seuerally at seueral times they think theÌ„selues purer theÌ„ other people Epipha de haere The Esseans saith Iosephus Antiquit. lib. 15. cap. 13. exercise the like trade of life as Pythagoras deliuered among the Grecians Againe lib. 13. cap. 8. They affirme all things to be gouerned by destenie They marie no wiues They thinke Bel. Iud. li. 2. ca. 7. that no woman will kéepe hir selfe to one man They haue nothing proper but all common They are in number aboue 4. thousand Antiq. li. 18. ca. 2. There is a second sort of Esseans saith Iosephus Bel. Iud. li. 2. cap. 7. which agrée with the other in all things mariage onlie excepted They commend mariage for the maintenaunce of succession Their manner is for thrée yeares space to behold the health and behauiour of maidens then if they sée them healthie and fit for procreation they marie them Of the people called Esseni or Essei A people inhabiting Iudea toward the West which doe liue without women and contemne gold siluer and all other riches They liue by eaâ—ing of Dates There resorteth continuallie vnto them by the prouidence of God men from diuers parts so that their companie neuer faileth but none is receiued vnlesse the merite of his vertue and chastitie do aduance him Eliot ESTRICH The nature and propertie of the Estrich THis Bird hath such a waightie bodie that he cannot mount vp to flie aloft but flickereth in such wise as he cannot be ouergone A man maie wel runne post after him but he cannot ouertake him For what with his halfe leaping vpon his clées and what with his halfe flieng with his wings he passeth all the swiftnesse that can be in horses or in anie other beast They haue this pollicie to take vp stones by the waie throwe them at such as follow after them But againe there is such foolishnesse in them that if they once hide their head they thinke that all their bodies are hidden and yet the huge carkasses of them are séene still And as touching their Egges they sit not vpon them But forasmuch as they kéepe in hot Countries they hide them in the sande and the Sunne giuing warmnesse vnto them doth by that meanes hatch them c. Caluine vpon Iob. fo 716. EATING Of the eating of Christs flesh and drinking his bloud WHen our Lord Iesus Christ spake of his bodie Except saith he a man eate my flesh and drinke my bloud hee shall haue no life in himselfe for my flesh is verie meate my bloud is verie drinke The spirituall vnderstanding saueth him that beléeueth for the letter killeth but the spirit quickeneth August in ser. ad infantes ¶ Heere it is plaine that the text must be taken spirituallie Marke saith Origen that they are figures which are written in the Scripture of God and therefore examine them as spirituall men and not as carnall vnderstand those things that are spoken For if thou follow after the letter this saieng that is spoken Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you can haue no life in you this letter killeth Origen in Leuit. 7. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him This is therefore saith S. Austen the eating of that meate and drinking of that bloud is to abide in Christ and haue him abiding in vs. And therefore he that abideth not in Christ and in whom Christ abideth not without doubt hee eateth not Christs flesh nor drinketh his bloud although he eate drinke the Sacrament of so great a thing vnto his owne damnation Augu. sermo circa feria pas ¶ Héere it is plaine that he which abideth not in Christ that is to saie he that is wicked vnfaithfull doth not eate his flesh nor drink his bloud although he eate and drinke the Sacrament of so great a thing And so must it néedes follow that the Sacrament is not the verie naturall bodie of Christ for then the vnfaithfull should eate his flesh séeing he eateth the Sacrament of his bodie but that doth S. Austen denie Wherefore it must néedes be but onelie a token of a remembraunce and a signe of his bodie breaking and a representation of his passion He that abideth not in me and in whom I abide not let him not saie or think that he eateth my bodie or drinketh my bloud They abide not in Christ which are not his members which make themselues the members of an harlot ¶ Héere it is plaine that the wicked and vngodlie or vnfaithfull which are not the members of Christ do not eate his bodie nor drinke his bloud and yet they doe eate the Sacrament as well as the other Wherefore it must néeds be that the Sacrament is not the verie bodie of Christ but a figure token or memoriall thereof The bread saith Saint Ambrose that goeth into the bodie is not so gréedelie sought of vs but the bread of euerlasting life which vpholdeth the substaunce of our soule so he that discordeth from Christ doth not eate his flesh nor drink his bloud although he receiue yâ— sacrament of so great a thing to his damnation and destruction Ambrose de Sacra ¶ Heere S. Ambrose confirmeth S. Austens saiengs before Though we doe verelie eate Christ yet it it followeth not that we doe groselie and naturallie eate him with our mouth And though Christ be verie meate yet it followeth not that he is therefore reallie fleshlie in the Sacrament S. Austen saith What preparest thou thy téeth or thy bellie beléeue and thou hast eaten In another place he saith Beléeuing in him is the eating of the bread of life You shall not eate this bodie that you sée nor drinke that bloud which they that crucified me shed out I haue giuen a verie sacrament vnto you if it be spirituallie vnderstood it quickeneth you but the flesh profiteth nothing Augu. prefa psal 98. ¶ This is plaine enough spoken Frith He that discordeth from Christ saith this Doctour doth neither eate his bodie nor drinke his bloud although he receiue indifferentlie the sacrament of so great a thing vnto his condemnation of his presumption These are also the verie wordes of Bede vpon the 11. chapter of the first Epistle to yâ— Corinthians ¶ Therefore saith S. Cipriane he that drinketh of the holie Cup remembring this benefite of God is more thirstie then he was before lifting vp his heart vnto the liuing God is taken with such a singular hunger and appetite that he abhorreth all gallie and bitter drinking of sinne all sauour of carnall pleasure is to him as it were sharpe and sower vineger And the sinner being conuerted receiuing the holie mysterie of the Lordes supper giueth thankes vnto God and booweth downe his head knowing that his sinnes be forgiuen and that he is made cleane and perfect and his soule which God hath sanctified hée rendreth to God againe as a faithfull
pledge and then he glorieth with Paule and reioiceth saieng Now it is not I that liue but it is Christ that liueth within me These things be practised and vsed among faithfull people and to pure mindes the eating of his flesh is no horrour but honour and the spirite deliteth in the drinking of the holie and sanctified bloud and dooing this we whet not our teeth to bite but with pure faith we breake the holie Bread These be the words of Cipriane De coena Domini The Word saith Origen was made flesh verie meate which who so eateth shall surelie liue for euer which no euill man can eate For if it could be that he that continueth ill might eate the Word made flesh séeing that he is the Word and Bread of life it should haue bene written Whosoeuer eateth this Bread shall liue for euer Origen in Mathew chapter 15. The Authour of this tradition Saint Cypriane said that except we eate his flesh and drinke his bloud we should haue no life in vs instructing vs with a spirituall lesson and opening to vs a waie to vnderstand so priuie a thing that we shuld know that the eating is our dwelling in him our drinking is as it were an incorporation in him beeing subiect vnto him in obaieng ioined vnto him in our wills and vnited in our affections the eating therefore of this flesh is a certaine hunger and desire to dwell in him S. Austen saith vpon the Gospell of Iohn that he that doth not eate his flesh and drinke his bloud hath not in him euerlasting life and he that eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud hath euerlasting life But it is not so in those meates which we take to sustaine our bodies for although without them we cannot liue yet it is not necessarie that whosouer receiueth them shall liue for they maie die by age sicknesse and other chaunces But in this meate and drinke of the bodie and bloud of our Lord it is otherwise for both they that eate and drinke them not haue not euerlasting life And contrariwise whosoeuer eate drinke them haue euerlasting life Who doe eate and drinke the bodie and flesh of Christ. They which doe beléeue in Christ and doe assuredlie perswade themselues that he died for their sakes they I saie doth both eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud to which vse the Simboles or fignes for that they stirre vp the senses are verie much profitable not that the flesh bleud of Christ are powred into the bread wine or are by any means included in those Elements but because these things are of the true beléeuers receiued with a true faith For they are an inuisible norishment which is receiued onelie in the minde as Augustine hath faithfullie admonished saieng Why preparest thou the téeth and the bellie beléeue and thou hast eaten Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 212. What it is to eate God To eate God is to haue the fruition of the diuine nature to be incorporate into God But the Maiestie of God so farre surmounteth the capacitie of man that as he is in himselfe in nature and Godhead no naturall creature is able ot conceiue him but onelie in the face and sight of Iesus Christ the sonne of God Therefore S. Paule saith Christ is the brightnesse of the glorie and the expresse Image of the substaunce of God Iewel fol. 240. Of the true sacramentall eating and of the true eating of Christs bodie The Sacrament that is to saie the Bread is corporallie eaten and chawed with the téeth in the mouth The verie bodie is eaten and chawed with faith in the spirite Ungodlie men when they receiue the sacrament they chaw in their mouths like vnto Iudas the sacramentall bread but they eate not the celestiall bread which is Christ. Faithfull christian people such as bée Christs true disciples continuallie from time to time record in their minde the beneficiall death of our Sauiour Christ chawing it by faith in the cud of their spirit and digesting it in their hearts féeding and comforting themselues with that heauenlie meat Also they dailie receiue not the sacrament therof so they eate Christs bodie spirituallie although not the sacrament therof But when such men for their more comfort confirmation of eternal life giuen vnto thē by Christs death come vnto the Lords holie Table then as before they fedde spirituallie vpon Christ so now they féede corporallie also vpon the sacramentall bread By which sacramentall féeding in Christs promises their former spirituall feeding is increased and they growe and waxe continuallie more strong in Christ vntill at the last they shall come to the full measure and perfection in Christ. This is the teaching of the true Catholike Church as it is taught by Gods word And therefore Saint Paule speaking of them that vnworthelie eate saith that they eate the bread but not that they eate the bodie of Christ but their owne damnation Cranmer fol. 79. ETERNALL LIFE How Eternall life is sometime called a reward ETernall life is sometimes in the holie Scriptures called a reward but then it is not that reward which Paule writeth to be giuen according to debt but is all one as if it shuld be called a recompensation Gods will and pleasure was that there should be this coniunction that after good workes should followe blessednesse but not yet as the effect followeth the cause but as a thing ioined with them by the appointment of God Therefore we maie not trust vnto workes for they are feeble and weake and doe alwaies wauer stagger Wherfore the promises of God depend not vpon them neither haue they in themselues as they come from vs that they can mooue God to make vs blessed We saie therefore that God iudgeth according because according as they are either good or euill we shall obtaine either eternall life or eternall damation But thereby it followeth not that workes are the cause of our saluation Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fo 39. EVANGELISTS Who be Euangelists EUangelists were next vnto Apostles and had their Office much like them sauing that they were beneath them in degrée of dignitie These gaue themselues chiefelie to instructing of the people and preaching the Gospell to them as plainlie and simplie as might be of which sort was Timothie and such like For although Paule match Timothie with him in dooing commendations yet doth he not make him his followe in Apostleship but kéepeth that name peculiarlie to himselfe 2. Cor. 1. 1. Col. 1. 1. And in writing to him he saith thus Be watchfull in all things harden thy selfe in afflictions go through with the worke of an Euangelist 2. Tim. 4. 5. EVER How this word Euer is taken ANd to thy séede for euer ¶ Euer is not héere taken for a time without ende but for a long season that hath not his ende appointed T. M. ¶ Meaning a long time and till the comming of Christ. And spirituallie this is
obedience soeuer the fathers had towards the commandemeÌ„ts of God also faith in the promises they were not deriued from their own strength power but euen as it also happeneth vnto vs they came vnto them by the grace of God and Christ. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 74. FAT What is ment by the fatâ— the inwards two kidneies THe fat that couereth the inwards ¶ By taking away of the fat the inwards two kidneies and the kall is signified vnto vs that if we wil be a swéet sacrifice vnto the Lord we must cut off all concupiscence and mightie desires of the flesh and the euill vse of all our members and must subdue and mortifie our affections and offer them to God by the mortification of the crosse as saith the Prophet Psa. 25. T. M. What the fatted Calfe signifieth And bring hether the fatted Calfe ¶ That fat Calfe is Christ which hath washed awaie our sinnes in his bloud and féedeth vs dailie through faith with his bodie and bloud vnto life euerlasting for he was killed therefore that he might be the foode and meate of our soules Sir I. Cheeke What fat Bread signifieth Of Aser commeth fat bread ¶ Fat bread is plenteousnes of the earth as increase of corne and other c. therewith shall féede Kings all the men of the earth As 2. Esd. 9. T. M. FAVOVR How Fauour casteth manie a man awaie DEsired fauour against him ¶ Héere we doe learne that manie good men are by fauour of them that be in authoritie or by hatred of the Iud ges cast awaie Sir I. Cheeke FEEDE The exposition of this place Feede my sheepe WHereas you thinke that this place of the Gospell of Iohn was spoken onlie to Peter and that these wordes make him shepheard ouer all and aboue all S. Peter himselfe testifieth the contrarie in his canonicall Epistle where he saith to all Priests Féed yâ— flock of Christ which is among you which he bad them doe by the authoritie yâ— Christ had put them in as followeth And when the chiefe shepheard Christ shal appeare ye shall receiue the incorruptible crowne of eternall glorie Tonstall in the b. of Mar. fol. 1212. Whosoeuer they be saith S. Austen that féede the shéepe to the end to make them theirs not Christs they loue theÌ„selues not Christ for desire either of glorie or of rule or of gaine Iewel fol. 18. FELIX Wherefore he is praised of Tertullâ—s the Orator FElix by his diligence had taken Eleazarus the Captaine of the murtherers put the Aegyptians of flight which raised vp tumults in Iewrie for these yâ— Orator praised him Otherwise he was both cruell and couetous Read Iosephus lib. 2. Antiq. cha 11. 12. And li. 2. De bello Iudaico cap. 12. Geneua Of Felix trembling Felix trembled ¶ The feare of the dreadfull iudgement of God profiteth nothing vnlesse it do ingender true repentance in mens hearts Felix was afraid at the preaching of the iudgment but he was neuer the better for it for why he did gape still for bribes and rewards as a most corrupted Iudge Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The word of God maketh the verie wicked astonished therefore to them it is the â—auour of death vnto death Geneua Wherefore Felix would haue pleasured the Iewes And willing to get fauour of the Iewes left Paule in prison ¶ For whereas he had behaued himselfe verie wickedlie in the Prouince hadde it not bene for fauour of his brother Pallas he should haue died for it So that we maie gather héereby why he would haue pleasured the Iewes Beza FEARE A definition of feare FEare is nothing els but a certaine affect of the minde wherby we are striken by reason of some great and hurtfull euill which is at hand We are not commonlie moued by such daungers which are far from vs but by those which seeme to be euen now at hand neither do things light and of small waight make vs afraid Wherefore feare as a Diuine speaketh of feare hath a respect vnto sinne vnto the wrath of God vnto chastisement scourges and finallie vnto hell fire But there are noted two kinde of feares of which the one is commonly called filiall that is pertaining to a naturall childe and the other seruile that is pertaining to a bond-man And that is called a seruile feare which onelie by the feare of paines of hell fire either draweth vs backe from doing euill or impelleth vs to do well Euen so signified an Ethnike Poet when he wrote Oderunt peccareâ—maâ— formidine poenâ— that is The wicked hate to sinne for feare of punishment But the finall feare is whereby men liue vpright and flie wickednesse for that they desire to set foorth the glorie of God and for that they allow righteousnesse euen for his owne sake wherfore the same Poet saith Oderunâ— peccare boâ—â— virtutis amore that is The good hate to sinne for the loue of vertue c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 209. Difference of feares Peter feared otherwise then did Iudas For Iudas indéede so feared that he despaired but Peter so feared that he gotte him againe vnto Christ whom before by denieng he had forsaken Where we saie that a seruile feare is whereby we so abhorre God being angrie and flie from him that we are vtterly void of faith But a filial feare is wherby in the midst of terrors we are lifted vp through faith neither suffer we our selues to be swallowed vp with feare Wherfore in godlie men feare is neuer seioined from faith For these 2. things are so to be knit together yâ— faith alwaies gouerneth feare for if it shuld not desperation wold easily succéed for euen as the law ought alwaies to be ioined with the gospell so also ought feare to be euer ioined with faith We do not so imbrace the gospell but yâ— we alwaies think vpoÌ„ the obedieÌ„ce of the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of God when we see how often how grieuously we fal we call our selues back again by repeÌ„tance And contrariwise the law is not to be receiued without the gospell for if it should we could neuer obey it without Christ nor also obtaine pardon for the offences which we committed against it Pet. Mar. vpon the Ro. fol. 207. What Feare importeth Feare importeth as much as yâ— our life must be ruled according to the will of God For what becommeth of men when they know not themselues to be subiect to their maker They rush out into al naughtines We know what our lusts are theÌ„ if the feare of god raign in vs we must acknowledge yâ— he hath not put vs into the world to liue at such libertie as we lust our selues but reserueth his whole right ouer vs so as we must obey him behold I say what the word feare importeth yâ— is to say yâ— we shuld lern to direct our whole life to the wil of god c. Ca. vp Iob.
104. Of the beasts that came into the Arke eodem Of the beast called Bâ—oz eod Of foure sortes of beasts eod Bethel Of the situation of Bethel eod It is the name of a Citie and also of a mount 105. How it Bethauen are not both one eo How Bethel is taken heere eod Of two Bethels eo Of the finding to Taâ—ob in Bethel eod Of the false worshipping at Bethel eod Bethleem How it was made famous 106 Bethphage What manner of Uillage it was eod Bethseda What the word signifieth eod Betraieng What it is to betray 107. Bible In whose daies it was translated in eod Bilney Of the comfort he had of his 108 His aunswere to a proud Papist 109. Binding and loosing What it meaneth 110 Bishop What a Bishop is 111. How Bishops were chosen eod Of the ordinaunce of Bishops and ministers 112. Of vnpreaching Bishops and Pastors eod How they are vnlike they were in Pauls time 113. What regard they ought to haue in feeding the poore eod Of the equalitie of Bishops 114. What is meant by Bishops Deacons 115. The Bishops oth to the Pope eod Of the rebellion of Bishops 116. Blasphemie What blasphemie is eod What blasphemie of the holy spirit is eo Blesse What it is to blesse and c. eod What Gods blessings are 119. Who is blessed sanctified to God eod Of the sacramentall blessing 120. What it is to blesse the Lords name 121. A place of the. 24. Psalme expounded eod Blinde Who be blinde 122. Why God is said to blinde men eod The meaning of the place eod Bloud What is ment by bloud 123. How our cleansing is by Christs bloud eod How flesh and bloud is not in the Sacrament 124. How the bloud of Martirs is the seede of the Church 125. Body What a naturall body is eod What a spirituall body is eod How the body of Christ is in one place 128. Booke What the booke of lyfe is eod Who be written in the booke of life eod Of what credit the booke of Machabees be in the scripture 129. Bookes of holy scripture lost 130. Of the booke of the law found 131. Borders Borders on the Iewes garments eod Borne Of water and spirit eod Bosome How it is diuersly taken eod Of the bosome of Abraham eod Bramble The propertie of a bramble coÌ„pared c. 132. Boow downe What it is to boow down eo Bowe The Gospell likened to a bowe eod Braunches Who be the braunches cut off eod Bread What bread is in Scripture 133. How bread is called Christs body eod How it is a figure of Christs body 134. How bread remaineth after the consecration 136. How the sacramental bread ought not to be reserued 137. Of the breaking of bread eod Of three kindes of bread eod Bretheren of Christ. Who are so called 139. Bridegroome Who is the bridegroome 140 Brooke Cedron Wherfore it was so called eod Brused reede What it signifieth 141. Buddas Of his heresie and finall ende eod Bull. The Bull of Pope Clement the sixt eod Of the Priest that cast the Popes Bul at his feete 142. Doctor Whittington slain with a Bull. eod Of the Bulls of Basan 143. Burden What is meant by this worde Burden 144. The burden of the Lord. eod Of the burden of Babel 145. Buriall How it is a looking Glasse c. eod The pompe of buriall forbidden eo What the Greeks Hebrewes call it eo What it is to be buried with Christ. 146. Of the buriall of Iohn Baptist. eod Burne What it is to burne eod What burning lights doe signifie eod Of burnt offerings and peace offerings eodem Why it was called a whole burnt offering 147. How the christians do offer burnt sacrifices eod C. CAin How he was slaine 148. Of a certeine Sect called Cayni eo Caiphas How he was the mouth of God and the c. 149. Call What it is to call vpon the name of God eod Of three manner of callings eo Of two manner of callings 151. Calfe Of the calfe that Aaron made 152 Camel How Camelum is taken two waies eod Candles and Tapers Against them 153. Candlesticke The Church likened to a Candlesticke 154. Captiuitie The meaning thereof eo Care What care is forbidden 155. What care we ought to care for 156 Carpocrates Of his wicked opinions eo Carren or carkas 157. Castor and Pollux What they were eod Cauâ— or Denne The difference eod Cause What the cause of vnbeleefe is 158 God is not the cause of sinne eo The successe maketh not the cause either good or bad 159. Cenchrea What Cenchrea is eo Cerdon 160. Ceremonies What Paule ment by cere eo WheÌ„ they may be reteined wheÌ„ not eo How ignorance sprang out of them eod What ceremonies or traditions are to be refused 161. Cesarea Philippi Two cities so called eod Chalcedon Of yâ— nature of this stone 162. Chamber What the word signifieth eod Charybdis and Scilla What these are 163. Chariot What a chariot is how c. eo Charitie What Charitie is 165. Chastice What the word betokeneth 166. Chastitie How it is expounded eod How is Chastitie the one part may offend and not c. eod Of counterfeit chastitie 167. Chaunce How nothing coÌ„meth by chance 168. Chaunter What this word signifieth 169. Cheeke What is meant by turning of the cheeke 170. Chemarims What they were eod Cherinthus Of this opinions eod Of his sodeine death 171. Cherub What a Cherub is eo Cherubin What the Cherubins wer 172 Chiefe Priest eod Children How they are not forbidden to come c. eod How they ought to be brought vp 174. Of children adopted eodem Of the children of this world eo How the children of God are holpen eo What is vnderstood by children in this place eo Chilassis Of his fond opinions 175. Chore. A Psalme made by the children of Chore. 176. Chosen Wherefore we are chosen eod How God hath chosen vs and not wee him 177. Not chosen many wise men eod Of Mary Magdalens good choosing eod How God chooseth two manner of waies 178. Of the choosing of ministers eo Chrisolite The nature of this stone eod Chrisoprace the descriptioÌ„ of this stone eo Christ. How he was first promised to Adam 179. How he grew in age and wisdome eod How he is called Dauids sonne eod How Christ had money eod Why Christ became man 180. Why Christ fasted eo Why he is called holy 181. Why he is called true eod Why he was borne of a woman eod Why Christ died for vs. eod The time of Christs crucifieng 182. Of his calling vpon God in his passioÌ„ eo How he baptised and baptised not eod Of his humanitie eod Of his descending into hell 183. Of his ascention 186. How he is the end of the lawe 187. How Christ dwelleth in vs. eod What Christ is in the holy Script 189. How he entered the doores being shut eo How his naturall body is in one place eo How
with inward eyes that is spirituallie to vnderstand them ¶ In these wordes S. Chrisostome sheweth plainlie that the words of Christ concerning the eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloud are not to be vnderstoode simplie as they be spoken but spirituallie and figuratiuelie Chrisostome in Iohn Homil. 46. Tertulian writing against Marcion saith these words Christ did not reproue bread whereby he did represent his verie bodie And in the same booke he sayth That Iesus taking bread and distributing it among his Disciples made it his bodie saieng This is my bodie that is to saye sayth Tertulian a figure of my bodie And therefore saith Tertulian that Christ called bread his bodie and wine his bloud becausâ— that in the old Testament bread and wine were figures of his bodie and bloud Tertulian contra Marcionem The wine refresheth and augmenteth the bloud â—or that cause the bloud of Christ is not vnproperlie figured by the same Inasmuch as al that commeth vnto vs from him doth make vs glad with a true ioie and increaseth all our gladnesse c. A little before he saith the Lord gaue vnto his Disciples the Sacrament of his bodie in remission of their sinnes for to kéepe loue and charitie to the end that hauing remembrance of that déede he would doe alwaies in a figure that which he thought to doe for them and should not forget that charitie This is my bodie that is is to saie a Sacrament c. Druthmarus Monke of S. Benet in his Comment vpon S. Ma. ¶ Looke more in Bodie Bread Bloud This is my bodie Figures of Christs resurrection Christs resurrection saith Saint Austen was prefigured in our first father Adam because like as Adam rising after sléepe knew Eue shaped out of his side So Christ rising againe from the dead builded the Church out of the wounds of his side Iosua Ioseph Samson Iames were figures of Christs resurrectioÌ„ FIGVRATIVE SPEACH How to know a figuratiue speach TO knowe a figuratiue speach S. Austen hath these words Whensoeuer the Scripture of Christ séemeth to commaund anie foule or wicked thing then must that text be taken figuratiuelie and that it is a phrase allegorie and manner of speaking and must be vnderstood spirituallie and not after the letter Except saith he ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shall haue no life in you he séemeth saith S. Austen to commaund a foule wicked thing it is therefore a figure ¶ Now seeing that Saint Austen calleth it a foule thing to eate his flesh we maie soone perceiue that he thought it as foule as wicked a thing to eate his bodie séeing his bodie is flesh And then consequentlie it must followe that either this word eate where Christ said take this and eate it must be taken spirituallie or els yâ— this saieng of Christ. This is my 〈…〉 spokeâ— But this word 〈…〉 is taken after the lâ—tter for thy did indeed â—â—o bread must bée figuratiuelie spoken I. Frith Wee euen vâ—e to saie when Easter draweth nigh that tomorrowe or the next daie is the Lords passeouer and yet it is manie yâ—aâ—es sinâ—e he suffered and that passion was neuer done but once And vppon that Sundaie we saie This daye the Lorde did rise againe and yâ—t it is manie yeares since hée rose Now is there no man so foolish to reproue vs as liars for so saieng because wee name those dayes after the similitude of those in which those things were done So that it is called the same daie which is not the same but by the reuoluâ—ion of time like it And it is named to be done the same daie through the celebration of the Sacrament Through keeping the menâ—oriall of the thing once done which is not done yâ— daie â—â—t was done long before Was not Christ once crucified in his owne person yet in a mysterie which is the remembraunce of his verie passion he is crucified for the people not onlie euery â—east of Eaâ—â—er but euerie daie Neither doth he lie which when he is asked aâ—â—swereth that he is crucified For if Sacraments had not certeine similitudes of those things whereof they are Sacraments then should they â—e no Sacraments at all And for this similitude for the most part they take the names for the vâ—rie things And therefore after a certeine manner tâ—e sacrament of Christs bodie and the sacrament of Christs blâ—ud is Christs bloud So the Sacrament of faith is faith for it is none other to beléeue then to haue faith And therefore when a man aunswereth that the infant beleeueth which hath not â—he effect of â—aith he aunswereth that it hath faith for the Sacrament of faith And then it turneth it sâ—lfe to God for the Sacrament of conuersion For the aunswere it selfe perteineth vnto the ministring of the Sacrament As the Apostle writeâ—h of Baptime We be buried saith hée with Christ through baptime vnto death he sayth not wée signifie buriâ—ng but vtterly sayth we are buried He called also the Sacrament of so great â— thing euen with the proper name of the verie thing it selfe c. ¶ Heere doth Saint Austen plainlie set foorth the matter For euen â—s the next good Fr 〈…〉 e shal be called the day of Christs passion and yet he shal not suffer death againe vpon that day for he died but once and nowe is immortall euen so is the Sacrament called Christes bodie And as that daye is not the verie daye he dyed vppon but onelie a remembraunce of his bodie breaking and bloud-shedding And likewise as the next Easter daye shall bée called the daye of his resurrection not that it is the verie same daye that Christ did rise in but a remembraunce of the same euen so the Sacrament is called his bodye not that it is his bodie indéede but onelie a remembraunce of the same c. I. Frith Of Figuratiue speaches The Arke was called God 1. Reg. 4. 7. Iohn is Helias Math. 11. 14. My Father is an husbandman Iohn 15. 1. I am the Uine you are the braunches Iohn 15. 5. One of you is a Diuell Iohn 6. 70. Herode is a Foxe Luke 13. 32. This is the Lordes passe-by or passe-ouer Exo. 12. 1â—â— This is my bodie Math. 26. 26. This is the newe Testament Luke 22. 20. ¶ Looke Flesh. FINDING OF THINGS LOST How they ought to be restored and not kept SAint Austen toucheth this thing in his 19. Sermon De verbis Apostolis And it is had in the Decrees 14. Questi 5. Chap. Si quid inuenisti Where he sayth That thinges which are founde must be restored Which thing if thou doe not thou hast rapt them for as much as thou hast done what thou couldest so that if thou haddest founde more thou wouldest haue rapt more c. There the Gloâ—â—r verie well declareth what is to be done with thinges that are founde Either sayth hée the same thinges are counted for thinges
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
that we haue by the same with all giftes and graces of the same The second is to yéelde thankes vnto him to giue testimonie of our faith towards him and of our charitie which we haue towards our bretheren and of the vnion with the Church The third to represent to vs by the bread and wine which are ther distributed the whole and perfect spiritual nouritour which we haue by the meanes of the body flesh and bloud of Iesus Christ to the end we may be spiritually nourished into eternall life according to our benefit which we haue already receiued by our regeneration whereof the Baptime is to vs as a Sacrament in the which we haue in the Supper as it were a gage of our resurrection the which we doe beléeue and waite for There euen as the bread and wine be giuen vnto vs visibly and bodely euen so are the body and bloud of Iesus giuen vnto vs indéede but inuisible and spiritually by the meanes of faith and by the vertue of the holy ghost for he is the meane by which we haue true communion and true vnion with Iesus Christ and all his Church the which is his body whereof all true Christians be members Pet. Viret Why the Supper of the Lord was called a Sacrifice The Supper of the Lord was not called a sacrifice because Christ shuld be offered in it but because he offereth presenteth himselfe vnto vs and that we doe through faith receiue him and giue him thankes for the great benefite that we haue receiued by the merites of his death and passion bloud shedding confessing and professing that we holde none other for our Sauiour but him and that we doe accept knowledge none other sacrifice but his onely for this cause was the Lordes Supper called Eucharistia which word doth signifie thankes giuing Thus doth S. Austen and all other Doctors of the Church expound it Veron in his b. of Purg. The Doctors mindes vpon the Supper of the Lord. If ye should sée the Sonne of man ascend vp where he was before ¶ What is this By that he resolueth those whom hée hath knowen of that he manifested the thing whereby they haue offended for they did thinke that he would giue vnto them his body but he saith that he will ascende vp into Heauen all whole saieng When ye shall sée the Sonne of man ascende where he was before at yâ— least you shall sée then that hée doth not giue his body in the same manner as ye thinke iudge at the least you shall then vnderstand that his grace is not consumed by morsells c. Aug. vpon S. Iohn in the 27. treatise vpon the 6. Chapter If faith be in vs Christ is in vs. For what other thing saith the Apostle Christ dwelling in your hearts by faith but that through the faith which thou hast of Christ Christ is in thy heart August in his 49. treatise vppon Saint Iohn 11. Chapter After he had ended the solemnitie of the auncient Passeouer the which he made in remembrance of the auncient deliuerance out of Aegypt he passeth forth to the new solemnitie yâ— which the church desireth to celebrate in remembrance of hir redemption to the end that putting the Sacrament of his flesh and of his bloud vnder the lykenesse of bread and wine in stéede of flesh and of the bloud he sheweth himself to be him vnto whom the Lord hath sworne and will not repent Thou art a Priest for euer c. It followeth after because the bread doeth fortifie the flesh and that the wine causeth the bloud in the flesh the bread is referred mystically to the body of Christ and the wine to his bloud Bede vpon the 22. Chapter of Saint Luke Let vs not staye héere belowe on the bread and wine which are set on the Lords Table but let vs lift vp our spirits on high through faith Let vs consider that the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world is in that holy Table which is not offered in sacrifice by the Priestes after the manner of beasts And in taking his precious body and his bloud let vs beleeue that they are the signes and tokens of our resurrection And for the same cause we eate not much but a lyttle to the end we may know yâ— the same is not ordeined for to fill our bellyes withall but for to serue to sanctitie and holinesse c. ¶ Looke Bread Body Bloud Figure Signe Sacrament Sacrifice How the Lords death is Shewed in the supper As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of this Cup ye shall shew the Lords death c. ¶ The Lords death is not shewed except both parts of the Sacrament be ministred and because in his death the bloud was diuided from the body it is necessary that the same diuision be represented in the Supper otherwise the Supper is not a shewing of the Lords death Latimer The meaning of this place of Iohn And when the Supper was done There be some which thinke that it ought to be thus reade And Supper béeing prepared for it may be doubted whether these things were done after the supper or in supper time It is very likely that supper was not fully ended that is to say that the Table was not yet taken away séeing it followeth by and by that the Lord tooke a morsell of bread and offered the same to Iudas Marl. vppon Iohn fol. 456. SVPREMACIE Proues against the supremacie IN the Councel of Carthage it is said thus The Bishop of Rome himselfe may not be called vniuersall Bishop Dist. 99. Prima sedes S. Gregory saith thus Nullus decessorum meorumâ— c. None of my predecessors Bishope of Rome euer consented to vse this vngodly name no Bishop of Rome euer tooke vpon him this name of singularitie we the Bishops of Rome will not receiue this honor being offered vnto vs. Greg. li. 4. Epist. 32. and. 36. Where pride and hypocrisie beareth sway there humilitie can haue no place Hesychius sen. li. 4. dist 7. Chrisostome saith Quicunque desiderauerit c. Whosoeuer desiâ—eth Primatum in earth in heauen he shall finde confusion Neither shall he be counted among the seruants of Christ that will once intreate of Primacie Iewel fol. 118. 119. SVRE How we are sure of our saluation ¶ Looke Saluation SVRPLESSE From whence the wearing of Surplesses came NIcholaus Leonicenus saith Isidis Sacerdotes in Aegypto c. The Priests of the Goodesse Isis in Aegypt vsed to weare linnen Surplesses and euermore had their heads shauen which thing séemeth to haue bene deriued from them vnto our time from hand to hand For they that among vs minister Gods seruice and serue the holy Altars are forbidden to suffer the haire of their heads or their beards to grow and in their diuine seruice vse lynnen garments Nicholaus Leonicenus in varia historia li. 2. ca. 21.
the horns of the Unicornes By these Vnicornes vnderstande the common people of the Iewes which cruelly and furiously put themselues in prease against Christ crieng Crucifie him Crucifie him Mat. 27. 22. T. M. VNIVERSALL CHVRCH What it is THe vniuersall Church is a multitude gathered of all manner of nations which béeing sette a sunder and dispearsed by distaunce of places doth neuerthelesse consent in the one truth of the heauenly doctrine and is knitte together in one selfe same bonde of religion But for as much as it is not possible for all Christs members to growe together into one place vnder the vniuersall Church are comprehended the seuerall Churches which are disposed in euery Towne and Uillage according as mans necessitye requireth So as each one of them doth worthely beare the name and authoritie of the Church In the same sense doth Paule saye that he had a dayly care for all Churches 2. Cor. 11. 28. Marl. fol. 7. Whether Christs Church or the Popes be the vniuersall Church That the Church of Christ and not the Romish Church is that true vniuersall Church that hath alwaies remained and euer shall read S. Augustine to Casulane Epist. 80. where yée shall see the Romish Church and other Westerne Churches agreeing with her guiâ—e exempted froÌ„ Christs vniuersal church as one departed from the faith of Christ. Proues against the vniuersall head ¶ Looke Pope VNQVIETNESSE OF THE FLESH Looke Messenger of Satan VNSAVERIE The meaning of this place of Iob. THat which is vnsauerie shall it be eaten without Salt ¶ Canne a mans taste delight in that that hath no sauour Meaning that none toke pleasure in affliction seeing they cannot awaye with thinges that are vnsauerie to the mouth Geneua VNTILL What this word Vntill doth signifie KNew her not vntil she had brought forth her first begotten sonne ¶ This word Untill also doth sometime signifie the certeintie and appointed time And sometime it signifieth the time infinit without end or ceasing as in these places that followeth I am I am and vntill you waxe olde I am Now in this place because hée sayth vntill they be old he will be their God will be therefore when they are olde cease or leaue off to be their God And our sauiour Christ to his Apostles Behold I am with you euen vnto the end of the world will the Lord after the consummation of the world forsake his Disciples Againe the Psalmist saith â— He shall reigne vntill he haue put all his enimies vnder his fâ—â—â—e shall he therfore when his enimies are subdued reignâ— no longâ—â— Againe as the eyes of the maide doe waâ—te vppon thee handes of her mistres euen so doe our eies waie vppon thée vntill thou haue mercie vppon vs when the Lorde therefore hath compassion and mercie vppon vs shall we waite no longer In the lyke sense this word Untill is to be taken in this place for the Euangelist saith He knew hir not vntill she had brought foorth hir sonne that we may much more perceiue and gather that he knew hir not after Marl. vpon Mat. fol. 19. ¶ Christ is héere called the first borne because she had neuer any before and not in respect of any she had after neither yet doth this word Untill import alway a time following wherein the contrary may be affirmed as our Sauiour saieng that he will be present with his disciples vntill the ende of the world meaneth not that after the end of the world he will not be with them Geneua This little word Untill in the Hebrue tongue giueth vs to vnderstand also that a thing shall not come to passe in time to come As Michol had no childe vntill hir death daye 2. Samuel 6. 23. And in the last Chapter of the Euangelist Behold I am with you vntill the ende of the world Beza VNVVORTHELY Of the vnworthy receiuing of the Sacrament SAint Paule doth not say that Iudas did eate the bodye of Christ vnworthely for he speaketh not of his body vnworthely but of the Sacrament vnworthely For he saith Whosoeuer eateth of this bread and drinketh of this Cup vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he maketh no difference of the Lords body and not because he eateth the Lords body If Iudas did eate Christs body it must néedes follow that Iudas was saued For Christ saith in the 6. of Iohn ve 45. Whosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp in the last day R. Woodman in the b. of Mar. fol. 2181. Who eateth Christs body in the Sacrament vnworthely He eateth this bread vnworthely which regardeth not the purpose for the which Christ did institute it which commeth not to it with spirituall hunger to eate through faith his very body which the bread representeth by the breaking distributing of it which commeth not with a merry heart giuing God hartie thankes for their deliueraunce from sinne which doe not much more eate in their heart the death of his body then they doe the bread with their mouth Obiection He that eateth and drinketh this Sacrament vnworthely shal be guiltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. Now say they how shal they be guiltie of the Lords body and bloud which receiue it vnworthely except it were the very body bloud of the Lord. Aunswere He that despiseth the Kings seale or letters offendeth against his owne person He that violently plucketh downe his graces armes or breketh his broad seale with a furious minde or with violence committeth treason against his own person yet his armes broad seale are not his own person He yâ— clippeth the Kings coyne committeth treason against the Kings person the Common-wealth yet yâ— mony is neither the Kings person nor yâ— CoÌ„mon-wealth S. Paule saith yâ— euery man which prayeth or precheth w e couered head shameth his head his head is Christ shal we therfore imagin yâ— Christ is naturaly in euery maÌ„s head S. Austen saith that he doth no lesse sin which negligently heareth the word of God then doth the other whichâ—vnworthely receiueth the sacrament of Christs body bloud ¶ Héere it is plaine yâ— Christs natural body is not in the word when it is preched yet he sinneth no lesse saith S. Austen the negligently heareth it then doth he that vnworthely receiueth the Sacrament S. Peter witnesseth that our harts are purified by faith true faith therefore is the cleanesse of Christians whervpon S. Austen saith The vnbeléeuers eate not the flesh of Christ spiritually but rather eateth drinketh the sacrament of so great a thing to his owne condempnation because being vncleane hée hath presumed to come to Christs Sacraments which no man receiueth worthely but he that is cleane of whome it is said Blessed be the cleane in heart for they shall sée God Bull. 1107. VOICE The meaning of this place HEaring his voyce but séeing no man ¶ They heard Paules voice for
stirred him to beléeue that it was no vaine doctrine but that it must néeds be of God in the it had such power with it For it happeneth that they which will not heare the word at beginning are afterward moued by the holie conuersation of them the beléeue c. Read 1. Pet. 3. 1. 1. Cor. 16. Tin How the church is our Mother Christ is our Father as the Church his sponse is our Mother As all men naturallie haue Adam for their father Eue for their mother so all spirituall men haue Christ for their Father and the church for their mother And as Eue was taken out of Adams side so was the church taken out of Christs side whereout flowed bloud for the satisfaction and purging of our sinnes D. Harpsfield in the booke of Mar. fol. 1791. He shall not haue God to be his Father which acknowledgeth not the church to be his Mother Moreouer without the church saith Saint Austen be the life neuer so well spent it shall not inherit the kingdome of heauen ¶ This is not ment of the Popish Church but of the holie catholike or vniuersall Church which is the communion of Saints the house of God the citie of God the spouse of Christ the piller and staie of the truth out of this Church there is no saluation indeede N. Ridley How the Church is visible The Church is none otherwise visible then Christ was héere on earth that is by no exteriour pompe or showeâ— that setteth hir foorth commonlie and therfore to see hir we must put on such eies as good men put on to see Christ when he walked heere on earth for as Eua was of the same substaunce that Adam was of so was the Church of the same substaunce that Christ was of flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone as Paule saith Ephe. 5. 30. Looke therfore how Christ was visiblie known to be Christ when he was héere on earth that is by considering him after the word of God so is the Church knowen Bradford Markes whereby the Church is knowen The Church saith the Papists hath thrée markes vnitie antiquitie and consent These thrée saith the Aunswere maie be as well in the euill as in the good as well in sinne as in vertue as well in the Diuells church as in Gods Church As for example Idolatrie among the Israelites had all these thrée Chrisostome telleth plainlie that the Church is well knowen tantummodo per Scripturas alonelie by the Scriptures Bradford Master Caluine saith This honour is méete to be giuen to the word of God and to his Sacrraments that wheresoeuer we see the word of God trulie preached and God according to the same trulie worshipped and the Sacraments without superstion administred there we maie without all controuersie conclude the Church of God to be And a little after So much we must estéeme the word of God and his Sacraments that whersouer we may finde them to be there we certainelie know the Church of God to be although in the common life of men manie faults and errours be found Whitegift fol. 81. Of the Church of Antichrist the Pope The tyrannie of the Popes Church sheweth them not to be Christs Church The Church saith S. Hylarie doth threaten with vanishments and imprâ—onments and the compelleth men to beleeue hir which was exiâ—ed and cast into prison She hangeth on the dignitie of their fellowship the which was consecrated by the threatnings of persecutors she causeth priests to flée that was increased by the chasing away of Priests Shée glorieth that she is loued of the world the which could neuer be Christs except the world did hate hir To proue that the spirituall aâ—aiâ— and gorgeous apparrell that is vsed in the Popes Church doth not make the Church S. Barnard saith thus They be the Ministers of Christ but they serue Antichrist They go gorgeouslie araied of our Lords goods vnto whom they giue no honour And of these commeth the decking of harlots that thou seest dailie the game-plaiers disguisings and kings apparrell Of this commeth golde in their bridles in their saddles and in their spurres so that their spurres be brighter theÌ„ the Altars Of this commeth their plenteous wine presses and their full sellers belking from this vnto that Of this commeth their Tonnes of sweete wines Of this bée their bagges so filled For such things as these be wil they be rulers of the Church as Deacons Archdeacons Bishops and Archbishops c. D. Barnes fol. 2 6. Obiection Hath God saith the Papists forsaken his Church a thousand yeares and were all our fathers deceiued before Luther was borne such antiquitie vnitie and vniuersalitie was it al in errour c. Aunswere Was the world deceiued so manie hundred yeares Whie should it not The Lord ordeined that there should come an apostacie and generall fall from the saith of Christ that the world might be seduced with the man of sin whose age began in the Apostles time and shall not vtterlie die till the daie of Christ. Thus the Lord appointed and so let it be for all things are for his glorie Deering Of the vniuersall Church ¶ Looke Vniuersall CIRCVMCISION What circumcision doth represent CIrcumcission representeth the promises of God to Abraham on the one side and that Abraham and his séede should circumcise and cut of the lusts of their flesh on the other side to walke in the waies of the Lord. Tindale fo 6. There be two Circumcisions the one outward made in the flesh by mens hands cutting awaie a round péece of the skinne of the secret members And this Circumcision was not necessarie to saluation after the Gospell was openlie preached after Christs passion but was abrogated and left as indifferent and not necessarie to saluation The other Circumcision was the inward Circumcision by yâ— spirit of God by yâ— which yâ— who le bodie is mortified put away cléerelie by the spirit by faith in Christ. And this Circumcision is necessarie to saluation L. Ridley Circumcision is nothing of it self it signifieth yâ— blessed séede in which al nations are blessed And it signifieth yâ— circumcision of the hart which consisteth in yâ— spirit not in yâ— flesh D. Heynes The Nazares did contend no Nation to appertaine to the Church of God vnlesse they were circumcised Paule Barnabas said that all as well Gentiles as Iewes if they beléeue in Christ should be saued without circumcision D. Heynes Circumcision was the holie action whereby the flesh of the fore-skinne was cut awaie for a signe of the couenaunt that God made with men Or to describe it more largelie Circumcision was a marke in the priuie members of men betokening the eternall Couenaunt of God and was ordeined by God himselfe to testifie his good will towards them that were circumcised to warne them of regeneration and cleannesse and to make difference betwixt the confederates of God and other people or nations Bullinger fol. 355. What
euerie side defended that no rush nor knocke can lightlie hurt it Beside all this the apple of the Eie or the sight of the Eie is compassed and nourished with plentie of fat and moist humour and in the middes as it were a goodlie Pearle standeth the Apple of the Eie Weigh all these things well and we must néedes saie that the Apple of the Eie is goodlie and wonderfullie defended And that is the cause why Dauid doth saie in his seruent praier Custodi me vt pupillam oculi Kéepe me as the apple of an Eie Ric. Turnar To what ende our Eies were made Iob saith that his heart walked not after his eies ¶ We haue to mark thervpon that our eies which wer created to looke vppon good workes to the ende we might be taught to loue reuerence and feare him are become as it were bondes of Satan and are as it were inticers which come to beguile and worke our destruction God I saie hath created our Eies To what ende To the ende that whiles we be in this world we should haue abilitie to discerne betwéen things that the same might lead vs vnto him whether we looke vpward or downward do we not sée that our Lord calleth vs vnto himselfe Are not all the creatures both in heauen and earth meanes to allure vs to come to God Then doth he not onelie saie come vnto me but he draweth vs thether by his goodnesse according as we see he sheweth himselfe liberallie towards vs and thereby ministreth occasion to vs to walke in his feare Thus ye sée to what ende our eies were made For if we had no eies we should not haue such meanes to beholde Gods glorie in all points as we haue Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 529. The meaning of this place following Is thine eie euill because I am good Naught that is to saie doest thou enuie at my goodnesse towards them For the Hebrewes by an euill eie meaneth enuie because such dispositions appeare chiefelie in the eies as aboue Chapter 6. 23. it is said to aunswere the word single and it is there taken for corrupt for whereas he said there afore ver 22. If thine eie be single he addeth in the 23. but if thine eie be wicked or corrupt the word being the same in that place as it is héere Beza What the Eies and Eie liddes of God doe signifie God is said to haue eies because he séeth all things and nothing is hid from him in whose sight as the Apostle telleth no creature is inuisible for all things be naked open to his eies His eies also is sometime taken for his fauour As the eies of the Lord are ouer the righteous Psa. 34. 15. His eie liddes bee taken for his secret iudgements Psa. 11. 4. His eie liddes behold the children of men EAGLES Of the nature of Eagles AS concerning the nature of Eagles it maie be taken that their young ones doe sucke bloud anone after they be vnclosed because that one kinde of Eagles do cast their young ones out of the neast so as they be driuen to shifte for themselues it is said that they bring vp none but the blacke ones howbeit they that write of such matters doe varie in that point For some saie that the Eagles doe cast awaie their young ones as bastards if their sight be not strong inough to looke vppon the shining Sunne Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 719. An Eagle of all Birds liueth along time without all kinde of féeblenesse dieng neuer of age but of famine An exposition of these places following Thy youth shall be renued as the Eagles â— The comparison of the Eagles gaue the Iewes occasion to forge fables For whereas they vnderstood not the principles of anie science at all yet are they so brasen faced that what matter soeuer is intreated of they neuer make bones in it and so soone as they méete with anie vncouth thing there is not anie so péeuish a forgerie which they threape not vpon men as an Oracle from God So in this place they surmise that euerie tenth yeare the Eagles flie vp to the Elementall fire and afterward plunge themselues in the Sea and than by and by new feathers growe vp againe But the plaine meaning of the Prophet is picked out of the nature of the Eagle described by the Philosophers as which is throughlie knowen by experience For that foule is faire and well liking vnto hir old age and is not efféebled by yeares nor subiect to diseases till at the length she die for hunger Certaine it is that she liueth long but at the length hir beake ouergroweth so as she cannot receiue meate but onelie is faine to sucke in the bloud of it or els to refresh-hir selfe with drinking wherevpon came the Prouerbe An Eagles olde age for necessitie compelleth him to be euer bibling And because drinke alone is not enough to maintaine life they rather pine awaie for hunger and want of foode then decaie for want of strength Now without anie fable we perceiue the naturall meaning of the Prophet That like as Eagles continue alwaies lustie and in good plight so as they be youthfull euen in their olde age euen so the godlie are sustained by the secret power of God so that they receiue their strength still vnappaired Cal. vpon the Psal. ¶ As the Eagle when her beake ouergroweth sucketh bloud and so is renued in strength euen so God miraculouslie giueth strength to his Church aboue all mens expectation Geneua For wheresoeuer a dead Carkasse is euen thether also will the Eagles be gathered together ¶ There are diuers kindes of Eagles among which one is of the Uultures kind excelling the rest in bignesse And the Uultures which Writers doe witnesse doe flie two or thrée daies before to the place where the carkasse shall be And Iob of the Eagle saith where anie dead bodie lieth there is he immediatelie It is likelie that the common Prouerbe arose of this kinde of Eagles Marlorate in expounding this place at the full maketh this conclusion in the ende Moreouer saith he their reason is nothing sure or effectuall which vpon this place saie that the death of Christ was so effectuall that it allured the elect and chosen of God For it was rather the purpose of Christ to bring an argument from the lesse to the more as thus If ther be such wit in Birds that manie of them will come from farre to one Carkasse It is a great shame to the faithfull not to be gathered to the Authour of life by whom onelie they are trulie sed Marl. fol. 576. ¶ In despite of Satan the faithfull shal be gathered and ioined with Christ as the Eagles assemble to a dead â—â—â—sse Geneua ¶ Nothing can hinder the faithfull to be ioined to their head Iesus Christ for they shall gather to him as rauening birds about a carion Geneua ¶ That is there as the sonne of man shall be to
of the truth and haue bene obedient vnto the word If the Religion of our fore-fathers hath bene false or contrarie to the Scriptures wée ought in no wiâ—e to followe Lactan. de Origen erro 2. cap. The Father is greater then I. First I saie that one place of the Gospell is not to be expounded against the whole purpose of the booke which is to teach that the Lord Iesus is Gods naturall sâ—nne and equall to God And sith the Euangelist hath this word Equall plainlie and expreâ—lie they shew themselues mad yâ— would make him to incounter against himselfe Second I say that in that place the Lord Iesus compareth not his substaunce with his Fathers substaunce but compareth his present humble state with the glorious state that he should haue after his Ascension And therefore all the godly old fathers well nigh haue taught these wordes to be spoken of his mans nature which should be forthwith aduaunced to immortall and incorporall glorie by the power of the Father Some Gréeke Writers indéede admit that the Father is greater then the Sonne not because he had greater power or that there is anie difference in their substance essence but in that he is the Father and begetteth the sonne is not begotten of the sonne therefore he maie be said greater The meaning also of these words The Father is greater then I maie be this The end why I trauaile with you is not that you should staie in me and looke no farther but to bring you to the Father as to the last marke that with me ye maie see him as he is whose glorie is more deere to me then mine owne glorie and therefore I séeke it more then mine own and I think that I haue not accomplished mine office vntill I haue brought you to him c. My sonne heare thy Fathers instruction ¶ He speaketh this in the name of God which is the vniuersall Father of all creatures Or in the name of the Pastour of the Church which is as a Father Geneua Heare O ye children your Fathers instruction ¶ He speaketh this in the person of a Preacher and Minister which is as a Father vnto the people Geneua Whosoeuer shall saie to the father or mother By the gifte that is offered by me thou maist haue profite ¶ The meaning is this whatsoeuer I bestow vpon the Temple is to thy profite for it is as good as if I gaue it thée For as the Pharisâ—es in our time saie it shall be meritorious for thée for vnder this colour of religion they raked all to themselues as though that he that had giuen anie thing to the Temple had done the dutie of a 〈…〉 Beza The Father haue eaten sower Grapes and the childrens téeth are set on edge ¶ The people murmured at the chastening of the Lord and therefore vsed this Prouerb meaning that their Fathers had sinned and the Children were punished for their transgressions Read Ieremie 31. 29. Geneua The fathers wickednesse punished in their children There is a double manner of punishing the wickednes of the fathers vpon the children for sometime God sheweth mercie to the children and yet notwithstanding ceaseth not to chastise the vnrighteousnes of their fathers in the persons of their children As for example we see a father that hath gotten much goods howbeit by wicked bargening by subtiltie by craft and by crueltie yet God hath pitie vpon the childe of such a man and what will he doe He will rid him quite and cleane of all those euill gotten goods because they would but bring him to confusion according as it is said that such kind of riches are as wood which in the ende will kindle the fire of Gods wrath Therefore when the Lord meaneth to saue the childe of a wicked man that hath liued amisse he bereaueth him of al the euill gotten goodes as though he should lette him bloud to saue his life that he might not be wrapped in the mischife coruption which his father had drawen vnto himselfe Behold how God punisheth the wickednes of the fathers vpon the children yet ceaseth not to be the sauiour of the children to shew them mercie Sometimes he passeth farther because the fathers haue ben so far out of al squareâ— as they haue led a stubborne froward life God forsaketh their ofspring insomuch yâ— the grace of his spirit dwelleth not with them Now when we be so destitute of Gods guiding we must néeds run into destruction néeds must the mischiefe increase more more Thus we sée yâ— when the children of the vngodly do beare the sins of their fathers it is not only for that God forsaketh them and leaueth them vp to the state of their owne natureâ— but also for that he giueth Satan full power ouer them and letteth him haue the bridle to â—aigne in such houses at his pleasure And when the diuell hath led awaie the fathers and carried them into all naughtinesse their children shall also ouer-shoote themselues into excessiue outrage We see then as now what is meant héere that is to witâ— that when the children of wicked men are 〈…〉 destitute of Gods grace walke after their inordinat◠〈…〉 they must néeds come to greater confusion then their Fathers Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 82. How our fathers did eate the same spirituall meate c. Our Fathers did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke of the same spirituall drinke and then dranke of that spirituall Rocke that followed them which Rocke was Christ. ¶ These words Saint Austen expoundeth saieng What is to eate the same meate But that they did eate the same which we doe Whosoeuer in Manna vnderstoode Christ did eate the same spirituall meate that we doe that is to saie that meate which was receiued with faith and not with bodies Therefore to them that vnderstoode and beléeued it was the same meate and the same drinke So that to such as vnderstoode not the meate was onelie Manna and the drinke onelie water but to such as vnderstoode it was the same that it is now To come and is come be diuers words but it is the same Christ. These be S. Austens words De vtilita poeniten How our fathers were iustified by faith as we are now The fathers were no lesse iustified onely by the faith of Christ then we Wherfore it is written in the booke of Genesis of Abraham that he beléeued and it was counted vnto him for righteousnes Iohn also testifieth that Christ said of Abraham yâ— hée had séene his daie therin reioiced The Epistle to the Hebrewes the 13 chap. affirmeth that Christ was yesterdaie to daie remaineth for euer Wherfore euen as we are said now to be saued not by workes but by the true mercie of God by faith in Christ so was it with the Fathers at yâ— time for they wer iustified by no works but only by faith in Christ. Furthermore what
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
Ghost They taught also to reiect ciuill power For Matrimonye and gouernaunce of Common wealth they sayde to haue their ofspring from the euill God and not to be ordeined of the good God Carion Wherein the Papists agree with the Maniches They called their vnmarried Ministers as S. Austen Epist. 72. faith Electos they ministred the holy mysteries vnder one kind They yelded more credit to their own deuises thē to Gods holy word They say the scriptures are falsified ful of errors They abstaine from flesh yet in their fast they had and vsed all manner delicates and straunge fruits with sundry sorts of spices in great abundaunce They abstained from wine and yet vsed other lyquors more daintie precious then any wine and thereof dranke while their bellies would hold Manes the Hereticke whereof the Maniches haue their appellation had his originall in Persia as Epiph. haeres 66. writeth about the. 4. yeare of Aurelianus He called himselfe Christ and the comforter He chose vnto himselfe xij Apostles He said that Christ was not truly borne but phantastically Euseb. li. 7. cap. 30. Socrates li. l. cap. 17. saith of him that at the first he was called Cubricus Afterward chaunging his name he went into Persia found the bookes of Buddas and published them in his owne name He taught that there were many Gods that the Sunne was to be worshipped that there was fatall destenie that the soules went from one body into another The king of Persia sonne fell sicke Manes through Sorcerie tooke vpon him to cure him and killed him The King caused him to be clapt in prison but he brake prison and fled into Mesopotamia there was he taken and flayed aliue his skinne filled with chaffe hanged at the gates of the Citie The Maniches confuted He walked on the water to goe to Iesus ¶ This place confuteth the Maniches and such like Heretikes which denied the truth of the humaine nature of Christ saieng that his bodye was not a true body but a phantasticall bodie Thus they reasoned to vphold their errours It pertaineth not to a true bodie to walke on the Sea but Christ walked vpon the Sea therfore he had no true nor reall bodie but a phantasticall bodie These men consider nothing more to be in Christ then in a bare man as though it were impossible for God to helpe an humaine bodie from sinking in the Sea But what saye they vnto this y◠Peter at the commaundement of Christ walked vpon the Sea Why do they not consider that he which caused Peter to walke vpon the Sea with an humaine body can much more easely himselfe doe the like They should weigh the power of Christ if not in his owne déede yet at the least by the deede of Peter Marlorate 324. MANY ¶ Looke Call Loue. MANNA What Manna signifieth THen eate they Angells foode ¶ Manna is called the foode of Angells not that the Angells vse such foode but because it came downe from heauen which is the dwelling place of Angels and therefore doe some read héere the bread of the cloudes because it came from the cloudes Some the bread of the mightie because it came from the Almightie Exo. 16. 14. Sap. 16. 20. lohn 6. 31. T. M. How Manna is not the true bread that came from heauen Moses gaue you not that bread from heauen c. ¶ He denieth that Manna was that true heauenly bread saith that he himselfe is that true bread because he féedeth vnto the true and euerlasting life And as for that that Paule 1. Cor. 10. calleth Manna spirituall foode it maketh nothing against this place for he ioyneth the thing signified with the signes but in this whole disputation Christ dealeth with the Iewes after their owne opinion and conceipt of the matter and they haue no further consideration of the Manna but that it fed the belly Beza ¶ Manna is called the bread of heauen and of Angells because it rained from heauen by the ministerie of Angells Ther be some that do interpret this to be the bread of Princes or of great men because of the Hebrue word which in another place signifieth Princes or Noble men Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 206. Of those that eate Manna and are dead Your Fathers did eate Manna in the Wildernesse and are dead ¶ This verse is two waies expounded Some vnderstand it generally of all those fathers of the Iewes which did eate Manna in Moses time in the Desart as well godly as vngodly insomuch that the Lord speaketh héere in this place not of the death of the soule but of the body But other some expoūd it of the wicked onely which did eate Manna without faith of the truth in the which is life and therefore are also dead that is to say they perished euerlastingly but it séemeth not necessary that we heere distinguish betwéene the beléeuing the vnbeléeuing Iewes Onely Christ saith y◠Manna was a corruptible meate to the Fathers being foode not of the soule but of the body not sempiternall but temporall which could not saue them from death It followeth therefore that mens soule finde foode no where but in him whereby they may be fed into euerlasting life for we must remember what was spoken in another place that there is no mention made heere of Manna as Christ was a secret figure for in that respect Paule calleth him spirituall meate but héere Christ frameth his speach to his hearers who beeing onely carefull for the feeding of their bellyes had no farther consideration of any thing in Manna He doeth therefore iustly pronounce that their fathers are dead that is to say which were in like manner addict to their bellyes Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 221. What Manna and the white stone signifieth To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate Manna that is hid and will giue to him a white stone c. ¶ By Manna vnderstande the word of God and true heartie loue by the white stone is signified the election before God and also euerlasting peace and confidence in the grace and fauour of God vnto euerlasting life Sir I. Cheeke How Manna the water brought out of the Rocke is compared to our bread and wine in the Sacrament The Manna which God sent downe from heauen to féede the people of Israel in the wildernesse and the water which he brought out of the stone to refresh and comfort them were euen the same things vnto them that bread wine is now vnto vs. For as S. Austen saith as many as in that Manna vnderstoode Christ did eate the same spirituall meate that we doe But as many as sought onely to fill their bellies of that Manna the fathers of the vnfaithfull did eate are dead And likewise the same drinke for the stone was Christ. Héere may we gather of S. Austen that the Manna was vnto them 〈…〉 the bread is vnto vs. And likewise that the water was to them as the
CHRIST which taught them not to forsake their wiues but in any wise to kéepe them sauing alonely for fornication And this place of S Paule Haue we not power c. doth proue how S. Peter after his Apostleshippe and also other disciples of Christ caried their wiues about with them when they went a preaching Wherefore it is a false lye to say that they had forsaken their wiues D. Barnes Let Bishops and Priests read this thing he speaketh against mispending of goods that is offered to helpe poore men with the which doth teach their children prophane letters and maketh them to read Comedies and to sing baudy songs of iestes and these children they finde of the charges of the Church ¶ Heere the Bishoppes and Priestes had children which they could not lawfully haue if they were vnmaried D. Bar. The Councell of Nicene willing to reforme the life of men did set certaine lawes At the which certaine men would haue had a lawe to be brought in that the Bishops Priests Deacons and Subdeacons should not lye with their wiues which they had maried before their consecration But Paphuntius a Confessour being vnmaried himselfe did withstand them and saide that their mariage was honourable and it was pure chastitie for them to lye with their wiues so that the Councell was perswaded not to make any such lawe affirming it to be a grieuous occasion both vnto them also vnto their wiues of fornication The Councell did allowe this sentence so that nothing was decreed as concerning this thing but euery man was left vnto his free-will and not bound of any necessitie ¶ Héere is to be noted that this holy Councell did not recken it an vnpure or a filthie thing for a Bishop or a Priest to company with his wife but doe graunt that it is a pure and a cleane chastitie for a Priest to company with his wife D. B. Innocentius the thirde in his Decretalls writeth on this manner These Priests that after the manner of the countrie hath not forsaken the coniunction of mariage if they doe breake wedlocke ought grieuously to be punished seeing that they may vse lawfully Matrimonie ¶ Marke that this was the manner of certaine Countreyes that Priests might marry Ergo it must néedes followe that Priests mariage is not forbidden by Gods Lawe And if it be not forbidden by Gods Lawe is it in the Pope to compell men so violently vnto that thing the which God hath not bound them too D. B. The Maister of the sentence writeth on this manner Our weaknesse is prone to fall into filthinesse But it is helped with honest mariage And that thing that is vnto whole men an offence is vnto sicke men a remedie ¶ Marke how the Maister of the sentence saith that we are ready to fall into filthinesse and how mariage is an honest remedy how can men then after their owne learning condemne mariage as no honest thing séeing their owne Clearkes calleth it honest D. B. We read in our owne Chronicles that in the time of King Henry the third which raigned the yeare of our Lord. 1101. Priests might lawfully marrie wiues insomuch that Anselme then Archbishop of Canterbury in a Seane that he helde at London did make a Decrée that Priests should forsake their wiues the which was both against Gods lawe and mans For the text of our Sauiour Christ is cléere Quos Deus coniunxit homo non seperat It is better saith Epiphanius for him that is fallen in his course meaning them that cannot continue in the thing that they haue vowed to take a wife openly according to the lawe and so to be restored into the Church againe as one that before hath done euill and as one that hath fallen and hath bene broken and hath now néede to be bound and not daily to be inwardly wounded by secret dartes wherewith the Diuell continually doth assault them ¶ Loe héere Epiphanius doth not onely allowe marriage of Priests Uotaries before priesthood and vowing but also after priesthood vowing nameth marriage done in such case lawfull that marriage after their vowe so broken is a meane to restore them againe to the Church if they were fallen from it by breking their vowe So that you sée by Epiphanius iudgment yâ— the marriage of priests euen after their vowe is not onely a marriage but also a lawfull marriage Wherefore they that say the marriage of such meaning of them that marrie after they haue vowed is no marriage but rather adulterie me séemeth they doe not aduisedlye inough consider what they say for they be deceiued by an appearaunce of truth for by the meanes of that foolish opinion whereby they thinke the marriage of such professed women as haue forsaken their vowe is no marriage if they marrye there commeth no small inconuenience which inconuenience is this wiues bée seperated from their husbands as though they were whores and not wiues And when they will restore the diuorsed to sole life their husbandes are compelled to be verye adulterers when their owne wiues beeing alyue they marrye other husbands Saint Paule speaking of marriage and meate saith thus Euery creature of God is good to the faithfull and none is to be refused béeing taken with thankes-giuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and praier ¶ This Maior or ground we haue of Saint Paule wherevnto I adde this Minor or meane proposition But marriage is a creature of God that I am sure you cannot denie vnlesse ye will saye marriage is a creature of the Diuell as the olde Heretikes Saturnius Basilides and their fellowes did whervpon must follow this cenâ—â—sion Ergo mariage is good and not to be refused béeing taken with thankes-giuing for it is sanctified by the worde of God and prayer This sounde Silogismus prooueth plainely that the marriage of a Priest is not onely a marriage but also a good marriage and a good thing for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Ponet Saint Paule calleth the Bishop Priest and Deacon by the name of husband and their yoake-fellowes by the name of wiues and saith the Bishop must be the husband of one wife and lykewise the Deacon And further hee saith For the auoyding of fornication let euery man haue his wife c. In which generall sentence Priests must be comprehended if they bée men Yea and their marriage not onely a marriage but also an honouradle marriage or els cannot marriage be honourable in all estates as Saint Paule writeth to the Hebrewes Ponet Siritius being an enimie to Priests marriage calleth theyr wiues Suas vxores their owne wiues which thing he would not haue done if he had taken their marriage to be no marriage And furthermore he maketh a distinction betweene yâ— children whom the Priests had A proprijs vxoribus by their own wiues and those children which they had a Turpi coitu by vnlawfull
the Masse let them read Platina and Polidore Virgil touching the same and ther shall they finde how by whom vpon what occasion and in what processe of time all the parts of the Masse were peeced and set together And that in the space of seauen hundred years surely and with much ado it was made vp at last and brought to some perfection Iewel How the Masse is not a sacrifice propiciatorie It is proued by Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrues that the offring of the Priest in the Masse or the appointing of his ministration at his pleasure to them that be quicke or dead cannot merit or deserue neither to himself nor to them for whō he singeth or saith the remission of their sinnes but y◠such popish doctrine is contrarie to the doctrine of the Gospel iniurious to the sacrifice of Christ. For if onely the death of Christ be the oblation sacrifice and price wherfore our sins be pardoned then the act or ministration of the Priest cannot haue the same office Wherfore it is abhominable blasphemy to giue that office or dignitie to a Priest which perteineth only to Christ or to affirme that the Church néed of any sacrifice as who should say that Christs sacrifice were not sufficient for the remission of our sinnes or else that his sacrifice shoulde hang vppon the sacrifice of a Priest Cranmer MASSILIANI Of the opinions of these Heretikes MAssiliani were idle Monks whom the diuell had possessed they sayd that the body of Christ in the Sacrament did neither good neither harme They said Baptime was to no purpose Lentus Bishop of Melitena draue the théeues out of their dennes the wolues from among the shéepe set the Monastaries on fire Theodoretus li. 4. chap. 11. These heretiks wer called also Euchitae so called because of their continual praieng It is a wonder saith Augustine to heare what a number of praiers they run ouer much like vnto the late mumbling of praiers vpon beads where Christ said pray alwaies S. Paule Pray without intermission which is deuoutly to be taken for euery day they do it too much therfore saith Augustine to be nūbred among heretiks They say when the soule is purged y◠a Sow with her pigs is séene to come out of mans mouth that a visible fire entereth in which burneth not These Euchits did think that it apperteined not vnto Monks to get their liuing with y◠sweat of their browes but to liue idly Epiphanius saith that when Luppicianus the Praetor executed some of them for their lewdnesse they called themselues Martirianos Some of them thought that it was their duetie to worship the diuell least he should hurt them These were called Satiniani If ye called any of them Christ a Patriarke a Prophet or an Angell he would answere that he was They slept like Swine men and women all in one heape August li de haeraes Epi. haer 80. These Massilians were condempned in the generall counsell helde at Ephesus in the time of Theodosius lunior Cyril li. Apologet. MAISTER What the Maisters office is to the Seruaunt Ye Maisters doe vnto your seruaunts that which is iust and right putting away all bitternes and threatnigs knowing that ye also haue a Maister in heauen The Pharesies dissembling in calling Christ Maister Maister we know that thou art true ¶ This is a deceitful dissimulation they are not ashamed of inconstancie by the which they now call him Maister whereas before they blasphemed him saieng that he had the spirit of Belzabub euen so in an other place the Pharesies which were the Maisters of these Ambassadours sayd vnto Christ Maister wée woulde sée a signe of thee And againe Maister this woman was taken in adulterie But they called him Maister whose disciples they would not be for they sayd vnto that begger to whom Christ restored his sight be thou his Disciple for we are Moses Disciples Heere the Prouerbe is fulfilled Such lippes such lettice The Pharesies were dissemblers and hypocrites their Disciples follow them in all points Marl. fo 502. MATHEVV The lyfe of Saint Mathew written by Saint Hierome MAthew which was otherwise also called Leuy being of a publican made an Apostle first of al other cōposed wrote in Iewry the Gospell of Christ in the Hebrew tongue for their behoofe and cause which being of the circumcision had beleeued which Gospell what person did afterwarde translate into Greeke it is not very certeynly knowne But truelye the very Hebrue it selfe is had euen vntil this present day in y◠Librarie of Cae 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 e which Librarie Pamphilus the martir did with all possible studiousnesse set vp and make And I my selfe also had the same Gospell of Mathew in Hebrewe lent me to coppye it out of the Nazarites which in Beroea a Citie in Syria doe vse the same booke wherein is to be noted and obserued y◠wheresoeuer the Euangelist either in his owne person or else of the person of our Sauiour doth vse any allegations of the olde Testament he doth not followe the authoritie of Septuaginta that is to say of the threescore and ten translaters but of the Hebrue Of the which sort are set forth these two citations heere ensuing Out of Aegypt haue I called my sonne And for a Nazarite shall he be called Erasmus MATRIMONIE ¶ Looke Marriage MEDIATOVR Proues that Iesus Christ is the onely Mediatour betweene God and man ¶ There is one God and one mediatour betwéene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus ¶ If there be but one mediatour as Saint Paule saith there is not then cannot Saints come to make mo then one Saintes cannot be mediatours for other because they haue néede of a mediatour themselues D. Barnes Christ is our mouth wereby we speake vnto the Father our eyes whereby we sée the Father our right hande whereby wée offer our selues to the Father without whose intercession neither we nor all the Saints haue ought to doe with God Ambrose in his booke of Isaac and the soule We haue all things in Christ If thou desire to be cured of thy wounds he is thy Phisition If thou be gréeued with thy sinnes he is thy righteousnesse If thou lacke helpe he is thy strength If thou feare death he is thy lyfe If thou be in darknesse he is light If thou wilt goe into heauen he is thy way If thou séeke meate he is thy nourishment Ambrose in his 4. booke vpon Saint Luke We are reconciled and brought in fauour againe with God through Christ which is the mediatour that of enimies wée might be made sonnes Neither should we be deliuered through him as onely y◠mediatour of God and man Christ Iesus if he were not also God But when Adam was made that is to wit a right man he néeded no mediatour but when as sinnes did separate sunder mankinde farre from God we must be brought in fauour againe with
shoulde in countenaunce and iesture make an outward shew of righteousnesse whereas inwardly he is full of all iniquitie rapine and filthy couetousnesse Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Saint Paule doth not curse the high Priest but denounce sharply the punishment of God which should light vpon him in the way of prophesieng Geneua Of the painting of the virgin Mary and of Christ. Some saye that Saint Luke did paint first the Image of the virgin Mary and did sette it foorth with liuely couloures and that Nichodemus who came vnto our Sauiour Christ by night hadde the Image of Christ béeing crucified And that also Agbarus the king of Edessenes did send a Painter to Christ to bring his Image to him and when hée coulde not doe it because of the exceeding great brightnesse of his face Christ himselfe tooke his cloth that he would haue painted him on and did wipe his face therewith and so gaue him in the cloth a liuely Image or resemblaunce of his face sending it to Agbarus who was desirous of it The lyke say they did happen vnto the Veronike when she did reach her fine cloth vnto our sauiour Christ to drie his face with all that did runne full of sweate All these things they father vpon Athanasius which is most false and vntrue First as touching S. Luke it is not in Scripture that euer he was a Painter but that he was a Phisition Scripture maketh mention And béeing a Phisition for the body he was afterward called to be a Phisition for the soule And because that Luke of all other the Euangelists did sette forth most liuely the strong fayth humilitie and lowlinesse al other heauenly vertues of the blessed virgin Mary Some did affirme that Luke painted out the virgin Marie And as for the storie of Agbarus and of the Veronike if any such things had bene done or wrought the Euangelists would as well haue set that forth as they did other things of smaller importaunce They wrote of the Hem of Christs garment but not a word of this meruailous Image of Christs face Therefore such vaine and fond histories ought in no wise to be credited I. Veron PARADISE The meaning of this place following HOw that he was taken vp into Paradise ¶ So the Grecians name that which we call a Parke that is to say a place wher trées are planted and wilde beasts kept By which name they that translated the olde Testament out of Hebrue into Greeke called the Garden whereinto Adam was put straight after his creation as a most delâ—â—able and pleasaunt place And héervpon grew it that the blessed seate of the glory of God is called by that name Beza The felicitie of Paradise described by Saint Austen Man liued in Paradise as he would so long as he willed that God commaunded he liued hauing the fruition of God of whome came his gooddesse He liued wanting nothing hauing in his powâ—r withall to liue continually Meate was euer redy and at hand because he should not be hungrie and drinke for that he should not thirst And tree of lyfe that age should not â—onsume and end his lyfe No corruption was thereâ— neither in his bodie or came of his bodyâ— which was to the loathsomenesse and 〈…〉 He feared neitheâ— inward disease nor outward 〈…〉 〈…〉 his flesh was perfect health and in euerie part of his soule no lesse tranquilitie and quietnesse As in Paradise no griefe was felt through heate or colde So lykewise to the inhabiters ther of happened there nothing through vnlawfull destra or feare that might be vnto the impeachment of his good and godâ—yâ—â—â— liued 〈…〉 In him was ther no foâ—â— coâ—fulneâ—â—â— at 〈…〉 nor yet anie 〈…〉 gladnesse true ioye was in him continued by Godâ— toward whom ther issued a burning 〈…〉 not of a pâ—â—e heart a good conscience and an vnfeiâ—ed 〈…〉 the â—anâ—â— the woman there was 〈…〉 proceeding of vertuous and 〈…〉 watching of minde and body and finally kéeping of Gods 〈…〉 without griefe or grudging 〈…〉 wit yâ— of all yâ— trees in paradise he might lawfully eate so that he absteined from the tree of the knowledge of good and built He therto Saint Austen PARADOX What Paradox iâ— PAradox is a straunge sentence contrarie to the opinion of the most partâ— Or thusâ— It is a straunge sentence not easely to be conceiued of the common sort Pet. Mar. fo 284. PARAPHRASE What Paraphrase is PAraphrase is a plaine setting forth of a text or sentence more at large with suchâ— circumstaunce of moe or other wordes as may make the sentence open cléere plaine familyar which other wise should perchaunce séeme bare vnfruitfull hard straunge rough obscure and darke to be vnderstood of any that were either vnlearned or but meanely letteredâ— Vdal PARDONS Of the Bishop of Romes forged Pardons THe Papists call the treasure of the Church the merites of Christ and of the holyâ— Apostles and Martirs The priâ—câ—â—all custodie of this â—arne as I haue alreadyâ— touched they â—aine to be deliuered to the Bishoppe of Rome that he shoulde haue the distributioâ— of so greatâ— giftes that he might both giue them himselfe and also graunt iurisdiction to other to giue them Héere vpon proceede 〈…〉 the Pope some time pleuâ—rie pardons some pardons 〈…〉 certeine yeares From the Cardinals pardons for an hundred daies from Bishops pardons for fortie daies But they â—e as I â—ay naturally describe theÌ„ the prophaning of the bloud of Christ Satans mockerie to 〈…〉 away the Christen people from she grace of God from the lyfe that is in Christ and to 〈…〉 from the true way of saluation for how could the bloud of Christ be more filthely prophaned then when it is deuied to suffice to the remission of sinnes to reconciliation and satisfaction vnlesse the want therof as being withered 〈…〉 wasted shoulde be other wise supplyed and profited The Lawe and the Prophts sayth Peter beare witnesse of 〈…〉 I ◠〈…〉 thatâ— by him for giuenesse of sinnes is to bee receiued 〈…〉 giue remission of sinnes by Peter Paule and the Martirs The bloud of Christ sayth Iohn cleanseth vs from sinne Pardons doe make the bloud of Martirs the washing awaye of sinnes Christ saith Paule which knewe not sinne was made sinne for vs that is the satisfaction of sinne that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God by him Pardons doe sette the satisfaction of sinnes in the bloud of Martirs Paule cried out and testified to the Corinthians that onelye Christ was crucified and dyed for vs Pardons pronounce that Paule and other dyed for vs. In an other place he sayth That Christ purchased the Church with his bloude The Pardons appoint an other price of purchase in the bloud of Martyrs The Apostle sayth that Christ with one oblation made perfect for euer them that were sanctified The Pardons crye out to the contrarie and saye that satifaction is made perfectly the bloude of Martyrs which otherwise were not sufficient Iohn sayth that all
that his body was slaine and his bloud shed for thy sins beléeuest it so art thou saued iustified therby if not so helpeth it thée not though thou herest a thousand Masses in a day or though thou dost nothing els al thy life long then eat his body drink his bloud no more then it shuld help thée in a dead thirst to behold a bush at a Tauerne dore if thou knewest not therby the ther wer wine wtin to be solde Tin This word sacrament did not signifie the same with the olde Writers as it doth now in the Church for they call a sacrament the oth or religious bond which was of the strength of an oth So they called yâ— souldiers oth wherby they sware when they shuld go a warfare for the Common wealth that they would serue faithfully The souldiers sacrament as we may perceiue by Seruius and Vigetius in their bookes of warre matters Augustine defineth a sacrament in this sort The visible sacrifice saith he is the sacrament of the inuisible sacrifice that is to say the holy signe And againe A sacrament saith he is a visible forme of an inuisible grace c. Musc. fol. 272. S. Austen describeth a sacrament thus The word of God comming to the Element maketh the sacrament And againe in another place he saith A sacrament is a thing wherin the power of God vnder the forme of visible things doth worke secret saluation And the Master of the sentences doeth describe a sacrament none otherwise A Sacrament saith he is an inuisible grace and hath a visible forme and by this inuisible grace saith he I meane remission of sinnes In the b. of Mar. fo 1352. What the Sacrament doth signifie The signification and substaunce of the Sacrament is to shewe how we are fed with the body of Christ that is that like as materiall bread feedeth the body so the body of Christ nailed vpon the Crosse embraced and eaten by faith féedeth the soule The like representation is also made in the Sacrament of Baptime that as our bodies is washed cleane with water so is our soules cleane with Christs bloud How the sacrament is called the body of Christ. It is called the body of Christ that is to say it signifieth the body of Christ. Glosa de consecra dist 2. Hoc est The right consecrating of the sacrament The same Christ that did adorne and beautifie the Table is now present and he doth consecrate the same also For it is not men that doth make these things that be set before vs of the consecration of yâ— Lords table to be yâ— body bloud of Christ but the same Christ which was crucified for vs. The words are pronounced by the mouth of the Priest but the things are consecrated by the power grace of God This is saith he my body by this word are the things yâ— are set before vs consecrated And euen as yâ— voice which saith grow be multiplied replenish yâ— earth was but once spoken but yet doth at all times by the work of nature féele effect to generation so that voice also was but once spoken yet it giueth sure staye to the sacrifice throughout al yâ— tables of the Church euen to this daye from henceforth til his comming ¶ Chrisostome doth héere compare yâ— words yâ— Christ spake at yâ— insitution of his supper to the words yâ— God spake when he appointed man to be multiplied by generation affirmeth yâ— the same power yâ— worketh stil in the one doth stil work in the other also Not to charm out the substance of breadâ— to charme in yâ— substance of Christ vnder the accideÌ„ts of bread as you do teach meaning Watson But yâ— as by naturall order yâ— generation of mankind is continued according to the first voice so the inuisible graces yâ— wer promised by the death bloudshedding of our Sauiour Christ are by yâ— sacramentall vse of these creatures according to his commaundement continually preached to our senses and by â—aith receiued into our soules Crowley How the sacrament is a memoriall or signe of Christs death If Iesus haue not dyed whose memoriall and signe is this Sacrifice Thou seest what diligence he gaue that we shuld continually keepe in memory that he dyed for vs c. ¶ Héere Chrisostome calleth the Sacrament a memoriall or signe of Christ and that it was instituted to kéepe his death in perpetuall remembraunce And where he calleth it a Sacrifice he meaneth it to be a remembraunce of that holy sacrifice that Christ made vpon the Câ—osse once for all for he can be sacrificed no more seeing he is immortall I. Frith How the sacrament is receiued with our mouth Rabanus Maurus saith The sacrament is receiued with the mouth of our body but the body of Christ is receiued into the inner man and that with the spirituall mouth of our soule How the sacrament is more then bare bread or wine Our Bread and Cup be not of the common sort as in stéede of Christ bound togethers in eares of corne and twigs as they that is the Maniches do foolishly imagine but by vndoubted consecration it is made vnto vs mystical or sacramental bread it doth not growe such wherefore that foode that is not so made although it be bread and wine it is a nourishment of refection but not a sacrament of religion otherwise then that we blesse and giue thankes to God in all his gifts not onely spirituall but corporall also How the sacrament is made of two natures Ireneus saith that the Sacrament is made of two natures of an heauenly nature of a terrenall earthly nature now take away the substaunce of bread what earthly nature or substaunce remaineth in this holy Sacrament How sacraments are no cause of grace In Sacraments the onely promise of God by Christ both by word and signe are exhibited vnto vs which promises if we apprehende by faith then is the grace increased in vs and the gifte of God by faith receiued is by the Sacrament â—ealed in vs. What ought to be considered in sacraments S. Augustine saith in Sacraments we must consider not they be indéede but what they signifie All misteries or sacraments must be considered with inward eyes that is to say spiritually How the sacraments are holie whether the minister or receiuer be good or bad S. Augustin in this place against the Donatists shooteth not at this But whether Christs verye naturall bodie be receiued with our mouths but whether the Sacraments in generall bee receiued both of good and bad And he declareth that it is all one water whether Symon Peter or Symon Magus be christened in it all one Table of the Lord and one Cup whether Peter sup thereat or Iudas all one Oyle whether Dauid or Saule were annoynted therewith Wherefore he concludeth thus Memento ergo sacramentis Dei c. Remember
in remeÌ„bring yâ— benefits of God This inuention although at the first sight it might séeme trim yet it agréeth not with Christs libertie For we must think vpon the benefits of God and our great ingratitude other most gréeuous sinnes not only fortie daies but also continally Further by this meanes they opened a most wide window to liue securely rechlye For if they once had performed fullye these fortie daies they thought that all the whole yeare after they might giue themselues wholy to all kinde of pleasures lusts For they referred the time of repentaunce to these fortie daies And although the elders had a Lent yet as Eusebius saith in his 5. booke and 24. Chapter it was left frée vnto all men For Ireneus after this manner intreated with Victor Bishop of Rome when he would have excommunicated the East Church because in the obseruing of Easter it agréed not with the Church of Rome What sayth he can we not liue at concord although they vse their owne cities as we vse ours for some fast in Lent two dayes some foure dayes some x. daies some fiftéene daies some twentie and other some forty dayes And yet is concord neuerthelesse kept in the Church Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fo 279. LEPER What the Leper signifieth THe Leper signifieth properly mans doctrine which spreadeth abrode like a canker And to be short all infection of vngodlynesse therefore must the Leuites giue diligent héede thereto for a little leauen sowreth all the whole lumpe of dowe T. M. ¶ He meaning the Priest shall iudge the plague to be cleane ¶ For it is not that contagious leper that infecteth but a kind of scurffe which maketh not the flesh rawe as the leprosie doth Geneua ¶ Of the leprosie in clothes which was vsed among the Iewes let them iudge This is euident that we in our time suffer ouer many leprosies in clothes T. M. ¶ The leprosie in houses is anye thing thereto perteining whereby the dweller might take anie harme in health of bodie in hurting of his goods or otherwise as if it stoode in an euill ayre T. M. If I send the plague of leprosie in an house c. This declareth that no plague nor punishment commeth to man without Gods prouidence and his sending Geneua How a Leper was knowne A leper had these fiue marks to be knowne by his garment was vpon him and cut in twaine his head vncouered his face mufled his dwelling from the companie of men proclaimed openly to be a leper and vncleane Hemmyng Of the leprosie that Christ healed The leprosie that Christ healed in S. Mathewes Gospell was not like the leprosie that is now but was a kinde thereof which was vncurable Geneua LESSE The meaning of this place following NOtwithstanding he that is lesse in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he ¶ Christ which humbled himselfe to the crosse was of lesse reputation in this world then Iohn Baptist was yet in the kingdome of heauen Christ was greater then hée Tindale The least of them that shall preach the Gospell in the new estate of Christes Church shall haue more knowledge then Iohn and their message shall be more excellent Geneua LETANIES What the Letanies are LEtanies are nothing else but humble praiers and supplications to God to procure his fauoâ—r and turne awaye his wrath and wer receiued long before procession came in place Some be called Minores the lesse some Maiores the greater The lesse were instituted by Mamartus Bishop of Vienna in the yeare of our Lord. 469. as Sigebertus sayth 02. 488. as Polichronicon reporteth The order of them was but a solempne assembly of people vnto prayer at such time as we call the rogation wéeke The cause was for earthquake and tempests and inuasion of wilde beasts which then did greatlye destroye the people The greater Letanie was deuised by Gregorie the Pope Anno. 592. When as the cause béeing lyke as before the superstition beganne to be more for by the reason of a great pestilence following a floud the Bishoppe by Ceremonies thought to appease the wrath of God and therefore made Septiformen Laetanian a seauenfold Letanie One of the clergie an other of the Monks one of men an other of their wiues One of maidens an other of widowes the last of poore and children together These people so distinct in the seauen orders shoulde come from seauen seuerall places and then it was thought they should be heard the sooner but in their Procession fourescore persons were striken with the plague to shewe howe well God was pleased with them Notwithstanding how thinges of a good deuotioâ— instituted in time doe growe to great abuse For what the order and solempnitie of them was we reade in the counsell of Mentz celebrated 813. yeares after Christ. The words of the decrée be these Placint nobis c. Our will is that the greate Letanie bée obserued of all Christians thrée daies And as our holye Fathers haue ordeined it not riding nor hauing precious garments on them but bare footed in Sackcloth an Ashes vnlesse infirmitie doe let Thus farre the Counsell LETTER What the Letter signifieth AVgustine in his third booke and. 5. Chapter De doctrina Christiana writeth that they sticke in the Letter which take the signes for the thinges and that which is figuratiuely spoken in the holy Scriptures they take it so as if it were spoken properlye And so lowe crope they on the ground that when they heare the name of the Sabboth they remember nothing but the seauenth day which was obserued of the Iewes Also when they heare of a Sacrifice they thinke vppon nothing but the sacrifices which were killed And though ther bée some seruitude tollerable yet hée calleth that a miserable seruitude when wée take the signes for the thinges wherein there is a greate offence committed in these dayes in the Sacrament of the Eucharist for howe manye shall a man finde which beholding the outwarde signes of the Sacrament calleth to memorye the death and passion of Christ whereof it is most certeine that they are signes or which thinketh within himselfe that the bodye and bloud of Christ is a spirituall meate for the soule through fayth euen as breade and wine are nourishmentes for the bodye Or which weigheth with himselfe the coniunction of the members of Christ betweene themselues and with the head These thinges are not regarded and they cleaue onelye to the sight of the signes and men thinke it is inough if they haue looked vppon bowed the knée and worshipped This to imbrace the Letter and not to giue eare vnto the sayde Augustine who in the place wée haue now cited and a little afterwarde most appertlye affirmeth that to eate the bodye of Christ and to drinke his bloud are figuratiue kinde of speaches So are the Iewes accused because they cleauing onely to the Letter and circumcision were transgrassers of the lawe Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 49.
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
therefore she doth willingly submit her self to them in all things for God For she knoweth verie well that God would that euerie man should be subiect vnto them in all things which are of their charge And that they which doe resist the same resist the ordinance of God and do set vp themselues against him Ro. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. Pet. Viret How the Ecclesiasticall person is subiect to the ciuill Magistrate It perteineth to ecclesiasticall persons to iudge in spirituall causes but if anie of them swarue from the right rule of iustice he is subiect to the correction and punishment of the ciuill magistrate As Aaron had his authoritie of iudgement in spiritual causes yet was he reproued by Moses And the high Priest was deposed by Salomon and Sadoc set in his place And so shuld Ahas if he had ben a goodly prince haue deposed Vriah for making the prophane Altar How Magistrates that doe not perswade the people to Gods worde are not to be obeied in cause of conscience The. xxi Princes that were sent to explorate and search the priuitie and conditions of the land of Canaan two of them perswaded the people to beleeue Gods promises and not to feare the people that dwell in the lande Unto these godlye Princes was no faith nor eredence giuen of the people The Princes that perswaded the thing contrarie vnto God were beleeued of the people and their counsell admitted By this we learne that such Magistrates as perswade the people to Gods word should be beléeued and obeied the other not in cause of conscience ther must God onely be heard Act. 5 29. Math. 10. 28. Or els people shall faile of a right faith For he that knoweth not what his duetie is to God and his lawes will beléeue rather a lye with his fore-fathers then the truth with yâ— worde of God And this man is no méet auditor nor disciple of the word of God 1. North. MAGNIFIE What it is to Magnifie THis day will I begin to magnifie thée ¶ To magnifie properly is to aduaunce and set forth excéedingly and to bring him in estimation as it is sayde Gen. 12. and often in the Psalmes T. M. MAHOMET Of the rising vp of this false Prophet MAhomet of Arabia as most men saye of the mother side descended from Abraham by the linage of Ismael his son which he had by Agar his seruaunt which was a Iew béeing fatherlesse and motherlesse He was by the Scenites solde to a great rich Merchaunt who loued him so greatly for his fauour and wit that he made him ruler of all his merchaundise and businesse and was verie diligent in his maisters affayres and gained much by occupieng with the Iewes Christians and in vsing their company learned many things both of the one lawe and of the other His Maister chaunced to dye without heyre leauing his wise verie rich who being about the age of 50. yeares liked the younge man Mahomet so well that shée tooke him to husband and made him of a poore man very rich At the same time it chaunced a Monke named Sergius a man of verie euill nature and verie subtile who fled Constantinople for heresie to fall into familiaritie with Mahomet by whose instruction he increased so in Magicall arte that by his counsell and aide hée tooke vppon him to make the people beléeue that he was a Prophet and shewing some points of Magike he first perswaded his wife and his householde He had also an infirmitie called the falling sicknesse And when his wife being sore afraide thereof would aske him what it was hée made her beléeue that it was the Angell of God which came oftentimes to speake vnto him and forasmuch as he coulde not abide as man the diuine presence he fell into such agonie and alteration of spirit After this his wife died and left him meruailous riches who then what for the riches yâ— constaÌ„t report that went on Mahomet the Prophet he became in greate reputation amonge the Gentiles And so by the counsell of Sergius he called himselfe the greate Prophet of God and shortly after when his name was published and of great authoritie he deuised a lawe or kinde of religion called Alcaron In the which he toke some part well neere of all the heresies that had ben before his time With the Sabellians he diuided the trinitie with yâ— Maniches he affirmed to be but two persoÌ„s in the deitie he denied the equalitie of the father the son with Eâ—nonius and sayd with Macedone the holy Ghost was a creature and approued the multitude of wiues with yâ— Nicholaâ—tes he borrowed of the Iewes circumcision and of the Gentiles much superstition and somewhat he toke of the Christian veritie beside many diuelish fantasies inuented of his own braine Those that obeied his lawes be called Saraseâ—s When he had liued fortie yeares he died of the falling sicknesse which he had of long time saieng that when he was taken therewith yâ— the Angell Gabriel appeared vnto him whose brightnesse he could not behold He was buried at Medina thrée daies iourney from the red sea an hundred miles from Mecha where is now the chiefe temple of his law He was after yâ— incarnation of Christ 600. yeares Of the faire shew of holynesse in the kingdome of Mahomet In outward pretence of religion euen the common sorte of their people excell the Popish Monksâ— Yeaâ— euen they that are best reformed For not onely their Clergie Monks but also their communaltie say the coÌ„mon praiers together fiue times euerie day Namely at the Sun rising at noone at after noone at the Sun setting and after supper when they goe to bed At which time or they go to pray they wash themselues they make themselues bare foote they knéele downe vpon the ground and the noble men and commons intermedling themselues altogether with the King accomplish their ordinarye praiers with certeine bowing and falling flatte downe without some lawfull let no man may neglect the ordinary praiers vnpunished They keepe their ordinarie holydayes and fasting daies with great deuotion and reuerence They make often exhortation to holynesse of lyfe to the people-ward To dealing of doles To making of pilgrimages in remembraunce of their Saints and specially of the Prophet Mahomet They haue many Hospitals as well in their high waies as in their cities for the receiuing and succouring of poore folke Pilgrimes They haue Monkes of such spare and staied behauiour as neuer was heard of both in diet in apparell in forsaking of al things and in withdrawing themselues from the company of the common multitude So as they maye seeme to resemble rather Iohn Baptist yea or the very Apostles for the straitnesse of their lyfe Some of them haue visions rauishments traunces and some of them are renowmed for myracles as well in their life as after their death Moreouer ther is wonderfull honestie and behauiour among them
In their fare apparell building riding yea furniture of warre they vse a plainenesse When they eate their meates all of them as well the king himselfe as also his noble men sit downe vpon the ground they vtterly absteine from wine swines flesh They abhor all superfluitie curiousnes as well in apparel as in building For yâ— most part they dwel in tents hales which are remoued from place to place In their leagus bargains al promises they vse al faithfulnes HéervpoÌ„ it commeth to passe yâ— they vse no seales to scale their writing withall no not euen in the Princes matters Wonderful is their loue obedieÌ„ce towards their king insomuch as al the noble men of yâ— realm stand in awe of yâ— kings only coÌ„mandemeÌ„t in so many large kingdomes al things are done by yâ— kings appoinment only Those yâ— be chosen to yâ— wars for yâ— defence of their religion run to it so merry chéerefull yâ— ye wold say they were going to a wedding They beléeue themselues to be happie in all pointes when they yéeld vp their soules among the speares arrows in defending or inlarging their Empire or religioÌ„ Neither are they yâ— die in yâ— quarrell commended with yâ— mourning of their friendes but they be registred among the Saints that haue gotten the vpper hand and they be openlye praised with Hymnes Finally great is the shamefastnesse and honestye of their women They be neuer séene in the companie of men or in places of resort For a man to talke with a womam abrode it is so rare a thing that it may be counted for a myracle if it happen to be séene Their women neither buie nor sell anie thing They neuer come in the sight of men with their faces bare neither in their owne houses nor out of their houses The apparell that they weare is both verie comely and very plaine and in the Church they haue a place alone by themselues from the men Who then would not wonder at such behauiour and orderlinesse Who would not like it well Who could looke for such things euen at the hands of yâ— popish Monks boast they neuer so much of reformation Héereby they maye easily deceiue such as are of an honest disposition and make them beléeue that God fauoureth them highly and aduaunceth their Empire c. Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 191. MAYZIM What this word Mayzim signifieth MAyzim signifieth strong defences as Bulwarkes and Castels This God Mayzim which our fathers as Abraham Isiaâ— the Prophets and the Apostles with our fathers in the Primitiue Church neuer knew is it which the shauen Antechrists of late haue made and saine themselues euery daye to make it which slighthie â—egerdemane say they no Angell nor yet Mary her selfe cannot doe but onely the Popes false annointed Antichrists This their strong God Castle Mayzim is not only their own made God but also al their rites cermonies lawes doctrines traditions with their tranâ—â—â—stantiations all their lieng prophane Papistrie false worshipping and Idolatrie belonging therevnto c. Melancthon vpon Daniel ¶ Mayzim that is the good of power and riches they shall estéeme their own power aboue al their Gods worship it Ge. MAKER Against the false opinion that hath bene taught the people to receiue their maker in the Sacrament The Sacrament is a Sacrament it is not God It is the bread of our Lord as S. Augustine saith it is not our Lorde it is a creature corruptible it is not the maker of heauen earth Accursed is he that giueth the name glory of God to a creature that is not God August in Iohannem Tract 59. Saint Chrisostome sayth Nolimus queso c. Let vs not confounde the creature and the creator together least it be said of vs They haue honoured a creature more then their maker MALACHY What is meant by the Sacrifice that Malachy speaketh of FRom the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles in euery place incense shall be offered in my name c. ¶ The pure sacrifice yâ— Malachy speaketh of saith Tertulian that should be offered in euery place is the preaching of the Gospell vnto the end of the world In an other place he sayth The Sacrifice that Malachy meant is a deuoute prayer proceeding from a pure conscience ¶ The Prophet Malachy saith S. Hierom meaneth héereby that the praier of holy people shall be offered vnto God not onely in Iewrie that was but a prouince of the world but also in all places ¶ Martâ—â—lis saith the pure sacrifice which Malachy meaneth is offered not onely vpon the holy altar or communion table but also euery wher ¶ Then if it may be offered in euery place and without an altar he meant not the sacrifice of the Masse ¶ God sheweth that their ingratitude and neglect of his true seruice shall be the cause of the calling of the Gentiles And héere the Prophet that was vnder the lawe framed his words to the capacitie of the people And by the altar sacrifice he meneth the spirituall seruice of God which shoulde be vnder the Gospell when an ende should be made of all those legall ceremonies by Christs onely sacrifice Geneua ¶ The Prophet in this place spake no word of the Masse nor of anie oblation propiciatorie to be made by the Priests But he spake of the oblation of the faithfull people in what place so euer they be which offer to God with pure harts minds sacrifices of laud praise prophesieng of the vocation of yâ— Gentiles that God would extend his mercie vnto them not to be God onely of the Iewes but of all nations from East to West that with pure faith call vpon him and glorifie his name Cranmer MAMMON What this word Mammon signifieth MAke you friends of the wicked Mammon c. ¶ This word Mammon is a word of the Syrians speach signifieth riches So that the text meaneth Bestow your riches according to the word of God yâ— God be pleased with your doings not deceitfully as this fellow did Tindale ¶ Againe he defineth Mammon on this wise Mammon saith he is an Hebrue word signifieth riches or temporall goods namely all superfluitie and all that is aboue necessarie the which is not reputed to our necessarie vses wherewith a man may helpe another without vndoing or hurting of himselfe For Hamon in the Hebrue speach signifieth a multitude or abundance or many therehence commeth Mahamon or Mammon abundance or plentifulnesse of goods or riches c. MAN How man was made after the Image of God GOD said Let vs make man in our Image according to our likenesse c. ¶ This Image likenesse of God in man is expounded Ephe. 4. 24. Where it is written that man was created after God in righteousnesse true holinesse meaning by these two