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
be degraded from all their degrées of Ecclesiasticall office and made irriguler because they haue sought to liue by filthie gaine contrary to the expresse word of God Pope Martin in the Councell he called saith If a man forgetting the feare of God the holy scriptures which do say Hée that hath not giuen his money to vsury shal enter into the Tabernacle of God do after knowledge had of this generall councel commit vsury or take Centesimam vsuram which is twelue in the hundred or by any filthy trade doth make his gaine taking for diuers sorts of things for either wine or corne or any other thing els by buying and selling more then he hath layed out shall be put out of the Clergie for euer Pope Leo doth also forbid the same in the laitie being very sory yâ— any christian man shuld be an vsurer saieng that yâ— Clergie ought to be the more sharply punished for such offence because all others should be the more afraid to offend when the Clergie is not spared The decree saith further that no almes ought to be giuen of euill gotten good which cannot be worse gotten then by vsury A statute made against vsurie by a Christian Emperour called Leo. Although saith this godly Emperour many of our auncestors haue thought that lending for vsury might be admitted onely for that the creditours were so hard as men loth els to lend yet we haue thought it most vnworthy among the Christians to be vtterly abhorred eschewed as a thing forbidden by the law of God Therefore our Maiestie doth commaunde that it be not lawfull for any man to take vsury for any cause least whiles we go about to keepe the lawes statutes of men we do transgresse thereby the law of God But whatsoeuer any man doth take the same shall be receiued into the principall Places of scripture against vsurie If thou lend mony to any of my people that is poore by thée thou shalt not be an vsurer vnto him neither shalt thou oppresse him with vsurie If thy brother be waxen poore fallen into decay with thée receiue him as a stranger or a soiourner let him liue by thee thou shalt take no vsury of him nor yet vantage but shalt feare thy God that thy brother may liue with thée thou shalt not lend him thy money vpon vsury or lend him of thy foode to haue an aduantage by it for I am yâ— Lord your God which brought you out of the land of Aegypt to giue you the land of Canaan and to be your God Lord who shall enter into thy Tabernacle he aunswereth He that giueth not his mony vpon vsury and taketh no reward against the innocent The soule yâ— sinneth shall dye If a man be godly doe that is equall right yâ— taketh not other mens goods by violence yâ— parteth his meate to the hungry that clotheth the naked that lendeth nothing vpon vsury yâ— taketh nothing ouer this is a righteous man he shall surely liue saith the Lord but he that gréeueth the poore néedie yâ— robbeth spoileth that giueth not the debter his pledge again yâ— lendeth vpon vsury taketh more ouer shal this man liue no he shal not liue seing he hath done al these abhominations he shall dye and his bloud shall be vpon him Of whom a man may take vsury Unto a straunger thou maist lend vpon vsury c. ¶ This was permitted for a time for the hardnesse of their hearts Aske vsury of him onely whom thou desirest worthely to hurt and with whom thou maist lawfully wage battaile for of him thou maist lawfully demaund vsury and be bold to bite him therewith because thou maist kil him without offence He fighteth without weapon that taketh vsurye yea hée doth reuenge himselfe of his enemie without any swoord that doth exaxt vsurie of his enimie And truely there is no cunninger way to vndoe a man then by vsurye for vnder the coulour of pleasuring him he is vndone before he be aware D. Wilson fol. 23. Lend one to another hoping for nothing ouer and aboue that you did lend whereby not onely all contracts and vsuries vpon lone in respect of time are forbidden but the verye hope also to looke for a good turne againe or any thing else ouer and aboue the principall is vtterly barred and cleane taken awaye Neither is your exposition sound Maister Ciuilian in this behalfe that would haue Christs meaning to be that men should neuer looke for their principall againe for then Christ might haue said giue freelyâ— whereby is included a cléere renouncing to aske backe a gift giuen wheras in â—â—nding it was neuer so meant in common reason that a man should neuer hope to haue his own againe Neither will men loose their principall except some great matter moue them as the extreame pouertie of the party or some other lyke thing c. VVAY What it is to prepare the way and path of the Lord. PRepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight ¶ To prepare the waye of the Lord is to receiue gladly his grace béeing offered vnto vs and with repentaunce and amendement of lyfe to passe awaye those things that may offend the eyes of his diuine maiestie To make his paths straight is to interpret or expound his holy law after the spirit to seeke Iesus in the spirit For they yâ— do yet sticke to the letter of the lawe and séeke to be iustified by their owne works knowing not the righteousnesse of God which consisteth in the spirit faith and truth doe walke in crooked paths Sir I. Cheeke Prepare ye the way of the Lord. ¶ Meaning Cyrus Darius which should deliuer Gods people out of captiuitie and make them a readie way to Hierusalem And this was fully accomplished when Iohn the Baptist brought tidings of Iesus Christs comming who was the true deliuerer of his Church from sinne and Satan Math. 3. 3. Geneua What the way of sinners is That abideth not in the way of sinners c. ¶ The way of sinners is their manner and ordinaunces in which they walke as it were in a way Way in the Scripture is taken for whatsoeuer we do or goe about be it good or bad as in the last verse of this Psalme T. M. What the way of truth is I haue chosen the way of truth ¶ The way of truth is the life that is ordered after the word of truth which is conteined in the Scripture Therein saith Dauid that he hath walked not in feined traditions and holynesse imagined by himselfe or by any mortall man In yâ— same significatioÌ„ vseth S. Peter this word 2. Pet. 2. 1. and 2. There shall be false teachers c. by which the way of truth shall be euill spoken of T. M. Take from me the way of lieng ¶ Instruct me in thy word whereby my minde may be purged
the vnablenesse of our workes 1184. The meaning of the place eod Of the works of darknes of the spirit eod How they know not God that deny him in deedes eo Vvorld what the world signifieth here 1185 Why it is called of Paule preseÌ„t euil eo Of the disputers of this world eod The meaning of the place eod Vvormeâ— how Christ compareth himselfe to a worme 1168 Vvormewood Compared to false teachers c. eod Vvorship what is ment by worship 1187. How God only is to be worshipped 1188 Of the worshipping of Saints eod Vvrath what wrath is in God eod Vvritten so much as is necessary for our our saluation eo What it is to be written in the earth 1189. Who are written in the book of life 1190 Y. Yeare how it is as it was in the olde time 1190 How the yeare was diuided 1191. Yoke how the yoke of Christ is vnderstood eod What the yoke of seruitude is 1192. What this yoke signifieth eod What the yoke of transgression is eod What is ment by the yoke in this place eo Yron furnace what is ment thereby eod Z. Zachary how he his wife are iust 1193 Zeale A definition thereof 1194. FINIS ¶ Common places with their expositions collected and gathered out of the workes of diuers singular Writers And brought Alphabeticallie into order AARON How long Aaron was before Christ. AAron the sonne of Amram nephew to Leuy and brother to Moses was borne about the yeare before Christs incarnation 1609. at what time as Amenophis was king of Aegypt Lanquet How Aaron is a figure of Christ. And he stood betwéene the dead ¶ Aaron is héere a figure of Christ which is the mediatour betwéene God and the Church which restraineth the iust vengeance of God for the sinnes of the world which helpeth the chosen when they be in miserie T. M. A comparison betweene Aaron and Christ. Aaron was in nature a perfect man and so was Christ and more excellent in propertie being without sinne Aaron ministred not for the peoples sake but for his owne also being a sinner Christ for the people onelie himselfe néeding nothing Aaron offered Sacrifice but other things none of his owne Christ offered his Sacrifice his owne and himselfe c. Deering What Aarons Bels signified As Aaron with his succession was a liuelie figure of our Sauiour Christ Iesu who is the high Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech by whom they had all a full perfect saluation that by him do come to God liuing alwaies to this end that he maie appeare in the sight of God for vs. So the golden Bels that he was commanded to haue in the hem of his Tunicle did signifie the earnest liuelie preaching of the Gospell whereby Christ our sauiour and his Apostles did waken the world out of the sléepe of death as all good faithfull ministers of the Church following his example and the example of the Apostles ought to doe So doth Origen expound it saieng Let also the high souereigne Priest haue bels about his garment that when he goeth into the holie place he maie giue a sound and not enter into it with silence And these Bels that ought alwaies to ring are put in the hem of his Tunicle which as I beléeue is done to this end that thou shouldest neuer hold thy peace of the latter daies and of the end of the world but thou shouldest alwaies ring of it according to that that is said RemeÌ„ber the end thou shalt liue 1. Veron ABADDON How it is the right name both of Satan and of the Pope WHose name in Hebrew is Abaddon ¶ Abad in Hebrew signifieth to destroie whereof commeth Abaddon as ye would say a destroier or destroieng in Gréeke ApollyoÌ„ For in Gréeke Apollyon signifieth the same yâ— Abaddon doth in Hebrew The old translator in latin hath added Habens nomen exterminans that is to saie in English Hauing the name of destroier For Iohn wrote in Gréeke and passed for no more but to be vnderstood of them that knewe the Gréeke And yet it must not séeme against reason that the auncient translator was desirous to haue the latine men knowe what Apollyon signifieth to the ende that all men might beware of Antichrists wiles For this name agreeth verie fitlie to Satan and to Antichrist his sonne For like as Satan is a murtherer from the beginning Iohn 8. ver 44. and vndid all mankinde with his naughtinesse euen so hath Antichrist with the venime of his errours led awaie an innumerable multitude of men into deadlie yea spéedie destruction In which respect Paule tearmeth him the child of perdition 2. The. 2 a. ver 3. And Christ saith A theefe commeth not but to steale to murder to destroie Iohn 10. b. ver 10. Marl. vpon the Apo. fo 134. ¶ Abaddon that is destroier for Antichrist the son of perdition destroieth mens soules with false doctrine and the whole world with fire and sword Geneua ABHOMINABLE Who be abhominable ANd the Abhominable ¶ He tearmeth them Abhominable who after the knowledge of the truth do not onelie slide backe from it by Apostasie but also become most deadlie enimies therof biting blaspheming it with their currish chaps finallie abhorre the truth are likewise abhorred of God who is the truth For Abhominable signifieth anie thing that the stomacke loatheth or abhorreth Concerning such loathlie abhominable creatures looke M. t. 12 d. ver 45. Heb. 6. a. ver 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. and 2. Pet. 2. ver 20. 21. 22. Therefore we must regard not what pleaseth the world but what pleaseth God least we vouchsafe chiefe honour vpon those whom God doth worthilie abhorre For saith Mâ—rlarat this saieng of our Sauiour is well knowne That which is highlie in the fauour of men is abhominable before God Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 289. ¶ Abhominable They which iest mocke at religion Geneua ABHOMINATION OF DESOL Hovv this place of Daniel is vnderstood THese words of Christ Daniel are diuerslie applied Origen in Mat. Tract 29. saith thus Antichrist is the abhomination of desolation S. Chrysost. in opere imperfecto hom 44 saith This Antichrist is called the abhomination of desolation for yâ— he shall cause the soules of manie Christians to be desolate forsaken of God Greg. Nazianzenus saith Antichrist shall come in the desolation of the world for he is the abhomination of desolation S Hierom in Mat. cap. 24. saith By the abhomination of desolation we maie vnderstand all peruerse doctrine he saith also the abhomination of desolation shal stand in the Church vntill the consummation of the world lewel fol. 446. ¶ This Abhomination yâ— Daniel speaketh of was the wickednes Idolatrie of the Iewes wherewith almost all the whole nation was infected It is called abhomination which is as much to saie as lothlines because God lothed it as a most silthie thing it was
foorth For there are diuerse men at this daie and hath beene alwaies which thinke that religion consisteth in often hearing the word of God and in disputing the same at common meeting but our Lorde Iesus Christ pronounceth in Mathew where he saith Whosoeuer therefore heareth of me these words and doth them that true pietie doth not consist in knowledge talking but in the action and conuersation Marl. fol. 148. DOCTOVRS How farre the Doctours ought to be beleeued WE ought to indulge or bring in nothing of our owne head neither to choose that which anie man hath brought in of his owne head or of his owne braine we haue the Apostles for our authors which did not choose of their own braines what they shuld bring in but did faithfully assigne and deliuer vnto nations that which they receiued of the Lord. Therefore if an Angell from heauen should preach anie other Gospell vnto vs wée would pronounce it to be accursed That which hath no authoritie out of the Scriptures or by the Scriptures maie as easilie be contemned as it is proued We doe by good right condemne all new thinges yâ— Christ hath not taught for Christ is the waie vnto the faithfull If Christ therefore hath not that which we doe teach we doe also iudge it execrable Ambrose de vir li. 4. The discussing of our iudgement must be taken onely of the Scripture We haue néede to bring the Scripture for witnesse for our meaning and expositions without these witnesses haue no credit My consent without exception I owe not to anie Father were he neuer so wel learned but only to the canonicall scriptures His reason is this for whereas the Lord hath not spoken who of vs can saie it is this or that Or if he dare saye so how can he proue it I require the voice of the Shepheard reade me this matter out of the Prophets read it me out of the Psalmes read it me out of the Lawe read it out of the Gospell read it out of the Apostles August in Iohn Tract 94. Neither ought we to take the dispensations of all men how catholike so euer or commendable so euer they be as the canonicall Scriptures as though we maie not saue the reuerence that is due vnto such men improue or refuse anie thing of their writings if we finde they meant otherwise then the truth doth allow béeing by the helpe of God found by vs or by other August in Epist. ad Fortuna I am not moued with the authoritie of this Epistle For I doe not take the letters of Ciprian as the canonicall Scriptures but I do trie his writings by the canonical Scriptures and whatsoeuer in them doe agrée with the authoritie of the holie Scriptures I doe receiue it with his commendation and whatsoeuer doth not agrée with Gods worde I doe by his good leaue refuse it August con Cresigramacion li. 2. cap. 32. Trust not me saith S. Austen nor credit my writings as if they were the canonicall Sciptures but whatsoeuer thou findestâ— in the word although thou didst not beléeue it before yet ground thy faith on it now whatsoeuer thou readest of mine vnlesse thou knowe it certeinlie to be true giue thou no certeine assent vnto it August prol li. 3. de Trini Tom. 3. We must be pertakers of other mens saiengs wholy after the manner of Bees for they flie not a like to all floures nor where they sit they crop them not quite awaie but snatching so much as shall suffice for their honâ—eâ— making take their lâ—aue of the rest Euen so wee if waâ—ves wise hauing gotte of other so much as is sounde and agreâ—able vnto truth will leape ouer the rest which rule if we keepâ— in reading and alleadging the Fathers wordes we shall not swâ—rue from our profession the Scripture shall haue the souereigne place and yet the Doctours of the Church shall loose no paâ—te of their due estimation Saint Austen to Saint Hierome saith on this wise I recken not my brother that ye would haue vs so to reade your bookes as if they were written by the Apostles or Prophets DOEG How Doeg was a figure of Antichrist DOeg was a wiâ—ked â—oâ—etous man the kéeper of king Saules Mules who to the satisfieng of his coâ—et 〈…〉 isnesse gaue himselfe to flatterie and to serue the kings turne in all things were it right or wrong insomuch that when hée had falsely accused 〈…〉 that good and godlie Priést vnto the king hée at the k 〈…〉 es commaundement all other reâ—using that wicked déede fell vpon A 〈…〉 melech with the swoorde and slewe both him and all the Priestes of the Lorde to the number of 85. All such cruell and couetous men although sometime they will appeare holie as Doeg did which went to the Eabernacle of common place of praier and was ther occupied as though he had bene an holie man maie bée called Doegs Doeg by interpretation and turning of his name into Latine signifieth Commotâ—â— in English â—ehementlye moued By whom saith Saint Austen is signified Antichrist which with falâ—e signes and fained myracles shall moue all the worlde before the comming of the Lord into iudgement And as Doeg wrought wickednesse for the pleasing of king Saule by whome is signified the Diuell so shall Antichrist moue and stirre the worlde to sâ—nne for the pleasing of the diuell and aduauncing of his kingdome DOGGES Who they be and what is signified thereby A Dogge is counted a vile beast and so vile that in the olde lawe it was forbidden to offer the price the gaine or the â—auntage that was got by the selling of a dog to the building or repairing of the Tabernacle of the Lord. And because dogs be great raueners malicious and enuious beasts therfore the Scribes Pharesies and high Priests of Moses lawe in persecuting of Christ were called dogges Ric. Turnar Giue not that holie things vnto dogges c. ¶ The dogges are those obstinate and indurate which for the blinde zeale of their leauen wherewith they haue sowred both the doctrine also the workes maliciouslie resist the truth and persecute the ministers thereof and are those wolues among which Christ sendeth his shéepe warning them not onelie to be single and pure in their doctrine but also wise and circumspect and to beware of men for they shuld bring them before Iudges kings and slaie them thinking to do God seruice therein That is as Paule to the Romaines testifieth of the Iewes for blinde zeale to their owne false fained righteousnesse persecute the righteousnesse of God Tindale fol. 238. ¶ Declare not the Gospell to the wicked contemners of God whome thou séest left to themselues and forsaken Geneua ¶ This holie thing is Gods word Dogges are they that persecute the word Tindale The meaning of these places following For dogges are come about me ¶ By dogges are vnderstood the tyrannie
good workes ¶ The godly couersation of the people of God doth minister occasion vnto men to praise laude and magnifie God as on the contrarie side our naughtie liuing is an occasion that God and his holy word is blasphemed and euill spoken of Sir I. Cheeke Wherefore these lights were ordeined Let there be lights for signes and seasons ¶ These lights were nto made to serue Astronomers fantasies but for signes in naturall things and tokens of Gods mercie and wrath The Bible note ¶ By the lights he meaneth the Sunne the Moone and the Starres Geneua ¶ Looke Loynes girde LILIES What it is to gather vp Lilies ANd to gather vp Lylies ¶ Rabbi Iarhi and S. Barnard expounding this place saith thus To gather vp Lilies is to gather vp men And yet euen in this one exposition resteth to be handeled that Christ is the gatherer and men the flowers If christ be a gatherer he is no disperser Indéede it is méete that the shepheard should gather his shéepe and the hen hir chicken and the husbandman the graine into his barne Euen so the Prophet Ezechiel saith that Christ should gather his sheepe out of all land and gather them into their owne land so doeth he himselfe say with affection of déepe loue O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I haue gathered thée together as the hen gathereth hir chickens and thou wouldest not And as Lilies grewe dispersed héere one and there one so good men growe rare thin And as Christ picketh Lilies from among thornes for they growe among thornes so picked he Abraham from the thorns of Chaldee Iob from the Hussites Hyram from the Tyrians Naaman from the Sirians the Niniuites from the Assirians Lylies grow rare and good men grow rarer lylies among thornes and good men among thornes and as the gathering of Lylies and men be like so men and Lylies be very like T. Drant LION The meaning of this place following ANd I was deliuered from the mouth of the Lyon ¶ Some men doe expound this place of Satan the Diuell which as S. Paule saith goeth about like a roaring Lyon séeking whom he may deuoure But it ought rather to be vnderstood of Nero the Emperour which was the most cruell Tyrant that euer was on the earth and such an vngodly Prince is as a Lyon and as a deuouring beare vnto his people Pro. 28. 15. Sir I. Cheeke How Lions are compared to the persecuters of Christ. A Lyon is the Lord and the fiercest of all other beastes of the earth whose propertie is to lye and lurke and in a manner to humble himselfe vntill he haue his praye and then as it is the propertie of a beare to roare when he is baited so the propertie of a Lyon is when he hath got his pray to gape vpon it and to roare and neuer before Of this propertie sauoureth the sentence of the Prophet Amos. 3. Chap. ver 4. saieng Doeth the Lyon roare in the woode except he haue his pray As who should saye the Lyons roaring and the Lyons praie goe euer together Againe Commeth there any plague within a Citie that is not of the Lords sending no more saith Amos can ye heare a Lyon roare without his praye Of this propertie of a Lion doth Aristotle write in lyke manner li. 9. de natura animalium Chap. 24. And to this propertie of a Lion doth the Prophet Dauid resemble the persecuters of Christ at his passion where he saith Aperierunt super meos suum sicut Leo They haue opened their mouths wide vpon me as it wer a Lyon ramping or roring Another propertie that a Lyon hath he is afraid of nothing except it be of the noise and rolling of a whéele-barrowe or a Timbrell or some other lyke thing as the noyse of emptie Carts And some write that he is afraid of the crowing of a Cocke so likewise the Lyons that put Christ to death and doe now spoyle the Common weale were nothing afraide of Gods displeasure wrath and vengeaunce but onely were afraid of a silly rattle as of the losse of their own vaine glory and pompe of the decay of their foolish superstitious traditions but nothing regarding the shedding of Christs innocent most precious bloud A Lyon hath also this propertie he loueth euer to féede and to walke alone not so much as the Lionesse shall be in his companie contrary to the nature of all other beasts and this propertie may be resembled to the greedie Lyons of this world that loueth to dwell alone and to eate alone for any hospitalitie they keepe in comparison of their liuing as well as vnto the Scribes and Pharesies and the high Priests who to maintaine their auarice and couetousnesse cryed Awaye with Christ crucifie him crucifie him we haue no King but Caesar let Moses and vs alone c. Ric. Turnar How tyrants are likened to Lyons The roaring of the Lyon and the voice of the Lionesse and the teeth of the Lyons Whelpes are broken ¶ Though men according to their office doe not punish tyrants whome for their crueltie he compareth to Lyons and their children to their Whelpes yet God is able and his Iustice will punish them Geneua How the Lyons are fed by Gods prouidence The Lyons roare after their pray and séeke their meate at God ¶ That is they onely finde meate according to Gods prouidence who careth euen for the brute beasts Geneua LOCVSTS What manner of beasts they were HIs meate was Locusts and wilde honny ¶ Locusts be certaine beastes which the people of Parthia and of Aethiopia didde commonly vse to eate as affirmeth Plinie in the 11 booke the 29. chapter and 16. booke and 30. chapter Yet doe some holde opinion that they be the toppes or as we call them the buddes of trées or fruits Tindale ¶ Locusts were a kinde of meate which certaine of the East people vse which were therefore called deuourers of Locusts Beza LOINES GIRDE What is ment thereby Girde vp thy loines c. ¶ For a Prophet or Preacher to girde vp his loines is boldly and constantly to resist the false opinions and doctrine of the wicked and euen to imprint in them the word of truth which engendreth hate whether they will or no and that not once or twice but vntill such time as they either amend or els waxe angrie and furious with it Yea and then to set more by the commaundements of the Lord then by the power and tyranny of the world and not to set by the threatenings or rulers which can do nothing but that which God permitteth and suffereth them Therefore are they not to be feared of an obedient and faithfull seruaunt of the Lord. T. M. The meaning of this place following Let your loynes be gird and your lights burning ¶ That is be in a readinesse to execute the charge which is committed to you Geneua The burning lights that Christ willeth vs to haue in our hands are
praiers fastings and almes déedes that such works do iustifie men before God and not that God forgiueth sinne of his méere mercie if a man beléeue repent and promise to doe his vttermost to sinne no more Tindale fo 202. After what manner Paule commendeth the sect of the pharesies After the most straightest sect of our religion I liued a Pharesie ¶ He taketh the sect of the Pharesies to be perfect because their doctrine was better then the other sectes The Saduces denied the resurrection of the dead The Esses glorifieng in straightnesse of lyfe little regarded true doctrine The Bible note Paule speaketh of this sect according to the peoples estimation who preferred it as most holy aboue all other for their doctrine was least corrupt Geneua How the pharesies added to the Scripture And hate your enimies ¶ This had the Scribes and Pharesies added to themselues because of that which is written Exo. 34. 11. Deut. 7. 1. Iosu. 23. 7. 12. of hauing familiaritie with those nations What pharisaicall righteousnesse is Pharisaicall righteousnesse consisteth in outward workes voide of the feare of God and of faith in God which as it looketh for heauen at Gods hand as a reward for his works so it hunteth for praise at mens hands for the visour of counterfaitâ— holinesse Hemmyng PHASHVR Of the crueltie of this Priest to Ieremy the Prophet THis Phashur was the high Bishop of the Temple the ringleader of false Prophets and the chief heretiktaker that is ouerthrower of true godlynesse The dignitie of Priesthoode giuen vnto him he abused For hée taught not and reproued by the worde but feared the godlye with crueltie hée is not the greater man that striketh but hée is the stronger that is striken He not onelye stroke but also prisoned him that withstoode him not but patientlye looked for the helpe of GOD. It is no newe thing yée maye sée for Bishoppes doe persecute the Prophettes of the LORDE for the preaching of the truth and constancie T. M. ¶ Thus we sée that the thing which neither the king nor the Princes nor the people durst enterprise against the Prophet of God this Priest a chiefe instrument of Satan first attempted Read Chapter 18. 18. Geneua PHEBE What ministration this godly woman vsed in the Church of Cenchrea I Commend vnto you Phebe our sister ¶ Men thinke that this holy womaÌ„ carried this Epistle of Paul to Rome She had ben a minister in the Church of Cenchrea not indéed in teching publikely but in looking to the poore which were susteined at the charges of the Church And what manner of widowes either as touching age or as touching manners were required to that charge it is at large set foorth in the Epistle to Timothy By what manner of meanes she was an helpe vnto Paule we know not but it is inough for vs our of this testimonie of Paule to vnderstand that she had oftentimes bene beneficiall both to many others as also to Paule himselfe She is héere thrée waies commended for that she was a sister for that she was a minister for that she had giuen hospitalitie to many others and to Paule also wherevnto also may be added that she was holye for Pauleâ— straight way addeth as it becommeth Saints Héereby it is manifest the Christians that are straungers ought not onely therefore to be receiued for that they are bretheren but also for that they perteine to God as Saints wholy dedicated vnto him Cenchrea is a towne nigh vnto Corinth and a port or hauen longing to that towne Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fo 453. PHIGELLVS Of hiâ— heresie PHigellus and Hermogenes forsooke Paule and made shipwracke of their faith 2. Tim. 1. 15. Abdias Babilonius sayth that Philetus and Hermogenes sayde that Iesus was not the sonne of God PHILACTERIES What a Philacterie is THey make broade their Philacteries c. ¶ They weare scrowles of parchment wherin the commandements were written And to this day the Iewes vse the same and close them in a péece of Leather and so binde them to their browes and left arme to the intent they might haue continuall remembraunce of the lawe Geneua ¶ A Philacterie was a certeine paper or parchment where the ten commaundements were written And this daye the Pharesies and Scribes put rounde about their heads lyke a crowne thereby to perswade the simple and ignoraunt people that they were holyâ— and that they did diligently kéepe the law Sir I. Cheeke ¶ It was a thrid or ribband of blew silke in the fringe of a corner the beholding whereof made them to remember the lawes and ordinaunces of God And therefore was it called a Philacterie as you would saye a kéeper Nu. 15. 38. Deut. 6. 8. which order the Iewes afterward abused as they doe nowe adaies which hang S. Iohns Gospell about their neckes a thing condempned many yeares ago in the Councell of Aâ—tioch Theo. Beza PHILIP Of the Martirdome of Philip the Apostle PHilip the holy Apostle after he had much laboured among the barbarous nations in preaching the word of saluation to them At length he suffered as the other Apostles did in Hierapolis a citie of Phrigia being there crucified and stoned to death where also he was buried and his daughters also with him Isido PHILOSOPHIE What Philosophy is IT is nothing else but the obseruing and eschewing of such things as reason iudgeth to be good or bad in the mutuall conuersation of lyfe W. Baldwyn Saint Austen sayth If they which becalled Philosophers specially of Plato his sect haue spoken ought that is true and appertinent to our fayth we ought not only not to feare it but also to chalenge it as our owne from them which are no right owners of it For like as the Aegyptians had not onely Idols and greate burdens which the Israelites did hate and flye but also vesselles ornamentes and goodly iewels of golde and siluer which the Israelites departing from Aegypt vnder the coulour of borrowing stole priuely from them not of theyr owne minde but by the commaundement of God to tourne that to a better vse which the Aegyptians abused So in the doctrine of the Gentiles are not onely conteined superstitious and feigned rites with greate burdens of vaine labour all which wée Christians following Christ out from among the vnbeléeuing Gentiles shoulde detest and auoide but also much good learning méete to serue the truth howe to worshippe the eternall and onely God W. Baldwyn Beware least anye man come and spoile you through Philosophie and vaine deceites ¶ Paule héere biddeth the Colloâ—sians take héede of such men that with their Philosophye went about to hinder the Gospell to stoppe the prosperous successe of Gods wrode abusing Gods giftes rebuking the euill conditions of men and not dispraisiâ—g the arte for hée himselfe was a great Philosopher Nowe if Philosohye did set foorth a false and vntrue matter that it confounded the fayth of many how much more is it able to set
foorth the truth Ridley Teaching you vaine speculations as worshipping of Angells of blinde ceremonies and beggerlye traditions for nowe they haue no vse séeing that Christ is come Geneua PHISICKE By whom it was first inuented AESculapius the sonne of Apollo was the first inuenter and practiser of Phisick who for that science the antiquitie honoured as a God And such as recouered from anye disease did sacrifice vnto Aesculapius a liue Cock But the Poets do fable that he was slaine with lightening of Iupiter because he had with cunning of Phisick restored Hippolitus the sonne of Theseus to lyfe Vdal Of the woman that had spent all her goods in Phisicke Had suffered many things of many Phisitions and had spent al that she had ¶ Heere the woman is not blamed because shée had spent and bestowed much substaunce vpon Phisitions but rather we doe learne that Phisicke ministred without God is vnprofitable Let vs not then despise Phisicke which the highest did create from the earth but let vs resigne put our whole wil into the hands of God whether he wil heale vs by phisick or bring vs to our graue Sir I. Cheeke How God must be sought before the Phisition He sought not the Lord but Phisitions ¶ He sheweth that it is in vain to séeke to phisitions except first we séeke to God to purge our sinnes which are the chiefe cause of all our diseases and after vse the helpe of the Phisition as a meane by whom God worketh Geneua PHOTINVS Of his heresie PHotinus Bishoppe of Sirmium mainteined the heresie of Sabellius Paulus Samosatenus that Christ was not God before Marie bare him He said the worde was at the beginning with the Father but not the Sonne Socrates li. 2. cap. 24. Epiphan heraes 71. PIETIE What Pietie is PIetie is a true worshipping of God a soundnesse of doctrine and a pure lyâ—e which things follow hope and fayth Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 279. Lactantius calleth it iustice and deuout worshipping and knowledge of God godlinesse godly affection naturall loue towards the parents and kinsfolke naturalnesse naturall zeale or affection PILATE Of the Acts and death of this man THis man being ordeined President of Iudea at his first entrie to flatter Tiberius caused the Image of Caesar to be brought into the Temple of Hierusalem whereby rose a great sedition forsomuch as the Iewes being therewith grieuously offended offred themselues rather to the death theÌ„ they wold suffer any Image in yâ— temple Pilate in like manner vsed the treasure called Corbona contrarie to the custome and lawe of the Iewes and because diuerse of the Iewes shewed themselues to be gréeued therewith he beate and slew a great number of them And after the death of Christ as witnesseth Tertulian Pilate wrote to Tiberius the Emperour of the death vertue and miracles of Christ who after he had published the same in the Senate would haue had Christ to be ascribed and numbred among the Gods of the Romanes but the Senatours woulde not consent thereto in anye wise because that Pilate wrote to the Emperour and not to them But Tiberius continued in his sentence defeÌ„ded on pain of death that no man should persecute the christen people Pilate at the last was commanded by Vitellius prouost of Surrey to goe to Rome there to aunswere to certeine complaints which should be layde to his charge by the Iewes for which accusations hée was after deposed and banished to Lions in Fraunce where as Eusebius saith he slew himselfe ¶ Of Pilate Iosephus writeth hée succéeded Valerius Graccus vnder Tiberius and was deputie of Iudea ten yeares About the eight yeare of his gouernment he crucified Christ. And two yeares after that being expired he was put out of his office by Vitellius deputie of Siria for the innocent Samaritanes that were slaine an other béeing put in his place and he constrained to go to Rome to purge himselfe in the iudgement of Caesar against the accusation of the Samaritanes But before he came to Rome Tiberius was dead and Gaius appointed in his roome Under this Gaius as Eusebius maketh mention in his ecclesticall historie Pilate slew himselfe Marl. vpon Math. fol. 685. Of Pilates wife His wyfe sent to him sayeng Haue thou nothing to doe with this iust man for I haue suffered manye thinges this daie in my sléepe because of him ¶ Onely Mathew maketh mention of this thing concerning the wife of Pilate which was done when Pilate was sitting downe on his Tribunall seate to giue iudgement of death against the Lorde Haue nothing to doe with that iust man As touching the Gréeke text it is sayde Thou hast nothing to doe with that iust man But the Hebrew text hath Haue thou nothing to doe with that iust man Beholde and note héere how the innocency of Christ deserued testimonie of euery one namely of Iudas of Pilate of Pilates wife of Anna of the false witnesse of the wise men of the Cananites of the Samaritanes of the Centurion and lastlye of the theese hanging on the Crosse. For I haue suffered manie thinges although the meditation and studie in the daye time might be occasion of this dreame yet notwithstanding it is without al doubt that the wife of Pilate suffered those torments not naturally as many doe at this daie oftentimes but rather by singular instinct and motion of God Many haue thought that the Diuell suborned this woman and craftely couloured the matter in her that hée might staye the redemption of mankinde the which is verye vnlikely in all pointes when as by the motion prouocation of the Diuell the chiefe Priests and Scribes did so greatly séeke and desire to destroye Christ. Therefore we must this rather thinke of it that the innocencie of Christ was proued by manye meanes of God the Father to the end that it might appeare that he died not for his owne but for others sakes And for that cause he thought good to be absolued so oftentimes by the mouth of Pilate before hée was condempned that in his innocent dampnation there might appeare a lawfull satisfaction for our sinnes But Mathew very expresly and plainely setteth forth the matter least any man shoulde meruayle why Pilate was so carefull and diligent to defend and contende in the tumult of the people for the lyfe of a contemned man And truely God constrained him by the terrour of the dreame which his wife suffered to defend the innocencie of his sonne not that he might deliuer him from death but onely to declare that he was punished for other mens faultes c. Mar. fol. 702. Why the priests deliuered Iesus to Pilate And deliuered him to Pilate ¶ It was not lawfull for them to put anye man to death For all causes of lyfe and death were taken awaye from them first by Herode the great and afterward by the Romanes about fortie yeares before the destruction of the temple and therefore they deliuered Iesus to Pilate Theo.
the sinnes and offences of men as though the punishment of the sword were a satisfaction for sinne for the death of Christ onely hath made satisfaction for sinne But offenders are punished by the sworde for examples sake that the people might feare to offend And least in time sinne and wickednesse might be counted for vertue and righteousnesse For the sinne that is left vnpunished is not knowne to be sinne Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 282. PVRE IN HEART Who they be that are so called BLessed are the pure in heart ¶ Blessed saith he are y◠pure in heart y◠is which ioyne themselues vnto me with a pure simple and desirous minde of knowing the will of God doe embrace the doctrine of truth without hypocrisie doublenesse of heart such were the disciples of Christ so soone as it was offered vnto them Such was Nathanael of whom Christ said Beholde a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit Marl. vpon Math. fol. 79. ¶ They are called pure in heart that beléeue vnfeinedly and trust from the very heart in God whome they doe see through faith while they be yet in this vale of miserie but after this bodily lyfe they shall haue a full fruition of him and sée him as he is Theo. Beza What purenesse of heart is Purenesse of heart is the consenting and studuous purpose to kéepe the lawes of God and to meane truelye in all thy wordes and workes and to do them with a true intent PVRGATORIE How Purgatorie is vtterly disproued by the Scriptures of God VErely verely I saye vnto yea he that heareth my word beléeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting lyfe shal not come into damnation but hath passed from death vnto life He was wounded for our transgression he was broken for our iniquities The chasticement of our peace was laide vpon him and with his stripes we were made whole Saint Paule sayth Christ hath taken the oblation that was against vs and hath fastened it to the crosse c. Saint Iohn saith Blessed be the dead that dye in the Lord euen so saith the spirit For they rest from their labours and their workes followe them He saith not they be in Purgatorie but they rest from their labours Againe he saith They hunger no more they shall thirst no more for the lambe which is in the middest of the throne shall gouerne them and shal lead them not into Purgatory but into the liuing fountaine of waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes Saint Augustine sayth Primum locum fides Catholicorum c. The first place of Catholike faith by Gods authoritie beléeueth to be the kingdome of heuen from whence whosoeuer is not baptised is excluded The second place the same Catholike fayth beléeueth to be hell where all rūnagates whosoeuer is without the faith of Christ shall tast euerlasting punishment As for the third place we vtterly knowe none neither shall wée finde in holye Scriptures that there is anye such If there were a Purgatorie and also if that the Pope with his pardons for money may deliuer one soule thence hée may deliuer him as well without money if he may deliuer one he may deliuer a thousand if he may deliuer a thousand he may deliuer them all and so destroy Purgatorye And then is hée a cruel tyrant without all charitie if he kéepe them there in prison till men will giue him money Booke of Mar. fo 1155. Know you saith S. Austen that when the soule is departed from the body it is incontinent for his good déeds put in paradise or else throwne headlong into the dungeon of hell for his sinnes Choose you now what ye list and purpose this while ye be héere in this life either to ioye perpetuall with Saints or else to be tormented without end among wicked sinners Booke of Mar. fol. 1263 The christian saith doth holde that the onely bloud of Iesus Christ and the sacrifice that he hath done vppon the crosse for poore sinners is so sufficient to satisfie the iudgement of God and to cleanse man of his sinnes that there néedeth none other Purgatorie for them As indéede there is none other to cleanse them neither by fire nor by water nor by anye other meanes neither in this world nor in the other Therefore hée that séeketh satisfaction any wher els be it in his owne works or those of other men or in anie kinde of creature or y◠in all or in part the same he or she refuseth wholy the ransome and satisfaction made by Iesus Christ. Then it followeth that she doctrine of the Papists concerning Purgatorie and their satisfactions which they séeke in themselues and in their works or in those of their Priests Monks in their offring suffrages as wel for the liuing as for the dead are mans inuentions full of blasphemies wholy against y◠word of God wherby as much as in them is they make of none effect y◠merit benefit of Christs death passion do openly renounce the same P. Vi. How Purgatory and pardons came iointly together Polidore saith Nemo nunc dubitat c. No Catholike man now doubteth of Purgatorie wherof notwithstanding among the auncient Fathers there is either no mention at all or very seldome Yea euen to this day the Grecians beléeue it not For so long as ther was no care for purgatory no man sought after pardons Polidore de inuentio li. 8. cha 5. How Purgatory was not knowne 400. yeares after Christ S. Austen was 400. years after Christ. And yet in his time was it not fully fastly beléeued to be an Article of our faith no nor yet fully and fastly beléeued to be true for he himselfe writeth in his Enchiridion on this manner speaking of Purgatory after that he expounded the place of Paule 1. Cor. 3. and had taken this word fire not for Purgatory but for temptation and tribulation he added these words in the. 69. chapter It is not incredible that such a thing should also chaunce after this life and whether it be so or no it may be questioned c. I. Frith S. Austen ouerthroweth al praiers for the dead with this whē he teacheth that all men looketh for the resurrection of the flesh the eternall glory that euery man then receiueth the rest y◠followeth after death if he be worthy when he dieth And therfore he testifieth y◠al the godly do immediatly after death enioy y◠blessed rest as well as y◠Prophets the Apostles Martirs If their estate be such what I beseech you saith Caluine shal our praiers auaile them Cal. in his Inst. 3. b. chap. 5. Sect. 10. When say they the Lord affirmeth that the sinne against the holy Ghost shuld not be forgiuen in this world nor in the world to come ther he sheweth y◠ther is a forgiuenesse of some sins in the world to come But who séeth
kicke against the manifest and knowen truth and so to dye without repentaunce with a dispaire of the mercie of God in Iesus Christ is to sinne against the Holy ghost Sir I. Cheeke But whosoeuer c. ¶ That is he that striueth against the truth which he knoweth and against his owne conscience cannot retourne to repentaunce for he sinneth against the Holye ghost Geneua He resisteth the Holy ghost which openly repugneth against the veritie of God and by despite enforceth himselfe as much as he can to ouerthrow it Now a man may sinne willyngly yet be not in wil to warre against God or to blaspheme his holy word Caluine It is named the sinne of the Holy ghost not against the godhead of the Holy ghost for the same God is also father sonne nor against the person of the Holy ghost for it is no greater then the person of the Father and of the Sonne but it is to sinne against the graces of the spirite within vs and so to sinne against them that we contemne and despise them treade them vnder féete accompt them prophaneâ— and maliciously cary them away to all wantonnesse This then is sinne against the Holy ghost In a continuall Apostacie and general falling from God to sinne against thine owne conscience so that thou despise the graces of God which he had giuen thée to the setting foorth of his praise and turne them to the contempt of his maiestie and glorie By the example of Satan and the Angels that fell from heauen by Caâ— that flew his brother by the Scribes Pharesies against Christ and Iulianus the Emperour and that is written before it appeareth that the sinne of the Holy ghost is a generall Apostacie from God with wilfull malitious vnrepentaunt heart to persecute the truth vnto the ende As manie as doe feare at the remembrance of this sinne they are as farre from it as the East is from the West for this sinne is a mocking and scoffing of the Sonne of God it is not a wéeping and mourning Deering When couetousnesse findeth aduauntage in seruing falshood it riseth vp in an obstinate mallice against the truth and séekeâ—h all meanes to resist it this is sinne against the Holy ghost As by example Balaam the false prophet though he wi 〈…〉 that God loued Israel and had blessed them promised them great things and that he would fulfill his promise yet for couetousnesse and desire of honour fell into such mallice against the truth of God that he sought how to resist and to cursse the people Christ saith It shall neuer be forgiuen héere nor in yâ— world to come that is that as the sinne shall be punished with euerlasting damnation in the life to come euen so shal it not escape vengeaunce heere as thou séest in Iudas Pharao and in Balaam and in all other Tyrants which against their consciences resisted the open truth of God The cause why it shall not be forgiuen is for that the offender cannot repent but is vtterly shut out from repentaunce hath his heart hardened for if he were able to repent he shuld be pardoned because that by repentaunce and faith all things are washed away Wherefore the Holy ghost will rebuke the world of sinne Of sinne because they beléeue not in me ¶ Unbeléefe is that sinne that condemneth the world by the world vnderstand the wicked reproued and vnfaithfull and not all the creatures that be in the world and faith is the righteousnes of beléeuers This thing because the world and naturall reson will not know but will be iustified saued by their owne works is euen it wherof the Holy ghost shall rebuke the world and shew that it shall be iustly condemned Tindale Of sinne c. His enimies which contemned him and put him to death shall be conuict by their owne conscience for that they did not beleeue in him Act. 2. 27. And shall knowe that without Iesus Christ there is nothing but sinne Geneua How sinne is taken in this place following And by sinne condemned sinne in the flesh ¶ Sinne is héere taken for a sinne offering after the vse of the Hebrue tongue Tindale God through the sacrifice of sin which Christ his onely sonne offered vpon the Crosse in his flesh and abolished sinne which raigned in our mortal bodies The Bible note Of sinne vnto death how it is declared There is a sinne vnto death and for it I say not that thou shouldest pray ¶ Whatsoeuer sinne we sée in the world let vs pray and not dispaire for God is the God of mercie But for the sinne to death which is resisting grace fighting against mercie open blaspheming of the Holy ghost affirming yâ— Christs miracleâ— are done in Belzabub and his doctrine to be of the diuell I thinke no Christen man if he perceiue it can otherwise pray then as Paule prayed for Alexander the Coppersmith the 2. to Timothy the last that God would rewarde him according to his workes They that goe backe againe after they knowe the truth and giue themselues willingly to sinne for to follow it and persecute the doctrine of truth by profession to maintain falshood for their glory and vauntage are remediles as ye may sée Heb. 6. and 10. Balaam so sinned the false Prophets in the olde Testament so sinned the Pharesies so sinned Alexander so sinned and now many so sinne following their pride couetousnesse Tindale ¶ What this sinne vnto death is our Sauiour Christ doeth sufficiently declare saieng If ye will not beléeue ye shall dye in your owne sinnes So that this sinne vnto death is nothing els but a wilfull obstinate infidelitie this sinne no man that is borne of God doth commit though of frailenesse we be subiect to sinne as long as we liue Sir I. Cheeke If we sinne willingly after we haue receiued yâ— knowledge of the truth ¶ This is the sinne whereof is spoken Mat. 12. 31. that is the sinne of blasphemie against the Holy ghost which sinne Iohn calleth the sinne vnto death 1. Iohn 5. 16. ¶ They sinne willingly which of set purpose and mallice doth withhold the truth in vnrighteousnesse and lying which know that in all the world ther is no other Sacrifice for sinne but that onely Omnisufficient sacrifice of Christs death and yet they will not commit themselues vnto it but rather despise it and abide still obstinately in their wickednesse and sinnes vnto such remaineth a most horrible and dreadfull iudgement Sir I. Cheeke For it is not possible that they which were once lightened haue tasted ¶ This text denieth not impossibilitie of mercie in God but the impossibilitie of repentaunce in such men as malâ—tiously forsake the truth blaspheme Christ take part against the Holy ghost For the truth is that with the Lord ther is mercie plenteous redemption Psa. 130. 7. So that whosoeuer calleth vpon his name shal be saued Ioel.
¶ 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
shew mercie and compassion is onely his blessed will and pleasure Proues of Gods will out of holy Scripture I will harden Pharaos heart and multiply miracles wonders in the land of Aegypt The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill I will shew mercie c. Which is expounded a little before Exo. 33. 19. Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose grace which was giuen to vs through Christ before the world was ¶ Looke Predestination Calling Why. How we ought in all things to commit our selues to the will of God If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane ¶ In all our troubles and aduersities in diseases and sicknesse let vs put our selues wholly vnto Gods plesure and wil which knoweth best and will alwayes doe the thing that is expedient for his glory and the saluation of our soules Sir I. Cheeke VVILDERNESSE What is signified by wildernesse BUt the desart and wildernesse shall reioyce ¶ By the desarte and wildernes is signified the country of the heathen which were without grace and without the fruite of good and vertuous liuing Psa. 107. 33. It is a borrowed speach taken of the roughnesse and vnfruitfulnesse of the wildernesse T. M. ¶ He prophecieth of the full restoring of the Church both of the Iewes and Gentiles vnder Christ which shal be fully accomplished at the last day albeit as yet it is compared to a desart and wildernesse Geneua The barraine nature of mankinde shal be made fruitfull by grace promised in Christ. The Bible note How the Lord doth turne the wildernesse into riuers I turne the wildernes into riuers That is I make the doctrine of truth so generall and so easie to all men that whereas wer before wast wildernesses by which vnderstand the errors of the heathen wherwith they had made all vnfruitfull drye shall now by the grace of the Holy ghost be riuers of the water of veritie where all was full of Idolatrye of abhomination and of stinking errors ther shall the harts of the chosen be watered with godly wisdome through the Gospell glad tidings and shal be endued with faith whereby they may both profite themselues and other and so shall they be fruitfull Wildernes is often thus taken as before Esay 35. T. M. The meaning of this place following Wher shall we get so much bread in the wildernes We are all in a wildernesse so many as be in this vale of misery Christ is our Pastor shepheard which feedeth vs with his blessed word in the wildernesse that is to say among so many traditions of wherewith we are burdened S. I. Cheeke VVINE Of olde wine in new vessells NEither do we put new wine into olde vessells A mind that is nourished in blinde ceremonies superstition is not a méete vessell to receiue the pleasaunt wine of the gospel S. I. C. ¶ Olde wine was wont to be put after the manner of oyle into Goates skins euen as we do put it into our wine vessells They therfore that are skilfull in vintage or making of wine brew their new wine into new vessels for they which put new wine into olde vessells suffer double losse that is to say when the new wine worketh or spourgeth the vessells breake the wine perisheth Marl. fol. 135. What is signified by wine and oyle The oyle and wine see thou hurt not The dulcet wine and the fragrant oyle see thou hurt not saith the said voyce hinder not the word of God which is the swéet wine yâ— replenisheth the heart with gladnesse the wholsome oyle yâ— comforteth the soule in trouble delicious it is in aduersitie solatious in all weaknes Corrupt not the text with false gloses take not from vs the swéetnes therof defraud vs not of yâ— fruitfull sauor let the text be whole the fruit vncorrupt the iudgment right that shal well be if nothing be added vnto it nor nothing taken from it Bale What is signified by wine milke Come buy wine milk without any mony c. ¶ The word of God is called wine milke wine because it reioyceth the heart in that it pacifieth the conscience setteth it at rest milke because it nourisheth and increaseth the little ones in faith as ye haue 1. Pet. 2. 2. And as new borne babes desire the reasonable milke T. M. ¶ By waters wine milke and bread he meaneth all things necessary to the spirituall life as these are necessary to the corporall life Geneua The forbidding of wine and strong drinke Thou shalt not drinke wine nor strong drinke Some think that Nadab Abiu being ouercome with drink did not their ser-seruice lawfully wherevpon they thinke that this lawe of forbidding wine and strong drinke was made The Bible note How wine remaineth in the Sacrament He tooke the Cup and when he had giuen thankes he gaue it to them saieng Drinke ye all of it for this my bloud of yâ— new Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes I say vnto you that I wil not drinke henceforth of this fruite of the vine vntill that day when I shall drink it new with you in the kingdome of my father ¶ Heere Christ himselfe calleth it the very fruit and generation of the grape as it was afore That it was wine saith Clement that was blessed at yâ— supper Christ himselfe shewed his disciples saieng I will no more drinke of the fruit of this vine vntill I shall drinke â— with you in the kingdome of my father Clem. de pedago li. 2. cap 2. The wine pressed out of clusters many â—rapes our Lord called his bloud Cipr. li. 3. Epist 6. Ther was wine in the mysterie or sacrament of our recâ—ption when our Lord said I will not drinke henceforth of this fruite of the vine Aug. de eccl dogmat ca. 75. Iewel fo 263. VVINDE What the foure windes doe signifie â—Olding the foure windes of the earth ¶ The spirit is compared to winde and the doctrine also and though ther be one spirit and one doctrine yet foure are heere named in respect of the diuersitie of the foure quarters of the earth where the Gospell is spread and for the foure writers thereof and the preachers of the same through the whole earth Geneua They withhold the foure windes of the earth the doctrine of the spirit which God hath sent to be blown the world ouer they withstand resist stop vexe and euermore persecute Bale How the preachers of the Gospell are likened to winde That the winde should not blow vpon the earth ¶ Like as the winde raiseth vp clouds openeth the earth moysteth it maketh it fruitfull maketh it to looke cheerefully with flowers fruits euen so the preaching of the Gospell shadoweth yâ— harts of earthly
Looke Saluation Of the workes of darknesse and of the spirit For ye were sometimes darknesse ¶ They are called darknesse that walke yet in the night of incredulitie misbeléefe doing the works of darknesse which are whooredome adultery wantonnesse c. but they are contrariwise called the children of light that bring forth the fruits of the spirit Gal. 5. 21. How they know not God that denieth him in deedes They confesse they know God but with works they deny him ¶ As infidelitie is the headspring of all wickednesse and vice so on the contrarie side faith is the original well fountaine of all vertue and godlynesse Which faith is declared not onely by works but by such déeds works as God hath commaunded vs in his holy and sacred Scriptures And where no such works be speake they neuer so godly ther is no true liuely faith Sir I. Cheeke VVORLD What the world signifieth in this place ANd the world knew him not◠The world in this place signifieth all men for it cannot be taken in a straighter sense In the sentence going before the world was made by him In other places of Scripture the world signifieth y◠reprobate onely Héere the world is condemned of vnthankfulnesse vnkindnesse that it hath not embraced but shamefully refused reiected his maker It is vnnaturall it is horrible abhominable that men should not acknowledge him by whom they haue euen this that they be men Trah Why Paule doth call this world present and euill To deliuer vs from this present and euill world ¶ Hée calleth this whole world which hath bene is and shall be the present world to put a difference betwixt this and that euerlasting world which is to come Moreouer he calleth it an euill world because that whatsoeuer is in this worlde is subiect to the mallice of the Diuell reigning ouer the whole world◠For this cause the world is sayd to be the kingdome of the Diuell for ther is nothing else in this world but ignorance contempt blasphemy and hatred of God Also disobedience against all the words and works of God In and vnder the kingdome of this world are we c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 20. Of the disputers of this world Where is the disputer of this world ¶ He that is so subtile in discussing of questions and héerein Paule reprocheth euen the best lerned as though not one of them could perceiue by his owne wisdome this mysterie of Christ reuealed in the Gospell Geneua The meaning of this place following We haue receiued not the spirit of the world Wée are not moued with that spirit which techeth things wherwith the world is delighted which men vnderstand by nature◠Ge. VVORME How Christ compareth himselfe to a worme EGo sum vermis non homo I am a worme and no man The scorne of men the outcast of the people ¶ How truly and how iustly Christ might say I am a worme no man euery man knoweth that hath read either the. 26. of Mathew or the. 14. of S. Marke how the Iewes did spit in his face did buffet him with fists so vilely intreated him as no man could be worse and therefore it is very properly said of the Prophet◠I am a worme and no man A worme is a vile thing in daunger of treading on and killing with euery mans foot No man regardeth it no man loueth it nor pittieth it though he be a right good man To expresse therefore liuely and properly the vile reputation of Christ at the time of his passion it is verye aptly sayde Ego sum vermis non homo c. Beside this Saint Austen supposeth him to bée called Vermis for an higher consideration Why is Christ called Vermis saith he Because he aunswereth he was mortall he was borne of the flesh and begotten without the companieng together of man and woman in the act of generation And therefore he sayth thus Sicut vermis calefaciente sole de puro limo formatur sic spiritu sancto c. As the worme is ingendered of the pure and onely slime or mudde being made hotte with the warme Sunne Euen so the holy Ghost illustrating and halowing the heart of the virgin She was conceiued with childe without any humane act of ingendering wrought therein In consideration whereof Christ comparing himselfe to a worme sayth by Dauid I am a worme and no man that is I am not conceiued after the manner fashion of man Thus farre Saint Austen Ric. Turnar VVORMEVVOOD How false teachers heretiks be compared to wormewood THe name of the starre was called wormewood Wormewood is an hearbe faire inough vnto the eye◠but very bitter to the tast Euen so be heretiks and as many as fauour Antichrist the more they seeme to excell in holines the more do they annoy Marl. ¶ The nature of wormwood is to withdraw all sweetnesse These meaning pernitious heretikes with their bitter heresies and their noysome doctrine destroyed y◠pits of Abraham they troubled the text they mixed the truth with falshoode they poysoned the waters they tooke away the louesomnes of them they left them vnpure and vnperfect not that they can be so of themselues but of their false working they made them vnpleasaunt vnprofitable yea and most perillous vnto many c. Bale ¶ The third plague came vpon the starres of heuen that is vpon the most holiest people which were taken for the spirituall state order as Monkes Friers Priests which through their hipocrisie haue heaped vnto themselues money goods and treasures and haue gotten lands and dominions for the which great diuision was among them And whereas the world shuld haue learned of them faith loue and knowledge it was nothing but slaundered offended deceiued seduced and sore hindered by them both in faith and in godly liuing behauiour both which were vtterly decayed in these persons to the great vndoing and destruction both of body and soule And thus the swéete honnye of Christian loue and concord among these Orders is turned into bitter wormwood by the which many soules are destroyed Erasmus in his Paraphrase VVORSHIP What is meant by worshipping BY worshipping whether it was in the olde Testament or new vnderstand the bowing of a mans selfe vpon y◠ground as we oftentimes as we knéele in our praiers boow our selues and lye on our armes and hands with our faces to the ground Tindale fol. 11. ¶ Whereas the Latin word of worshipping is of that nature that it signifieth both to serue and obserue and honour it is aptly referred to God so that all that seruice obseruation reuerence and deuotion whereby we doe worship God as wel inwardly in our hearts as outwardly in deede is called the worship of God Muscul. fol. 351. ¶ To worship God is the first precept euen to beléeue him to be our God and to haue no strange Gods in his sight that