life Christ hath not forsaken it nor neuer will forsake it all our whole strife is vpon the particular churches which be mingled with good and euill together They not onelie can erre but also haue erred and doe erre yet in manie points c. Musculus fol. 267. Saint Augustine in his preface vpon the 47. Psalme alleadgeth this place of the Apostle in this wise Therefore wée must vnderstaÌ„d by the second of the sabboth none but the church of Christ but the church of Christ in his Saintes the church of Christ in them which be written in heauen the church of Christ in them which doe not yéelde vnto temptations of this world for they be worthie to beare the name of the firmament Therefore the church in them which be strong of whom the Apostle saith Wée which be strong beare with the infirmities of the weake is called the firmament whereof it is song in the Psalme Let vs heare let vs knowe let vs sound let vs glorie let vs reigne For heare you and knowe that the same also is called the firmament by the writing of the Apostle which is saith he the church of the liuing God the piller and firmament of truth Thus saith Augustine Chrisostome doth expound this place in this sort Not as the Iewish church for this is that which conteineth the faith that is to saie the piller and establishment of the church and the preaching For truth is the piller and establishment of the church this saith he He maketh not the church to be the piller establishment of the truth but the truth of the church c. Mus. fo 268 To proue that the congregation of faithfull men is the church that cannot erre heare their owne law The whole church cannot erre â— Againe The congregation of faithfull men must néeds be which also cannot erre ¶ This church which is spred abrode throughout all the world and standeth in the vnitie of faithfull christen men is the church that God suffereth not to erre in those things that belong to saluation D. B. fol. 254. How the Church is knowne Whereas the word of God is purelie and sincerely preached the Sacraments orderlie ministred after the blessed ordinance of Christ. And wheras men do patiently suffer for the veritie And the hearers doe applie their liuing to Christ doctrine and with méeknesse receiue the holie Sacraments these be good and present tokens to iudge vpon that there be certeine members of Christs church and to proue this read the doctors following Our mother holie church faith Augustine throughout all the world scattered farre and wide in her true head Christ taught hath learned not to feare the contumelies of the crosse nor yet of death but more and more is she strengthened not in resisting but in suffering They that be in Iudea let them flie vnto the mountaines that is to saie they the be in Christendome let them giue themselues to the scriptures for in that time in the which heresies haue obteined into the church there can be no true probation of christendome nor no other refuge vnto christen men willing to knowe the veritie of faith but by the Scriptures of God Afore by manie waies was it shewed which was the church of Christ and which was the congregation of the Gentiles But now there is none other waie to them the will know which is the verie true church of Christ but onely by Scriptures By works first was the church of Christ knowne when the congregation of christen men either of all or of manie were holie the which holinesse had not the wicked men But nowe christen men are as euill or worse then heretiks or Gentiles yea greater continence is found among them then among christen men Wherefore he the will knowe which is the verie church of Christ how shal he know but by the scriptures only And therefore our Lord considering that the great confusion of things should come in the latter daies for that cause coÌ„maunded he that christen men willing to reserue the stablenesse of the true faith shuld flée vnto none other thing but vnto the scriptures For if they haue respect vnto other things they shall bée slauÌ„dred shal perish not vnderstaÌ„ding which is the true church The same Doctour saith â— It can no waie bée knowne what is the Church but onelie by the Scriptures Againe Christ commaundeth that who so will haue the assuraunce of true faith séeke to nothing else but vnto the Scriptures Otherwise if they looke to anie thing else they shall be offended and shall perish not vnderstanding which is the true Church and by meanes héereof they shall fall into the abhomination of desolation which standeth in the holie places of the Church There bée certeine bookes of our Lord vnto the authoritie whereof each part agréeth there let vs séeke for the church Thereby let vs examine and trie our matter Againe hée saith in the same Chapter I will ye shew me the holie church not by decrées of men but by the word of God August de vnit eccl cap. 3. The question or doubt is where the Church should bee what then shall wée doe Whether shall we séeke the Church in our owne wordes or in the wordes of her head which is our Lord Iesus Christ In my iudgement we ought rather to séeke the Church in his words for that he is the truth and best knoweth his owne bodie August de vnit eccle Chap. 2. Whether of vs be Scismatikes wée or you aske not me I will not aske you Let Christ be asked that hée maie shewe vs his owne Church Augustine cont litter Petilium li. 2. chap. 85. In times past saith Chirsostome there were manie waies to knowe the church of Christ that is to saie by good lyfe by myracles by chastitie by doctrine by ministring the Sacraments But from that time heresies did take holde of the church it is onelie knowne by the Scriptures which is the true church They haue all things in outward shew which the true church hath in truth They haue Temples like vnto ours c. Wherefore onely by the Scriptures doe we knowe which is the true church Verses Hoc est nescire sine Christo plurima scire Si Christum bene sâ—is satis est si caetera nescis Englished This is to be ignorant to know manie things without Christ If thou knowest Christ well thou knowest inough though thou knowest no more What is meant by the militant and triumphant Church Men doe diuide the true Church of Christ into the militant the triumphant church So that the militant church should be of them which doe yet trauaile in this mortall flesh do striue with Satan the flesh and the worldâ— The triumphant of them which are passed to heauen and haue ouercome all manner of their enimies In this sort Augustine placeth the Angels also These bée not two churches but the
reason with reason August contra Maxi. li. 3. chap. 14. More weightie is the doctrine of the Scripture and the Prophets then of such as be raised from the dead doe report any thing or if an Angell descend from heauen As for the things they talke they be but seruants that speake them but whatsoeuer the Scripture vttereth the Lord hath spoken it The Lord therfore doth teach vs that we should thinke credit shuld be rather giuen vnto the Scriptures then to all other things Chrisost. de Lazaro concione 4. No man will giue héede to the Scriptures for if we did consider them we shuld not onely not fall into â—rrours our selues but also thereof deliuer other that are deceiued and put them from perill Chrisost. in Epist. ad Heb. Homil. 8. Let vs not bring deceitfull ballances wherein we may weigh whatsoeuer we lust at our owne discretion saieng this is heauie this is light but let vs bring the heauenly ballance of the holy Scripture as from the treasure of the Lord therin let vs weigh what is of more weight Hierome causa 24. quest chap. 1. non adfera How Christ ouercommeth Satan with Scriptures Iesus sayd vnto him it is written againe ¶ Christ woulde not ouercome Satan by his diuine and almightie power but with the Scriptures and word of God to teach vs by his own example to fight against Satan with the holy sacred Scripture which are our heauenly armour the word of the spirit Beza How this place following is to be vnderstood Among the which some things are hard to be vnderstoode c. ¶ That is to say among the which things for he disputeth not héere whether Paules Epistles be plaine or darke but saith that amongest those things which Paule hath written off in his Epistles and Peter himselfe in these two of his owne there are some things which cannot be so easily vnderstood and therfore are of some drawne to their owne destruction that hée saith to make vs more attentiue and dilligent and not to remoue vs from reading of holy things For to what end should they haue written vaine speculations Beza ¶ As no man condempneth the brightnesse of the Sunne because his eyes is not able to susteine the cleerenesse thereof so the hardnesse which we cannot somtime compasse or perfectly vnderstand in the Scriptures ought not to take away from vs the vse of the Scriptures Geneua Of them which say that Scripture hangeth vpon the iudgement of the Church I know saith Caluine that they haue commonly the saieng of Augustine where he sayth he would not beléeue the Gospel saue that the â—uthoritie of the Church moued him therevnto But â—ow vntrue and cauillously it is alleaged for such a meaning by the whole tenour of his writing it is easie to perceiue He had to doe with the Maniches which desired to be beleeued without gaine saieng when they vaunted that they had yâ— truth on their side but proued it not Now Augustine asketh them what they would doe if they did light vpon a man that would not beleeue the Gospell it selfe with what manner of perswasion they wold drawe him to their opinion Afterward he saith I myselfe would not beleeue the Gospel c. saue yâ— the authoritie of the church moued me therto meaning yâ— he himselfe when hée was a straunger from the faith could none otherwise be brought to embrace the gospell for the assured truth of God but by this the he was ouercome by the authoritie of the Church And what meruaile is it if a man not yet knowing Christ haue regard to men Augustine therfore doth not there teach yâ— the faith of the godly is grounded vpon the authoritie of the Church nor meaneth that the certeintie of the gospel hangeth theron but simply onely that there should be no assurednesse of the gospell to the Infidels wherby they might be won to Christ vnles yâ— consent of the church did driue them vnto it And the same meaning a little before he doth plainly confirme in this saieng When I shal praise yâ— which I beléeue scorne the which thou beléeuest what thinkest thou méet for vs to iudge or do but the we forsake such men as first call vs to come know certeine truths after commaunded vs to beléeue things vncerteine And that we follow them that require vs first to beléeue that which we are not yet able to sée that being made strong by beléeuing we may attainâ— to vnderstand the thing that we beléeue not men now but God himselfe inwardly strengthening giuing light to our minds These are the very words of Saint Austen Caluin 1. booke chap. 7. Sect. 3. The Papists say it must be vnderstood after the interpretation of the Church of Rome which is false When the Apostles bad vs trie the spirits whether they be of God or no meant he trow ye we shuld trie them according to the testimony of the Church of Rome When the men of Thessalonica tried the Apostles doctrine whether it wer true or no Asked they yâ— iudgement of the Church of Rome c. Deering Obiection How is the word of God and the Scriptures knowne but by the Church Aunswere The Church was and is a meane to bring a man more spéedely to know the scriptures and the word of God as was the woman of Samaria a meane that the Samaritanes knew Christ but as when they had heard him speake they sayde Now we know that he is Christ not because of thy words but because we our selues haue heard him So after we came to the hearing and reading the Scriptures shewed vnto vs and discerned by the Church we doe beleeue them and know them as Christs shéepe not because the Church sayth they are the Scriptures but because they be so being assured therof by the same spirit which wrote and spake them Bradford in the booke of Mar. fol. 1794. When the Scriptures was in English ¶ Looke Bible Of the burning of Scriptures ¶ Looke Herode SEA Of the diuerse names giuen to this Sea OUer the sea of Galile ¶ This is a lake which is called in the Scripture the sea or lake of Ginnereth which some interpret the sweete sea is called of the Gréeks Genezar or Genazareth Of this Iosephus maketh mention in his third booke of the war of the Iewes 18. chapter S. Iohn calleth it the sea of Tiberias because the citie of Tiberias so called of Herode the Tetrach for the honour of Tiberius Caesar bounded vpon the East part of the same Wherefore by this portion the Euangelist doth more plainly describe the place whither Christ went For the whole lake was not called the sea of Tiberias but onely that part which lay more to the shore vpon the which Tiberias was scituate Marl. fo 188. What the Sea of Glasse signifieth As it were a Sea of Glasse ¶ The Hebrues betoken all manner of
perfect faith Of the spirituall sacrifice that the Christians doe dailie offer vnto God Looke Rom. 12. 1. Phi. 4. 18. 1. Pet. 2â—5 Ric. Turnar Sée more in the word Sacrifice CAINE How and by what meanes Caine was slaine IN the beginning of the world most people went naked sauing that they were partlie couered with skinnes of some beast at that time they had no dwelling house to defende them neither from the colde neither yet from heate but after their owne phantasies they made with pretie boughs and twigs of trées such little pretie lodgings as we call Cabens or Boothes And it so chaunced that Caine béeing verie olde and also wearie happened one daie to laie him downe to rest in a bush that was enclosed with gréene boughs as aforesaid And Lamech one of yâ— kinred of Caine in the fift degrée who by reason of his greate age had lost his sight and yet at a time was disposed to go abrode to kill some wilde beast And taking his Bowe and Arrowes he toke also a little boie to leade and direct him where hee might haue a good shoote And when he drew somewhat néere vnto the bush where Caine laie the little boie espieng the bush to wagge séeing as it were a great thing in the midst therof he imagined that there laie some wilde beast and the boye béeing afraide thereof gaue knowledge to olde Father Lamech that in a bush standing right before him not farre off there laie a great and terrible beast And Lamech vppon the report of the childe stretched out his arme drew a straight draught toward the bush where he slew his cosin Caine that laie in the same after he had liued 730. yeares as saith Philo Graftonan his Chro. fol. 7. ¶ Lyra saith that when Lamech perceiued he had slaine Caine whom the Lord had forbidden him in paine of greate punishment he fell vpon his owne seruant beat him so that he died Of a certeine sect called Caini Caini were heretiks which honoured Caine and tooke him for their father They highlie estéemed of Esau Chore Dathan Abiram with the Sodomits They called Iudas the traitour their cosin honouring him for betraieng of Christ affirming yâ— he foresawe how great a benefit it would become vnto maÌ„kinde They reade a certeine Gospell written as they saie by Iudas they reuiled the lawe and denied the resurrection Epiphani haeres 38. August de haeres CAIPHAS How he was the mouth of God and the mouth of the diuell all at one time HE was the mouth of God in as much as God made him to saie that his people could not be saued but onely by the death of his sonne Iesus Christ but he was the mouth of the diuell according to his intent after the which he so spake for he did not speak according to the meaning of the holie Ghost but as a murtherer an enimie of truth pretending the death of Iesus Christ because of the hatred which he bare towardes him ¶ God made him to speake neither could his impietie let Gods purpose who caused this wicked man euen as he did Balaam to be an instrument of the holie Ghost Geneua ¶ The spirit of prophesie doe manie times speake by the mouth of an vngodly man for the vngodlie are so excecated and blinded that they do oftentimes speak against theirown selues vnwittinglie and that to their vtter vndoing and destruction â— Sir I. Cheeke CALL What it is to call vpon the name of the Lord. IN that time beganne men to call vppon the name of the Lord. ¶ To call vpon the name of the Lord is to require all things of him and to trust in him giuing him the honour and worship that belongeth vnto him as in Gen. 12. 8. T. M. ¶ In these daies God began to moue the heartes of the godly to restore religion which a long time by the wicked had ben supprest Geneua Of three mnner of callings Manie are called c. ¶ Christ speaketh of the externall calling by the preaching of the Gospell of yâ— which there are three degrées All men are called yea euen they which heare not these which are dumme and are deafe minded are also called The second sort enter in and promise that they will serue God neuertheles their consciences condemneth them because they haue not the true root As Symon Magus which did faine himselfe to beléeue of the faithful being conuicted in his conscience by the truth of the Gospell professed the same but he had no roote as Peter casteth him in the téeth Such are they trulie to whom the Lord sendeth his holie spirit and whome for a time he illuminateth but at the length by the iust desert of their ingratitude he forsaketh them and striketh them with great blindnesse The third calling is speciall of great efficacie by the which God doth verie much aduance the elect faithfull onelie when that by the inward lightening of the spirit he bringeth to passe that the word preached abideth in their hearts To these testimonie is giuen by the same spirit that they are the adopted sonnes of God We cannot iudge who are the elect and who are the reprobate for we ought to leaue this iudgement vnto God Notwithstanding by signes there maie be some coniecture had but we must alwaies beware of rash iudgement Euerie man that is elected and chosen of God is fullie certified in himselfe of his calling The which thing we maie dailie beholde For manie are brought into the Church which afterward fall awaie from the same either béeing terrified by persecution or els béeing ouercome with some other temptation Such trulie are of the number of them that are called but are not elected for héereby our election is proued if we perseuer vnto the last end Mar. fol. 51. ¶ First all men be generallie called euen those that doth not heare the word for vnto them both heauen and earth and and the creatures comprehended therein doth not cease to preach the almightie power of God and also his goodnesse and mercie so that all men as the Apostle saith are vnexcusable before the maiestie of God And with them maie be comprehended those that heare the word who though they be called be so deafe in their hearts and mindes that they will neither giue care nor héede to the calling The second sort that be called doe professe the Christian religion receiue the word but it hath no true root in them as Symon Magus being conuinced in his heart yâ— the gospel was true did for a time professe but because it had no root in him he did soone fall awaie from it Such are them to whom yâ— Lord doth giue his holy spirit illuminating theÌ„ for a time but after ward he doth forsake them because of their ingratitude and vnthankfulnesse doth strike them with great blindnesse The third manner of calling is both particular and also most effectuall For by it the Lord
we are chosen WE are not chosen of God to breake his commaundements but for to liue in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lyfe How God hath chosen vs and we not him You haue not chosen me saith Christ but I haue chosen you ¶ Who hearing this saieng of our Lord dare bee so bolds as to saie that men are chosen through beliefe whereas rather they are chosen that they maie beléeue least y◠they should bée found to haue chosen Christ first contrarie to the sentence of the truth vnto whom Christ saith you haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you Pet. Viret Obiection We were chosen do some saie before the foundations of the world were made because that God did foresee that we shoulde be good and not that he himselfe should make vs good Aunswere God saith ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you for if he had therefore chosen vs because he had foreséene that we shoulde bée good he should also haue knowne before that we should haue chosen him Veron How God is said not to haue chosen manie wise men Paule saith that God hath not chosen manie wise men after the flesh nor manie men of power nor manie noble men borne And yet the same man saith God will haue all men saued how then doth he nor choose God is said not to haue chosen them not because he would not haue them saued but for the sequele of it that is to saie because the wisedome of this world power nobilitie of birth do like baits entice and withdrawe manie from the obedience of the Gospell Dauid was rich and puissant and so was Nero. But Dauid was not entised by the riches and power to fall from the Gospell as Nero was to his owne destruction And so foorth of other like Hemmyng Of Marie Magdalens good choosing Marie hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken from hir ¶ She hath chosen the hearing of the word of God which euer endureth is the onelie waie to euerlasting life Tindale ¶ The good part that is the hearing of the word of God from the which it was not méete that she should bée drawne hauing not alwaies opportunitie to heare the same The Bible note How God chooseth two manner of waies I haue chosen you twelue saith the Lord and one of you is the diuell ¶ It is to bee vnderstood that there is two manner of choosing The one whereby the Apostles were chosen to that most worthie office of Apostleshippe that they were in and the other wherby they wer chosen into life euerlasting Therfore when Christ saith that Iudas was chosen with the other Apostles that same must be vnderstood of the office wherevnto he was called and chosen with the other For when he speketh of the election that doth perteine to life euerlasting hée doth altogether exclude him from the number of the chosen I doe not saith he speake of you all I know whom I haue chosen I. Veron ¶ Looke Iudas Calling Election Predestination Of the choosing of Ministers Looke Ministers CHRISOLITE The nature of this stone and what it betokeneth The seauenth a Chrisolite ¶ This stone glittereth like gold and casteth out burning sparkes Wherby are ment those that vnderstand the diuine Scriptures both in word worke doe vtter that vnto others which they themselues vnderstand Marl. fol. 300. ¶ The seauenth foundation is of a Chrisolite or Turcas which shineth as golde and séemeth as it shoulde send foorth sparkes vnder this are they comprehended which hauing the wisdome of the spirit inflameth other with it prouoking them thereby to the loue of God and their neighbour This did Moses Esau Barnabas and Paule in whom the glorie of the Lord appeared plenteouslie Bale CHRISOTRACE The description of this stone and what it betokeneth THe 〈…〉 a Chrisoprade ¶ This is of a greene colour intermedled with golde and it betokeneth such as resembleth the freshnesse of the euerlasting countrie by charitable intercommuning one with an other Mirl vpon the Apoc. fol. 300. ¶ The tenth was a Chrisoprace whose condition is to shine like golde and yet he is greene in sight Such are they which hauing godlie wisdome vttereth it according to the talent giuen them of the Lord thereby renuing the dull spirits of other vnto heauenlie things Among this sort maie 〈…〉 be numbred which sawe manie wonderfull visions And so maie Simeon and Anna in the Gospell Bale CHRIST How Christ was first promised to Adam WHen the first man Adam through the craft and subtiltie of the Serpent whom the diuell had set for his minister to deceiue him had lost the felicitie of Paradise and made himselfe and all his posteritie for euer subiect to death and all other calamities and nuseries of this world where afore it was in his power alwaies to haue liued Then almightie God for the saluation of mankinde promised that of the séed of the woman Christ should come and destroie the power of Satan and deliuer vs frée from sinne and death Lanquet How Christ grew in age and wisdome Christ as touching his Godhead did not grow in age wisdome and fauour but in respect of his manhood in that he was verie man whose example would God we could follow that as we grow in yeares so we might grow in wisdome and fauour with God and men Hemming How Christ is called Dauids sonne If Dauid call him Lord how is he then his sonne ¶ Christ in that he is a verie naturall man is Dauids sonne but in that he is a true and a naturall God equall with the Father he is also his Lord. Sir I. Cheeke How Christ had moneie Looke Moneie Whie Christ became man As through a naturall man we were banished out of Paradise made the children of dampnation so it pleased the almightie trinitie neither by an Angell nor Archangell but by a naturall man to restore vs againe and made vs heires of saluation as Paule witnesseth By a man came death and by a man commeth the resurrection of the dead for as by Adam all die euen so by Christ all be made aliue R. Hutchynson Whie Christ fasted Like as it pleased God to giue power vnto Moses xl daies twice in the mountaine not for the auoiding of temptation but for to set foorth the glorious lawe and will of the Father then to be published And Elias béeing sent to anoint a king ouer Siria a king and a Prophet ouer Israel by whom both these kingdomes should be cleane altered and chaunged did fast fortie daies from all maner meates for the declaring of the power of God in his works So did it please Christ of his owne power to fast fortie daies that the Iewes shoulde haue none occasion to thinke him inferiour to those tw◠their great Prophets in the publishing of his Gospell and gladde tidings vnto the world and his renuing of all things not to the
no robberie to bée equall with God neuerthelesse he made himselfe of no reputation taking on him the shape of a seruant and was found in his apparel as a man c. Héere we sée that forasmuch as he was in the shape of God he was equall with God and inasmuch as he was in the shape of man he was lesse then the father for he made himself of no reputation Thus ye doe sée the sentence they bring foorth is verie true and yet maketh nothing for that purpose they alleadge it But if they list to cauill about this word shape or likenesse of God therefore he was not God for it is one thing to be in the shape and likenesse of GOD and another to bée GOD. To that I aunswere that as he saith he was in the shape of GOD so he saith also that he tooke on him the shape of a seruant and was found as a man And if they will prooue him heereby not to bée God so on the other side I will proue him not to be man because he tooke on him the shape of a seruant and was found as a man and the one is euen as true as the other which if it shuld bée graunted the whole work of our saluation should be of none effect Thus do you sée of what force this argument of theirs is Obiection Christ saith all power is giuen vnto me in heauen earth And againe the Father loueth the sonne hath giuen al things into his hand Thus sée we the Father giueth and the sonne receiueth and greater is he that giueth then he that receiueth wherefore it cannot be that he should be equall and all one God with the Father Aunswere This obiection maie be answered like as the other the Christ was equall with his Father as touching his diuinitie lesse then the Father as concerning his humanitie In the which humanitie he receiued all things of his Father but as touching his diuinitie he created and made all thinges and giueth the selfe same gifts to men that the Father giueth For Saint Iohn saith the world was made by him and as manie as receiued him to them gaue he power to bée the sonnes of God Thus sée we the Scripture which they alleadge serueth nothing for their purpose Obiection S. Paule 1. Cor. 15. 25. saith Then commeth the end when Christ hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God the Father whē he hath put downe all rule all authoritie and power For hée must reigne vntill he put all his enimies vnder his feet For as much then as Christ shall deliuer vp his kingdome to God the Father and shall reigne vntill he put all his enimies vnder his feete néeds it must be graunted that his kingdome shall haue an end whereby it is euident that he is not God Aunswere The kingdome of Christ doth consist in conquering our auncient enimie the diuell vnder whom we were a long time in bondage in that he should die to redeeme the people and so together in one and so to ascend vp on high and to leade awaie captiuitie captiue to sit on the right hand of God to make intercession for vs and last of all to sit in iudgement on all flesh whereof part is alreadie done and the other part is a dooing part to be done For first y◠redemption of man is alreadie done and wrought by his death and passion Againe euen vnto this daie he fighteth in his members against Satan the enimie of God and reigneth as a king in the heartes of them that be his beside this he continuallie maketh intercession for vs. And the last daie he shall as a righteous Iudge reward them that be his with eternall lyfe but the vngodlie with death euerlasting All the which béeing done this kingdome of his shall cease For he shall deliuer it vp vnto his Father so haue an end For it shal be no longer néedfull forasmuch as the saluation of man shall there vs altogether finished and made perfect But doth it nowe followe that although this kingdome of his shall haue an end that then he shall cease to reigne and haue no kingdome By the selfe same reason maie it bée proned that God the Father was without a kingdome all the while y◠this kingdōe of Christ hath continued for Christ saith All power is giuen me of my Father Héere ye sée that the Father gaue all power and authoritie vnto Christ Ergo the Father was without power and authoritie for the time that Christ had it The which I am well assured that no man that is in his right minde will bée content to graunt And beside all this we haue the plaine testimonie of Scripture that the kingdome of Christ is euerlasting For the Angell said Of his Kingdome there shall bée no ende Thus if the Scripture be well weied it maketh nothing at all for their purpose What Christ hath done for vs. Christ is the Sauiour of the world Iohn 4. 42. Christ is the Sauiour Luke 2. 11. Christ died for vs. Rom. 5. 6. Christ died for our sins Rom. 4. 25. Christ bought vs with his bloud 1. Pe. 1. 17. Christ washt vs with his bloud Apo. 1. 5. Christ offered himselfe for vs. Gal. 1. 4. Christ bare our sinnes vpon his back Esay 53. 11. Christ came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1. 15. Christ came into this world to take awaie our sins 1. Iohn 3. 5. Christ was the price that was giuen for vs and our sins 1. Timo. 2. 6. Christ hath paied our debt for he died for vs. Coll. 2. 14. Christ is our sanctification 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is our redemption 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is our peace Coll. 2. verse 14. Christ hath pacified the Father of heauen for vs. Rom. 5. 1. Christ is ours and all his 1. Cor. 3. 22. Christ hath deliuered vs from the lawe from the diuel and from hell Coll. 2. 14 The Father of heauen hath forgiuen vs our sinnes for Christs sake or anie other like the same which declare vnto vs the mercie of God ◠Iohn 1. 7. In the booke of Mar. fol. 1110 CHRISTIAN The definition of a Christian. SEE that will expresse the name of a Christian must bée such a man as excelleth through the knowledge of Christ and his doctrine in modestie righteousnesse of minde in constancie of life in vertuous fortitude and in confessing of sincere pietie toward the one and the onely vniuersall God Eusebius fol. 8 The right Christen man consenteth to the lawe that it is righteous and iustifieth God in the lawe For he affirmeth that God is righteous and iust which is the author of the law He beléeueth the promises of God and iustifieth God iudgeing him true and beleeuing that he will fulfill his promises With the lawe he condemneth himselfe and all his déedes and giueth all the praise to God He beléeueth the promises and ascribeth all truth vnto God thus euerie where
the tyrant Antiochus Read the 2. chapter of the second booke of Machabees Notwithstanding there are some which referre this daie of dedication to that first daie when the people returned from Babilon of which mention is made in the sixt Chapter of the first booke of Esdras Reade Iosephus in his 22. booke and 14. chapter But it maketh no great matter of which dedication or renouation you saye that this was the seast daie whether of the first or of the last Marl. vpon Iohn fo 381. Feast of pasâ—e-ouer wherefore it was instituted The feast of pase ouer◠〈…〉 〈…〉 was instituted in the 〈…〉 from their bondage in 〈…〉 Feast of Penticost wherefore it was instituted The feast of Penticost was in remembraunce of the lawe that was giuen 〈…〉 ount 〈…〉 Of the feast of Tabernacles The feast of tabernacles was 〈…〉 of the dwelling of the Israelites fortie yeares in tents Hemmyng The Iewes feast of tabernacles was at hand ¶ Ey this feast of tabernacles we are aâ—monished yâ— we are but pilgrimes straungers as long as we liue in this naturall bodie that we haue no permanent citie heere therfore ought we earnestlie to desire that we maie enter into the lande of promission which is the land of the liuing Of this feast read Leuit. 23. ver 34. Sir I. Cheeke ¶ At this feast they dwelled 7. daies in the tents which put them in remembrance that they had no citie heere permanent but that they must seeke one to come Geneua This feast of tabernacles or tents was so called because the children of Israel abode in their tents 7. daies for a remeÌ„brance that God made their fathers dwell in tents when he brought them out of the land of Aegypt This feast is celebrated from the fiâ—téenth daie of the seauenth moneth which we call October vnto the. 21. daie of the same As is to be séene in Leuiticus Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 242. Of the omitting of the feast of Tabernacles For since the time of Iosua yâ— sonne of Nun vnto this daie had not the children of Israel done so c. ¶ The mening is not yâ— the feast of tabernacles was not celebrated from yâ— time of Iosua the son of Nun vnto that daye which was almost a thousand yeares but yâ— it was not celebrated in that manner yâ— is with such solemnitie so great 〈…〉 gladnes as the vâ—rie words themselues declare both in the Hebrue text in the best translations And so doth 〈…〉 expound that place who saith yâ— those words since the time of Iosua the sonne of Nun c. be spoken in the respect of greatnesse of the ioie which there happened vnto the peopleâ— Lyra also expoundâ—th the same place much after the same sort and presupposeth nothing lesse then that the feast were omitted all this time for he affirmeth yâ— they were much more solempnlie with greater cost celebrated in the time of Dauid Salomon Therefore saith he the comparison is Secundum quid propertionaliter For I vse his words because in all this time sithence Iosua it is not read yâ— the people wer so gathered together in Hierusalem as we read in the beginning of this chapter that they were at this time And againe he saith yâ— it was more for the people newlie returned from captiuitie to celebrate such a feast with that solempnitie then it was to mightie kings and people béeing in prosperitie and setteled in a kingdome to celebrate the same daie with much more cost and solempnitie D. Whitgaâ—t fo 9. FESTVS How he ascribed madnesse to Saint Paule FEstus said with a loude voice Paule thou art beside thy selfe much learning hath made thee mad ¶ Festus béeing much troubled with Paules declaration and hauing nothing to saye against it yet wold not yeeld vnto it but â—â—amorouslie condemned it as wicked superstitious For worldlings are loth to be combred with godlie matters and count all such as foolish that trouble themselues therewith The Bible note FEET OF GOD. ¶ Looke Foot FIRE How euerie mans worke is tried by the fire IN the fire it shall be shewed ¶ If anie mans worke that he hath builded doe abide this fire yâ— is if the word yâ— a man hath preached doe abide all assalts temptations it is a token that they are surelie grounded on the Scripture of God then shall the preacher receiue his reward If anie mans worke be burnt that is the preachers word will not abide the triall and light but vanish away then it is a token that they are not wel grounded on Scripture and so shall he suffer hurt for it shal be a great crosse and vexation to the preacher that he hath béene so deceiued himselfe and also hath lead other into his errour Notwithstanding he shall be saued because of his faith in the foundation which is Christ and his ignoraunce shall bee pardonedâ— sith heeâ—erred not of a malitious purpose but of a good zeale But yet shall it bée as it were a fire vnto him for it shall gréeue his heart to sée that he had laboured â—n vaine and that hée must destroie the same which he before through ignoraunce preached This is the processe and pure vnderstanding of the text I. Frith fo 44. ¶ By fire Saint Paule doth vnderstand persecution and trouble By golde siluer and precious stones he vnderstandeth them that in the middest of persecution doe abide stedfastlie in the word By timber haie and stubble are meant such as in the time of persecution doe fall awaie from the truth If they then which beléeue doe in the time of persecution stand stedfastlie in the truth the builder shall receiue a reward the worke shall be preserued and saued But if so be that they swarne goe backe when persecution ariseth he shall suffer losse that is to saie the builder shall loose his labour and cost But yet the builder I meane the preacher of the word shall be saued if he béeing tried by persecution doe abide fast in the faith Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The meaning of Saint Paule when he wrote this to the Corinthians was to aduise the ministers of the Gospell that wheÌ„ as he had laide Iesus Christ as the foundatioÌ„ of our health they should build nothing vpon it but onlie heauenly doctrine which is like to golde siluer precious stones For if anie man would build vpon it mans doctrine which is not grounded vppon the word of God but is like to timber haie and stubble euerie mans doctrine shall bee examined and tried by the fire that is the holie Ghost And that doctrine which is altogether agréeable to the foundation shall stand still And that doctrine which is not fullie agréeable and yet hath kept the foundation whole shall be consumed by the fire of the holie Ghost who worketh by his grace that such ministers as doth repent them of those errours which they haue committed in their doctrine vnagreeble vnto
the loue of all worldlie things can be no scholer of Christ to learne his doctrine Tindale What it is to forsake the Lord. And forsooke the Lord God of their Fathers c. To forsake the Lord God of their fathers is to despise and forsake the word of God not so beléeue his promises nor to walke in his commaundements but to imagine another seruice of him then hee himselfe hath assigned in his word T. M. FORTVNE How nothing ought to be ascribed to fortune TO be had in fauour it helpeth not to be cunning but that all lieth in Time and Fortune ¶ Thus the worldlings say to proue that all things are lawfull for them and attribute that to Chaunce and Fortune which is done by the prouidence of God Geneua ¶ Thus the wicked worldlings are deceiued attributing to Fortune that which is ordered by the secret prouidence of God The Bible note Augustine in his booke against the Academites saithe It doth displease me that I haue so often named Fortune albeit my meaning was not to haue anie Goddesse ment thereby but onelie a chaungeable happening in outward things either good or euill Of which word Fortune are deriued these words which no Religion forbiddeth vs to vse Forte forsan forsitan fortasse fortuito y◠is Perhaps peraduenture by fortune by chaunce which yet must al be applied to y◠prouidence of God And that did I not leaue vnspoken when I said For peraduenture that which is commonlie called Fortune is also ruled by sercet order and we call chaunce in things but that whereof the reason and cause is vnknowen I said this indéed but it repenteth me that I did there so name Fortune Forasmuch as I sée that men haue a verie euill custome that whereas they ought to say It pleased God they saie It pleased Fortune Cal. in his inst 1. b. chap. 16. sect 8. ¶ Fortune and aduenture are the words of Panim◠the signification whereof ought in no wise to enter into the heart of the faithful For if all prosperitie be the benediction of God and all aduersitie his malediction there remaineth no place to Fortune in such things as come to men Basil. retract li. 1. ca. 2. FOOTE What the foote doth signifie in scripture My foote standeth right Foote in the scripture is taken for the affection desire or will of the heart As in the Psa. 36. 11. O let not the foote of pride ouertake me T. M. The meaning of this place following At the féete of Gamaliel ¶ That is his dailie hearer The reason of this speach is this for that they which teach sit commonlie in the higher place speaking to their scholers which sit vpon fourmes beneath and therefore he saith At the féete of Gamaliel Beza What the feete of God signifieth As his head signifieth his diuinitie so his féete signifieth his humanitie the which is subiect to Gods deitie as our féete are vnto our heads Psal. 8. 6. Thou shalt put all things in subiection vnder his féete In some places the Preachers of Gods word be meant by the féete as in Deut. 33. 3. They that drawe nigh his féete shall taste of his doctrine FOOTE-STOOLE What this Foote-stoole was ANd a foote-stoole for our God The foote-stoole c. was the mercie seate at which and on which God had promised the Hebrewes to heare them and speake vnto them which was vpon the Arke as it appeareth Exo. 25. T. M. And fall downe before his foote-stoole c. ¶ That is before his Temple or Arke where he promised to heare when they worshipped him as now he promiseth his spirituall presence wheresoeuer his Church is assembled Geneua And remembred not his foote-stoole ¶ Alluding to the Temple or to the Arke of the Couenaunt which was called the foot-stoole of the Lord because they should not set their mindes so low but to lift vp their hearts toward the heauens Geneua Untill I 〈…〉 thy foot-stoole ¶ Christ is the only◠redéemer vnto whom all power are subiect must obay Gene. FOVRE Of the foure Angels ¶ Looke Angels Of the fourth Watch. ¶ Looke Watch. ANd intreate them euill foure hundred yeares ¶ That is not to be vnderstood that they stould be euill intreated the whole foure hundred yeares but by excesse of speach called Hyperbole is signified that they should be euill intreated within the space of 400. yeares The Bible note FOVRTEENE GENERATIONS Vnder whom the fourteene Generations were ruled THe first fourtéene generations from Abraham to Dauid was vnder the rule of Iudges from Dauid vnto the captiuitie of Babilon vnder Kings from captiuitie of Babilon vnder high Priests And the last fourtéene generations from the captiuitie of Babilon ended in Christ. Marl. fol. n. FORME OF GOD. What it is to be in the forme of God Athanasius saith Nature substaunnce kinde and forme be all one thing Leo saith What is it to be in the forme of God He aunswereth it is to be in the nature of God Chrisostome saith The forme of God is the nature of God S. Austen saith As concerning the forme of God Christ himselfe saith of himselfe I and my Father are both one againe he saith The forme is one because the Godhead is one Iewel fol. 88. ¶ Looke Shape of God What it is to take the forme of a seruaunt Leo saith What is it to take the forme of a seruant He answereth doubtlesse it is to take the perfection of nature state of man Chrisostome saith The forme of a seruaunt verelie is the nature of a seruaunt Saint Augustine saith When thou thinkest of the forme of a seruaunt in Christ thinke of the shape of a man if there bée anie faith in thée Againe Wée must beléeue and confesse saith hée that Christ according to his humanitie is visible hath the substaunce and propertie of a bodie is conteined in place forme of a seruant that is to saie in verie truth he tooke man And tooke on him the forme of a seruaunt ¶ If Christ being verie God equall with the Father laide aside his glorie being Lord became a seruaunt and willinglie submitted himselfe to most shamefull death shall we which are nothing but vile slaues through arrogancie tread downe our bretheren and preserue our selues Geneua How this vocable Forme signifieth verie bread wine in the Sacrament S. Paule speaking of Christs incarnation saith that he béeing in the forme of God did humble himselfe taking vpon him the forme of a man By which words S. Paule ment not that Christ was like vnto God and not God indéede nor yet was like vnto man and not verie man indéed but that he was and is verie God and verie man hauing two substances one of his godhead and the other of his manhood vnited together in one person And the auncient Doctors writing of this Sacrament when they speake of the formes of bread and wine do vse this vocable Forme as
accordinge as it is said in the Psalme Lord in thée is the fountaine of life and in thy light shal we be lightened Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 228. IMPATIENCIE What Impatiencie is IMpatiencie is not simply a griefe conceiued of the miâ—â—iking of our aduersities when we be weary of them but it is an excessiue hart-burning against them when we cannot submit our selues simply vnto God to dispose of vs at his pleasure Wherefore if our passions be so vnrulely as we cannot kéepe any measure in our aduersities then doth inpatiencie ouer master vs and if we haue no holde nor stay of our selues we must néedes conclude that we are no better then frantike folke against God yea and vtterly out of our wits c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 314. According to the nature of contraries looke what good things be attributed to Patience the contrarie thereof may aright be ascribed vnto Impatiencie Patience is a vertue whereby all aduersities be borne for godlinesse and honestie sake Therefore Impatiencie is the vice wherby there is no aduersitie suffered for godlinesse and honestie sake Musculus fol. 528. IMPOSITION OF HANDS ¶ Looke Laieng on of hands IMPOSSIBILITIE AS it is impossible for a Camell or Cable that is a great rope of a ship remaining in the own quantitie to go through a néedles eye remaining in his owne straightnesse so is it like impossible for a rich man remaining in his own naturall pride couetousnes and corruption to enter into the kingdome of God And therefore when those which heard were offended as king And who may then enter into saluation Christ aunswered Things that are impossible before men are possible with God Marke wel that Christ calleth the humiliation of the rich man impossible to man but possible with God Knox. As the man of Inde may chaunge his skinne and the Cat of the Mountaine hir spots so may ye that be exercised in euill doe good ¶ Upon these two things to Nature impossible did the Prophet conclude that no more could the Citizens of Ierusalem being exercised in al iniquitie leaue the same and so was it impossible Impossible I say to themselues and to their own power For what the spirite of God worketh in the conuersion of sinners ought not to be attributed to mans power Knox. For it is impossible that they which were once lightened c. This is Paules meaning They that doe beléeue truely and vnfainedly doe continue or abide stedfast in the knowen truth If any therefore fall away from Christ it is a plaine token that they were dissembling hypocrites and that they neuer beléeued truly as Iudas Symon Magus Demas Hymeneus and Philetus were which all fell away from the knowen veritie made a mocke of Christ which Paule doth call heere to crucifie Christ a newe because that they turning to their olde vomite againe do most blasphemously tread the benefite of Christs passion vnder their féete They that are such can in no wise be renued by repentaunce for they are not of the number of the Elect as S. Iohn doth say They went from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they would haue remained with vs vnto the ende If such men doe repent their repeâ—tance is as Iudas and Cains repentaunce was ¶ This text denieth no possiblitie of mercie in God but the impossibilitie of repentaunce in such men as malitiously forsake the trueh blaspheame Christ and take parte against the Holy Ghost For the truth is that with the Lord there is mercie plenteous redemption Psal. 130. 7. So that whosoeuer calleth vpon his name shall be saued Ioel. 2. 32. and Rom. 10. 13. Now they that forsake the truth blaspheming Christ and taking part against the Holy Ghost cannot repent For if sinners woulde conuert and call vpon God they should be sure of remission Tindale ¶ They which are Apostates and sinne against the Holy Ghost hate Christ crucifie and mocke him but to their owne destruction and therefore fall into desperation and cannot repent Heb. 6. 6. Geneua IMPVTATION What Imputation is IMputation is that benefit of God the Father whereby hée vouchsafeth to account Christs obedience as ours in as ample manner as we our selues had fulfilled the law and made satisfaction for our sinnes T. Beza INCEST What Incest is THey call Incest an vnlawfull medling of a man with a woman against the honor of bloud affinitie For Cestus signifieth the mariage girdle which the Bride did weare to shew that the mariage was iust lawful We Germanes saith Bullinger call this sin by yâ— name of Bloutschand wherby we signifie yâ— sin committed in corrupting or defiling our owne bloud or kinred In Leuiticus after the degrées and bloud in which we are forbidden to marrie the Lord doth presently adde In all these be ye not defiled for in all these things are the Nations defiled which I cast out before you And héereby the lande is defiled I haue visited the iniquitie thereof vpon it and the lande hath spued out the inhabitaunts thereof Ye shall therefore keepe my statutes and mine ordinaunces and shall not doe anye of all these abhominations For whosoeuer shal doe so he shall be cut off from among his people And in the 20. Chapter of Leuiticus he hath appointed death to be the punishment of Incest which is not changed in the Ciuill lawes or Imperiall constitutions Bullinger fol. 236. INFANTS How Infants ought not to be pertakers of the Lords Supper AS touching Infants the institution of Christ doeth seclude them from the Supper because they cannot yet proue examine themselues neither yet celebrate the remembraunce of Christs death the which thing the Apostle Paule teacheth to be necessary for all those which come to the Communion of the Supper Marl. vpon Iohn 226. INFIDELITIE How Infidelitie is the cause of all euill LEt there not be in any an euill heart of Infidelitie ¶ Infidelitie is it which maketh thine heart abound in euill and if by any meanes it can get roome to lodge within thée thy hart is taken and imagineth from hence-foorth all mischiefe When our Sauiour Christ so many times reprooueth sundry sortes of men he maketh this a generall fault of all that they are vnfaithfull and flow to beleeue When Saint Paule condemneth them as reprobate men which doe neuer sée the light of the Gospell he maketh this the cause of their sinne that the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of their vnbeléeuing harts c. Deering IN OMNEM TERRAM c. ¶ Looke for the exposition of this in the word Sound INSTRVMENTS How they serued in the olde lawe SIng vnto him with Uiole and instrument of ten strings ¶ To sing of Instruments was a part of the Ceremonial seruice of the Temple which doth no more appertaine vnto vs then the Sacrifices Censings and lights Geneua Whereof these Instruments were made in King Salomons time Praise the Lord vppon
therefore she doth willingly submit her self to them in all things for God For she knoweth verie well that God would that euerie man should be subiect vnto them in all things which are of their charge And that they which doe resist the same resist the ordinance of God and do set vp themselues against him Ro. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. Pet. Viret How the Ecclesiasticall person is subiect to the ciuill Magistrate It perteineth to ecclesiasticall persons to iudge in spirituall causes but if anie of them swarue from the right rule of iustice he is subiect to the correction and punishment of the ciuill magistrate As Aaron had his authoritie of iudgement in spiritual causes yet was he reproued by Moses And the high Priest was deposed by Salomon and Sadoc set in his place And so shuld Ahas if he had ben a goodly prince haue deposed Vriah for making the prophane Altar How Magistrates that doe not perswade the people to Gods worde are not to be obeied in cause of conscience The. xxi Princes that were sent to explorate and search the priuitie and conditions of the land of Canaan two of them perswaded the people to beleeue Gods promises and not to feare the people that dwell in the lande Unto these godlye Princes was no faith nor eredence giuen of the people The Princes that perswaded the thing contrarie vnto God were beleeued of the people and their counsell admitted By this we learne that such Magistrates as perswade the people to Gods word should be beléeued and obeied the other not in cause of conscience ther must God onely be heard Act. 5 29. Math. 10. 28. Or els people shall faile of a right faith For he that knoweth not what his duetie is to God and his lawes will beléeue rather a lye with his fore-fathers then the truth with yâ— worde of God And this man is no méet auditor nor disciple of the word of God 1. North. MAGNIFIE What it is to Magnifie THis day will I begin to magnifie thée ¶ To magnifie properly is to aduaunce and set forth excéedingly and to bring him in estimation as it is sayde Gen. 12. and often in the Psalmes T. M. MAHOMET Of the rising vp of this false Prophet MAhomet of Arabia as most men saye of the mother side descended from Abraham by the linage of Ismael his son which he had by Agar his seruaunt which was a Iew béeing fatherlesse and motherlesse He was by the Scenites solde to a great rich Merchaunt who loued him so greatly for his fauour and wit that he made him ruler of all his merchaundise and businesse and was verie diligent in his maisters affayres and gained much by occupieng with the Iewes Christians and in vsing their company learned many things both of the one lawe and of the other His Maister chaunced to dye without heyre leauing his wise verie rich who being about the age of 50. yeares liked the younge man Mahomet so well that shée tooke him to husband and made him of a poore man very rich At the same time it chaunced a Monke named Sergius a man of verie euill nature and verie subtile who fled Constantinople for heresie to fall into familiaritie with Mahomet by whose instruction he increased so in Magicall arte that by his counsell and aide hée tooke vppon him to make the people beléeue that he was a Prophet and shewing some points of Magike he first perswaded his wife and his householde He had also an infirmitie called the falling sicknesse And when his wife being sore afraide thereof would aske him what it was hée made her beléeue that it was the Angell of God which came oftentimes to speake vnto him and forasmuch as he coulde not abide as man the diuine presence he fell into such agonie and alteration of spirit After this his wife died and left him meruailous riches who then what for the riches yâ— constaÌ„t report that went on Mahomet the Prophet he became in greate reputation amonge the Gentiles And so by the counsell of Sergius he called himselfe the greate Prophet of God and shortly after when his name was published and of great authoritie he deuised a lawe or kinde of religion called Alcaron In the which he toke some part well neere of all the heresies that had ben before his time With the Sabellians he diuided the trinitie with yâ— Maniches he affirmed to be but two persoÌ„s in the deitie he denied the equalitie of the father the son with Eâ—nonius and sayd with Macedone the holy Ghost was a creature and approued the multitude of wiues with yâ— Nicholaâ—tes he borrowed of the Iewes circumcision and of the Gentiles much superstition and somewhat he toke of the Christian veritie beside many diuelish fantasies inuented of his own braine Those that obeied his lawes be called Saraseâ—s When he had liued fortie yeares he died of the falling sicknesse which he had of long time saieng that when he was taken therewith yâ— the Angell Gabriel appeared vnto him whose brightnesse he could not behold He was buried at Medina thrée daies iourney from the red sea an hundred miles from Mecha where is now the chiefe temple of his law He was after yâ— incarnation of Christ 600. yeares Of the faire shew of holynesse in the kingdome of Mahomet In outward pretence of religion euen the common sorte of their people excell the Popish Monksâ— Yeaâ— euen they that are best reformed For not onely their Clergie Monks but also their communaltie say the coÌ„mon praiers together fiue times euerie day Namely at the Sun rising at noone at after noone at the Sun setting and after supper when they goe to bed At which time or they go to pray they wash themselues they make themselues bare foote they knéele downe vpon the ground and the noble men and commons intermedling themselues altogether with the King accomplish their ordinarye praiers with certeine bowing and falling flatte downe without some lawfull let no man may neglect the ordinary praiers vnpunished They keepe their ordinarie holydayes and fasting daies with great deuotion and reuerence They make often exhortation to holynesse of lyfe to the people-ward To dealing of doles To making of pilgrimages in remembraunce of their Saints and specially of the Prophet Mahomet They haue many Hospitals as well in their high waies as in their cities for the receiuing and succouring of poore folke Pilgrimes They haue Monkes of such spare and staied behauiour as neuer was heard of both in diet in apparell in forsaking of al things and in withdrawing themselues from the company of the common multitude So as they maye seeme to resemble rather Iohn Baptist yea or the very Apostles for the straitnesse of their lyfe Some of them haue visions rauishments traunces and some of them are renowmed for myracles as well in their life as after their death Moreouer ther is wonderfull honestie and behauiour among them
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
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
ende that they might be read with diligence and with a minde desirous to finde out those things which belong to true knowledge and true godlinesse The readers of the Scriptures must be searchers and not corrupters wresters dreamers or supersticious murmurers And the scriptures do not require any searching but that which is godly hūble and desirous to know and imbrace one truth onely otherwise a man may finde some which read the Scriptures but not to search out Gods truth but rather to hinder the same Euen so Herode inquired out the truth out of the Scriptures concerning the place where Christ shoulde be borne not to the ende he might worship him but rather to destroy him Also y◠Pharesies said to Nichodemus Search the Scriptures and sée how that a prophet commeth not out of Galile They said not sée what is written in the Scriptures concerning Christ. So lykewise wicked and vngodly men doe search the Scriptures to corrupt them to their owne destruction By this word Scripture is vnderstood the olde Testament For Christ did not first of all begin to be manifest in the Gospell but hauing testimonie out of the Lawe and Prophets he onely exhibited himselfe in the Gospell Therefore that which Christ saith heere agreeth with that which he spake to his Disciples after his resurrection saieng These are the words which I spake vnto you when I was with you that all must néeds be fulfilled which was written of me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes c. Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 179. Though that miracles bare record vnto his doctrine yet desired he no faith to be giuen either to his doctrine or to his miracles without record of the Scriptures When Paule preached Act. 17. 11. the other searched the Scriptures dayly whether they were as he iudged them Why shall not I likewise sée whether it be the Scripture that thou alledgest yea why shal not I sée the christure and the circumstannces and what goeth before and after that I may know whether thine interpretation be the right sense or whether thou iugglest and drawest the Scripture violently vnto thy carnall and fleshly purpose or whether thou be about to teach me or to deceiue me Tindale And searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so ¶ In this place are all Christians taught what they ought to doe to trye the Preachers and other that came vnder colour to set foorth true religion vnto vs according to the saieng of Saint Paule Trye all things and choose out that which is good 1. Iohn 4. 1. Learne héere that the word is the touchstone Sir I. Cheeke ¶ This was not onely to trye if those things which they had heard wer true but also to confirme themselues in the same to increase their faith Geneua SERPENT What Serpent doe signifie Looke Leuiathan Wherefore the Serpent was called Nehustan Looke Nehustan What it is to sucke the Serpents head He shall sucke the Serpents head ¶ That is he shall be subiect to all cursednesse and suffer all manner sorrowes It is such a manner of speach as is before in the. 15. 16. of drinking wickednesse T. M. ¶ He compareth euill gotten goods to the venyme of Aspes which Serpent is most daungerous noting that Iobs great riches were not truly come by and therefore God did plague him iustly for the same Geneua SERVICE What the true seruice of God is WE cannot know wherewith we shall serue the Lord till we come thether ¶ This was an outward seruice but the true and right seruice of God is to feare him as a Father to loue him and kéepe his commaundements and to commit a mans selfe onely vnto him trusting in his mercie onely setting all thought and care vpon him and when we haue offended to repent to be sorie and knowledge our offences beléeue that he wil forgiue it vs for his truth sake as 1. Pe. 5. Psa. 37. 3. T. M. How the seruice ought to be ministred in a knowen tongue Obiection Paule went ouer many countries as Pamphilia Cappadocia Phrigia c. But he spake not to euery man in diuers tongues therefore some were spoken too in an vnknowen tongue which was not their owne Aunswere Fredericus Furius a Spaniard which dedicated his booke to Cardinall Burgensis a Spaniard telleth a quite contrary tale for saith he Andrew Peters brother preached vnto the Scythi Segdiani Sacri in their tongue Barthelmew to the Indians in their tongue Iacob to the twelue Tribes in their tongue Thomas to the Parthians in their tongue to the Medes in theyr tongue to the Persi Hercani and Bracchi in their tongue But put case Fredericus Furius were a tonguelesse man had now yet said nothing I wéene that place of the Acts of the Apostles wil easely choke D. Saunders and all those barkers Lonanians The people there saye then Non omnes qui loquuntur linguis Galilei sunt c. Are not all these y◠speak héere men of Galile is it not much that euery one of vs doth heare his owne vulgar ◠mother tongue We Parthians Medes Elamites of Mesopotamia of Iewry Cappadocia Pontus of Asia Phrigia Pamphilia and Aegypt of Lybia Rome Crete Arabia where these men speake y◠noblenes of matters diuine in our own tongue T. D. Obiection The Catholikes affirme that the Protestants cannot proue that in the Primitiue Church the publique seruice was in the Siriacall or Arabicke or Aegyptian or any other barbarous tongue Aunswere S. Hierom describing the pompe of Paulas funeral hath these words At hir funeral all y◠multitude of the citie of Palestine met together The Psalmes wer song in order in y◠Hebrue Gréeke Latine and Syrian tongue Héere in one Citie foure seuerall Nations in their common seruice vsed foure seuerall tongues Again S. Austen willing y◠Priests to apply their study to correct the errors of their latin speach addeth therto this reson y◠the people vnto the things they plainely vnderstand may say Amen Which sētēce of S. Au. semeth to be spokē generaly of al tōgues SEATE OF GOD. What the seate of God is GOds seat is the euerlasting state of his power y◠rainbow signifieth his mercie patient suffering y◠24. seates the. 24. Elders doe signifie y◠most highest iustice of God that y◠most special friends of God both of the old new Testament are incorporate vnto the kingdome of God The sea of glasse may signifie vnto vs the aduersities of this life which serue to the glorye of God and the profit of the faithfull Sir I. Cheeke SETHIANI What manner of heretikes these were SEthiani wer heretiks deriuing their pedegrée of Seth the son of Adam whom they honored called Christ. They affirmed also y◠Iesus in y◠beginning of the world was called Seth but in the latter daies Christ Iesus Epipha haer 39. saith that he disputeth with some of them in Aegypt
¶ This word spirit is to be taken heere as it is set against that commaundement which is called carnall Heb. 7. 16. as the commaundement is considered in it selfe And so he speaketh of truth not as we set it against a lye but as we take it in respect of the outward ceremonies of the lawe which did onely shadow that which Christ performed in déede Beza ¶ God being of a spirituall nature requireth a spirituall seruice and agreeable to the nature Geneua How the spirit of God maketh intercession for vs. But the spirit maketh great intercession for vs c. ¶ The right forme affection of praier commeth by the holy Ghost who maketh intercession for vs not that he prayeth mourneth but that he so stirreth our heartes that we lift them vp to heauen earnestly and seruently which is the true praier The Bible note Who is of else spirit of truth and who is not Euen the spirit of truth c. ¶ The spirit which Christ did promise shal teach onely these things which Christ had taught before whosoeuer therfore doth teach any other doctrine besides Christs doctrine he is not of the spirit of truth but of the spirit of leasing Sir I. Cheeke Of the spirit that Christ promised to send The spirit saith hâ— which I will 〈…〉 from my father shall lead you into all truth but howâ— Because saith he he shal put you in minde of all those things that I haue told you Ther he giueth warning that there is nothing more to be looked for of his spirit but that he should enlighten our minds to perceiue the truth of his doctrine Therfore Chrisostome Sermo de sanc adon spi. Iohn 12. 〈…〉 10. saith excellently wel Many saith he do boast of the holy spirit but they which speak their owne do falsely pretend that they haue him As Christ testified that he spake not of himselfe because he spake out of the lawe the Prophets So if any thing beside the Gospell be thrust in vnder the title of the spirit let vs not beléeue it because as Christ is the fulfilling of the lâ—we and Prophets so is yâ— spirit of the Gospell Câ—â— in his Inst. 4. b. cap. 8. Sect. 13. Why the holy Ghost is called the spirit of truth Who is the spirit of truth He is called the spirit of truth not onely because he is true but because he maketh the men in to whom he entereth true whereas all that they doe without the spirit is none other thing but lyes Tindale So called because he worketh in vs the truth Geneua Of the spirit of southsaieng A certeine damosell possessed with the spirit of southsaieng met vs. Which could tell things past gesse at things to come which knowledge in many things God permitteth to the diuell to this end as Austen writeth that he might thâ— more mightely deceiue those that woulde beleeue him The Bible note Of the spirit of the Prophets For the spirits of the Prophets are in the power of yâ— Prophets Héere he speaketh not of the holy Ghost in whose power all men ought to be but of the seuerall gifts of the spirit which are now in the power of them that haue them that they may alwaies without contention vse them to yâ— odifieng of the Church of Christ. Sir I. Cheke Spirits of the Prophets yâ— is the doctrine that they doe bring as being put in minde by the spirit of God The Bible note Or learning which Gods spirit moueth them to vtter Ge. Of the spirits in prison And preached vnto the spirits in prison ¶ It is vnknowne to vs where this prison was for the holy Scripture speaketh nothing of it In the Gospell it is called the bosome of Abraham It is sufficient for vs to know and beléeue that all the soules of the Saintes or faythfull which dyed since the beginning of the world are saued by the bloud of Christ howbeit the Gospell was sundrie wayes preached vnto the dead For vnto the holy Patriarkes deliueraunce and saluation vnto the vnfaythfull deserued dampnation was preached Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Christ being from the beginning head and gouernour of his Church came in the dayes of Noe not in the bodye which he then had not but in the spirit and preached by the mouth of Noe for the space of an hundred and twentie yeares to the disobedient which would not repent and therfore are now in prison reserued to the last iudgement Geneua How to serue God in the spirit To serue God in the spirit is to honour God with a true â—ffection procéeding from a pure and cleane heart and not by Images or other visible and corruptible things or else by shewes and outward ceremonies Pet. Viret SPIRITVALL Who they be that be spirituall ALL be spirituall men which are lead by Gods spirit hée who hath more abundaunce of Gods spirit is more spirituall Of a lyke manner S. Paule speaking to the married sorte in Rome as wel as to the rest said Vos non estis in carne sed in spiritu You be not in the flesh but in the spirit And Saint Iohn in his first Chapter nameth all to be spirituall that beléeue in Christ for flesh and bloud is not able to bring foorth such a child And if the outward admission were able to make a man spirituall then should Iudas and such lyke who had the outward election yet inwardly folowed the spirit of the flesh of the Diuell be worthely called spirituall But our Sauiour Christ reasoning with Nichodemus maketh a plaine proofe by euident demonstration that onely such as be endued with Gods spirit be worthy of the name spirituall and that such as bée not borne of Gods spirit bée not spirituall but carnall And in the same place the Lord hath giuen a generall resolution that no man can enter into the kingdome of heauen vnles he become a spirituall man and be borne a newe not onely of water but also of the holy Ghost Ponet fol. 34. For the spirituall iudgeth all things ¶ Who is that spirituall Not such as we now call men of holy Church but all that haue the true interpretation of the law in their hearts The right faith of Christ the true inteÌ„t of works which God biddeth vs to worke He is spirituall and iudgeth all things is iudged of no man Tindale The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God c. but he that is spirituall discusseth all things ¶ Paule doth call him spirituall which is renued by the spirit of God and béeing gouerned by the same spirit doth examine and trye all things with the true touchstone of Gods word which is set forth vnto vs by the inspiration of the same spirit that hée is inclined withall but he himself that is to say the spirit is iudged of no man Héere also the naturall man is taken for him which being without
Both for their wicked marriages vnnaturall copulations Idolatry of spirituall whoredome with Moloch and such lyke abhominations Geneua What is called spirituall whoredome Offering to diuells after whom they haue gone a whoring ¶ Idolatry is spirituall whoredome because faith toward God is broken Geneua Soothsaiers to goe a whoring after them ¶ To estéeme sorcerers or coniurers is spirituall whoredome or Idolatry Gen. VVICKED What it is to be wicked I And my people are wicked ¶ The wicked confesse their sinnes to their condemnation but they cannot beléeue to obtaine remission Geneua ¶ To be wicked is to be without the knowledge and féeling of the goodnesse of God and without hope to receiue any goodnesse at his hand so that we cannot patiently heare any of his truths nor beléeue theÌ„ neither suffer them to be taught to other as it appeareth in all Psalmes and in Esay 57. Tindale The wicked are lyke the raging Sea yâ— cannot rest Their euill conscience doth euer torment them and therefore they can neuer haue rest Geneua Ther is no peace saith the Lord vnto the wicked ¶ Thus he speaketh that the wicked hypocrites should not abuse Gods name in whom was neither faith nor repentaunce Geneua How the wicked are punished for dooing wrong to the wicked As I haue done saith Adonibesech so God hath done to me againe ¶ Heere note that the Gentiles had the knowledge of God as saith Paule Rom. 1. and that they knew the law righteousnesse naturall of which Moses Deut. 19. d. and Exo. 21. c. But in the punishment of Adonibesech is this chiefely to bée obserued that God not onely auengeth the wrong that the wicked doe to the good but also that which the wicked doe to the wicked The 70. Kings whose thumbes and great toes hée cut off were wicked men yet he is punished for the iniurie and crueltie done vnto them Such an example haue ye also Amos. 2. What punishment shall they haue then that cruelly slaye the good Not small be ye sure T. M. How the wicked eate not Christs body He that eateth Christs body hath euerlasting life Ergo then the wicked eate not Christs body He that eateth Christs flesh and drinketh his bloud abideth in Christ and Christ in him but the wicked abideth not in Christ nor Christ in them Ergo the wicked eate not his flesh nor drinke his bloud I. Frith VVIDOVVES Obiection of the Papists PAule say they blameth the widowes which after the olde Iewes manner chosen to serue yâ— Congregation when they were found of the common pursse had list afterward to marry Aunswere This place saith Melanctâ—â—on many of the Papistike votaries wrast it for their vowes because that there they are said to reiect their first faith which faith some of them interpret it of the breaking of their vowe But I will aunswere theretâ— simply and plainly That which they call their first faith in that place ought not to be vnderstood of such vowes but of their first and principall faith in Christ as a little before he saith If any man careth not for his owne and chiefly for his owne houshold he denieth to be a faithfull and is worse then an infidell For Paule blameth those women which so long as they wer néedie they would be sad and modest seruing them faithfully but afterward when they wer found of yâ— common charge they began to waxe wanton and light and to neglect their office For these euill manners saith he that they reiected their chiefe faith or principall promise to God casting off their faith whereby they should haue pleased God For their very faith is reiected when their conscience is defiled Beside this if they contend to be spoken of vowes then are their owne selues condempned with the same text commaunding them to put back young persons from such vowes to receiue none before 60. yeares old and why then call they it a lawfull vowe at 21. yeares Also if there had bene in those daies any such common vowes surely they had bene made without any superstition Wherefore these new found vowes of Monkes and Priests are tangled with full many wicked perswasions c. ¶ Looke Vowe First VVIFE What a commoditie she is to hir husband ANtipater an Heathen writer In sermone de Nuptijs hath these words Whosoeuer saith he hath not had triall of a wife and children he is vtterly ignoraunt of true mutuall good will Loue in wedlocke is mutually shewed when man and wife do not communicate wealth children and hearts alone as friends are wont â—o doe but haue their bodies in common also which friends cannot doe And therefore Euripides saieng aâ—â—de the deadly hate he bare vnto women writ these verses in commendation of marriage The wife that gads not giglot wise with euery flirting gill But honestly doth keepe at home not set to gossip still Is to hir husband in his cares a passing sweete delight She heales his sicknesse all and cals againe his dieng sprite By fawning on his angry lookes she turnes them intâ— smiles And keepes hir husbands secrets close when friend worke wâ—ly guilâ—s Bullinger fol. 224. How this place following is vnderstood Come not at your wiues That is when ye will serue the Lord you shall put from you all lust and fleshlye concupiscense giuing your selues wholly to prayer and abstinence as Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 7. 29. That they that had wiues shoulde bée as though they had none T. M. But giue your selues to praier and abstinence that you may at that time attende onely vppon the Lord. 1. Cor. 7 5. Geneua The difference betweene a Wife and a Concubine Looke Concubine VVILDE BEASTS What is signified heere by wilde beasts THe wilde beasts shall worship me Under the name of the beasts signifieth he also the heathen which were wilde rude and beastly concerning godly knowledge these saith he that hee will tame by the preaching of the Gospell which thing he signifieth by waters and streames so that they shall not héereafter doe hurt in the Church but shall put their shoulders vnder the yoke of faith and be ruled with the law of charitie T. M. They shall haue such abundaunce of all things as they returne home euen in the drye and barraine place that the verie beasts shall feele my benefits shall acknowledge them much more men ought to be thankfull for the same Geneua VVILL OF GOD. How all things come to passe by Gods will THese be the great and most exquisite workes of God that whereas the nature of man and Angell had sinned that is to say had done not that he would but that it would euen by the same will of the creature whereby that was done that the creator would not he fulfilled that he would vsing wel euen euill things as good himselfe in the highest degree to the damnation of them whom he iustly fore-ordeined to punishment and to the saluation of them whom he mercifully