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
giuen to finde souldiers as Augustine doth often say Now reasons why ther shuld be wepons ther be many But this is yâ— speciall reson which the Cantons wher euery man wereth a weapon alledge for their so doing that the magistrate country may be assisted and defended And euery man do weare wepon ought to weare wepon for the magistrate ought not only to weare it but also to drawe it at the Magistrates voice to do as it is said in the. 3. booke fourth Chapter of Esdras If the king alone saie Doe kill they do kill If he say do forgiue they forgiue If he say smite they do smite If he say banish they do banish If he saye cut off they cut off I say if the people ought thus to do for the Prince magistrate to draw their weapons in his cause to lay downe their life at their foote how much more ought the magistrate for his owne cause and for all their causes to beare weapon and not to beare it in vaine but to purpose c. T. Draut Warres sent of God And sent forth his warriours to destroye those murtherers ¶ This was done by the Emperours of Rome Vespatianus Titus which destroied HierusaleÌ„ slew aboue eleuen hundred thousand men Note that the Romanes are héere called the armies of the Lord euen as they of the Assirians is in the Prophet called the seruants of God because that by him God did punish his people Sir I. Cheeke Of him that warreth vnder Christ. ¶ Looke Souldier VVASHING Wherevnto the washing of feet had relation IN those places that are extreame hotte when men haue done their iourney they vse to wash their béete and to wipe away the dust which office was somtime shewed vnto Christ our sauiour And he againe executed the same vnto his Apopostles Paule also required this of good widowes namelye to wash the féete of thâ— Saintes c. Pet. Mart. vppon Iudic. fol. 252. How this word wash is taken If I wash thée not ¶ There are some which refer this word Wash vnto the free remissâ—on of sinnes And there are other fome also which referre the same to newnesse of life And a third forte vppon a good consideration referre it to both For Christ washeth vs when he wipeth awaye our sinnes by the offering vp himselfe least they should come into iudgement Moreouer he washeth vs wheÌ„ by his holy spirit he abolisheth the wicked and sinfull desires of the flesh Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 461. Ye also ought to wash one anothers feete ¶ The Bishop of Rome too apishly foolloweth Christ in many thinges And in this he would seeme to follow Christ washing once in a yeare the feete of certeine poore folkes which haue bene washed before and not onely washed but also perfumed with swéete odours and waters And thus by a bare and naked ceremony they thinke that they haue done very well And when they haue done it they can be conâ—eÌ„ted to contemne their brethren and cruelly to teare the members of Christ and to spit in his face Wherfore that comminical pompe is nothing else but a filthy scorning of Christ. And verely Christ doth not héere commend vnto vs a yearely ceremonie but commaundeth vs all our lyfe time to be ready to wash our bretherens féete When Abigal sayd to the messengers of Dauid Beholde let thine handmaide be a seruaunt to wash the féete of the seruants of my Lord shée meant not such a counterfeit seruice as the imitating enimies of Christ doe vse but she meant that she would be so obedient loyall and seruable to Dauid that she would not refuse to wash euen the feet of his seruants So Saint Paule vnderstoode washing of the féete when hée required the good and vertuous widow to be a washer of the Saints féete that is to saye to be serueable to them in each point Christ sayth not ye ought to wash my féete but to wash one an others féete Marl. vppon Iohn fol. 463. Saint Augustine ad Iannar saith thus If thou demaunde vpon what consideration this ceremony of washing féete first began notwithstanding I haue well thought of it yet canne I finde nothing that séemeth more likely then this For that the bodyes of them that hadde appointed to be baptised at Easter being ill cherished by reason of the lenten fast wold haue had some loathsomnesse in the touching vnlesse they â—ad bene washed at sometime before And that therefore they chose this day chiefly to that purpose vppon which daye the Lordes supper is yearely celebrated Héere Saint Austen sayth it was the fulsomnesse of the bodyes loathsomenesse of the senses that first began this ceremonye and not the institution or commaundement of Christ. What is signified by washing of Christs Disciples feet And beganne to was his Disciples féete ¶ Hée washed their féete to declare that hée came to minister vnto other and not be ministred vnto And further to teach by this washing that his ministration was to purge and wash away the â—ilth of sinne which is done by the shedding of his bloud for the bloud of Christ sprinkled into our hearts by the worde of his Gospel and receiued by sayth cleanseth vs from all sinne Tindale ¶ He that is washed néedeth not saue to wash his feete ¶ Whosoeuer is washed that is to saye whosoeuer beleeueth in the bloud of Christ which doth wash away all our sinnes hée is cleane but yet he hath néede to wash his féet that is to say hée hath néed with continuall watch to came his carnal affections and fleshly concupiscenses dayly with a true repentant heart flieng vnto the Lord for mercye and pardon of his sinnes Héere they be confounded that affirme vs to be without sinne after we be regenerate Sir I. Cheeke Saue to wash his feete ¶ That is to be continually purged of his corrupt affections worldly cares which remain dayly in vs. Geneua VVAST SEA How Babylon is compared to the wast sea ¶ Looke Babylon VVATCH What it is to watch WAtch is not onely to absteine from sleepe but also to be circumspect and to cast all perills as a man should watch a Towre or Castle we must remember that the snares of the diuell are infinite and innumerable and that euerye moment arise new temptations and that in all places méete vs fresh occasions against which we must prepare our selues and turne to God and complaine to him and make our moue desireâ— him of his mercy to be our shield our towre our castle defence from all euill to put his strength in vs for with out him we can do nothing and aboue all thing we must call to minde what promises God hath made and what he hath sworne that he will doe to vs for Christs sake and with strong faith cleaue vnto them and desire him of his mercie and for the loue hée hath to Christ and for his truths sake to fulfill his promises If
to Bethel and transgresse to Gilgal c. ¶ He speaketh this in contempt of them which resorted to these places thinking that their great deuotion and good intention had bene sufficient to haue bound God vnto them Geneua But séeke not Bethel nor enter into Gilgal c. ¶ In these places they worshipped new Idols of which afore time serued for the true honour of God therefore he saith that these shall not saue them Geneua Reade Ieromie 48. 13. BETHLEEM How Bethleem was made famous by the birth of Christ. AND thou Bethleem in the land of Iuda art not the least ¶ Though thou meaning Bethleem be a small towne yet shalt thou be verie famous and noble through the birth of the Messias who shall be borne in thée Beza ¶ Understand because Christ was borne there Bethleem betokeneth the Christentie which in the eies of the world is little and vile but in the eies of God is great precious Tindale And thou Bethleem Epâ—rathah art little to be among the thousands of Iuda ¶ For so the Jewes diuided their countrie that for euerie thousand there was a chiefe Captaine And because that Bethleem was not able to make a thousand he calleth it little But yet God will raise vp his Captaine and gouernour therein And thus it is not the least by reason of this benefite Geneua BETHPHAGE What manner of village it was AND were come to Bethphage ¶ Bethphage was a little village at the bottome or foote of the mount Oliuete which was néere to the citie of Hierusalem béeing distant from the same not aboue two miles as we maie read in the first Chapter of the Actesâ— Marl. vpon Math. fol. 458. BETHSEDA What this word signifieth BEthseda or as some writeth Bethesda is as much to say as a spittle or an hospital whereas poore folks hath their being which place was by a poole where the Shéepe that were offered in the temple were kept And the sicke remained there looking for the mouing of the water T. ¶ If signifieth the house of powring out because the water ranne outby conduits Geneua ¶ Of this name there are diuerse interpretations and diuerse translations also for according to the Hebrue word it is sometime called Betzaida sometime Bethesda and other while Betheder wherevpon some interpret this word to signifie the house belonging to the flocke and other some the place of fishing But their opinion is more probable which expound the same to the place of effusion For so much doth the Hebrue word Eshed sound but the Euangelist hath pronounced the two last silables thus Esda as Beth-esda according to the Chaldes tongue which at that time was much vsed It is verie likelie that the water was brought to this place by conduct pipes Also this place or poole was called in latin Probatica piscma that is to saie the pond where the Priests did wash the shéep that shold be sacrificed for the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or probation signifieth a Shéepe Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 145. BETRAIENG What it is to betraie TO Betraie seemeth in Latine to signifie thrée thinges namelie to bewraie to deceiue and deliuer vp Proditio therefore is an action whereby by guile bewraieng or deliuering vp our neighbour or their goods are hurt and that especiallie of those which ought rather to defend the same Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 37. BIBLE In whose daies it was translated into our vulgar tongue SAint Bede saith that one Cedman an English Poet translated the booke of Genesis and Exodus with diuerse other stories of the Bible into English Rime Likewise king Adelstone about a nine hundred years past caused the whole â— Bible to be translated into English S. Iohn Treuisa saith that Bede himselfe turned Saint Iohns Gospell into English Also hée saith that Alâ—red caused the Psalter to hée tourned into English Therefore it is vntruely said that this I le hath continued thirtéene hundred yeares without hauing the Scripture in English Iohn Treuisa li. 5. Chap. 24. and li. 6. Chap. 1 ¶ Theodoretus writeth thus Ye maie commonlie sée saith he that not onelie the teacher of the people and rulers of the Churches but also Taylers Smiths and Clothworkers and other artificers do vnderstand the principles of our religion And further yâ— not onlie learned women if there be anie such but also such women as liue by their labour sewsters and maid seruants but also husbandmen and dichers heard men and graffers can reason of the holie Trinitie and of the creation of the world and of the nature of mankinde a great deale more skilfuller then either Plato or Aristotle were euer able to doe ¶ In Policronicon it is shewed how when the Saxons did inhabite the land the king at that time which was a Saxon did himselfe translate the Psalter into the language that then was generallie vsed Yea I haue séene a booke at Crowland Abbeie which is kept there for a relique The booke is called Saint Cuthlakes Psalter and I wene verilie it is a copie of the same that the king did translate for it is neither English Latine Gréekâ— Hebrue nor Dutch but somewhat soundie to our English And as I haue perceiued sith the time I was last there béeing at Antwarpe the Saxon tongue doth sound likewise after ours and it is to ours partlie agréeable Lambert in the booke of Mar. fol. 1273. BILNEY Of the comfort he had of his friends and they of him the night before he died THe Fridaie at night which was before the daie of his execution béeing Saint Magnus daie and Saterdaie Bilney had diuerse of his friends resorting vnto him into the guilde hall where he was kept Among whom one of the said friends finding him eating of an Albrew with such a chéereful heart and quiet minde as he did said that he was glad to sée him at that time so shortlie before his heauie painfull departure so heartelie refresh himselfe Oh said he I followe the example of the husbandman of the countrie who hauing a ruinous house to dwell in will yet bestow cost as long as they maie hold it vp so doe I now with this ruinous house of my bodie and with Gods creatures in thankes to him refresh the same as ye sée Then sitting with his said friendes in godlie talke to their edification some put him in mind that though the fire which he should suffer the next daie should be of great heate vnto his bodie yet the comfort of Gods spirite shoulde coole it to his euerlasting refection At that word the said Thomas Bilney putting his hand toward the flame of the candle burning before them as also he did diuers times beside séeling the heate thereof O sayd he I féele by experience haue known it long by philosophie the fire by Gods ordinance is made naturally hot But yet I am perswaded by Gods holie word and by the experience of some
a great feare vpon those that sawe them ¶ That is to saie when the enimies of the truth sawe they auailed nothing by putting the Preachers of the word to death they were sore afraid like as at this daie manie of the persecuters of the Gospell are constrained to saie that they loose their labour vtterlie in persecuting those that be against the Popish doctrine For the moe of them that be burned and put to death the mo do come away from the vntoward doctrine to the doctrine of the Gospel for the bloud of Martirs is the séed of the church◠Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 159. BODIE What a naturall bodie is A Naturall bodie is he that is led by his affections not vnderstanding the things of the spirit of God Tindale What a spirituall bodie is A spirituall bodie is he that is led by the spirit of God How the bodie of Christ is in one place Dardamus did write vnto Saint Austen for the exposition of these words that Christ spake vnto the Thiefe saieng This daie shalt thou be with me in Paradise and wist not how to vnderstand it whether Christ meant that the Thiefe should be in Paradise with Christs soule or with his bodie or with his Godhead Therevpon Saint Austen writeth that as touching Christs bodie that daie it was in the Sepulcher saith it was not in Paradise although it was in a garden that he was buried for Christ he saith meant of a place of ioie and that was not saith S. Augustine in his Sepulcher And as for Christs soule it was that daie in hell and no man will saie that Paradise is there wherefore saith S. Austen the text must néedes be vnderstood that Christ spake it of his Godhead ¶ Héere S. Austen saith plainlie that Christs bodie as touching his manhood was in the graue and as touching his Soule it was in Hell so that while his bodie was in the graue it was not in Paradise For if he had thought that Christs bodie or soule might haue bene in diuers places at once he would not haue said that the text must néedes be vnderstood of his Diuinitie Againe As touching his Manhoode he was in Earth and not in Heauen where he now is when he said No man ascendeth into Heauen but he that descended from Heauen the Sonne of man which is in Heauen ¶ Doubt not saith Austen againe but that Christ our Lord the onelie begotten sonne of God equall with the Father and the same being the sonne of man wherein the Father is greater is whole present in all places as touching his Godhead and dwelleth in the same Temple of God as God and in some place of heauen for the cordicion of his verie bodie Héere S. Austen saith as touching his Manhood he is onelie in one certaine place in heauen and not in manie places at once ¶ The same one man is locall that is to saie contained in one place as touching his manhood which is also God vnmeasurable from the father The same one man as touching the substaunce of his manhood was absent from heauen when he was in earth and so forsaking the earth when he ascended into Heauen but as touching his Godhead vnmeasurable substance he neither forsooke heauen when he descended from heauen nor forsooke the earth when he ascended into heauen which maie be knowen by the most sure word of the Lord which to shew his humanitie to be locall that is to say conteined in one place onelie did say vnto his Disciples I ascend vnto my father your father my God and your God Of Lazarus also when he said I am glad for your sakes that you may beléeue for that I was not there And againe shewing the vnmeasurablenesse of his Godhead said vnto his Disciples I am with you vnto the worlds ende How did he ascend into heauen but because hée is locall and a verie man or how is he present vnto his faithfull but because he is vnmeasurable and verie God ¶ Now may Christ be called a straunger is he departed into a strange countrey séeing he is with vs vnto the worlds end and is among them that be gathered in his name Aunswere Christ is both God and man hauing in him two natures And as man he is not with vs vnto the worlds ende nor is present with his faithfull gathered together in his name But his diuine power spirit is euer with vs. Paule saith he was absent from the Corinthiaris in bodie but he was present with them in spirit So is Christ gone hence saith he and absent in his humanitie which in his diuine nature is euerie where and in these saiengs we reserue to both his natures their properties ¶ A bodie must néedes bée in some place if it be not within the compasse of a place it is no where if it be no where it is not ¶ Doubt not but Iesus Christ as concerning the nature of his manhood is now there from whence he shall come And we may not thinke that his mans nature is euerie where for we must beware that we doe not so stablish his diuinitie to take awaie the vertue of his bodie ¶ Christian people must beléeue that although Christ be absent from vs concerning his bodie yet by his power he gouerneth vs all things For like as when he was conuersant héere in earth as man yet then he filled heauen Euen so being in heauen with his flesh yet filleth the Earth and is in them that loue him ¶ S. Ambrose saith We must not séeke Christ vpon earth nor in earth but in heauen where he sitteth at the right hande of his Father ¶ To goe to his father from vs was to take from the world the nature which he receiued of vs. He is with vs and not with vs. For touching the forme of a seruaunt which he tooke away from vs into heauen he is absent frōm vs but by y◠forme of God he is present with vs. And neuerthelesse both present absent he is all one Christ. ¶ If the word flesh wer both of one nature séeing that the word is euerie where why is not the flesh then euerie where For when it was in Earth then verelie it was not in heauen And when it is in heauen it is not surelie in earth And so sure that it is not in earth that we looke for him to come from heauen ¶ To be conteined in a place and to be euerie where be diuers and contrarie one nature cannot receiue in it selfe two diuers and contrarie things ¶ He is created by nature of his flesh and not created by the nature of his Godhead He is comprehended in a place by the nature of his flesh and not comprehended in a place by the nature of his Godhead ¶ Thus much of this matter gathered out of the workes of I. Frith BOOKE What the booke of life is ANd
they which haue bene greate and gréeuous sinners then they beginne to singe the swéete song of the Signet then they crie confesse openly their sinnes their naughtie doings their malice against their innocent brother They are not ashamed of anie thing that maie saue their soules and turne to the glorie of God The second confession is made but seldome the moreâ— is the pitie but ought to be made vnto man and that verie oft euen so oft as one christen man offendeth an other but vnderstand ye of the offence giuen and not taken For of them that be offended without a cause they must be made at one againe without amends And as Christ said to the Pharesies Sinite illos quia ceci sunt duces cecorum If the offender bee gréeued with the preacher or with the magistrate neither the preacher nor the magistrate in that case is bound to reconcile or confesse himselfe to his brother whome he hath offended with true seruing of God and so in such like But in all other cases where we hurt our brother by our déed or word we must harken to obeie the voice of Christ Sâ—fâ—ater tuus aliqui aduersus te c. In all such cases wée must followe the counsell of S. Iames Confitemini alter alterum peccata vestra orate pro inuicem vt saluemini Confesse reconcile your selues one to another and doe praie one for an other that ye maie be saued Both these kinds of confession made vnto man whether it bée the open confession or secrete confession betwixt neighbour and neighbour bée verie godlye wholesome and proâ—able The third conditionâ— which commonlie is called Auricular confession after the opinion of that great learned Lawier Gracianus by whose studie the booke of the Canon lawe called the Decrées was madeâ— a man that liued about a 400â— yeares a goe was deuised and ordeined by godlie Bishoppes to make the people the more afraide and ashamed of their sinnes The deuise was good and godlie Neuerthelesse this constitution and ordinaunce was neuer begunne nor receiued in the vniuersall Church but onelie in this our Occidentall Church The Gréekes and Orientall Church were euer frée from this secret confession wherefore wée must néedes graunt that this confession was without Gods owne making from the beginning but onely deuised by good Fathers and godly Bishoppes for to bring the laye and vnlearned people to the more feare of GOD and knowledge of their duetie vnto him and to their neighbour And for the better performaunce of this their purpose they ordeined that hée that shoulde heare anie mans confession shoulde haue these foure properties First to bée a man of honest and godlye conuersation Second a secrete kéeper no babler nor talker Thirdly a wise discrete man and fourthlye a man learned in Gods lawes This was wonderfully godlie begunne and prospered well and did much good Till it chaâ—mced at the Citie of Constantinople in the dayes of a Bishoppe called Nectarius the next Bishoppe there before Saint Iohnâ— Chrisostome that a certeine noble woman of bloude and faire of skinne and bone which had beene there in the Church of Constantinople commaunded by the Priest that had heard her confession to resort dailie to the Church for a certeine space there to watch in fasting and praier This Priest intended well he thought that such an enteraâ—ce and beginning of a new life should haue done that lady good which by subtiltie of the diuell wickednesse of man turned cleane contrarie as thus A certeine Deacon of that church fell in familiaritie with that woman more then godlinesse honestie required To be short he laie with her did stuprate her The matter was tried and confessed where vppon a great outcrie wondâ—â—ment was made against the Deacons Priests of Constantinopleâ— insomuch Nectarius the Bishop deposed the Deacon from ministrie for a quieting of the people and stopping of their months commaunded confession to bée frée and at euerie mans libertie whether he would be confessed or no. Thus for a while confession was left till within processe of few yeares carnall libertie and licentious liuing had so much ouer whelmed the worlde that the Fathers of the Occidentall Church for the greate loue they did beare vnto the people thought themselues bounde to restore confession againe but without anie scrupulus burden of impossible enumeration of sinnes without the opinion of dampnation to hang ouer their heads which had not bene confessed but tooke and vsed it as a meane to giue good counsell vnto the ignorant people Thus it continued manie years in the Occidentall Church whereby the people were brought to great amendement of lyfe by the true searching of their consciences and againe to greate knowledge of God through the godlye counsell that was then giuen them by the learned Fathers and godlie Counsellers manie men that were robbed and wronged by that meanes had their goods and good name restored to them againe All this was done so long as the olde Canon was obserued that is no man to heare confession except he had the foure properties aforesaid so long this discipline was had in great estimation and did much good But after that wicked Rome with dispensations had in the stéed of learning nourished ignoraunce for diligence slouth and idlenesse for wisdome and wise counsailers lowtish lobbes and ignoraunt dawes In stéede of good counsaile and amendement of lyfe had clogged the consciences of men with enumeration of sins with manie moe like inconueniences almightie God the louer of truth the spouse of his Church hath stirred vppe in euerie Realme learned men to inueigh against these abuses So that now we are left frée againe euerie man to confesse or not to confesse as shall séeme to him good and most for his owne comfort Thus ye sée what beginning this secret or auricular confession had what increase at the last what decrease againe Ric. Turnâ—r Sozomenus reporteth that this constitution of Bishops was diligentlie kept in the west Churches but speciallie at Rome Whereby he sheweth that it was no vniuersall ordinaunce of all Churches But he saith that there was one of the Priestes peculiarlie appointed to serue for this office Whereby he doth sufficientlie confute that which these men doe falsely say of the keies giueÌ„ for this vse vniuersallie to the whole order of Priesthoode For it was not the common office of all Priests but the speciall dutie of some one that was chosen thervnto by the Bishop The same is he whom at this daie in all Cathedrall churches they call Penitentiari the examiner of hainous offences and such whereof the punishment perteineth to good example Then hée saith immediatlie after yâ— this was also the manner at Constantinople till a certeine woman faining yâ— shée came to confession was found so to haue couloured vnder that pretence the vnhonest companie that shée vsed with a certeine Deacon For this act Nectarius a man notable in
swoord from shedding of bloud ¶ The Hebrues exround this of the Chalâ—ees that they should haste to destroie the whole kingdome of the Moabites as though the text should meane thus much Cursed bée hee that negligently performeth the vengeance of the Lord that spareth these most wicked Moabites and that with-holdeth his swoord from shedding of their bloud T. M. ¶ Hee sheweth that God would punish the Chaldeans if they did not destroie the Aegyptians and that with a courage and calleth this executing of his vengeaunce against his enimies his worke though the Chaldeans sought an other end Geneua What Gods curse is ¶ Looke God CVSTOME A definition of custome CUstome saith Ostiensis is an vse agréeing with reason allowed by the common institution of them that vse it whose beginning is time out of minde or which is by a iust time prescribed and confirmed so that it is by no contrarie act interrupted but allowed with contradictorie iudgement This is as he thinketh a full definition But in that hee saith that that vse ought to bée agréeing with reason it is not sufficient But first it is to be said that it ought to agrée with the word of God for that is to be counted for the chiefe reason Afterward it must be allowed by the institution of the people and of whose beginning there is no mention or that it is prescribed by a iust time and appointed by the laws neither is interrupted by anie contrarie action For if a Iudge or Prince shall giue iudgement against it the custome is broken As it also happeneth in prescription is cast out of his possession or the matter is called into lawe the matter is in plead the prescriptioÌ„ is broken Also the allowing of the contradictorie iudgement ought to be had that is wheÌ„ one part alleadgeth the custome and an other part denieth it If it be pronounced on the custome side that doth confirme it But all these things as I haue before saide must be reckoned vnto the rule of Gods word Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 190. Of vicious customes and what difference is betweene a lawe and a custome In the countrie of Taurus there was a custome to kill straungers and guestes The Persians had a custome neuer to deliberate of waightie matters but in feastes and when they were dronke Among the Sauromates there was a custome that when they were drinking they solde their daughters These prescribe not when they are manifestly vicious and ill But that custome prescribeth which is neither against the worde of God nor the lawe of nature nor the common lawe For the right of custome commeth by the approbation and secret consent of the people Otherwise whie are we bounde vnto lawes But because they were made the people consenting and agréeing vnto them For this is the difference betwéene a custome and a lawe because in the one is a secrete assent but in the other an open assent Wherefore such customes cannot bée reckoned without daunger Aristotle in Polîticis admonisheth that men which haue learned to doe sinister things ought not to bée compelled to doe thinges dextere Wherefore in thinges indifferent and of no great value custome is to be retained It is an olde Prouerbe Lawe and Countrie for euerie region hath certeine customes of their owne which cannot easilie bée chaunged But it is sayd when they are against the word of God or against nature or the common lawe they are not prescribe For then are they not onelie customes but beastlie cruelties Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 189. How custome must yeeld to the word of God and to truth It is chieflie to be considered howe the Apostle layeth the Oracle of God against an olde receiued custome We are taught by this example that such is the authoritie of Gods worde that vnto it all thinges which were instituted of men of a godlie zeale and holye intent ought to giue place as soone as they séeme anie waies to make against the will of God Therefore their obstinacie is verie péeuish and pernicious that goe about to reteine these Ceremonies in the church which it appeareth haue béene deuised by foolish men for the confirmation of superstition and are verie derogatorie to the merites of Christ. They thinke it a daungerous matter to alter or chaunge anie thing But it is much more daungerous to sticke to the obseruation of olde errours with the losse of saluation And wée ought to remember that the obedience of faith is the ende of true christianitie which requireth of vs to denie our selues and to resigne and yeelde vp all our thoughts and iudgementes vnto the will and power of God Gualter vpon the words of Saint Peter to Cornelius men vz. But God hath shewed me that I should not call anie thing common or vncleane c. After the truth is once found out let custome giue place vnto the truth let no man set custome before the truth and reason for reason and truth putte euermore custome to silence If you laye custome for your selfe ye must remember that Christ sayth I am the waie the truth and the life he saith not I am custome and doubtlesse anie custome bée it neuer so auncient neuer so common yet must it néedes yéelde vnto truth If onelie Christ must be heard we maie not weigh what anie man hath thought good to doe that hath bene before vs but what Christ hath first done which is before all for wée maie not followe the custome of man but the truth of God Speciallie for that God saith by the Prophet Esaie they worshippe me in vaine teaching the commaundements and doctrines of men CVSTOMES What customes are CUstomes are these which are paide of Merchaundises and of those things which are either carried out or brought in Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 263. CVT OF What is meant by this cutting of And will cut him of ¶ To wit from the rest or will cutte him into two parts which was a most cruell kinde of punishment Wherewith as lustine Martir witnesseth Esay the Prophet was executed by the Iewes The like kinde of punishment we reade of 1. Reg. 15. 33. and Dani. 3. 29. Beza DAIE How the daies were first called and after chaunged â— The Iewes did call the whole wéeke Sabbatum As we reade in the Gospell where the Pharesie boasted himselfe of his fasting saieng Ieiuno bis in Sabbato I fast twice euerie wéeke And like as the Iewes did call the whole wéeke Sabbatum so did they call the feast and the chiefe daie of the wéeke Sabbatum the Sabboth daie And the next daie they called Prima Sabbati As we maie perceiue by the wordes of the Euangelist Saint Mathewe saieng Vespere autem sabbati quae lucessit in prima sabbati venit Maria Magdalena altera Maria videre sepnlchrum Upon the Sabboth daie at night which dawneth vpon the first of the sabbots came Marie Magdalene and an other Marie to behold the Sepulchre and that same daie that
Saint Mathew calleth Prima Sabbati Saint Marke in the 16. Chapter doth call it Vna Sabbati saieng Cum transisâ—et Sabbatum Maria Magdalena Maria Iacobi Salomi emeruÌ„t aromati vt venientes vngerent Iesum valde mane vna Sabbatorum veniunt ad monumentem orto iam sole These places doe proue that the Iewes did vse to call the first of the wéeke Prima Sabbati and the second daie Secunda Sabbati the third Tercia Sabbati the fourth Quarta Sabbati the fift Quinta Sabbati And the sixt which we call Fridaie they did call Sexta Sabbati vell dies parascenes the daie of preparation to the Sabboth The Gentiles following the Hebrues in the number of daies concerning the wéeke they did yet chaunge the names of the daies according to the names of their Gods which they did wéekelie worship Primum dicabant sole secundum lunae The first daie in the honour of the Sunne which they did count the giuer of light they did call Dies soli Sundaie The second in yâ— honour of the Moone which they did count the giuer of the bodie they did call Dies lunae Mundaie The third daie in the honour of Mars whome they did worshippe as the giuer of lustie courage they did call Dies Marti Tuesdaie The fourth day in the honour of Mercurie to whome they did ascribe the gift of wisdome and eloquence they did cal Dies Mercurij Wednesdaie The fift daie in the honour of Iupiter to whome they did ascribe the gift of temperaunce sobernesse and discreation they did call it Dies louis Thursdaie The sixt daie in the honour of Venus the Goddesse of loue they did call Dies Veneris Fridaie The seauenth daie in the honour of God Saturne the promoter of men to lumpish lowring and heauie dulnesse they called it Dies Saturni 〈…〉 Now Siluester Bishoppe of Rome about a 300. yeares after the ascention of Christ made manie lawes and decrees ecclesiasticall of the which this was one that the daies of the wéeke should loose their olde name The day which before was called Dies Solis shuld now be called Dies Dominicus Mundaie he called Feria secunda Tusedaie Feria tertia Wednesdaie Feria quarta Thursdaie Feria quinta And Fridaie Feria sexta The name of Saterdaie he reteined stil onely altering the feast into Sundaie ¶ This word Feriae is alwaies vsed in the plurall number and neuer in the singuler number as Siluester did abuse it Hae Feriaâ— arum in latine be properly called all daies of rest which we call holidaies Ric. Turnar ¶ Fabian and other Chronicles tell that when the Saxons inuaded the realme and ther were 7. kings ruling héere at once they brought with them two Idols the one called Wed the other Fria Or els as other write it was a noble Captaine and his wife which for their worthinesse were made Gods and when they had ouercome the English men they made two daies in the wéeke to be called Wednesdaie and Fridaie by the names of their false Gods or Captaines and so to bée worshipped which names be kept still What is meant by the daie heere in this place For the daie shall declare it and it shall bée shewed in fire ¶ Daie héere signifieth the time when God bringeth to light things that is hid By fire vnderstand exquisite and perfect true iudgement the which when it hath opened the fault and errour affliction of forethinking and repenting doth followe Saint Paule intreateth héere of preachers that succéeded him when he was departed from the Corinthians He had laied a good foundation let other take héed saith hée what they build thereon If they build things worthie for Christ their works wil remaine and abide euen when it is séene in the light which thing he signifieth when he saith the daie shall declare it but if they bring in Iewish fashions they shall happelie deceiue for a time but at length their deceit shall be opened as soone as it is begunne to be examined with true and sincere iudgement which is signified by this word fire Thus doth Erasmus expound this place in his Annotations vppon these wordes Haie and Stubble Prouing also by the authoritie of Ambrose 〈…〉 and other olde authours that it maketh nothing for Purgatorie though manie haue wrongfullie laboured to wrest it to that purpose Tindale◠¶ The daie c. ¶ Or the time which is when the light of the truth shall expell the darknesse of ignoraunce then the curious ostentation of mans wisdome shal be brought to naught Geneua How good daies are to be esteemed Saie not thou what is the cause that the daies in the olde time were better then they bée now for that were no wise question ¶ Good daies are not to be estéemed by prosperitie but by vertue and true religion as the daies of Christ are better then the daies of Moses The Bible note Whie it was called the daie of sweete bread In the first daie of swéete bread ¶ They were called the daies of swéete bread because that by the space of seauen daies no leauened bread was vsed among the Iewes where they kept their Easter Exo. 12. 15 Sir I. Cheeke This was the fourtéenth daie of the first moneth and the first daie of vnleauened bread should haue bene the fifteenth but because this daies euening which after the manner of the Romanes was referred to the daie before did belong to the Iewes manner to the daie following therfore it is called the first daie of vnleauened bread Beza What is meant by the daie of Madian As the daie of Madian ¶ By the daie of Madian is meant the daie wherein Gedeon with thrée hundred men fiue an innumerable multitude of yâ— Madianâ—â—s as ye read Iudic. 7. thâ—â— fought the Lord for him and deliuered the people from borâ—dage Euen so hath he now deliuered vs from the captiuitie of the diuell death and hell by Christ. T. M. ¶ Thou gauest them perfect 〈…〉 by deliuering the 〈…〉 that had kept them in cruell bondage as thou diddest deliuer them by Godeon from the Madianites Geneua Of the daie of dome called the last daie I saith Saintâ— Austem for the 〈…〉 of mine vnderstanding doe testifie and declare that neither the daie nor the moneth nor yet the yeare of the comming of the Lord can bée knowne Augustin his 79. Epist. Againe we doe in vaine trouble and foâ—ie our selues to reâ—ken and define how manie yeares there 〈…〉 of the worlde Augustin the 〈…〉 As for wée saith Saint Austenâ— I dare hot verilie number and count the time of the Lords 〈…〉 that is looked for in the end And a little after in the same Epistle hoe saith To recken therefore the times that we maie knowe when the ende of the world or the comming of the Lord shall bée séemeth to me none other thiâ— thâ—n to goe aboâ—â—t to knowe that that hée himselfe saith that no man
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
of tongue in suppressing of anger in cutting off concupiscence back biting lieâ—g and periurie c. True fasting is a religious worke ordeined to testifie our humlitie and to make the flesh make obedient vnto the spirite that we maiâ— be the quickeâ— to praie 〈…〉 to all good workes Iewel fol. 15. ¶ Looke Abstinence ¶ The true vse of fasting which is spoken of in holie Scripture is the taming and subduing of the flesh thereby either to be the better disposed 〈…〉 â—ditation and to those praiers which thou offereâ—â— to God or els for aâ—estimonie of humblenesse at such time as thou confessest thy faults before God himselfe F. N. B. the Italian ¶ Fasting is to abstaine from surfetting or ouermuch eating from dronkennesse and care of this world as thou maist read Luke 21. 34. And the â—nâ—e of fasting is to tame the bodie that the spirite maie haue a frée course to God maie quietlie talke with God For ouermuch eating and drinking care of worldlie businesse presse downe the spirit choke hir tangle hir that she cannot lift vp hir selfe to God now he that fasteth for anie other intent then to subdue the bodie that the spirite maie wait on God and freelie exercise hir selfe in the things of God the same is blinde woteth not what he doth erreth shooteth at a wrong marke his intent and imagination is abhominable in the sight of God When thou fastest from meate drinke all daie is that a christian fast either to eate at one meale that were sufficient for foure A man at foure times maie beare that that he cannot do at once Some fast from meate and drinke yet so tangle themselues in worldlie busines yâ— they cannot once thinke on God Some abstaine from butter some from egges some from all manner of white meate some this daie some that daie some in the honour of this saint some of that euery man for a sundrie purpose Some for the tooth-ach some for yâ— head-ach for feuers pestilence for sodaine death for hanging drowning to be deliuered from the paines of hell Some are so mad that they fast one of the Thursoaies betwéen the two S. Maries daies in the worship of that Saint whose daie is hallowed betwéeneâ— Christmas and Candelmas All these men fast without conscience God without knowledge of the true intent of fasting do none othâ—â—â—â—â—onour Saints as the Gentiles and Heathen worshipped their Idolls are drowned in blindnes know not of the Testament that God hath made to man-ward in Christs bloud In God haue they neither hope nor confideÌ„ce neither beleeue his promises neither know his will but are yet in captiuitie vnder the Prince of darknesse Tindale fol. 80 ¶ Fasting standeth not in eating and drinking onelie and much lesse in flesh alone but in abstinence of all that mooueth the flesh against the spirit as long sléeping idlenesse and filthie communication and all worldlie talking as of couetousnesse promotion and such like and wanton companie and softe cloathes and soft beddes and so foorth Which are that right hande and right eie that must be cutte off and plucked out that the whole man perish not Obiection Some man will saie séeing fasting is to withdrawe all pleasures from the bodie and to punish the flesh then God delighteth in our paines taking Aunswere God delighteth in true obedience and in all that wée doe at his commaundement and for the intent he commaunded it for If thou loue and pitie thy neighbour and help him thine almes is acceptaple If thou doe it of vaine glorie to haue the praise that belongeth to God or for a greater profite onelie or to make satisfaction for thy sinnes past and to dishonour Christs bloud which had made it alreadie then is thine almes abhominable If thy praier be thankes in heart or calling to God for helpe with trust in him according to his promise then thy praier pleseth If thou beleeue in Christs bloud for the remission of sins and hencefoorth hate sinne that thou punishest thy bodie to slaie the lusts and to keepe them vnder that thou sinne not againe then it pleaseth God exceedinglie But and if thou thinke that God delighteth in thy worke for the worke it selfe the true intent awaie and in thy paine for the paine it selfe thou art as far our of the waie as from heauen to the earth If thou wouldest kill thy bodie or when it is tame enough punish it farther that thou wert not able to serue God and thy neighbour according to the roome and estate that thouâ—aâ—â— in thy Sacrifice were cleane without falt altogether vnsauerie in the taâ—â—e of God and thou mad and out of thy wit But and if thou trust in thy worke thou art then abhominable Tindale fol. 229. How it is not appointed in Scripture vpon what daâ—es we ought to fast Saint Austeniâ—â—â—th Quibus die bus oporteâ—t ioiunare c. Upon what daies we ought not to fast and vpon what daie we ought to fast I finde it not appointed by anie commaundement either of our Lord or of the Apostles Iewel fol. 197. Who first prescribed laâ—ves of fasting Eusebius in his 5. booke and. 16. chapter saith that Montanus the Heretike was the first that prescribed lawes of fasting How the Maniches fast and the Papists were much alike The Maniches of whom S. Austen testifieth vnder the colour of abstinence refrained from anie liuing thing from drinking of wine yet did they 〈…〉 pamper themselues with delicate fruites and spices with drinke made of the â—uice of Dates which fast was much like to our Papists fast How Fasting is of three sorts Fasting is an outward for bearing of meate and drinke for a time whereby the bodie is kept lewe and as it were mortified And it is of thrée sorts indifferent godlie and vngodlie The indifferent Fast is when a man abststaineth either for pouertie or for health sake c. The godlie fast is not onelie an abstinence from meate and drinke but also from all other things that may delight or prouoke the flesh to sinne The vngodlie Fast is an abstinence from certaine kinde of meates which of it selfe is thought to be a worshipping of God and a thing acceptable to God for the workes sake and therefore also meritorious c. And this hypocriticall Fast is it that the Prophet doth condemne Hemmyng The manner of Fasting in the olde time I caused a Fast to be proclaimed c. Fasting as the Scripture maketh mention haue bene common humiliations and supplications done before God either for some great tribulation suffered or comming at hand or for a singular repentaunce and earnest fore-thinking of their sinnes as it is written 1. Reg. 7. 6. and. 31. 13. 2. Esd. 1. 4. ¶ When Iehoakim King of Iuda heard that the King of Babilons armie was comming to besiege Hierusalem he appointed a solemne and publike fast for all the people commanding them to resort
the tyrant Antiochus Read the 2. chapter of the second booke of Machabees Notwithstanding there are some which referre this daie of dedication to that first daie when the people returned from Babilon of which mention is made in the sixt Chapter of the first booke of Esdras Reade Iosephus in his 22. booke and 14. chapter But it maketh no great matter of which dedication or renouation you saye that this was the seast daie whether of the first or of the last Marl. vpon Iohn fo 381. Feast of pasâ—e-ouer wherefore it was instituted The feast of pase ouer◠〈…〉 〈…〉 was instituted in the 〈…〉 from their bondage in 〈…〉 Feast of Penticost wherefore it was instituted The feast of Penticost was in remembraunce of the lawe that was giuen 〈…〉 ount 〈…〉 Of the feast of Tabernacles The feast of tabernacles was 〈…〉 of the dwelling of the Israelites fortie yeares in tents Hemmyng The Iewes feast of tabernacles was at hand ¶ Ey this feast of tabernacles we are aâ—monished yâ— we are but pilgrimes straungers as long as we liue in this naturall bodie that we haue no permanent citie heere therfore ought we earnestlie to desire that we maie enter into the lande of promission which is the land of the liuing Of this feast read Leuit. 23. ver 34. Sir I. Cheeke ¶ At this feast they dwelled 7. daies in the tents which put them in remembrance that they had no citie heere permanent but that they must seeke one to come Geneua This feast of tabernacles or tents was so called because the children of Israel abode in their tents 7. daies for a remeÌ„brance that God made their fathers dwell in tents when he brought them out of the land of Aegypt This feast is celebrated from the fiâ—téenth daie of the seauenth moneth which we call October vnto the. 21. daie of the same As is to be séene in Leuiticus Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 242. Of the omitting of the feast of Tabernacles For since the time of Iosua yâ— sonne of Nun vnto this daie had not the children of Israel done so c. ¶ The mening is not yâ— the feast of tabernacles was not celebrated from yâ— time of Iosua the son of Nun vnto that daye which was almost a thousand yeares but yâ— it was not celebrated in that manner yâ— is with such solemnitie so great 〈…〉 gladnes as the vâ—rie words themselues declare both in the Hebrue text in the best translations And so doth 〈…〉 expound that place who saith yâ— those words since the time of Iosua the sonne of Nun c. be spoken in the respect of greatnesse of the ioie which there happened vnto the peopleâ— Lyra also expoundâ—th the same place much after the same sort and presupposeth nothing lesse then that the feast were omitted all this time for he affirmeth yâ— they were much more solempnlie with greater cost celebrated in the time of Dauid Salomon Therefore saith he the comparison is Secundum quid propertionaliter For I vse his words because in all this time sithence Iosua it is not read yâ— the people wer so gathered together in Hierusalem as we read in the beginning of this chapter that they were at this time And againe he saith yâ— it was more for the people newlie returned from captiuitie to celebrate such a feast with that solempnitie then it was to mightie kings and people béeing in prosperitie and setteled in a kingdome to celebrate the same daie with much more cost and solempnitie D. Whitgaâ—t fo 9. FESTVS How he ascribed madnesse to Saint Paule FEstus said with a loude voice Paule thou art beside thy selfe much learning hath made thee mad ¶ Festus béeing much troubled with Paules declaration and hauing nothing to saye against it yet wold not yeeld vnto it but â—â—amorouslie condemned it as wicked superstitious For worldlings are loth to be combred with godlie matters and count all such as foolish that trouble themselues therewith The Bible note FEET OF GOD. ¶ Looke Foot FIRE How euerie mans worke is tried by the fire IN the fire it shall be shewed ¶ If anie mans worke that he hath builded doe abide this fire yâ— is if the word yâ— a man hath preached doe abide all assalts temptations it is a token that they are surelie grounded on the Scripture of God then shall the preacher receiue his reward If anie mans worke be burnt that is the preachers word will not abide the triall and light but vanish away then it is a token that they are not wel grounded on Scripture and so shall he suffer hurt for it shal be a great crosse and vexation to the preacher that he hath béene so deceiued himselfe and also hath lead other into his errour Notwithstanding he shall be saued because of his faith in the foundation which is Christ and his ignoraunce shall bee pardonedâ— sith heeâ—erred not of a malitious purpose but of a good zeale But yet shall it bée as it were a fire vnto him for it shall gréeue his heart to sée that he had laboured â—n vaine and that hée must destroie the same which he before through ignoraunce preached This is the processe and pure vnderstanding of the text I. Frith fo 44. ¶ By fire Saint Paule doth vnderstand persecution and trouble By golde siluer and precious stones he vnderstandeth them that in the middest of persecution doe abide stedfastlie in the word By timber haie and stubble are meant such as in the time of persecution doe fall awaie from the truth If they then which beléeue doe in the time of persecution stand stedfastlie in the truth the builder shall receiue a reward the worke shall be preserued and saued But if so be that they swarne goe backe when persecution ariseth he shall suffer losse that is to saie the builder shall loose his labour and cost But yet the builder I meane the preacher of the word shall be saued if he béeing tried by persecution doe abide fast in the faith Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The meaning of Saint Paule when he wrote this to the Corinthians was to aduise the ministers of the Gospell that wheÌ„ as he had laide Iesus Christ as the foundatioÌ„ of our health they should build nothing vpon it but onlie heauenly doctrine which is like to golde siluer precious stones For if anie man would build vpon it mans doctrine which is not grounded vppon the word of God but is like to timber haie and stubble euerie mans doctrine shall bee examined and tried by the fire that is the holie Ghost And that doctrine which is altogether agréeable to the foundation shall stand still And that doctrine which is not fullie agréeable and yet hath kept the foundation whole shall be consumed by the fire of the holie Ghost who worketh by his grace that such ministers as doth repent them of those errours which they haue committed in their doctrine vnagreeble vnto
his 〈…〉 mitie goodnesse wisdome and power Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 21. GLORIFIE What it is to glorifie God TO glorifie God is to attribute all glorie vnto him and to praise him with heart with mouth with confession and with behauiour Hemmyng How God is glorified in his sonne That the Father maie be glorified in the sonne ¶ The Father is glorified by the sonne when we knowledge and giue thankes that he gaue his sonne to vs to saue vs. Tindale GLOTTONIE What glottonie is NOt in glottonie ¶ By glottonie he meaneth feasts and bankets but not all kinde of feastes but as Ambrose sayth Prodigall feastes which are made either at the coâ—mon charge of euerie one of the guestes or which are made by courses by good fellowes and companions wherein men passe the boundes of all shame For euerie one of the guests thinketh that to be his feast And therefore he dareth both speake and doe whatsoeuer he thinketh good but hée which is bidden to an others table is commonlie brideled with some modestie and shamefastnesse not to presume to speake anie thing that is vncomelie And peraduenture Iob feared least the feast of his children were such manner of feasts and therefore he dailie sacrificed vnto God for them And what is wont to happen at such riotous feasts the head of Iohn Baptist declareth which was giuen to that wanton and dissolute maiden And howe greate the outragiousnesse of men was and especiallie of the elders amongest the Ethniks it maie héereby be knowne for that when they had well dronke they were wont hauing garlands on their heads and minstrels with them to go in banketting from place to place as wanton and young folke to speake and to doe what they lysted so that oftentimes they fell to vncleane acts and to contentions as Paule héere declareth Which thing the Poets haue cunninglie painted unto vs in the feasts of the Centaures and of the Lapothites Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 434. GNOSTICI What maâ—â—er of heretikes they were THey were heretikes which with swelling pride that they knew all thinges so termed themselues Some call them Barborites for their beastlie lyfe Some write that they bâ—dded out of the Nicolaites Some other that they sprong out of Carpoerates Epiphanius saith that the Valentinians called themselues Gnostici All women amonge them are common Their sacrifices were too too beastlie as Epiphanius writeth They abhorred fasting saieng it was of the Diuell they said Christ was not born of Marie but reuealed by Marie that he tooke no flesh indéede but according to appearaunce Epiphan haere 26. ¶ They would saith M. Eliote on good Fridaie aboute the Sunne sette assemble men and younge women together not sparing daughter nor sistter after nine moneths passed they met againe in the same place And then they pluked the children newlie borne from their mothers and cutting them in péeces and receiuing their bloud in pottes and cuppes they burned the bodies into Ashes which they did mixe with the bloud and preserued it to put in their meates and drinkes They also affirme that neither the lawe of nature nor lawes made by men were good nor that the vertues were nothing GOD. How there is no God but one THere is none other true and liuing GOD but he that is knowne in Iesus Christ for whosoeuer doth not acknowledge him in Iesus Christ knoweth him not at all All other Gods that men doe call Gods are no Gods all but onlie by the imagination of men And therefore it is that Paule did write to the Ephesians yâ— the Pagans were without Gods For albeit manie by name and by fancie yet notwithstanding they had none indéede séeing they were ignorant of the true God Pet. Viret How God is the sauiour of all men It is in Timothie how God is called the sauiour of all men and especiallie of the faithfull In which wordes this word Thotes that is sauiour is to be taken not as though God giueth to all men saluationâ— but as it signifieth that he preserueth and defendeth all men from manie euills which otherwise the Diuell practiseth against them For so greate is his rage against mankinde that if he were not restrained he would destroie all things he wold suffer no coÌ„monwealth nor church but would bring to naught both goods and all things whatsoeuer pertaine to mans life Wherefore in such sort is God the sauiour of all men in that he driueth awaie so great euils from all men But as touching eternall saluation that is to be vnderstoode of the elect onelie And therefore it is added and especiallie of the faithful For forasmuch as they are predstinate they aboue all other attaine vnto this benefit c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 307. Who they bee that are without God And were without God in this world ¶ They are without God which either beléeue not that there is a God or if they do beléeue yet doe they not beléeue to be such one as bée is And truelie as manie as are without the true liuing and eternall God it is well said that they are without God Sir I. Cheeke How God is Almightie Some doe thinke God to bée almightie because he can doe all things and then it should follow that he were not almightie For all things he cannot doe He cannot saue the vnfaythfull hée cannot restore virglnitie once violated saith Saint Thomas and also Hierome writing to Paule and Eustachinum He cannot sinne saith Dunce He cannot denie himselfe saith Saint Paule Now if these mens learning were allowed then might not God bee almightie because there is somewhat that he cannot doe But they that are accustomed with the Scripture doth knowe that he is called almightie not because hee can do all thinges but because ther is no superiour aboue him but yâ— he maie do all that hée will and all that his pleasure isto doe that may he bring to passe and no power is able to resist him But he hath no pleasure to make himselfe a lyar nor to make his Scripture false And yet notwithstanding he abideth almightie for he maie doe all things that he will I. Frith How God did forknowe the fall of Adam and yet was not the cause thereof A prudent Father doth foresée by some outward tokens that his sonne will one daie come to an euill ending Neither is he deceiued in his foresight for he is slaine béeing in adulterie But he is not slaine because his Father foresaw that he would be slaine but because he was an adulterer And therefore Saint Austen or whosoeuer it is that was the authour of the second booke De Gentium vocatione Chap. 4. speaking of the murther which Caine committed saith God verilâ—e did fore-knowe to what ende the furie of that madde man would come and yet because Gods foreknowledge could not be deceiued it doth not therevpon followe that necessitie of sinning did vrge the crime vpon him c. S. Austen de
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
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
seauenth daye hée rested and so shalt thou Saint Paule sayth he that laboureth not let him not eate And againe if any prouide not for his owne and specially for them of his householde the same hath denied the faith and is worse then an Infidell And so he commaundeth seruants to bée seruable vnto their maisters and to doe their worke truely behinde their backes as well as before their faces Now to declare yâ— true meaning of such scriptures as séemed to make for the Massalians S. Austen saith on this wise All such places of the Scriptures as seeme to commend continuall praieng are to be vnderstood of the learnedst the feruent perpetuall desire that we ought to haue to praye wherof we haue an example in that holy widowe named Anne the daughter of Phanuel Quae non discedebat de Templo ieiunijs ac deprecationibus â—eruiens nocte ac die In which wordes we must graunt the tropicall speach called Hiperbole For it cannot bée auoided but that this holy woman did eate drink and was sometime occupied about her necessarie businesse at home But because she was most commonly in the temple praieng therefore the Euangelist saith that shée was there night and daye So that the Saints do fulfill this Scripture praieng continually when they pray often and feruently to God And if anye man now should aske this question forasmuch as Christ hath forbidden much babling in the time of praieng whether do they â—in or no which do pray long To this is answered thus In a case they sinne and in a case they sinne not but doe verye well and godly In case they put their trust in their long praieng thinking that therefore they shall be heard as the Gentiles doe then they sinne as they doe and are condempned by the sentence of Christ in the Gospell But if they praye long with feruent faith and true deuotion then they sinne not no though they pray with often repeating of one praier but they folow the example of Christ which in mount Oliuete did oftentimes repeate one praier which in effect was none other but this Pater si possibile est transeat a me calex iste Wherefore Saint Austen most holyly and truely maketh a distinction betwixt Multum loqui multum precari Much babling and long praieng To pray long with godly and deuout exercising of the heart it is a good thing but to aske a good thing with superfluous an vnprofitable heape of wordes the minde not occupied it is naught And againe saith S. Austen How can any man condemne long praier séeing that of Christ it is written Quod pernoctauit in orando that he was occupied all night in praier But this doe I counsell saith Saint Austen Ad probam Si quis nausiam If any man supposeth lothsomenesse to arise of long praieng let him well consider although it be not long yet often it is lawfull to pray And whatsoeuer he be that so shall pray often he shall neuerthelesse fulfill the example of the Prophet Dauid which saith to the prouoking and teaching of all other men to praye often Benedicam Dominum in omni tempore semper laus â—ius in ore meo I will alwaies praise the Lord and euermore shall his praise be in my month Ric. Turnar ¶ Like as he that is in prison desireth euer to be deliuered whether he be eating drinking or sléeping as he that is sick destreth alwayes to bée whole euen so doth euery christen man pray continually yea euen when he séemeth not to pray For praier consisteth not in much babling Mat. 6. 7. but in spirite and veritie Iohn 4. 24. and in vehement desire of the heart towards God Tindale What the praiers of Saints in the Apocalips meaneth And when he had taken the booke the foure beastes and the. 24. elders fell downe before the lambe hauing euerie one harpes and golden Uialls full of odours which are the praiers of the Saints And in an other place of the same booke he saith And an other Angell came and stoode before the altar hauing a golden censour and much of odours were giuen vnto him that he shuld offer the praiers of the Saints vpon the gloden altar which is before the throne These places the Papists do alledge for the inuocation of Saints Aunswere Ye must vnderstand that there be two kinde of praiers the one is inuocation or petition the other is giuing of thankes laude and praise The petition if néede were might be proued by the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Philippians Wée call that inuocation when we desire some good thing to bée giuen vnto vs or some euill to be taken away from vs. Giuing of thanks doth conteine the praising and lauding or magnifieng of the name of God for his excéeding great benefits which we receiue daily and hourely at his hands It is manifest by yâ— which followeth that the Apostle doth speake of the last and not of the first These be the words and they song a new song saieng Thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redéemed vs to God by thy bloud out of euerie kinred and tongue and people and nation and hast made vs vnto our God kings and Priests we shall reigne on the earth Now what doth this make for the intercession of the blessed spirits or soules that the Saints doe sing praises vnto God in heauen In the other place is meant none other but that the Angell did ioyne his laude and praise which hée gaue vnto God with the Hymnes and songs of the elect Saint Austen expounding this place writeth thus Alius Angelus ipse est Iesus Christus c. The other Angell sayth he is Iesus Christ hauing a golden censour which is an holy body for the Lord himselfe was made a censour out of the which God receiued a swéete odour and was made mercifull vnto the worlde for hée offered himselfe a sacrifice of swéete smell and the Angell did take the censour and did fill it with the fire of the altar Iesus tooke a body that is to say the Church and did fill it with the fire of the holye Ghost The meaning of this place following Withdrawe not your selues one from an other ¶ S. Paule speaketh not this of that kinde of prayer that is commonly and dayly vsed of all faithfull as well married as vnmarried but onely of the generall and solemne prayer of the whole congregation which then as in time of persecution and feare of enimies was kept onely in the night And all the whole multitude of the faythfull was charged to be present at the same At which time it was necessarie that both the man and the woman should leaue the others companie and resort to prayer To this reade Ioel. 2. at the place Blow vp the trumpet in Syon Iewel fol. 172. A praier for the King and chiefe
to labour most lustely in the Uineyard of the Lord. After the same manner of speach a naturall father for the tender loue that he beareth toward his childe doing but meanly in vertue and comming forward in learning yet he will saye to the encouraging of his childe Sonne goe too and continue as thou hast begun and thy reward or thy part shall not be the least of all thy bretheren And according to this his promise he endueth him liberally when hée maketh his Testament not for that the childe had deserued the one halfe of that he had done for him before but because he loued him Richard Turnar RICHES What the true vse of riches is THe true vse of riches is to make them serue the possessour thereof and not they that haue them in possession to serue them and to be well content to depart from them whensoeuer the glory of God and the commoditie of their neighbour shall require Basill The rich that trust in their goods are discommended Then a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen ¶ He is héere called rich that putteth his confidence in his goods which thing they doe that haue all their delight and ioye therein Tindale Onely they that put their trust and confidence in their own riches are héere vnderstood For ther be many godly rich men that vse their riches and substaunce according to the wil pleasure of God Sir I. Cheeke Woe be vnto you that are rich ¶ Héere he speaketh of vngodly rich men which haue all their confidence and trust in theyr riches For riches of themselues are the good creatures of God and his blessing if we vse them according to his blessed will Sir I. Cheeke For though a man haue abundaunce yet his lyfe standeth not in his riches ¶ Christ condemneth the arrogancie of the rich worldlings who as though they had God locked vp in their Cofers and Barnes set their whole felicitie in their goods not considering that God gaue them life and also can take it away when he will Eccl. 11. 19. Geneua Of the rich mans burieng The Scripture saith of the rich man that he was buryed And what saith it of Lazarus There is no mention made of his buriall insomuch that it is not knowen whether he were eaten with dogs or whether he were cast abroad in the fields the Scripture speaketh not of it It speaketh of the buriall of the rich man Contrariwise if Gods children happen sometimes to lye vnburied is it to be concluded therfore y◠they are accursed No lyke as when the wicked are buried it is not to be said that they are blessed in their death But it is to shew vs that God executeth not his temporall punishments after one egall rate in this world but reserueth the chiefe to himselfe till the latter day Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 472. How the poore and rich are ioyned together ¶ Looke Lazarus RIDLES Why Ridles were put foorth in seasts SAint Austen demandeth the cause why Sampson put forth his Ridle and he aunswereth because in such seasts men are sometimes woont when they haue well dronke to be somewhat full of talke and somewhat too intemperately to rebuke others which things turneth for the most part into brawling and chiding and to auoide that graue men were wont to put forth Ridles or Problemes omitting daungerous talke and turning their minde to the exposition of the things put foorth Whose example Sampson followed and set foorth a reward for him that should expounde his question As though the knowledge and sharpenesse of the minde ought to be rewarded and contrary punishment is instituted for ignoraunce and sluggishnesse Pet. Mar. vpon Iudi◠fol. 218. RIGHTEOVS Who are righteous FOr thée haue I found righteous ¶ They are righteous before God that loue their neighbour for Gods sake vnfainedly hauing the spirit of God which maketh them the sonnes of God and therefore are accepted of God as good and righteous As it is written Gen. 18. 23. T. M. ¶ Found righteous In respect of the rest of the world and because he had a desire to serue God and to lyue vprightly Geneua If I shall finde in Sodome 50. righteous c. ¶ God declareth that his iudgements were done with great mercie forasmuch as all were so corrupt that not onely fiftie but ten righteous could not be found there and also that the wicked are spared for the righteous sake Geneua How and by whom we are righteous We are counted throughly righteous before God by imputation of Christs righteousnesse not in our selues but in him in whom we be vnited to him by faith Beza How the righteous and not the vnrighteous is allowed to praise God Exultate iusti in Domino rectos decet collaudatio ¶ O ye righteous reioyce ye in the Lord for it becommeth the vpright liuers to giue praise or to be thankfull S. Austen vppon this place deuideth all the people of this world into two sorts of men Iustos iniustos rectos curuos siue rectos prauos into righteous or vnrighteous vpright or crooked or straight or froward liuers Ther are neither of these two sorts of men but they are contented to praise God and to speake well of the Lord but yet saith Saint Austen marke the Prophet desireth not the vnrighteous wranglers lyars théeues and adulterers nor the crooked craftie hasters and deceitfull deceiuers to praise the Lord why so For it is written Non est speciosa laus in ore peccatoris quia non est a Domino missus The praise of God to come out of the mouth of the wicked man it is not comely nor acceptable in his sight for he is not sent of the Lord so to doe and no meruaile for this we knowe by experience that there is none of vs all which being but a man wise and of good iudgement but he had rather be dispraised then praised of such whose lyfe is impure filthie and vncleane for their praise commonly are not dealt but vnto such whome they fauour because in their liuing they be like vnto themselues so y◠their praise is a dispraise or at the least a suspected praise that he whom they praise is rather a naughtie man thē a good man If this be true in wise men how much more then must it bee true in God the father fountaine of all wisedome to refuse set naught by the praise of the proud the wicked vngodly men In consideration whereof the Prophet now saith Exultate iusti in Domino rectos decet collaudatio O ye righteous reioice ye in the Lord I speake not to the wicked nor to the crooked wayward nor froward people of this world if I shuld they wold peraduenture not deny to giue praises vnto the Lord. Nam curuus prauus quam diu sibi bene est Deum laudat benedicit si autem male blasphemat rectus semper laudat sicut Iob. For the crooked
Deering And went into the Sinagogue on the sabboth day sat down ¶ The truth neuer feareth the light but commeth forth boldly as it appeareth by Paule Barnabas which entered into the common Sinagogue Also héere we doe learne why the sabboth was instituted not for vaine sports and pastimes but that vpon that day the people should giue themselues to praier to read heare the word of God Sir I. Cheekeâ— How the Priests brake the Sabboth and were blamelesse ¶ That on the Sabboth the Priestes in the Temple brake the Sabboth and are blamelesse ¶ Not that the Priests brake the Sabboth in doing that which was commaunded by the lawe but he speaketh this to conâ—ute the errour of the people who thought the Sabboth broken if any necessary worke were done that day Geneua Sée that ye kéepe my Sabboth ¶ The Sabboth beside that it serued to come heare the word of God to seeke his will to offer and to reconcile themselues vnto God It was a signe vnto them also did put them in remembraunce that it was God that sanctified them with his holy spirit and not they themselues with their holy workes T. M. What is meant by the second Sabboth It came to passe in the second Sabboth ¶ Epiphanius noteth well in his treatise where he confuteth Ebion that the time when the Disciples plucked the eares of corne was in the feast of vnleuened bread now wheras in these feasts which kept many daies together as the feast of tabernacles and the passeouer their first day and the last wer of like solemnitie Leâ—â— 23. Luke fitly calleth the last day the second Sabboth though Thâ—ophilact vnderstand it of any of them that followed the first Beza The feasts which conteined many daies as the passeouer and the feast of tabernacles had two Sabboths the first day of the feast and the last Geneua A sâ—ieng of S. Austen concerning the Sabboth It is lesse euill saith Saint Austen to goe to plough then to play vpon one of those daies meaning the Sabboth daies Why the Machabees fought on the Sabboth Obiection The Machabees fought and defended themselues vpon the Sabboth day notwithstanding God had appointed that day to rest Aunswere The Machabees might lawfully defend themselues vpon the Sabboth day for Christ expoundeth the law man is not made for the Sabboth but the Sabboth for the man And the Iewes did euil saith Dâ—do being besieged vpon the Sabboth day to stand to yéeld them vnto their enimies Yet did not the Machabees proclaime yâ— it shuld be lawfull vpon the sabboth day to go to the field The meaning of this place following And beare no burden on the Sabboth day ¶ By meaning the Sabboth day he comprehendeth the thing the is thereby signified for if they trangressed in the ceremony they must néeds be culpable of the rest Read Exo. 20. 8. And by the breaking of this one coÌ„mandemeÌ„t he maketh them transgressours of yâ— who le law for as much as the first second table are conteined therin Geneua The signification of the Latine word Sabbathum Sabbathum was among the Iewes accompted the seauenth day in the which they fasted in remembrance of the seuen daies in the which they were fatigate going fasting in the desart of Arabia or they came to the mount of Sinai S. Austen vpon the Psalmes writeth the Sabbathum is taken three maÌ„ner of waies for ye. 7. day is called by the name in the which almightie God rested after his worke of 6. daies Sabbathum is also eternall quietnesse Moreouer Sabbathum is the conscience of a quiet minde aduaunced by hope of the time to come not being shakeÌ„ or vexed with stormes of things present Eliote Look Winter SACKCLOTH What the wearing of sackcloth signifieth SAckcloth shéering of mens heads renting of their garments and casting of dust and ashes vpon them were â—okens of repentaunce or els of great sorrow among the people of the East countries in olde time Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 29. SACRAMENT What Sacrament is A Sacrament saith S. Austen is the signe of an holy thing ¶ If it be the signe of an holy thing then it is not the very thing it selfe which it doth signifie I. Frith It séemeth to me that a Sacrament is an outwarde signe wherewith the Lord sealeth to our consciences the promises of his good will towards vs to sustaine the weaknesse of our faith And we againe on our behalfes doe testifie our godlinesse towards him as well before him and the Angells as before men We may also with more briefenesse define it otherwise As to call it a testimonie of Gods fauour towards vs confirmed by an outward signe with a mutuall testifieng of our godlinesse towards him Whether of these definitions it differeth nothing in sense from the definition of S. Augustine which teacheth that a Sacrament is a visible signe of an holy thing or a visible forme of an inuisible grace but it doeth better and more certainely expresse the thing it selfe for whereas in the briefenesse there is some darknesse wherin many of the vnskilfull sort are deceiued I thought good in more wordes to giue a fuller sentence that there should remaine no doubt Cal. in his Instit. 4. b. chap. 14. sect 1. A Sacrament as S. Austen defineth it is a signe of an holy thing But if the Sacrament be Christs body as the Papists say it is then can it not be a Sacrament that is the signe of an holy thing for it is the holy thing it selfe So that they must either deny the sacrament to be the body bloud of Christ either els the Sacrament therof For one thing cannot be both the signe the thing signified because they be in that respect most contrary the one to the other Crowley A Sacrament is a visible signe ordeined of Iesus Christ as a seale to confirme vs the better in the faith of the promises the which God hath made vs of our saluation in him Vnet Sacrament is a signe representing such appointments and promises as the Raine-bow representeth the promise made to Noe that God will no more drowne the world Tindale This word Sacrament is as much to say as an holy signe and representeth alway some promise of God as in the olde Testament God ordeined that the Raine-bow should represent and signifie vnto all men an Oth that God sware to Noe and to all men after him that he would no more drowne the worlde with water so the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ hath a promise annexed which the Priest should declare in the English tongue This is my body that is broken for you This is my bloud that is shed for many vnto the forgiuenesse of sinnes This doe in the remembraunce of mée â—aith Christ. Luke 22. 19. and 1. Cor. 11. 24. If when thou seest the sacrament or eatest his body or drinkest his bloud thou haue this promise fast in thy heart
fol. 96. ¶ The soules of the Saintes are vnder the Altar which is Christ meaning that they are in safe custodye in the heauens Geneua How Christs soule was heauie My soule is heauie euen vnto death ¶ Héere we learne that Christ did not onely take an humane body vpon him but also an humane soule So that he was both a perfect man and perfect God else if the Godhead had ben vnto him in stéed of his soule he could not haue bene heauy Sir I. Cheeke Of Christs soule descending into hell That his soule should not be left in hell ¶ Saint Augustine writing of the presence of God vnto Dardanus 2. chap. alleadgeth this saieng of the Apostle and thereby goeth about to proue that the soule of Christ went downe in very déed to hell but that he suffered nothing there Other doe affirme that it is sayd by a figuratiue manner of speaking that he went downe to hell because that the merit of his death and passion was profitable to them that after died in the faith of Abraham Some againe by the word Inferi doe vnderstand the graue I would wish we should alwaies studie to vnitie and peace and leaue these vnfruitfull questions Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Looke Christs descending into hell Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell ¶ That is thou shalt not forsake me that my soule shall dye and that followeth neither shalt thou suffer thy Saints to see corruption signifieth thou shalt not suffer my body to abiâ—â— in the graue and so to corrupt So doth Peter expound this place of Christ. Act. 2. 27 and Paule Act. 13. 7 T. M. ¶ This is chiefly spoken of Christ by whose resurrection all his members haue immortalitie Geneua Wherein the soule of man and beast do differ In man the soule by which he knoweth iudgeth and hath discreation is called liuing The soule of beasts haue none other facultie but to giue mouing vnto their bodies Caluine Of the apparition of soules The soules that is departed from the body cannot wander in this countries or regioÌ„s for the soules of the righteous are in the handes of God and also the soules of sinners are straight waies after their departure led away it is made manifest by the rich man and Lazarus Chrisostome in his 29. Homil. vpon the. 8. of Mathew T. M. But the Lord doth say in an other place this day will I fetch againe thy soule from thée Therefore the soule after it is once gone from the body cannot wander heere among vs and not without a good cause For if they that go in a iourney if they chaunce to come into some vnknowne country cannot tell whither to goe except they haue a guide how much more shall the soule being departed from the bodie when she entereth into life and way that is altogether new vnto her bée vncerteine and ignorant whither she may goe except shée gette a guide It may be proued by many places of Scripture that yâ— soules of the righteous men doe not wander heere after their death For Stephen sayth Lord receiue my spirit And Paule did desire to be loosed and to be with Christ. The Scripture also doth say of the Patriarke and he was layd to his Fathers being dead in a good age And that the soules of sinners cannot abide there neither heare the rich what he sayth marke and weigh what he doth aske and not obteine If the soules of men might be conuersant héere he would haue come himselfe as his desire was and certified his bretheren of the torments of hell By the which place of the scripture this is also most manifest and plaine that the soules after they be gone out of their bodyes are lead into a certein place from whence they come not againe at their owne will and pleasure but doe tarry there for the dreadfull day of iudgement God forbid that we should beléeue that the soule of any Saint much lesse of a Prophet haue ben fetched vp by the diuel being taught that Satan himselfe is transformed into an Angell of light much more into a man of light and that he shall also affirme himselfe to be God and worke wonderfull signes for to subuert euen the very elect if it were possible But although the vertue of God hath called againe certein soules into their bodyes for to teach vs that he might doe it by his owne right it shall not therefore be communicated or graunted vnto the confidence and boldnesse of Magitians or Sorcerers and vnto the deceitfulnesse of dreames and lyeng Poets but when in the example of the resurrection the vertue or power of God doth bring againe the very soules into the bodies it is shewed with a whole full truth and which can bée touched and handled that is a shape and forme of veritie or that is a true and vnfeined shape or forme so that thou maist iudge that all fetching vp appearing of the dead without bodies are méere illusions and deceitfulnesse There be such now a dayes which are wont to say Who hath seene what is done in hell who euer came to bring vs word But let them heare what Abraham sayth for if we doe not beléeue the Scriptures we wold not beléeue them neither that should come from hell The Iewes haue well declared the same which because that they beléeued not the Scriptures would in no wise beléeue them that were raised againe from the dead but wold haue slaine Lazarus that was raised againe And although many were raised againe from death after that Christ was crucified yet did they not let to persecute the Apostles most cruelly afterward Theophilact vpon the 16. of Luke I. N. The spirit of Samuel which the woman Sorcerer raysed vp to Saule was not the soule of Samuel but the diuell which appeared in Samuels lykenesse for to deceiue Saule Aug. to simpl 3. quest Of soules departed S. Austen writeth that the soules of the Saints be in the secret receptacles vntill they shall receiue the crowne of glorie in the day of iudgement Againe in an Epistle he wrote to Saint Hierome A soule saith he after bodely death shall haue rest and than after that shall take her body that she may haue glory S. Barnard saith the swéetnesse which the soules of the Saints haue at this present is great but it is not yet perfect for it shall be made perfect when they shall sit on seates as Iudges When they haue put of their bodies they be forthwith brought into rest but not into the glorie of the kingdome He saith farther that there be thrée estates of the soule The first is in the body as in a tabernacle the second after death as in a porch of the temple the third in heauen with his glorified body The meaning of this place following And shall winne his soule for a praye ¶ That is shall escape daunger It is all one with that which goeth before he
he departed from him for a season ¶ If at any time we ouercome Satan through the grace giuen vs of God let vs not therefore bée proude or thinke that we are not without perill but rather let vs be circumspect and warie for Satan wil come vpon vs againe as be did vpon Christ whome after hée had beene ouercome by him he tempted many wayes by his limmes Sir I. Cheeke It is not inough twice or thrice to resist Satan for he neuer ceaseth to tempt Or if he relent a little it is to the ende that he may renue his force and assaile vs more sharpelye Geneua God suffereth none to be tempted aboue his strength But shall with the temptation make a waye to escape c. ¶ He that led you into this temptation which commeth vnto you either in prosperitie or aduersitie or for your sinnes past will turne it to your commoditie and deliuer you Geneua TEN What the number of ten signifieth AND ye shall haue tribulation for ten dayes ¶ That is to say many dayes For it betokeneth that the Church shall bée in continuall warfare vnder the crosse of persecution For the number of ten is the number of fulnesse and therefore it is not to be obserued too nicely So sayd Iacob to his father in lawe Beholde thou hast chaunged my wages ten times Ge. 31. 7. And in an other place it is sayd They haue tempted mée now ten times Nu. 14. 22. Also beholde ye haue offered me reproch ten times Iob. 19. 3. That is to say oftentimes sundry waies Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 42. What the ten hornes doe signifie Ten hornes ¶ The ten hornes doe signifie many prouinces Geneua How the ten commaundements are diuided into two Tables It is certeine faith Ambrose that the first commaundement is conteined in this Thou shall haue none other Gods but me The second Thou shalt not make thy selfe anie lykenesse of any thing that is in heauen c. The third Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vaine The fourth Thou shalt obserue my sabboth daies The fift Honour thy father c. But bicause these first foure precepts perteineth vnto god they must be vnderstood to be conteined in the first table The rest perteineth to men as to honour thy parents not to kill not to coÌ„mit fornication not to steale to beare no false witnesse to couet nothing of thy neighbours These sixe commaundements séemeth to be written in the second table whereof the first is Honour thy Father c. Thus much Ambrose Musc. fo 36. Of the ten virgins ¶ Looke Saints TENTS How Tents were first inuented IVbal the sonne of Lamech by Ada his wife first made the poâ—tatiue tents for to féede his cattell ordered his flocks disseuering the shéep from the goats found out yâ— certein time when the Rams shuld be put to the Ewes taught it other Lanquet Of three manner of tents That they defile not their tents among which they dwell ¶ There were thrée sorts of tents among the Hebrues The tent of the Lord that is the Tabernacle The tent of the Leuite and the tent of Israel The lepers were excluded them all The impure of an issue from the two first and the defiled by the dead onely from the Tabernacle of the congregation The Bible note TEARES Whereof teares commeth THe naturall Philosophers agrée not among themselues in this matter Some doe thinke that teares doe come by reason of the gall being troubled vnto which opinion agréeth yâ— first booke De mirabilibus sacrae Scripture the. 10. cap. which booke is intituled to be Augustines writing Other suppose theÌ„ to be a certeine kinde of sweate which Plutarch affirmeth but some do thinke that euen as from milke is separated whaye so also a watrish humour is separated from bloud wherof the greater part turneth into vrine yâ— which remaineth is thrust forth into teares Lastly Seneca in his 100. Epistle to Lucillus thinketh that with the stroke of griefe and sorrow the whole body is almost shaken there withall the eyes out of the which eyes the humour lieng nigh vnto them is expressed Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fo 62. The meaning of these places following My teares haue ben my meate day and night ¶ As other take pleasure in eating and drinking so he was altogether giuen to wéeping Geneua Put my teares in thy bottell ¶ If God kéepe the teares of his Saints in store much more will he remember their bloud to auenge it and although tyrants burne the bones yet can they not blot the teares and bloud out of Gods register Geneua And the Lord God will wipe a way the teares from all faces ¶ He will take away all occasions of sorrow and fill his with perfect ioy Apoc. 7. 17. 21. 4. Geneua And couered the altar of the Lord with teares ¶ Ye cause the people to lament because that God doth not regard their sacrifices so that they séeme to sacrifice in vaine Geneua TEREBINT The meaning of this place following and the nature of the tree AS yâ— Terebint haue I stretched out my braunches ¶ The Terebint is a hard trée spread abroad with long boughes whereout runneth the gum called a pure Turpentine which cleanse the stomake of putrified humours purifieth yâ— eares so the wisdome of God declared in his Scriptures spreadeth abroad her manifolde braunches of knowledge and vnderstanding to purge the inward eares and corruption of the soule The Bible note TERTVLIANIST AE What Heretikes they were THese men denied second marriage said that the soules of wicked men became diuels after their departure out of this life that the soule is continued by going from one into an other as much to say by carnall descent succession Aug. TESTAMENT What a Testament is TEstament is an appointment made betwéene God man and Gods promises Tindale fol. 6. TETRARCHA What Tetrarcha were TEtrarchia or Tetrarcha are wordes vsurped of the Romane writers but taken from yâ— Gréeks Tetrarcha were princes hauing the fourth part of some portion of the kingdome Such are they which we cast deputies or presidents The Romanes diuiding their kingdomes to suppresse rebellion limited yâ— same to diuers presidents or gouernours which they called Tetrarchae or Toporchae and the regions themselues Toporchas or Tetrarchas the which thing we may read in Plinie Mar. fo 305 TEVDAS ¶ Looke Theudas THAMAR Wherefore she is reckoned in the Genealogy of Christ. ONely such women are named in the Genealogy of Christ as the Scripture doth openly reproue yâ— we seeing Christ to be borne and come of sinners touching the flesh might beléeue that he would be mercifull vnto sinners Sir I. Cheeke And Iudas begat Phares Zara of Thamar ¶ By incestuous adultery yâ— which shame setteth forth his great humilitie who made himselfe of no reputation but became a seruant for our sakes yea a worme no man
méeke in heart in the holinesse of Angells bringing in things which he hath not séene D. Barnes fol. 299. Why Mary was forbidden to touch Christ. Touch me not ¶ This séemeth not to agrée with the narration of Mathew For he plainly writeth that the women imbraced the féete of Christ. And séeing afterward he woulde haue his disciples to handle and to féele him what cause was there why he shuld forbid Mary to touch him For he said vnto Thomas bring hether thy finger and sée my handes and put thy finger vnto my side and be not faithlesse but beléeuing The solution thereof is very easie if so be that we consider that the women were not prohibited y◠touching of Christ before such time as they wer too busie and desirous to touch him For no doubt he did not forbid them to touch him so farre foorth as it was néedfull to take away all doubt But when he saw they were too busie in imbracing his féete he moderated and corrected that rash zeale for they depended vpon his corporall presence neither did they knowe any other waye to inioye him then if he dwelt among them vpon the earth Moreouer because his disciples doubted whether he was truly risen againe or no and because the same that appeared to them was iudged of them to be but a vision to the ende they might beléeue the resurrection he said féele and sée for a spirit hath no flesh and bones as ye sée me haue Also Thomas had said except I sée y◠print of his nailes in his hands and put my fingers into the print of the nailes my hand into his side I will not beléeue therefore Christ did very well in offering himselfe to be felt of him But in Mary there was no such doubting that there should néede any farther féeling but it was requisite y◠she shuld come to a further faith and to more plaine vnderstanding of the kingdome of Christ least she should abase him in computation more then ther was cause Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 593. TRADITIONS Of the traditions of men FRom whence haue we this tradition Whether commeth it from the authoritie of our Lord or of the Gospel or els from the Commaundements and Epistles of the Apostles Therfore if it be either commaunded in the Gospell or contained in the Epistles or Actes of the Apostles let vs kéepe the same tradition Augustine vnto Pompeius The Pharisies said not vnto Christ Wherefore doe thy disciples breake the law of Moses but wherefore do they break the traditions of the Elders Whereby it appeareth that they had altered many things whereas God had commaunded that they should neither adde nor diminish but fearing least they should loose their authoritie as if they had bene law makers to the ende they might seeme the greater they altered much which thing grewe to such a wickednesse that they kept their owne traditions more then the Commaundements of God Chrisostome in his first Homely of the Iewish fast Iohn Northbrooke Some wrast this place so far as men ought to obey all manner of things whatsoeuer the Bishops Presidents or Rulers commaund although they be vngodly and for their authorities sake when as Christ did speake onely of them which did teach rightly the lawe of Moses not of such as did snare men with their ordinaunces constitutions now peraduenture after the same manner a Bishop might be heard which preched truly the Gospell although he liue but a little according vnto the same A reason that ouerthroweth all doctrines of men all Traditions all Poperie God said to Christ Thou art my sonne therefore he is his sonne God said not so to any Angell therefore no Angell can take the name vnto him God said The true worshippers shuld not go to Mount Sion nor to Hierusalem but worship God in spirit truth where said he goe a pilgrimage or go visit this holy sepulcher God said Do not obserue dayes and months times and yeares where said he Kéepe vnto me Lent or Aduent Imber dayes or Saints eues God said to vs It is the doctrine of Diuells to forbid marriage or to commaund to abstaine from meates where said he Eate now no flesh now no whit meate let not the Ministers marrie God said Let euery soule be subiect to Kings Princes and the authoritie of such men let it not be in his Apostles Where said he let the Pope haue the gift of kingdoms be exempt from authoritie of man weare a triple crowne and haue Lords and Noble men vnder him God said Cursed is he that addeth ought to the lawe or taketh from it Where said he The Pope shall dispence against mine Apostles and Prophets God said It is better to speak fiue words which we vnderstand then ten thousand words in an vnknowen tongue where said he the ignoraunt men should pray in Latine With this very argument are ouerthrowen all doctrines of men all traditions all Popery c. Deering What an obstinacie is this or what a presumption to presume an humane tradition before Gods ordinaunce nor to consider that God taketh indignation and wrath so often as an humane tradition looseth or goeth beyond the commaundement of God as he cryeth by his Prophet Esay and saith This people honoureth me with their lips but their harts is seperated from me they worship me in vaine while they teach the commaundements doctrines of men The Lord also in y◠Gospell blaming likewise reprouing putteth forth and saith ye haue reiected Gods commaundement to stablish your tradition Of which cōmaundement S. Paule being mindfull doth likewise warne instruct saieng If any teach otherwise and contenteth not himselfe with the words of our Lord Iesus Christ his doctrine he is puft vp with blockishnes hauing skill of nothing from such a one we ought to depart S. Austen saith that the auncient actes of the godly Kings mentioned in the Propheticall bookes were figures of the like facts to be done by the godly Princes in the time of the newe Testament I. Bridges fol. 25. ¶ Looke Philosophy Walke not after the ordinaunces of your fathers ¶ Looke the exposition of this place in Father ¶ Read 1. Pet. 1. 18. TRANSMVTATION When this word was first inuented LOng after Boniface the third when Idolatry had gotten the vpper hand then did Petrus Lombardus a master of sophisticall sentences bring vp these termes of Transmutation and Transaccidentation about the yere of our Lord. 1646. out of certain blinde trades of the Doctors afore his time Then Pope Innocent the third gaue it this new name called it Accidens sine subiecta Of the which Sophisme Doctor Dunce Doctor Dorbel and Doctor Thomas de Aquino doe dispute very subtilly A. G. TRANSVESTANTIATION What the word signifieth THe word signifieth a passing or turning of one substance into another which is thought of some not tollerable to saye that the substance of
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
may iudge it by the word of Saint Ambrose to be detestable I. Veron We doe make Sacrifices and Oblations for the dead euery yeare on a certaine day saith Tertulian This with another place of Cypriane doth the Papists obiect to make for the praieng for the dead Aunswere This word Oblation and Sacrifice among these auncient Writers is taken for an Hymne of laude and praise for an earnest thanks-giuing or els for a thankfull and solemne commemoration or remembrance of them yâ— were dead in the faith of our sauiour Iesus Christ. For in the olde time when any of the bretheren was deceased the Superintendent Bishoppe or Minister did giue thankes vnto God for him And sometime made a funerall Sermon as Ambrose did for Theodotus The people did also pray and thanke God that he had vouchsafed to call their christen brother or sister out of this world in the fayth of his sonne Iesus Christ beséeching him that hée woulde giue them grace to depart in the same beliefe I. Veron How praier in a straunge tongue profiteth nothing The Gréekes name God in the Gréeke tongue and the Latines in the Latine tongue and all seuerall nations pray vnto God and praise him in their owne naturall mother tongue for he that is Lord of all tongues heareth men praieng in all tongues none otherwise then if ther were one voice pronounced by diuerse tongues for he that ruleth the whole world is not as some one man that hath gotten the Gréeke or Latine tongue and knoweth none other Origen in his 8. booke against Celsum What profit is there in speach be it neuer so perfect if the vnderstanding of the hearer cannot atteine vnto it For there is no cause why we should speake at all if they vnderstand not what we speake for whose sake we speake that they may vnderstand vs. August in his 4. b. and. 10. chap. of Christ doct Unlesse I speak that you may plainely and cléerly vnderstand but onely shew my selfe to haue the gift of tongues yée shall depart away hauing no fruite of those things that ye vnderstand not For of a voice that ye know not what profit can ye haue Chrisost. in his 35. Homil. vpon the. 1. Cor. 14. Some entring into the Church stretcheth forth and draweth at length their praier till they haue sayd a thousand verses as though the great number of wordes were néedfull before God as though he knewe not what thou doest aske which knowest before thou think euen they wot not what they say Their lips onely moueth and their mind is without fruite and his eares are vnto them deafe Thou hearest not that is vnderstandest not and takest no héede of thy praier and yet thou wilt that God shall heare thy praier Chrisostome in his 12. Homil. of the woman of Cana. Of Common praier Saint Basil in the vsing of Common praier in his time saith thus In our praiers that we make vnto God we raise vp such a sound of the voices of men women children prayeng togethers as if it were the noise of the waues beating against the sea banks ¶ By this it appeareth that in S. Basils time men women children song in the church altogether Of praier and fasting This kinde goeth not out but by praier and fasting ¶ Satan the flesh which are our most mortall enimies are ouercome by faith praier true abstinence or sobernesse of liuing if we vse the same according to Gods word and the doctrine of Christ. Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The best remedy to strengthen the weake faith is prayer which hath fasting added vnto it as an helpe to the same Geneua How praier ought to be made according to Gods will Saint Austen vpon the fortie Psalme sayth Call vppon God with praise and thankes-giuing and not with reprehention for why when thou callest vpon him to destroy thine enimie when thou wilt reioyce of an other mans hurt and callest God to that euill thou makest him pertaker of thy mallice For why thou supposest God to be as thou art therefore it is said vnto thée in an other place These things hast thou done and I held my peace O thou wicked creature thou doest coniecture that I would be like thée Hetherto Austen Now therfore our praiers must be made after the rule of the Lords and we must euermore pray with these exceptions Thy will bée done and not ours Biblian fol. 109. What modestie ought to be vsed in praier Let these wordes saith Cipriane and praiers of such as praie be orderly gouerned kéeping modestie shamefastnesse Let vs thinke we stand in the sight of God God his eyes must be delighted both in the iesture of our bodyes and manner of our words For as it is the part of an impudent person to vse clamorous shoutes in praieng so contrariwise it beséemes a shamefast person to praye with modest prayers Some foolishly imagine that praier is made either better or worse by the iesture of our bodyes Therefore let them heare Saint Austen li. 2. ad SimplicianuÌ„ quest 4. saieng It skilleth not after what sorte our bodyes be placed so that the minde béeing present with God bring her purpose to passe For wée both praye standing as it is written the Publicane stoode a farre of and knéeling as we reade in the Acts of the Apostles And sitting as did Dauid and Helias And vnlesse we might praye lieng it should not haue bene written in the Psalmes euery night wash I my bed For when any man seeketh to pray he placeth the members of his bodye after such a manner as it shall séeme most méete vnto him for the time so stirre vp his deuotion Bullinger fol. 929. To pray continually how it is vnderstood There were a sort of heretiks Massaliani of their first Captaine Massalianus which vnder the pretence of long praieng did studye to liue idlely and condempned all manner workes and labour of the handes alleadging for themselues a great sorte of Scriptures but speciallye this place of Saint Paule Orate sine intermissione doe yée praye continnallye to this they ioyned the example of the primitiue Church which when Saint Peter was â—ast in prison by Herode prayer was made without ceasing of the congregation vnto GOD for him Also that our Sauiour Christ did teach his Disciples that they should alwayes praye and neuer cease And also that the Prophet Dauid sayth I will alwayes praise the Lorde euermore shall his praise bée in my mouth Upon these places did these heretikes ground their errours which they vnderstood not aright For God hath set this generall order for all men Sixe dayes shalt thou worke and doe therin all thy businesse but vppon the seauenth daye thou shalt doe no bodely labour neither thou nor thy seruaunt nor thy cattell for in sixe daies the Lorde made heauen and earth the sea and all that therein is and vpon the