reproued of all men then fornication it selfe False Prophets false Apostles and false Priests sprang vp which vnder a counterfait religion deceiued the people the most part of them vnder the honest name of chastitie commit whooredome adultery incest commonly and without punishment The Bishops Priests of this time how do they endeuour to kéepe either in heart or in hody the holynesse of chastitie without which no man shall sée God They are giuen ouer into a reprobate minde and doe those things that are not conuenient for it were shame to vtter what these Bishops do in secret Againe he saith absteining from the remedy of marriage afterward they flow ouer into all kinde of wickednesse Againe such notorious filthynesse of lecherie there is in manye partes of the world not onely in the inferiour Clarkes but also in Priests yea in the greatest Prelates which thing is horrible to be heard Bar. de conuers ad cleri chap. 19. in ope triperti li. 3. cha 7. Huldericus the Bishop of Augusta in Germany wrote sharply against Pope Nicholas in this wise I haue founde thy decrées touching the single lyfe of Priests to be voyde of discreation thou séest that many followers of thy counsell willing vnder a feined colour of continēt life rather to please man then God commit hainous actes in the end he concludeth thus by such discipline of discretion as you know best roote this Pharesaicall doctrine out of Gods folde I beléeue it were a good lawe and for the wealth and safety of soules that such as cannot liue chast may contract matrimonie For we learne by experience that of the law of continence or single lyfe the contrarie effect hath followed for as much as now a daies they liue not spiritually nor be cleane chast but with their great sinnes are defiled with vnlawfull copulation whereas with their owne wiues they should liue chastly Therefore the Church ought to doe as the skilfull Phisition vseth to doe who if he sée by experience that his medicine hurteth rather then doth good taketh it cleane away And would to God the same waye were taken with all positiue constitutions SINNE The definition of sinne SAint Augustine in his 2. booke De consensu Euangelistarum saith Sinne is the transgression of the law Ad simpliciatum li. 1. Sin is an inordinatenesse or peruersenesse of man that is a turning from the more excellent creator a turning to the inferiour creatures De fide contra Manichaeus cap. 8. he saith What is it else to sinne but to erre in the precepts of truth or in the truth it selfe Again Contra Faustū Manicheū li. 22. ca. 27. Sin is a déed a word or a wish against the law of God The same Augustine De duobus animabus contra Manichaeus ca. 11 saith Sin is a will to reteine or obteine the which iustice forbiddeth is not frée to absteine And in Retract li. 1. cap. 5. he saith That will is a motion of the minde with copulation either not to loose or else to obteine some one thing or other All which definitions as I do not vtterly reiect saith Bullinger so do I wish this to be considered thought of with the rest Sin is the naturall corruption of mankind the action which ariseth of it contrary to the law of God whose wrath that is both death sundry punishments it bringeth vpon vs. Bullinger fo 478. What sinne is Sin in the scripture is not called the outward work only committed by the body but all the whole busines whatsoeuer acompanieth moueth or stirreth vnto the outward déede and that whence the works spring as vnbeleefe pronenesse readinesse vnto the déede in the ground of the heart with all his powers affections and appetites wherwith we can but sin So that we say the a man thē sinneth when he is carried away headlong into sinne altogether as much as he is of that poison inclination corrupt nature wherein he was conceiued and borne for there is none outward sinne committed except a man be carried away altogether with life soule heart body lust minde therevnto The Scripture looketh singularly vnto the hart vnto the race originall fountaine of all sin which is vnbeléefe in the bottome of the heart for as faith onely iustifieth and bringeth the spirit and lust vnto outward good works euen so vnbeleefe onely damneth kéepeth out the spirit prouoketh the flesh stirreth vp lust vnto euil outward works as it fortuned to Adam Eue in Paradise Ge. 3. For this cause Christ calleth sin vnbeléefe and that notably in the. 16. of Iohn The spirit saith hée shall rebuke the world of sinne because they beléeue not in me Wherefore then before all good workes there must néeds hée fayth in the heart whence they spring And before all bad déeds and bad fruits there must néedes be vnbeléefe in y◠heart as in the roote fountaine pith and strength of all sinne which vnbeléefe is called the head of the Serpent and of the olde dragon which the womans seede Christ must tread vnder foote as it was promised to Adam Tindale in his Pro. to the Rom. How euery sinne is mortall That euery sinne is mortall in that it is sinne is euident by the words of God himselfe who can best iudge in this matter In the. 18. of Ezechiel verse 4. saieng thus The soule that sinneth shall dye héere is no exception or difference made of sinne but any sinne in that it is sinne is deadly as Saint Paule sayth Rom 6. 23. For the reward of sinne is death Héere also you see that Saint Paule maketh no difference of sinne but that Mors death is the reward of sinne generally without exception And Saint Iohn sayth Euerie one that committeth sinne the same also committeth iniquitie and sinne is iniquitie Heere also you see that Saint Iohn sayth making no difference of sinne that sinne in that it is sinne it is iniquitie without exception Christ sayth that out of the heart procéedeth euill thoughts murthers adulteryes c. And againe hée sayth That whosoeuer beholdeth an other mans wife to lust after her hath already committed adulterye with her in his heart And Saint Iohn following his maister lyke a good scholler saith thus Omnis qui odit c. Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer So it is euident by the sacred Scriptures that all sinnes without exception are mortall and deadly I. Gough The Doctours saieng in this matter There were also before Christ worthy men both Prophets and Priests but yet conceiued and borne in sin Neither were they frée from originall and actuall sinne And there was found in them all either ignoraunce or insufficiencie in which they going astray haue sinned and haue néeded the mercye of God By the which béeing taught and instructed haue giuen thanks to God haue cōfessed themselues to haue lacked much of the full measure of
imputed vnto him the first Article All men were in the first man created without sinne all by the transgression of the same man haue lost the freedome of our nature from thence we tooke the manifolde corruption both of body and soule from thence ignoraunce and dulnesse hath ensued c. Ambr. in his 1. booke and 3 Chapter of the calling of the Gentiles In the lawe it is commaunded that for him that is borne a paire of Turtles or young Pigeons shoulde be offered of the which the one should be for a sinne Offering and the other for a burnt Offering For what sinne is this one Pigeon offered Could this new borne childe sinne Yea euen then he hath sin for the which he is commaunded to offer a sinne Offering from the which ther is no man cleane and though he be but one day olde Origen in his 5. booke and 6. chap. vpon the Rom. No man lyueth heere vpon earth without sinne Hiero. in his 29. Epistle There shall be no iudgment without mercie for because ther can no man liuing be found cleane without filthines no though he were but one day olde from his birth Basil. vpon the 32. Psalme No man is cleane from filthinesse no not an Infant of a daye olde hath a cleane life héere vpon earth Barnard in his second sermon vpon the first Sunday after the Epiphany OTH What an Oth is AN Oth is the calling or taking to witnesse of Gods name to confirme the truth of that we saye c. Bullinger fol. 132. An Oth is a way or meane whereby contreuersies are ended and promises perfourmed by the calling vpon the name of God For it is written in the Lawe If a man deliuer vnto his neighbour Oxe or Asse or Shéepe to pasture and it dye or be hurt or driuen away no man séeing it then shall an Oth of the Lord goe betweene them and he shall sweare whether he hath put any hand to the taking away of his neighbors goods or not And the owner of the goods shall receiue the Oth. And if he by the Oth that he hath taken saith that he hath put no hand to it then shall he not make it good c. And this must bée done before the Gods that is to saye before the Iudges and Magistrates ¶ An Oth is also a meane whereby promises are performed as in Gen. 21. where Abraham sware to Abimelch y◠he wold neither hurt him nor his posteritie and performed it indéed How an Oth is lawfull Lawfull it is for the Magistrate when they put any man in office to take an Oth of him that he shall be true diligent and faithfull therein as Iacob for the commoditie and profit of his posteritie tooke an Oth of Laban the Idolater Lykewise Iudas Machabeus of the Romanes for the same purpose Also Princes may demaund an Oth of their Subiects Commons for the sauegard of their lands and people But they that sweare must haue these properties They béeing required of the Magistrate must sweare truly minding neither fraude or deceipt but witnesse onely the truth séeking no parcialitie but the truth not themselues but the glory of God the profite of of theyr neighbour and the Common wealth of GODS people How an Oth is damnable To sweare to doe euill as to slaye to rauish or to robbe is damnable without faile and to performe such an Oth or to doe those wickednesses indéede is a double damnation both to him that so sweareth and also to the Iudge that causeth him to sweare Such an Oth was the cursed Oth that King Herod made vnto the Daughter of Herodias his harlot for the heade of holy Iohn Baptist whome Christ calleth a wily Foxe for his craftie conueyaunce A colour was this Oth of his cruell Tyranny and a cloake to his most spitefull murder For through that meanes was Iohn done to death Neither was an Oth ordeined after the minde of Saint Austen to binde the perfourmaunce of man-slaughter robberie Idolatry or other sinnes Rather had Dauid breake his Oth then to fulfil it with bloudshedding Wheras Dauid did not by shedding of bloud performe his promise bound with an Oth therein his godlines was the greater Dauid sware rashly but vpon better and godly aduise he performed not the thing he had sworne By this and by like it is declared that many Othes are not to be obserued Now he that sweareth so doth sinne but in chaunging his Oth hée doth very well He that chaungeth not such an oth committeth a double sinne First for swearing as he ought not and then for doing that he should not Bullinger fol. 134. How wicked Othes vowes are to be broken Othes are to be obserued when their ende is not euill nor to the hinderaunce of soules health In which promises sayth Isidore let faithfulnesse haue place In filthie vowes chaunge thy decréed purpose Doe not the thing in effect that thou hast without consideration sworne vnto for the promise is euermore wicked that cannot be done without sinne Therefore if the Iudges or Rulers should inforce the inferiour subiect to sweare to the things that were against soules health or Gods honour as to worship an Idol or to an Innocents vndoing they ought rather to dye then to obey as did Eleazarus with the seauen faithful bretheren and their mother in the Machabees for much better it is saith Saint Peter in such a cause to obey God then man Of Herodes wicked Oth. Neuerthelesse for his Oth sake c. ¶ Better it is otherwhises to forswere himselfe then to do any vngodly thing This déede of Herod can in no wise be excused for if she had asked his owne head or hir mothers head he would not haue graunted hir Sir I. Cheeke How Othes first began When the Lawe of naturall loue which God had inwardly written in the hearts of men remained among the good fathers Adam Seth Enoch Noe Abraham Moses other godly men then was no swearing but euery man did vnto his neighbour as he would his neighbour should doe vnto him But when the wicked as Cain the filthie Giaunts Nymroth Cham and such lyke beganne to increase in the lande they contrariwise for want of that rule fell into all manner of abhominable sinnes so that daylye more and more great mischiefes increased And as Ose the Prophette complaineth there was no faithfulnesse no brotherly loue no truth among men but bitternesse lieng manslaughter thefte and adulterie hath gotten the ouer hand In their dayly occupieng was much falshood vsed and that was thought well wonne good that was gotten by deceipt Uery seldome in their bargaining were promises perfourmed more seldome a great deale was faithfull honestie regarded In processe of time therfore were very few or none beleeued vnlesse they tooke God to witnesse that the matter was true Wherepon first of all came vp the swearing of Othes among men to confirme their sayeng with ¶ Looke Swearing
froward man saith S. Austen so long as hee hath all things after his owne will pleasure so long he â—audeth and praiseth God But if he be a little pinched with pouertie aduersitie then he raileth curseth then he banneth and blasphemeth God his most righteous works but the righteous vpright men they euermore laud praise God as wel in aduersitie as in prosperitie euen as Iob did therefore saith thâ— Prophet to you that be righteous that is men truly penitent sorie for your offences trusting through Gods mercie all your sins to be couered not imputed nor neuer to be layd to your charge to you I say Exultate iusti in Domino O ye righteous reioyce ye in the Lord. The prooues Christ allowed the praise and confession of Peter when hée sayd Tu es Christus filius Dei viui Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God And dispraised the man possessed with the Legion of Diuells who confessed as much as Peter did when he ran to Iesus and fell downe vpon his knées and worshipped saieng Quid mihi tibi Iesu filij Dei altissimi O Iesu the sonne of God the most highest what haue I to doe with thée When Symon Magus had fained him to beleeue in Christ wold haue bought the gift of the holy ghost for mony Peter said vnto him thy mony perish w e thee because thou wéenest the the gift of God may be obtained with money Thou hast neither parte nor fellowship in his businesse for thy heart is not right in the sight of God c. The wicked may with their mouth crye Domine Domine but note what I set by their praise saith Christ I shall saye vnto them Ego non noui vos I know you not I allow you not nor it was no pleasure to me to heare you praye or preach It was but blasphemy Non erat collaudatio it was no true praise it was but such as Symon Magus did giue vnto God or such as Bariesu would fayne haue giuen vnto God whom Saint Paule rebuked saieng O thou full of guile and of deceipt the sonne of the Diuell the enimie vnto all goodnesse thou ceasest not to subuerte the right wayes of the Lord. Richard Turnar RIGHTEOVSNESSE What righteousnesse is RIghteousnesse is the méere gifte of God without the workes of the lawe and is not paid as a due debt but bestowed on the beleeuers as a grace Beza The name of righteousnesse is not restrained to anye one man but betokeneth all the worshipers of God without exception Howbeit the Scripture calleth those men righteous not which are accounted such for desert of their workes but such as doe long after righteousnesse because that after the Lord hath imbraced them with his fauour in not â—aieng their sinnes to their charge he accepteth their rightfull indeuour for ful perfection of righteousnesse Cal. vpon the. 5. Psa. ve 13. The Christian righteousnesse Although saith the Christian I am a sinner by the lawe vnder the condition of the law yet I dispaire not yet I dye not because Christ lyueth which is both my righteousnesse and euerlasting lyfe in that righteousnesse and lyfe I haue no sinne no feare no stinge of conscience no care of death I am in déede a sinner as touching this present lyfe and the righteousnesse thereof and the childe of Adam where the lawe accuseth me death raigneth ouer me and at length will deuoure me But I haue another righteousnesse of lyfe aboue this lyfe which is Christ the sonne of GOD who knoweth no Sinne nor Death but is righteous and lyfe eternall by whom this body being dead brought into dust shall be raised again deliuered from the bondage of the law and sinne and shall be sanctified together with the spirit Luther vpon the Gâ—l â—ol 6. Of the righteousnesse which commeth by faith But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart c. ¶ That is to say he that is iustified through fayth is not curious he doubteth of nothing that perteineth to his saluation butâ— is perswaded that in Christ he hath the full redemption He asketh not for signes from heauen where he knoweth his Sauiour and mediatour is he goeth not about to learne the truth by the dead for he beleeueth that Christ being risen from death did teach all truth Read the 13. chapter of Deut. Sir I. Cheeke Say not c. ¶ Because we cannot performe the lawe it maketh vs to doubt who shall goe to heauen and to saye who shall goe downe to the déepe to deliuer vs thence But faith teacheth vs that Christ is ascended vp to take vs vp with him and had descended into the deapth of death to destroy death deliuer vs. Geneua And he receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse ¶ This is the righteousnesse of fayth whereof mention is made heere and in many other places if through faith we doe take hold vpon the mercie of God declared vnto vs in our Sauiour Iesus Christ. We are through the same faith counted as righteous before God as if we had fulfilled the law to the vttermost Sir I. Cheeke Saint Austen saith thus in one place The righteousnesse of the Saints in this world standeth rather in the forgiuenesse of sinnes then in perfection of vertues wherewith agrée the notable sentences of Barnard Not to sinne is the righteousnesse of God but the righteousnesse of man is the mercifull kindnesse of God he had before affirmed that Christ is to vs righteousnes in absolution and therefore that they only are righteous that haue obteined pardon and mercye Cal. in his Inst. 3. b. chap. 11. Sect. 12. How by the righteousnesse of Christ we obteine to be iustified By the onely meane of Christs righteousnesse we obteine to be iustified before c. Saint Ambrose hath excellently well shewed how there is an example of this righteousnesse in the blessing of Iacob For as Iacob hauing not deserued the preheminence of the first begotten sonne hidde himselfe in the apparell of his brother beeing clothed with his brothers coate that fauoured of a swéete smell hée crept into the fauour of his father and receiued the blessing to his own commoditie vnder the person of an other So we doe lye hidden vnder the precious purenesse of Christ our elder brother that we may gette a testimonie of righteousnesse in the sight of God The words of Ambrose be these Whereas Isaac smelt the sauour of the garmentes peraduenture this is meant thereby that we are not iustified by works but by faith because fleshly weaknesse hindereth workes but the brightnesse of faith which meriteth forgiuenesse of sinnes ouershaddoweth the errour of déedes And truely so it is that we maye appeare before the faith of God vnto saluation it is necessary for vs to smel swéetly with his odour and to haue our faultes couered and buryed with his
righteousnesse trusting in God haue not presumed to ascribe vnto themselues any societie or righteousnes of their owne No man can be without sinne so long as he is laden with the garment of the flesh the weaknesse whereof is thrée manner of waies brought in thraldome and subiection of sin to wit by déeds thoughts by words Lact. in his 6. b. de ver cul ca. 13. We may so long as we dwell in the tabernacle of this body are compassed about with fraile flesh measurably rule our affections and passions but cut them off quite we cannot by any meanes Hierom. in his Epist. ad Algasis It is to be demaunded if the nature of man be good which none dare be so bold to deny but Manicheus Marcion How then is it good if it be not possible for it to be without euil For that all sinne is euill who doubteth we answere both that the nature of man is good c. Sée the place August de per. iust li. Wherevpon S. Gregory saith he that gathereth vertue together without humility is as one that heareth dust into the wind For like as dust with a mightie blast of winde is scattered abroade so euery good thing without humilitie is with the winde of vaineglorie dispearsed asâ—nder And also it is much better to be an humble sinner theÌ„ to be a righteous man arrogant Which thing is plainly set forth by the Lord as the Publican and Pharesie are brought in for example as a certeine wise man saith Better is in wicked déedes an humble confession then in good déedes a proud boasting Gregory de donis spiri sanct cap. 2. How God ordeined sinne and yet is not the Authour of sinne To ordeine a thing to be the proper cause authour worker of a thing is not all one as by these examples following He that setteth his wine abroad in the Sunne to make vineger ordeined it to be made vineger and yet he is not the proper cause of vineger but the nature of the wine and the hotte Sunne beames He that in Spaine cutteth downe grapes in the Summer layeth them in a Sunny place ordeineth them to be made raisons and yet he is not the proper cause of raisons but the nature of the grapes and the heate of the Sunne Finally to bring a plaine rusticall example he yâ— hangeth vp Swines flesh in a chimney ordeineth it to be made Bacon and yet he is not the proper cause of Ba 〈…〉 but the nature of the flesh and smoake Wherefore sith it is euident yâ— it is not euer all one to ordeine a thing to be the proper cause authour of a thing we may boldly say the scripture bearing plaine record and S. Austen and sundry other most excellent writers holdeth vp their hands to the same that God ordeineth sinne yet is not the authour of sinne Traheroâ— The cause of sinne is not to be layed vnto God God compelleth no man to doe euil but euery man willingly sinneth wherfore the cause of sinne is not to be laied on him For séeing he procreateth not in vs wicked desires he ought not to beare the blame if wicked actions doe spring out of a corrupt 〈…〉 of wicked affections yea the goodnesse of God is rather to be acknowledged which is present and so gouerneth the wicked affections that they cannot burst forth nor bee hurtfull nor troublesome to any but when he hath appointed to chastin some and to call them backe to repentaunce or to punish them Pet. Mart. vpon Iudic. fol. 167. How all sinne is both deadly and veniall We say that all sinne in that it is sinne is deadly And yet we say againe that there is not any one sin but that the same is both deadly and veniall Deadly if the offender repent not veniall if the same be vnfeinedly repented and by mercie craued at the hands of God in the bloud of Christ. For the same God that sayd in Ezechiel Anima c. The soule that sinneth shall dye sayth also in the same Chapter And when the wicked man turneth away from his wickednesse that he hath done doth the thing which is equall and right he shall saue his soule aliue Héere you sée like as all sin in that it is sinne is deadly So againe all sinne in that it is vnfeinedly repented is also veniall I. Gough How sinne is not of Gods creation in man Whereas sinne is in mans nature it is not of Gods putting in by creation but by reason that Satan did spread his naughtinesse farther abroad at such time as man was beguiled by his wilinesse to disapoint the benefit of God c. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 16. How sinne entered into the world As by one man sinne entered into the world and death by the meanes of sinne c. ¶ Sinne is heere taken for the naturall inclination or readinesse to sinne which some doe call right-well the originall coruption of man which though it bee â—id in mans heart and declarâ— not it selfe vnto the manifest works of wickednesse yet it is able to condemne all men onely they being excepted whom faith in Iesus Christ doth saue This originall corruption doth manifest it selfe first by wicked and vncleane thoughts Second by consenting vnto the concupisence or thoughts Thirdly by committing the déede or fact Sir I. Cheeke But sin is not imputed so long as ther is no law ¶ Though man imputeth not sinne where there is no lawe yet it followeth not that God which from the beginning hath written in mens hearts the lawe of nature doth impute no sinne Foâ— sith that death which is the punishment of sinne did reigne ouer all men euen from Adam it is euident that sinne was impâ—ted Sir I. Cheeke How Christ is called sinne Whereas Christ is called sinne it might be vnderstood sayth Saint Augustin that he was the sacrifice for sinne For Christ was without sinne as S. Paule saith He hath made him sinne for vs which knew no sinne And againe God sent his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and not in sinfull flesh How no man can pardon sinnes but Christ. Sonne be of good chéere thy sinnes be forgiuen thée ¶ The same moued the Scribes that sinne should be pardoned by a man for they regarded and beheld nothing in Iesus Christ but manhood and that the lawe could not release that which was pardoned of him for onely faith iustifieth and afterwarde the Lord behelde inwardly their murmuring and said that it was easie for the Sonne of man to pardon sinnes in earth but neuertheles none can pardon sinnes but God only wherfore he that doth pardon them is God for none can pardon but God Hil. vpon S. Mathew in the 9. Canon To sinne against the Holy ghost what it is But whosoeuer shall speak against the Holy ghost c. ¶ To perseuer and continue in sinne of infidelitie to
A BOOKE OF NOTES and Common places with their expositions collected and gathered out of the workes of diuers singular Writers and brought Alphabetically into order A worke both profitable and also necessarie to those that desire the true vnderstanding meaning of holy Scripture BY IOHN MARBECK 2. Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction which is in righteousness that the man of God maye be perfect instructed vnto all good workes Imprinted at London by Thomas East 1581. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND HIS ESPECIALL good Lord the Earle of Huntington Knight of the most noble order of the Garter c. Iohn Marbeck wisheth a most happie and prosperous estate with increase of vertue in the feare of GOD. AS THE CHILdren of Israel had inestimable cause to praise the great goodnesse of almightie God and to render condign thanks vnto him for his most mercifull deliueraunce out of their vile captiuity bondage which they so long had susteined vnder that proude resister of Gods omnipotent power king Pharao Euen so Right honourable are we no lesse bound to honour lande and praise the same God with immortall thanks which now of his entire loue pitie and compassion in this our last age of the world hath broken the yoke of our miserable seruitude vnder that proud exalter of himselfe the Romish Antichrist and of the bondmen and slaues of that tyrant hath made vs free men in his sonne Iesus Christ through the true knowledge of his eternall and euerlasting word For as the people that dwel in the country called Cimmeria do remaine in continuall darknes by reason they want the cleere light of the Sunne which is so farre distant from them So were we poore soules during the time of our thraldōe vnder the power of the Pope in like obscuritie shut pend vp as prisoners in the darke dungeon of his Antichristian iurisdiction and alwaies constrained to feed on the scraps of his owne vnsauery and most vnfruitfull traditions diuelish deuices for lacke of the wholsome foode of the Gospell of Iesus Christ whereof the least little sparke could not be permitted to put forth his light among vs. But now my good Lord seeing that all the sleights and grounds of the Popes inuentions which wholy consisteth in false superstitious worshipping filthy Idolatry fained hypocrisie foolish scrupulositie with other the like be cleerly sifted and boulted out from the boulting tub of his Canō laws by infinit godly learned writers especialiye by such as bee here expressed within this volume it shall behoue vs to embrace and lay sure holde on the profound saiengs of those so godly writers or rather vpon the truth vttered by their pens that being weaponed with such artillerie we may be able to resist ouerthrow whatsoeuer the whole Popish army shal assay to assalt vs with all For what is the cause that many at this present day do fall a lusting after Romish religion as did the Israelits to feed on the flesh pots of Aegypts gaine But that they despise to apparell themselues with the armour of Christ esteeming much better their old apparell of Popery although it seeme neuer so vile in the sight of God Which miserable and deceiued sort but yet truly most wilfull froward people that I might by the mercye of God in some measure perswade if not wholy conuert to the truth I haue the rather employed my diligence in collecting these common places sincerely expoūded by the authors themselues that in the reading and earnest study therof there may some sparke of Gods true knowledge kindle aright vnderstanding in them which the Lord graunt that his onely praise glory may therein be shewed And now Right honourable hauing as yet no help for the publishing of my Concordance which without speciall helpe is like to lye not onely helples but also fruitlesse inclosed in an huge volume of mine owne writing wherein I haue spent many yeres in purpose therby to profit the studies of the godly affected in the English tongue so that I am not able as my meaning was to exhibit the same vnto you I shall most humbly beseech your honor to accept and take in good part my simple trauailes in this other worke which God of his goodnes in these mine olde yeres hath now brought forth in me That I may not seeme altogethers vnfruitfull to the Church of God nor vnthankfull vnto you mine especiall good Lord but that at the least a testification of my faithfull hart to Gods people and of my good will to your honour may somewhat therein appeare For whom as dutie requireth I wil remaine during life a cōtinuall intercessour vnto almightie God that his blessings may be multiplied vpon you that abounding in all good gifts both of body and mind you may enioy vpon this earth a long life in perfect health and honour to his glory and to the profit of others and after the end of your race may be blessed for euer in the felicitie of the faithfull Amen THE TABLE A. AAron How long he was before Christ. Fol. 1. How hee is a figure of Christ. eodem A comparison betweene him and Christ. eod What Aarons bells signified eod Abaddon The name of Satan and of the Pope 2. Abhominable Who is abhominable eod Abhomination of Deso How it is vnderstood 3. Abimelech How he is put in the steed of Achis eod Of the vices of Abimelech the sonne of leroboam 4. Abrahā How he is the heire of the world eo What is meant by his bosome 5. How his lye to Abimelech is excused 5 How he did eate Christs bodie 6. Of y◠communication betweene him and the glutton 7. How God tried his faith eod How he is said to be a Prophet eod Of the doubting of Abraham eod Of Abrahams riches eod Absolution No mortal man cā absolue 7. How it standeth not in the will of the Priest 8. Abstinence What it is eod What differēce is betweene it fasting 8 Abuses By whom they ought to be reformed 9. Of whom they ought to be rebuked eo Achab. Of Satans deceiuing of him 10 Accident What an Accident is eod How it is not without his subiect eod Adam The first man y◠God created 11. Of things done by Adam and Seth. eod Cōparison between Adam Christ. eo How he did eat Christs body drāk 12 Of the first Adam earthly the second heauenly eod How Adā was not deceiued but Eue. 13. How the sect of the Adamits sprang vp 14. Adde What it is to adde or to take away eod Adoption How the Lawiers define it 15. Adoration What it is 16. Adultery What a dampnable sin it is eo How the adulterer repenting is forgiuen 17. Aduocate How there is no mo for vs to God but Christ. 18. Afflictiō How they are mesured to vs. eo The difference betweene the afflictions of the godly and vngodly
By whom they ought to be rebuked The ministers ought to preach against abuses Iohn Baptist rebuked king Herod for kéeping his brother Philips wife S. Paule rebuked the Corinthians for hauing of sects among them for one held of Paule an other held of Apollo some held of Peter and some of Cephas For suffering a fornicator among them euen such one as kept his fathers wife For bicause they accused one an other before vnlawfull Iudges and not rather set an vnitie betwéene brother and brother among themselues For bicause they sat with the Gentiles in their Tables and did eate with them of their sacrifices For praieng in a tongue that men vnderstood not And also bicause they doubted in the resurrection 1. Cor. 15. 8 All manner of méere traditions are abuses In vaine doe yée worship me saith Christ teaching the traditions and precepts of men Mat. 15. 8. Esaie 29. 13. Tindale ACHAB Of Satans deceiuing of Achab how it is vnderstood WHo is it saith God that shall beguile me Achab Satan preuēted not God in this case neither came he afore hand to saie If thou wilt giue mée leaue to beguile Achab I will do whatsoeuer thou wilt haue me to do but God beginneth saieng where shall I finde a lieng spirit to go and deceiue Achab for I sée he will néedes bée deceiued euen to the bottome of hell And wherefore is it that God speaketh so Euen bicause the case stood vpon executing of iust vengeance vpon an hypocrite a despiser full of crueltie and a mortall enimie of all goodnesse Achab was a man that had peruerted all Gods seruice vtterlie was wholie defiled with his owne Idols and therewithall also is full of sturdinesse and malice against the Prophets and would giue no eare to anie admonition When he was thus hardened in his sinnes in such sort that a man could gaine nothing by séeking to bring him into the right waie after that God had assaide all waies and sawe hée was a man forlorne when hée held his assises and demaunded who was he that would deceiue Achab for it was Gods will to execute the office of a Iudge Wée sée then that when God meaneth to punish wicked folke and to execute his wrath vpon them according to their deserts hee tarrieth not till hée be moued to it by Satan but preuenteth him c. Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 220 ACCIDENT What an Accident is AN Accident is a thing that maie bée or not be without corruption of that wherein it is As for example One maie take awaie the whitenesse of a wall yet the substance doth still remaine Erasmus How an Accident is not without his subiect In the Sacrament of the Altar saith hée after the consecration there is not neither can be anie Accident without the subiect but there verilie remaineth the same substaunce and the verie visible and incoruptible bread and likewise the verie same wine the which before the consecration were set vpon the Altar to bée consecrated by the Priest likewise as when a Pagan or Infidell is baptised he is spirituallie conuerted into a member of Christ through grace and yet remaineth the verie same man which before hée was in his proper nature and substance This was the opinion of Iohn Puruaie in the daies of king Henrie the fourth In the booke of Mar. fol. 649. ADAM How he was the first man that God created ADam was the first man that God created héere in earth after hee had made both heauen and it with all the ornaments and things belonging vnto them both The first yeare of the world and the yeare before Christ after the supputation that is set out in the end of the Bible of Geneua 3974. hée liued 930. yeares Of certeine notable things done by Adam and Seth. Iosephus writeth that Adam and Seth made two columnes or pillers one of Brasse the other of stone for they foreséeing an extermination of all things to be one by the power of fire the other by the violence and greatnesse of the waters graued therein those things which they had inuented with the prophesies by the which the worde of God might be preserued so that they should remaine as a perpetuall monument to their successours to declare what had bene done He writeth furthermore they diuided the yeare into xij monethes and first obserued and taught the course of the celestiall bodies for it is vnpossible that mans wit could attaine to the vnderstanding of so high and difficult things except God had shewed the knowledge thereof Lanquet Of the comparison the Apostle doth make betweene Adam and Christ. They also obiect vnto vs that the Apostle compared Adam with Christ said vnto the Romanes the euen as in Adam we all die so in Christ we are all quickened Wherefore by this meanes they saie the the grace of Christ ought vniuersallie to be laid forth vnto all men But if they wil so take this cōparison they shall be compelled to graunt the all shall by Christ be brought to felicitie as by Adam all throwne headlong into sinne into death◠But seeing that the thing it selfe declareth the contrarie they maie easilie perceiue that this similitude is not to be taken as touching all the parts thereof especiallie when as none fall of their owne consent into originall sinne but these men will not haue grace to be receiued but through a mans owne consent Wherfore if they admit this difference how dare they affirme that the matter is on each side a like The scope of the Apostle in this comparison is to be considered and beside the scope nothing is to be inferred And in that comparison Paule ment nothing els but that Christ is to those which are regenerate the beginning of life and blessednesse as Adam is to them that are deriued of him the cause of death and of sinne Now whosoeuer is afterward beside this scope gathered touching the equalitie of multitude or of the manner the same is Per accidens that is by chance and perteineth not vnto the scope and substance of the similitude Pet. Mar. fol. 305. How Adam did eate Christs bodie and drinke his bloud As soone as Adam had transgressed the Lords precepts and was fallen vnder condemnation our most mercifull Father of his gracious goodnesse gaue him the promise of health comfort whereby as manie as beleeued were saued from the thraldome of their transgression The word and promise was this I shall put enmitie betwéene thy séede and her séed that séed shall tread thoe on the head and thou shalt tread if on the heele In this promise they had knowledge that Christ should destroie the diuell with all his power and deliuer his faithfull from their sinnes And where he said that the diuell should tread it on the héele they vnderstood right well that the diuell should finde the meanes by his wiles and wicked ministers to put Christ to death And they knewe that God was
true would fulfill his promise vnto them and heartilie longed for this seede and so did both eat his bodie drinke his bloud Acknowledging with infinit thankes that Christ should for their sins take the perfect nature of manhood vpon him also suffer the death This promise was giuen to Adam and saued as manie as did beléeue and were thankfull to God for his kindnesse I. Frith fol. 109. Of the first Adam earthlie and the second heauenlie The first man was of earth earthlie and the second man the Lord himself from heauen ¶ As concerning Adam it hath no darknes in it at all It is knowne how he is of the earth is called earthlie But where as Christ the second Adam is said to bée from heuen that is peruerted by heretiks The true meaning of it is that Christ Adam are alledged by the Apostle as the two heads in mankind to this intent that he might expresse by them the condition of our mortalitie and glorification As manie as be of Adam be earthlie and bearing the Image of their parent subiect vnto death and corruption And this all we be vniuersallie On the other side the elect which be borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God they be called héere heauenlie albeit in flesh they be of Adam and of them it is reported that they shall be such in the resurrection as the heauenlie Christ is also If the Valâ—ntinians and the Euthichians doe gather of this the one sort that the flesh of Christ commeth not of our flesh the other sort that it did not holde the true nature of man it followeth that the flesh of the elect persons also is of the verie same condition For the Apostle saith héere not onelie that the second man Christ is of heauen heauenlie but he addeth that also manifestlie saieng And such as is the heauenlie such be they also that be heauenlie And because you shall not referre it to Angels in knitting vp the matter he doth conclude Therfore like as we haue borne the image of the earthlie so we shall beare also the image of the heauenlie Wherfore it appeareth that the Apostle doth attribute this vnto the faithfull bicause they do expresse in them both the Images of Adam of Christ one of corruption mortalitie the other of incorruption and immortalitie So that in the former they do expresse the earthlie Adam in that they do die be corrupted In the latter they do expresse the heauenlie Adam that is Christ when they shall rise in the end of the world to glorifieng immortalitie and incorruption This is the true right meaning of the Apostle which cannot stand vnlesse we do graunt that the flesh of Christ was taken of our flesh without sinne carried into heauen to the glorie of immortalitie through the coniunction of the word and the power of God Otherwise we can haue no hope that after the Image of the earthlie man we shall be like vnto the heauenlie Musculus fol. 138. How Adam was not deceiued but Eue. And Adam was not deceiued but the woman ¶ The woman was first deceiued and so became the instrument of Sathan to deceiue the man And though therefore God punish them with subiection and paine in their trauaile yet if they be faithfull and godlie in their vocation they shall be saued Geneua How the sect of the Adamites sprang vp The Adamites were a sect of heretikes which tooke their beginning of a Pickard who came into the land of Boheme and said that he was the sonne of God and named himselfe Adam And he commaunded all men and women to goe naked that whosoeuer desired to companie carnallie with anie woman should take her by the hand and bring her to him and saie hée feruentlie desired her companie and then would Adam saie Go together and increase and multiplie This heresie was begun in the yeare of our Lord. 1412. in the time of Sigismonde the Emperour And men suppose that it endureth yet not onelie in Bohemia but in other places also ADDE What it is to Adde or take awaie from the word of God TO Adde or take awaie from the word of God is this To thinke otherwise or teach otherwise of God then he hath in his word reueled They ta kt from the word that beléeue lesse then in his word is expressed Those adde to the word first which teach or decrée anie thing either in matters of faith or ceremonies contrarie to the word Secondlie such as make anie religion or opinion of merits in anie thing that they themselues haue inuented beside the word of God Last of all they doe adde to the word which forbid that for a thing of it selfe vnlawfull which Gods word doth not forbid and to make that sinne which Gods word doth not make sinne If anie man shall adde vnto these things c. ¶ The effect is that men must neither put anie thing to nor take anie thing awaie from the Scripture â— according as it is said in an other place All the saiengs of God are as it were cleansed with fire they are a shield to them that trust in them put not anie thing to the words thereof least he perchance do reproue thée and thou be found a liar Pro. 30. 5. 6. Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 317. They saith Gasper Megander be said to adde to the Scripture which counterfeit it and marre it and make a cloke of it for their leasings and errours of which sort be the heretikes and deceiuers c. Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 317. ADOPTION How the Lawiers define adoption THE Lawiers as it is had in the institutions define Adoption to be a legitimate an imitating nature found out for their solace and comfort which haue no children Further they make a distinction betwéene Adoption and Arrogation For Arrogation they saie is when he which is his owne man and at libertie is receiued in stéede of a sonne But Adoption is when hee which is receiued is vnder an other mans power Howbeit the lawes forbid that the elder should be adopted of the younger for it séemeth a thing monstrous that the sonne should erréed the father in yeares And therefore Cicero oftentimes vehementlie inueigheth against that Adoption of Clodius Now God adopteth vnto himselfe his elect not for that he had not an other sonne for he had his onlie begotten sonne Christ in whom he was well pleased but for that in all the nature of man he had yet no children for through Adam we were all made strangers vnto him Wherefore God for this cause sent his naturall and legitimate sonne into the world that by him he might adopt vnto himselfe manie children out of our kinde c. Pet. Mar. fol. 205. We haue receiued the spirit of Adoption saith S. Paule ¶ Adoption is the inheritance promised by grace Tindale ¶ So he meaneth the holie Ghost of
to purge and to bane then the other If they maie be obserued without superstition it maie be suffered So that notwithstanding that such as obserue not these latter rules may both minister and receiue medicines for the heauens were made to serue vs and not to master vs were created for man and not man for them Therefore it is a false superstition to saie good or bad plentie or scarcitie sicknesse or health warre or peace dependeth of the influence of the heauens c Whooper Authorities against the abuse of Astrologie Where are now thy wise men that they maie tell thée or maie knowe what the Lord of hoasts hath determined against Aegipt And yet there was no part of Astrologie but it was there The Prophet doth as it were speake in despite against all them that meddle with it saieng that it is not their office to knowe the things which come to passe as they make profession Caluine Thou art warned in the multitude of thy counsells let now the Astrologers the Stargasers and Pronosticatours stand vp and saue thee from those things that shall come vpon thée beholde they shall be as stubble the fire shall burne them c. ¶ The Chaldeans wer most renowmed in Astrologie that euer were anie so that all they which haue thrust themselues into this curiositie did borrowe their name from them Wherefore we sée how God reproueth and condemneth them and pronounceth plainlie that men cannot learne of the starre the mutation and falls of kingdomes And that he will punish the pride of them which haue thrust themselues in to enterprise it c. Caluine This saith the Lord Learne not the waie of the heathen be not afraide for the signes of heauen though the heathen bée afraide of such ¶ God forbiddeth his people to giue credite or feare the constellations and coiunctions of starres and planets which haue no power of themselues but are gouerned by him and their secrete motions and influences are not knowne to man and therefore there can be no certeine iudgement thereof Deut. 18. 9. Geneua I destroie the tokens of the Southsaiers make them that coniecture fooles turne the wise men backward and make their knowledge foolishnesse ¶ He armeth them against the Sothsaiers of Babilon which would haue borne them in hand that they knew by the Starres that God would not deliuer them and that Babilon should stand Geneua It is not without cause saith Austen that men supposeth that when the Astrologers do meruaâ—lousie in their answeres declare manie truths the same is done by a secrete instinct of wicked spirits whose care is to fasten and confirme in mens mindes these false and hurtfull opinions of starrie destinies and not by anie art or cunning of the noting and beholding of the birth starre for there is no such art at all August of the Citie of God li. 5. Chap. 7. Looke there be no deuiner which doth diuine and foretell things be found among you nor obseruer of daie nor that hath respect to birds nor witch nor coniurer which doth coniure nor anie which doth counsell or aske counsell of familiar spirites nor coniuring the dead for all that so doe are abhomination vnto God Looke more in Starres ASTRONOMIE What Astronomie is THe true Astronomie that can be bidden by by learning is no more but a coniecturall science it is no demonstratiue science no more then Phisicke is And yet both well vsed are verie good But to coulour witchraft sorcerie and familiaritie with the diuell with the name and coulour of Astronomie as some doe is a diuellish and a damnable practise condemned by the word of God in a thousand places would haue man wholie and onelie to trust in Gods promises and in his gouernaunce and so to let the iudiciall Astronomer and palmisters goe like limmes of the diuell which denie Gods prouidence R. Turnar The first inuenter of Astronomie I finde alledged by Berosus that Noe had an other sonne beside Sem borne after the floud who was named Ionithus or Ionichus which was a great Astronomer and was the first that atteined to the whole science of Astronomie and thereby did deuine and shew before what should after happen to the foure principall Monarchies of the world Hée was also schoolemaster to Nemroth who began the building of the towre of Babilon and at that time all the people of the world spake but one tongue Graston in his Chro. fol. 13. AVE MARIA A new Aue Maria of Pope Sextus making IN English thus Haile Marie full of grace the Lord is with thée blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe Iesus Christ and blessed is Anna thy mother of whom thy virgins flesh hath procéeded without blot of original sinne ¶ Héere is thrée things to be noted First how the Pope turneth vnproperlie into a praier which properlie was sent of God for a message or tidings Secondly how the Pope addeth to the words of Scripture contrarie to the expresse precept of the Lord. Thirdly how the Pope exempteth Marie the blessed Uirgin not onelie from the séede of Abraham and Adam but also from the condition of a mortall creature For if there be in hir no originall sinne then she beareth not the Image of Adam neither doth she descend of that séede of whose seede euill procéedeth vpon all men women to condemnation as Paule doth teach Rom. 5. 12. wherfore if shée descended of that séede then the infection of originall euill must necessarilie procéede vnto hir If she descended not therof then shée commeth not of the séede of Abraham nor of the séede of Dauid c. Againe séeing that death is the effect and stipend of sinne by the doctrine of Saint Paule Rom. 6. 23. Then had hir flesh iniurie by the lawe as Christ himselfe had to suffer the malediction and punishment of death and so should neuer haue died if originall sinne had no place in hir c. Booke of Mar. fol. 925. AVENGE How we ought not to auenge our selues AUenge not thy selfe ¶ As a Father ouer his children is both Lord and iudge forbidding one brother to auenge himselfe on an other but if anie cause of strife be betwéene them will haue it brought to himselfe or his assignes to bee iudged correct so God forbiddeth all men to auenge themselues and taketh the authoriâ—â— and office of auenging vnto himselfe saieng vengeaunce is mine and I will reward Deut. 32. 35. which Text Paule alleadgeth Rom. 12. 19. For it is impossible that a man should be a righteous and equall or an indifferent iudge in his owne cause lustes and appetites so blinde is our affections in vs. Moreouer when thou auengest thy selfe thou makest not peace but stirreth vp more debate God therefore hath giuen lawes vnto all Nations and in all landes hath héeput lungs and gouernours and rulers in his owne stead to rule the world through them and hath commaunded all causes
seconde Chapter to the Hebrewes doth alleadge this vearse of the Prophet to this purpose and intent to proue that Christ tooke the same nature of man vpon him that we haue This is a verie truth that I doe now teach saith Saint Paule Qui sanctificat qui sanctificabitur ex vno omnes that is both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one Christus sanctificat purgat abluat emundat nos nos vero mortales sanctificamor illum per Christum And this Christ which by the morites of his bitter passion doth sanctifie vs and wée which are sanctified be all of one what is that to saie we come all of Adam concerning the nature and vertue of flesh and bloud Christ came of Adam as well as we and that is the cause why S. Luke describeth the pedegrâ—e of Christ after the flesh he beginneth at Ioseph qui putabat illius pater which Ioseph saith Saint Luke was thought to be Christs Father This Ioseph was the sonne of Hely Hely was the sonne of Mathat which was the sanne of Leâ—â— And so he descendeth in order vntill he come to Adam signifieng thereby that Christ concerning yâ— flesh came of Adam as wel as we And that is the thing which S. Paul saith Qui sanctificat et qui saÌ„ctificatur ex vno omnes so they yâ— sanctifie they yâ— be sanctified by Christ come all of one nempe Adamo that is to wit of Adam Propter quam causam Christus non confidetur vocare nos Fratics For the which cause Christ is not ashamed saith S. Paule notwithstanding we be sinners to call vs his brethren according as it is written Narrabo nomen tuum fratribus meis I will set out spread thy name among my bretheren not bretheren only by affection as when Christ saith Mater mea fratres mei hij sunt qui verbum Dei audiunt faciunt but my bretheren because they be made of the same kinde of flesh and bloud that I am my bretheren because they come of Adam as I doe Ric. Turnar ¶ We cannot haue God to be our father vnlesse we acknowledge Christ to be our brother c. Saint Ambrose saith Hée is our Mouth by the which wée speake to the Father our Eie by the which wée sée the Father our right hande by which wée offer vs vnto the Father The lieng of Christ in the Stall expounded Chrisostome saith As Christ was in the Stall so is he now vpon the Altar And as he was sometimes in the womans armes so is he now in the Priests hands ¶ Erue it is that Christ was there Christ is héere but not in one or like manner of being For he was in the stall by bodilie presence vpon the holie Table he is by waie of a Sacrament The woman in hir armes helde him reallie the Priest in his hands holdeth him in a mysterie So saith Saint Paule Christ dwelleth in our hearts and no doubt the same Christ that laie in the Stall It is one and the same Christ but the difference standdeth in the manner of his beeing there For in the stall he laie by presence of his bodie in our hearts he heth by presence of faith Chrisostome saith that Christ heth vpon the Altar as the Seraphins with their tonges touch our lips with the coales of the Altar in heauen which is an Hiperboricall loquution of which Chrisostome is full Bradford in the booke of Martirs How Christ is called the Rocke ¶ Looke Rocke What it is to put on Christ according to the Gospell The putting on of Christ according to the Gospell consisteth not in Imitation but in a new Birth and a new Creation That is to saie in putting on of Christs innorenâ—ie his righteousnesse his wisedome his power his saâ—ing health his life and his spirit We are clothed with the leather coate of Adam which is a 〈…〉 garment and a garment of Sinne that is to saie We are all subiect to Sinne all solde vnder Sinne. There is in vs horible blindnesse ignoraunce contempt and hatred of God moreouer euill concupiscense vncleannesse couetousnesse c. This garment that is to saie this corrupt and sinfull nature we receiued from Adam which Saint Paule is wont to call the olde man This olde man must wée put off with all his workes Ephe. 4. 22. That of the Children of Adam wée maie bée made the Children of GOD. This is not done by chaunging of a garment or by anie lawes or workes but by a new birth by the renuing of the inward man which is done in Baptime as Paule saith All ye that are baptised haue put on Christ. Also according to his mercie hath he saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renuing of the holie Ghost Tit. 3 5. Besides that they which are baptised are regenerate renued by the holie Ghost to a heauenly righteousnesse and to eternall life there riseth in them also a new light and a new flame there rise in them new and holie affections as the feare of God true faith assured hope c. There beginneth also in them a new will And this is to put on Christ according to the Gospell Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 167. How Christ first loued vs and not we him Who loued me and gaue himselfe for me ¶ Paule saith héere that first he began and not we He euen he saith Paule loued me and gaue himselfe for me as if he had said he found in me no good will or right vnderstanding but this good Lord had mercie vpon me He sawe me to be nothing els but wicked going astraie contemning God and flieng from him more and more yea rebelling against God taken led and caried awaie captiue of the Diuell Thus of his méere mercie preuenting my reason my will and my vnderstanding he loued me so loued me that he gaue himselfe for me to the ende that I might be free from the Law Sin the Diuell and Death c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 82. How Christs corporall presence is hurtfull I tell you truth it is expedient for you that I goe awaie ¶ The corporall presence of Christ is hurtfull vnto men and that through their owne fault For why they are too much addicted vnto it Therefore his flesh must be taken awaie from vs that we maie waxe and increase in the spirite therefore they are farre out of the waie that dreame in the mysticall bread and wine a bodilie presence Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The absence of Christ according to the flesh is profitable to the Church that we maie wholie depend vpon the spirituall power Camerarius How Christ is God by these prooues following First almightie God said let vs make man in our owne Image and after our likenesse Which words no doubt doe signifie vnto vs the Triplicitie of the persons in the Godhead which are thrée distinct in name
sanctifie their spirits which doth set their trust onlie in the redemption promised theÌ„ in Christs blessed bloud this church by Christ is made without spot or wrinkle D. Barnes fol. 313. The Church saith Lyra doth not stand by reason of spirituall power or secular dignitie for many Princes many Popes other inferiour persons haue swarued from the faith wherfore the church doth stand in those persons in whom is the true knowledge and confession of faith and veritie Lyra in Math. Chap. The holie church are we saith Augustine but I do not say are we as who should say we that be héere alonelie that heare me now but as manie as bee héere faithfull christen men in this church the is to say in this citie as manie as be in this regigion as many as be beyonde the sea as manie as be in all the whole world for from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same is the name of God praised So is the church our mother August sermo 99. de tempore Saint Paule calleth the church the spouse of Christ for that she ought in all things to giue eare to the voice of the Bridegrome Likewise he calleth the church the piller of the truth for that that she â—aieth hir selfe onlie by the word of God without which word the church were it neuer so beautifull should bée nâ— church The holie church is all they that haue bene and that nowe are and alwaies to the end of the world shall bée a people the which shall endeuour them to know to kéepe the commandements of God dreading ouer all things to offend God and louing and séeking most to please him c. Booke of Mar. 632. The church saith Lambart I doe take for to be all those that GOD hath chosen or predestinate to be inheritours of eternall blisse and saluation whether they be temporall or spirituall king or subiect bishop or deacoâ— father or childe Grecian or Romaine c. Booke of Mar. fol. 1276. Of whom the Church began When Adam and Eue his wife had taken comfort of Gods promises which was that Christ should come of the womans séede to redeeme the world from sinne death and hell then they beléeuing the same stedfastlie in their heartes were the beginning of the true Church Lanquet Whie the Church is holie and Catholike On this consideration saith Saint Austen the Church is holy and Catholike not because it dependeth on Rome or anie other place nor of anie multitude obedient to Rome both which are donatistical but Quia recte credit in Deum because it beléeueth rightly in God I. Bridges fol. 543. The Fathers began to call this true and right teaching the Church of Christ the catholike Church which is as much to saie as vniuersall Augustine to his cosin Seuerinus This is saith he the catholike Church wherevpon it is also called Catholice in Gréeke because it is spred throughout al the world Isichius vpon Leuiticus For the vniuersal Church saith he is Hierusalem the citie of the liuing God which conteineth the Church of the first begotten written in heauen And Gelasius vnto Anastatius the Emperour The same is called saith he the Catholike Church which is by a pure cleane and vndefiled fellowship sequestred from all the vnfaithfull and their successours and companions otherwise there should not be a difference giuen of God but a miserable mingle mangle c. Musculus fol. 258. Cipriane the Bishop and Martyr in his booke De simplicitate Clericorum saith The Church is one which is spread further and further abrode by fertile increase euen as there are manie heames of the Sunne and but one light and manie boughes of a tree yet but one Oke grounded vpon a stedfast roote And where as manie brookes issue out of one spring though the number séeme to be increased by the abundaunce of store yet it is but one at the head Plucke a beame of the Sun from the Gloabe that one once separated is voide of light Breake a bough from the Tree it can bring foorth no fruite Cutte a Brooke from the Springe and béeing cutte of it drieth vp Guen so the Church lightened with Gods light which is spread euerie where neither is the vnitie of the bodie seperated she extendeth hot braunches with plenteous increase throughout all the earth she sendeth out her plentifull riuers all abrode Yet is there but one head and one spring and one mother plentifull with fertile successâ—â— c. Bullinger fol. 841. How the Church is made cleane by Christ. If the feare of God haue deliuered you then are yée trulie deliuered You are washed you are sanctified you are iustified in the name of Iesus Christ and in the spirit of God Of Christ is the Church made faire first she was filthie in sinnes afterward by pardon and grace was she made faire D. Barnes 253. How the Church hath spots and wrinkles in her The whole Church praieth Lorde forgiue vs our sinnes wherefore she hath spottes and wrinkles but by knowing of them her wrinkles are stretched out knowledging her spots be washed awaie The Church continueth in praier that shée might be cleansed by knowledging of her sinnes and as long as we héere liue so standeth it And when euerie man departeth out of this bodie all such sinnes are forgiuen him which ought to be forgiuen him For they be forgiuen by dailie praier and he goeth hence cleansed And the Church of God is laide vp in the treasure of God for golde and by this meanes the Church of God is the treasure of our Lord without spotte or wrinkle Sequitur Let vs praie that God maie forgiue vs and that we maie forgiue our debters séeing it is said And it shall be forgiuen vnto you Wee saie this dailie and dailye we doe this and this thing is done dailie in vs. We are not héere without sinne but we shall depart without sinne D. B. fol. 254. How it is said aright that the Church cannot erre The Church is the pillor and foundation of the truth how then can it erre Wée aunswere brieflie saith Musculus wée doe knowe right well that the Church is the onelie and welbeloued spouse of Christ the kingdome of heauen the it is ruled by the masterie and leading of the holie spirit and that wée bée alwaies taught by his anoninting and that it is the piller and foundation of the truth But these saiengs do perteine not vnto all particuler Churches but vnto that onelie vpright and catholike church which is the communion of the Saints and elect throughout all the worlde which doth beléeue in Christ their Lord and spouse in all ages And touching this ther is no variaunce there is none of vs that saie that the catholike church hath erred in the faith of Christ. For how can it erre when it followeth Christ and walketh not in darknesse but hath the light of
stirred him to beléeue that it was no vaine doctrine but that it must néeds be of God in the it had such power with it For it happeneth that they which will not heare the word at beginning are afterward moued by the holie conuersation of them the beléeue c. Read 1. Pet. 3. 1. 1. Cor. 16. Tin How the church is our Mother Christ is our Father as the Church his sponse is our Mother As all men naturallie haue Adam for their father Eue for their mother so all spirituall men haue Christ for their Father and the church for their mother And as Eue was taken out of Adams side so was the church taken out of Christs side whereout flowed bloud for the satisfaction and purging of our sinnes D. Harpsfield in the booke of Mar. fol. 1791. He shall not haue God to be his Father which acknowledgeth not the church to be his Mother Moreouer without the church saith Saint Austen be the life neuer so well spent it shall not inherit the kingdome of heauen ¶ This is not ment of the Popish Church but of the holie catholike or vniuersall Church which is the communion of Saints the house of God the citie of God the spouse of Christ the piller and staie of the truth out of this Church there is no saluation indeede N. Ridley How the Church is visible The Church is none otherwise visible then Christ was héere on earth that is by no exteriour pompe or showeâ— that setteth hir foorth commonlie and therfore to see hir we must put on such eies as good men put on to see Christ when he walked heere on earth for as Eua was of the same substaunce that Adam was of so was the Church of the same substaunce that Christ was of flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone as Paule saith Ephe. 5. 30. Looke therfore how Christ was visiblie known to be Christ when he was héere on earth that is by considering him after the word of God so is the Church knowen Bradford Markes whereby the Church is knowen The Church saith the Papists hath thrée markes vnitie antiquitie and consent These thrée saith the Aunswere maie be as well in the euill as in the good as well in sinne as in vertue as well in the Diuells church as in Gods Church As for example Idolatrie among the Israelites had all these thrée Chrisostome telleth plainlie that the Church is well knowen tantummodo per Scripturas alonelie by the Scriptures Bradford Master Caluine saith This honour is méete to be giuen to the word of God and to his Sacrraments that wheresoeuer we see the word of God trulie preached and God according to the same trulie worshipped and the Sacraments without superstion administred there we maie without all controuersie conclude the Church of God to be And a little after So much we must estéeme the word of God and his Sacraments that whersouer we may finde them to be there we certainelie know the Church of God to be although in the common life of men manie faults and errours be found Whitegift fol. 81. Of the Church of Antichrist the Pope The tyrannie of the Popes Church sheweth them not to be Christs Church The Church saith S. Hylarie doth threaten with vanishments and imprâ—onments and the compelleth men to beleeue hir which was exiâ—ed and cast into prison She hangeth on the dignitie of their fellowship the which was consecrated by the threatnings of persecutors she causeth priests to flée that was increased by the chasing away of Priests Shée glorieth that she is loued of the world the which could neuer be Christs except the world did hate hir To proue that the spirituall aâ—aiâ— and gorgeous apparrell that is vsed in the Popes Church doth not make the Church S. Barnard saith thus They be the Ministers of Christ but they serue Antichrist They go gorgeouslie araied of our Lords goods vnto whom they giue no honour And of these commeth the decking of harlots that thou seest dailie the game-plaiers disguisings and kings apparrell Of this commeth golde in their bridles in their saddles and in their spurres so that their spurres be brighter theÌ„ the Altars Of this commeth their plenteous wine presses and their full sellers belking from this vnto that Of this commeth their Tonnes of sweete wines Of this bée their bagges so filled For such things as these be wil they be rulers of the Church as Deacons Archdeacons Bishops and Archbishops c. D. Barnes fol. 2 6. Obiection Hath God saith the Papists forsaken his Church a thousand yeares and were all our fathers deceiued before Luther was borne such antiquitie vnitie and vniuersalitie was it al in errour c. Aunswere Was the world deceiued so manie hundred yeares Whie should it not The Lord ordeined that there should come an apostacie and generall fall from the saith of Christ that the world might be seduced with the man of sin whose age began in the Apostles time and shall not vtterlie die till the daie of Christ. Thus the Lord appointed and so let it be for all things are for his glorie Deering Of the vniuersall Church ¶ Looke Vniuersall CIRCVMCISION What circumcision doth represent CIrcumcission representeth the promises of God to Abraham on the one side and that Abraham and his séede should circumcise and cut of the lusts of their flesh on the other side to walke in the waies of the Lord. Tindale fo 6. There be two Circumcisions the one outward made in the flesh by mens hands cutting awaie a round péece of the skinne of the secret members And this Circumcision was not necessarie to saluation after the Gospell was openlie preached after Christs passion but was abrogated and left as indifferent and not necessarie to saluation The other Circumcision was the inward Circumcision by yâ— spirit of God by yâ— which yâ— who le bodie is mortified put away cléerelie by the spirit by faith in Christ. And this Circumcision is necessarie to saluation L. Ridley Circumcision is nothing of it self it signifieth yâ— blessed séede in which al nations are blessed And it signifieth yâ— circumcision of the hart which consisteth in yâ— spirit not in yâ— flesh D. Heynes The Nazares did contend no Nation to appertaine to the Church of God vnlesse they were circumcised Paule Barnabas said that all as well Gentiles as Iewes if they beléeue in Christ should be saued without circumcision D. Heynes Circumcision was the holie action whereby the flesh of the fore-skinne was cut awaie for a signe of the couenaunt that God made with men Or to describe it more largelie Circumcision was a marke in the priuie members of men betokening the eternall Couenaunt of God and was ordeined by God himselfe to testifie his good will towards them that were circumcised to warne them of regeneration and cleannesse and to make difference betwixt the confederates of God and other people or nations Bullinger fol. 355. What
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
the Masse let them read Platina and Polidore Virgil touching the same and ther shall they finde how by whom vpon what occasion and in what processe of time all the parts of the Masse were peeced and set together And that in the space of seauen hundred years surely and with much ado it was made vp at last and brought to some perfection Iewel How the Masse is not a sacrifice propiciatorie It is proued by Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrues that the offring of the Priest in the Masse or the appointing of his ministration at his pleasure to them that be quicke or dead cannot merit or deserue neither to himself nor to them for whō he singeth or saith the remission of their sinnes but y◠such popish doctrine is contrarie to the doctrine of the Gospel iniurious to the sacrifice of Christ. For if onely the death of Christ be the oblation sacrifice and price wherfore our sins be pardoned then the act or ministration of the Priest cannot haue the same office Wherfore it is abhominable blasphemy to giue that office or dignitie to a Priest which perteineth only to Christ or to affirme that the Church néed of any sacrifice as who should say that Christs sacrifice were not sufficient for the remission of our sinnes or else that his sacrifice shoulde hang vppon the sacrifice of a Priest Cranmer MASSILIANI Of the opinions of these Heretikes MAssiliani were idle Monks whom the diuell had possessed they sayd that the body of Christ in the Sacrament did neither good neither harme They said Baptime was to no purpose Lentus Bishop of Melitena draue the théeues out of their dennes the wolues from among the shéepe set the Monastaries on fire Theodoretus li. 4. chap. 11. These heretiks wer called also Euchitae so called because of their continual praieng It is a wonder saith Augustine to heare what a number of praiers they run ouer much like vnto the late mumbling of praiers vpon beads where Christ said pray alwaies S. Paule Pray without intermission which is deuoutly to be taken for euery day they do it too much therfore saith Augustine to be nūbred among heretiks They say when the soule is purged y◠a Sow with her pigs is séene to come out of mans mouth that a visible fire entereth in which burneth not These Euchits did think that it apperteined not vnto Monks to get their liuing with y◠sweat of their browes but to liue idly Epiphanius saith that when Luppicianus the Praetor executed some of them for their lewdnesse they called themselues Martirianos Some of them thought that it was their duetie to worship the diuell least he should hurt them These were called Satiniani If ye called any of them Christ a Patriarke a Prophet or an Angell he would answere that he was They slept like Swine men and women all in one heape August li de haeraes Epi. haer 80. These Massilians were condempned in the generall counsell helde at Ephesus in the time of Theodosius lunior Cyril li. Apologet. MAISTER What the Maisters office is to the Seruaunt Ye Maisters doe vnto your seruaunts that which is iust and right putting away all bitternes and threatnigs knowing that ye also haue a Maister in heauen The Pharesies dissembling in calling Christ Maister Maister we know that thou art true ¶ This is a deceitful dissimulation they are not ashamed of inconstancie by the which they now call him Maister whereas before they blasphemed him saieng that he had the spirit of Belzabub euen so in an other place the Pharesies which were the Maisters of these Ambassadours sayd vnto Christ Maister wée woulde sée a signe of thee And againe Maister this woman was taken in adulterie But they called him Maister whose disciples they would not be for they sayd vnto that begger to whom Christ restored his sight be thou his Disciple for we are Moses Disciples Heere the Prouerbe is fulfilled Such lippes such lettice The Pharesies were dissemblers and hypocrites their Disciples follow them in all points Marl. fo 502. MATHEVV The lyfe of Saint Mathew written by Saint Hierome MAthew which was otherwise also called Leuy being of a publican made an Apostle first of al other cōposed wrote in Iewry the Gospell of Christ in the Hebrew tongue for their behoofe and cause which being of the circumcision had beleeued which Gospell what person did afterwarde translate into Greeke it is not very certeynly knowne But truelye the very Hebrue it selfe is had euen vntil this present day in y◠Librarie of Cae 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 e which Librarie Pamphilus the martir did with all possible studiousnesse set vp and make And I my selfe also had the same Gospell of Mathew in Hebrewe lent me to coppye it out of the Nazarites which in Beroea a Citie in Syria doe vse the same booke wherein is to be noted and obserued y◠wheresoeuer the Euangelist either in his owne person or else of the person of our Sauiour doth vse any allegations of the olde Testament he doth not followe the authoritie of Septuaginta that is to say of the threescore and ten translaters but of the Hebrue Of the which sort are set forth these two citations heere ensuing Out of Aegypt haue I called my sonne And for a Nazarite shall he be called Erasmus MATRIMONIE ¶ Looke Marriage MEDIATOVR Proues that Iesus Christ is the onely Mediatour betweene God and man ¶ There is one God and one mediatour betwéene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus ¶ If there be but one mediatour as Saint Paule saith there is not then cannot Saints come to make mo then one Saintes cannot be mediatours for other because they haue néede of a mediatour themselues D. Barnes Christ is our mouth wereby we speake vnto the Father our eyes whereby we sée the Father our right hande whereby wée offer our selues to the Father without whose intercession neither we nor all the Saints haue ought to doe with God Ambrose in his booke of Isaac and the soule We haue all things in Christ If thou desire to be cured of thy wounds he is thy Phisition If thou be gréeued with thy sinnes he is thy righteousnesse If thou lacke helpe he is thy strength If thou feare death he is thy lyfe If thou be in darknesse he is light If thou wilt goe into heauen he is thy way If thou séeke meate he is thy nourishment Ambrose in his 4. booke vpon Saint Luke We are reconciled and brought in fauour againe with God through Christ which is the mediatour that of enimies wée might be made sonnes Neither should we be deliuered through him as onely y◠mediatour of God and man Christ Iesus if he were not also God But when Adam was made that is to wit a right man he néeded no mediatour but when as sinnes did separate sunder mankinde farre from God we must be brought in fauour againe with
repentaunce sought of them but onely that they must beléeue Arbitramur hominem iustificari absque operibus legis We béeing taught of Christ thinke saith Thomas according to the truth of the Apostle that euery man whether he be Ieâ— or Gentile is iustified by faith Act. 15. 19. By faith purifieng theyr hearts and that without the workes of the lawe And that not onely without the Ceremoniall workes which did not giue grace but also without the workes of the Morall commandements according to that saieng of Titus 3. ver 5. Not of the workes of the righteousnesse that we haue wrought The reason is presumed that we are saued for our merites the which he excludeth when he saith Not of the workes of the righteousnesse which we haue done but the true reason is the onely mercie of God There is not therefore in them the hope of iustifitation Sed in sola fide but in faith onely Workes are not the cause that any body is iust before God but they are rather the executions and the ministring of righteousnesse In this point though he swarue from the truth in many other points he speaketh right I. Bridges fol. 143. Our Aduersaries when they doe teach that the iustifieng of vs doth not consist in faith onely but in workes also what doe they els but obscure the glory of Gods grace and extoll the merite of our workes They doe not waye that it is necessarye that our iustifieng doe consist in faith onely for as much as it is bestowed freely If they cannot abide the word onely or alone let him leaue it and vse this word fréely For in case we be iustified fréely by faith as the Apostle doeth testifie it must néedes followe that we be not iustified by faith works but by faith onely If it be not by faith onely but by workes withall then is it not freely but of duetie If it be of dutie and not fréely then there is no glory of Gods grace at all Musculus fol. 229. ONE Of one Mediatour ¶ Looke Mediatour What the Prophet Ose doth meane by one head THen shall the Children of Iuda and the Children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselues one head ¶ To wit after the captiuitie of Babilon when the Iewes wer restored but chiefe this is referred to the time of Christ who should be the head both of the Iewes and Gentiles Geneua ¶ The number of the Children of Israel shall be as the sande of the Sea shore that cannot be numbred And it shall come to passe in the place where it was sayde vnto them Ye are no people of mine there shall it be sayd vnto them ye are the children of the lyuing God And the Children of Iuda the Children of Israel shall assemble together and shall appoint to themselues one head Upon which words S. Hierom writeth thus All these things shall come to passe because it is the great daye of the séed of God which séede is expounded not the Pope but Christ. There shall assemble together the Children of Iuda that is to say the Apostles the Children of Israel that is to say the Heathen conuerted together that is to say in one Church and shall appoynt vnto themselues one head that is to say not one Pope but one Christ. Iewel fol. 101. ¶ Let vs remember saith Augustine the corner stone that is Christ and not the Pope and the two walls the one of the Iewes and the other of the Heathen Iewel fol. 101. Of one Sheepefold And there shall be one Shéepefold ¶ When the Gentiles haue receiued the Euangelicall faith they shal be associate and ioyned to the faithfull people of the Iewes and so of them both there shall be one folde that is of the Iewes Gentiles there shall be one Church One God saith Paule one Faith and one Baptime Therefore we must be one euen as wée are called into one hope c. They which gather vpon this place that there shall be a mutual consent and agréement among men in the whole world insomuch as none shall remaine as Inâ—â—dell or vngodly doe erre and know not the Scriptures neither doe consider what is the state and drift of this place Againe ther are some which gather of this place that after the last day of Iudgment all both good and bad shall be gathered into one place of eternall life But the opinion of those men is most foolish For then shall the Shéepe be seperated from the Goates the iudgement of the Shéepe shal be one the iudgement of the Goates another as the Scripture plainly testifieth Marâ— vpon Iohn fol. 374. Of one Spirit He that cleaneth vnto God is one spirite with him ¶ Nico. Lyra vpon this place saith Vâ—us non secundum rem c. One spirit with God not one in déede but one in loue or according to affection So that we are vnited vnto God by faith and loue and none otherwise ORACLE What an Oracle is AN Oracle is properly the minde and aunswere of God by some diuine Interpreter declared as by some Prophet Priest or otherwise by man ORIGENIANI Of whom these Heretikes bare their name ORigeniani were Heretikes called after aâ—e Origen not he that was the great Cleark of Alexandria they condemned marriage yet liued they beastly their manner was to haue among them religious women like Nunnes whom they deâ—â—led yet vsed meanes to kéepe them from swelling Epiph. haer 63. Of the Heretikes that sprang of the learned Origen Origeniani againe were Heretikes which so called themselues of Origen Adamantius the great Clearke of Alexandria they taught as Epiphan saith haeres 64. that there was no resurrection that Christ was a creature the Holy ghost a like that the soules were first in heauen came downe into the bodies as it wer into prison that in the end the diuels should be saued Epiphanius as I read in Socrates Eccl. hist. li. 6. ca. 11. was become the enimy of Origen through the spite malice of Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria The diuell bare Origen a displesure he procured heretikes to father vpon him lewd opinions He complaineth himselfe in a certaine Epistle how that Heretikes corrupted his works Pamphilus Martir the great friend and familiar of Eusebius wrote an Apologie in his behalfe Eusebius li. 6. ca. 3. 18. 20. 26. reporteth of the famous men that fauored Origen Socrates Eccle. histor lib. 6. cap. 12. writeth in his commendation Athanasius gaue of him a notable testimonie Chrisostome would in no wise bée brought to condemne either Origen or his works Socrates li. 6. cap. 11. 12. 13. ORIGINALL SINNE That no man is without originall sinne THe death of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God is a mightie remedie against the wound of originall sin wherewith the nature of all men is in Adam corrupt and slaine and from whence the infection of all concupiscence hath sprong Augustine in the Articles falsely
his Crosse and in mortifieng the peruerse and crooked disposition of the flesh We ought alwaies to beare in minde the saieng of our Sauiour Christ If any man will follow me let him deny him selfe and take vp his Crosse and follow me c. Marl. fo 432. How mans perfection is vnperfect Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy power Ye shall not turne neither to the right hand nor to the lefte Accursed is he that standeth not in euery thing that is written in the law to performs the same And S. Iames saith Who so offendeth in one commaundement is guiltie in all And Christ saith Be ye perfect not meaning your selues by your owne abilitie but as your father is perfect which is in heauen And yet héerby he meaneth not the perfection that is in God and his Angells but onely the perfection that is required in man I beseech you saith S. Hierom hath God commaunded me that I should be the same that God is that there should be no difference in perfection betwéene me and my Lord the Creator that I should be aboue the highnesse of Angells or that I shuld haue that the Angells haue not I sayd it is possible that a man maye be without sinne if he want not will the power of God assisting him And yet I finde that besides Christ in whom all men shall be quicknesse to life there was neuer man nor neuer shall be who being in this life shall haue this perfection Wherefore doth Christ say Be ye perfect wherefore doeth Paule say As many of vs as be perfect c. Heereto S. Hierom aunswereth thus What then doe we think or what ought we to thinke that be not perfect We ought to confesse that we are vnperfect and that we haue not yet gotten nor taken that perfection that is required This is the true wisedome of a man to know himselfe to be vnperfect And as I might say the perfection of all iust men liuing in the flesh is vnperfect He hath much profited in this life that by his profiting hath learned how farre he is from the perfection of righteousnesse Our very righteousnesse it selfe is so great in this life that it standeth rather in forgiuenesse of our sinnes then in perfection of righteousnesse Iewel fo 316. 317. 318. ¶ Looke Sound PERGAMVS What Pergamus was CHurch which is at Pergamus ¶ Pergamus was the name of a famous Citie in olde time in Asia where the kings of the Atalians were alwaies resident The faith of them of Pergamus is much cōmended because they remained constant euen in the very heate of persecution Theo. Beza PEARLE What a Pearle in Scripture doth signifie NEither cast ye your Pearles before swine ¶ A Pearle hath his name among the Grecians for the orient brightnesse that is in it And a Pearle in auncient time was in great estimation among the Latines for a Pearle that Cleopatra had was valued at two hundred and fiftie thousand Crownes and the word is now borrowed from that to signifie the most precious heauenly doctrine Theo. Beza PERIVRIE How periury is made lawfull by the Popes law YE shal vnderstand that these two worthy Martirs of Iesus Christ Iohn Hus and Hierom of Prage were called to the generall Councell holden at Constaunce and faith was made to them that by safe conduct they should come safe and returne safe and yet were they contrary to the faith taken and burned And least that holy Councell should séeme to doe anye thing wherein all their sect did not consent they made this Antichristian lawe in the 19. Session Presens sancta Synadus c. This present holy Counsell doth publish and declare that there can no preiudice hurt or hinderaunce come to the Catholike faith or to the Ecclesiastical iurisdiction by reason of any safe conduct graunted by the Emperour by Kings or other Princes of the earth to any which either be heretikes or defamed of heresie for what bond or promise soeuer the same Princes haue made vnto them their safe conduct notwithstanding it is lawfull for any compitent Ecclesiasticall Iudge to enquire of the errours yea although they come to y◠place of iudgement trusting vpon their safe conduct so that otherwise they would not haue come Neither he that maketh any such promise any whit bound to performe it if he haue done that that lay in him otherwise I. Pon. PERMISSION Of Gods permission or suffering WE must note that when either the Scriptures or Fathers doe séeme God to be the cause of sinne this word permission is not there so to be added as though he only suffered men to sinne and by his prouidence or gouernment wrought nothing as concerning sinnes Indéede he letteth them not though he can but vseth them and sheweth in them his might and not onely his patience which thing Augustin vnderstood right wel and disputed against Iulianus he confuted that sentence wher it is sayd that God suffereth sinne onely according to patience and proueth that his might is also therevnto to be added by the words of Paule who wrote vnto the Romanes If God by much patience haue suffered vessells of wrath prepared for destruction to shewe forth his anger and to make knowen his might And vndoubtedly there are many things in the holy scripture which cannot alwaies be dissolued by the word of permission or patience For the heart of the King is said to be in the hand of the Lord so that he inclineth it whether soeuer it pleaseth him And Iob testifieth that it was so done as God would But as touching the sinne of the first man when yet nature was not viciated corrupted we graunt y◠the cause therof came from the will of Adam suggestion of the Diuell we saye that God permitted it because when hée might haue withstood and letted it he would not doe it but decreed to vse that sinne to declare his Iustice and goodnesse Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic fol. 167. PERSECVTION What persecution is PErsecution is an obstinate pursuing to destroy by the which there is no place of rest and quietnesse giuen but the destruction of Innocents is sought with all kinde of violence and deceits Mar. vpon Math. fol. 81. They which doe follow vpon any man for to be reuenged so that they make no ende of pursuing of him nor leaue from that which they had begun withal be rightly called persecuters although that at length they be compelled to leaue off contrary to their determination and purpose as it betideth to all persecuters which are at the last constrained whether they will or not to breake off the race and course of their persecution Some doe take the word of persecuting or pursuing to be a ful following or pursuing in all poynts As when an Hound followeth the Deare a drye foote vp hill and downe through thick and thinne c. Both senses be applyed