lyue godlye in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution c. Tindale Chrisostome saith Doth the Shéepe persecute the Wolfe at any time No but the Wolfe doth persecute the Shéepe For so Cain persecuted Abel not Abel Cain So Ismael persecuted Isaac not Isaac Ismael so the Iewes persecuted Christ not Christ the Iewes So the Heretikes persecute the Christians and not the Christians the Heretikes Therefore ye shall knowe them by their fruites Againe Chrisostome saith in the same place Whomsoeuer ye sée reioyce in the bloud of persecution he is a Wolfe Iewel fol. 2. Moses saith Ismael plaied or sported with Isaac But Saint Paule saith the same plaieng and sporting was persecution For thus he writeth He that was after the flesh persecuted him that was after the spirit D. Heynes How the Christians in persecution doth multiply The Christians saith S. Austen were bound were imprisoned were beaten wer tormented were burnt and yet wer multiplied c. The miserable ende of certaine cruell persecutors Saule did murder himselfe Achitophel hanged himselfe Iudas did the lyke Sennacherib murdered of his owne sons Herode and Antiochus murdered by lyce Pilate murdered of himselfe Nero murdered of himselfe Dioclesian and Maximianus Emperours deposed themselues Maximinus eaten vp with lyce Maxentius and Pharao both drowned in their owne harnesse PETER Why Peter is called chiefe of the Apostles THey say that Peter was chiefe of the Apostles verely◠as Appelles was called chiefe of Painters for his excellent cunning aboue other euen so Peter may be called chiefe of the Apostles for his actiuitie and boldnesse aboue the other But that Peter had anys authoritie or rule ouer his bretheren and fellow Apostles is false contrary to the Scripture Christ forbad it euen the last houre before his Passion and in diuers times before and taught alway the contrary Tindale fo 143. Of Peters confession When Peter had professed the very true confession of Christ that he was the Sonne of God Christ said to him Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church that is to say vpon the faith whereby thou hast confessed and acknowledged me And that Christ by this Rocke wherevpon he said he would build his Church did vnderstand and meane himselfe Saint Austen doth write in an Homely which he hath written vpon this place where he saith If Christ would haue layed the
ouer all the rest supreme head of the whole Church of Christ which thing may be prooued by that that Peter as the chiefe and most worthiest person speaketh alwaies first for them all and amongst the rest hee was alwaies accompted and named first Againe in any ciuill gouernaunce of man where the common wealths be well ordered there is one supreame head which dignitie of order we sée also obserued euen among brute beasts for the Bées haue their king who gouerneth the baser sort of the common people and ouersée them to doe their duties The Cranes haue one chiefe guide whome all the rest doe followe The Shéepe also haue their Shepheard whose voice they know and whom they follow and at whose Commaundement they be Aunswere If the first begotten among the Apostles ought to be Lorde ouer all the rest then forasmuch as Andrew was called before Peter to the office of an Apostle Peter shuld not take the Lordship away from him which of right should haue a better title vnto it But truth it is that Christ is the first begotten among his bretheren and he is onely the Lord of all And the worthinesse of his first begotten which was shadowed in the first begotten of the olde Testament is fulfilled in Christ himselfe Now because the kingdome of Christ is altogether spirituall he may be accounted greater higher more excellent not that is first borne to Christ in this world nor he that is richer or more nobler after the flesh nor he that is better learned but he that excelleth more in godlinesse and hath receiued more light and strength of the holy Ghost And whereas Peter vsed oftentimes to speak first because of his boldnesse yet followeth it not of that that he had authoritie and dominion ouer the rest of the Apostles And where the Bées haue an head and gouernor yet it cannot be that one Bée should gouerne all Bées in the world but onely those that be in the same hiue And one Crane to be guide to xx or xxx Cranes yet it is vnpossible that all the Cranes in the world should followe this one Crane So neither can it be that one Bishoppe can haue the cure of all the soules in the worlde for experience teacheth that when one Shepheard hath the charge of a thousand shéepe it is as much as he is able to doe to féede so many and to order them well If he cannot rule a thousand much lesse can he order 7. or 8. thousand So that by these reasons the Bishop of Rome may be gouernour of all the soules within his owne Diocesse and no further The. 2. reason As the Iewes in the old Testament had by the wil of God one chiefe Priest aboue all other so the Christen men now a dayes must haue one Pope Aunswere The Iewes in those dayes were but a few and all knit and ioyned togethers in one narrow place whereas now the Christians be innumerable and are dispersed throughout the whole world wherefore that thing which according to the will of God was méete for them then that is to say that they should haue one chiefe Priest in earth cannot agrée now with vs in these dayes Nor the high Priesthood of the Iewes shadowed not the high Priesthood of the Bishop of Rome but the high Priesthood of Christ. Wherefore that high Priesthood of the Iewes after a certaine time had an ende Christ is the chiefe Priest not after the order of Aaron but after the order of Melchisedech not of the tribe of Leuy or of the stocke of Aaron but of the Tribe of Iuda and of the stocke of Dauid He was not chosen as other chiefe Priests be chosen of other Priests who doe not alwaies chuse the best but he was chosen of his eternall and heauenly father when he sayd Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thée And the other chiefe Priests were annointed with a materiall Oyle but Christ was annoynted with y◠holy ghost And they had on such garments as Moses appointed by Gods commaundement but the apparel of Christ was the whole company of vertues They offered incense and brute beastes but Christ offered himselfe vpon the Crosse. They entred into the Holy of the holiest but Christ entred into Heauen and sitteth now at the right hand of the eternall father c. So that Christ was chiefe Priest after the order of Melchisedech which was much more excellent then was the order of Aaron Bar. Ochin The. 3. reason Unto thée will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen◠and whatsoeuer thou bindest in earth shall be bound in Heauen c. Loe saith he in that he saith whatsoeuer thou bindest in earth he excepteth nothing therefore I may make lawes and binde both King and Emperour Aunswere When Christ as he had no worldly kingdome euen so hée spake of no worldly binding but of binding of sinners Christ gaue his Disciples the keye of the knowledge of the Lawe of God to binde all sinners and the keye of the promise to loose all that repent and to let them into the mercie that is layed vp for vs in Christ. Tindale The. 4. reason All power is giuen me in heauen and earth goe ye therefore and teach all Nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to kéepe all that I commaund you and behold I am with you vnto the worlds ende Loe saith the Pope Christ hath all power in heauen and earth without exception therefore all power is mine I am aboue all Kings and Emperours in temporall iurisdiction they but my seruaunts to kisse nor my féete onely but my N. also if I list not to haue them stoope so low Tindale Aunswere When Christ as I said because he had no temporall kingdome euen so he ment of no temporall power but of power to saue sinners which the processe of the text declareth by that he saith Goe ye therefore teach and baptise that is preach this power to all Nations wash them of their sins through faith in the promises made in my bloud Tindale The. 5. reason The Priesthood being translated the law must néedes be translated also c. Now saith y◠Pope y◠priesthood is translated vnto me wherefore it pertaineth vnto me to make lawes and to binde euery man Tindale Aunswere The Epistle meaneth no such thing but proueth euidently that the Ceremonies of Moses must cease For the Priest of the olde Testament must néedes haue bene of the Tribe of Leuy as Aaron was whose dutie for euer was the offering of Sacrifices Wherefore when that Priesthoode ceased the Sacrifices and ceremonies ceased also Now that Priesthood ceased in Christ which was a Priest of the order of Melchisedech and not of the order of Aaron for then he must haue bene of the Tribe of Leui and that he was not but of the Tribe of Iuda and of the séede of Dauid Wherefore
the sinnes and offences of men as though the punishment of the sword were a satisfaction for sinne for the death of Christ onely hath made satisfaction for sinne But offenders are punished by the sworde for examples sake that the people might feare to offend And least in time sinne and wickednesse might be counted for vertue and righteousnesse For the sinne that is left vnpunished is not knowne to be sinne Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 282. PVRE IN HEART Who they be that are so called BLessed are the pure in heart ¶ Blessed saith he are y◠pure in heart y◠is which ioyne themselues vnto me with a pure simple and desirous minde of knowing the will of God doe embrace the doctrine of truth without hypocrisie doublenesse of heart such were the disciples of Christ so soone as it was offered vnto them Such was Nathanael of whom Christ said Beholde a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit Marl. vpon Math. fol. 79. ¶ They are called pure in heart that beléeue vnfeinedly and trust from the very heart in God whome they doe see through faith while they be yet in this vale of miserie but after this bodily lyfe they shall haue a full fruition of him and sée him as he is Theo. Beza What purenesse of heart is Purenesse of heart is the consenting and studuous purpose to kéepe the lawes of God and to meane truelye in all thy wordes and workes and to do them with a true intent PVRGATORIE How Purgatorie is vtterly disproued by the Scriptures of God VErely verely I saye vnto yea he that heareth my word beléeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting lyfe shal not come into damnation but hath passed from death vnto life He was wounded for our transgression he was broken for our iniquities The chasticement of our peace was laide vpon him and with his stripes we were made whole Saint Paule sayth Christ hath taken the oblation that was against vs and hath fastened it to the crosse c. Saint Iohn saith Blessed be the dead that dye in the Lord euen so saith the spirit For they rest from their labours and their workes followe them He saith not they be in Purgatorie but they rest from their labours Againe he saith They hunger no more they shall thirst no more for the lambe which is in the middest of the throne shall gouerne them and shal lead them not into Purgatory but into the liuing fountaine of waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes Saint Augustine sayth Primum locum fides Catholicorum c. The first place of Catholike faith by Gods authoritie beléeueth to be the kingdome of heuen from whence whosoeuer is not baptised is excluded The second place the same Catholike fayth beléeueth to be hell where all rūnagates whosoeuer is without the faith of Christ shall tast euerlasting punishment As for the third place we vtterly knowe none neither shall wée finde in holye Scriptures that there is anye such If there were a Purgatorie and also if that the Pope with his pardons for money may deliuer one soule thence hée may deliuer him as well without money if he may deliuer one he may deliuer a thousand if he may deliuer a thousand he may deliuer them all and so destroy Purgatorye And then is hée a cruel tyrant without all charitie if he kéepe them there in prison till men will giue him money Booke of Mar. fo 1155. Know you saith S. Austen that when the soule is departed from the body it is incontinent for his good déeds put in paradise or else throwne headlong into the dungeon of hell for his sinnes Choose you now what ye list and purpose this while ye be héere in this life either to ioye perpetuall with Saints or else to be tormented without end among wicked sinners Booke of Mar. fol. 1263 The christian saith doth holde that the onely bloud of Iesus Christ and the sacrifice that he hath done vppon the crosse for poore sinners is so sufficient to satisfie the iudgement of God and to cleanse man of his sinnes that there néedeth none other Purgatorie for them As indéede there is none other to cleanse them neither by fire nor by water nor by anye other meanes neither in this world nor in the other Therefore hée that séeketh satisfaction any wher els be it in his owne works or those of other men or in anie kinde of creature or y◠in all or in part the same he or she refuseth wholy the ransome and satisfaction made by Iesus Christ. Then it followeth that she doctrine of the Papists concerning Purgatorie and their satisfactions which they séeke in themselues and in their works or in those of their Priests Monks in their offring suffrages as wel for the liuing as for the dead are mans inuentions full of blasphemies wholy against y◠word of God wherby as much as in them is they make of none effect y◠merit benefit of Christs death passion do openly renounce the same P. Vi. How Purgatory and pardons came iointly together Polidore saith Nemo nunc dubitat c. No Catholike man now doubteth of Purgatorie wherof notwithstanding among the auncient Fathers there is either no mention at all or very seldome Yea euen to this day the Grecians beléeue it not For so long as ther was no care for purgatory no man sought after pardons Polidore de inuentio li. 8. cha 5. How Purgatory was not knowne 400. yeares after Christ S. Austen was 400. years after Christ. And yet in his time was it not fully fastly beléeued to be an Article of our faith no nor yet fully and fastly beléeued to be true for he himselfe writeth in his Enchiridion on this manner speaking of Purgatory after that he expounded the place of Paule 1. Cor. 3. and had taken this word fire not for Purgatory but for temptation and tribulation he added these words in the. 69. chapter It is not incredible that such a thing should also chaunce after this life and whether it be so or no it may be questioned c. I. Frith S. Austen ouerthroweth al praiers for the dead with this whē he teacheth that all men looketh for the resurrection of the flesh the eternall glory that euery man then receiueth the rest y◠followeth after death if he be worthy when he dieth And therfore he testifieth y◠al the godly do immediatly after death enioy y◠blessed rest as well as y◠Prophets the Apostles Martirs If their estate be such what I beseech you saith Caluine shal our praiers auaile them Cal. in his Inst. 3. b. chap. 5. Sect. 10. When say they the Lord affirmeth that the sinne against the holy Ghost shuld not be forgiuen in this world nor in the world to come ther he sheweth y◠ther is a forgiuenesse of some sins in the world to come But who séeth
we not to reioice therefore for we shall haue no profit at all thereby but other shall haue the profite that come thereof But this ought to be our chiefe ioye and comfort that we are elect and chosen in Christ Iesu afore the foundation of the worlde were laid whose names are written in the booke of life S. I. Ch. RELEASEMENT How releasement and payment cannot stand togethers THe Lord forgaue the seruaunt his debt ¶ By this it appeareth that saluation falleth vnto men by releasement of the debt and not for satisfieng of the debt For releasement and payment cannot stand in one respect together It ouerthroweth Popish satisfaction which say they must be done by Pilgrimages fasting and almes deedes It quencheth the fire of Purgatorie For where the debt is forgiuen the debter ought not to be punished RELIGION How couples ioyned in marriage of diuers Religions is doubtfull THe prohibition of S. Paule is that we drawe not the yoake with the vnbeleeuers which thing is to be vnderstood not only of doctrine but of all trade of life For he that toucheth pitch saith Salomon shall be defiled therewith For it cannot bée but that he which keepeth company with the vngodlye must néedes himselfe gather some infection thereby As Salomon kéeping companie with Heathen women became an Idolater Achab through the counsell of lezabel slewe the Prophets Hemmyng Be not vnequally yoked with the Infidels ¶ He séemeth to allude to that which is written Deut. 22. 10. where the Lord cōmaundeth that an Oxe and an Asse be not yoked together because the match is vnequall So if the faithfull marry with the Infidells or els haue to do with them in any thing vnlawfull it is héere reproued Eccl. 13. 18. Geneua How the Diuell is sory to see the religion of Christ flourish Diabolus gentium vocatione cruciatur c. The Diuell is sore greeued with the calling of the Heathen to the faith and with the daily decresing of his power sorrowing to sée himselfe forsaken and Christ the true King to be worshipped in all places therefore he deuiseth guyles and imagineth dissentions REMEMBER How God is said to remember GOd remembred Noe. ¶ This is not so to be vnderstood that there is any forgetfulnesse in God But the Scripture speketh after the manner of our speaking As when we maye delyuer a man that is oppressed and doth it not then it is sayde we doe forget him And when we begin to goe about his delyueraunce then it is said we doe remember him REMNAVNT Of the remnaunt that God saith he had reserued I Haue reserued vnto my selfe seuen thousand men c. ¶ He speaketh of remnaunts and reserued people which were chosen from euerlasting and not of remnaunts that should bée chosen afterward For they are not chosen because they were no Idolaters but therefore they wer no Idolaters because they were chosen and elect Theo. Beza RENT What is ment by renting of clothes HE rent his clothes ¶ It was specially vsed among the Hebrues to rent clothes when the glory of God was contemned And héere where they feared God so little as to kill their owne brother T. M. Then they rent their clothes ¶ To signifie how greatly the thing displeased them and how sorie they were for it Geneua What is ment by renting of our hearts Rent your hearts and not your garments Ioel meaneth that it is to no purpose for men to haue great store of ceremonies and to martir themselues much in outward sight of the world except their hearts be broken before And what manner of renting or breaking is it that God requireth in our hearts it is that we should be cast downe and humbled before him that when we perceiue any signes of his wrath specially when we feele the blowe of his hand already we should be patient assuring our selues that all commeth for our sinnes and that we doe not as many doe who when they be beaten with Gods rod chawe their bridles lyke mules and conceiue I wot not what a fiercenesse bitternesse which serue to set them in a rage against God notwithstanding that they make countenaunce as though they were well tamed But contrariwise as I haue said it behooueth our hearts to be rent according to the exhortation that is made vnto vs in the Psalme by laieng our hearts open before God to the ende that he should knowe all that is within it Then let vs follow the said saieng of the Prophet Ioel that we should not rent our garments but our hearts rather for therein will the true repentaunce shewe it selfe Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 46. And rent your hearts c. ¶ Mortifie your affections and serue God with purenesse of heart and not with Ceremonies Geneua REPENTAVNCE What Repentaunce is and the definition thereof REpentaunce is an vnfained tourning to God whereby wée being of a sincere feare of God once humbled doe acknowledge our sinnes and so by mortifieng our olde man are afresh renued by the spirit of God Bulling fol. 562. Repentaunce is a very displeasure which man hath in his heart of his sinne the which ingenderesh in him an hatred against sinne a desire to liue better in time to come reseruing his life to the will of God Peter Viret Repentaunce is nothing but a conuersion of the minde and an alteration of the former opinion as appeareth by the sayeng of the Prophet Turne vnto me and ye shall be safe Againe I will not the death of a sinner but that he turne liue Also Repent and amende that your sinnes may be done away Marl. Repentaunce is an inward thing which hath his seate in the heart and minde and bringeth foorth fruits in chaunging the life Marl. vpon Math. fol. 47. Concerning this word Repentaunce as they vsed Penaunce the Hebrue hath in the olde Testament generally Sob Turne or be conuerted for which the Translation that we take for S. Hieromes hath most part Conuert◠to turne or to bee conuerted And sometime Agite poenitentiam And y◠Gréeke in the new Testament hath perpetually Metanoeo to tourne in the heart and minde and to come into the right knowledge to a mans right wit againe for which Metanoeo S Hieroms translation hath sometime Ago poenitentiam I doe repent Sometime Poeniteor I am repentaunt Sometime Habeo poenitentiam I haue repentaunce Sometime Poenitet me it repenteth me And Erasmus vseth much this word Recipisco I come to my selfe or to my right minde againe And the very sense and signification both of the Hebrue also of the Gréeke word is to be conuerted and to turne to God with all the heart to know his will and to liue according to his lawes and to be cured of our corrupt nature with the Oyle of his spirit wine of obedience of his doctrine which conuersion or turning if it be vnfained these foure doe accompanie it and are included therein Confession not in
with what instrumeÌ„ts they were wont to stir vp the hearts of the people to sing praises and to bée thankefull vnto the Lorde But now vnder Christ such ceremonies of the olde lawe are cleane abolished How the dead Saintes know nothing what is done in earth S. Austen in his booke De cura pro mortuis agenda doth plainely affirme yâ— the soules of yâ— Saintes that be in heauen doe not know what the liuing doe heere in earth prouing it by example of his owne Mother and by this place of Esay Thou art our Father Abraham knoweth vs not neither is Israel acquainted with vs. And also by Iosias where God promised that he should dye and not sée those calamities plagues miseries which he threatened should come vpon that place vpon the people How Saintes cannot impart their righteousnesse to other S. Hierome saith the righteousnes of the righteous shal be vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall remaine vpon him euery man shal die through his own sin euery man shal liue through his owne righteousnesse The Iewes doe say in vaine Abraham is our Father sith that they haue not the works of Abraham If we shuld put our trust in any let vs put our trust in God Cursed bee euery man that putteth his trust in men although they be Saintes although they be Prophets Wée reade Put not your trust in men Againe Better it is to trust in God then in Princes not onely in the Princes of the worlde but in the Princes of the Church which if they be righteous they shall deliuer their owne soules onely Certeine Obiections Aunswered Saints do pray for vs saith the Papists which they proue by the place of Dauid Psa. 32. 5. I will confesse my sinne vnto the Lord and so â—hou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne for this shall euery Saint make his prayer in a time when thou maist be found Aunswere When Dauid had reasoned of the remission of sinnes and hadde appointed himselfe an example to other and had sayde I haue confessed my sinne vnto thée Lorde and thou hast forgiuen the wickednesse of my sinne he did adde by and by Manye holy and godlye men shall bée prouoked by this example of mine to call after the same sorte vppon GOD for the pardon and forgiuenesse of their sinnes in a time when thou maist be found For after that we be departed hence saith Saint Cipriane there is no place of repentaunce no effect of saluation héere the lyfe is either lost or holden héere by the worshipping of God and the fruite of sayth euerlasting saluation is prouided for◠¶ By these wordes of Ciprianâ— wee doe knowe that as long as wée bée in this lyfe we maye through fayth in our Sauiour Iesu Christ praye vnto GOD for the remission of our sinnes and that so long God may bée founde but after that we be once gone neither repentance nor yet praieng vnto God for the remission of our sinnes can profit vs nothing Obiection The Saint was great with God when he was aliue as it appeared by the miracles which God shewed for him he must therefore be great now say they Aunswere This reason appeareth wisedome but it is verye foolâ—shnesse with God for the miracle was not shewed that thou shouldest put thy trust in the Saint but in the worde of the Saint preached which word if thou beleeuest would saue thée as God hath promised would also make thée great with God as he did the Saint Obiection If a man haue a matter with a great man or a king he must goe first to one of his meane seruants and then higher higher till he come to the king Aunswere This entising argument is but a blinde reason and mans wit It is not lyke in the kingdome of the world as it is in the kingdome of God and Christ. With kinges for the most part we haue no acquaintaunce nor promise They be also most commonly mercilesse Moreouer if they promise they are yet men and vnconstant as are other people and as vntrue But with God if we haue beléefe we are accompted and haue an open way vnto him by the doore Christ which is neuer shut but through vnbeléefe neither is there any porter to kéepe any man out By him saith Paule Ephe. 2. 18. That is to saye by Christ we haue an open way into the Father so are ye now no more straungers and forriners saith he but citizens with the Saints and of the household of God God had also made vs promises and hath sworne yea hath made a testament or a couenant hath bound himselfe hath sealed his Obligation with Christs bloud and confirmed it with miracles He is also mercifull and kinde and complaineth that wée will not come to him He is mightie and able to performe that he promiseth He is true and cannot be but true as he cannot bée but GOD therefore it is not like with the king and God Obiection We be sinners say they God will not heare vs. Aunswere Beholde how they flye from God as from a tyrant mercilesse whom a man counteth most mercifull to him he soonest flyeth But these techers dare not come to God why For they are the children of Cain If the Saints loue whoÌ„ God hateth then God and his Saints are diuided When thou praiest to the Saintes how doe they know except God whom thou countest mercilesse tell them If God be so cruell and so hateth thée it is not lykely that hée will tell the Saintes that thou praiest vnto them c. Obiection Saints must pray for vs and be mediatours to God for vs that by them we may receiue our petition This is Richards opinion De media villa Aunswere This is a great blasphemy to Christs blessed bloud for if Saintes bee necessarie to be mediatours for vs then is Christ vnsufficient For Philosophers did neuer put two causes wher one was sufficient And if any thing be giuen vs for Saints sakes theÌ„ be not al things giueÌ„ vs for Christs sake The which is plainely against Saint Paules saieng Rom. 8. 33. God for vs all hath giuen his sonne and shall he not giue vs all thinges with him D. Barnes Paule saith there is but one mediatour betwéene God and man the man Christ Iesus the which hath giuen himselfe for the redemption of all men ¶ Héere he sayth there is but one mediatour betwéene God and man Where there is but one there cannot Saints come in Moreouer Saints bée men Ergo they must haue a mediatour for themselues and than they cannot be mediatours for other men Moreouer the mediatour betwéene God and man is called Christ Iesus Now is there no Saint that hath that name If there bee none then is ther none that can vsurpe this office without blaspheming of Christ. Furthermore he hath redeemed vs without the helpe of Saints why shal he not be wholy mediatour without
owe thée euill will ¶ Scornful or mocking persons after Dauid Kimhi are those which be subtill and craftie to hurt other and which are ready to defame other and to open and tell secrets and so to breake concord vnitie those also which make a mocke at the word of God and despise it for foolishnesse as in the 14. 6. and. 19. 25. and. 22. 10. ¶ Rebuke not a scorner c. Meaning them that are incorrigible which Christ calleth dogs swine or he speaketh this in comparison not that the wicked should not be rebuked but hée sheweth their mallice and the small hope of profit Geneua SCORPION The Papists compared to Scorpions IN three respâ—cts are Heretikes and specially the Disciples of Antichrist Hipocrites compared to Scorpions First because that lyke as a Scorpion whereas he is milde to looke vnto doth at length strike priuely with venomous sting for these men pretend simplicitie before the world and yet worke mischiefe by defaming men behinde their backes Secondly because that the Scorpions â—ting s 〈…〉 ngeth with his taile so these men preferre temporail gaine before spirituall graces wound mens consciences deadly when they promise most to help theÌ„ And thirdly because that when a Scorpion stingeth with his taile he is not felt at the first but yet sheweth in his poyson by little and little afterward So they that be beguiled with those Heretikes féele not the wound at the first but when the poyson hath rankeled through all the inward parts then they feele theÌ„selues stong in the end Of these men the Apostle writeth thus They that be of that sect serue not the Lord Iesus but their bellies and deceiue the hearts of the simple through faire speach flatterie Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 129. ¶ They stung their consciences with terrible dreames and visions and with fearfull reâ—elations of Purgatorie of Hell to builde them vp faire houses and to lyue in wealth and pleasure Finally they venomed their faith with their poysoned councells and promises so tooke they from them yâ— true hope in Christ making merchandise of them through couetousnes faire words Thus cloystering together lyke Locusts they haue left nothing gréene but they haue withered and destroyed No workes might then be vsed of Gods prescription but such as were fantasied by them for aduauntage as Masses founding Chauntries building Priests singing Images gylting kissing of reliques praieng to dead men and such lyke And when they were once franke and full they stoode vp togethers proudly against the Lord and his word Bale ¶ As the Scorpions of the earth haue power That is secretly to persecute and to sting with their taile as Scorpions do such is the fashion of the Hypocrites Geneua As the paine that commeth of a Scorpion when hée hath stong a man ¶ For at the beginning the sting of the conscience séemeth as nothing but except they soone seeke remedye they perish Esay 2. 19. Ose. 10. 8. Luke 23. 30. Geneua SCRIBE What a Scribe is A Scribe was he that had the office of interpreting aunswering vnto the sentences of the Prophets as it appeareth of Herod as king the Scribes in the third chapter afore In an other place he supposeth that they wer officers as our Bishops Chauncelers Commissioners Archdeacons Officials Tind Euery Scribe which is taught c. ¶ The office of Scribes was to interpret and to expound the Law and the Prophets He is then a Scribe taught to the Kingdome of God that hath the spirit that is to say the true meaning of the Law and of the Prophets and not onely out of the dead letter but out of the treasure of his heart and with a feruent spirite of GOD bringeth â—oorth Christ out of the Lawe and Prophets Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Because the Scribes office was to expound the scriptures he meaneth him that doth interpret them aright and according to the spirit Geneua ¶ Euery Scribe bringeth forth of his treasure things both new and olde new things that is the swéete tidings of yâ— Gospell to vnbinde vs and olde things that is the olde Testament and Moses lawe to binde vs. The Scribes were the Doctors of the Lawe foolish and superstitious Glosers maintainers of blinde customes contrarye to the truth Epiph. de haeres SCRIPTVRE How the Scriptures are easie to be vnderstood IT may be said the Scriptures are hard yet that notwithstanding if thou read them they shall doe thee good for the Lord Iesus Christ if he finde vs occupied in the scriptures and exercised in the studie thereof not only vouchsafeth himselfe to be refreshed and fed in vs but also séeing such a banket prepared bringeth with him his father vnto vs. Origen in his 20. hom vpon Iosua Northbrooke At the comming of Messias the people shall be lifted vp and shall prophecie that before lay asléepe vnder their masters And they shall goe vnto the mountaines of the Scriptures there shall they finde Mountaines Moses and Iosua the sonne of Nun the Mountaines of the Prophets the Mountaines of the new Testament the Apostles and Euangelists and when they shall flye to such Mountaines and shall be occupied in the reading therof if they finde not one to teach them yet shal their indeuour or good minde be allowed for that they haue fledde to the Mountaines Hierom vpon the. 3. Chap. of Nahum I. Northbrooke It cannot be possible that he that with earnest studie and feruent desire readeth the Scriptures should euermore be forsaken for although he want the instruction of man yet God him selfe from aboue entring into our hearts lighteneth the minde powreth his beames into our wits openeth things that wer hidden becommeth vnto vs a schoolemaster of that we know not Namely if we will doe so much as lyeth in vs. Chrisost. in his 36. hom vpon Genesis I. Northbrooke We by our selues without a master shal be able to vnderstand the things which are there intreated off So that we occupie our selues in these Epistles day and night for we doe not by the sharpnesse of wit and vnderstanding pearse vnto all those things which we vnderstand For euen they which are of more dull wits doe by continuall studie atteine to hard things Euen as the cogitations and senses of man are most hard to bée knowne yet notwithstanding our friends whom we feruently loue and with whom we are continually conuersant do oftentimes euen by a becke open vnto vs the cogitations and senses of their mindes without any token of words speach by them spoken So shall it come to passe in these Epistles of holy scriptures so that a man loue them and be continually conuersant in them He which asketh receiueth and he which séeketh findeth vnto him that knocketh it shall be opened Chris. in his Pref. to the Rom. I. N. The Scripture of God is lyke vnto a Pothecaries shoppe full of medicines of sundrie sortes that euery
¶ This word Selah after Rabikim was a signe or token of lifting vp the voice also a monition and aduertisement to enforce the thought minde earnestly to giue héede to the meaning of the verse vnto which it is added Some will that it signifie perpetually or verily T. M. ¶ Selah heere signifieth a lifting vp of the voice to cause vs to consider the sentence as a thing of great importance Geneua ¶ Concerning this word Selah the interpretours agrée not among themselues Some vpholde it to be a marke of affirmation to signifie as much as truely or verely or so be it Other take it for time without end Howbeit forasmuch Salal signifieth to lift vp the opinion of those is allowable which thinke yâ— by this word is betokened yâ— lifting vp of the voice in tune Neuerthelesse it is to be vnderstood therwithall that the notes of singing were applyed to the meaning of the matter And so the tune aunswered the thing or the matter that it was set vnto Caluine vpon the. 3. Psal. SEALE The opening the. 7. Seales and the meaning thereof THe opening of the first seale telleth the state of the Church in yâ— time of the preaching of Christ and of his Apostles For the first beast that is the Lion gaue his voice that â—etokeneth the preachers of Christs resurrection and of his ascention for then yede out a white horse and he that sate vpon him had a Bowe in his hande and he yede out ouercomming to be ouercome By this white horse we vnderstand the cleane lyfe and conuersation that these preachers had and by the bow their true teaching pricking sorrow in mens heartes for ther sinnes without flattering And they went out of Iewrie yâ— they commen off ouercomming some of the Iewes and making them to leaue the trust that they hadden in the olde law and to beléeue in Iesus Christ and shewen his teaching And they wenten out to the Paynims shewing to them that their Images were no Gods but mens workes vnmightie to saue themselues or any other drawing them to the beléefe of Iesus Christ God man In the opening of the second seale ther cryed the second beast that is a calfe that was a beast wonted to bée slaine and offered to God in the olde lawe This sheweth the state of the Church in the time of Martirs that for their stedfast preaching of Gods true lawe shedde their bloud that is signified by the redde horse that went out at this second opening this estate beganne at Nero the cursed Emperour and dured till the time of Constantine the great that endued the Church For in his time many of Christs seruauntes and leaders of Gods flocke were slaine For of 32. Bishoppes of Rome that were betwéene Peter and Siluester the first I reade but of foure but that they were Martirs for the lawe of Christ. And also in the time of Dioclesian the Emperour the persecution of the Christian men was so great that in thirtie dayes were slaine two and twentie thousand men and women in diuerse countries for the lawe of God The opening of the third seale telleth the state of the Church in time of Heretikes that beth figured by the blacke horse for false vnderstanding of holy writ for that cried the third beast that is a man for at that time was it néede to preach the mysterie of Christs incarnation and his passion against these Heretikes that â—elden misse in these pointes Howe Christ tooke verye mankinde of our bodye him béeing God as hée was before and his mother béeing maide before and after The opening of the fourth seale telleth the state of the Church in the time of hypocrites that beth by signified the pale horse yâ— beth signes of penance without forth to binde the people And he yâ— sate vpoÌ„ the horse his name was Death for they should slay Ghostly them that they leden and teacheth to trust vppon other thing then God And hell followeth him for hell receiueth thilke that those destinieth At that time shal it néede that the fourth beast that is the Eagle make his crie that flyeth highest of foules to reare vp Gods Gospell to praise that lawe aboue other least that mens wit and their traditions ouergrow and troden downe the lawe of God by enforming of those hypocrits and that is the last state that is either shall be in the Church before the comming of the great Antichrist The opening of the fift seale telleth the state of the Church that then shall follow and the desire that louers of Gods law shuldeth haue after the end of this worlde to be deliuered of this woe The opening of the sixt seale telleth the state of the Church in time of Antichrists time the which state ye may know to be in the Church when ye séeth fulfilled that Saint Iohn prophesieth to fall on the opening of this seale where he saith thus After this I sawe foure Angels standing vpon foure corners of the earthâ— holding the foure windes of the earth that they blowne not on the earth ne vpon the sea ne vpon any tree These foure Angels be the number of all the diuels ministers that in that time shalleth in the pleasance of the Lord Antichrist stop the foure windes that beth the foure Gospels to be preached and so let the breath of the grace of the holy Ghost to fall vppon men mourning for sinne casting them to amendement and to other that woulden increase in vertues either vpon perfect men What is there after this to fall but that the mysterie of the seauenth seale be shewed that he come in his own person That Iesus Christ shall sleye with the breath of his owne mouth when the fiend shall shew the vttermost persecution that he and his seruants may doe to Christs lims that shall be the third warning that the world shall haue to come to the dreadfull iudgement c. This is drawne out of a Sermon in the booke of Martirs preached in the yere of our Lord. 1389. and in the daies of king Henry the fourth by Richard Wymbeldon fol. 653. The meaning of this place following Whom God the Father hath sealed ¶ That is whom God the father hath distinguished from all other men by planting his owne vertue in him as though he had sealed him with his seale that he might be a lyuely pattern and representer of him and that more is install him to this office to reconcile vs men vnto God and bring vs to euerlasting lyfe which is onely proper to Christ. Beza ¶ Sealed that is he hath put his marks of the Holy ghost which testifieth with miracles what he is Tindale ¶ Sealed For when he appointed him to be the Mediator he set his marke and seale in him to be the onely one to reconcile God and man together Geneua SELEVCIANI What the opinions of these heretikes were
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
Hierome aduersus Iouinian lâ— 1. Of the virgin that was sought for Dauid Let there be sought for my Lord the king c. ¶ Dauid tooke this virgin not for lust but for the health of his body by the aduise of his counsell which séemeth to be done by the speciall dispensation of God and therfore not to be followed as an example The Bible note Wherefore virginitie is praised S. Paule praiseth virginitie in them that are apt and able to embrace that state of liuing that they might with more speede go forth to preach and to serue the congregations He praiseth it not because he iudgeth that state to deserue the more grace for this errour fighting against the iustificatioÌ„ of faith he most of all abhorreth We deny it not saith Melancthon but yâ— ther be distinct states of liuing The Maior of the citie excelleth yâ— ship-maister but yet deserueth not the Maior more grace for gouerning the citie then the Shipper for ruling the Ship Yea it is possible that the shipper may worship God better in his ship then the Maior in the citie Wherefore these degrées differ not concerning the spirituall life by faith or any grace therby to be obteined although they conferred together in yâ— externe life one excelleth another for God willeth an order to be in offices and states of liuing A memorable fact of a virgin in defence of her country Aeneas Siluius otherwise Pope Pius the second in describing of Asia minor cap. 74. reciteth a certeine fact of a worthy virgin who at what time the Turkes were besieging a certeine towne in Lesbos and had cast downe a great part of the walls so yâ— al the towns men had giuen ouer putting on a mans harneis stepped forth into the breach where not only she kept the Turks from entring in but â—lue of them a great sort The citizens séeing the rare courage good successe of the maide toke to them againe their heart and harneis and so lustely laied about them that an incredible number of the Turks wer slaine The rest being repulsed from the land reculed into their ships who being then pursued by a nauie of Calisa were worthely discomfited likewise vpon the sea And thus was the I le of Lesbos at that time by a poore virgin that is by the strongâ— hand of the Lord working in a weake creature preserued from the Turks In the booke of Mar. VNBELEEVERS What S. Paule doth meane heere by vnbeleeuers BEare not the strange yoke with the vnbeléeuers ¶ Nothing in this world can hinder a man so much from true godlinesse as doth the amitie and friendship with the vngodly The sonnes of God did in the beginning ioyne themselues in amitie or friendship with the children of men and they were all destroyed by a floâ—d Hée that toucheth Pitch shall be defiled therewith Beware therefore if ye wil continue and abide stedfast in the true doctrine that ye accompanye not your selues with vngodly Epicures which without the feare of God doe giue themselues to all kinde of mischiefe and blasphemie Sir I. Cheeke ¶ He séemeth to allude to that which is written Deut. 23. 10. where the Lord commandeth that an Ore and an Asse be not yoked together because the match is vnequall So if the faythfull marrie with the Insidells or else haue to doe with them in anye thing vnlawfull it is héere reproued Geneua VNCIRCVMCISED LIPPES What is meant by vncircumcised lips SEeing that I haue vncircumcised lips ¶ To be of vncircumcised lips is to haue a tongue that lacketh good vtterance to set out matter withall T. M. ¶ Uncircumcised lips ¶ Or barbarous and rude in speach And by this word Uncircumcised is signified the whole corruption of mans nature Geneua VNCLEANE SPIRIT How this place of the Euangelist is vnderstood WHen the vncleane spirit is gone out c. ¶ Unlesse wée doe now at this present take better héede to our selues vse thankfully the grace of God nowe offered vnto vs by his Gospell and labour to expell these soule spirites that yet remaine among vs as couetousnesse whoordome vncleanenes c. the same that Christ héere threateneth vnto the Iewes shal happen vnto vs. Sir I. Cheeke When the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man c. ¶ The vncleane spirit after he is cast out when he commeth findeth his house swept and garnished taketh to him seauen worse then himselfe and commeth and entreth in and dwelleth there and so is the end of that man worse then the beginning The Iewes they had cleansed themselues with Gods worde from all outward Idolatry and worshipping of Idolls but theyr hearts remained still faithlesse to Godward and towarde his mercy and truth and therefore without loue also and lust to the law and to their neighbour for his sake and false trust in their owne works to the which heresie the childe of perdition yâ— wicked Bishop of Rome with his lawiers hath brought vs Christen were more Idolaters then before and became tenne times worse then in the beginning For the first Idolatry was soone spied and easie to be rebuked of the Prophet by yâ— Scripture But the latter is more subtile to beguile withall and an hundred times of more difficultie to be wéeded out of mens hearts Tindale fol. 35. ¶ When by the grace of God we are induced brought into the knowledge of the truth then are we deliuered from the power of Satan Therefore we must take héede that hée doe not to our vtter destruction returne againe into vs that is to say that wée fall not againe into our own infidelitie superstition and ignorance Then indéed shal we be in worse case then we were before Sir I. Cheeke What is meant by these three vncleane spirits ¶ And I sawe thrée vncleane spirits like frogges come out of the mouth of the Dragon ¶ That is a strong number of this greate Diuell the Popes Ambassadours which are euer crieng and croking lyke Frogges out of Antichrists mouth because they shoulde speake nothing but lyes and vse all manner of craft and deceite to maintaine their rich Euphrates against the true Christians Geneua VNFAITHFVLL How the vnfaithfull eate not Christs bodie ¶ Looke Eating Wicked Euill will VNGODLY The meaning of this place of the Prophet THe vngodly haue bent their bow c. ¶ That is a borrowed speach by which is signified the wicked enimies of Dauid were most prest and readyâ— to destroye him for this Psalme as some suppose was made when he fledde from Saule and hid himselfe from him in diuers and sundry places As ye read 1. Reg. from the. 22. to the. 27. wher his persecution was so great that at length he was faine to flye out of yâ— coasts of Israel vnto the Philistines after the like manner do our Saules daily persecute the christen Psa. 37. 12. T. M. ¶ Looke Wicked VNICORNES What is meant by the Vnicornes ANd heare me from among
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 ¶
diuided Iosephus writeth that Adam and Seth diuided the yeare into twelue months and first obserued and taught the course of the celestiall bodies Lanquet YOKE How the yoke of Christ is to be vnderstood TAke my yoke on you and learne of me ¶ We must so shake of the yoke of mens traditions that in the meane season we doe not refuse to submit our neckes vnto the swéete pleasant yoke of our Sauiour Christ that is to say we must so put the intollerable burdens of Antichrists dreames that in the meane season we seeke no carnall libertie in the Gospell S. I. Cheeke Take my yoke vpon you saith Christ for my yoke is sweet my burthen is light ¶ By which words they argue the commaundements of God to be easie possible to be kept I aunswere that these words of Christ meane not the law of Moses but are to be vnderstood of the receiuing to be our Messias and Sauiour and that we should become subiects vnder his kingdome that is to beléeue in him and to be his Disciples who in so doing shall finde his yoke and subiection vnder him to be plesaunt and swéete For there shall we haue remission of all our sinnes shall ouercome the Diuel and the world shal be frée from death shal be eased of ceremonies shal be raised in the resurrection to euerlasting life andâ— in the meane time shall tast yâ— swéete comfort of the Holy ghost in our hearts Fox ¶ In that Christ calleth it Iugum meum my yoke he meaneth a difference betwéen his doctrine and the lawe and that in respect of the straitnesse of the law and the easinesse of his doctrine and of that he requireth of his children and scholars but how heauie a lumpe the lawe is S. Peter describeth in the 15. of the Acts where he saith thus Nunc ergo c. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put on the disciples necks the yoke which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare I. Gough What the yoke of seruitude is The yoke of seruitude is to beléeue that Circumcision and the fulfilling of the lawe is necessary to obtaine euerlasting saluation D. Heynes What this yoke signifieth For thou shalt breake the yoke of the peoples burthen the staffe of his shoulder c. ¶ This yoke figureth the yoke and burthen of the law which so oppressed the people that Saint Peter could say to the Apostles yâ— neither they nor their fathers were able to keepe it Act. 15. 10. This yoke hath Christ broken according to the Prophecie of Esay and vtterly discharged the burden thereof For we know now that God is satisfied and contented in the bloud of his sonne Christ and that the many thousand fold punishments which are due to our sinnes are cleane pardoned and forgiuen for the merites of the same Christ. 1. Iohn 2. 2. The Hebrues expound this of the destruction of the hoast of Sennacherib which was done by the Angell of the which in the 37. ver 36. And call the hoast of the Assyrians the yoke of the peoples burthen the staffe of the shoulder the rod of the oppressour But it is a more grieuous bondage wherewith the spirituall Sennacherib of whom the Assyrians was a certaine figure and shadow bound vs and from which Christ hath deliuered vs. T. M. What the yoke of transgression is The yoke of my transgression is bound vppon his handes ¶ Mine heauie sinnes are continually before his eyes as hée that tyeth a thing to his hand for a remembraunce Geneua What is ment by the yoke in this place It is good for a man that he â—eare the yoke of his youth He sheweth that we can neuer begin too timely to be exercised vnder the Crosse that when the afflictions grow greater our patience also by experience may be stronger Geneua YRON FVRNACE What is meant by this yron furnace ANd brought you out of the yron furnace of Aegypt By this yron furnace is vnderstood anguish and griefe sorrow carefulnesse of heart 3. Reg. 8. 51. for Aegypt was to them an yron furnace for the great anguish sorrow and carefulnesse of heart which they there suffered T. M. Zachary How Zachary and his wife are counted iust in Scripture SCripture commendeth Zachary and Elizabeth to be both iust before God and to walke in all the commaundements and iustifications of the Lord. To this saith Master Fox I could aunswere thus yâ— if Zachary Elizabeth his wife were both iust before God it was not because God could not but because he would not finde fault with them But to let mine owne aunswere goe I will set S. Hierome to aunswere therevnto where he declareth two manner of perfections to be in holy Scriptures One which is agréeable to the vertues of God and is voide of all sinne and immutable And this saith he is appropriate onely to God was héere declared in Christ The other which agreeth to our fragilitie and is not pure from all sinne and is called perfect not by comparison to Gods iustice but so accounted in the knowledge of God who séeth the good indeuour of the fraile creature accepteth the same in the same produceth this example both of Zachary Elizabeth also of Iob. The like answere may be gathered out of S. Austen who speaking of the worthinesse which is in iust men heere saith yâ— it may be called perfect so far as they both truly acknowledge humbly confesse their own imperfection going wtall c. So yâ— of the righteousnes of Zachary we may say as S. Paule said by the righteousnes of Abraham yâ— if he haue any thing to glory he hath to glory with men not with god in whose iudgment saith Dauid no flesh shal be iustified c. only yâ— flesh of the sonne of God excepted who onely being iust died for yâ— vniust as Saint Peter witnesseth wherevpon I ground this reason Christ dyed for the vniust Zachary and Elizabeth were not vniust before God as they say Ergo Christ died not for them which is absurd to graunt so that rather this argument is to be holden A sensu contrario Christ dyed for the vniust Christ dyed for Zachary and Elizabeth Ergo Zachary and Elizabeth were vniust Againe They that doe the commaundements doe liue therein Zachary and Elizabeth lyued not in the commandements but died Ergo Zachary and Elizabeth did not all the commaundements so iustly as they should Master Fox in his sermon of Christ crucified fo 36. ¶ They were both righteous before God walked in all the lawes ordinaunces of the Lord without reproch These words are not to be vnderstood as though Zachary Elizabeth absolutely fulfilled the law for then they had no néed of Christ and Christ had not then said truly in the 17. of Luke Dicite c. Say ye we are vnprofitable seruants c. But therfore they are said to be iust because God in Christ
himselfe and in his owne minde being made priuie to euerie thing that he either hath committed or not committed doe either condemne or acquite himself And this reason procéedeth frō God who is both prompt writeth his iudgements in the hearts and mindes of men Bullinger What Saint Paules meaning is by this Hauing the conscience seared with an hot yron ¶ Their dull consciences first waxed hard then after canker and corruption bred therein Last of all it was burnt with an hotte yron so that he meaneth such as haue no conscience Geneua ¶ Whose conscience waxed so hard that there grew an hard fleshlinesse ouer it and so became to haue a Canker in it and now at length required of verie necessitie to be burned with an hot yron ¶ Tindale applieth this place to false Teachers whose consciences being seared be witnesses vnto themselues that for their bellie sake and desire of filthie lucre they hide the truth and stablish lies Tindale CONSECRATION What Consecration is GIuing of thanks vnto God for y◠death of his onlie begotten Son Iesus Christ is the true Consecration Sir I. Cheeke Consecration signifieth the whole action of the Supper and not the turning of the Elements Booke of Mar. fol. 1538. Doctor Redman being sicke at Westminster was among other things asked this question by one Master Wilkes what Consecratio was it is quoth Doctor Redman tota actio in ministring the Sacrament as Christ did institute it All the whole thing done in the mysterie as Christ ordeined it that is Consecatio Thus farre D. Redman CONTEMPT How Contempt is defined COntempt consisteth chiefelie in thrée things for either wée contemne onelie in minde when we despise anie man and their goods or when we doe them anie discommoditie not thereby to séeke our owne gaine but onlie to reioice at their discommoditie or lastlie when we adde words or déedes which haue ignominie or contumelie ioined with them Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 166. CONTENTION Of the Contention betweene Paule and Barnabas ¶ Looke Paule CONTINENCIE What Continencie is COntinencie is a vertue or power of the mind receiued from the spirit of God which suppresseth affections and doth not in anie wise permit vnlawfull pleasures This is conuersant and doth shew it selfe in the common and vsuall talke of men in pleasures that are allowed in apparell in buildings and dwelling houses in meate and drinke and in other things also c. Bullinger fol. 237. CORNELIVS How Cornelius was iustified by faith and not by workes COrnelius thy praiers and thine almes are come vp into remembraunce before God c. ¶ The praiers and almes of Cornelius pleased God before he was baptised but without faith God cannot be pleased Cornelius therefore as Bede trulie noteth had faith whereby his praiers and almes pleased God for saith he he came not to faith through workes but to workes through faith The Bible note ¶ Inasmuch as by workes no man can be saued as the psalmist openlie affirmeth In thy sight none that liueth can be iustified And againe If thou looke on our iniquities Lord who shall be able to beare them No christen conscience dare be so hardie as to attribute saluation of this man Cornelius to his praier and fasting for first ye see he was a Gentile vncircumcised not kéeping the lawe nor once thinking thereon and therefore must be iustified by faith that came by hearing the glad tidings preached in Christ and therefore must we looke to the words of Luke in the beginning of this Chapter where he saith that he feared God which thing he could not haue done neither yet haue praied nor giuen almes except he had beléeued For how should he haue called on him on whom he beléeued not Thus are we compelled to ascribe his calling vnto faith out of which these fruites of praier and fasting procéeded speciallie séeing that Saint Paule affirmeth that whatsoeuer is not done of faith the same is sinne The christen then and such as will the Scriptures to be true in all places to expound one texte that another maie agrée with it do right well know that his calling our saluation is fréelie giuen of God for his son Christs sake and not for the deseruing of our workes And because faith can receiue this great and free benefite of God and beléeue it to be true and workes neither can beléeue it neither discerne it therfore it is ascribed vnto faith and not to workes If praier or fasting or the holiest worke vnder heauen could saue Christ had neuer néeded to haue suffered such gréeuous paines but vtterly died in vaine Neither should God fréelie chuse vs but our workes should chuse him Understande therefore that by his workes was he not called but by Faith out of which his workes sprong which faith God freelie gaue him as he calleth and saueth vs all Good workes must we do as this man did and that with all loue and earnestnesse and thereto are we bound and without them can it not be knowen whether we be verie christen or no no more then we can knowe a good Trée to be good and neuer felte his fruite But we maie in no condition ascribe iustification or saluation to them for as saith Christ When ye haue done all ye can doe 〈…〉 ye are vnprofitable seruaunts but to faith which onelie can receiue the benefites of Christ and beléeue that he alone hath deserued forgiuenesse for the sinnes of all the world The Apostles were héere first taught and certified by the holie Ghost of the conuersion of the Gentiles Tindale CORNER STONE ¶ Looke Stone CORRVPTION From whence our corruption commeth ADam was not created in the corruption which is spoken off héere but he purchased it of himselfe For God found all the things to be good which he had made Man therefore who is the excellentest of all creatures was not marred after that fashion till he had withdrawen himselfe from God But when he had once seperated himselfe from the Fountaine of righteousnesse what coulde remaine vnto him but naughtinesse and corruption Thus wée sée from whence all our naughtinesse procéedeth that we ought not to blame God for the vices wherevnto we be subiect and vnder which we be helde prisoners according to the Scripture which saith that wee bée solde vnder simie and become the bonde slaues of Satan Wée must not blame God for this but we must learne to knowe that it is the heritage which we haue from our father Adam and therefore we must take the whole blame to our selues before God c. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 274. COVETOVSNES What Couetousnesse maketh men to doe COuetousnesse is the roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6. 10. Couetousnesse is Image seruice Col. 3. 5. It maketh men to erre from the faith 1. Tim. 6. 10. It hath no part of the kingdome of Christ and God Ephe. 5. 5. It hardened the heart of Pharao that the faith of the miracles of God could not
sinke into it It made Balaam which knewe all the trueth of GOD to hate it and to giue most pestilent counsell against it It taught the false prophets in the olde Testament to interpret the Law of God falslie c. It kept Iudas in vnbeliefe c. And compelled him to sell Christ vnto the Scribes and Pharesies for couetousnesse is a thing mercilesse Couetousnesse made the Pharisies to lye on Christ to persecute and falselie to accuse him It made Pilate though he found him an Innocent yet to slaie him It caused Herode to persecute Christ in his cradle It maketh hypocrites to persecute the truth against their owne conscience c. Finallie Couetousnes maketh manie whom the truth pleaseth at the beginning to cast it vp againe and to be afterwarde the most cruell enimies thereof after the ensample of Symon Magus Act. 8. Tindale fol. 230. Through Couetousnesse shall they with fained words make marchandise of you c. ¶ False Prophets must néedes be among vs and also preuaile and that because we haue no loue vnto the truth And Couetousnesse is the father of them and their preaching confidence in workes is the denieng of Christ. Tindale ¶ This is euidentlie séene in the Pope and his Priests which by lies and flatteries sel mens soules so that it is certaine that he is not the successour of Symon Peter but of Symon Magus Geneua COVNCELS Of a Councell a little before that Christ reuealed himselfe THere was a Councell gathered together at Hierusalem a little before yâ— Christ reueled himselfe to chuse a Priest in the roome of one that was deceased Looke how manie letters there are in the Hebrue tongue so manie Priests there were in the Temple to wit 22. The manner was to register in a certaine â—ooke reserued in the Temple the daie of the election the name of the elected the name of his father of his mother and of his Tribe Whilest that they thought some on one man some on another ther stepped forth a Priest one of the multitude said My wil is that Iesus the sonne of Ioseph the carpenter be elected Priest who though he be young in yeares yet passeth he in vtteraunce wisedome and manners I thinke trulie there was neuer séene in Hierusalem such a one both for eloquence life and manners the which I am sure all that inhabite Hierusalem doe knowe as well as I. The which was no sooner spoken but was allowed of and the partie I meane Iesus chosen to be a Priest They doubt of his Tribe againe they wer therin resolued They call for his parents to register their names The Priest that sauoured Iesus made aunswere that Ioseph his father was dead yet Mary his mother was a liue She was brought before them she affirmed that she was his mother and that Iesus was hir sonne But she said moreouer that hée had no father on earth that she was a Uirgin and the holie Ghost had ouershadowed hir They sent for the Midwiues and also for such as had bene present at the birth she was found to be a virgin In the ende they concluded with one voice that hée should be registred Iesus the Sonne of God and of Mary the virgin We remember moreouer Iosephus to haue said that Iesus sacrificed in the Temple together with the Priests Héerevpon also it fell out that as Iesus entered into the Synagogue of the Iewes the booke was deliuered vnto him where he read of the Prophet Esay whereby we gather that if Iesus had not bene Priest among the Iewes the bóoke would not haue bene deliuered vnto him Neither is it permitted amongst vs Christians for anie to read holie Scripture in the open assemblie vnlesse he be of the Cleargie So farre Suidas as he learned of a Iewe. A Councell of the Scribes and Pharisies The Scribes and the Pharisies gathered a Councel at Hierusalem and sent from them Scribes Pharisies and Leuites vnto Iohn Baptist to know who and what he was Ioh. 1. 19. A Councell of the high Priests and Pharisies The high Priestes and Pharisies gathered a Councell in the hall of the high Priest to aduise them what was best to be done touching the doings of Christ. If they let him alone then feared they least the Romanes came and tooke their place Nation They decréed therein that whosoeuer knewe the place of his abode he should enforme them thereof they decréed also that whosoeuer confessed Christ shuld be excommunicated they consulted how they might put Lazaâ—us to death and how they might take Iesus by subtiltie and kill him Then Iudas went in to them and said what will ye giue me I will deliuer him into your hands and they appointed him 30. péeces of siluer Iohn 12. 12. Mat. 26. 3. A Councell of the Scribes Pharisies and Elders The Scribes Pharisies Elders hearing that Christ was risen from the dead gathered a Councell for to suppresse the rumor thereof and concluded that a péece of moneie should be giuen to the souldiers for saieng that his disciples stole him away by night Mat. 28. 12. Councells helde of the Apostles The Apostles immediatelie after the Ascension of our Sauiour returned from Mount Oliuet to Hierusalem and ther assembled together for the election of one to succéede in the roome of Iudas the traitor where they chose Mathias A Councell is summoned of the Apostles and disciples of Christ at Hierusalem for the remouing of the tumult risen betwéene the Grecians and the Hebrwes about the contemning of their widowes wherein they chose 7. Deacons The Apostles Elders and Bretheren gathered a Councell at Hierusalem Anno. 4. Claudij to determine what was to be done touching the doctrine sowed by certaine bretheren of the Pharisies which came from Iudaea affirming that Circumcision was necessarie the obseruation of the Lawe This newes Paule Barnabas and Titus brought vnto them Gal. 2. Where they decréed that the faithfull should abstaine from things offered to Idolls from bloud from that that is strangled and from fornication the which they published by their letters vnto the Church of Antioch Syria and Cilicia with Silas and Iudas which accompanied Paule and Barnabas Beda Lyra. Iames Bishop of Hierusalem Paule and the Elders summoned a Councell at Hierusalem for the remouing of the slaunder bruted by the Iewes of Paule that he was no obseruer of the Lawe that he spake against Moses wherefore for the remouing of this suspition and for the winning of the bretheren the Councell decréed that Paule should cleare him and purisie himselfe according vnto the Lawe yéelding a little for a time vnto the Ceremonies of the Lawe Of certaine generall Councells At Nicena was called a generall Councell in yâ— which the Emperour Constantine was present with 318. Bishops by whome was determined against Arrius that the Sonne was equall with the Father Which decrée was confirmed by the Emperour and Arrius with 6. Bishops banished This Councell willing to reforme the