As manie as I loue I rebuke and chasten ¶ To chastice saith Gasper Megander is to correct one to his behoose And therfore héere is to be noted the difference betwéene the afflictions of the godlie the vngodlie for the godlie are afflictted to their owne profit namelie that they maie be nurtured to patience holde fast in the feare of the Lord according as you maie sée in Iob. 5. 17. lere 31. 18. and. 47. 28. Pro. 3. 11. Heb. 12. 6. But the correction of the vngodlie is called a consuming of them Ieremie 30. 23. 24. and 46. 10. And therefore the chosen doe amend at the Lords chatisement as did Dauid 3. Reg. 12. 13. but the reprobates are hardened the more by Gods scourge as Pharao was Exo. 9. 7. 35. Marlo vpon the Apo. fol. 69. Whie the iust be afflicted There are two principall causes whie God doth yéelde the iust men to be punished of the vngodlie and vniust The one is for their exercise the other for a speciall example For exercise that they maie thereby be trained in faith hope praier and praise of his name Such a matter Paule expressed saieng We will not haue you ignorant brethren of our trouble which betided vs in Asia c. The other is the elect and godlie persons be made examples of faith and patience when they doe with constant faith and sufferaunce beare the struglings of their afflictions in this world and so doe shine as bright as starres in the Church of the faithfull c. Musculus fol. 511. How our afflictions suffered for the truth shall be witnesses against our enimies And this shall turne to you for a testimoniall ¶ This shall be the end of your troubles and afflictions They shall be witnesse both before God and man as well of the trecherous and cruell dealing of your enimies as also of your constancie A notable saieng that the afflictions of the godlie and holie men perteine to the witnesse of the truth Beza ¶ This their sufferance shall both be a great confirmation of the Gospell and also by their constancie the tyrannie of their enimies shall at length be manifest before God and man Chapter 12. 12. Mathew 10. 19. Marke 13. 11. Geneua How afflictions are called light things For our light afflictions which is but for a moment ¶ Afflictions are not called light as though they were light of themselues but because they passe awaie quicklie when as indeede our whole life is of no great continuaunce Beza Light afflictions which is so called in respect of the euerlasting life Geneua How the rest of Christs afflictions are fulfilled And fulfill the rest of Christs afflictions c. ¶ The afflictions of the Church are said to bée Christes afflictions by reason of that fellowshippe and knitting together that the bodie and the head haue the one with the other not that there is anie more néede to haue the Church redéemed but that Christ sheweth his power in the dailie weaknesse of his and that for the comfort of the whole bodie As Christ hath once suffered in himselfe to redéeme his Church to sanctifie it so doth he dailie suffer in his members as partakers of their infirmities and therefore a reuenger of their iniuries Geneua Looke passion AGAINST Who is against Christ and who not WHosoeuer is not against vs is on our side ¶ Hée that doth not withstand the Gospell nor let the preaching of it but rather doth fauour it and willeth it to bée set foorth suffering himselfe to bée taught and rebuked by it though that he doe not followe Christ in all things yet ought wée not to count him for an enimie but much rather for a friend Christ saith in the. 12. Chapter of Mathew He that is not with me is against me but that saieng is nothing contrarie to this where he saith Hée that is not against vs is with vs. For in the twelfe of Mathew he speaketh of open blasphemies and haters of the truth Sir I. Cheeke Although he shew not himselfe to be mine yet in that he beareth reuerence to my name it is inough for vs. Geneua He that is not with mée is against me ¶ Hée declareth to the Pharesies that they were in two sorts his enimies not onelie because they did forsake him but also make open war against him Geneua AGONIE Whie Christ was in such an agonie BUT being in an agonie he praied more earnestlie ¶ This agonie sheweth that Christ stroue much was in great distresse for Christ stroue not onelie with the feare of death as other men vse to doe for so manie martyrs might séeme more constant then Christ but with the fearfull iudgement of his angrie Father which is the fearefullest thing in the world and the matter was for that he tooke the burthen of all our sinnes vpon himselfe Beza ¶ The word signifieth the honour that Christ had receiued not onelie for feare of death but of his Fathers iudgement and wrath against sinne Geneua AGRIPPA For what cause Agrippa was so willing to heare Paule I Would also heare the man my selfe ¶ Agrippa will heare Paule not for to learne the truth whereof he was nothing desirous but that he might heare some new thing beeing in this matter like vnto manie which now a daies goe to sermons not to learne how to amend their liues but to heare newes Sir I. Cheeke Agrippa said vnto Paule somewhat thou perswadest me to be a Christian. ¶ He sawe a little light but it was soone out much like vnto those that hearing a Sermon are for the time well minded but after returne to their olde trade The Bible note ALABASTER What the propertie of Alabaster is SAuing an Alabaster bore ¶ This was a verie fine and delicate boxe being made of Alabaster which was a kinde of glasse verie necessarie to preserue ointment in it was so called of the Grecians and of taking the primatiue A because for the smoothnesse thereof it could not be held Plâ—ie in his 36. booke and viij Chapter maketh mention of the Alabaster stone For when he had spolien in the. 35. Chapter of the Onix stone he goeth forward thus Some men saith he call this the Alabaster stone the which they make holowe to put in ointment bicause it is said to preserue the same verie well These things agrée with that which Homere writeth saieng the little Onir will drawe vnto it a pipe of the Oile Spiknard or Nardus ointment Marl. vpon Mathew fol. 620. ALBANENSES The opinions that these heretiâ—es held THis sect began about the yeare of our Lord. 1120. which held sundrie heresies One was that the soule of man after his death was put into an other bodie An other that Baptisme was of no efficacie The third that there were two Gods one good and an other euill And that of the good God procéeded good thinges and of the euill God euill things The fourth that in hell were
when his Father was dead he laboured by the helpe of his kinred by his mothers side to be made king And to the end he might atteine vnto the crowne he slew 69. of his owne naturall brethren Nowe marke Gedeon was a iust and a godlie man high in Gods fauour he therefore would not and againe hauing so manie wiues of his owne he néeded not to haue kept Droma which is called his concubine as a priuie whoore Therefore it must be taken that Concubina is not taken In malem partem for an harlot and an whoore but euerie woman which is Serua aut ancilla a libero homine ducta in vxorem concubina dicitur For ye shall vnderstande that in the olde time bond men and bond women were counted so vile that they were neither taken nor vsed as men and women be but bought and solde as a bullocke or an horse is And if it so happened y◠a bond man a bond woman did marrie together it was not counted nor called matrimonie but Contubernium a companie kéeping as an horse and a mare as a bull a cow doth yet such companie kéeping if it were betwéene a man and a woman not prohibited by the law of God it were before him good and lawfull matrimonie but by the ciuil lawe of men it were no matrimonie because that the children begotten betwéene such a Father and such a mother were not in their power nor at the commaūdement of their parents but at their Lords commaundement And if they and their parents did get anie goods the children should not inherit but the Lord. And moreouer if a frée man did marrie a bond woman this lawfull wife should not be named a wife but a concubine and her children should not inherit their Fathers landes but onelie receiue such moueable goods as their Father would giue them by his Testament And after that sort did Abraham deale with the sonnes of Agar and Kethura which were no whoores but his lawfull wiues Neuerthelesse because they were bond women before he married them therfore they were called his concubines So likwise Salomon had 700. wiues that is 700. Quéenes which were frée women borne and. 300 concubines which were also his lawful wiues but because they were not frée women borne therefore they are called concubines R. T. The difference betweene a wife and a concubine Tooke to wife a concubine of Bethleem Iuda ¶ This difference was betwéene the wife and the concubine that the wife was taken with certeine solemnities of marriage and her children did inherit The concubine had no solemnities in marriage neither did her children inherite but a portion of goods or moneie was giuen vnto them The Bible note And his concubine called Reumah◠¶ Concubine is oftentimes taken in the good part for those women which were inferiour to the wiues Geneua CONCVPISCENCE What concupiscence is COncupiscence is that euil inclination and nature which we haue of the olde man which draweth vs to euill as GOD saith in Genesis The imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Concupiscence is a motion or affection of the minde which of our corrupt nature doth lust against God and his lawe and stirreth vs vp to wickednesse although the consent or déede it selfe doth not presently followe vpon our conceit For if the déed doe followe the lust then doth the sinne increase by steps and degrées Bullinger fol. 325. How concupiscence is sinne Against concupiscence of the flesh Saint Paule is forced to mourne and crie out on this wise I sée an other lawe in my members fighting against the lawe of my minde and leading mée prisoner vnto the lawe of sinne And againe O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Saint Ambrose saith Non inuenitur in vllo homine c. There is not found in anie man such concord betwéene the flesh and the spirit but that the lawe of concupiscence which is planted in the members fighting against the lawe of the minde And for that cause the words of Saint Iohn the Apostle are taken as spoken in the person of all Saints If we saie we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Saint Austen saith also Concupiscencia carnis c. The concupiscence of the flesh against which the good spirit lusteth is both sinne and the paine of sinne and the cause of sinne Againe he saith◠Quamdiu viuis c. As long as thou liuest there must néeds be sinne in thy members One of the Popes principall doctors writeth thus Augustinus tradet hanc ipsam concupisentiam c. S. Augustine teacheth vs that this same concupiscence planted in our bodie in them y◠be not regenerate by baptime verilie in plaine manner of speach is sinne and that the same concupiscence is forgiuen in baptime but is not vtterly taken awaie Against Saint Paule and these holy Fathers S. Ambrose and Augustine the late Counsell of Trident hath decréed thus Hanc concupiscentiam quam Apostolus c. The concupiscēce which the Apostle Saint Paule sometime calleth sinne this holie counsell declareth that the catholike church neuer vnderderstood it to be called sinne for that it is so indéede and in proper name of speach in them that be baptised but because it is of sinne and inclineth vs to sinne And if anie man thinke the contrarie accursed be he So that by this degrée S. Ambrose S. Austen and other holie fathers that haue written the same are all accursed Iewel fol. 217. and. 218. CONFESSION When confession first began LOthernus Leuita a Doctor of Paris béeing once made Bishop of Rome and named Innocent the third he called together at Rome a generall counsell called Lateranense in which he made a lawe which Gregorie the ninth reciteth in his decretall of penance remission li. 5. chap. 12. almost in these verie words Let euerie person of either sexe after they are come to yeares of discretion faithfullie confesse alone at least once in a yeare their sins vnto their owne proper Priest and do their endeuour with their owne strength to doe the penance that is enioyned them receiuing reuerently at Easter at the least the Sacrament of the Eucharist vnlesse peraduenture by y◠counsel of their owne Priest for some resonable cause they thinke it good for a time to absteine from receiuing it otherwise in this life let them be prohibited to enter into the church when they are dead◠to be buried in christen buriall Of confession to God And against auricular confession Delictum meum cognitum◠bi iniusticiā meam non abscondi c. I haue reknowledged my sinnes vnto thée and mine vnrighteousnesse is not his ¶ S. Austen vpon this place hath a verie prétie saieng Marke saith S. Austen Quando homo detegit Deus tegitesi homo agnoscit Deus igno scit Whensoeuer man discloseth his sinnes then God doth close and
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
that Christ was borne of the virgin Mary saieng he was gotten of the séede of Ioseph Also that his bodie suffered and that his soule onelie was receiued into heauen He liued about the yere of our Lord. 142. CARREN OR CARKAS ¶ Looke Eagles CASTOR AND POLLVX What these two were and how they were worshipped Whose badge was Castor and Pollux ¶ These in olde time were estéemed as Gods which if they appeared both together were counted fauourable and luckie to mariners and such as trauailed the Seas If one after another or but one alone vnfortunate and cruell The owner of the ship caried the badge of them not without great confidence therein that these two Gods would prosper his voiage because he honoured them with the carieng thereof Tindale ¶ Those the Panims fained to be Iupiters children and Gods of the Sea Geneua ¶ So they vsed to decke the fore-part of their ships wherevpon the ships were called by such names Beza CAVE OR DENNE What difference is betweene a caue and a denne MAde them dennes in the mountaines and caues raelits to auoid the miseries made them caues For so doth this Hebrue word Manaharoth signifie denies It is in Hebrue writeten Mearoth But what difference there is betwéen these two words as much as I can gather by the Hebrâ—es I will declare Those first places were in bankes of hills and were so called because from the vpper parts they had certaine chinkes and holes which were like windowes so that through them they had light sufficient within And yâ— same places were verie hansome for men to dwell in theÌ„ R. Leui. saith yâ— through those holes and cliftes which were like windowes spies when they saw the Madianites comming did vse either by kindeling of fires or by some other token to giue knowledge vnto the Hebrues whereby they might gather their stuffe fruits and cattels into the dennes and lead them awaie from the enimies which were comming by For dennes were not in mountaines but places vnder the earth in the fields being darke and without light wherein men did not dwell but they might after a sorte hide their things and goods But Caues in Latine are called Specus a speciendo which is to behold and looke vpon because out of them as out of high places they which were ther vsed to looke through c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 112. CAVSE What the cause of vnbeliefe is and also of faith Obiection What is the cause that the one sort through vnbeliefe do reiect the Gospell when it is offered them that the other receiue it by faith Aunswere It is not to be meruailed at when men by their vnbeliefe and vnkindnesse reiect the Gospell but it is meruaile that some are found that doe receiue it by faith For that all men being corrupted with sin is of such peruerse nature wickednes that they cannot nor will not beleeue in God nor follow his word And though that manie of contrarie nature be found which not onelie receiue by faith the word of God Iesus Christ our Lord but are also readie to laie downe their life to adandon the same for the confession of their faith vnderstand they are not such of nature but by the grace of God by the which they are renued transformed into a new nature are new creatures For it is not flesh and bloud that hath reuealed it to them but the heauenlie father Pet. Viret How the cause of sinne is not to be laid vnto God God compelleth no man to sinne but euerie man willinglie sinneth wherefore the cause of sinne is not to be laied in him Pet. Mar. vpon ludic fol. 163. How the successe maketh not the cause either good or bad If the successe be euill the cause is not therfore straight way euill Neither if the successe be good is yâ— cause therfore straight way good Nabuchodonozer destroied Iewrie and led away the Nations that were adioining captiues into Babilon yet was not his cause therefore good Gods cause indéede was iust for he would by that meanes take vengeance of a rebellious people But Nabuchodonozer thought nothing els but to exercise his tyrannie Ioseph because he would auoid adulterie was cast into prison and yet was not his cause therefore euer a whit the worse Dauid was reiected of Absalom yet was not Absaloms cause therefore any whit the better In our time Princes that are Protestants haue had euill successe in warre yet is therefore not yâ— cause of the Gospell to be thought yâ— worse The Beniamites now got the victorie more then once or twice in a cause most wicked The holie Martyrs in our time are most miserarablie slaine of Tyrants that with most cruell kinde of torments and yet we nothing doubt but their cause is most excellent England had of late as touching the word of God truth a Church most rightlie instituted which was afterward miseblie disiected and seperated neither followed it thereby that the cause of Religion was euill But now thankes be giuen vnto God that hath restored it Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 271. ¶ Looke Sinne. CENCHREA How Paule vesd himselfe at Cenchrea what Cenchrea as ANd he shore his head in Cenchrea ¶ Cenchrea is an hauen at Cormth where Paule taking ship did sheare his head according to his vowe For according to the Lawe of Moses they that vowed themselues to God were commanded to suffer their haire to growe as long as they would continue Nazarites and afterward to sheare it to burne it This did Paule not forgetting what he had before decréed with yâ— Apostles touching the abolishing of yâ— law But lest the Iewes which beleeued shuld be offended he fained himselfe a Iew to win yâ— Iewes Tindale CERDON Of the wicked opinions of this man HE taught that Christ was neuer borne of a woman that he had no flesh nor suffered anie passion but séemed onely to suffer He affirmed that God which is declared in the Lawes Prophets to be God was not the father of our Sauiour Christ forsomuch as he was knowen the other vnknowen The one was iust the other was good It was his doctrine also that some creatures of themselues were euill that they were not made of the God that was the chiefe goodnesse but of another God of all naughtinesse whom he called the chiefe or principall mischiefe He was about the yeare of our Lord. 144. Eliotâ— Eusebius li. 4. cap. 10 11. CEREMONIES What Paule meaneth by Ceremonies ¶ Looke Rudiments When Ceremonies maie be retained when not SO long as it maie be vnderstood of all people what is ment by them and so long as they serue the people preach one thing or other they hurt not greatlie Although the free seruant of Christ ought not to be brought violentlie into subiection vnder bondage of mens traditions As S. Augustine complaineth in his daies how that the condition and state of the
of Saints namely buriall not papistical canoniâ—ation or false worshipping which hath bene vsed with great abuse Marl. vpon Math. fol. 313. How Iohn is thought to worke miracles after his death He is risen from death and therefore are miracles wrought by him ¶ It is an Heathenish beliefe to thinke that men can do greater things after their death then in their life time and héereof did spring the vaine worshipping of dead folkes Sir I. Cheeke ¶ He spake after the common errour for they thought that the soules of them that were departed entered into another bodie Geneua Wherefore Iohn was called Helias Iohn Baptist was called Helias because he came in the spirit and power of Helias most sharply rebuking sin That so men knowing their owne sinfull nature and the damnation yâ— hung ouer them should the more gladly embrace Christ the sauiour redéemer of the world Sir I. Cheeke Wherefore Iohn Baptist did no miracles Iohn did no miracles ¶ God would haue no miracles done by Iohn least the people should haue attributed too much vnto him And therefore he would haue him onely to teach to testifie For as the bodie of Moses his sepulchre are hid vnto this present day and that by the iust prouidence of God least that superstitious flesh in visiting the body of Moses should commit Idolatrie euen so for iust cause Iohn than whome other wise there arose not a greater among womens children wrought no miracles For if so be the gift of miracles had bene ioyned to his doctrine and holinesse of lyfe the people could scarce haue ben driuen srom beléeuing him to be Christ c. Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 394. Of Iohns Baptime The Baptime of Iohn whence was it c. ¶ Héere the Baptime of Iohn is taken for that heauenlye doctrine which he taught For as water doth wash awaye the filthinesse of the bodie so doth true doctrine make the soule cleane deliuering it from superstition and erronious doctrine Sir I. Cheeke Unto what then were ye baptised and they said vnto Iohns Baptime ¶ By this place Iohns Baptime signifieth Iohns doctrine which therefore is so called for that he sealed his doctrine with the seale of Baptime in them that beléeued The Bible note Meaning what doctrine they did professe by their Baptime for to be baptised in Iohns Baptime signifieth to professe the doctrine which he taught and sealed with the signe of Baptime to bée baptised in the name of the Father c. is to be dedicate and consecrate vnto him To be baptised in the death of Christ or for the dead or into one bodye vnto remission of sins is that sinne by Christes death may be abolished and die in vs and that we maye growe in Christ. Math. 3. 11. Mar. 1. 8. Luke 3. 16. Ihon. 1. 27. Act. 1. 5. and 2. 2. 11. 16. Geneua Baptime in this place is taken for the doctrine and not for the lauer of water For the baptime of Christ and the baptime of Iohn which is done in the water is all one els Christ who was baptised by Iohn ought to haue bene baptised againe Héere then we doe gather that these folkes not twice baptised with the water of Baptime but were twice instruccted and at length after perfect instruction they were baptised with water in the name of Christ. Sir I. Cheeke Of the difference betweene Iohns Baptime and the Apostles The difference betwéene the Baptime of Iohn and the Apostles was onelye this that Iohn baptised them to beléeue in Christ that was for to come and the Apostles baptised them to beléeue in Christ which was come alreadie and had suffered for the remission of sinnes of as manie as beléeued in him Tindale IOHN THE EVANGELIST Of this Iohns life written by Saint Hierome IOhn the Apostle whome Iesus loued right well béeing the sonne of Zebedeus and Iames the Apostles brother whome after the Lordes death Herode had beheaded wrote his Gospell last of all the rest being desired there to by the Bishops of Asia both against Cerinthus and diuerse other heretiks But principally against the Ebeonites which euen then arose which Ebeonites auouch that Christ was not before Marieâ— by reason whereof he was enforced to shew of his diuine natiuitie They say that beside this there was an other cause of his writing because that when he had read the volumes of Mathew Marke Luke he well allowed the text of the storie and affirmed that they had said truth but had onely made their storie of one yeares act in the which after the imprisonment of Iohn Christ suffered Wherefore omitting that yeares actes which were sufficientlye entreated of all thrée he sheweth such thinges as were done before Iohn was imprisoned which thing maye euidently appeare to such as shall diligentlye read the volumes of the foure Gospels the which thing also doth take awaie the disagreeing that séemeth to be betweene Iohn the rest He wrote beside the premises one Epistle which beginneth thus That which was from the beginning which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes c. The other two which beginne The elder to the well beloued Ladie and her children c. And the elder to the best deloued Caius whom I loue in the truth c. are affirmed to haue bene written of Iohn the Priest whose seuerall tombe is at this day to be seene at Ephesus many suppose that there are two memorials of this same Iohn the Euangelist of which matter we wil entreate after we shal by order come to yâ— lyfe of Papias his scholer In the 14. yeare â—hen at what time Domicianus after Nero stirred vp the second persecution Iohn being banished into the I le of Pathmos wrote yâ— reuelation which is intituled the Apocalips which Iustin the martir and Ireneus doe make Commentaries vpon But after Domician was slaine and all his acts reuoked by the Senate because of his ouermuch crueltie he returned to Ephesus in the time of Prince Neruai and continued there vntil the time of the Emperour Traiane he instituted and gouerned all the Churches of Asia and ther continued till he was impotent for age He died the thréescore and eight yeare after the passion of the Lord Iesus And was buried a little beside the same Citie Eras. in his Paraphras A noâ—able historie of this Iohn When Iohn was returned to Ephesus fr 〈…〉 the I le of Pathmos he was desired for matters of religion to resort to yâ— places borâ—â—ring néere vnto him And comming to a certeine place he sawe a goodly young man both of bodie and countenaunce on whom he east such a fauourâ— that he committed him to the Bishoppe there charging the Bishoppe most earnestly and that two seuerall times to sée him diligently instructed in the doctrine and faith of Christ. And so Iohn returning againe to Ephesus the Bishop toke the young man and brought him home and diligently instructed him in the waies of Christ and
congregation of such pure doctrine and perfect liuing that he made all that professed Christ to followe his example To be short philo the eloquentest writer of yâ— Iews perceiuing the first congregation of Alexandria yet to perseuer in the Iewish religion wrote a booke of their conuersation as it were in the praise of his Nation and as Luke sheweth how all thinges were common amonge the beléeuers at Hierusalem So did he put in writing al that euer he sée done at Alexandria during the time that Marke there taught preached He died in the eight yeare of Neros reigne was buried at Alexandria In whose place succéeded Aniamis Erasmus Of the martirdome of this Euangelist This Marke was the first Bishop of Alexandria and preached the Gospell in Aegypt and there drawne with ropes vnto the fire was burned and afterward buried in a place called there Bucolus vnder the raigne of Traianus the Emperour Booke of Mar. fol. 52. What the Marke in the right hand signifieth And made all c. to receiue a marke in their right hand and in their forehead c. ¶ Wherby he meaning the Pope renounseth Christ for as faith the word the Sacraments are yâ— christians markes so this Antechrist will accept none but such as will approue his doctrine so that it is not inough to confesse Christ beléeue the Scriptures but a man must subscribe to yâ— popes doctrine Moreouer their chrismatories greasings vowes othes shauings are signes of this marke Insomuch yâ— no nation was excepted yâ— had not many of these marked beasts Ge. Markes to know the false Apostles by There are two markes to know the false Apostles by The one is when they leaue Christ serue their bellies the other when they regard not the holy Scriptures preach lyes and their owne fantasies as S. Paule saith they serue not Christ but their owne bellies and with swéete and flattering words deceiue the hearts of the innocents Rom. 6. 18. MARS STRETE What Mars strete is PAule stoode in the middest of Mars strete ¶ This was a place so called as you woulde saye Mars hill where the Iudges sat which were called Areopagitae vpon weightie affaires which in olde time arrained Socrates and afterward condempned him of impietie Theo. Beza MARTIR What maketh a Martir IT is not the death but the cause of the death that maketh a Martir Saint Austen saith Tres erant in cruce c. There were three hanged on the crosse The iust was the Sauiour the second to be saued the third to be dampned The paine of all thrée was one but the cause was diuerse Iewel fol. 30. It is no hard matter by words to testifie the truth But those testimonies are most weightie which are sealed with bloud and with death Howbeit this is to be knowne as Augustine putteth vs in minde that the paines and punishmentes or death make not martirs but the cause For otherwise manye suffer many gréeuous things which yet are not martirs for the same Augustine to Bonifacius of the correction of the Donatists and in many other places testifieth that there were in his time Circumcelliones a furious kinde of men which if they coulde finde none that would kill them oftentimes threw themselues downe headlong and killed themselues These men saith hée are not to be counted for martirs Wherefore there séeme to be thrée things required to cause a man to be a martir First that the doctrine which he defendeth be true and agréeable with the holy Scriptures The second is that there be ioyned integritie and innocencie of lyfe that he not onely by his death but also by his lyfe and manners doe edifie the Church The third is that they séeke not to dye for boasting sake or desire of name or fame c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fo 233. How Martirs ought not to be worshipped Cyrillus in his sixt booke Contra Iulianum sayth We neyther say that the holy Martirs are Gods neither are we wont to worship them but rather we doe honour them with laudes and praises because they did stoutly fight for the truth yâ— they might keepe the sinceritie of faith MASSE How the Masse as they call it was vsed at the first FIrst they sayd Confiteor and acknowledged themselues to be sinners And then the Priest prayed in generall for all estates and degrees and for increase of grace and in especially if neede required Unto which prayers the people harkened and sayd Amen And then the Gospell and glad tidings of sorgiuenesse of sinnes was preached to stirre our faith and then the Sacrament was ministred for the confirmation of yâ— faith of the Gospell and of the testament made betweene God and vs of â—orgiuenesse of sinnes in Christs bloud for our repentance and faith As ye sée how after all bargaines there is a signe thereof made eyther clapping of hands or bowing a pennie or a grote or a peece of golde or giuing some earnest And as I shewed you after a truse made they slewe beasts for a confirmation And then men departed euerye man to his businesse full certified that their sinnes were forgiuen and armed with the remembraunce of Christs passion death for yâ— mortifieng of the flesh all the day after And in all these was neither the Sacrament neither other ceremonies of the Masse Image seruice to God holy déeds to make satisfaction for our sinnes or to purchase such worldly things as the Gospell teacheth vs to despise And now compare this vse of the Masse to ours sée whether yâ— Masse be not become yâ— most damnable Idolatry Image seruice that euer was in the world Tindale fol. 427. How the Popish Masse is falsified vpon S. Iames. The Papists doe bragge that S. Iames did vse their manner of Masse at Hierusalem S. Marke at Alexandria and S. Peter at Antioch But they haue no historie touching this matter worthy Though they vsed yâ— Lords supper as Christ our Maister did and as Paule also at Corinth yet they did not vse it as the péeuish Papists doe now the Masse That Ignatius Policarpus Ireneus make mention of is not like the popish Masse They confesse yâ— Basilius Magnus Hierome Ambrose vsed an other order in the administration of the Lords supper then is now vsed and that diuerse haue vsed diuerse fashions therin by their owne words Therefore it is manifest that this kinde of Massing is not the ordinance of Christ but inueÌ„ted by mans wit and pollicie without the word of God Thus saith the prechers of the Gospell at Basil. Bibliander S. Gregory saith that the Apostles had no peculiar manner in celebrating the Masse but that they only sayd yâ— Lords praier whose words be these The manner of the Apostles was yâ— onely at the saieng of the Lords praier they consecrated the sacrament D. Barnes fol. 356. By whom the Popish Masse was patched Who so list to know the often alterations and chaunges of
to suffer anie thing then they will bée lyke vnto the wicked finally they are such which doe not resist euill but doe ouercome euill 〈…〉 dooing that which is good Marl. fol. 77. How the meeke shall pssesse the earth Blessed are the méeke for they shall possesse the earth ¶ By the earth vnderstand all that we possesse in this worlde which all God will keepe for vs if wée bée soft and méeke And whatsoeuer 〈…〉 arise yet if we will be patient and abide the end will goâ— on our side As it is written in the Psalme 37. 9. The wicked shall bée wéeded out but they that abide the Lords leasure shall inherit the land And againe within a while the wicked shall be gone thou shalt see his place where he was and he shall be away but the meeke shall inherite the earth Euen as Be still and haue thy wilt of a little medling commeth great 〈…〉 for a patient man shall weare out all his enâ—mied Tindale fo 210. How that God doth guide the Meeke in iudgement Dirigit mansuâ—tos in iudicio docebit mitos viaâ— suas Them that bée méeke shall be guide in iudgement and such as be gentle them shal he teach his waies ¶ To guide yâ— méeke in iudgement is not meant onely to be their helpe onely when they shall come before the Iudges of this world but to guide them in iudgement iâ— héere meant to make them through his grace knowledge of his law to liue orderly vprightly in all their doings with right iudgement true discerning of vertue froÌ„ vice This great gift doth God of his gratious goodnes giue vnto men that be sinners but yet saith the Prophet not to all manner of sinners but onely to those yâ— be méeke gentle Vniuersa via Domini misericordia veritas requirentibus testamentum eius testimonia eius All the wayes of the Lord are mercie truth but yet sayth the Prophet Requirentibus testamentum eius testimonia eius Unto such as kéepe his couenaunt and testimonies To the sturdy rebellious sinners Via Dominni odor mortis fuit The wayes of yâ— Lord is a deadly sauour and a pestilent stinke which neuerthelesse of themselues and namely to all good men are Odor vitae the sweete odour of life So that to the wicked the wayes of the Lorde his commaundements are the occasion of their great damnation but vnto the méeke and such as feare the Lord they are light vnto life ouerlasting through the mercie and truth graunted vnto vs in and by Iesus Christ our Lord. Riâ— Turn MELCHISEDECH How he is a figure of Christ. WIthout Father without Mother without kinne c. ¶ So called because that Moses maketh no mention of his parents kinsfolkes but as he had bene sodeinly sent of God into the world to be a figure of Christ or euerlasting Priest and shortly taken out of the worlde againe So Christ as touching his humanitie had no Father and concerning his diuinitie had no mother Geneua ¶ It is sayd that Melchisedech is without father mother because that no mention at all in Scriptures is made of his parents nor yet of his genealogie And thus doth the Scripture declare yâ— he is a liuely figure of Christ which as touching his Godbead is without mother being begotten of his father without all beginnings and as touching his manhood is without father being conceiued by the mighty operation of the holy Ghost Sir I. Cheeke How Melchisedech and Sem is one person Lyra sayth that Melchisedech was the same person which in Scripture is called Sem the first son of Noâ— And S. Paule Heb. 7. saith that Melchisedech was without father without mother without kinne and hath neither beginning of his dayes nor yet end of his lyfe So that by this it should séeme Melchisedech Sem not to be one person To this aunswere is made on this wise that the Apostle reporteth Melchisedech to be without father mother because the Scripture maketh no mention of them not that he was without parents kinsfolks c. For although yâ— Scripture make mention of yâ— father mother of Sem and of his Genelogie yet it is not vnder the name of Melchisedech but vnder the name of Sem. And so is yâ— Apostle to be vnderstood that vnder the name of Melchisedech no mentton is made in the Scripture of his father and mother Lyra. The meaning of Saint Paule in making mention of Melchisedech Saint Paule writing to the Hebrewes goeth about to disswade them from the vaine confidence they had in the sacrifices and ceremonies of Moses lawe to perswade them to put their trust in that onely sacrifice that Christ had offered himselfe once for all And least they shoulde reiect his doctrine as hauing no ground in holy Scriptures he putteth them in minde of Melchisedech who was a figure of Christ and of his Priesthoode which was also a figure of Christs Priesthoode First he was a figure of Christ saith Saint Paule in that he was called Melchisedech which is by interpretation the king of righteousnesse the king of Salem which is the king of peace And in that hée was a Priest of the most high God and hath neither beginning nor ende of dayes noted in holy histories his Priesthoode séemed to be an euerlasting Priesthood and therfore saith Saint Paule he is likened to the sonne of God that is euerlasting and hath an euerlasting Priesthoode and is alwaie able to saue them that séeke saluation at his handes because he lyueth euer to make intercession for vs. This is the minde of Paule And not that Melchisedech was a figure of Christ and of his Priesthood in that he vsed to offer to God a sacrifice of bread and wine c. Crowley How Melchisedech is brought in of the Papists to mainteine the sacrifice of the Masse Melchisedech say they was a figure of Christ for hée was yâ— Priest of the highest And as Dauid saith Christ is an eternal Priest after the order of Melchisedech and therefore he offered bread and wine vndoubtedly Melchisedech was a figure of Christ but Saint Paule manifestlye declareth in what thinges he was the figure of Christ. In the rehearsing of the honours and dignitie of Melchisedech which is that he was an eternall Priest and king of peace and righteousnesse There is not one word of bread and wine They cannot finde in the booke of Genesis that Melchisedech did sacrifice vnto God but that he offered bread and wine to Abraham for sustenaunce of his people as Christ offered to vs his worde Melchisedech brought bread and wine and Abraham paide him tithe Christ after the same sorte gaue vs the Sacrament of his bodye and bloude but he did not offer it to God The Scripture sheweth forth Melchisedech vnder the figure of an eternall and onely Priest But the Papists appoint other Priests to bée Christs Uicars after his ascention into
beléeue but to them that beléeue not And plainly to argue that a thing is good because a miracle is shewed by it or else to approue a present vse by that which néedfully sometime was done hath too many absurdities and inconueniences to bée yéelded to D. Calfehill Whether we should beleeue miracles If onely the word of God is to be beléeued why said Christ that if they would not beléeue him they should yet at the least beleeue his works To this we aunswere that miracles are as testimonies by which men are the easilier brought to beléeue so that they are things by meanes whereof men beléeue not that faith is directed vnto them as vnto his obiect although as touching the miracles of Christ of the Apostles we must beléeue yâ— they were done by God not by Belzabub or by the diuell as the Pharesies slaunderously reported and this is conteined in the word of God for it giueth testimony yâ— these miracles should be wrought that they were wrought in their due time namely in the preaching of the second doctrine c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 326. In olde time it was knowne by miracles who were the true Christians and who the false but nowe the working of miracles is taken quite away and rather found among them that be false Christians Why miracles be not done now a daies To these that demaund this question why is not miracles done now a daies by the ministers of Gods word Aunswere Because that the glorie of Christ truth of Gods word was confirmed by miracles long agoe which being done they haue discharged their duetie Hemmyng Pope Leo maketh them answere thus ye foolish Scribes wicked Priests the power of our sauiour was not to be shewed at the discretion of your blindnesse God sheweth his miracles when and where and to whom he will Whosoeuer requireth miracles to bring him to the faith is himself a great miracle that the world beléeuing remaineth still in vnbeliefe How Miracles are wrought by the diuell In the end of time power shal be giuen to the diuel to work profitable signes and miracles so that then we cannot knowe the mysteries of Christ by that they work profitable miracles but by that they worke no miracles Let no man say saith S. Austen therfore it is true for that this man or that man hath wrought this or that miracle or for that men make their praiers at the tombs of the dead and obteine their desire or for that these or these miracles be wrought there c. Away with these things they may be either the iuglings and mockeries of deceitfull men or else illusions of lieng spirits S. Austen saith Contra istos c. My God hath warned me to beware of those mongers of miracles saieng In the last day shall rise vp false Prophets working signes wonders to the end of it be possible to bring the elect to errour behold I haue forewarned you therfore the bridegrome hath willed vs to beware for we may not be deceiued no not by miracles Alexander of Halys saith In the sacrament it selfe there appeareth flesh sometimes by the conueiance of men sometimes by the working of the diuell Nicholas de Lyra saith sometime in the Church the people is shamefullye deceiued with feined miracles wrought either by the Priestes or else by their companions for lucre sake S. Austen saith to Faustus the Maniche ye worke no miracles and yet if ye wrought anie at your hands we wold take heede of them The Prophet Ieremy saith They haue deceiued my people by their lies and by their false miracles These wonders which they call miracles be wrought daily in the Church not by the power of God as many one thinke but by the illusion of Satan rather who as the Scripture witnesseth hath bene loose now abroad 500. yeares according as it is written in the booke of the Apocalips after a thousand years Satan shall be loose c. Neither are they to be called miracles of true christian men but illusions rather whereby to delude mens mindes to make them put their trust in our Ladie and in other Saints and not in God alone to whom be honour and glory for euer Bilney in the bo of Mar. fol. 1140. Vulgus hominuÌ„ c. The common people saith he estéemeth Saints by miracles counteth him the greater that hath done mâ— miracles but they erre manifestly that so iudge Miracles are indéed to vse S. Paules words the operatioÌ„ of great works the gift of the holy Ghost But heereon they are not onely estéemed Saints else the blessed virgin and Iohn Baptist were of all Saints yâ— least that are dead to haue wrought no miracles We may not therefore esteeme Saints héerevpon Moreouer oftentimes miracles are giuen to the euill for many shall say in yâ— day Lord Lord haue we not cast out diuels in thy name and I shall say vnto them I haue not knowne you Why Christ did not many miracles in his owne country And he did not many miracles thereâ— c. ¶ Christ might haue wrought miracles yea though they beleeued not but he did not work many yâ— for their own profit Least if he had done there as he did in other places their condemnation should haue ben greater Sir I. Cheeke How to know true miracles from false Euen as we take those Sacraments for true Sacraments ceremonies which preach vnto vs Gods word so do we account these for true miracles only which moue vs to harken vnto yâ— word of God Other rule theÌ„ this to discerne theÌ„ by ther is not namely yâ— the true are done to prouoke meÌ„ to come harkeÌ„ vnto Gods word and yâ— false to confirme doctrine yâ— is not gods word How faith grounded vpon miracles abideth not What a multitude came out of Aegipt vnder Moses of which the Scripture testifieth yâ— they beléeued moued by yâ— miracles of Moses Neuertheles yâ— scripture testifieth yâ— vi hundred thousaÌ„d of those beléeuers perished through vnbeliefe left their carcasses in the wildernes neuer entred into yâ— land yâ— was promised them Iudas beléeued because of Christ his miracles Symon Magus beléeued through occasion of Philips preaching but Peter sayde that his heart was not aâ—ight with God Act. 8. How false teachers shall deceiue by nothing more then by miracles Christ saith there shall arise false anointed and false Prophets and shall shew great miracles Also in the same chapter verse 5. Many shall come in my name c. by the which words it appeareth that they must be in the church of Christ of them that shall call themselues Christians What the cause of false miracles is The cause of false miracles is for that they loue not the truth and therfore God hath promised by S. Paule to send them abundance of false miracles to stablish them in lies and to deceiue them lead 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
menâ— and preserueth them from the wickednesse of heresie openeth them vnto repentaunce maketh way through them that they may receiue grace and maketh them to bring forth the fruite of good workes and beautifieth them with good examples But now is this blast of all blasts the pleasantestâ— by Satans subtiltie and naughtinesse forbidden to blow vpon the earth Marl. vpon the Apoc. 105. The meaning of this place following The wind bloweth wher it listeth c. As yâ— power of God is manifest by the mouing of the aire so is it in chaunging and reuiuing vs although the matter be hid from vs. Geneua VVINGS How God is said to haue wings DAuid saith Defend me O Lord vnder the shadow of thy wings likening God vnto a bird forasmuch as he is no lesse carefull for his chosen then yâ— hen is for hir chickens as Christ declareth very wel crieng Hierusalem HierusaleÌ„ how oft wold I haue gathered thy children together as the hen gathereth hir chickens vnder hir wings and ye would not This shadow of his wings héere signifieth the protection vnspekable goodnes of God by which only we stand in safetie It is a borrowed speach of the nature of an hen which nourisheth feedeth defendeth hir chickens vnder hir wings yea fighteth for them and despiseth hiâ— owne life to saue them Christ borroweth a like speach in Mat. 23. 37. T. M. VVINTER The meaning of this place following PRay yâ— your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabboth day In yâ— winter because it was euill traueling on the sabboth day because they wer coÌ„manded as yâ— day they should not go farther theÌ„ a mile And in yâ— day did Pompeius take theÌ„ Strab. 16. 〈…〉 And so did Titus and Vespasian also of whom Frontomus writeth T. M. VVISEDOME How this word wisedome signifieth Christ. I Wisedome was hefore the world of olde He declareth heereby the diuinitie eternitie of this wisedome which he magnifieth praiseth through this booke mening therby the eternal son of God Iesus Christ our sauiour whoÌ„ S. Iohn calleth yâ— word that was in the beginning Iohn 1. 1. Geneua When he prepared the Heauens I Wisedome was there He declareth yâ— eternitie of yâ— son of God which is ment by this word Wisedome who was before all time euer present with the Father Geneua When he appointed the foundation of the earth then was I Wisedome with him as a nourisher ¶ Some read as a chieâ—e worker signifieng that this wisdome euen Iesus Christ was equall with God his father and created and preserued and still worketh with him as Iohn 5. 17. Geneua How wisedome is iustified of hir children And wisedome is iustified of hir children S. Luke doth adde All and notwithstanding that they doe expound this place sundrye waies yet it is a cleere matter that Christ spake neither Greeke nor Latin but Hebrue to the Hebrues in the holy language and accustomed sense Therefore when he said yâ— the wisdome of God was iustified of all his children he meant nothing els but that he left nothing vndone toward his children that is to say the people of the kingdome which he had trayned vp as his children in all things yâ— might belong to their saluation that it was therefore free and cleere from all blame of their destruction perishing And so Chrisostom doth also expound it It wer a very vnfit thing to expouÌ„d it the wisdome is iustified by hir children to say it is from vniust by the benefit of yâ— children chaunged into iust and innocent By thy words saith yâ— Lord thou shalt be iustified or by thy words condemned yâ— is to say by thy words thou shalt be declared either to be iust or condemned of iniustice Words dâ—e not make but declare a man to be iust or vniust c. Muscul. fol. 223. ¶ This sentence Wisedome is iustified of hir children is sundry waies expounded Some by those children do vnderstand the elect chosen because yâ— they haue imbraced the wisedom of God in Iohn â— in Christ iustifieng yâ— is to say allowing praising it Chrisostom by the children doth generally vnderstand all meÌ„ whether they be elect or reproued for by theÌ„ the wisdom of gâ—d is iustified yâ— is to say by their own confession she hath oueâ—â—oÌ„med in iudgmeÌ„t hath omitted nothing yâ— pertain to their saluation so yâ— their perditioÌ„ cannot be laid to their charge S. I. C. ¶ They that were wise indeed acknowledged the wisedome of God in him whom yâ— Phariâ—ies contemne But yâ— Publicans being baptised with the Baptime of Iohn praised him as iust faithfull good mâ—rcifull so that the fruite of their Baptime appeared in them And wisedome is iustified of hir children ¶ That is the children of wisedome or the wise which beléeue the Gospell do acknowledge the wisdome of God therein which the Pharisies condemn so that wisedome is then iustifiâ—d of hir children when the Gospell is receiued The Bi. note VVISE MEN. What these wise men were THere came wise men from the East ¶ These were neither Kings nor Princes but as Strabo saith which was in theyr time sage men among the Persians as Moses was among yâ— Hebrues He saith also yâ— they wer yâ— Priests of yâ— Persians Tinda Wise men or Magi in yâ— Persians Chaldeans tongue signifie Philosophers Priests Astronomers are héere the first fruites of the Gentiles that came to worship Christ. Geneua VVITH THE HOLY c. The meaning of the Prophet in this place Looke Holy VVITNESSE How these places following are to be vnderstood ANd ye shall beare witnes also ¶ Whereas in the 5. Chapter of Iohn Christ saith that he receiueth no witnes of man it is to be vnderstood that for his own part be needed noneâ— but for our cause it was expedient yâ— his disciples shuld testifie his truth vnto vs therfore saith he ye shal beare witnes of me also Ti. But I haue greater witnesses then yâ— witnes of Iohn Let vs note heere how circumspectly wisely he saith not I haue a testimony much more certain true then yâ— testimony of Iohn lesâ— he might so exâ—ol yâ— testimony of his father concerning himself yâ— the testimony of Iohn thereby should be quite discredited for whatsoeuer Iohn did testifie concerning Christ yâ— same was of God nâ—ither was it any whit contrary from yâ— which yâ— father by his works tesâ—fied of him But if ye coÌ„pare yâ— testimonie of the works of Christ which he had receiued of yâ— father with the testimony of Iohn ye shall finde yâ— it is much more excellent notable For as Lucifer or yâ— morning star though it be a true testimonie of yâ— rising of yâ— sun yet notwithstanding is 〈…〉 nothing so â—â—ideÌ„t as yâ— sun beams it self which shine throughout yâ— who le world EueÌ„ so Iohn though his testimâ—ny wer true concerning Christ yet notwtstanding it was far