when his Father was dead he laboured by the helpe of his kinred by his mothers side to be made king And to the end he might atteine vnto the crowne he slew 69. of his owne naturall brethren Nowe marke Gedeon was a iust and a godlie man high in Gods fauour he therefore would not and againe hauing so manie wiues of his owne he néeded not to haue kept Droma which is called his concubine as a priuie whoore Therefore it must be taken that Concubina is not taken In malem partem for an harlot and an whoore but euerie woman which is Serua aut ancilla a libero homine ducta in vxorem concubina dicitur For ye shall vnderstande that in the olde time bond men and bond women were counted so vile that they were neither taken nor vsed as men and women be but bought and solde as a bullocke or an horse is And if it so happened y◠a bond man a bond woman did marrie together it was not counted nor called matrimonie but Contubernium a companie kéeping as an horse and a mare as a bull a cow doth yet such companie kéeping if it were betwéene a man and a woman not prohibited by the law of God it were before him good and lawfull matrimonie but by the ciuil lawe of men it were no matrimonie because that the children begotten betwéene such a Father and such a mother were not in their power nor at the commaūdement of their parents but at their Lords commaundement And if they and their parents did get anie goods the children should not inherit but the Lord. And moreouer if a frée man did marrie a bond woman this lawfull wife should not be named a wife but a concubine and her children should not inherit their Fathers landes but onelie receiue such moueable goods as their Father would giue them by his Testament And after that sort did Abraham deale with the sonnes of Agar and Kethura which were no whoores but his lawfull wiues Neuerthelesse because they were bond women before he married them therfore they were called his concubines So likwise Salomon had 700. wiues that is 700. Quéenes which were frée women borne and. 300 concubines which were also his lawful wiues but because they were not frée women borne therefore they are called concubines R. T. The difference betweene a wife and a concubine Tooke to wife a concubine of Bethleem Iuda ¶ This difference was betwéene the wife and the concubine that the wife was taken with certeine solemnities of marriage and her children did inherit The concubine had no solemnities in marriage neither did her children inherite but a portion of goods or moneie was giuen vnto them The Bible note And his concubine called Reumah◠¶ Concubine is oftentimes taken in the good part for those women which were inferiour to the wiues Geneua CONCVPISCENCE What concupiscence is COncupiscence is that euil inclination and nature which we haue of the olde man which draweth vs to euill as GOD saith in Genesis The imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Concupiscence is a motion or affection of the minde which of our corrupt nature doth lust against God and his lawe and stirreth vs vp to wickednesse although the consent or déede it selfe doth not presently followe vpon our conceit For if the déed doe followe the lust then doth the sinne increase by steps and degrées Bullinger fol. 325. How concupiscence is sinne Against concupiscence of the flesh Saint Paule is forced to mourne and crie out on this wise I sée an other lawe in my members fighting against the lawe of my minde and leading mée prisoner vnto the lawe of sinne And againe O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Saint Ambrose saith Non inuenitur in vllo homine c. There is not found in anie man such concord betwéene the flesh and the spirit but that the lawe of concupiscence which is planted in the members fighting against the lawe of the minde And for that cause the words of Saint Iohn the Apostle are taken as spoken in the person of all Saints If we saie we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Saint Austen saith also Concupiscencia carnis c. The concupiscence of the flesh against which the good spirit lusteth is both sinne and the paine of sinne and the cause of sinne Againe he saith◠Quamdiu viuis c. As long as thou liuest there must néeds be sinne in thy members One of the Popes principall doctors writeth thus Augustinus tradet hanc ipsam concupisentiam c. S. Augustine teacheth vs that this same concupiscence planted in our bodie in them y◠be not regenerate by baptime verilie in plaine manner of speach is sinne and that the same concupiscence is forgiuen in baptime but is not vtterly taken awaie Against Saint Paule and these holy Fathers S. Ambrose and Augustine the late Counsell of Trident hath decréed thus Hanc concupiscentiam quam Apostolus c. The concupiscēce which the Apostle Saint Paule sometime calleth sinne this holie counsell declareth that the catholike church neuer vnderderstood it to be called sinne for that it is so indéede and in proper name of speach in them that be baptised but because it is of sinne and inclineth vs to sinne And if anie man thinke the contrarie accursed be he So that by this degrée S. Ambrose S. Austen and other holie fathers that haue written the same are all accursed Iewel fol. 217. and. 218. CONFESSION When confession first began LOthernus Leuita a Doctor of Paris béeing once made Bishop of Rome and named Innocent the third he called together at Rome a generall counsell called Lateranense in which he made a lawe which Gregorie the ninth reciteth in his decretall of penance remission li. 5. chap. 12. almost in these verie words Let euerie person of either sexe after they are come to yeares of discretion faithfullie confesse alone at least once in a yeare their sins vnto their owne proper Priest and do their endeuour with their owne strength to doe the penance that is enioyned them receiuing reuerently at Easter at the least the Sacrament of the Eucharist vnlesse peraduenture by y◠counsel of their owne Priest for some resonable cause they thinke it good for a time to absteine from receiuing it otherwise in this life let them be prohibited to enter into the church when they are dead◠to be buried in christen buriall Of confession to God And against auricular confession Delictum meum cognitum◠bi iniusticiā meam non abscondi c. I haue reknowledged my sinnes vnto thée and mine vnrighteousnesse is not his ¶ S. Austen vpon this place hath a verie prétie saieng Marke saith S. Austen Quando homo detegit Deus tegitesi homo agnoscit Deus igno scit Whensoeuer man discloseth his sinnes then God doth close and
or a Iubelie yeare which shall be kept after this manner If ought shall bée owing to anie man either from his friend his neighbour or his brother he maie not aske it againe because it is the Lords frée yeare or the Lords Iubelie yeare This yeare was also called Sabbatum terrae Moses saieng vnto the people on this wise Sex annos agrum tuum c. Sixe yeares thou shalt sow thy land and sixe yeares thou shalt cut thy vineyard and gather in the fruite thereof but the seauenth yeare shall be a Sabboth of rest vnto the land The Lords sabboth it shall bée The crop that the ground shall bring foorth by her owne kinde without thy labour that shalt thou not reape and the crop that shall grow by their owne kinde thou shalt not gather whie Shall they rotte vpon the vines and the grasse and the corne vpon the grounde No not so but the grasse and the corne thou shalt reape and the grapes thou shalt not gather Hoc est non tibi soli ea coacernabis neque repones federum tibi cum alijs commune And vnto this I saie in the seauenth yeare Non licet tibi debita exigere Now all such debts as were pardoned by Gods commaundement in consideration of the Iubelie yeare the couetous rich man the next yeare following would require all these debtes of their poore neighbours which they were bound vpon writings made which we call Deede Obligatorie now saith Esaie Dissolue Colligationes impiae c. Cancell thy wicked Obligations loose and vndoe the heauie burthens that oppresse thy neighbour dispatch and let them goe frée which are not able to paie c. Ric. Turnar Of the debt the Lord forgaue his seruaunt The Lord forgaue the seruaunt his debt ¶ By this it appeareth that saluation falleth vnto men by releasement of the debt and not for satisfieng of the debt for relcasement and paiment cannot stand in one respect togethers It ouerthroweth Popish satisfaction which saie they must be done by pilgrimages fasting and almes deedés It quencheth the fire of Purgatorie for where debt is forgiuen the debter is not to bee punished DIVELL What the name Diuell doth signifie PRoperlie this name Diuell doth signifie a priuie accuser and slaunderer â—ausing infamie and betraieng men according to the Etimologie or force of the same worde Iohn saith the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God daie and night Marl. fol. 58. In what respect the diuell is euill Saint Augustine in his booke intituled De vera reli chap. 13. sayth The Diuell in as much as he is an Angell is not euill But in as much as he is peruerse wicked of his will for setting more by himself then by God he wold not be in subiection vnto him but swelling through pride hée fell from his chiefe essence and excellent béeing And againe in his treatise vpon Iohn 42. Doest thou demaund from whence the diuell is From thence doubtlesse from whence al the other Angels are But the other Angels constantlie continued in their obedience he by disobedience and pride fell from an Angell and became a diuell Bullinger fol. 746. How long the Diuell hath bene a lyar Christ saith that the Diuell hath bene a liar from the beginning ¶ That is to saie euen from the time he was first a Diuell and not from the time he was first made an Angell And that when he doth speake lies he speaketh that which is his owne And therefore Christ addeth vnto it that he did not abide still in the truth for he hath nothing of God which is truth but that which he now hath of euill is of himselfe P. Viret Who they be that offer to Diuels Let them no more offer their offering vnto diuels ¶ Hée offereth vnto diuels yâ— offereth vnto anie other thing then vnto God or that doth his offering after anie other manner then God willeth him to do and the same goeth a whoring after Diuels as in Psal. 73. 27. T. M. How we must aunswere the Diuell reasoning with vs. Thou art a sinner saith the diuell and therefore thou art dampned Because thou saist I am a sinner therefore will I bée righteous saued Naie saith the diuell thou shalt be damned No saie I for I flie vnto Christ who hath himself suffered for my sins therfore Satan thou shalt nothing preuaile against me in yâ— thou goest about to terrifie me in setting forth yâ— greatnes of my sinnes and so to bring me into heauinesse distrust dispaire hatred contempt and blaspheming of God yea rather by this that thou saist I am a sinner thou giuest me armour and weapon against thy selfe that with thine owne swoorde I maie cut thy throate and treade thée vnder my féet for Christ dyed for sinners Moreouer thou thy selfe preachest vnto me the glorie of GOD. For thou puttest mée in minde of GODS fatherlie loue towards me wretched and dampned sinner who so loued the world that he gaue his onelie begotten sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Also as oft as thou doest obiect that I am a sinner so oft thou callest to my remembraunce the benefite of Christ my redéemer vpon whose shoulders and not vpon mine lie all my sinnes for the Lord hath laide all our iniquities vpon him Again for the transgression of his people was he smitten wherfore when thou obiectest that I am a sinner thou doest not terifie me but comfort mée aboue measure Luther vpon the Gal. DEVOTION True deuotion or pure religion what it is TRue deuotion that is called in latine Pietas is that which hath annexed therewith diuine promises for this present life to come as witnesseth Paule 1. Tim. 4. which is nothing els but obseruation of Christs lawe that in the Psalme for the purenesse thereof is called siluer fined often and manie times through fire It hath no chaffe in it as hath mens traditions but is pure and cleane wheate As sheweth Ieremie writing thus What is the chaffe to the Wheate Therefore beholde I will come against the Prophet saith the Lord that steale my word euerie one from his neighbour and deceiue my people in their lyes and in their errours And this deuotion is that which Saint Iames calleth the pure religion of Christ saieng Pure and immaculate religion afore God the father is to visit fatherlesse children and widdowes in their vexation Whereby hee meaneth all needie people that are succourlesse and helplesse without councell or other meanes according to our abilitie whensoeuer we sée them in néede or distresse Lambert in the booke of Mar. fol. 1266. What the Papists call deuotion What is it that they call deuotion Euerie mans owne lyking As soone as a man hath a minde to anie thing by and by he beareth him in hand that God is as much delighted therewith as he himselfe is And there is no man but he vndertaketh some thing or
267. What the feare of God is Wheras we speak of the feare of God we haue to vnderstand yâ— it is not a â—â—auish feare as men term it but it is so termed in respect of the honour which we owe for that he is our Father Masterâ— Doe we feare God Then it is certaine nothing but to honour him to be whollie his Doe we know him That must be in such wise as he hath vttered himself that is to wit that he is our maker our maintaines â—â—e that shewed such fatherly goodnes towards vs that we of dutie ought to be as children toward him if we wil not be vtterlie vnthankful Also it behoueth vs to acknowledge his dominioÌ„â— superioritie ouer vs to the end yâ— euerie of vs yeldâ—ng him his due honor may â—ern to plese him in al respects thus you see yâ— vnder this â—ere of god héere is coÌ„prehended all religion yâ— is to wit all yâ— seruice honor which the creatures owe vnto their God 〈…〉 4. They neiâ—her fâ—ared the Lord c. ¶ Not to feare the Lord is to liue carelesse and to serue their lusts and appetites and not to sette by God and his Lawe as is said Psâ—l 55 19. T. M. ¶ He meaneth this by the Israelites to whome God hat giuen his commaundements Geneua They feared the Lord but serued their Gods ¶ That is they had a certaine knowledge of God and feared him because of the punishment but they continued still Idolaters as do yâ— Papists which worship both God Iâ—ols but this is not to feare God as appeareth ver 34. Geneua How this place following is expounded Perfect loue casteth out feare â—I know there are some which interpret those words in this sense that they which loue God trulie are not afraid for pietie sake to put themselues in al manner of daungers neithâ—r doe they shame persecution but valiantlie stand fast in all manner of dangers which selfe thing Paule in the letter to Timothie writ in other words 〈…〉 We haue not receiued the spirit of fearefulnesse but of might of loue Wherefore he exhorteth Timothie not to be ashamed of the testimonie of the Lord nor of him being in â—andes for the Lords sake but couragiouslie to indure labours for the Gospels sake Although those things are true yet this is not it which this place of Iohn teacheth For it there maketh mention of the iudgment of the Lord of which he willeth the godly which loue God not to be afeard and he rendreth a reason for yâ— feare hath vexation ioined with it Wherefore I gladlie assent vnto Augustine which saith that Iohn speaketh of perfect Charitie which forasmuch as it cannot be had in this life we maie not looke to haue it without feare Further we mought in this place vnderstand that feare which is seâ—oined from confidence therfore driued men to desperation For they which beleeue loue God trulie vphold their feare with a liuely faith Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 208. Of feare that commeth of faith and of feare without faith He that fearth God trulie will eschew all things wherewith he knoweth he shall offend God and doe whatsoeuer hée perceiueth to be acceptable vnto him this feare hath his beginning of faith There is a feare of God in the vngâ—lie but it is without faith For they alwaies dread Gods iudgement against them and would rather there were no God then to bée punished for their wickednesse How we cannot vtterly shake off all feare so long as we liue heere Be not high minded but feare ¶ No man of the number of the faithfull ought to be in doubt of his saluation For the nature of faith is to make men assured of the promise of God Howbeit this is to be known yâ— it is not possible that so long as we liue héere we should not vtterlie shake off all feare for we are continuallie tossed betwéene two cogitations the one of the goodnes faith constancie of god The other of our corruption infirmitie pronesse to euill For when we consider how weak we are prone to euil coÌ„sider also the filthines imperfection of our workes though they be neuer so good therwithal the seueritie of the law in requiring euen to the vttermost the things which it commaundeth This consideration I saie if it be vehement cannot but excéedinglie make afeard the mind and deiect it But on the other side when we consider the clemencie goodnesse mercie of God his constancie in his promises therewithall remember that all the merits of Christ are communicated to vs we are refreshed and recreated and the feare is either lenified or els sometime vtterlie laide awaie And these effects where they are perfect vehement doe succéed the one the other for they cannot be both at one time or if they be both at one time then are either of them remisse not vehement But in what matter they giue place the one to the other we may by daily experience vnderstand For if a man be set vpon the top of an high tower if being ther his mind run vpon nâ—thing els but vpon the height of the tower what a déepe way he shuld fall so yâ— he cannot fall without danger of death it iâ— possible but yâ— his minde being still vpon this he should be altogether smitten with an errour but if he turne his eie aside to the barre or battlements which staie him vp that he cannot fall then will he plucke vp his spirits againe and put away al feare neither ought it to seeme vnto anie man straunge yâ— wée saie that faith expelleth that feare which is ioined with doubting of saluation when as in Iohn it is said That charitie driueth feare out a doores For it is most certeine that yâ— which the Scripture attributeth to charitie may be attributed to faith for charitie springeth of faith Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 355. FERVENT Of two sorts of feruentnesse THey haue a ferueÌ„t mind to God but not according to knowledge ¶ There be two manner of feruentnesse of minde two maner of good intents The one is grounded vpon a vaine or fleshlie opinion and not vpon Gods word this good intent is damnable before God The other procéedeth of faith and suffereth it selfe to be ruled by the wisdome and iudgement of the spirit of God Such feruentnesse was in Moses in Phinâ—hes and in Helias with other innumerable Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Looke Zeale FEASTES Feast of dedication wherefore it was ordeined THE feast of dedication ¶ That is to saie the feast of inuocation or renueng because the temple which was polluted by yâ— coÌ„mandemeÌ„t authority of Iudas Machabeus was coÌ„secrated a fresh And then it was appointed yâ— euerie yeare ther should be a feast daie of new dedication to put the people in minde of the grace and fauour of God who had taken from them
cast awaye as if anie owner hath cast awaye anie thing the same thing if a man â—eteine when he hath founde it hée committeth not theft But if that thing which is founde be not willinglieâ— cast awaye neither thought to haue bene willlinglie lost of the owner As when a Ring is founde or a Purse or anie such thing which is not wont to bée cast a side the same thing if thou retaine it is theft vnlesse thou kéepe it by thee with a will and minde to restore it againe Wherefore thou must publiklie testifie that thou hast â—ounde those thinges whereby the owner maye come to his owne agayne as it is decréedâ— in the Digestes De furtis In the lawe Fâ—ssus in the Paragraphe qui alienum But if thou kéepe it by thée with the minde not to restore it it is theft Which thing Augustine in the place now alleadged reproueth Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 283. FINGER OF GOD. What the Finger of God is GOds finger is the holye Ghost Luke 11. 20. If I cast out Diuells in the finger of God c. Where Luke hath in the finger of God it is in Math. 22. 28. If I cast out Diuells in the spirit of God Gods finger therefore is the holie Ghost FIRST Of the first begotten sonne An aunswere to Helindius the heretike Obiection Our Sauiour Christ was called her first begotten sonne and none sayth Helindius canne hee called first begotten but hée that hath bretheren euen as hée is called the onelie begotten sonne which is the onelye sonne of his Father Aunswere That is not true for euerie onelye sonne is the first begotten although he haue no brethren and therefore in the booke of Numbers the almightie God doth define who or what is the first begotten saieng All that breaketh the matricâ— in all flesh whether it bée of men or of beastes shall bée slaine neuerthelesse the first borne of man thou shalt redéeme Héere the worde of the Lorde doth define what first borne is that is euerie one that openeth the matrice first namelye whether it be onelye begotten or first begotten The Lorde saith not tarrie vnto the sccond be borne but he saith Those that are to be redéemed shalt thou redéeme from the age of a moneth for the value of a moneth namelie for fiue Sickles For if it shoulde haue bene so that he that first openeth the matrice shoulde not be called the first borne vntill he haue bretheren then might some man haue saide I owe nothing vnto the Priest till that he be brought foorth by whome he that is alreadie borne be made first begotten Also in Exodus it is said And at midnight the Lorde smote all the first borne in the lande of Aegypt both of man and beast Now if it be true that none are first begotten but they that haue brethren then the onelie begotten although they were first borne perished not Marl. fol. 19. What is meant by breaking of our first Faith Prima fides is not taken for the vow of chastitie but for the faith we promise in Baptime after the minde of Saint Hierome who wrote on this wise Non sunt digoi fide c. They be not worthie to be beléeued that haue forsaken their first faith I meane Marcion and Basilides These two famous heretikes Marcion and Basilides were not condemned for anie vowe of chastitie but for the refusing of the faith of Christ. Which Saint Hierome calleth the first faith Iewel fol. 170. They haue not onelie done dishonoâ—r to Christ in leauing their vocation but also haue broken their faith Geneua ¶ Looke more in this word Widowe What the first fruits signifie in the lawe In the lawe it was commaunded that of all the increase and fruits of the earth shuld be giuen vnto God the first fruits yea also the first borne of liuing creatures were due vnto him And when Paule maketh mention of the masse or 〈…〉 he alludeth to that which we reade in the 15. Chapter of the booke of Numbers that some part of the lumpe of new dowe was commanded to bée separated for God before that the new bread should be tasted of for thereof were made swéete cakes which were offered vnto God Which thing he therefore caused to be done that men by that ceremonie might vnderstand and of their owne accorde testifie that God is vnto them the giuer and distributer of all fruites Wherefore that oblation increased not the riches of God which are otherwise infinite but also nourished in men a gratefull memorie of benefites receiued As oftentimes Emperours and greate and mightie kings giue vnto some one man a citie or prouince or some certeine dominion with this condition That he shall paie vnto him euerie yeare some thing of small value in the name of a Tribute not that they séeke by that talent to be enriched but that they maie perpetuallie vnderstande and testifie that he dependeth vppon that Prince and that he hath at his handes obteined that dignitie which he nowe enioyeth Moreouer this commoditie had the Common weale by that ceremonie that by such oblations the holie ministrie was susteined whose vse is so great that it ought to be mainteined yea though with great charge Moreouer in all the first fruites was signified Christ the first borne of all creatures and namelie the first fruites of them that rose againe from the dead whereby all the faythfull are sanctified for by first fruites was made holye that which was remaining and left at home to susteine the familie Yea and this manner of offering first fruites was deriued also vnto the Ethnikes for the Uirgins called Vestae offered first fruites vnto their domesticall Gods And as Plutarch telleth in Symposiacis the men in olde time dranke not anie Wine before that they had first offered sacrifice to some God that that which they dranke might not hurt them And at Athens the xi daie of the moneth they offered the first fruites of Wine In all these things wée maie beholde the steppes of that holie institution Although yâ— Ethnikes had with idolatrus superstition violated that which was well instituted At this daye also although the yoke of the Ceremonies of Moses be taken away yet should it be verie well done of vs of our frée and liberall will to offer vnto God the first fruites by giuing them to the poore Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 351. The meaning of this place following The first shall be last c. ¶ To be made of the first last is to be excluded and shut out of the kingdome of heauen As in a running game not they that runne first but they that come first to the game winue the game and beare awaie the praise Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Those bée last with God that are first with themselues in their owne opinion and in the estimation of their owne workes And they be first with God that be last with themselues in acknowledging their owne vilenesse
of the letters but the Gospell is in the marking of the sentence of Scriptures This sentence approueth Saint Paule saieng thus The kingdome of God is not in worde but in vertue and Dauid saith The voice of the Lorde that is his worde is in vertue And after Dauid saith Through the worde of God the heauens were made And in the spirit of his mouth is all the vertue of them In the booke of Mar. fol. 644. An exposition of this place following For I am not ashamed of the Gospell ¶ The Gospell is that heauenly message which declareth vnto vs yâ— Iesus Christ is the power of God in whom and by whom God doth set foorth vnto the world all his heauenlie treasures that whosoeuer doth beléeue in him whether he be a Romaine or a Iew Gréeke or other he should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting Sir I. Cheeke Saint Bede affirmeth that in his time and almost a thousand yeares after Christ héere in Britaine Easter was kept after the manner of the East church in the full moone what daie in the wéeke so euer it fell on and not on the Sundaie as wée doe now whereby it is to be collected that the first preachers in this land haue come out froÌ„ the East part of yâ— world where it was so vsed rather then from Rome Petrus Cluniacensis writing to Barnard affirmeth that the Scottes in his time did celebrate their Easter not after the Romaine manner but after the Gréeks And as the sayd Britaines were not vnder the Romaines in the time of this Abbot of Cluniake So neither were they nor would bee vnder the Romaine Legate in the time of Gregorie nor woulde admit anie primacie of the Bishop of Rome to be aboue them Ghildas saith that Ioseph of Aramathia that tooke downe Christ from the crosse béeing sent hether by Philip the Apostle out of Fraunce he beganne to preach the Gospell first in this Realme in the time of Tiberius the Emperour Nicephorus saith that Symon Zelottes about the same time came into this land and did the like Theodoretus sayth that Saint Paule immediatly after his first deliuerie in Rome vnder the Emperour Nero preched the Gospell in this Ilande and in other Countries of the West Tertulian saith of his time that the countries of Britaiâ—e which the Romaines could neuer attaine vnto are now subiâ—ct to Christ. Origen saith the same GOATE How this Goate doth figure Christ. PUtting them vpon the head of the Goat ¶ Héere this Goat is a true signe of Iesus Christ who beareth the sinnes of the people Esay 53. 5. Geneua Why it is called the scape Goate And the other for a scape Goate ¶ In the Hebrew it is called Azazel which some saie is a mountaine néere Sinai whether this Goate was sent but rather is called scape Goate because it was not offered but sent into the desart as verse 21. Geneua GRACE What Grace is BY grace vnderstand the fauour of God and also the gifte of working of the spirit in vs as loue kindnesse patience obedience mercifulnesse despising of worldlie thinges peace concord and such like Tindale The true definition of grace The true definition of Grace and agréeing to the holy scriptures is the free beneuolence of God whereby he counteth vs déere in Christ Iesus and forgiueth vs our sinnes giueth the holie Ghost an vpright life and eternall felicitie by this definition is séene not onlie what we call grace but also by whom we haue it and with all the principall effects thereof Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 140. Receiued grace of all Apostleship ¶ Grace is throughout all the Epistles of Paule taken for the fauour and frée mercie of God whereby he saueth vs fréelie without anie desertes or workes of the lawe In like maner peace is taken for the tranquilitie of the conscience being fullie perswaded that through the merites of Christs death and bloud-shedding there is an attonement and peace made betwéene God and vs so that God will no more impute our sinnes vnto vs nor yet condemne vs. Sir I. Cheeke What it is to reiect grace To reiect and refuse the grace of God is to séeke righteousnesse by the law or to deserue grace by our owne righteousnes What difference is betweene grace and gift Grace properlie is Gods fauour beneuolence or kind mind which of his owne selfe without deseruing of vs he beareth vnto vs wherby he was moued inclined to giue Christ vnto vs with all his other gifts of grace Gift is the holie Ghost his working whom he powreth into the hearts of theÌ„ on whom he hath mercie whom he fauoureth Though the gifts of yâ— spirit increase in vs dailie haue not yet the full perfection yea though there remaine in vs yet euill lusts sinne which fight against the spirit as he saith héere in the seauenth Chapter and in the fift to the Galathians and as it was spoken before in the third Chapter of Genesis of the debate betwéene the womans seede and the séede of the Serpent yet neuerthelesse GODS fauour is so greate and so strong ouer vs for Christs sake that wee are counted for full whole and perfect before God For Gods fauour towardes vs diuideth not her selfe increasing a lyttle and little as doe the giftes but receyueth vs whole and altogether in full loue for Christes sake our intercessour and Mediatour And because the giftes of the spirite and the battell betwéene the spirite and euill lustes are begunne in vs alreadie Of this nowe vnderstande thou the. 7. Chapter where Paule accuseth himselfe as a sinner and yet in the 8. Chapter sayth There is no dampnation to them that are in Christ and that because of the spirite and because the gifts of the spirite are begunne Sinners wée are because the flesh is not full killed and mortified Neuerthelesse in as much as we beléeue in Christ and haue the earnest and beginning of the spirite and woulde faine bée perfect GOD is so louing and fauourable vnto vs that he will not looke on such sin neither will count it as sinne but will deale with vs according to our beliefe in Christ and according to his promises which hée hath sworne to vs vntill the sinne bée full slaine in vs and mortified by death Tindale in his Prol. to the Rom. The difference betweene grace and the Lawe Chrisostome noteth certeine diefferences betwéene the Lawe and Grace The Lawe sayth hée setteth â—oorth a Crowne but first requireth workes and battailes Grace first crowneth and afterwarde bringeth vnto the battayle By this hée teacheth that the righteousnesse which is set forth the Lawe is obteined by workes for wée cannot bée iustified by the lawe vnlesse wée haue accomplished all the thinges which are commaunded in the lawe But that other righteousnesse which wée haue by grace through fayth doth first crowne vs with a newe generation and adoption to be the children of
of strength for it must come from heauen and not from the strength of reason It must also make me beléeue that God the maâ—er of heauen and earth is not onely a Father but also my Father yea and that through the fauour that Christ hath purchased me from the which fauour neither heauen nor earth tribulation nor persecution death nor hell can deuide me But to this sticke I fast that he is not alonely my father but also a merciful father yea and that vnto me mercifull so mercifull that he will not impute my sins vnto me though they be neuer so many nor so great so long as I hang on the blessed bloud of Christ Iesus and sinne not of malice but of frailtie and of no pleasures D. Barnes How Cornelâ—us was iustified Cornelius a Gentile did great almes and praied vnto God alwaies vnto whome the Angell spake on this maner Thy praier and thine almes are come vp into remembraunce in the presence of God Of this text some doe gather that his good workes did helpe to Iustification The solution The Holy ghost hath openly declared himselfe there for he saith that this Cornelius was a deuout man and one that feared God How could this be without that God had taught him inwardly by Faith Yea how could he know God and that deuoutly but by faith Ergo he was iustified before God by his Faith but the world knew not his Iustification And therefore the Holy ghost doth declare his inward Iustification when hée saith that he was deuout and feared God And also doth showe openly the fruits of his Iustification when he saith that he did Almes Moreouer you haue there that the Holy ghost fell on them afore they were baptised in water the which declareth openly that they were iustified before God This well declareth in your owne lawe whose words be these Cornelius Centurion being yet an Heathen man was made cleane by the gifte of the Holy ghost afore all good workes for he was an heathen man D. Barnes ¶ Looke more in Cornelius Iustified by grace what it meaneth Are iustified fréely by his grace ¶ This saieng doth S. Ambrose expound on this wise They working nothing nor acquiting him any whit are iustified by Faith alone by the gift of God This word Fréely although many be therewith offended is also euidently expressed by Paule himselfe in these words Fréely without the lawe without workes it is a gifte and such lyke which thou maist marke for they are all one with this foresaid exposition of S. Ambrose By Faith alone we are iustified which saieng signifieth thus much onely by the beliefe wherewith we beléeue that the mercie of God graunted in Christs bloud doth saue vs are we proâ—ounced righteous The word alone exclude the workes not that thou shouldest not doe them for vnto all good workes commaunded in the Scripture art thou bound and called to walke in them and must earnestly studie and indeuour thy selfe to leaue none of them vndone but that thou shouldest in noâ— condition thinke that thou art thereby iustified or made righteous before God Tindale How this place following is vnderstood The doers of the lawe shall be iustified ¶ So must it bée vnderstood saith S. Austen that we may knowe that they can no otherwise be the doers of the lawe except they be first iustified not that Iustification belongeth vnto doers but that Iustification doth procede all manner of doing ¶ Thus by the minde of S. Augustin we see that Iustification is first giuen that men might be able to doe the workes of the lawe This is also the exposition of the common glose D. Barnes Against those men which doe say they iustifie others Bretheren saith S. Austen we haue Iesus Christ our Aduocate with our Father he is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes he that helde this was in no heresie he that helde this was in no schisme For whereof came the schismes Truly when men do say we be iust when men do say we do sanctifie them that be vncleane we do iustifie the wicked we do pray and we doe obtaine But what saith Iohn If a man doe sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ c. ¶ Thus saith he by which words he did no more touch the Donatists then hée should now a dayes if he were a lyue gall them which doe so much chalenge to themselues all the authoritie in the Church to sanctifie and to iustifie men and doe for filthie gaine set the same also ouer vnto others Mus. in his Com. pla fo 224. How God doth iustifie vs. We said in the first Article of the word of iustifieng that to be iustified is as much to say in this matter according to yâ— meaning of the Scripture as to be acquited by grace from sinne to be taken for iust Therefore God doth so iustifie vs that hee forgiueth our sinnes he hideth them doth not charge vs with them any more but doth rather impute Iustice vnto vs not ours which is none but the Iustice of his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ. And by this imputation of Iustice he maketh vs saued and blessed So the Apostle doth foure times set forth this Iustification to the Romanes least we should séeme to bring any thing with vs of our owne Lyke as Dauid saith he doeth expresse the blessednesse of yâ— man to whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saieng Blessed be they whose wickedness be forgiuen and whose sinnes be hidden Blessed is the man to whom God doth not impute sinne It appeareth verye well that the Iustification which is imputed by grace without works is the forgiuenesse of sinne the help vnto saluation For where as he might haue said Blessed hée they whome God doth iustifie without workes he saith Blessed â—e thou whose sinnes be forgiuen and whose sins be hidden Blessed is the man to whom God doth not impute sinne Muscul. fo 225. Iustifieng of the vngodly But beléeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly ¶ God is said to iustifie the vngodly because he pardoneth his sinnes and of a wicked man maketh him good The Bible note ¶ Which maketh him that is wicked in himselfe iust in Christ. Geneua Of two manner of Iustifications There is two manner of Iustifications vnderstood in holye Scripture the one before God the other before man Of Iustification before God it is truly said of S. Paule Rom. 4. 3. Credidit autem Abraham c. Abraham beléeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse And of Iustification before men S. Iames speaketh in the 2. chapter of his Epistle verse 21. Abraham pater noster c. Was not our father Abraham iustified through workes when he had offered his sonne vp vpon the Altar c. And yâ— he so ment appeareth by his very words which followeth within few lines after thus Credidit autem Abraham c. Abraham beleeued God it was reputed vnto him for righteousnesse he was
called an exteriour honouring or a bodely seruice c. If that be true it followeth that they giue that honour to stocks and stones that onely pertaineth to God which doe any exteriour honour whatsoeuer it be This word Latria wherwith the simple people be deceiued is a Greeke word and after S. Austen it signifieth no more but seruice which cannot be denied is giuen to stockes and stones Thinke you that the Children of Israel with their high Priest Aaron could not haue made this Pope holye excuse that they were not so mad nor so foolish as to honor the golden Calfe but rather to referre the honour to the liuing God they had a good colour for them for they knew none other God nor Saint but him and yet this excuse was not lawfull nor could be allowed when Moses came with the word of God Marke also what hée was that made the Calfe not a foole nor ignoraunt person among the people or one of no authoritie but the most wisest man eloquent chiefe among them which was to kéepe the people together in good order He also made a Calfe with yâ— which thing all their Fathers had pleased God in dooing Sacrifice with them So that they might well thinke that it might bée acceptable to God to bée honoured in the Image of a Calfe before any other Image But all these colours is naked before the word of God D. Barnes LAVVE What the Lawe is and what is to be vnderstood thereby THe lawe saith Iustinian is a facultie or science of the thing that is good and right as Celsus ther defineth Or thus The lawe is a certaine rule or Canon to doe well by which ought to be knowen of all men Cicero de lege saith that the Lawe is a certaine rule proceeding from the minde of God perswading right and forbidding wrong So that the Lawe is a certaine rule a directory shewing what is good and what is euill what is vertue and what is vice what profitable and what disprofitable what to be done and what to be left vndone ¶ The Lawe is a doctrine that biddeth good and forbiddeth euill as the Commaundements doe speake Booke of Mar. fol. 1110. This word Law maye not be vnderstoode héere after the common manner as to vse Paules tearmes after the manner of men or after mans wayes that thou wouldest saye the Lawe héere in this place were nothing but learning which teacheth what ought to be done and what ought not to be done as it goâ—th with mans lawe where the lawe is fulfilled with outward workes onely though the heart be neuer so farre off but God iudgeth after the ground of the heart yea the thoughts of the secret moouings of the minde Therefore his law requireth the grounde of the heart and loue from the bottome thereof and is not content with the outward workes onely but rebuketh those workes most of all that spring not of loue from the lowe bottome of the heart though they appeare outward neuer so honest and good As Christ rebuketh the Pharisies aboue all other that were open sinners and calleth them hypocrites that is to say Simulars and painted Sepulchers which Pharesies yet liued no men so pure as pertaining to the outward deedes and workes of the lawe Yea and Paule in the third Chapter of his Epistle to the Philippians confesseth of himselfe that as touching the law he was such a one as no man could complaine on and notwithstanding was yet a murtherer of the Christen persecuted them formented them so sore that he compelled them to blaspheme Christ and was altogether mercilesse as many which nowfaine outward good workes are Tindale ¶ We vnderstand by the lawe these commaundements onely which God gaue by Moses in two Tables of stone wherein is comprehended all the rest of the doctrine of God contained in the holy Scriptures The good things which God alloweth and requireth of vs which we are bound to doe and the euill that displeaseth him which we ought not to followe and beside that it sheweth vs our offences and sinnes and how we stand debters vnto the iudgment of God and preacheth vnto vs nothing els but the very wrath and cursse of him which we haue deserued in offending of him By the law we are all condemned before God as transgressors of all his commaundements and thereby declared worthy of death and eternall damnation So that the law serueth rather to condemne then to saue vs. And yet there is no fault in the law which is good holy and iust but the fault is in vs which are wicked of nature and doe not accomplish the law The law doth vtter our sinnes and sheweth vs plainly our disease and how daungerous it is as the Phisitions doth but it cannot heale vs but sendeth vs to another which is able to heale our disease and none but he one Christ Iesus our Lord. The law is deuided into two parts The first Table pertaineth to God which is this Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Thou shalt make thée no Image nor likenes c. Thou shalt not take the name of God in vaine c. Remember to sanctifie the Sabboth day c. The other Table pertaineth to our neighbour which are these Honor thy father thy mother c. Kil not Commit none adulterie Steale not Beare no false witnes against thy neighbor Couet not thy neighbors house nor his wife c. And all the doctrine comprised in these two Tables Christ reduced into ij points which are these Loue God aboue al things thy neighbor as thy selfe for all the law the Prophets depend vpon these ij commaundements Then whatsoeuer ye wold that men should do vnto you do ye the same vnto them P. Viret Platoes definition of the Lawe Plato in his Booke of Lawes of a Publike wealth and in Minos séemeth thus to define the lawe namely That it is an vpright manner of gouerning which by conuenient meanes directeth vnto the best ende in setting foorth paines vnto the transgressours and rewardes vnto the obedient This definition maye bée most aptlye applyed vnto the Lawe of God yet there can be no such Law vnlesse it be of God Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 137. What the office and vse of the law is The vse and ende of the lawe is to accuse and condempne vs guiltie such as liue in securitie that they may sée themselues to be in daunger of sin wrath death eternall that so they may be terrified brought euen to the brinke of desperation trembling and quaking at the falling of a leafe And in that they are such they are vnder the lawe for the law requireth perfect obedience vnto God and condemneth all those that doe not accomplish the same Now it is certaine that there is no man liuing which is able to perfourme this obedience which notwithstanding God straightly requireth of vs. The law therefore iustifieth not but condemneth according to
that saieng Cursed is he that abideth not in all things that are written in the lawe Therefore he that teacheth the lawe is a minister of the lawe c. Luth. vpon the Gal. fol. 69. What the lawe of nature is The law of nature is that light and iudgement of reason whereby we doe discerne betwixt good and euill Thomas Aquinus saith that the law of nature is nothing els but the perticipation of the eternall law in a reasonable creature That definition indeede doth expresse vnto vs of whom this iudgement light of reason commeth vnto vs that is to say from the eternal law but what it is it declareth not And that parte in a reasonable creature maye comprise also Angells of whose nature heere is nothing in question Other doe define this lawe more largely in this sort The lawe of nature is the common sentence of iudgement wherevnto all men together assent and furder which God graued in euery mans minde appointed to frame mens manners withall c. Musc. fol. 30. What the lawe written is We call that the lawe written which God gaue to Israel by Moses and which Moses comprehended in his booke of Exodus and Leuiticus Numery and Deuteronomy This was deliuered vnto Moses by Angels and Steuen witnesseth saieng Ye haue receiued the lawe by the order of Angells And the Apostle saith The lawe is giuen by Angells in the hand of a Mediatour The same they doe commonly deuide and well inough for the purpose into the Morall precepts Iudiciall and Ceremoniall or into precepts statutes and iudgements By statutes they vnderstand all that pertaineth vnto rites ceremonies by Morall precepts the Tables by Iudicialls all those lawes which they vse in the matters and controuersies of the policies and for punishment of the offenders Musculus fol. 34. How the Lawe is our schoolemaister The schoolemaster is appointed for the childe to teach him to bring him vp and to kéepe him as it were in prison but to what ende and how long Is it to the ende that this straight sharpe dealing of the schoolmaster should alwaies continue Or that the childe should remaine in continuall bondage Not so but onely for a time that this obedience this prison and correction might tourne to the profite of the childe that in time hée might be heire and Prince For it is not the fathers will that his sonne should alwaies be subiect to the schoolemaister and alwayes beaten with roddes but that by his instruction and discipline he may be made able and meete to be his fathers successour Euen so the lawe saith Paule is nothing els but a schoolmaister not for euer but till it haue brought vs to Christ as in other wordes he said also before The lawe was giuen for transgressions vntill the blessed séede shuld come Also the scripture hath all vnder sinne Againe we were kept vnder shut vp vnto faith which should after be reuealed wherefore the law is not onely a schoolemaister but it is a schoolemaister to bring vs vnto Christ. What a schoolemaister were he which would alwaies torment and beate the childe and teach him nothing at all And yet such schoolemaisters were there in time past when schooles were nothing els but a prison and a very hell the schoolmaisters cruell tyraunts and very butchers The children were alwaies beaten they learned with continuall paine and trauaile and yet fewe of them came to any proofe The Lawe is not such a schoolemaister for it doth not onely terrifie and torment as the foolish schoolmaister beateth his scholers teacheth them nothing but with his rods he driueth vs to Christ like as a good schoolemaister instructeth and exerciseth his scholers in reading and writing to the ende they maye come to the knowledge of good letters and other profitable things that afterward they may haue a delight in dooing of that which before when they were constrained thervnto they did against their wils c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 163. How the lawe first entred The lawe entred first into the world by mans disobedience in Paradise was not so much giuen by Gods owne frée motion as by mans owne séeking wilfull procuring which neuer was nor neuer shall be in his power to perfourme Fox in his sermon of Christ crucified How the lawe was giuen in thunder The lawe was giuen in thunder lightening fire smoke and the voice of a trumpet and terrible sight Exo. 20. 18. So that the people quaked for feare and stood a farre off saieng vnto Moses Speake thou vnto vs and we will heare let not the Lord speake to vs least we dye No eare if it be awaked and vnderstand the meaning is able to abide the voice of the lawe except the promises of mercie be by That thunder except the raine of mercie be ioined therewith destroieth all and buildeth not The law is a witnesse against vs and testifieth that God abhorreth the sins that are in vs and vs for our sinnes sake Tindale fol. 118. ¶ The ceremoniall iudiciall lawes were reuealed of God to Moses by the Angells and by Moses to the people and by Moses at Gods commaundement they were inserted into a written booke But the lawe of the ten commaundements was not reuealed by man or any meanes of man but by God himselfe at the mount Sina and written not by the hand of Moses but with the finger of God in tables not made of matter easie to be dissolued but made of stone to indure for euer Bull. fo 111. Wherefore the lawe was giuen The lawe was giuen saith S. Austen that man might finde himselfe not to make his sicknesse whole but by his preaching the sicknesse increased the Phisition might be sought Wherefore the lawe threatning not fulfilling that thing that he commaundeth maketh a man to be vnderneth him But the law is good if a man vse it wel What is that to vse the law wel By the law to know our selues to séeke Gods help to help our health ¶ Héere we sée by S. Austen that the commandements of God giueth vs no strength nor yet declareth any strengh to be in vs but sheweth vs our dutie and weaknesse and also mooueth vs and causeth vs to séeke further for strength D. Barnes ¶ Of profiting to craue the grace of Gods helpe Augustine speaketh ofte as when he writeth to Hilary The lawe commaundeth that endeuouring to do the things commaunded and being wearied with our weakenesse vnder the lawe we should learne to aske the helpe of grace Againe to Aselius The profit of the lawe is to conuince man of his owne weaknesse compell him to craue the Phisicke of grace which is in Christ. Againe to Innocent of Rome The lawe commaundeth and grace ministreth strength to doe Againe to Valentine God commaundeth these things y◠we cannot doe that we may learne to know what to aske of him Againe The law was giuen
The Gospell is the word of grace Act. 14. 20. The Lawe is the word of dispaire Deut. 27. The Gospell is the word of comfort Luke 2. The Lawe is the word of vnrest Rom. 7. The Gospell is the worde of peace Eph. 6. LAZARVS How the poore and rich are matched together RIches are not condemned in themselues as we sée how our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed vs by matching the poore and the rich together in the kingdome of heauen when he speaketh of Lazarus in S. Luke He saith there that the Angels carried Lazarus for albeit he was an out-cast among men and a poore creature of whom no account was made insomuch that he was forsaken of all men yet neuerthelesse behold how yâ— Angels carrie his soule into Abrahams bosome And what was this Abraham A man rich both in cattell monie in householde and in all other things sauing houses and lands for these were not lawfull for him to haue because it behoued him to tarrie Gods leasure till he gaue him the land of Canaan to inherit True it is that he purchased a burieng place but he had not anie inheritance notwithstanding that his moueables wer verie great Therefore when we sée the soule of Lazarus carried by the Angels into the bosome of Abraham who is the Father of the faithfull we perceiue that God of his infinite grace and goodnesse calleth both rich and poore vnto saluation Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 7. Of the loosing of Lazarus Loose him and let him goe ¶ This was commaunded to be done to amplifie the glory of the myracle yâ— the Iewes might féele with their hands the work of God which they saw with their eies For he which had sent away death with the power of his word could either haue made the graue clothes to haue falne of by their owne accord or els yâ— Lazarus should haue vnwound himself But Christ would haue the hands of the standers by to be witnesse of the same But too rediculous are yâ— Papists which vpon this place ground their auricular confession Christ saye they wold haue Lazarus after he had restored him to life to bée loosed by his disciples therfore it is not sufficient for vs to be reconciled to God except the church also forgiue vs our sinnes But whervpon do they define gather that the office of loosing Lazarus was enioined the disciples we rather gather by the text that it was enioyned the Iewes to the end they might haue all scruple of doubting taken from them Therfore this place serueth no more their turne for auricular confession then doth yâ— othere of the ten lepers in the 17. chapter of Luke the which also they haue shamefully abused Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 419. LEFT HAND What the left hand of God doth signifie AS the right hand is taken for euerlasting life so doth the left hand signifie the torments of the wicked LEGION What a Legion is EUerie Legion conteined commonly 6000. footemen 732. horsemen whereby héere he meaneth an infinit number LEAGVE What a League is A League is that bonde betwéene men whereby enterchaungeably they testifie both by wordes and signes that they are bound to performe certeine things so that they handle together with good faith And if it be a bond and perteineth to relation it is grounded vpon humaine actions is referred to those things which the parties considerated ought to performe yâ— one to the otherâ— It is expressed by words for the most part signes are added God when after the floud he made a league with mankinde he did not only declare the forme of yâ— obligation by words but also he put the rainebow in yâ— cloudes as a witnes And in the league which hée made with Abraham he put the signe of circumcision Furthermore in that which was made by Moses at the mount Sinai there were twelue pillers erected and the people was sprinkled with bloud Iosua also when he should dye erected vp a verye great stone thereby to seale the league renued betwéene the people and God Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 73. Of three kinde of leagues There are thrée kinde of leagues The first kinde is when the conquerours set lawes to those whome they haue conquered in punishing them and commanding them what they will haue them afterward to doe The second kinde is when things being yet souÌ„d neither part ouercome they coÌ„mune togethers that things taken from the one part may be restored and couenaunts of peace may bée established The third kinde is when there is no warre betwéene the parties and certeine Princes or cities are ioyned together by some couenaunts either to liue the more peaceably or els to take in hand some coÌ„mon affaires c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 73. LEND ¶ Looke Vsurie LENT Wherevpon the Lenten fast was grounded THere is none other cause of this fasting theÌ„ of yâ— which Moses fasted when he receiued the law at the hands of yâ— Lord. For sith yâ— miracle was shewed in Moses to stablish the authoritie of the lawe it ought not to haue ben omitted in Christ least the Gospell should séeme to giue place to the lawe But since that time it neuer came in any mans minde vnder coulour of following of Moses to require such a forme of fasting in the people of Israel Neither did any of the holy prophets fathers follow it when yet they had minde and zeale inough to godly exercises for that which is sayd of Helias that he fasted fortie daies without meate or drinke tendeth to none other end but that the people should know that he was stirred vp to be a restorer of the law from yâ— which almost all Israel had departed Therfore it was a more wrongful zeale and ful of superstition yâ— they did set forth fasting with the title colour of following Christ. Howbeit in the manner of fasting there was then great diuersitie as Cassiodorus rehearseth out of Soâ—rates in the ninth booke of his historie For the Romanes sayth he had but thrée wéekes but in these thrée was a continuall fasting except on the Sundaie and Saterday The Slauonians and Grecians had sixe weekes other had seauen But their fasting was by diuided times and they disagréed no lesse in difference of meates Some did eate nothing but bread water some added hearbs some did not forbeare fish and foule some had no difference in meates Of this diuersitie Augustine also maketh mention in the latter Epistle to Ianuary Caluine in his Insti 4. b. chap. 12. Sect. 20. Why the Fathers instituted Lent The Fathers when they sawe men liue very carelesly and negligently thought it good that they should be compelled after a sort to renew godlynesse in some part of the yeare somwhat to bridle the fiercenes of yâ— flesh And for this thing they thought that the fortie daies before Easter were most méet that men should so long haue their mindes both occupied in repenting also
to suffer anie thing then they will bée lyke vnto the wicked finally they are such which doe not resist euill but doe ouercome euill 〈…〉 dooing that which is good Marl. fol. 77. How the meeke shall pssesse the earth Blessed are the méeke for they shall possesse the earth ¶ By the earth vnderstand all that we possesse in this worlde which all God will keepe for vs if wée bée soft and méeke And whatsoeuer 〈…〉 arise yet if we will be patient and abide the end will goâ— on our side As it is written in the Psalme 37. 9. The wicked shall bée wéeded out but they that abide the Lords leasure shall inherit the land And againe within a while the wicked shall be gone thou shalt see his place where he was and he shall be away but the meeke shall inherite the earth Euen as Be still and haue thy wilt of a little medling commeth great 〈…〉 for a patient man shall weare out all his enâ—mied Tindale fo 210. How that God doth guide the Meeke in iudgement Dirigit mansuâ—tos in iudicio docebit mitos viaâ— suas Them that bée méeke shall be guide in iudgement and such as be gentle them shal he teach his waies ¶ To guide yâ— méeke in iudgement is not meant onely to be their helpe onely when they shall come before the Iudges of this world but to guide them in iudgement iâ— héere meant to make them through his grace knowledge of his law to liue orderly vprightly in all their doings with right iudgement true discerning of vertue froÌ„ vice This great gift doth God of his gratious goodnes giue vnto men that be sinners but yet saith the Prophet not to all manner of sinners but onely to those yâ— be méeke gentle Vniuersa via Domini misericordia veritas requirentibus testamentum eius testimonia eius All the wayes of the Lord are mercie truth but yet sayth the Prophet Requirentibus testamentum eius testimonia eius Unto such as kéepe his couenaunt and testimonies To the sturdy rebellious sinners Via Dominni odor mortis fuit The wayes of yâ— Lord is a deadly sauour and a pestilent stinke which neuerthelesse of themselues and namely to all good men are Odor vitae the sweete odour of life So that to the wicked the wayes of the Lorde his commaundements are the occasion of their great damnation but vnto the méeke and such as feare the Lord they are light vnto life ouerlasting through the mercie and truth graunted vnto vs in and by Iesus Christ our Lord. Riâ— Turn MELCHISEDECH How he is a figure of Christ. WIthout Father without Mother without kinne c. ¶ So called because that Moses maketh no mention of his parents kinsfolkes but as he had bene sodeinly sent of God into the world to be a figure of Christ or euerlasting Priest and shortly taken out of the worlde againe So Christ as touching his humanitie had no Father and concerning his diuinitie had no mother Geneua ¶ It is sayd that Melchisedech is without father mother because that no mention at all in Scriptures is made of his parents nor yet of his genealogie And thus doth the Scripture declare yâ— he is a liuely figure of Christ which as touching his Godbead is without mother being begotten of his father without all beginnings and as touching his manhood is without father being conceiued by the mighty operation of the holy Ghost Sir I. Cheeke How Melchisedech and Sem is one person Lyra sayth that Melchisedech was the same person which in Scripture is called Sem the first son of Noâ— And S. Paule Heb. 7. saith that Melchisedech was without father without mother without kinne and hath neither beginning of his dayes nor yet end of his lyfe So that by this it should séeme Melchisedech Sem not to be one person To this aunswere is made on this wise that the Apostle reporteth Melchisedech to be without father mother because the Scripture maketh no mention of them not that he was without parents kinsfolks c. For although yâ— Scripture make mention of yâ— father mother of Sem and of his Genelogie yet it is not vnder the name of Melchisedech but vnder the name of Sem. And so is yâ— Apostle to be vnderstood that vnder the name of Melchisedech no mentton is made in the Scripture of his father and mother Lyra. The meaning of Saint Paule in making mention of Melchisedech Saint Paule writing to the Hebrewes goeth about to disswade them from the vaine confidence they had in the sacrifices and ceremonies of Moses lawe to perswade them to put their trust in that onely sacrifice that Christ had offered himselfe once for all And least they shoulde reiect his doctrine as hauing no ground in holy Scriptures he putteth them in minde of Melchisedech who was a figure of Christ and of his Priesthoode which was also a figure of Christs Priesthoode First he was a figure of Christ saith Saint Paule in that he was called Melchisedech which is by interpretation the king of righteousnesse the king of Salem which is the king of peace And in that hée was a Priest of the most high God and hath neither beginning nor ende of dayes noted in holy histories his Priesthoode séemed to be an euerlasting Priesthood and therfore saith Saint Paule he is likened to the sonne of God that is euerlasting and hath an euerlasting Priesthoode and is alwaie able to saue them that séeke saluation at his handes because he lyueth euer to make intercession for vs. This is the minde of Paule And not that Melchisedech was a figure of Christ and of his Priesthood in that he vsed to offer to God a sacrifice of bread and wine c. Crowley How Melchisedech is brought in of the Papists to mainteine the sacrifice of the Masse Melchisedech say they was a figure of Christ for hée was yâ— Priest of the highest And as Dauid saith Christ is an eternal Priest after the order of Melchisedech and therefore he offered bread and wine vndoubtedly Melchisedech was a figure of Christ but Saint Paule manifestlye declareth in what thinges he was the figure of Christ. In the rehearsing of the honours and dignitie of Melchisedech which is that he was an eternall Priest and king of peace and righteousnesse There is not one word of bread and wine They cannot finde in the booke of Genesis that Melchisedech did sacrifice vnto God but that he offered bread and wine to Abraham for sustenaunce of his people as Christ offered to vs his worde Melchisedech brought bread and wine and Abraham paide him tithe Christ after the same sorte gaue vs the Sacrament of his bodye and bloude but he did not offer it to God The Scripture sheweth forth Melchisedech vnder the figure of an eternall and onely Priest But the Papists appoint other Priests to bée Christs Uicars after his ascention into
But if they will teach you things of their owne then heare them not then dde it not For certainly such men séeke their owne and not the things that pertaine to Christ Iesu. ¶ The Chaire of the which our Sauiour Christ maketh mention héere doth not signifie the authoritie of Moses which the Scribes abused but it signifieth the place out of the which they purely red and interpreted the law of Moses ¶ To sit in Mosâ—s chaire is nothing els then to shewe out of the Lawe of God how men ought to liue And although it be not certaine out of what place they didde speake or preach yet notwithstanding their coniectures is probable which referre it to the Pulpet which Esdras made to haue the Laws taught in He therefore sitteth in Moses Chaire which preacheth not of his â—wne braine but by the authoritie and word of God Marl. vpon Math. fol. 521. ¶ So long as the Scribes safe in Moses seate and continued in the pure and simple interpretation of the Lawe teaching those things which the Lord had commaunded and taught in the name of God For Saint Austen very well and according to the minde of Christ expoundeth that the Scribes sitting vpon Moses seate taught the Lawe of God and that therefore the shéepe ought to heare the shepheards by them as by hirelings To the which words he addeth by and by saieng God therefore teacheth by them But if they goe about to teach theyr owne inuentions neither heare them nor follow them To the which sentence agréeth that which the same Father hath in his fourth booke De doctrina Christiana saieng Because the good and faithfull do not heare euery man but obediently heare God himselfe therefore they are heard profitably which also lyue not profitably Therefore the seate not of the Scribes but of Moses constrained them to teach that which was good For in their life they did what them lust but the seate being none of theirs suffered them not to teach what they lusted Marl. vpon Math. fol. 522. ¶ We ought to haue an eye most especially vnto the doctrine of the Preachers whether they sit in Christs chaire or not that is to say whether they teach Christs doctrine or not for by their doctrine we shall be either iustified or condemned and not by their liuing Sir I. Cheeke How Moses did eate the body of Christ ¶ Looke Manna How this place is vnderstood And Moses wrote this Lawe ¶ Before Moses time the doctrine which contained the manner of seruing God was not put in writing but onely deliuered by word of mouth by the fathers to theyr children from one generation to another The Bible note How we are sent to Moses and the Prophets They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them ¶ We are bidden to beléeue Moses and the Prophets and not the dead and if we will néedes heare the dead speake Christ ought to be sufficient for vs which being reuiued taught none other doctrine but that which he had taught in his time that is to say Moses and the Prophets Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Which declareth that it is too late to be instructed by the dead if in their life time they cannot profite by the liuely word of God as faith commeth by Gods word so is it maintained by the same So that neither we ought to looke for Angells from heauen or the dead to confirme vs there by onely the word of God is sufficient to life euerlasting Geneua Why Moses was bid to put off his shooes Put off thy shooes from thy feete ¶ Moses could not be suffered to talke with God afore he didde put off his shooes whereby we vnderstande that wée must put awaye all fleshly and carnall lusts and so approach vnto God in faith purenesse of heart Let them héere which will not touche holye things with theyr bare hands without gloues learne of the Angell of the Lorde what they ought for to doe in such things Of Moses death and buriall which maketh against reliques We read of Moses the seruaunt of the Lorde that hée died in the lande of Moab and the Angell of the Lord buryed him in a valley but no man knoweth of his Sepulcher vnto this daye which thing was of purpose by the prouidence of God appointed so that the Iewes might haue no occasion thereby to comâ—nitte Idolatry But if the translating of dead bones had bene either for the glorye of God or commoditie of man the reliques of such a one as Moses was should not haue bene hidden For doubtlesse of all Prophets he was the greatest by the testimonie of God himselfe who called him faithfull in all his house to whom he spake mouth to mouth by vision and not in darke wordes and yet was not his body shrined nor his bones carried in procession nor anye Chappell erected for him Indeed the Diuell did attempt no lesse then to make it matter of superstition for we read that there was a strife betwixt him and Michael about Moses body but the Angell of the Lorde withstood him I. Calfehill MOTHER OF GOD. Wherein Mary the mother of God was most blessed TO be the childe of God is a great deale greater grace then to be the mother of God which Saint Austen proueth thus Beatior â—rgo Maria c. Mary was more blessed or full of grace in that the receiued the faith of Christ then in that she conceiued the flesh of Christ. Motherly kinred coulde haue done Mary no good vnlesse she had borne Christ more blessed in hir heart then shée bare him in hir flesh Againe he sayth Master mea quam c. My mother whom ye haue called blessed therefore is blessed because she hath kept the word of God not because the word in hir was made flesh How mother is taken for grandmother He put downe Miacha his mother ¶ Mother for grandmother As Dauid is oftentimes called father of them of whom he was grandfather And as Zephora Moses wife calleth Raguel father which yet was hir grandfather How the Church is called our mother Forsake not thy mothers teaching ¶ That is of the Church wherein the faithfull are begotten by the incorruptible séede of Gods word Geneua MOVNTAINES How Mountaines heere doe signifie Scriptures LEt them that be in Iewry flye then to the mountaines ¶ That is to say let them that be in Christs profession flye to the scriptures the scriptures of the Apostles and Prophets be the mountaines c Our Lord knowing that there should be such confusion in the last daies therfore commaundeth that Christen men yâ— beléeue in Christ willing to haue an assurance of the true faith shuld haue recourse to nothing els but vnto the scriptures Otherwise if they haue regard vnto any other thing they shal be offendâ—d and perish not vnderstanding what is the true Church and by meanes héereof they shall fall in abhomination of desolation Iewel fo 722. ¶ S.
them their trespasse or as some men say for peace obteined after victory in battell As before in the. 20. cha ver 24. and after in the. 32. 6. T. M. PELAGIVS Of his heresie PElagius a Britaine and a Monke of Bangor wrote notable bookes as Geonadius sayd before he fell into heresie his heresies were these That man without the grace of God was able to fulfill all the Commaundements of God that man had frée will that the grace of God was giuen vnto vs according to our merits that the iust haue no sinne in this life that children haue no originall sinne that Adam should haue dyed if he had not sinned Aug. li. de haeres Polidor PENAVNCE What this word penaunce is and how it was inuented PEnaunce is a word of their owne forging meaning the Papists to deceiue vs withall as many others are In yâ— scripture we finde Poenitentia Repentaunce Agite poenitentiam Doe repent Poeniteat vos Let it repent you Metanoyte in Gréeke Forethinke you or let it forethinke you Of repentance they haue made penaunce to blinde the people to make them think yâ— they must take pain do some holy déeds to make satisfaction for their sins namely such as they inoine them As thou maist sée in the Chronicles wheÌ„ great kings tyrants which with violence of sword conquered other kings lands slew all that came to hand came to themselues and had conscience of their wicked deeds then the Bishops coupled them not to Christ but to the Pope and preched the Pope vnto them made them submit themselues and also their Realmes vnto the holy Father the Pope and to take penaunce as they call it that is to say such Iniunctions as the Pope and Bishops wold command them to doe to build Abbeyes and to endow them with lyuelode to be prayed for for euer And to giue them exemptions priuiledge license to do what they lust vnpunished c. Tind What true penaunce is The most high penitenciarie Christ when he gaue defined true penaunce or repentaunce said Goe sinne no more And Ambrose saith True penaunce is to cease from sinne Our Church maisters of penaunce doe bring the word repentaunce vnto that that the poore seduced people doe think that they haue repented sufficiently for their sins in case they obserue the same which was appointed them for their penaunce according to the number manner time and tide giuen them by their ghostly father although they neuer feele one iot of true repentaunce in their hearts nor yet did accomplish it in worke Mus. fo 215. To doe penaunce and repent what it is To doe penaunce as Diuines speake and to correct our life is to cast out of our minde all the purpose and manner of our liuing those things which be contrary to the will of God whether we our selues receiued them by our affection and errour or whether they were deliuered vnto vs by some other men as it wâ—re with hands and to doe yea and with greatest studis to ensue those things which are agréeable vnto the supreame law and most perfect reason that is to say vnto the minde of God So that he which before time did supersticiously worship things created let him now religiously worship only the true liuing God which before was periured maye now keepe his Oth and performe those things wherevnto he is sworne which before was an homicide may now abhorre from slaughter and bloud which before was a breaker of wedlocke an vncleane person may now holde Matrimony in holy reuerence and lyue chastly which did hurt his bretheren with crafte and guiles may now abstaine from iniuries and doe good to as many as he is able to profite c. Bibliander fo 76. PENIE How a peny is taken in Scripture ANd they tooke him a peny ¶ A penie is euer taken for that the Iewes call a sickle and is worth ten pence sterling Tindale ¶ Before in the. 17. Chapter verse 24. there is mention made of Didrachme héere a penie whereas the Didrachme is more by the seuenth part then a penie so that there seemeth to bée aiarre in these two places But they may be easily accorded thus The penie was paied to the Romanes for tribute according to the proportion they were rated at the Drachme was payed for euery one to the Temple which also the Romanes tooke to theÌ„selues when they had subdued Iudea Theo. Beza PEOR What Peor is IS the wicked déede of Peor too little for vs c. ¶ The wicked déede of Peor for the wicked Idolatry done to Peor Peor or as some will Phogor was an Idoll of the Moabites which was worshipped in an hill in Moab called Peor where the Israelites not onely committed carnall whoredome with the women of the Moabites but also spirituall whoredome that is became Idolaters worshipped that Idoll Peor which yâ— Moabites did For which they were plagued so yâ— there died of them foure twentie thousand at yâ— time As ye read Nu. 25. 3. T. M. PEPVZIANI What manner of Heretikes they were PEpuziani were Heretikes which came out of the Uillage Pepuza Their abiding was in Galatia and Cappadocia They were called Quintilliani and Priscilliani because that Christ in the forme of a woman lay with Quintillia a maide or as some say Priscilla and reuealed vnto hir diuine mysteries Women and Priests among them their sacrifice is a lyke with the Montanists Epiph. haeres 49. PERFECTION To be perfect what it is YE shal be perfect as your father in heauen is perfect ¶ The text saith not he shall be as perfect as God but perfect after his example To be perfect in the Scriptures is not to bée a Monke or a Frier or neuer to sinne For Christ teacheth not héere Monkes and Friers but his Disciples and euery Christian man and woman and to be in this life altogether without sinne is impossible But to be perfect is to haue pure doctrine without false opinions and that thine heart be to followe that learning Tindale ¶ We must labour to attaine vnto the perfection of God who of his frée liberalitie doth good to them that are vnworthy Geneua Walke before me saith God to Abraham and thou shalt be perfect ¶ Which is as much to say as if thou wilt haue me alwayes before thine eyes thou shalt proceede to perfection The lyke is sayde in Mathew 19. 21. If thou wilt bée perfect goe and sell all that thou hast c. Not that this young man for so doing was by and by perfect but by that he went forward to perfection Lyra. If thou wilt be perfect kéepe the commaundements ¶ S. Austen saith that God giueth vs that keeping and moueth vs to be good willers or els we would neuer will but euill Wherein perfection consisteth Perfection consisteth not in selling all that we haue and giuing to the poore onely but in following Christ in bearing