Cor. 15. 52. Tindale How this place following is vnderstood Because his face shall be so deformed and not as mans face ¶ That is his face shall be more deformed then other mens his beautie fouler then the beautie of the sonnes of men The whole sentence meaneth that manie men shall be estonied wheÌ„ they shall sée Christ our sauiour which was excéeding beautifull before all the sonnes of men Psal. 45. 2. so wickedly and violently intreated of the Iewes spit vpon scourged crowned with thorne all be blouded yea greatlier humbled contemned and despised then euer was anie mortall man T. M. FAITH What Faith is FAith is a sure confidence of things which are hoped for and a certeintie of things which are not seene ¶ Faith trust in Christ onelie is the life and quietnesse of the conscience not trust in works how holie so euer they be or appere Works caÌ„not set the heart at rest because we euer think they be not inough nor yet good inough but to few and so fal we to mistrusting after which followeth despairing and so damnation if we leaue not the confidence in them and sticke to faith which canne receiue and beléeue without mistrust that Christs workes on the crosse hath full purged cleansed and loosed vs from our sinnes Againe Faith is a liuely and stedfast trust in the fauour of God wherewith we commit our selues altogether vnto God and that trust is so surelie grounded and sticketh so fast in our hearts that a man wold not once doubt of it though he should die a thousand times therfore and such trust wrought by the holie Ghost through faith maketh a man gladde lustie chéerefull and true hearted vnto God and all creatures by the meanes whereof willingly and without compulsion he is glad and readie to do good to euerie man to suffer all things that God maie beloued and praised which hath giuen him such grace so that it is impossiblâ— to separate good works from faith euen as it is impossible to separate heate and burning from fire Therefore take heede and beware of thine owne fantasies which to iudge of faith good workes will seâ—me wise when indéede they are starke blinde and of all things most foolish Praie God that hée will vouthsafe to worke faith in thine heart or else thou shalt remaine euermore faithlesse faine thou imagine thou enforce thou wrastle with thy selfe and doe what thou wilt Againe Faith is the beléeuing of Gods promises a sure trust in the goodnesse and truth of God which faith iustified Abrahamâ— Gen. 15. was the mother of al his good works which he afterward did for faith is the goodnesse of all workes in the sight of God Good works are things of Gods coÌ„maundement wrought in faith And to shew a show at the commandement of God to do thy neighbour seruice with all with faith to be saued by Christ as God promiseth vsâ— is much better theÌ„ to build an Abbeie of their own imagination trusting to be saued by yâ— fained works of hypocrits Iacob robbed Laban his vnckle Moses robbed the Aegiptians Abraham is about to sley burne his own son al are holy works because they are wrought in faith at Gods commandement To steale rob murther are no holy works before worldly people but vnto theÌ„ the haue their trust in God they are holie when God commandeth them What God commaundeth not getteth no reward with God Holy works of mens imagination receiue their reward héere as Christ testifieth Math. 6. 2. Tindale Faith is an vndoubted beliefe most firmelie grounded in the minde Bullinger fo 30. Againe True faith is the wel-spring root of all vertues good works first of al it satisfieth the minde and desire of man and maketh it quiet and ioyfull Bullinger fol. 54. How Faith is the ground of all good works As a good trée in the time of the yeare bringeth foorth good apples not to make him good for he is good before nor yet this apple is to his owne profit but vnto other mens notwithstanding the good nature the is in him must needs bring it forth So like wise yâ— iust man must needs do good works not by them to be iustified but alonelie in them to serue his brother for he hath no néed of theÌ„ concerning iustification This is the verie true way maner of doing good works how the no man can do goods workes but a iustified man as our sauiour Christ saith either make yâ— trée good and then his fruit must be good or els the tree euill and his fruit also euil for a good trée must néedes bring forth good fruite and a bad euill fruite D. Barnes How Faith iustifieth The faith of true beleeuers is the God iustifieth or forgiueth Christ deserueth it the faith trust in Christs bloud receiueth it certifieth the conscience thereof saueth deliuereth from feare of death dampnation this is it the we meane when we saie faith iustifieth the faith I meane in Christ not in our own works certifieth the conscience the our sins are forgiuen vs for Christs bloud sake Tindale fol. 187. Againe when I saie the faith iustifieth the vnderstanding is the faith receiueth the iustifieng God promiseth to forgiue our sinnes to impute vs for full righteous And God doth iustifie vs actiuely yâ— is to saie forgiueth vs for ful righteous Christs bloud deserueth it saith in the promiser receiueth it certifieth the conscience therof Faith chalengeth it for Christs sake which hath deserued all that is promised cleaueth euer to the promise truth of the promiser pretendeth not the goodnes of the worke but knowledgeth that our works deserue it not but are crowned and rewarded with the deseruinges of Christ. Take an example of young children when the Father promiseth them a good thing for dooing of some trifle and when they come for their reward dalyeth with them saieng What that thou hast done is not worth halfe so much Should I giue thée so great a thing for so little a trifle Ye did promise mée ye said I should haue it why did you promise and whieâ— did you saye so And let him saie what he will to driue them off they will euen saie againe you did promise me so yée did you said I should haue it so ye did But hirelings will pretend their worke and saie I haue deserued it I haue done so much my worke is worthie it c. Tindale fol. 225. That faith the mother of all good workes iustifieth before wée can bring forth anie good worke as the husbaÌ„d marrieth his wife before he can haue anie lawfull children by her Furthermore as yâ— husbaÌ„d marieth not his wife the she shuld coÌ„tinue vnfruitful as before as she was in the state of virginity wherein it was impossible for her to heare fruit but contrariwise to make her fruitfull euen so faith iustifieth
himselfe and in his owne minde being made priuie to euerie thing that he either hath committed or not committed doe either condemne or acquite himself And this reason procéedeth frō God who is both prompt writeth his iudgements in the hearts and mindes of men Bullinger What Saint Paules meaning is by this Hauing the conscience seared with an hot yron ¶ Their dull consciences first waxed hard then after canker and corruption bred therein Last of all it was burnt with an hotte yron so that he meaneth such as haue no conscience Geneua ¶ Whose conscience waxed so hard that there grew an hard fleshlinesse ouer it and so became to haue a Canker in it and now at length required of verie necessitie to be burned with an hot yron ¶ Tindale applieth this place to false Teachers whose consciences being seared be witnesses vnto themselues that for their bellie sake and desire of filthie lucre they hide the truth and stablish lies Tindale CONSECRATION What Consecration is GIuing of thanks vnto God for y◠death of his onlie begotten Son Iesus Christ is the true Consecration Sir I. Cheeke Consecration signifieth the whole action of the Supper and not the turning of the Elements Booke of Mar. fol. 1538. Doctor Redman being sicke at Westminster was among other things asked this question by one Master Wilkes what Consecratio was it is quoth Doctor Redman tota actio in ministring the Sacrament as Christ did institute it All the whole thing done in the mysterie as Christ ordeined it that is Consecatio Thus farre D. Redman CONTEMPT How Contempt is defined COntempt consisteth chiefelie in thrée things for either wée contemne onelie in minde when we despise anie man and their goods or when we doe them anie discommoditie not thereby to séeke our owne gaine but onlie to reioice at their discommoditie or lastlie when we adde words or déedes which haue ignominie or contumelie ioined with them Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 166. CONTENTION Of the Contention betweene Paule and Barnabas ¶ Looke Paule CONTINENCIE What Continencie is COntinencie is a vertue or power of the mind receiued from the spirit of God which suppresseth affections and doth not in anie wise permit vnlawfull pleasures This is conuersant and doth shew it selfe in the common and vsuall talke of men in pleasures that are allowed in apparell in buildings and dwelling houses in meate and drinke and in other things also c. Bullinger fol. 237. CORNELIVS How Cornelius was iustified by faith and not by workes COrnelius thy praiers and thine almes are come vp into remembraunce before God c. ¶ The praiers and almes of Cornelius pleased God before he was baptised but without faith God cannot be pleased Cornelius therefore as Bede trulie noteth had faith whereby his praiers and almes pleased God for saith he he came not to faith through workes but to workes through faith The Bible note ¶ Inasmuch as by workes no man can be saued as the psalmist openlie affirmeth In thy sight none that liueth can be iustified And againe If thou looke on our iniquities Lord who shall be able to beare them No christen conscience dare be so hardie as to attribute saluation of this man Cornelius to his praier and fasting for first ye see he was a Gentile vncircumcised not kéeping the lawe nor once thinking thereon and therefore must be iustified by faith that came by hearing the glad tidings preached in Christ and therefore must we looke to the words of Luke in the beginning of this Chapter where he saith that he feared God which thing he could not haue done neither yet haue praied nor giuen almes except he had beléeued For how should he haue called on him on whom he beléeued not Thus are we compelled to ascribe his calling vnto faith out of which these fruites of praier and fasting procéeded speciallie séeing that Saint Paule affirmeth that whatsoeuer is not done of faith the same is sinne The christen then and such as will the Scriptures to be true in all places to expound one texte that another maie agrée with it do right well know that his calling our saluation is fréelie giuen of God for his son Christs sake and not for the deseruing of our workes And because faith can receiue this great and free benefite of God and beléeue it to be true and workes neither can beléeue it neither discerne it therfore it is ascribed vnto faith and not to workes If praier or fasting or the holiest worke vnder heauen could saue Christ had neuer néeded to haue suffered such gréeuous paines but vtterly died in vaine Neither should God fréelie chuse vs but our workes should chuse him Understande therefore that by his workes was he not called but by Faith out of which his workes sprong which faith God freelie gaue him as he calleth and saueth vs all Good workes must we do as this man did and that with all loue and earnestnesse and thereto are we bound and without them can it not be knowen whether we be verie christen or no no more then we can knowe a good Trée to be good and neuer felte his fruite But we maie in no condition ascribe iustification or saluation to them for as saith Christ When ye haue done all ye can doe 〈…〉 ye are vnprofitable seruaunts but to faith which onelie can receiue the benefites of Christ and beléeue that he alone hath deserued forgiuenesse for the sinnes of all the world The Apostles were héere first taught and certified by the holie Ghost of the conuersion of the Gentiles Tindale CORNER STONE ¶ Looke Stone CORRVPTION From whence our corruption commeth ADam was not created in the corruption which is spoken off héere but he purchased it of himselfe For God found all the things to be good which he had made Man therefore who is the excellentest of all creatures was not marred after that fashion till he had withdrawen himselfe from God But when he had once seperated himselfe from the Fountaine of righteousnesse what coulde remaine vnto him but naughtinesse and corruption Thus wée sée from whence all our naughtinesse procéedeth that we ought not to blame God for the vices wherevnto we be subiect and vnder which we be helde prisoners according to the Scripture which saith that wee bée solde vnder simie and become the bonde slaues of Satan Wée must not blame God for this but we must learne to knowe that it is the heritage which we haue from our father Adam and therefore we must take the whole blame to our selues before God c. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 274. COVETOVSNES What Couetousnesse maketh men to doe COuetousnesse is the roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6. 10. Couetousnesse is Image seruice Col. 3. 5. It maketh men to erre from the faith 1. Tim. 6. 10. It hath no part of the kingdome of Christ and God Ephe. 5. 5. It hardened the heart of Pharao that the faith of the miracles of God could not
loueth surelye vnto the verie end Neque rapere eos de manu eiâ—s quisque potest No creature can plucke out of Christs handes his elect seruaunts and no meruaile for the purpose of Gods election is sure The elect vnto saluation was chosen before they were borne and before they did either good or badde as Saint Paule witnesseth prouing this example true by Iacob and Esau the sonnes of Rebecca and as it was in those two bretheren sayth Saint Paule so was it in all men before they were borne hauing done neither good nor euill The one was an elect person and the other a man reprobate according as it is written Iacob dilexi Esau autem odio habui Iacob haue I loued Esau haue I hated All this was done saith Saint Paule to the ende that all men might knowe that the frée election and choosing of God vnto saluation standeth vpon his predestinate purpose and not vpon our good workes or our good déedes which wée doe after that we beléeue and liue in this world For God before the foundation of the world was laid had predestinate and appointed all the elect to be saued and all the reprobate persons God did fore-sée and fore-knowe that they should be dampned But then it might be obiected thus If the saluation of man do rest vpon Gods election what fault is there in man though hée be dampned is not the fault in God To this Saint Paule aunswereth and saith roundlie Absit GOD forbid that anie man should so thinke but yet I will haue no man to controll mee for vnto Moses it was sayd I will shewe mercie vnto whom it pleaseth me Therefore let all men sette their heartes at rest sayth the Apostle Quia non est volentis neque currentis sed in Dei miserentis For it is not in the power of the well willer nor in the swift runner but in the power of GOD that mercie sheweth But thou wilt peraduenture saie whie doth GOD blame vs if we bée not saued séeing no man is able to resist his will and his knowledge Héere the Apostle once againe biddeth euerie man to stoppe and in no wise to enter into such disputation with GOD saith O homo quis es qui respondes Deo numquid dicit figmentum ei qui se finzit quid me fecisti sic Therefore O thou vaine man stop in this matter betimes and be not too bolde after such manner to dispute with God Thou wilt then saie what profite can come to one of vs the laie people by speaking or preaching of Gods election it séemeth to be a perillous matter to be talked of no not so doe not thou call that perillous which the holie Ghost hath ordeined for thy comfort and singular profite if thou béest of God marie if thou beest of the Diuell it shall bring thée either to desperation that thou art not elect and therefore thou must needs be dampned or else to presumption that thou art elect and therefore doe what thou wilt thou must néedes bée saued But if thou bée of GOD thou shalt take two greate benefits the one is this Where the propertie euen of the best of vs all is to be tickled with vaine glorie and pride and are alwayes readie to aduaunce our owne good workes This did I thus and thus To plucke awaie this pride this vaine glorie and reioising in our selues to make vs wholie to humble our selues vnto God there is no such thing as to saie vnto our selues It is neither in the power of the well willer nor in the swift runner but in the power of God mercie shewer This is a great profite and necessarie lesson to be taught An other to be learned of Gods election is this That in God there is most high prouidence for the gouernement of the worlde seeing that hee hath foreseene and forecast all things before the foundation of the world was laide there can no man then accuse God of negligence nor againe there néedeth no man to practise any euill craft to get a liuing séeing God forgetteth no bodie nor leaueth none of his vnprouided for so that we haue all then good cause to reioice with the Prophet and saie Blessed be those people whom the Lord hath chosen to be his inheritance As who shuld saie by the prouidence and free election of God saluation commeth to men Tur. How our election is particular and not vniuersall Election is particular and not vniuersall for surelie he that taketh al maketh no choise and he that chooseth a thing out from two other things or moe must néeds be said to refuse or forsake the thinges that he chooseth not Theo. Beza Signes of our election Whoseuer féeleth himselfe called of God both inwardlie and outwardlie and doth constantlie beléeue that he is deliuered from eternall dampnation and iustified before God by Iesus Christ onelie he surelie hath most certeine signes in himfelfe whereby he maie knowe that he is chosen of GOD to eternall glorification in Iesus Christ not béeing in himselfe capable of so excellent a thing so he holdeth Christ as it were a glasse before his eies in the which he séeth continuallie his owne eletion F. N. B. the Italian The saieng of the elect within himselfe The man yâ— is not endued with the spirit of adoption which is also the spirit of holinesse righteousnesse saith and life sayth thus I doe the euill that I haue a minde vnto I doe no good nor haue no list to doe it But the man that is regenerate and so consequentlie elected howbeit as still yet wrastling saith thus I doe the euill that I would not doe I doe not the good that I would doe wo is me who shall deliuer me out of the bodie of this death And in crieng out on this wise the elect person casteth his Anchore in the verie throne of God the Father whom he beholdeth in the preached word and in the Sacrament Theo. Beza ¶ The elect number haue alwaies in their hearts this humble confession Lorde we are the workmanship of thine hands made to do the thing wherevnto thou hast appointed vs by thy secret will and purpose Thy will be done in vs. Thou hast reuealed vnto vs the thinges that doe please thée and thou hast shewed vnto vs things that thou doest hate But vnlesse thou plucke vs backe by thy grace Lord we followe vpon the worse though our conscience allowe the better Crowley How to make our election sure Giue more diligence to make your election and calling sure ¶ Albeit it be sure in it selfe forasmuch as God cannot chaunge yet we must confirme it in our selues by the fruits of the spirit knowing that the purpose of God electeth calleth sanctifieth and iustifieth vs. Geneua ¶ Although the calling of God be stable and sure neuerthelesse the Apostle will that our works should declare vnto men that we are called Tindale Obiection Sith we be sure of our election what néede we haue the gospell preached
Writers spâ—cifieth the Turkes of them to haue taken their first originall Now marke this wonderfull mysterie and consider therein both the time and storie so shall ye wel perceiue the Holie ghost to meane none other héere by this Gog Magog but the Romish Pope Mahomet with their blasphemous and wicked generations Search the Chromcles and ye shall finde that their beginning were base estate simple before the thousand yeares were fulfilled But after that they grew vp so high by their fained simplicitie and simulate holinesse that they became the two chiefe Monarchs of the earth and so in processe ruled the vniuersall world c. Bale Set thy face against Gog and against the land of Magog ¶ Which was a people that came of Magog the sonne of Iaphet Gen. 10. 2. Magog also heere signifieth a certaine Countrie for that by these two enimies which had the gouernment of Greece and Italy he meaneth the principall enimies of the Church Geneua How Gog and Magog shall be destroied These same things be spoken of Gog and Magog in Ezechiel 38 and. 39. and in Apoc. 20. For Ezechiel saith that Gog and Magog after they haue done their mischiefe in destroieng and slaieng they shall themselues at last be destroied in the mountaines of Israel which albeit it maie be vnderstood of the last iudgement yet I thinke it to signifie the Battailes which the godlie haue and shall haue in this last olde age with the Popish Emperours Kings Turkes which all shall be ouercome in the Hills of Israel that is in the places wher yâ— Church of Christ dwelleth in which the Gospell is preached and receiued and the people trulie in the faith of the Sonne of God one onelie Mediatour call vpon their heauenlie Father For the Pope Turke shall not be ouercome but by the Sonne of God fighting for his Church as ye shall sée it cléerelie in Daniel 12. chapâ— saieng Michael which is Christ the great Captaine shal stand forth for the defence of the peoples children But both in Daniel in Ezechiel they be prophecied manie great destructions which with all our hearts we beséech God to mitigate them Melancthon vpon Daniel GOLDE What is ment by golde siluer and precious stones IF anie man build vpon this foundation golde siluer or precious stones c. ¶ That is if any man prech purely the word of God which is likened to golde siluer precious stones because yâ— as these are not consumed with material fire but rather made more pure euen to yâ— pure word of God suffreth neither hurt nor damage in spirituall fire that is Temptation and persecution Tindale fol. 43. What Gold Frankencense and Mirrhe doe signifie Presented vnto him gifts Golde Frankencense and Mirrh ¶ The Persians manner was not to salute Kings without a present and therefore they brought of that which was most precious in their Countrie whereof euerie one of them offered Geneua ¶ The three wise men that came out of the East anone after Christs natiuitie brought with them these 3. presents Aurum Thus Mirrha Gold to declare that he was a mightie King Frankencense to declare that he was a Priest and should offer vnto the Father vpon the Altar of the Crosse the sacrifice of propitiation for the sinnes of the world And Mirrhe to burie hâ—â— withall For Mirrhe is not onelie a sweete odoriâ—erous thing but also of that nature that it preserueth dead bodies from putrifaction Ric. Turnar GOLGATHA What this word Golgatha signifieth THis word Golgatha is a Chalde word signifieng a head for which the Hebrues saie Gulgoleth of the verbe Galal which signifieth â—o folde or wrap in of the which commeth Galgal a spheare a circle a bowle Gulgoleth is a name foâ— yâ— head because of the roundnesse thereof But this place was without the gate on the North side of mount Sion in the which malefactors were put to death for the which cause the place was counted more reprochfull There would they haue Christ to be crucified that thereby his death might be more odious Marlorate fol. 715. GOOD What Good or Goodnesse is GOodnesse is that as Philosophers saie which all things desire And more larglie or plainlie to declare the nature therof Good things are all such which in respect of vs are either profitable commodious or pleasaunt to our vses All things saith Paule are yours whether it be life or death or Paule or Cephas and we are Christs and Christ is Gods Againe To them that loue God all things worke to good How there is none good but God There is no man good but one which is God ¶ If there be anie goodnesse in vs that haue we of God but God onelie is good of himselfe Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Why callest thou me good c. ¶ Because commonlie they abused this word Iesus sheweth him that he could not confesse him to be good except also he acknowledged that he was God Geneua Of good and euill doings And they that haue done good vnto resurrection of life and they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of damnation ¶ As if he should saie that they that through faith haue done good workes or by their good workes haue declared their faith shall rise againe vnto life euerlasting But they that haue brought forth the fruits of infidelitie or haue not declared the faith which they fained themselues to haue by good works shal rise againe vnto damnation The good workes then doe not saue nor iustifie but are signes and tokens that a man is iustified Sir I. Cheeke What a good age is There is often mention made in the holie Scripture of a good age And in the 15. chapter of Gen. it is promised vnto Abraham as a certaine excellent good thing And it séemeth to shew two things First a iust place of life so that death should not come vntimelie and strike as it were in tender age Father 〈…〉 end Wherfore it is requâ—â—ed therevnto that the 〈…〉 be sound the bodie not broken with diseases no want of riches the familie countrie and dignitie abiding firme This is iudged a good age Pâ—t Mar. vpon Iudiâ— fol. 55. How the good life of christiaâ— man smelleth in Gods nose The good life of a christian man is 〈…〉 to Gods mouth and spice to Gods nose The odor of a swéete fielâ— which is commended in Gen. 27. 27. The odor of incense in Numery 28. The odor of fragrant waters in Iob. The odor of that Oile which ranne downe Aarons beard of that Oile that Mary shed vpon Christs head The odor of spices and Uine flowers commended in the Canticles the swéete Balme of Ecclesiasticus and the smell of Libanus that Ose speaketh of the smell of Noahs sacrifice the smell of best burnt sacrifice is not the like smell to Gods nose as the smell of a good life rising from a good beliefe for that is Hostia Deo in odorem
sinne wherefore hast thou made me such a one If thou be the preseruer of men â—hy shouldest thou condempne me so seeing it lyeth in thée to saue me But a man may well sée that this is not the naturall meaning And such as take it so neuer knewe the intent of the Holy ghost as touching this streine and moreouer they haue ill considered yâ— which is witnessed vnto vs concerning lob how he was patient howsoeuer the world went with him What is it then that Iob ment It is as if he should say Well I confesse my fault and I cannot escape the iudgement of God why so He is the kéeper of men But this word Keeper hath bene misconstrued for men haue taken it for a preseruer of mankind for one that shieldeth them vnder his protection It is certaine that as yâ— Gréeke Translater also hath well marked which thing he is commonly wont to doe Iob ment to say that God wayteth vpon vs that he watcheth vs and that he knoweth all as if a man should watch one to spye and marke all that euer he doeth and saith We sée then in what sence Iob applyeth this title vnto God that is The kéeper of men Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 135. KILL How the intent to kill is worse then the slaughter it selfe BUt ye goe about to kill me c. ¶ We are taught by this place that the minde and purpose to do any work is accounted for the worke it selfe Yea if thou consider well the intent to doe any euill thing is worse then the worke it selfe and the intent to doe any good worke is better then the worke it selfe Better is the desire to doe good to those that are in misery then the Almes déede it selfe And the intent to kill is worse then the murther it selfe The Almes déede may be so done that it may displease God concerning the which reade the 5. of Mathew verse 42. A murderous déede may be so done that it may please God as may appeare in the Leuiticus in Phinehes in Iehu and so refused that God may be displeased for the not dooing of it as we may sée in Agag Amalech whom Saule kept alyue But the desire and intent to do good cannot displease God euen as the desire to kill cannot please him Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 317 KING How and wherefore we are called Kings and Priests AS euery perfect beléeuing man in our Sauiour Christ are called Priests of offering of spirituall Sacrifices so are they â—alled Kings of ruling and subduing the temptations and suggestions of their sinfull appetites vnto reason and to the will of God vppon the perfourmaunce of this condition Moses doeth call vs Kings and Priests saieng If ye will heare my voice and kéepe my appointment ye shall be mine owne aboue all Nations For all the earth is mine ye shall be also vnto me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy people Ric. Turnar Of the Kings of Israel and Iuda how many were good Of all the kings that reigned ouer Israel and Iuda there were no mo but Dauid Ezechias and Iosias that continued perfectly vnto the ende of their liues in the true religion of God not that these thrée were men of such perfection that they did not notably offende the lawe of God in their life time But these wer such men that they wer neuer infected with the foule sinne of Idolatrie and wicked worshipping of straunge Gods Into other sinnes in déede they fell and from the same by true repentaunce obteined mercie and forgiuenesse aâ— Gods hand So that notwithstanding both the murther adulterie of Dauid the foolish vaine glory of Ezechias that shewed all his treasure and all his secrets vnto the Ambassadours of Babilon for the which Esay the Prophet did openly reproue him to his face Yet otherwise they stoode vpright kéeping themselues pure and cleane from the most detestable sinne of Idolatry And therefore Dauid strong in the armes and amiable of countenaunce and Ezechias which by interpretation is called the health of our Lorde and Iosias Fortitudo Domini the strength of the Lord These thrée doe beare the bell away and are preferred aboue all the Kings of Iuda as we reade in the Booke of Ecclesiasticus 40. Chapter where their praises are commended to endure to the worlds ende Ric. Turnar How Kings haue to doe in matters of religion Dauid commaunded Sadoch and Abiathar the Priests and the Leuites to bring the Arke of the Lord God into the place which he had prepared for it Salomon displaced Abiathar from the high Priests office put Sadoch into his roome Heare me O you Leuites and be sanctified cleanse the house of the God of your Fathers and take awaye all vncleannesse from the Sanctuary ¶ Thâ—se are not words of entreatie but flat commaundements as Lyra saith Ezechia cupiens renouare foedus c. Ezechias desirous to renue the Couenaunt with the Lord first did commaund the Leuites to be sanctified Second by them being sanctified the Temple to be cleansed Thirdly by those which were cleansed sacrifice to be made for the offence of the people Fourthly by sacrificing God to be praised Fiftly by cleansing the holye Burnt-offerings to bée offered vp ¶ Thus were all things done by his commaundement by his constitution and at his pleasure c. I. Bridges fol. 285. Nunc mihi debio c. I iudge it saith Constantine the great that this ought before all other things to be my scope that among the most holy multitude of the Catholike Church one faith and sincere Charitie and godlynesse agréeing together towards almightie God might be conserued I. Bridges fol. 117. Quanto subditorum gloria c. How much more saith the king of Spaine called Richardus we are exalted in royall glorie ouer the subiects so much more ought we to be carefull in those matters that apperteine vnto God Either to augment our owne hope or else to looke to the profit of the people committed to vs of God And as ye sée me in very déede inflamed with the seruice of faith God hath stirred me vp to this end that the obstinacie of infidelitie béeing expelled and the furie of discorde remoued I should reuoke the people to the knowledge of faith and to the fellowship of the Catholike Church who serued errour vnder the name of religion These be the wordes of this christen king which he spake openly in the third counsel at To-let before all the Bishops there assembled S. Austen sayth that the auncient actes of the godly kings mentioned in the propheticall bookes were signes of the like factes to be done by the godly Princes in the time of the new testament I. Bridges fol. 505. Of Iosaphats supreme gouernement ¶ Looke Iosaphat Carolus Magnus commaunded that nothing should be read openly in the Church sauing onely the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scripture And that the faithfull people should receiue
How the lawe is called a yoake Why tempt ye God to put on the disciples necks that yoake which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare ¶ He meaneth the holy lawe and not the ceremonies onely and calleth it a yoake not able to be borne because no man not the most holiest and perfectest that euer was Christ onely excepted was able to perfourme the same in all pointes both outwardly according the Letter and inwardly according to the Spirit The Bible note The difference betweene Gods law and mans Mans lawe onely requireth externall and ciuill obedience Gods lawe both externall and internall Who hath fulfilled the lawe Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse to all that beléeue ¶ That is Christ hath fulfilled the whole lawe therfore whosoeuer beléeueth in him is counted iust before God as well as he had fulfilled the whole Lawe himselfe The Bible note ¶ The ende of the lawe is to iustifie them which obserue it therefore Christ hauing fulfilled it for vs is made our Iustice sanctification c. Geneua How the Gentiles were not without a lawe Whosoeuer hath sinned without lawe c. ¶ It is not to be thought that the Gentiles were altogether without a lawe for they had the lawe of nature but not the lawe written which we call the Ten commaundements therefore they cannot excuse themselues from sinne Sir I. Cheeke How the lawe maketh all men sinners Whatsoeuer the lawe saith it saith it to them which are vnder the lawe c. ¶ In this place the lawe is taken for all the holy scripture as it appeareth by these places testimonies that be alledged héere before wherby it is made euident plain that all men without exception are sinners Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The lawe doth not make vs guiltie but doth declare that we are guiltie before God and deserue condemnation Geneua How the lawe maketh vs to hate God In the faith which we haue in Christ finde we mercie life fauour and peace in the lawe we finde death damnation and wrath moreouer the cursse and vengeance of God vpon vs. And it that is to say the lawe is called of Paule the ministration of death and damnation In the lawe we are proued to be the enimies of God and that we hate him For how can we be at peace with God and loue him seeing we are conceiued and born vnder the power of the diuell and are his possession and kingdome his captiues bondmen led at his will and he holdeth our harts so that it is impossible for a man to fulfill the lawe of his owne strength and power séeing that we are by birth and nature the heires of eternall damnation c. Tind in his booke named the wicked Mammon fol. 6. How the lawe is spirituall The lawe is spirituall ¶ The lawe is called spirituall because that it requireth the spirit that is to say the righteousnes and holinesse of the heart and not the outward workes onely How we dye to the lawe For I through the lawe am dead to the law ¶ The law that terrifieth the conscience bringeth vs to Christ and he onely causeth vs to dye to the law indéed because y◠by making vs righteous he taketh away from vs the terrour of conscience and by sanctifieng vs causeth the mortifieng of lusts in vs that it cannot take such occasion to sinne by the restrint which the lawe maketh as it did before Rom. 7. 10. 11. ¶ For I through the lawe am dead to the lawe that is by the lawe of libertie and grace graunted in Christ I am deliuered from the lawe of bondage ministred by Moses and from the burthen and cursse thereof Tindale To dye in the defence of the lawe If we do praise saith S. Austen the Machabees that with great admiration because they did stoutly stand vnto death for the laws of their country how much more ought we to suffer al things for our baptime for y◠sacraments of the body bloud of Christ. The meaning of these places following Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the lawe to do them ¶ All the which meaning the things contained in the lawe since no man doth fulfill them it is manifest that no man can be iustified by the words of the lawe No man is iustified before God because saith S. Hierome no man kéepeth the lawe therefore it is said that the beléeuers must be saued by faith onely Moreouer he will shewe that no man canne be iustified by the workes of Moses lawe vnlesse he haue faith which giueth pardon to him that beléeueth in God neither yet he that beléeueth in Christ liueth without a lawe D. Heynes And I say the heire as long as he is a childe c. ¶ While we were yet younglings we had néede of the law as our tutours not that it should alwaies rule vs but so long till we come to mans state and haue the knowledge of Christ which knowledge when we haue we be deliuered from the seruitude of the law for Christs sake not for feare of punishment abstaining from euill but led by the spirit of God we are prepared made fit to fulfill all good works which the lawe commandeth D. Heynes ¶ The Church of Israel was vnder the lawe as the Pupill subiect to his Tutor euen vnto the time of Christ when she waxed strong and then hir pupilship ended Geneua ¶ Looke before where the Lawe is our schoolemaister An Argument of the Lawe If I cannot haue my sinnes forgiuen me except I kéepe and fulfill the lawe then the kéeping of the lawe iustifieth me Aunswere I cannot haue forgiuenesse of my sinnes except I haue sinned Ergo to haue sinned is the forgiuenesse of sinnes Tindale A disputation betweene the Law and the Gospell The Law saith pay thy debt the Gospell saith Christ hath payed it The Lawe saith thou art a sinner dispaire and thou shalt be damned the Gospell saith thy sinnes are forgiuen thée be of good comfort thou shalt be saued The Lawe saith made amends for thy sinnes the Gospell saith Christ hath made it for thée The Law saith the father of heauen is angry with thée the Gospell saith Christ hath pacified him with his bloud The law saith wher is thy righteousnes thy goodnes satisfaction the Gospell saith Christ is thy righteousnesse thy goodnesse and satisfaction The Lawe sayth thou art bound and obliged to me to the diuell and to hell the Gospell saith Christ hath deliuered me from them all Booke of Mar. fol. 1110. The nature and office of the Lawe and Gospell The Lawe sheweth vs our sinnes Ro. 3. 20. The Gospell sheweth vs remedie for Iohn 1. The Lawe sheweth vs our condemnation Ro. 7. The Gospell sheweth vs our redemption Coll. 1. The Lawe is the word of ire Rom. 4.
works that I haue they come of thée First of all thou must beléeue that thou canst not haue remission of sinnes but through pardon and forgiuenesse of God And then next that thou canst haue no good worke except hée giue it thée Last of all that euerlasting life cannot be deserued with any workes except it be giuen vnto thee also fréely What worthy thing doe we that we maye be founde in the heauenly spirits The Apostle saith I iudge that the afflictions of this time are not worthy of that glory that shall be reuealed in vs therefore I take him to be the sounder Diuine the faithfuller Catholike and more agréeable to the holy scriptures that vtterly denyeth all such kinde of merits Waldensis in his booke against Wicleffe Meritum meum c. My merite saith Saint Barnard is the mercie of God So long as God is not poore of mercie so long cannnot I be poore of merite If his mercie bee great then am I great in merite This is the whole merite of man if he put his whole affiaunce in the Lord. Forasmuch as all men are shut vp and closed vnder sinne now the saluation of man standeth not in mans merits but in Gods mercie For nothing thou shouldest saue them What is meant by these words For nothing thou shouldest saue them This is the meaning Thou findest nothing in them wherefore thou shouldest saue them and yet thou sauest them Thou findest nothing wherefore thou shouldest saue them but thou findest wherefore thou shouldest saue them but thou findest wherefore thou shouldest condemne them Aug de verbis Apostoli sermo 15. Againe Deserued paine would throwe all men into death vnlesse the vndeserued grace of God deliuered some from it Trust in mens merits leadeth to desperation and therefore S. Cypriane saith They teach vs night in stéede of day destruction in stéede of health desperation vnder the colour of hope infidelitie vnder the pretence of faith Antichrist vnder the name of Christ. Doth he thanke that seruaunt ¶ Christ doth héere with a lyuely example teach vs that nothing is due to our merites or much rather that we deserue nothing at all Our duetie is to walke diligently and with all feare in the commaundements of God and if he rewardeth vs any thing it is of his mercie and goodnesse Sir I. Cheeke How the name of merite ought to be abolished The name of merit if we will speake properly ought to be banished out of our mouths I knowe that the fathers somtimes vsed that word but yet not properly But that worde is not found in all the holy Scriptures For the nature of merite is that there be a iust proportion and equall consideration betwéene that which is giuen and that which is taken But betwéene the good things which we looke for those things which we either suffer or doe there is no proportion or agréement For Saint Paule saith that the passions of this time are not worthy the glory to come which shall be reuealed in vs. Farther merit hath ioyned vnto it debt which thing Paule testifieth when he saith that to him which worketh reward is rendered according vnto debt is not imputed according to grace Which selfe same Paule writeth expresly that the grace of God is eternall life Lastly vnto the nature of merite there is required that that which is giuen pertaineth to the giuer and be not due vnto him which receiueth it but workes are not of our selues for they are called the gifte of God which he worketh in vs. Wherefore Augustine verye wisely saith that God doeth crowne his giftes in vs. Now if our workes be due vnto him which we cannot denie then vndoubtedly the nature of merite is vtterly taken away c. Pet. Mart. vpon the Rom. fol. 39. Saint Austen saith Let merites of men héere holde theyr peace which haue perished by Adam and let the grace of God raigne by Iesus Christ. Againe The Saints giue nothing to their owne merits they will giue all to none but to thy mercie O God In another place When man seeth that whatsoeuer good he hath he hath it not of himselfe but from his God he séeeth that all that is praised in him is not of his owne merites but of the mercie of God You sée how taking from men yâ— power of dooing well he also throweth downe the dignitie of merit And Chrisostome saith Our workes if there be any which followe the frée calling of God are repaiment and debt but the gifts of God and grace and bountifulnesse and the greatnesse of liberall giuing But leauing the name lette vs looke vpon the thing I haue verely before alledged a sentence out of Barnard as it sufficeth to merit not to presume to merite so to want merits sufficeth to iudgment but by adding foorthwith an exposition he sufficiently mitigateth the hardnesse of yâ— word where he saith Therefore care thou to haue merites when thou hast them knowe that they are giuen hope for fruit the mercie of God and so thou hast escaped all daunger of pouertie vnthankfulnesse and presumption Happy is the Church which neither wanteth merites without presumption nor presumption without merites And a little before he had largely shewed how godly a meaning he vsed For of merites saith he why should the Church be carefull which hath a stedfaster and a surer cause to glory of the purpose of God God cannot denye himselfe he will doe that which he hath promised If there be no cause why shouldest aske by what meanes may we hope for good things Specially when thou hearest sayd Not for your sakes but for my sake it sufficeth to merite to know that merites suffice not Caluine in his Inst. 3. b. cha 15. sect 2. S. Barnard saith Non est qua gratia intret c. Where merite hath taken vp the roome ther is no place for grace to enter Bar. super Canti Ser. 17. Saint Augustine saith Hoc est electio gratia c. This is the election of grace because 〈…〉 good merites of manâ—â— are preuented For if it were giuen by any good merites then wer it not giuen frée but rendred as ought And by this means it is not by a true name called grace where reward is As the saine Apostle saith it is not imputed according to grace but according to dutie But if that it be true grace yâ— is to say fréely giuen it findeth nought in man to whom it may be worthely owing August lib. de patientia cap. 2. Of two kindes of meriting There be two kindes of meriting that is to say of good and euill The good kinde of meriting is by Christ through Christ for Christ and in Christ. That is by casting all our care on him onely hauing him continually beaten and crucified before our eyes and crucifieng our selues vnto the world hauing no trust in our selues nor in any worke that we can doe or any other for vs setting
reproued of all men then fornication it selfe False Prophets false Apostles and false Priests sprang vp which vnder a counterfait religion deceiued the people the most part of them vnder the honest name of chastitie commit whooredome adultery incest commonly and without punishment The Bishops Priests of this time how do they endeuour to kéepe either in heart or in hody the holynesse of chastitie without which no man shall sée God They are giuen ouer into a reprobate minde and doe those things that are not conuenient for it were shame to vtter what these Bishops do in secret Againe he saith absteining from the remedy of marriage afterward they flow ouer into all kinde of wickednesse Againe such notorious filthynesse of lecherie there is in manye partes of the world not onely in the inferiour Clarkes but also in Priests yea in the greatest Prelates which thing is horrible to be heard Bar. de conuers ad cleri chap. 19. in ope triperti li. 3. cha 7. Huldericus the Bishop of Augusta in Germany wrote sharply against Pope Nicholas in this wise I haue founde thy decrées touching the single lyfe of Priests to be voyde of discreation thou séest that many followers of thy counsell willing vnder a feined colour of continēt life rather to please man then God commit hainous actes in the end he concludeth thus by such discipline of discretion as you know best roote this Pharesaicall doctrine out of Gods folde I beléeue it were a good lawe and for the wealth and safety of soules that such as cannot liue chast may contract matrimonie For we learne by experience that of the law of continence or single lyfe the contrarie effect hath followed for as much as now a daies they liue not spiritually nor be cleane chast but with their great sinnes are defiled with vnlawfull copulation whereas with their owne wiues they should liue chastly Therefore the Church ought to doe as the skilfull Phisition vseth to doe who if he sée by experience that his medicine hurteth rather then doth good taketh it cleane away And would to God the same waye were taken with all positiue constitutions SINNE The definition of sinne SAint Augustine in his 2. booke De consensu Euangelistarum saith Sinne is the transgression of the law Ad simpliciatum li. 1. Sin is an inordinatenesse or peruersenesse of man that is a turning from the more excellent creator a turning to the inferiour creatures De fide contra Manichaeus cap. 8. he saith What is it else to sinne but to erre in the precepts of truth or in the truth it selfe Again Contra Faustū Manicheū li. 22. ca. 27. Sin is a déed a word or a wish against the law of God The same Augustine De duobus animabus contra Manichaeus ca. 11 saith Sin is a will to reteine or obteine the which iustice forbiddeth is not frée to absteine And in Retract li. 1. cap. 5. he saith That will is a motion of the minde with copulation either not to loose or else to obteine some one thing or other All which definitions as I do not vtterly reiect saith Bullinger so do I wish this to be considered thought of with the rest Sin is the naturall corruption of mankind the action which ariseth of it contrary to the law of God whose wrath that is both death sundry punishments it bringeth vpon vs. Bullinger fo 478. What sinne is Sin in the scripture is not called the outward work only committed by the body but all the whole busines whatsoeuer acompanieth moueth or stirreth vnto the outward déede and that whence the works spring as vnbeleefe pronenesse readinesse vnto the déede in the ground of the heart with all his powers affections and appetites wherwith we can but sin So that we say the a man thē sinneth when he is carried away headlong into sinne altogether as much as he is of that poison inclination corrupt nature wherein he was conceiued and borne for there is none outward sinne committed except a man be carried away altogether with life soule heart body lust minde therevnto The Scripture looketh singularly vnto the hart vnto the race originall fountaine of all sin which is vnbeléefe in the bottome of the heart for as faith onely iustifieth and bringeth the spirit and lust vnto outward good works euen so vnbeleefe onely damneth kéepeth out the spirit prouoketh the flesh stirreth vp lust vnto euil outward works as it fortuned to Adam Eue in Paradise Ge. 3. For this cause Christ calleth sin vnbeléefe and that notably in the. 16. of Iohn The spirit saith hée shall rebuke the world of sinne because they beléeue not in me Wherefore then before all good workes there must néeds hée fayth in the heart whence they spring And before all bad déeds and bad fruits there must néedes be vnbeléefe in y◠heart as in the roote fountaine pith and strength of all sinne which vnbeléefe is called the head of the Serpent and of the olde dragon which the womans seede Christ must tread vnder foote as it was promised to Adam Tindale in his Pro. to the Rom. How euery sinne is mortall That euery sinne is mortall in that it is sinne is euident by the words of God himselfe who can best iudge in this matter In the. 18. of Ezechiel verse 4. saieng thus The soule that sinneth shall dye héere is no exception or difference made of sinne but any sinne in that it is sinne is deadly as Saint Paule sayth Rom 6. 23. For the reward of sinne is death Héere also you see that Saint Paule maketh no difference of sinne but that Mors death is the reward of sinne generally without exception And Saint Iohn sayth Euerie one that committeth sinne the same also committeth iniquitie and sinne is iniquitie Heere also you see that Saint Iohn sayth making no difference of sinne that sinne in that it is sinne it is iniquitie without exception Christ sayth that out of the heart procéedeth euill thoughts murthers adulteryes c. And againe hée sayth That whosoeuer beholdeth an other mans wife to lust after her hath already committed adulterye with her in his heart And Saint Iohn following his maister lyke a good scholler saith thus Omnis qui odit c. Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer So it is euident by the sacred Scriptures that all sinnes without exception are mortall and deadly I. Gough The Doctours saieng in this matter There were also before Christ worthy men both Prophets and Priests but yet conceiued and borne in sin Neither were they frée from originall and actuall sinne And there was found in them all either ignoraunce or insufficiencie in which they going astray haue sinned and haue néeded the mercye of God By the which béeing taught and instructed haue giuen thanks to God haue cōfessed themselues to haue lacked much of the full measure of
for all that we can doe is gone after him Tertulian sayth The greatest crueltie that ye can deuise is an entisement to our sect how many of vs so euâ—r ye murther when ye come to the view ye finde vs moe and moe The séeds of this increase is christian bloud For what man saith he beholding the paineful torments and the perfect patience of them will not search and inquire what is the cause And when hée hath found it out who will not agrée vnto it who will not desire to suffer for it Thus saith he this sect will neuer dye which the more it is cut downe the more it groweth For euery man séeing and wondering at the sufferance of the Saint is moued the more thereby to search the cause in scarching he findeth it and in finding he followeth it S. Austen saith they were scattered they were imprisoned they were beaten they wer ract they wer burnt yet they multiplied Aug. de ciuit li. 12. cap. 6. Nazianzen sayth By death it liueth by wounds it springeth by diminishing it increaseth Nazian inâ— reditum suum ex agro How the word and flesh be not both of one nature If the word and flesh were both of one nature séeing that the word is euery where why is not the flesh then euery where for when it was in earth then verily it was not in heauen now when it is in heauen it is not surely in earth And it is so sure that it is not in earth that as concerning it we looke for him to come from heauen When as concerning his eternall word we beleeue to be with vs in earth Therefore by your doctrine saith Vigelius vnto Eutiches who defended that the diuinitie and humanitie in Christ was but one nature either the word is conteined in a place with his flesh or else the flesh is euery where with his word For one nature cannot receiue in it selfe two natures and contrary things But these two things be diuerse and farre vnlike that is to say to be conteined in a place and to be euery where Therfore insomuch as the word is euery where and the flesh is not euery wher it appeareth plainely that one Christ himselfe hath in him two natures and that by his diuine nature he is euery where and by his humanitie he is conteined in a place that he is created hath no beginning that he is subiect to death and cannot dye Whereof one he hath by the nature of his word whereby hee is God and the other he hath by the nature of his flesh wherby the same God is made man also Therefore one sonne of God the selfe same was made the sonne of man and hée hath a beginning by the nature of his flesh and no beginning by the nature of his Godhead He is comprehended in a place by the nature of his flesh and not comprehended by the nature of his Godhead He is inferiour to Angells in the nature of his flesh and is equall to his Father in the nature of his Godhead He died by the nature of his flesh died not by the nature of his Godhead This is the faith and catholike confession which the Apostles taught the martirs did coâ—oborate and faithfull people kéepe vnto this day Cranmer fol. 113. How the word of God ought not onely to be read to the people but also to be expounded vnto them Esdras the Priest brought the lawe the booke of Moses and stóod vpon a Turret of wood that is in the holy Pulpet And Esdras opened ye. booke before the congregation of men womeÌ„ and whosoeuer else had any vnderstanding And the Leuites stood with him so that he read out of the booke and the Leuites instructed the people in the lawe and the people stood in their place and they read in the booke of the lawe distinctly expounding the sense causing them to vnderstand the reading Héere it appeareth that the lawfull and holy ministers of the church of God did not onely read the word of God but also expound it And this our Sauiour Christ practised himselfe when he entered into the Sinagogue at Nazareth expounded a certeine place out of the. 61. Chapter of Esay And also after his rising from death he appeared to the two Disciples which went to Emaus expounding to them whatsoeuer was written of him in the Scriptures which example in expounding the word of God all the Apostles followed c. Bullinger fo 24. VVORKES How the deeds and works of the lawe iustifie not BY the déeds of the law shall no flesh be iustified ¶ God in his lawe doth not onely require of vs outward righteousnesse but also an inward perfection that is to say we are not onely bound to fulfil the works of the law outwardly in our liuings but also inwardly in our hearts to be most sincere to loue entirely aboue all things and our neighbour as our selfe But our nature is so corrupted that no man liuing is able to do the same wherefore no man can be iustified by the works of the lawe Sir I. Cheeke ¶ He meaneth the lawe either written or vnwritten which commandeth or forbiddeth any thing whose works cannot iustifie because we cannot performe them Geneua ¶ He includeth heere the whole law both the ceremonial morâ—all whose works caÌ„not iustify because they be imperfect in all men The Bible note No man is iustified by the déeds of the lawe but by yâ— faith of Iesus Christ. ¶ This S. Paule proueth by the words of the Prophet Abacucke 2. 4. A righteous man liueth by faith If he liue by any part of workes then liueth he not by fayth but partly by works and then were Saint Paules probation vnperfect which cannot be With this agréeth Athanasius prouing that fayth alonely hath the vertue in him to iustifie before God Before man peraduenture they may saith he be reckoned righteous that sticke to the lawe but not before God D. Barnes Good workes make not men righteous but followeth him that beléeueth and is already become righteous in Christ. Like as good fruite maketh not a trée to be good but a trée is knowne to be good by the good fruite of it Beza Ye see then how that of déeds a man is iustified and not of faith onely ¶ When we reade in S. Paule that we are iustified through fayth without the workes of the lawe it is to bée vnderstood that through faith whereby we take holde of the mercy of God so plentifully declared vnto vs in our Sauiour Iesus Christ we are without any demerites or deseruings of ours counted iust and righteous before God so that our sinnes shall be no more imputed vnto vs. Héere in Saint Iames to be iustified is to be declared righteous before men and that by good workes which are infallible witnesses of the true iustifieng fayth and therefore he sayth Shew me thy fayth by thy déedes Againe he bringeth the example
of Abraham of whom it is written 30. yeares before he offered his sonne Isaac Abraham beléeued it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse Gen. 15. 6. wherby we doe euidently sée that Saint Iames meaning is that Abrahams fayth was no idle fayth but such faith as made him obedient to God which thing he did well declare when he did so willingly offer his sonne at Gods commaundement All that S. Iames goeth about then is to proue that faith cannot be without good works And as by fayth onely we are iustified before God so by good workes procéeding from a liuely fayth wée are iustified before men Heere wée learne also that where no good workes be there is no true iustifieng fayth but a lyght vnprofitable beléeue such as is in diuels and yet we must beware that we ascribe no parte of our iustification before God vnto our good works Sir I. Cheeke Ther can be no good work reckoned to be in any man but in him alone whose sinnes God hath forgiuen Forasmuch as our best déeds are lame and corrupt Therefore they are héere called the doers of good works whom Paule calleth zelous and louers of good works But this estimation and iudgement dependeth vpon the fatherly clemency and acceptation of our God who alloweth that freely for good which deserueth to be reiected as euill and vnperfect c. Marl. fol. 170. Indéede works doe iustifie taking iustifie to be to declare iust Euen as white haires do make a man olde because they be a signe of age But works doe this before men not before God Nor they cannot take hold of forgiuenesse of sins deliuerance from their deserued condemnation For then it should be false that the Apostle saith we be iustified fréely by his grace for to him that worketh the reward is imputed vnto him for a duety and not vpon grace and fauour Wherfore the errours of those men is too grose to deceiue any of them which hath looked ouer the holy Scriptures neuer so slightly Nor it doth not agrée with the sense neither when they will haue iustifie to be as much as to make iust For works doe not go before him that is to bée iustified â—but doe followe him which is alreadye iustified witnesse Augustine and workes doe come of grace and not grace of workes witnesse the same Augustine de fide opere cap. 14. Musculus fol. 227. Of workes done before faith Saint Austen condemneth all our good workes before faith as vaine and nothing worth Read him In probo Psal. 31. That worketh not how it is vnderstood To him that worketh not but beleeueth ¶ That dependeth not on his workes neither thinketh to merit by them Gene. That is which meaneth not to obteine saluation through the worthinesse of his works The Bible note How workes are not the causes of felicitie Works indeed are to be had but not as causes wherfore Christ admonished vs saieng When ye haue done al these things say we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done but the thing which we ought to doe Neither passe we any thing vpon their caueling which say yâ— therfore we are vnprofitable seruaÌ„ts because our good works being no coÌ„modity vnto God forasmuch as God néedeth none of our good works but say they it caÌ„not be denied but yâ— we are by good works profitable vnto our selues Wée graunt indéed that it is profitable vnto vs to liue well But that vtilitie is not to be attributed vnto our workes that they should be the causes of our blessednesse to come Wee haue nothing in vs whereby we can make God obstruct or bound vnto vs. For whatsoeuer we doe the same doe we wholy owe vnto God and a great deale more then we are able to performe Wherfore as Christ admonisheth The Lord giueth not thanks vnto his seruant when he hath done his duetie And if the seruant by wel doing cannot binde his Lord to giue him thanks how shal he binde him to render vnto him great rewards Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 29. Of workes loue and faith Works are the outward righteousnesse before the world may be called the righteousnesse of the members and spring of inward loue Loue is the righteousnesse of the hart springeth of faith Faith is the trust in Christs bloud and is the gift of God Ephe. 2. 8. Tindale How our good workes are the workes of God Although it be written that God will render to euery man according to his works yet is yâ— so to be vnderstood yâ— if they be good works they are for none other cause caled any maÌ„s works but for that they are wrought in him namely by the power of the spirit of God whereby they are in very déede the workes of God S. Austen most truely saith that God crowneth in vs his owne gifts for as touching vs we deserue nothing but death Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 367. How we deserue nothing by our good workes Wo be to all our iustice saith S. Austen if it be iudged setting mercy a part Therefore this is a christen sentence worthy to be beaten in al mens heads Let not thy left hand know what the right hand doth Let our right hand worke those things which be good and pleasant vnto God And in the meane season let our heartes depend vpon the grace of Gods goodnesse onely not thy left hand write into thy kalender those things which be somewhat well done by the right hand Let the note of our owne good works be in Gods hand not in our owne Whatsoeuer he doth reward vs either in this life either in the life to come let vs thanke his grace for it and not our deserts Musculus fol. 234. Of the vnablenesse of our workes If the séeking of righteousnesse and forgiuenesse of sinnes by the kéeping of the law which God gaue vpon mount Sinai with so great glory and maiestie by the denyeng of Christ of his grace what shall we say to those yâ— will néeds iustifie themselues afore God by their owne laws and obseruances I wold wish that such folks should a little compare the one with the other and afterward giue iudgement themselues God minded not to do that honour nor to giue that glorye vnto his owne law yet they wil haue him to giue it to mens laws ordinaÌ„ces But that honour is giuen onely to his onely begotten son who alone by the sacrifice of his death passion hath made ful amends for all our sinnes past present and to come as saith S. Paule Heb. 7. 25. The meaning of this place following Work out your own saluatioÌ„ with fere trembling ¶ S. Paul saith we must work out our saluation with feare trembling But this feare riseth in consideration of our weaknesse and vnworthinesse not of any distrust or doubt in Gods mercy but rather the lesse cause we haue to trust in our selues the morâ— cause we haue to trust in God Iewel fol. 76.
A definition of fasting eod What true fasting is eod No daies of fasting appointed in scripture 380â— Who first prescribed laws of fasting 381 The Maniches fast the Papists c. eo How fasting is of three sorts eod The manner of fasting in the old time eo Against superstitious fasting 382. How hipocrites will haue their fasting accepted eod How fasting driueth out diuells eod The vnderstanding of these places 383 Of miraculous fast eod Of the fast compelled eod Father how these places bee expounded 384. The Fathers wickednesse punished in their children 386. How our fathers did eate the same c. eod How our fathers were iustified by faith as we are now 387. Fat what is ment by the fat eod What the fatted Calfe signifieth 388. What fat bread signifieth eod Fauour how fauour casteth many away eod Feede Feede my sheepe expounded eod Felix wherefore he is praised eod Of his trembling 389. Why he wold haue pleased yâ— Iewes eod Feare A definition of feare eod Difference of feares 390. What feare importeth eod What the feare of God is eod How the place is expounded 391. Of feare that commeth of faith 392 How we cannot shake off all feare eod Feruent Of two sorts of feruentues 393 Feasts Feast of dedication eod Feast of Passcouer eod Feast of Penticost 394. Feast of Tabernacles eod Of the omitting thereof eod Festus Ascribed madnes to S. Paul 395. Feeâ—e of God What they signifie eod Fire how euery maÌ„s work is tried c. eo The meaning of the place 397. Figge tree That Christ cursed 398. Figure proues how yâ— bread is a figure eo Figures of Christs resurrection 400. Figuratiue speach how they are known eo Of figuratiue speaches 402. Finding of things lost eod Finger of God What it is 403. First Of the first begotten sonne eod Of the breathing of our first faith 404. What the first fruits do signifie in yâ— law eo The meaning of the first and last 406. Fishers The meaning of the place eod The first inuenter of fisher boates eod Fiue loaues how they are applied eod Flieng Of flieng in tune of persecut 407. Of two manner of fliengs eod Flesh. what is vnderstood by flesh 408. The meaning of the place 409. What it is to be in the flesh eod What it is to liue after the flesh 410. Unquietnes of the flesh expounded eod To take no thought for the flesh 411. The meaning of the place eod What flesh shall inherit heaueâ— 412. Of the battell betweene the flesh and the spirit eod What flesh and spirit signifieth eod How the flesh profiteth not eod Florinus Of his heresie 414. Followers Who be yâ— followers of Christ eod Foole. That calleth his brother foole eod Of the Foolish woman eod Forget how God is said to forget eod Forgiue How it is vnderstood 415. Fornicatour How hee was deliuered to Satan 416. Forsake What it is to forsake a mans selfe eod What it is to forsake the Lord. 417. Fortune Nothing ascribed to fortune eod Foote What the foote doth signifie 418. What the feete of God signifieth eod Footstoole What the footestoole was eo Foure Of the foure Angels 419. Of the fourth watch eo Fourteene generations eod Forme of God What it is so to be eod What it is to take the forme of a seruant eod How form signifieth very bread c. 420. Foxes Of the Foxes the Sampson caught eod Free How we are free in Chrst. 421. Free will How the word is not founde in Scripture eod The free wil of man before his fall eod The free will of man after his fall 422. The CouÌ„cel of Milenitan in 2. Can. 425 How God ordereth mans free wil examples 426. Fruit. The meaning of these two places eod Foundation How Christ is the foundation of c. 427. G. Gaderenes Of the citie of Gaderenes 427. Galgal what the word signifieth eod Galileans how we ought to iudge of theÌ„ eod Gall what is signified thereby 428. Gardes what they do signifie 429. Garment of health what it is eod Gate How it is taken in scripture eod How the gates of hell is vnderstood 430 What the gates of Sion signifieth eo Of the gates of Brasse eod How the gates doe mourne 431. Of the gates of righteousnesse eod What the gates of death are eod Gelded how it signifieth chastitie eod Gelousie what the lawe of gelousie is eod After what manner God is gelous eod Wherefore Paule was gelous eod Genealogy Of Adam and Christ. eod Generation How it is taken eod Gentiles how God chose yâ— Gentiles 433. How they found that which they sought not for eod Gentlenesse what a vertue it is 434. Giuen To whom it is giuen to know eo Guide who is the guide of a womans youth 435. Gifte what the gifte of God is eod Githith what it signifieth eod Glory what glory is 436. How glory doth follow true vertue eod How the glory of the Lord is taken eod What is signified by yâ— glorie of God eod What is vnderstood by glory heere eod Glorifie what it is to glorifie God 437. How God is glorified in his sonne eod Gluttony what gluttony is eod Gnostici what heretiks they were 438. God How there is no God but one eod How God is the Sauiour of all men eod Who they be that are without God 439 How God is almightie eod How God did foreknowe Adams fall 440. How God is sayd to laugh eod How God is said to sleepe 441. How God is said to awake eod How God is said to forget eod How God is said to sit eod How God is said to stand eod How he is said to rise eod How he is said to walke eod How he is said to be a shooter eod How God is said to remember eod How God is said to be angry eod How God onely forgiueth sinnes eod How God will haue all men saued 442. How God is said to haue shoulders eod How he is said to haue wings eod How he is said to haue eyes eod How he is said to haue eares eod Of Gods face eod What the nose of God doth signifie eod What the mouth of God signifieth eod What the tongue of God is eo What the arme of God is eod What the hand of God is eod What his right hand doth signifie eod What his left hand signifieth eod What the finger of God is eod What the feete of God are eod What his hinder part is eod What the shooe of God is eod How God is said to come downe eod How God is said to looke 443. How God is said to search eod How God is said to rest eod How he cannot be shut vp in a pixe eod How God is called a Rocke eod How God is not chaunged 444. How God heareth no sinners eod How God tempteth no man to euill 445. How we are made like vnto God eod How to serue God in spirit eod Of Gods permission and suffering eod What the hiding of Gods face
seconde Chapter to the Hebrewes doth alleadge this vearse of the Prophet to this purpose and intent to proue that Christ tooke the same nature of man vpon him that we haue This is a verie truth that I doe now teach saith Saint Paule Qui sanctificat qui sanctificabitur ex vno omnes that is both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one Christus sanctificat purgat abluat emundat nos nos vero mortales sanctificamor illum per Christum And this Christ which by the morites of his bitter passion doth sanctifie vs and wée which are sanctified be all of one what is that to saie we come all of Adam concerning the nature and vertue of flesh and bloud Christ came of Adam as well as we and that is the cause why S. Luke describeth the pedegrâ—e of Christ after the flesh he beginneth at Ioseph qui putabat illius pater which Ioseph saith Saint Luke was thought to be Christs Father This Ioseph was the sonne of Hely Hely was the sonne of Mathat which was the sanne of Leâ—â— And so he descendeth in order vntill he come to Adam signifieng thereby that Christ concerning yâ— flesh came of Adam as wel as we And that is the thing which S. Paul saith Qui sanctificat et qui saÌ„ctificatur ex vno omnes so they yâ— sanctifie they yâ— be sanctified by Christ come all of one nempe Adamo that is to wit of Adam Propter quam causam Christus non confidetur vocare nos Fratics For the which cause Christ is not ashamed saith S. Paule notwithstanding we be sinners to call vs his brethren according as it is written Narrabo nomen tuum fratribus meis I will set out spread thy name among my bretheren not bretheren only by affection as when Christ saith Mater mea fratres mei hij sunt qui verbum Dei audiunt faciunt but my bretheren because they be made of the same kinde of flesh and bloud that I am my bretheren because they come of Adam as I doe Ric. Turnar ¶ We cannot haue God to be our father vnlesse we acknowledge Christ to be our brother c. Saint Ambrose saith Hée is our Mouth by the which wée speake to the Father our Eie by the which wée sée the Father our right hande by which wée offer vs vnto the Father The lieng of Christ in the Stall expounded Chrisostome saith As Christ was in the Stall so is he now vpon the Altar And as he was sometimes in the womans armes so is he now in the Priests hands ¶ Erue it is that Christ was there Christ is héere but not in one or like manner of being For he was in the stall by bodilie presence vpon the holie Table he is by waie of a Sacrament The woman in hir armes helde him reallie the Priest in his hands holdeth him in a mysterie So saith Saint Paule Christ dwelleth in our hearts and no doubt the same Christ that laie in the Stall It is one and the same Christ but the difference standdeth in the manner of his beeing there For in the stall he laie by presence of his bodie in our hearts he heth by presence of faith Chrisostome saith that Christ heth vpon the Altar as the Seraphins with their tonges touch our lips with the coales of the Altar in heauen which is an Hiperboricall loquution of which Chrisostome is full Bradford in the booke of Martirs How Christ is called the Rocke ¶ Looke Rocke What it is to put on Christ according to the Gospell The putting on of Christ according to the Gospell consisteth not in Imitation but in a new Birth and a new Creation That is to saie in putting on of Christs innorenâ—ie his righteousnesse his wisedome his power his saâ—ing health his life and his spirit We are clothed with the leather coate of Adam which is a 〈…〉 garment and a garment of Sinne that is to saie We are all subiect to Sinne all solde vnder Sinne. There is in vs horible blindnesse ignoraunce contempt and hatred of God moreouer euill concupiscense vncleannesse couetousnesse c. This garment that is to saie this corrupt and sinfull nature we receiued from Adam which Saint Paule is wont to call the olde man This olde man must wée put off with all his workes Ephe. 4. 22. That of the Children of Adam wée maie bée made the Children of GOD. This is not done by chaunging of a garment or by anie lawes or workes but by a new birth by the renuing of the inward man which is done in Baptime as Paule saith All ye that are baptised haue put on Christ. Also according to his mercie hath he saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renuing of the holie Ghost Tit. 3 5. Besides that they which are baptised are regenerate renued by the holie Ghost to a heauenly righteousnesse and to eternall life there riseth in them also a new light and a new flame there rise in them new and holie affections as the feare of God true faith assured hope c. There beginneth also in them a new will And this is to put on Christ according to the Gospell Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 167. How Christ first loued vs and not we him Who loued me and gaue himselfe for me ¶ Paule saith héere that first he began and not we He euen he saith Paule loued me and gaue himselfe for me as if he had said he found in me no good will or right vnderstanding but this good Lord had mercie vpon me He sawe me to be nothing els but wicked going astraie contemning God and flieng from him more and more yea rebelling against God taken led and caried awaie captiue of the Diuell Thus of his méere mercie preuenting my reason my will and my vnderstanding he loued me so loued me that he gaue himselfe for me to the ende that I might be free from the Law Sin the Diuell and Death c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 82. How Christs corporall presence is hurtfull I tell you truth it is expedient for you that I goe awaie ¶ The corporall presence of Christ is hurtfull vnto men and that through their owne fault For why they are too much addicted vnto it Therefore his flesh must be taken awaie from vs that we maie waxe and increase in the spirite therefore they are farre out of the waie that dreame in the mysticall bread and wine a bodilie presence Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The absence of Christ according to the flesh is profitable to the Church that we maie wholie depend vpon the spirituall power Camerarius How Christ is God by these prooues following First almightie God said let vs make man in our owne Image and after our likenesse Which words no doubt doe signifie vnto vs the Triplicitie of the persons in the Godhead which are thrée distinct in name
267. What the feare of God is Wheras we speak of the feare of God we haue to vnderstand yâ— it is not a â—â—auish feare as men term it but it is so termed in respect of the honour which we owe for that he is our Father Masterâ— Doe we feare God Then it is certaine nothing but to honour him to be whollie his Doe we know him That must be in such wise as he hath vttered himself that is to wit that he is our maker our maintaines â—â—e that shewed such fatherly goodnes towards vs that we of dutie ought to be as children toward him if we wil not be vtterlie vnthankful Also it behoueth vs to acknowledge his dominioÌ„â— superioritie ouer vs to the end yâ— euerie of vs yeldâ—ng him his due honor may â—ern to plese him in al respects thus you see yâ— vnder this â—ere of god héere is coÌ„prehended all religion yâ— is to wit all yâ— seruice honor which the creatures owe vnto their God 〈…〉 4. They neiâ—her fâ—ared the Lord c. ¶ Not to feare the Lord is to liue carelesse and to serue their lusts and appetites and not to sette by God and his Lawe as is said Psâ—l 55 19. T. M. ¶ He meaneth this by the Israelites to whome God hat giuen his commaundements Geneua They feared the Lord but serued their Gods ¶ That is they had a certaine knowledge of God and feared him because of the punishment but they continued still Idolaters as do yâ— Papists which worship both God Iâ—ols but this is not to feare God as appeareth ver 34. Geneua How this place following is expounded Perfect loue casteth out feare â—I know there are some which interpret those words in this sense that they which loue God trulie are not afraid for pietie sake to put themselues in al manner of daungers neithâ—r doe they shame persecution but valiantlie stand fast in all manner of dangers which selfe thing Paule in the letter to Timothie writ in other words 〈…〉 We haue not receiued the spirit of fearefulnesse but of might of loue Wherefore he exhorteth Timothie not to be ashamed of the testimonie of the Lord nor of him being in â—andes for the Lords sake but couragiouslie to indure labours for the Gospels sake Although those things are true yet this is not it which this place of Iohn teacheth For it there maketh mention of the iudgment of the Lord of which he willeth the godly which loue God not to be afeard and he rendreth a reason for yâ— feare hath vexation ioined with it Wherefore I gladlie assent vnto Augustine which saith that Iohn speaketh of perfect Charitie which forasmuch as it cannot be had in this life we maie not looke to haue it without feare Further we mought in this place vnderstand that feare which is seâ—oined from confidence therfore driued men to desperation For they which beleeue loue God trulie vphold their feare with a liuely faith Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 208. Of feare that commeth of faith and of feare without faith He that fearth God trulie will eschew all things wherewith he knoweth he shall offend God and doe whatsoeuer hée perceiueth to be acceptable vnto him this feare hath his beginning of faith There is a feare of God in the vngâ—lie but it is without faith For they alwaies dread Gods iudgement against them and would rather there were no God then to bée punished for their wickednesse How we cannot vtterly shake off all feare so long as we liue heere Be not high minded but feare ¶ No man of the number of the faithfull ought to be in doubt of his saluation For the nature of faith is to make men assured of the promise of God Howbeit this is to be known yâ— it is not possible that so long as we liue héere we should not vtterlie shake off all feare for we are continuallie tossed betwéene two cogitations the one of the goodnes faith constancie of god The other of our corruption infirmitie pronesse to euill For when we consider how weak we are prone to euil coÌ„sider also the filthines imperfection of our workes though they be neuer so good therwithal the seueritie of the law in requiring euen to the vttermost the things which it commaundeth This consideration I saie if it be vehement cannot but excéedinglie make afeard the mind and deiect it But on the other side when we consider the clemencie goodnesse mercie of God his constancie in his promises therewithall remember that all the merits of Christ are communicated to vs we are refreshed and recreated and the feare is either lenified or els sometime vtterlie laide awaie And these effects where they are perfect vehement doe succéed the one the other for they cannot be both at one time or if they be both at one time then are either of them remisse not vehement But in what matter they giue place the one to the other we may by daily experience vnderstand For if a man be set vpon the top of an high tower if being ther his mind run vpon nâ—thing els but vpon the height of the tower what a déepe way he shuld fall so yâ— he cannot fall without danger of death it iâ— possible but yâ— his minde being still vpon this he should be altogether smitten with an errour but if he turne his eie aside to the barre or battlements which staie him vp that he cannot fall then will he plucke vp his spirits againe and put away al feare neither ought it to seeme vnto anie man straunge yâ— wée saie that faith expelleth that feare which is ioined with doubting of saluation when as in Iohn it is said That charitie driueth feare out a doores For it is most certeine that yâ— which the Scripture attributeth to charitie may be attributed to faith for charitie springeth of faith Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 355. FERVENT Of two sorts of feruentnesse THey haue a ferueÌ„t mind to God but not according to knowledge ¶ There be two manner of feruentnesse of minde two maner of good intents The one is grounded vpon a vaine or fleshlie opinion and not vpon Gods word this good intent is damnable before God The other procéedeth of faith and suffereth it selfe to be ruled by the wisdome and iudgement of the spirit of God Such feruentnesse was in Moses in Phinâ—hes and in Helias with other innumerable Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Looke Zeale FEASTES Feast of dedication wherefore it was ordeined THE feast of dedication ¶ That is to saie the feast of inuocation or renueng because the temple which was polluted by yâ— coÌ„mandemeÌ„t authority of Iudas Machabeus was coÌ„secrated a fresh And then it was appointed yâ— euerie yeare ther should be a feast daie of new dedication to put the people in minde of the grace and fauour of God who had taken from them
called the friend of God Thus wée sée S. Paule Lames reconciled both teach Iustification by faith in the sight of God I. Gough How God is iustified in vs. To the end saith S. Paule that all months might be stopped and all the world acknowledge it selfe to be indebted vnto God and that he onely should be iustified ¶ After what sorte is it that God shall be iustified in vs according to S. Paule To wit when all of vs condemne our selues and haue not the boldnesse to striue against God but doe willingly confesse that all of vs are indaungered vnto him if we be once come to that point then is God iustified yâ— is to say his righteousnes is commended by vs with such praise as he deserueth But contrariwise if men exalt themselues and acknowledge not that they be indaungered vnto God so as may condemne them nor confesse the bonde of debt which they haue forfeited vnto him although they protest that they minde to iustifie him that is to say to confesse that he is righteous yet neuerthelesse they condemne him Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 562. ¶ Looke in Workes in Faith that iustifieth How wisedome is iustified ¶ Looke Wisedome Obiection Men will waxe remisse in doing good workes if Faith alone iustifie Aunswere In Iustification a pardon is graunted for sinnes past and not of sinnes to come And if any man liue wickedly after Iustification without doubt he dispiseth the grace of iustification For who doth digge about the roote of a trée to the ende it shuld onely be a trée and not rather that it should be a good trée and bring foorth fruite Origen A liuely comparison for Iustification The iustifieng Faith is as it were a flame of fire which cannot but cast foorth brightnes And lyke as yâ— flame burneth the wood without the helpe of the light and yet the flame cannot be without the light so is it assuredly true that Faith alone consumeth and burneth away sinne without the helpe of workes and yet that the same Faith cannot be without good workes Wherefore lyke as we sée a flame of fire that giueth no lyght we know by by that it is but vaine and painted even so when we see not some light of good workes in a man it is a token that hée hath not the true inspired Faith which God giueth to his elect and chosen to iustifie and glorifie them withall And hold it for a certeintie that S. Iames meant so when he said Shewe me thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thée my faith by my workes Bar. Traheron IVSTINVS How he suffered martirdome for the defence of Christes Religion THis man in learning and Philosophie was excellent and a great defender of Christian Religion He exhibited vnto the Emperour and to the Senate a Booke or Apologie in defence of the Christians and afterward himselfe also died a Martir He suffered martirdome in the yeare of our Lord. 154. vndeâ— Antonius Pius as the Chronicles doe witnesse Abb. Vesperg and Eusebius in his Chronicle in the 13. yeare of the Emperour Antonius In the bo of Mar. fo 58. What moued him to imbrace the faith of Christ. This Iustinus Martir when he was an Heathen Philosopher as he confesseth of himselfe was moued to imbrace the Faith and Religion of Christ in beholding the constant patience of the Martirs which suffered for Christ in his time Keye What a Keye is after the minde of S. Austen SAint Austen saith that must be called a Keye whereby the hardnesse of our hearts are opened vnto faithâ— and whereby the secretnes of minds are made manifest A keye is it saith he the which doth both open the conscience to yâ— knowledge of sinne also including grace vnto the whole sonnes of euerlasting mystery This is the definition of this keye we speake off after S. Austen D. Barnes fo 258. ¶ The Law in hir right vnderstanding is the keye or at the lest way the first and principall keye to open the â—ore of the Scripture Tindale fo 184. ¶ What keye had the Doctors of the lawe sauing the exposition of the lawe Tert. cont Marcion lib. 4. The Captaines of the Church haue the keyes of knowledge to open the Scriptures vnto the people to them committed Therefore Commaundement is giuen that the Minister shuld open and the scholer should enter Hier. in Esa. li. 6. ca. 24. ¶ The keye is the knowledge of the scriptures whereby is opened the gate of turth Chrisostome in Math. homil 44. How the word of God is the right keye The word of God is the very keye in that is all the might and power to looke our sinnes and a man is but a minister and a seruaunt vnto this word This may be proued by our Master Christs words where he saith Goe your wayes into all the world and preach the Gospell vnto all creatures and hée that doeth beleeue and is baptised shall be saued but hée that doeth not beléeue shall be damned Heere maye you plainely sée that the Apostles be but ministers and seruaunts and haue no power but all onely ministration c. D. Barnes fol. 259. How the keyes were giuen vnto the Church Christ say they appointed Peter Prince of the whole Church when he promised that he would giue him the keyes But that which he then promised to one in another place he gaue it also to all the rest and deliuered it as it were into their hands If the same power were graunted to all which was promised to one wherein shall he be aboue his fellowes Héerein say they he excelleth because he receiued it both in common What if I aunswere with Cipriane and Augustine that Christ did it not for this purpose to preferre one man before other but so to settâ— out the vnitie of the Church for thus saith Cipriane that God in the person of one gaue the keyes to all to signifie the vnitie of all and that the rest were the same thing that Peter was endued with like partaking both of honour and power but the beginning is taken at vnitie that the Church of Christ maye bée shewed to be one Augustine saith If there were not in Peter a mysterie of the Church the Lord would not say vnto him I will giue thée the keyes for if this wer said to Peter the Church hath them not but if the Church hath them then Peter when he receiued them betokened the whole Church And in another place when they were all asked onely Peter aunswered Thou art Christ and it is said to him I will giue thée the keyes as though he alone had receiued the power of binding and loosing whereas he being one said the one for all and he receiued the other withall as hearing the person of vnitie Therefore one for all because there is vnitie in all Cal. 4. book chap. 6. sect 4. How the Dunce men interpreteth the keyes Dunce and all his
him from Least hée bée compelled to pay his debt with double disprofite one that his milstone is idle in the meane time another that he is constrained to come further in debt otherwise to sell his necessarye goods without which he cannot liue to make payment T. M. ¶ By the neather or vpper milstone is vnderstoode anye thing whereby a man getteth his liuing Geneua MINISTER What the Minister is by the word of God THE true Minister is the eye of the bodye The workman in the haruest Math. 9. 38. The messenger that calleth to the marriage Math. 22. 3. The Prophet that telleth the will of the Lorde Math. 23. 34. The Scribes that doth expound the lawe The seruaunt that occupieth his Maisters talent vnto gaine Math. 25. 16. The witnesse that beareth testimonie of Christ to all people Luke 24. 48. The dispensers of the mysteries of God 1. Cor. 4. 1. The Stewardes that giueth meate in due season vnto the residue of the householde Math. 24. 45. The Sacrificer of the Gospell of GOD to make the oblation of his flocke acceptable Rom. 15. 16. The Minister by whome the people doe beléeue The labourers of God to till the husbandry The Shepheard to féede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his bloud What men ought to be Ministers in the Church of God As in the olde lawe it was forbidden that anye man shoulde prease to come to the altar and to offer the bread of God which had anye manner blemish or deformitie in the bodye So ought no man nowe to take vppon him the preaching of Gods holye worde and ministration of the holye Sacramentes that is deformed with vice but innocent pure faultlesse and vncorrupt both in lyfe and doctrine Theo. Basil. The qualitie of Gods Minister They must be blamelesse watchfull sober modest herberous wise gentle apt to teach able to conuince the aduersarie such as gouerne wel their whole families no drunkards no quarellers no contentious men these be yâ— qualities that God requireth How ministers ought to be Preachers He is a dead Priest saith Gregorie and therfore no Priest no more then a dead man is a man which doth not preach for he kindleth the wrath of God the great iudge against him if he walke without the sword of preaching Againe he saith you Priests encrease your owne sinnes with the death of others and you kill and murther so manye as you sée daily without all care holding your peace go to their death How Ministers ought first to be doers and then teachers But whosoeuer doeth and teach the same c. This that is spoken héere perteineth to the ministers of the word He teacheth them therefore what perfection is required of them namely that they expresse declare those thinges in their life which by their doctrine they declare teach Saint Paule did chastise his bodie and brought it into subiection least when he preached to others he himself shuld be a castaway And writing to Timothy Be saith he vnto them the beléeue an example in word in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith in purenesse And to Titus he saith in all things shew thy selfe an example of good works in the doctrine with honestie with grauitie with the wholesome worde which cannot be rebuked that he which withstandeth may be ashamed hauing no euill to say on you The lyke wordes hath Saint Peter in effect Marl. fol. 92. ¶ Whosoeuer doth c. Christ maketh mention first of the worke and then of the doctrine for if the workes goe before though the doctrine doe not followe yet shall the verye worke more suffice to teach them that looke vpon vs then any words shall doe First of all teach with works and then with wordes least the saieng of Saint Paule be obiected Thou that teachest another teachest not thy selfe The saieng of Cato The things which in other thou art wont to blame Be well ware that thou offend not in the same For it is very shame when a man will preach If that his deeds against his words doe teach The saieng of Menander The manners of the speaker are they that perswade not that which is spoken How the Ministers of the Church are called Starres The seauen Stars are the Angels of the seauen Churches ¶ The ouerséers of Churches are in Scriptures called Stars and Angels Starres in respect of the brightnesse both of their heauenly doctrine and of their heauenly conuersation Angels because they report vnto vs the will of God the Father According also as in the same respect Christ is called the Angell of the Testament Mal. 3. 1. And Iohn Baptist is called an Angell Mal. 3. 1. Math. 11. 10. So also in this place the rulers of the Churches are called Angells which thing appeareth chieflye héerby that héereafter in yâ— second chapter the first verse they be willed to repent which thing coulde in no wise agrée with the heauenly spirits Therfore like as the Starres shine in the Skie so must the ministers of Gods word shine in yâ— Church goe before other in purenesse of doctrine and christen conuersation But a great part of them alas for sorrowe walke as enimies of Christs crosse whose end is damnation whose God is their belly and their glorie is shame which séeke after earthly things when as notwithstanding their conuersation ought to be heauenly Phil. 3. 18. Marl. fol. 28. How ministers were chosen in the olde time Ministers in the olde time were elect and chosen by the whole consent of the people as Cypriane reporteth The common people themselues haue before all other power either to choose worthy Priests or to refuse the vnworthy This order tooke his beginning of Gods authoritie for God sayd to Moses Take thy brother Aaron and Ehazarus his sonne and set them on the mount before all the coâ—gregation and put off Aarons apparell and put it vpon Eleazarus his son which declareth that ministers ought not to be admitted vnto the ministrie but with the consent and knowledge of the people Theo. Basil. In olde time none was receiued into the companie of clarkes without the consent of all the people insomuch that Cipriane laboured earnestly to excuse yâ— he appointed one Aurelius to be a reader without asking aduise of yâ— church because yâ— was done beside the custome though not without reason For this he saith before In ordering of clarks déere brethren we are wont to aske your aduise and by common counsell to weigh yâ— manners deseruings of euery one But because in these lesser exercises there was not much perill because they were chosen to a long proofe and not to a great office therfore yâ— consent of the people ceased to be asked Afterward in the other degrées also except the Bishoprick the people commonly left yâ— iudgement and choise of them to the Bishop the Priests that they should examine who were méet and
worthy sauing peraduenture when new Phriests were appointed for the Parishes for then it behoued that the multitude of the place namely should consent Whether it is any meruaile yâ— the people in his behalfe was little carefull in kéeping their owne right for no maÌ„ was made a subdecon that had not shewed a long proofe of himselfe in his being a clarke vnder yâ— seueritie of discipline which then was vsed After yâ— he had ben tried in yâ— degrée he was made a Deacon From thence he came to yâ— honour of Priesthood if hée had behaued himselfe faithfully So no man was promoted of whome there had not ben in déed a trial had many years before yâ— eies of the people And there were many Canons to punish their faults So yâ— the Church could not be troubled with euill Priests or deacons vnlesse it neglected yâ— remedies howbeit in yâ— Priests also ther was required yâ— consent of them of the same citie which the very first canoÌ„ testifieth in his 67. distinctioÌ„ which is fathered vpoÌ„ Anacletus Finally al yâ— admissioÌ„s into yâ— orders were therfore done at certein appointed times of yâ— yeare yâ— no man should priuely créepe in without the consent of the faithfull or should with too much easinesse be promoted without witnesses Cal. in his Insti 4. b. chap. 4. Sect. 11. Wherfore brethren looke ye out among you seauen men of honest report c. ¶ If the Church had kept still this order in choosing of Ministers it had bene better with the christen common wealth and religion Lampridius a notable historiâ—graph in the life of Alâ—xander Seuerus doth write yâ— this was vsed customably among the christians when they should choose or make any Minster they did first publish his name abrode And if any man could alleadge any notable crime against him he was expelled and put backe from his office Sir I. Cheeke Why the Ministers are not now chosen as they were in the primitiue Church The alteration of gouernement and orders of the Church of Christ is well set out by Ambrose in the. 4. to the Eph. vpon these words Et ipse dedit c. Wher he saith on this sort That the number of the Christians might increase and be multiplied in the beginning it was permitted to euery one to preach the Gospell to baptise to expound the Scriptures but when the Church was enlarged there were certeine preachers appointed gouernours other officers ordeined in the church c. Therfore the writings of the Apostles doe not in all things agrée with the orders that are now in the church D. Whitegift Musculus also in his common places answering to this question why that Ministers of the word are not chosen now by the Ministers and the people as they were in the Primitiue Church but appointed by the Magistrate saith thus Such was the state of the Churches that they could choose their Ministers none otherwise because they had no christen magistrate If thou wouldest haue the manners and customes of these times then must thou call backe their condition and state How Ministers ought not to forsake their vocation Ministers must abide in their vocation so long as yâ— strength of the bodie will suffer them and that they be not thrust out by force For yâ— men people coÌ„mitted to their charge ought neuer to be forsaken so long as they can abide to heare the word of God And if they be altogethers conteÌ„ners of yâ— word of yâ— Lord wil not suffer it to be preached then as Christ coÌ„maunded his Apostles let them shake of the dust of their feete against them depart But so long as there are anie among them which will suffer the pastor to preach to intreat of the word of God he ought not to giue ouer his ministratioÌ„ Wherfore I know not whether Melitius did wel or no or whom Theodoretus maketh mentioÌ„ in his 2. booke 31. chap. yâ— he forsooke the Bishoprick of a certein church in Armenia being offeÌ„ded with the ouer great disobedieÌ„ce of his flock But the same man afterward being choseÌ„ Bishop of Antioch was for the defeÌ„ding yâ— catholike faith against the ArriaÌ„s thrust into exile In which fact God peraduenture declared that he was not wel pleased that he had departed from his first vocation Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fo 334. How a Scisme ought not to be made for the euill life of the Minister The Scribes Pharesies sit in Moses c. All therfore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and do but after their works do not for they say do not c. ¶ Behold yâ— Lord sayth they say and doe not therefore the teachers liues were not agreeable to their doctrine yet for that they stood in Moses seate that is to say because they taught the word of God lawfullye and sincerely he biddeth to receiue their sincere doctrine but their life not being agréeable to their doctrine that he biddeth to refuse And therfore to make a scisme for the Preachers euil liues sake the Lord doth forbid Bullinger fo 846. MIRACLES A definition of true Miracles A Miracle is a worke hard and vncustomed by the power of God which passeth all facultie of nature created to this ende wrought to cause the beholders to wonder and to confirme faith towards the worde of God Wherefore the matter of miracles are workes and the forme is that they be harde and vnaccustomed The efficient cause is the power of God which ouercommeth nature created the end of them is both admiration and also confirmation of faith Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 126. To what vse Miracles doe serue Miracles serue for thrée vses First that he which is healed thereby shoulde sinne no moreâ— Secondlye that the beholders shuld put their trust in the healer Thirdly that we which read of the miracles of the Lord should be confirmed in the glorye and doctrine of Christ and therewithall conceiue faith in him Hemmyâ—g Brethren be not in loue with signes which may be had common with the reprobate but loue ye rather miracles of charitie and true godlynesse which the more secret the more secure and for the which the lesse estimation that there is with men the greater is the reward with God In the beginning gathering of yâ— Church many things were necessary which now is néedlesse Miracles were vsed then which outwardly be diuided now When we go about to plaÌ„t a tree so long we water it vntill we sée it haue takeÌ„ root But wheÌ„ it is once substantially grounded braunches spread abroad we take no more paine to water it on like sort as long as yâ— people were altogether faithlesse this meane of miracles was of indulgence graunted them But when spirituall instruction had taken better place the corporall signes surceased straight Wherefore the Apostle sayth Lingua in signum sunt non fidelibus sed infidelibus Straunge tongues are for a signe not to them that
flesh was clensed the God of Israel was reuealed vnto him he receiued the holy Ghost for thus he saith Now I know assuredly that there is none other God in all the world but in Israel He doth nothing at all he kéepeth not the law he is not circumcised but onely praieth that so much of that earth might be giuen vnto him as two mules should be able to carrie away Moreouer it appeareth that faith was not idle in him for he saith to the Prophet Eliseus Thy seruaunt will henceforth neither offer burnt sacrifice nor offering vnto any other God sauing the Lorde But in this thing the Lord be mercifull vnto thy seruaunt that when my Maister goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there and leaneth vpon my hand and I boowe my selâ—e in the house of Rimmon when I boowe downe I say in yâ— house of Rimmon The Lord be mercifull vnto thy seruaunt in this point to whom the Prophet sayth Go in peace So was hee iustified The Iew hering this freâ—teth for anger sayth What Should the Gentile be iustified without the keeping of yâ— law Should he be compared with vs which are circumcised c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 91. How it was against Naamans heart to worship Idols anie more Héerein the Lord be mercifull vnto thy seruant that when my Maister goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there and leaneth on my handâ— and I boowe my selfe in the house of Rimmon c. He feeleth his conscience wounded in béeing present at Idolls seruice therefore desireth God to forgiue him least others by his example might fall to Idolatrie for as for his owne part he confesseth that he will neuer serue anie but the true God Geneua NABVCHODONOSOR How his death is compared to Lucifer HOw aâ—t thou falne from heauen O Lucifer thou faire morning childe ¶ He compareth the death of Nabuchodonosor to the falling of Lucifer the morning starre which he calleth yâ— childe of the morning because it appeared onelye in the morning The meaning is no such thing ought to haue happened vnto thee that in earth was lyke the morning starre which no man can take out of heauen thou that wast so mightie yâ— thou destroiâ—dst what people thou wouldest and to whome it was pastime to ouerthrow nations hast receiued such measure as thou broughtest Such a like thing is there in Ezechiel 28. against king Tyrus T. M. Thou that thoughtest thy selfe most glorious as it were placed in the heauen for the morning starre that goeth before the Sun is called Lucifer to whom Nabuchonodosor is compared Geneua How Nabuchodonosor is Gods seruaunt And I will prepare Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon my seruant and will bring him vpon this land ¶ So the wicked and Satan himselfe are Gods seruaunts because be maketh them to serue him by constraint and tourneth that which they doe of mallice to his honour and glory Geneua What his pollicie was to haue of the kings seede and of the Princes of Israel That he should bring certeine of the kings séede and of the Princes ¶ His purpose was to kéepe them as Hostages and that he might shew himselfe victorious and also by their good intreatie and learning of his religion they might fauour rather him then the Iewes and so to be able to serue him as gouernours in their land Moreouer by this meanes the Iewes might be better kept in subiection fearing otherwise to procure hurt to these noble men Geneua For what purpose he set vp Image of golde Nabuchodonosor the king made an Image of golde c. ¶ Under pretence of religion and holinesse in making an Image to his Idoll Bel he sought his ambition and vainglorie And this declareth he was not touched with the true feare of God but that he confessed him of a sodeine motion as the wicked when they are ouercome with the greatnesse of his works The Gréeke interpreters write that this was done 18. yeares after the dreame and as may appeare the king feared least the Iewes by their religion should haue altered the state of his common weale therefore he meant to bring all to one kinde of religion and so rather sought his own quietnesse then Gods glorie Geneua How this place following is vnderstood Hell trembleth at thy comming c. ¶ That is euen they that be in hell will tremble when Nabuchodonosor commeth thether It is figuratiuely spoken to the further setting forth of the mischiefe of Nabuchodonosor T. M. Who is meant by Lucifer in this place of Esay Thy pride saith Esay is driuen downe to hell c. How â—ellest 〈…〉 â—ucifer from heauen which did rise in the morning and 〈…〉 will 〈…〉 vp to heauen I will aduance my selfe 〈…〉 of God I will sit in the mount of witnesse in the sides of the North I will goe vp aboue the highest of the clowdes I will be like the highest but for al that thou shalt be thrust downe to hell c. ¶ Without al nay sayth Musculus it conteyâ—eth the prophesie of the proud king of Babylon which was then to come although it be by some expounded for the fal of Satan Musculus so 10. NATION Whom he calleth a Nation I Will prouoke you to enuie by a Nation that is no Nation ¶ He calleth all prophane people a Nation that is no Nation as they are not sayd to liue but to dye which are appointed for euerlasting condemnation Esay 65. 1. Beza NAKED How this word Naked is to be vnderstood IF that we be found clothed and not naked c. ¶ They are naked that haue not the wedding garment of faith working through loue vpon them They are naked that without all shame doe giue themselues in this world to filthy wicked and diuelish conuersation putting awaye from them the spirite of God and reason It is sayd that our mantion is from heauen and not because it commeth from heauen but because that it receiueth from thence the grace or gift of immortalitie and incorruption Sir I. Cheeke How Saule is said to be naked And â—ell naked all that day ¶ Saule is sayd to fall naked for so much as he put of his kinglye apparell and putte on such as the Prophets vsed to weare in the time of prophesieng Geneua How that the people is said to be naked Sawe that the people were naked ¶ That is destitute of Gods grace wilde licentious and readie to fall into all kind of Idolatry whereby they gaue their enimies an occasion to speake euill of their God Geneua NARROVV VVAY What the narrovv vvay is ANd the way is narrow that leâ—â—eth to lyfe ¶ The narrow way is to liue after the true knowledge of the lawe and the true intent of works he that will enter in at this gate must be made a new his head will else bée to great He must be vntaught all that he hath learned to be made lesse to enter in
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
say his soule whom he compelleth to sweare his own soule for so compelling him Christ hath forbidden swearing saith S. Gregory that wée should the more easely auoide all manner of occasion to periury he that feareth God without an oth confesseth the veritie he that feareth him not will not with an oth confesse him Take heed saith Chrisostome you that be reckened for spirituall men very swift are ye to offer the sacred Gospell vnto 〈…〉 that sweare whereas ye ought to teach the contrary If a man may not saith Origen in euery light matter sweare no more maye they that haue authoritie for euery light matter compell a man to sweare How can you be cleane from periutie that ministreth the occasion May he that beareth fire to the burning of an house be frée from the burning of it Or he from the slaughter of a man that bringeth the weapon wherewith he is slaine Nay surelyâ— But he that giueth occasion to periury must needes be a partner or the same Withdraw the fire ther shal be no burning conueigh away the sword there shal be no murther committed sequester swering ther shal be no periury Oft swearing saith Isidore bringeth man to an vseé that vse leadeth to a custome which bringeth in periurie No néede hath the veriâ—ie of an oth where the promise is faithful and sure Isidorus li. 2. soli loquorum Lawes made against swearing King Henry the 5. made an Acte within his own Pallaice that if he were a Duke yâ— did sweare he shuld forfet for euery 〈…〉 â— xl s. If he wer a Lord or Baron xx s. A Knight or Esquire r. s. A Yeonian iii. s. iiii d. And if he were a Page Lackey or Slaue to be scourged naked with a rod or els a whip K. Edmund made this law yâ— they which wer proued once falsly forsworne shuld for euer be seperated from Gods congregation Donaldus king of Scots made this Act within his land that all periurers coÌ„mon swearers shuld haue their lips scared with a burning hot yron Which law S. Lodowike king of Fraunce put once in execution at Paris vpon a Citizen there sor blaspheming the name of Christ to yâ— example of other so caused it to be proclaimed throughout his realme for a general punishmeÌ„t Philip Earle of Flaunders made this Constitution within his Eâ—rledome An. Dom. 1178. that he that did forsweare himselfe should loose his lyfe and goods How the Pharisies had corrupted swearing As to hate in thine hart or to couet another mans wife was no sin with yâ— pharisies no more was it to hide one thing in his hart to speak another with his mouth to deceiue a mans neighbor iâ— it wer not boâ—d by an oth And though Moses say Le. 19. lye not nor deceiue any man his neighbor yet they interpreted it but good couÌ„sell if a man desired to be perfect but no precept to bind vnder pain of sin And so by yâ— meanes not only they that spake true but also they yâ— lied to deceiue wer coÌ„pelled to swere to coÌ„firm their words w e oths if they wold be beléeued Tinda Of the concealing of swearing If a soule sinne heare the voice of swearing is a witnes whether he hath seene or knowen it if he doe not vtter it he shall beare his sinne ¶ This is diuersly expounded because the Hebrue word hath a double significatioÌ„ this is the sense as some thinketh If a Iudge do minister an oth to any priuate man to declare the truth of any thing yâ— he hath seene do it not he sinneth Other this If any man sée his neighbour commit any sin which is by the law of God execrable or detestable and did conceale it and not open it as much as in him did lye he did sinne Some other take it thus All such as did heare any man curse banne and abuse the name of God and did not open it vnto the Magistrate did sinne the first sense is best lyked The Bi. note SVVEATING The cause of sweating WE will perchance say that the Sunne is hot yea but how is the sweate ingendered It is because the body is then loosened the same loosening doe so open the body that the maysture cannot tarry within Againe when it is cold weather the poores are shut vp the moisture shrinketh inward to nourish a mans lyfe whereas the contrary is done by heate Again the heat ingendereth féeblenes and that feeblenes maketh humours to melt And so ye see the cause of sweating Ca. vp Iob. fol. 686. SVVEETE What is meant by sweete odours ANd an offering of sweete odours vnto the Lord. ¶ This swéete odour is the Sacrifice of faith and of pure affection in which God is delighted as a man is delighted in the good sauour of meates as it is saide of Noe. Gen. 8. 21. T. M. How all vice at the first is sweete When wickednesse was swéete in his mouth ¶ As poyson that is swéete in the mouth bringeth destruction when it commeth into the bodye so all vices at the first is pleasaunt but afterward God turneth it to destruction Geneua SVVINE What manner of people is heere meant by Swine NEither cast ye pearles before swine c. The swine are they which for all they haue receiued the pure gospell of Christ will yet continue still in sinne and roll themselues in the puddle mire of their olde filthie conuersation and both before the ignoraunt and also the weake vse the vttermost of their lybertie interpreting it after the largest fashion and most fauour of the flesh as it were the Popes pardon and therewith make the truth euill spoken off that thousands which els might haue ben easely won will now not once heare thereof and stirre vp cruell persecution which els would be much easier yea and sometime none at all And yet will those Swine when it commeth to the point abide no persecution at all but offer themselues willingly euen at the first chop to denie or they be scarcely apposed of their doctrine Therefore lay foorth the law of God before them cal them to repentance if thou see no hope of mending in them cease there go no farther for they be swine Tin The meaning of these places following Which eate swines flesh ¶ Which was contrary to Gods commaundement Leuit. 11. 7. Deut. 14. 8. Geneua Eating swines flesh and such abhomination c. ¶ Whereby are ment them that did malitiously transgresse the law by eating beastes forbidden euen to the Mouse which abhorreth Nature Geneua SVVORD To whom the sword belongeth to punish ALl they that take the sword shall perish with the sword ¶ This ought not to be vnderstood of Magistrates which haue receiued of God authoritie to strike with the sword such as be euill doers but of priuate persons yâ— goe about to reuenge themselues Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The exercising
of the sword is forbidden to priuate persons He meaning Peter would haue hindered by his vndiscréet zeale the worke of God Geneua Who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shal his bloud be shed ¶ Not onely by the Magistrate but oftentimes God raiseth vp one murtherer to kill another Iohn 18. 10. Apo. 13. 10. What is meant by the two swords Behold héere are two swords ¶ They were yet so rude that they thought to haue resisted with material weapons whereas Christ warneth them of a spirituall fight wherin as well their lyfe as faith should be in daunger Geneua Put vp thy sword into thy sheath euery one that taketh the sword doth perish by the sword ¶ Héere it is vtterly forbidden all priuate reuengment but that that is done openly by authoritie of the publike Magistrate is neuer sound fault withal but that was priuate and extraordinary vengeaunce that the Apostle Peter was about to haue taken considering yâ— he was called to be a Preacher of the word of God not to be a Iudge a Captaine or a man of warre And against priuate extraordinarie reuengment is the sentence rightly pronounced Euery one that taketh the sword shall perish by the sword Bull. fol. 196. Table What is ment by the Table that Dauid speaketh of THou hast prepared in my fight a table among them that trouble me ¶ S. Hierome saith that the Prophet meaneth by the table that he speaketh of heere the Scripture wherein is founde meate méete for such as are past their fancie in Christ neede not any longer to be fedde with milke His words are these in English Thou hast prepared a table c. that I should not be nourished with milke like a child but with sound meate that is that cudding of holy scriptures with a spirituall tooth I might be able to resist the â—coward Againe he saith Thou hast prepared a table in my presence against those the trouble me A table yâ— is yâ— holy scripture Euen as after labour there is found on the Table comfort and refection so also the holy men haue by yâ— meanes of yâ— table yâ— is yâ— holy scripture consolation refection yâ— is to say saith hope charitie against those that trouble me The persecuters of yâ— church which are diuels Iewes heretikes we do in the holy scriptures finde consolation comfort against all these Hier. in Psa. 23. 4. ¶ Albeit his enimies sought to destroy him yet God deliuereth him dealeth most liberally with him in despite of them Ge. ¶ S. Austen saith thus Thou hast prepared in my presence a table that I shal not now be nourished with milke as a little childe but being made strong against them that trouble me I maye receiue greater meate ¶ Lyra expounding this verse after the letter thus Thou hast prepared a table in my presence against those c. that is to say Saule his complices And morally he saith it may be expounded thus In my presence thou hast prepared a table that is a refreshing consolation against them that trouble me with their temptations and euill men with iniuries Lyra in Psa. 23. 4. The meaning of this place following Let their table be a snare before them ¶ He desireth God to execute his iudgments against the reprobate which cannot by any meanes be turned Geneua TABERNACLE Wherefore the Tabernacle was ordeined and made so beautifull THe Tabernacle was ordeined to the intent they might haue a place appointed them to do their sacrifice openly in yâ— sight of the people and namely the Priests which waited thereon that it might be séene that they did all things according to Gods word not after yâ— Idolatry of their owne imaginations And the costlines of yâ— Tabernacle the beautie also pertaining ther vnto the they should sée nothing among the Heathen but yâ— they should sée things more beautifull at home because they should not be moued to follow them Tindale fol. 9. Wherfore it was called the Tabernacle of the congregation In yâ— Tabernacle of the congregation ¶ In the Tabernacle of the congregation so called because yâ— Israel resorted was gathered together ther at a certain appointed time or because that God resorted thether to speake with Moses his successours as before in the 25. Cha. ver 22. Nu. 7. 89. Some doe translate In the Tabernacle of couenaunt but the olde Interpreter In the Tabernacle of witnesse The Bible note How the Tabernacle was diuided There was a Tabernacle made before c. ¶ There was but one Tabernacle which was diuided into two partes with a vale being like to our Churches where a partition is made betwéene the quéere the body of yâ— Church This I haue added saith M. Chee because yâ— we shuld not think yâ— the fathers of yâ— old Testament had two tabernacles It were méete sith that at Christs death the vale of the Temple was rent in two that there shuld be no partition at all in the Temples of the Christians Sir I. Cheeke Wherefore it was called the Tabernacle of witnesse In the Tabernacle of witnesse ¶ It is called the Tabernacle of witnesse because therein was contained the couenant and witnesse where vnto that God would that the Children of Israel should trust T. M. Of the Tabernacle of Dauid And would build againe the Tabernacle of Dauid ¶ The Prophet in this place prophecied of Christs comming in the flesh which should build againe the Tabernacle of Dauid which figured Gods Church but then vtterly defaced and brought to ruine by the Phariâ—aicall Iewish superstitions The Bi. note ¶ The Tabernacle of Dauid that is the Church whereof the Temple was a figure Geneua Of the feast of Tabernacles ¶ Looke Feast TABITHA What the word doth meane and signifie TAbitha which by interpretation is Dorcas ¶ Tabitha is called Dorcas Dorcas signifieth a Roe bucke and beast of sharp sight Such a one was Tabitha in this effect that she being on earth farre from heauen did behold heauenly things and drew neere vnto heauen with godly workes The Bible note TACIANVS Of his heroticall opinions TAcian an horrible Heretike was famous which before time was a Christian disciple of Iusâ—ine the Martir This man taught yâ— matrimonie was no better thâ—n whoredome adultery He forbad also diuers kindes of meates Cooper TALENT What a Talent is A Talent of siluer the French interpreter following Budaeus doth translate sixe hundred crownes which aâ—ter the rate of 14. grotes the crowne amounteth to yâ— sum of â—â—o pounds Vd. Of a talent of fine golde ¶ This was the talent waight of the Temple and wayed 120. pound Geneua Which weyed a talent of gold ¶ That is thrée score pound after the waight of the common talent Geneua And found it the weight of a talent of gold ¶ Which mounteth about the value of 7000. and 70. crownes which is about thréescore pound weight Geneua And