because through his manifest temptations he maketh men sin by which death raigneth c. Deering Of euerlasting death He shall neuer sée death ¶ What els is the meaning of this which Christ saith he shall neuer sée death but because he sawe another death from yâ— which he came to deliuer vs. That is to saiâ— the second death euerlasting death death of hell fire the death of damnation with the Diuell and his Angells that is death indeede Therfore neuer to see death is nothing els but to haue euerlasting life So that we maie note and learne héere that faith is the waie to immortalitie and that Christians doe trulie liue and neuer die although in this world they bee more like to dead men then to liuing men to die in bodie by other men For the saieng of Christ héere is most true to the which also agreeth this place Euerie one which liueth and beleeuth in me shall neuer die Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 329. How this place following is vnderstood Some there be standing heere shall not tast of death til they shall sée the Sonne of man come in his kingdome ¶ The same is to be vnderstood of his glorious transfiguration as if he should saie there are some standing among you which shall not die till they haue seene me in the same glorie and maiestie that I shall come in at the last daie of Iudgement Sir I. Cheeke This was fulfilled in his Resurrection and was as an entrie into his kingdome and was also confirmed by sending the Holie Ghost whereby he wrought so great and sundrie miracles The meaning of this place following In death there is no remembraunce of thée ¶ His meaning is that if he shall by Gods grace be deliuered from death he wil be thankfull and mindfull of it And he bewaileth that this power shall be â—erefte him if he should be taken out of this world because he should be no more conuersant among men so set out the praise of God But héerevpon doe some wrongly vnskilfullie gather that the dend are void of all sense and that ther remaineth no perseuerance at all in them wheras in this place he intreateth of nothing els but of the mutuall praising of Gods grace wherein men exercise themselues while they be aliue For we knowe wée are placed on this earth to this purpose thâ—â— wee shoulde with one consent and one mouth praise GOD which thing is the ende for which wée liue Now â—hen although that death make an ende of such praisings yet doth it not followe that the faithfull soules which are loosened from their bodies are bereft of vnderstanding or touched with no affection to God ward Caluine vpon the 6. Psal. ¶ He lamenteth that occasion should be taken from him to praise God in the Congregation Geneua In what respect the children of God maie wish death O that God would begin to smite me that he would lette his hand goe and take me awaie ¶ True it is that Gods children maie well wish death howbeit to another ende and for another respect then Iob doth héere like as all of vs must with S. Paule desire to be let loose from the bondage of sinne wherein we be helde prisoners Saint Paule is not mooued there with anie temptation of his flesh but rather the desire that he hath to imploie himselfe in Gods seruice without let seemeth him to wish that he might passe out of the prison of his bodie Why so For so long as we be in this worlde we must be wrapped in manie miseries and we cease not to offend God being so weak as we be S. Paule is then sorie that he must liue so long in offending God and this kinde of desire is good and holie and procéedeth of the holie Ghost Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 108. Of foure manner of deaths Beside the mortall and eternall death bée other two the spirituall death and the temporall death which be not so well knowen nor so soone espied of the simple as the naturall and eternall death is The spirituall death is when the bodie is yet liuing the soule is dead as the Apostles proueth by the widdowes that liue at pleasure béeing aliue in bodie and yet dead in soule The temporall death is when the affections lusts of the bodie are so killed that the spirit maie liue wherof the Apostle speaketh Col. 3. exhorting vs to mortifie our earthlie members to kill all the strength of our corrupt nature that striue against the spirite For by obaieng our lustes at the first came death into the world as it appeareth by Eue when she eate of the forbidden fruit M. Luther How death is not to be feared Example of a Panim I finde that a learned Panim wrote that we should neither care for life by it selfe nor yet for death by it selfe Hée saith that we should care to liue well and to die well and let life and death passe without care for life is not good but to liue well is good If Panims haue this right consideration of life and death what shame is it for Christen men to care for death Seeing Christ whose wordes cannot but be true so vehementlie forbiddeth vs the same that Panims sawe by reason to be done c. Lupset DEBT How debtes ought to be required and how not ESaie the Prophet seemeth to account it in the Iewes a great fault to aske their debt saieng Et Omnes debitores repetitis Ye chalenge and charge all your debters ye call all debts back againe Whie is it not lawfull for a good christen man to cal for his debts Yea and if neede so require to sue for them by the lawe God forbid else otherwise there could no good order no pollicie no ciuilitie nor Common wealth endure If buyeng and selling keeping of contracts couenants were not lawfull then all things should be common then we should liue like lawlesse beasts wée needed no king no maigistrate But yée must vnderstand that in a case charitie will not suffer right to call for her debt The case shall bée this My brother my neighbour is burnt with fire is lamed of his limmes is robbed of his sight at one word is so oppressed with pouertie that he is not able to paie In this case charitie will commaunde iustice to giue place and not to aske her debt but rather to giue more of their owne The Iewes were so hard hearted that they spared not forgaue no debters were they neuer so poore nor so pitifull And therefore Esaie layeth it to their charge saieng Omnes debitores vestros repetitis Ye cal vpon al your debters as wel them that be in extreame néede and vnable to paie as they that be wealthie and able inough to paie Beside this the Iewes had a certeine ciuill lawe giuen vnto them by God vnto the which we now are not bound The lawe was this Euerie seauenth yeare thou shalt kéepe a frée yeare
2. 31. Ro. 10. 13. Now they that forsake the truth blaspheming Christ taking part against the Holy ghost cannot repent For if sinners would conuert call vpon God they should be sure of remission Tindale Christ himselfe said vnto the Pharesies Euery blasphemiâ— shall be forgiuen but the blasphemie against the Holy ghost which Iohn calleth a sinne vnto death shall neuer be forgiuen but is guiltie vnto euerlasting damnation What sinne or blasphemie is this Uerely that declareth S. Marke saieng They said he had an vncleane spirite that was the sinne vnto death euerlasting that was the sinne that should neuer be foruen He proueth so euidently vnto them that his miracles wer done by the spirit of God that they could not denie it and yet of an hard and obstinate hart euen knowing the contrary they said that he had a Diuell within him These Pharesies dyed not forthwith but lyued peraduenture many yeares after Notwithstanding if all the Apostles had praied for these Pharesies while they were yet liuing for all that their sinne shoulde not haue bene forgiuen them And truth is that after they dyed in impatiencie and desperation which was the fruit of their sin but not the sinne it selfe Now see ye the meaning of this text and what the sinne vnto death or against the Holy ghost is If any man perceiue his brother to sinne a sinne not vnto death that is not against the Holy ghost let him aske he shall giue him life that is let him pray vnto God for his brother and his sinne shall be forgiuen him But if he see his brother sinne a sinne vnto death that is against the Holy ghost let him neuer pray for him for it booteth not and so is not the text vnderstood of prayer after this lyfe as Master Moore imagineth but euen of prayer for our brother which is lyuing with vs. I. Frith How our sinne is made Christs sinne Longe a salute mea ¶ Séeing that this is most true that S. Paule saith of Christ that he neuer did sinne neither was there any guile or deceipt found in his mouth how then can these words be verified in the person of Christ Longe á salute mea verba delictorum meorum The words of my sinnes or my sinfull words are â—arre from my health Uerely they cannot bée applyed to Christ for his owne person Neuerthelesse after the minde of S. Austen these words are therefore spoken by Christ the head because they be only verefied in Christs members So that the Prophet maketh Christ in this place to speake in his owne person that thing which is verefied of vs that be sinners for whose sake he suffered his death passion that in this place is so lyuely touched Yea this is S. Austens saiengs these be his words Christ did wel say My sinful words are far from my health not for any of his owne sinne Sed nostra delicta sua delicta fecit vt suam iustitiam nostram iustitiam facerit But hée hath made our sinnes to be his sinnes that he might make his righteousnesse to be our righteousnesse That is he is contented to be reputed and deemed as a sinner because that in his vniust suffering he might iustly saue sinners that beleeue in him The most part of the learned Expositours be of this minde Ric. Turnar How sinne is forgiuen in Baptime Saintâ— Austen saith that all sinne is forgiuen in Baptime not that it should not be at all but that it should not be reckoned for sinne Sinne offering what was ment thereby They that offered a Sinne offering must lay their hand vppon it meaning that they themselues had deserued that death also that they did consecrate it to God therby to be sanctified Sold vnder sinne ¶ Looke Solde SION What Sion is AS many as haue euill will at Sion ¶ Sion in the Scripture signifieth the whole Church and Congregation of God and euery faithfull soule that hath his whole intent affection desire towards God T. M. What the daughters of Sion signifieth Therefore shall the Lord shane the heads of the daughters of Sion ¶ To shaue the heads of women is to make them confounded and ashamed for it is a shame for a woman to be shauen 1. Cor. 11. 5. So that the Prophet héereby signifieth by a borrowed speach that the Lord shall make the daughters of Sion by which vnderstand the women of Iewrie confounded and ashamed and bring them to extreme aduersitie and pouertie and euen to naught Iosephus maketh mention that Hierusalem which was the chiefe Citie thereof was once so famished that a certaine woman of the Citie eate hir owne childe Albeit some vnderstand euen heere also by the daughters of Sion the townes villages and castells of Sion as it doth indéed oftentimes in the Scripture Because the daughters of Sion are hautie c. ¶ He meaneth the people because of the pride and arrogancie of their women which gaue themselues to all wantonnes dissolution Geneu SIR How men of countenaunce may be called Sir SIr we would faine sée Iesus ¶ These Greekes call Philip Sir and he refuseth not the same It was the custome of those Countries to call men of wealth and countenaunce by that name Wherevpon also Mary Magdalen called Christ at the Sepulcher after he was risen Sir when as notwithstanding she tooke him to be a gardener The Apostles did not gainsay this custome neither were they serupulous in the same as we sée the Anabaptists to be Mar. vpon Iohn fol. 434. SIRTES What the Sirtes were LEast we should haue fallen into the Sirtes ¶ Sirtes are periâ—lous sundry places in the Sea about the coasts of Affrica of the nature of Whirlepooles Tindale SISTER How Abraham made his wife to say she was his sister SAy I pray thée that thou art my Sister ¶ By this we maye learne not to vse vnlawful meanes nor to put other in danger to saue our selues Read ver 20. Albeit it may appeare that Abraham feared not so much death as that if he should dye with out issue Gods promise should not haue taken place wherein appeared a weake faith Geneua ¶ Looke Abraham SIT What it is to sit in the Temple of God SHall sit as Godin the Temple of God ¶ To sit in the Temple of Ged is to rule in the consciences to commaund wher God onely hath place ought onely to raigne which is as much as to be exalted aboue God Tindale Who sitteth in the Temple of God Compare the commaundements of God with the constitutions of men and you shall easely vnderstand that the Bishop of Rome whom they call the Pope to sit in the Temple of God as God and to be exalted aboue all that is called God It is written The Temple of the Lord is holy which is you Therfore the conscience of man is the Temple of the Holy ghost in which Temple I will proue the Pope to
the Gentiles are counted as dead men in comparison of the Iewes And afterward where he saith All that are in graues shall heare the voice of the Sonne of man c. He meaneth the generall resurrection which shall be in the last daie Tindale ¶ The Dead shall heare c. ¶ And who be those Dead Surelie no man can bée exempted for where at beginning God to make his doctrine auaileable in vs euen at the drawing of vs out of the spirituall death wherein we were all held for till such time as God enlighteneth vs by his word wée bée blinde till he open our eares we be deafe till he giue vs faith we haue neither soule nor heart True it is that we maie well séeme to haue some outward shewe of life The vnbeléeuers doeate and drinke as well as the faithfull againe they can goe about their businesse yea and oftentimes there séemes to be great vertue in them but all that is nothing because that in as much as they be strangers from God all that is in them is but death and vtter confusion God then must be faine to drawe vs out of death vnto himselfe as the point wherat he must begin to make his word auaileable in vs c. Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 447. How the Dead praise not God The Dead praise not thée O Lord. ¶ It is not ment that they doe not praise him in their minde but is ment they cannot tell his praise to other Caluine ¶ The Dead praiseth not God for the benefits poured dailie vpon the earth for them as they that be aliue do or ought to doe The Bible note ¶ Though the dead set foorth Gods glorie yet he meaneth héere that they praise him not in his Church and Congregation Geneua How this place following is vnderstood Let the dead burie the dead ¶ That is Let Infidells alone with their infidelitie and followe thou me that is beleeue thou in me and goe preach the Kingdome of God Tindale ¶ We maie not followe that which séemeth best to vs but onelie Gods calling And héere by Dead he meaneth those that are vnprofitable to serue God Geneua To doe good to them that be dead what is meant thereby Doe good euen to them that be dead ¶ To do good to them that be dead is to burie their bodies with honour against the daie of resurrection as did Abraham and Ioseph c. To deale faithfullie and trulie with their children committed to thy charge as did Dauid with the children of his friend Ionathan The Bible note Of the dead Israelites O Lord God almightie the God of Israel heare now the praiers of the dead Israelites ¶ Ye must vnderstand that Baruch in his praiers speaketh not of them that wer dead with bodilie death but of the wicked which liuing vnto the world were dead vnto God which figuratiue manner of speaking is oftentimes vsed in the Scripture For in the Gospell of our sauiour Iesus Christ he saith Suffer the dead to burie the dead as if he should saie let the worldlings that be dâ—ad vnto God and good workes burie them that be departed out of this life for that is an office most méet for them but do thou the things that be for the liuing The like phrase or manner of speaking doth the holie Apostle vse when he saith A widdow liuing in deliciousnesse though she be aliue yet she is dead Besides this Baruch by such kinde of words doth set forth the miserable estate of the Children of Israel which were euen as dead men are in the world because of their captiuitie and thraldome straight bondage or slauerie that they were in which was vnto them as a graue or pit that the dead be buried in This is the true vnderstanding of Baruch in this place How this place following is vnderstood How shall we that are dead to sinne liue yet therein ¶ They are said of Paule to be dead to sinne which are in such sorte made pertakers of the vertue of Christ that the naturall corruption is dead in them that is the force of it is put out and it bringeth not foorth his bitter fruits and on the other side they are said to liue to sinne which are in the flesh that is whom the spirite of God hath not deliuered from the stauerie of the corruption of nature Beza Against the custome of giuing the Lords supper and Baptime ouer the Dead It hath bene also decréed and determinded that the Sacrament of thankes-giuing should not be ministred vnto the dead bodies for it is said of the Lorde Take and eate but the dead corpses canne neither take nor eate we must beware that our weake bretheren doe not beléeue that that it is lawfull to baptise ouer the dead vnto whom it is not lawfull to minister the Sacrament of thanks-giuing ¶ This doth sufficientlie declare that both S. Austen all other fathers ought to be vnderstood when they speak of the praiers for the dead of the sacrifice that is offred for them for they are not of opinion that their praiers oblations could help the soules departed out of Purgatorie which began in Austens time to be onlie in question he himselfe daring affirme nothing touching the same I. Veron Whether the dead knowe what we do in this life As concerning that Iob saith that the men which is departed knoweth not what is done héere below nor whether his ofspring be poore or rich it is not to ground an Article of our faith vpon that such as be gone out of this world knoweth not what our state is For Iob spake as a man encombred Therfore we must not take héere anie certaintie of doctrine neither is it greatly for vs to enquire of such matters And why Let it suffice vs that God hath set vs in this world to coÌ„municate one with another euory man ought to employ himselfe vpon his neighbours God hath giuen me such a gift or abilitie and therfore I must applie my selfe yâ— waie Againe one of vs maie praie for another but when he hath taken vs out of this world the said communicating is taken awaie from vs there is no communicating as there was before Neither must we do as the Papists doe who are woont to runne to the deceased Saints as though they had not yet finished their course Now forasmuch as the Scripture teacheth vs not what we ought to doe in this behalfe lette vs leaue that thing in doubt and in suspense whereof we haue no certaine resolution by the word of God For singlenesse of minde is also a thing wherein it behooueth vs to walke c. Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 265 DECEIPT ¶ Looke Guile DEEDES ¶ Looke Workes DEAFE MAN By whose faith this deafe man was healed ANd they brought vnto him one that was deafe and had an impediment in his speach and they praied him to putte his hand vpon him ¶ It séemeth by this mans
of Saints namely buriall not papistical canoniâ—ation or false worshipping which hath bene vsed with great abuse Marl. vpon Math. fol. 313. How Iohn is thought to worke miracles after his death He is risen from death and therefore are miracles wrought by him ¶ It is an Heathenish beliefe to thinke that men can do greater things after their death then in their life time and héereof did spring the vaine worshipping of dead folkes Sir I. Cheeke ¶ He spake after the common errour for they thought that the soules of them that were departed entered into another bodie Geneua Wherefore Iohn was called Helias Iohn Baptist was called Helias because he came in the spirit and power of Helias most sharply rebuking sin That so men knowing their owne sinfull nature and the damnation yâ— hung ouer them should the more gladly embrace Christ the sauiour redéemer of the world Sir I. Cheeke Wherefore Iohn Baptist did no miracles Iohn did no miracles ¶ God would haue no miracles done by Iohn least the people should haue attributed too much vnto him And therefore he would haue him onely to teach to testifie For as the bodie of Moses his sepulchre are hid vnto this present day and that by the iust prouidence of God least that superstitious flesh in visiting the body of Moses should commit Idolatrie euen so for iust cause Iohn than whome other wise there arose not a greater among womens children wrought no miracles For if so be the gift of miracles had bene ioyned to his doctrine and holinesse of lyfe the people could scarce haue ben driuen srom beléeuing him to be Christ c. Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 394. Of Iohns Baptime The Baptime of Iohn whence was it c. ¶ Héere the Baptime of Iohn is taken for that heauenlye doctrine which he taught For as water doth wash awaye the filthinesse of the bodie so doth true doctrine make the soule cleane deliuering it from superstition and erronious doctrine Sir I. Cheeke Unto what then were ye baptised and they said vnto Iohns Baptime ¶ By this place Iohns Baptime signifieth Iohns doctrine which therefore is so called for that he sealed his doctrine with the seale of Baptime in them that beléeued The Bible note Meaning what doctrine they did professe by their Baptime for to be baptised in Iohns Baptime signifieth to professe the doctrine which he taught and sealed with the signe of Baptime to bée baptised in the name of the Father c. is to be dedicate and consecrate vnto him To be baptised in the death of Christ or for the dead or into one bodye vnto remission of sins is that sinne by Christes death may be abolished and die in vs and that we maye growe in Christ. Math. 3. 11. Mar. 1. 8. Luke 3. 16. Ihon. 1. 27. Act. 1. 5. and 2. 2. 11. 16. Geneua Baptime in this place is taken for the doctrine and not for the lauer of water For the baptime of Christ and the baptime of Iohn which is done in the water is all one els Christ who was baptised by Iohn ought to haue bene baptised againe Héere then we doe gather that these folkes not twice baptised with the water of Baptime but were twice instruccted and at length after perfect instruction they were baptised with water in the name of Christ. Sir I. Cheeke Of the difference betweene Iohns Baptime and the Apostles The difference betwéene the Baptime of Iohn and the Apostles was onelye this that Iohn baptised them to beléeue in Christ that was for to come and the Apostles baptised them to beléeue in Christ which was come alreadie and had suffered for the remission of sinnes of as manie as beléeued in him Tindale IOHN THE EVANGELIST Of this Iohns life written by Saint Hierome IOhn the Apostle whome Iesus loued right well béeing the sonne of Zebedeus and Iames the Apostles brother whome after the Lordes death Herode had beheaded wrote his Gospell last of all the rest being desired there to by the Bishops of Asia both against Cerinthus and diuerse other heretiks But principally against the Ebeonites which euen then arose which Ebeonites auouch that Christ was not before Marieâ— by reason whereof he was enforced to shew of his diuine natiuitie They say that beside this there was an other cause of his writing because that when he had read the volumes of Mathew Marke Luke he well allowed the text of the storie and affirmed that they had said truth but had onely made their storie of one yeares act in the which after the imprisonment of Iohn Christ suffered Wherefore omitting that yeares actes which were sufficientlye entreated of all thrée he sheweth such thinges as were done before Iohn was imprisoned which thing maye euidently appeare to such as shall diligentlye read the volumes of the foure Gospels the which thing also doth take awaie the disagreeing that séemeth to be betweene Iohn the rest He wrote beside the premises one Epistle which beginneth thus That which was from the beginning which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes c. The other two which beginne The elder to the well beloued Ladie and her children c. And the elder to the best deloued Caius whom I loue in the truth c. are affirmed to haue bene written of Iohn the Priest whose seuerall tombe is at this day to be seene at Ephesus many suppose that there are two memorials of this same Iohn the Euangelist of which matter we wil entreate after we shal by order come to yâ— lyfe of Papias his scholer In the 14. yeare â—hen at what time Domicianus after Nero stirred vp the second persecution Iohn being banished into the I le of Pathmos wrote yâ— reuelation which is intituled the Apocalips which Iustin the martir and Ireneus doe make Commentaries vpon But after Domician was slaine and all his acts reuoked by the Senate because of his ouermuch crueltie he returned to Ephesus in the time of Prince Neruai and continued there vntil the time of the Emperour Traiane he instituted and gouerned all the Churches of Asia and ther continued till he was impotent for age He died the thréescore and eight yeare after the passion of the Lord Iesus And was buried a little beside the same Citie Eras. in his Paraphras A noâ—able historie of this Iohn When Iohn was returned to Ephesus fr 〈…〉 the I le of Pathmos he was desired for matters of religion to resort to yâ— places borâ—â—ring néere vnto him And comming to a certeine place he sawe a goodly young man both of bodie and countenaunce on whom he east such a fauourâ— that he committed him to the Bishoppe there charging the Bishoppe most earnestly and that two seuerall times to sée him diligently instructed in the doctrine and faith of Christ. And so Iohn returning againe to Ephesus the Bishop toke the young man and brought him home and diligently instructed him in the waies of Christ and
Ghost They taught also to reiect ciuill power For Matrimonye and gouernaunce of Common wealth they sayde to haue their ofspring from the euill God and not to be ordeined of the good God Carion Wherein the Papists agree with the Maniches They called their vnmarried Ministers as S. Austen Epist. 72. faith Electos they ministred the holy mysteries vnder one kind They yelded more credit to their own deuises thē to Gods holy word They say the scriptures are falsified ful of errors They abstaine from flesh yet in their fast they had and vsed all manner delicates and straunge fruits with sundry sorts of spices in great abundaunce They abstained from wine and yet vsed other lyquors more daintie precious then any wine and thereof dranke while their bellies would hold Manes the Hereticke whereof the Maniches haue their appellation had his originall in Persia as Epiph. haeres 66. writeth about the. 4. yeare of Aurelianus He called himselfe Christ and the comforter He chose vnto himselfe xij Apostles He said that Christ was not truly borne but phantastically Euseb. li. 7. cap. 30. Socrates li. l. cap. 17. saith of him that at the first he was called Cubricus Afterward chaunging his name he went into Persia found the bookes of Buddas and published them in his owne name He taught that there were many Gods that the Sunne was to be worshipped that there was fatall destenie that the soules went from one body into another The king of Persia sonne fell sicke Manes through Sorcerie tooke vpon him to cure him and killed him The King caused him to be clapt in prison but he brake prison and fled into Mesopotamia there was he taken and flayed aliue his skinne filled with chaffe hanged at the gates of the Citie The Maniches confuted He walked on the water to goe to Iesus ¶ This place confuteth the Maniches and such like Heretikes which denied the truth of the humaine nature of Christ saieng that his bodye was not a true body but a phantasticall bodie Thus they reasoned to vphold their errours It pertaineth not to a true bodie to walke on the Sea but Christ walked vpon the Sea therfore he had no true nor reall bodie but a phantasticall bodie These men consider nothing more to be in Christ then in a bare man as though it were impossible for God to helpe an humaine bodie from sinking in the Sea But what saye they vnto this y◠Peter at the commaundement of Christ walked vpon the Sea Why do they not consider that he which caused Peter to walke vpon the Sea with an humaine body can much more easely himselfe doe the like They should weigh the power of Christ if not in his owne déede yet at the least by the deede of Peter Marlorate 324. MANY ¶ Looke Call Loue. MANNA What Manna signifieth THen eate they Angells foode ¶ Manna is called the foode of Angells not that the Angells vse such foode but because it came downe from heauen which is the dwelling place of Angels and therefore doe some read héere the bread of the cloudes because it came from the cloudes Some the bread of the mightie because it came from the Almightie Exo. 16. 14. Sap. 16. 20. lohn 6. 31. T. M. How Manna is not the true bread that came from heauen Moses gaue you not that bread from heauen c. ¶ He denieth that Manna was that true heauenly bread saith that he himselfe is that true bread because he féedeth vnto the true and euerlasting life And as for that that Paule 1. Cor. 10. calleth Manna spirituall foode it maketh nothing against this place for he ioyneth the thing signified with the signes but in this whole disputation Christ dealeth with the Iewes after their owne opinion and conceipt of the matter and they haue no further consideration of the Manna but that it fed the belly Beza ¶ Manna is called the bread of heauen and of Angells because it rained from heauen by the ministerie of Angells Ther be some that do interpret this to be the bread of Princes or of great men because of the Hebrue word which in another place signifieth Princes or Noble men Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 206. Of those that eate Manna and are dead Your Fathers did eate Manna in the Wildernesse and are dead ¶ This verse is two waies expounded Some vnderstand it generally of all those fathers of the Iewes which did eate Manna in Moses time in the Desart as well godly as vngodly insomuch that the Lord speaketh héere in this place not of the death of the soule but of the body But other some expoūd it of the wicked onely which did eate Manna without faith of the truth in the which is life and therefore are also dead that is to say they perished euerlastingly but it séemeth not necessary that we heere distinguish betwéene the beléeuing the vnbeléeuing Iewes Onely Christ saith y◠Manna was a corruptible meate to the Fathers being foode not of the soule but of the body not sempiternall but temporall which could not saue them from death It followeth therefore that mens soule finde foode no where but in him whereby they may be fed into euerlasting life for we must remember what was spoken in another place that there is no mention made heere of Manna as Christ was a secret figure for in that respect Paule calleth him spirituall meate but héere Christ frameth his speach to his hearers who beeing onely carefull for the feeding of their bellyes had no farther consideration of any thing in Manna He doeth therefore iustly pronounce that their fathers are dead that is to say which were in like manner addict to their bellyes Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 221. What Manna and the white stone signifieth To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate Manna that is hid and will giue to him a white stone c. ¶ By Manna vnderstande the word of God and true heartie loue by the white stone is signified the election before God and also euerlasting peace and confidence in the grace and fauour of God vnto euerlasting life Sir I. Cheeke How Manna the water brought out of the Rocke is compared to our bread and wine in the Sacrament The Manna which God sent downe from heauen to féede the people of Israel in the wildernesse and the water which he brought out of the stone to refresh and comfort them were euen the same things vnto them that bread wine is now vnto vs. For as S. Austen saith as many as in that Manna vnderstoode Christ did eate the same spirituall meate that we doe But as many as sought onely to fill their bellies of that Manna the fathers of the vnfaithfull did eate are dead And likewise the same drinke for the stone was Christ. Héere may we gather of S. Austen that the Manna was vnto them 〈…〉 the bread is vnto vs. And likewise that the water was to them as the
of them which beléeue in the name of Christ and doe receiue the right of the adoption of the sonnes of God they which are such are not borne of flesh bloud but of God flesh bloud begetteth not the children of God That which is of the flesh is flesh that which is of the spirit is spirit By these words the Euangelist meaneth nothing els but the carnall birth For he maketh a comparison of the generation of the flesh and the spirit reiecting the one and allowing the other c. They which beléeue in Christ being before vncleane Gentiles are not borne the sonnes of God out of the wombe or by flesh and bloud but are brought therevnto by the workmanship of the holy Ghost And although properly he hath respect vnto the Iewes which were proud in the flesh yet notwithstanding of this place a generall doctrine maye be gathered namely that whereas we are counted the sonnes of God it commeth not by the propertie of our nature neither of our selues but because the Lord hath begotten vs of his owne frée will singular loue Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 19. That we should be called the sonnes of God ¶ Being made the sons of God in Christ he sheweth what qualities we must haue to be discerned from bastards Geneua SOPHIST What a Sophist was at the beginning and what it is now SOphists at the first beginning were men that professed to be teachers of wisdome and eloquence And the name of Sophists was had in honour and price and they were of the same estimation and of the verie same facultie science that afterward wer called Rhetores that is Rethoritians yea also Logitians For when the Sophists fell to cauilling brawling and triâ—ling by little and little the estimation decayed So that or the time that Socrates liued in a Sophist was a name of contempt and hatred and so it is yet still at this day Vdal SORROVV Of godly sorrow and worldly sorrow FOR godly sorrow causeth repentaunce vnto saluation Godly sorrow is when we are not terrified with the feare of punishment but because we féele we haue offended God our most mercifull Father Contrarye to this there is an other sorrow that onely feareth punishment or when a men is vexed for the losse of some worldly goods the fruite of the first is repentaunce the fruite of the second is desperation vnlesse the Lord helpe spéedely Beza ¶ Ther be two manner of sorrowes The one commeth of God and engendereth repentaunce vnto life The other commeth of the flesh and bréedeth desperation vnto death We haue examples of both in Cain and Dauid in Iudas and Peter for they all sorrowed but the sorrow of Cain and Iudas was fleshly carnall and therfore being without godly comfort it did driue them to desperation Whereas Dauid and Peter in their godly sorrow did flye vnto the father of mercie with a true repentaunt heart and were receiued againe into the fauour of God Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Whose heart Gods spirit doth teach he is sorrie for his sinnes committed against so mercifull a God these are the fruites of his repentaunce as witnesse Dauids and Peters teares Other which are sorrie for their sinnes onely for feare of punishment and Gods vengeance fall into desperation As Cain Saule Iudas Achitophel c. Geneua How Christ ouercame the sorrowes of death And loosed the sorrowes of death ¶ The death that was full of sorrowe both of body and minde Therfore when death appeared conquerour and victour ouer those sorrows Christ is rightly sayd to haue ouercome those sorrowes of death when as being dead he ouercame death to liue for euer with his father Beza ¶ Both as touching the paine and also the horrour of Gods wrath and curse Geneua SOVLDIER What the profession of a souldier is TO professe a souldier is of it selfe saith Erasmus to confesse the puddle and sinke of all mischiefe The meaning of this place following Thou therfore suffer afflictioÌ„ as a good soldier of Iesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this lyfe because he woulde please him that hath chosen him to be a souldier ¶ The latter sentence is generall and perteyneth to all men The meaning is this Whosoeuer would be a souldier vnto Christ must leaue all worldly things and follow him And what Saint Paule meaneth by the affaires of this lyfe Heare Maister Caluines iudgement by the affaires of this life the Apostles vnderstandeth the care of gouerning his family and other ordinary businesse He also applieth the place on this wise Now this comparison saith he is to be applied to the present purpose that whosoeuer will playe tho warrier vnder Christ leauing all worldly matters and impediments must giue himselfe wholy vnto him SOVLE The diuerse taking of this word Soule THe soules of them that were put to death c. ¶ The worde soule is put somtime for the life because the soule is yâ— cause of lyfe and because the life consisteth in the soule as in yâ— Psal. 119. 109. and in Iob. 16. 4. Also it is taken for will minde or desire because it is the seate of the will and desire In which sense the soule of Ionathas is sayd to be linked to the soule of Dauid 1. Re. 18. 1. And the soule of Sichem is saide to haue cleued to Dina the daughter of Iacob Ge. 24. 8. And Luke saith that the multitude that beléeued were of one heart and of one soule Act. 4. 32. Many times it is taken for the whole liuing man as when it is saide that thréescore sixtéene soules went with Iacob into Aegypt Ge. 46. 27. Also the soule that sinneth the same shall dye Eze. 18. 20. And the soule that steppeth aside to witches and southsayers shall dye the death c. Leuit. 20. 6. And again eight soules wer saued by water â— Pet. 3. 20. Somtime it is taken for the breath which men doe breath in out wherein consisteth the liuely mouing of the body like as when it is said perplexity hath caught hold of me although my whole soule be still within mâ—â— 2. Reg. 1. 9. And his soule is in him Act. 20. 10. Also let the soule of the child returne into his bowels 3. Reg. 17. 21. And like as in the Latin phrase of speach they be commonly wont to say that the soule is puffed or breathed out so also doth the scripture say that the soule passeth or goeth out as it is said in Rachel And as her soule was passing or going out for she was then vieng she called the child Benony Gen. 35. 18. But most often the soule is taken for the immortall spirit of man lyke as it is sayd feare not them that kill the bodye but cannot kill the soule Math. 10. 28. In this sense doth Iohn say héere that he sawe the soules of them that were put to death c. Marl. vpon the Apoc.
the dead praise not God eod Of the dead burieng the dead 289. To doe good to them that be dead eod Of the dead Israelites eod How the place is vnderstood 290. Of the Supper Baptime giuen ouer the dead eodem Whether the dead know what we do eo Deceit Defined 291. Deeds How they iustifie not eod Deafe man By whose faith he was healed eod Denieng of God How and when men denie him eod Deepe What the deepe signifieth 292. Desperation What an offence it is eod Let no man despaire of Gods mercy eo The meanes to keepe vs frō despaire eo Desteny 293. Destroy not The meaning thereof eod Death what death is 294. How the diuell hath power of death eo Of euerlasting death eod The meaning of the places 295. How y◠childrē of god may wish deth 296 Of foure manner of deaths eo How death is not to be feared eo Debt How it ought to be required how not 297. How the Lord forgaue his seruant 298. Diuell What diuell doth signifie eod In what respect the diuell is euill 299. How long he hath bene a lyar eod Who they be that offer to diuels eod How we must answere the Diuell eod Deuotion What true deuotion is 300. What the Popists call deuotion 301. From whō Popish deuotion sprong eo Difference To make difference of the Lords dody eo Disobedience Examples thereof 302. Diuorcement How diuorcement may be 303. Of the Bill of diuorcement 305. Why y◠Iews wer suffred to be diuor eo The meaning of the place eod Doo Whatsoeuer God willeth to doe is well 305. How the doers of y◠law are iustified eo Doctors How farre they ought to be beleeued 307. Doeg How he was a figure of Anti. 309. Dogs Who they be and what is signified thereby 310. The meaning of the places eod Domes day Of the day of dome 311. Doore An exposition of the places eod Dorcas What the word signifieth 313. Dositheans What manner of men they were eod Doubting Of the doubting of Abraham others eod Dragma What Dragma is 314. Dragon Why the King of Aegypt is called a Dragon eod The meaning of the place eod Who be the Dragons Angells 315. Of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet eod Drawing The meaning of the places eod Dreames How it is hard to discern them 316. Of dreames natural supernatural eod Dronkennesse What Dronkennesse is 317. How it is condemned by the scripture eo Prophane examples of dronkennes 318. Example thereof out of scripture 319. Drops How they shew Christ to be a true man 320. Drucilla What manner of woman shee was 321. Dwell What the word betokeneth eod How men should dwel with their wiues 322. E. EBion Of the heresie of this man 322. Edifieng What it is to edifie eod Edom. What is signified by Edom. 323 Eye A description of the Eye eod To what ende our eyes were made 324. The meaning of the place 325. Of the eyes and eye lids of God eod Eagles Of the nature of Eagles eod An exposition of the place eod Elam what is signified by Elam 327. Eldad and Medad Of their prophecie 328 Elders Why he nameth them Elders eod Eleazer The meaning of the place eod Election what y◠cause of our electiō is eo How our election is perticular and not vniuersall 332. Signes of our election eod The saieng of y◠elect within himselfe eod How to make our election sure 333. Elements what is signified by them 334. Eleuenth houre 335. Elias The Iewes opinion of him eod Of the comparing of Elias with Christ. eod Eliseus How he resisted not the king 336. Elizabeth how she might be Maries cosin eod Emanuel wherfore christ is so called 337. Emeralde The description of the stone eo Emims What kinde of people they wer eo Enach What the Enachs were 338. Enimie how an enimie is not to be despised eod Of a reconciled enimie eod Enon Salim why Iohn baptised ther. eo Enter how the places be expounded 339. Enuie how enuie came first into the world eod Examples of enuie eod Epha What an Epha is 340. Ephesus Of whom the Citie tooke his name eod Ephod What an Ephod is eod Of two kindes of Ephods 341. Ephraim Why his tribe is not reckned eo Epistle Why it is thought not to be S. Paules eod Equalitie of Bishops 342. Equinoctiall What it is eod Eares To what end their vse serue eod How by whō they must be opened 343. How God is said to haue eares eod Earth how it is founded vpon the Seas eo Earthquake how earthquakes do cōe 345 Esau Ismael What is to be thought of them 346 Essence of God What it is 347. Esses What manner of people they were eod Of the people called Esseni or Essei 348. Estrich Of his nature and propertie eod Eating Of the eating of Christs flesh eo Who doe eate drinke the body c. 351 What it is to eate God 352. Of the true sacramentall eating eod Eternall life how it is sometime called a reward 353. Euangelists Who be Euangelists eod Euer how the word euer is taken 354. Eucharist What Eucharist is eod Eutichee What men they were eod Eucharists What they were 355. Euill men how farre they are to be borne with 356. Eunomius Of his heriticall opinions eo Eustachius Of his opinions how eod Exalt What it is to exalt or humble 357 Examine how we shuld examine c. eod Excommunication What it is 358. What S. Paul ment by the excommunicating of Alexander 359. Exorcists What the office was eod Extreme vnction 360. F. FAce What the face of Christ is 360. What the face of God is eod How the place is vnderstood 361. Faith what faith is eod How faith is the grounde of all good works 362. How faith iustifieth 363. How faith is the worke of God 364. What faith is without workes 365. Of faith and deedes and how c. 366. How faith is nourished 368. How wtout charitie faith is nothing eod How faith ingendereth charitie 369. From faith to faith what it is eod How the faith that saued the old fathers shall saue vs. eod How faith is a worke 370. Of faith before workes eod How faith is perfect eod How faith ouercommmeth the world eod How faith inuocatiō are vnseperab eo How faith is called the mariage garm 371. Of faith loue and hope eod The office of faith eod What one mans faith doth profit and. eo How faith is taken in these places 372. Of the faith of Infants 374. What the faith of hypocrites is eod Of two manner of faiths 375. A comparison betweene faith and incredulitie eod Of onely faith eod Faithfull how God hath deliuered thē eo Fall how Christ is the fall vprising of many 376. False Of false Christs eod What the false Prophets are 377. Fanne What the fanne is eod Fare faire with men how it is vnderstood 378. Farthing What this farthing meneth eod Fasting
What kind of figure it is 997 Sennacherib wherfore his sonnes slue him eod Sent. How this place is vnderstood eod Search why God is said to search 998. Commaunded of Christ to search the Scriptures eo Serpent What Serpent doth signifie 999 What it is to sucke yâ— serpents head eod Seruice what the true seruice of God is 1000. How it ought to be ministred in a known tongue eod Obiections aunswered eod Seaâ—e of God What yâ— seat of God is 1001 Sethtani What manner of heretikes they were eod Seauen How it is taken in Scripture eo What the 7. Angells doe signifie 1002. Seauentie interpreters Of their traÌ„st 1003 Seueâ—us Of his hereticall opinions 1004 Shadow eod Shame What shame is eod How and whereof shame came first eod Shape of God What it is to be in the shape of God 1005. Shaue How the woman taken in warre was shauen eod Wherefore Hanon shaued the beards of Dauids ambassadours eo Sheepfolde How there shall be one sheepfolde eod Shepheard The opening of these places eo The propertie of a good shepheard 1006 Of the restoring of good shepheards eo Of the outward gouernement of foolish shepheards eod Of the swoord that should come of the shepheards 1007. Of foure kinde of shepheards eo Shew bread Wherefore it was called so eo Obiections aunswered eod How the Lords death is sheweÌ„d 1008. Shooe What Gods shooe is eod Short life How it is not a generall rule of Gods iudgement eod Sicera What kinde of drinke it was 1009 Sicle What a Sicle is eod Sichem What is meant by the diuiding of Sichem 1010. Siggaion What it is 1012. Signe What a signe is eo How it is not both the signe the thing signified 1013. Silence What is meant by the word silence eod Siloh What Siloh is 1014. The meaning of the place eod Of the soft running waters of Siloh eo How that by Siloh Christ is meant eod Of the towre of Siloh 1015. Siluer What it is to tourne siluer into drosse eod What a siluerling is eod Simon Magus Of his opinions and ende eodem Of Simon Chananeus the Apostle 1016 Simple Who are simple eod Sinagogue What a Sinagogue is 1017. Singing The meaning of the places eod When it was brought into the Church 1018. The iudgment of the learned concerning singing eod When plaine song prickesong and Descant were brought into the Church 1020. Single life What the fruits thereof are among the Priests eod Sinne. The definition of sinne 1022. What sinne is eod How euerie sinne is mortall 1023. The Doctours saiengs in that matter 1024. How God ordeined sinne and yet is not the author thereof 1025. The cause of sinne is not to be layed to God eod How all sinne is both deadly and veniall eod How it is not of Gods creation in man 1026. How it entered into the world eod How Christ is called sinne eo How no man can pardon sin but Christ. 1027. To sinne against the holy Ghost what it is eod Wherfore the holy Ghost will rebuke the world of sinne 1028. Of sinne vnto death how it is declared 1029. How our sinne is made Christs sin 1031. How sinne is forgiuen in Baptime eod Sin offering what was ment therby eo Solde vnder sinne eod Sion What Sion is 1032. What the daughters of Sion signifieth eod Sir How men of countenance may be called Sir eod Sirtes What the Sirtes were eod Sister how Abraham made his wife to say she was his sister 1033. Sit. what it is to sit in the temple of God eod What it is to sit on the right haÌ„d of God eo What it is to sit in the dust eod Why they sat not at the eating of passeouer 1034. Sixe What it is to deliuer out of six c. eo What time of the day the sixt houre was 1035. Sleepe Now sleepe is taken in Scrip eod What Dauid meant by this sleepe 1036. The meaning of the place eod How God is said to sleepe eod Slime What slime is 1037. Smirna What Smirna was eod Snare What the snare signifieth eod The meaning of tâ—e place eod Snow Of the ingendering of snow 1038. Solde What it is to be sold vnder sinne eo Sonne of man what is meant by the sonne of man eod How the sonne is punished for the Fathers fault 1039. Sonne of God How Christ is proued so to be 1040. Of his deliuering vp his kingdome eod How he is equall to his father 1041. Who are the sonnes of God eod How we are borne the sonnes of God 1042. Sophist what a Sophist was and what now 1043. Sorrow Of godly sorrow worldly sorrow eod How Christ ouercame the sorrowes of death 1044. Souldier what the profession of a souldier is eod The meaning of the place eo Soule The diuerse taking of the word 1045. How Christs soule was heauie 1046. Of Christs soule descending into hell eo Wherein the soule of man and beast doe differ eod Of the apparition of soules eod Of soules departed 1048 The meaning of the place eod How Satan hath no part of the soule of the godly 1049. How the soules departed know nothing what c. eod Sound How Caluine vseth this worde Sound 1050. Sowe what it is to sow in the flesh 1051. Spittle How Christ made clay with his spittle eod Spiders web What it is to weaue the Spiders web 1052. Spirit how the word spirit is vnderstood eodem How the spirit of God maketh intercession for vs. eod Who is of the spirit of truth and who is not eod Of yâ— spirit that Christ promised to send 1053. Why the holy Ghost is called the spirit of truth eod Of the spirit of southsaieng eod Of the spirits of the Prophets eod Of the spirits in prison eod How to serue God in spirit 1054. Spirituall who they be that be spiritual eo Of the spirituall house 1055. Of the spirituall eating of Christs body eod Spitting What is meant by spitting in hir face eod Sprinkling What is meant by the sprinkling of bloud 1056. Staffe What it is to goe with a staffe eod What the staffe of Gods mouth signifieth eod What the staffe of bread signifieth eod Stained clothes eod Starre What the starre was that appered to the Magies eod How the moone and starres are vncleâ—â— in Gods sight 1957. Of the seauen starres called Pleiades eo How the good instructors shall shine as starres eod How starres presage nothing eod Steward Of the vniust steward eod Stoikes What they were 1058 What certeine of their opinions were eo Stone Of the stone that Iosua pitched vp eodem Of the stumbling stone and who shall stumble thereat 1059. What stones in this place signifieth eod Of the stone cut out of the mountaine eo Who is the corner stone 1060. Who is the stone full of eyes eod Straite gate What it doth signifie eod Subiection Of Christs subiection to his father eod Sucoth 1061. Superstition What it is and how it is defined eod
none other paines then be in this world The fift that the generall iudgement is past and that there is none to come The sixt that it is not lawfull for anie man to swere The seuenth that a man hath no fréewil called in latine Liberum arbitrium The eight that the matter whereof the world was made was not made of God but is coeternall with God The ninth that there is no originall sin Also that sinne conuneth not of frée-will but of the diuell The tenth they denied that the bodie should eftsoones arise at the daie of iudgement The eleuenth they abiected all the olde Testament as a vaine thing and of no authoritie Eliote ALBIGENSES The opinion of these heretikes THese were heretikes which began by Tolonce in Fraunce the yeare of our Lord. 120. which helde the heresies of the Albanenses touching the soule of man that after death the soule was put into an other bodie And that Baptisme was of none effect And that there was two Gods the one good and the other euill And that the generall iudgement was past And beside that they said it was not lawfull for a Christian man to eate flesh Eliote ALLEGORIE What the nature of an Allegorie is AN Allegorie is that which is one in words and an other in sentence and meaning It is as much to saie as straunge speaking or borrowed speach as when we saie of a wanton childe This Shéepe hath maggattes in his taile hée must bée annointed with Byrchin salue which speach I borrowe of the Shepheard c. Tindale An Allegorie is when the words are not transferred from the proper signification but sound one thing and couertlie shew foorth an other thing as when it is said that pearles are not to bée giuen to Swine héere euerie worde kéepeth still his proper signification and in them is taught that the precious doctrine of God ought not to bée sette foorth vnto impudent and obstinate men c. Pet. Mart. vpon the Romaines fol. 327. What the true vse of an Allegorie is First Allegories proue nothing And by Allegories vnderstand examples or similitudes borrowed of straunge matters and of an other thing then that thou intreatest off And though circumcision be a figure of Baptisme yet thou canst not proue Baptisme by circumcision For this argument were féeble The Israelites were circumcised therefore wée must bee baptised And in like manner though the offering of Isaac were a figure or example of the resurrection yet is this argument naught Abraham would haue offered vp Isaac but God deliuered him from death therefore wée shall rise againe and so of all other But the verie vse of Allegories is to declare and open a text that it maie be the better perceiued and vnderstoode As when I haue a cleare text of Christ and of his Apostles that I must bée baptised then I maie borrowe an example of circumcision to expresse the nature power fruite or effect of Baptisme For as circumcision was vnto them a common badge signifieng that they were all souldiers of God to warre his warre and seperating them from all other nations disobedient vnto God Euen so Baptisme is our common badge and sure earnest and perpetuall memoriall that wée perteine vnto Christ and are separated from all that are not Christes And as circumcision was a token certefieng them that they were receiued vnto the fauour of GOD and their sinnes forgiuen them Euen so Baptisme certifieth vs that we are washed in the bloud of Christ and receiued to fauour for his sake And as circumcision signified vnto them the cutting away of their owne lusts and slaieng of their fréewill as they call it to followe the will of God euen so Baptisme signifieth vnto vs repentaunce and the mortification of our vnrulie members and bodies of sinne to walke in a newe life and so foorth Tindale fol. 15. Of two kinde of Allegories There are two kindes of Allegories For some are set foorth vnto vs by holie Scripture as Christ is Ionas who was in the heart of the earth thrée daies as he was in the bellie of the Whale Againe that he is Salomon or the serpent hanged vp in the desert or the Lambe And that the two sonnes of Abraham are two testaments Those I saie for as much as they are found in the holie Scriptures maie in no wise bée reiected but are firme places whereby when néede requireth maie bée proued doctrines There are other allegories which men through their owne iudgement and reason finde out whom indéede wée confesse that they maie followe their owne fantasie so that they beware of two things First that they deuise nothing that is repugnaunt to sound doctrine Secondlie that they obtrude not those their deuises as naturall and proper sences of the holie Scripture Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 345. ALL. How this word All is taken AND all the cattell of Aegipt died ¶ This word all is not taken heere for euerie one but a great number or of all sorts of cattell some as 1. Tim. 2. 1. T. M. How this place God will haue all men saued is vnderstood God will haue all men saued ¶ That is will haue the Gospell preached to all men without exception offer to all men repentance and will haue all men praied for Tindale ¶ The meaning of this foresaid text is that God hath chosen of euerie estate condition order or degrée of men whom he will haue to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth Whereby we do learne that God doth as well choose the king as the subiect and as well the subiect as the king as well the riche as the poore and as well the poore as the rich And that there is no estate or condition of life out of the which he will not haue some to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth I. Veron ¶ Héere we learne that God refuseth no nation whether they be Iewes or Heathen Also that he refuseth no estate whether they be poore or rich king or subiect it is all one to him he hath no respect of persons but will haue his Gospell to be preached vnto al nations estates that such as be preordinated vnto life maie come to the knowledge of the truth Sir I. Cheeke ¶ We take it to be spoken of all estates and kindes of men namelie that God will haue some of all kinde of men to be saued which interpretation agreeth excellentlie well with the purpose of the Apostle He had commanded that praiers supplications shuld be made for all men especiallie for kings and those which haue publike authoritie that vnder them we maie liue a quiet life in all pietie chastitie And therefore to declare that no estate or kinde of men is excluded he added That God will haue all men saued As if he should haue said no man is letted by that vocation and degrée wherein he is placed so that it be not repugnaunt to the
of good fridaie which we after our counting of yâ— clock do take to be toward night as it were about 3. of yâ— clocke in yâ— after noone vntil yâ— dawning of Easter daie in yâ— morning But I doubt of this doctrine saith yâ— Author and yâ— for two causes Once we read yâ— Christ hanging vpon yâ— crosse did giue vp his soule commending it into the handes tuition of his Father saieng Pater in manus c. Againe we read that Christ hanging vpon the crosse said to the good théefe that said Remember me O Lord when thou shalt come into thy kingdome Christ answered yâ— thiefe saidâ— Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso This day thou shalt be with are in paradise weigh these words wel First Christ said Hodie to day yâ— is to say immediatly after thy soule shal depart out of thy body MecuÌ„ eris Thou shalt be yâ— me wher In Paradiso in paradise what shal we cal paradise Shal we not vnderstaÌ„d yâ— kingdoÌ„e of heuen by paradise séeing yâ— théefe said Remember me wheÌ„ thou coÌ„mest into thy kingdom wher is Christs kingdoe but in heauen Lyra doth wrest this word paradise to signifie LimbuÌ„ sanctoruÌ„ patruÌ„ But Theophilactus grauÌ„teth yâ— paradise the kingdoÌ„ of heaueÌ„ is all one thing in vnderstaÌ„ding yet he séemeth to lene to this conclusioÌ„ Quod Christâ—s euÌ„ menâ—e ingressus est paradisuÌ„ in infernuÌ„ desceÌ„det cuÌ„ aâ—ima And yet he denieth yâ— théefe had yâ— fulnes of glory yea or yâ— the soules of yâ— patriarks other saints departed in of yâ— faith of Christ haue yâ— fulnesse of ioyes glory which they shal haue at yâ— day of dome wheÌ„ yâ— body yâ— soule shal be vnited together yet he graunteth yâ— the théefs soule went straight to yâ— kingdoÌ„e of heaueÌ„ S. Augustine in an epistle yâ— he wrote to Euodius affir moth plainly Quod anima Christi descendit ad infernos yâ— Christ in his soule while his bodie laie dead in yâ— graue went downe into hell whom Saint Bede doth follow Saint Hierome in his commentaries that he written vppon yâ— Psalter Si tamen Hieronimi sint hath these words Non derelinques qua ipsa ad inferna defcendit vt electos suos eijcerit diabolos ligaret qua antea iactitabat se esse omniuÌ„ DominuÌ„ nunc omnium seruus And therfore S. Hierome in a certeine Epistle hath these words Quid homine imbecilius qui a carne sua vincitur quid ita homine Christi aut fortius qui diabolum mundum vincit But how Quia omnia possum in eo qui me confortat Because we put our trust in the name of Iesus which bad vs be bold vpon him saieng Confidete a me quia ego vici mundum To tell you more of their mindes that say that Christ went downe into hell in his soule Saint Gregorie and certeine other doe adde and saie moreouer Quod anima Christi passasiâ— apud inferos And that when Iohn Baptist béeing in prison and hearing of the myracles of Christ sending to Christ two of his Disciples with this message saieng Tu es qui venturus an alium expectamus The meaning of Saint Iohn was this Art thou he or shall wée looke for an other not meaning whether he were the true Messias incarnate for then he must haue said Tu es quivenisti an alium expectamus but Iohn said Tu es qui venturus an alium expectamus Meaning saith Saint Gregorie that where now I am in prison and sée nothing but present death what shall I in my soule like as I haue bene thy preacher and thy fore runner héere iu earth shall I in my soule also preach vnto the soules departed in the faith of thée to come These bée Saint Gregories words Debeo te nunciare inferis qui te nunciam superis As touching the second opinion that Christ descended into hell not personalie in his soule Sed in spiritu Hoc est viuifica mortis sua virtute that is by the might and power of his redeÌ„mption that he made vpon the crosse This opinion I haue not saue onelie in the learned writers of this our age which doe proue their opinion true by the wordes of Saint Peter written in his first Epistle in the third and fourth Chapters which places vndoubtedlie are verie notable These bée the wordes of Saint Peter in the third Chapter Christus in spiriâ—u 〈…〉 spiritibus â—ui 〈…〉 careete â—raâ—t prâ—dicaâ—it Christ in spirit that is to sale in the power of his Godhead and inerites of his manhood and vertue of his passion went and preached vnto the Saints that were in prison Of the spirites that were in prison at the time of Christs suffering vnder Pontius Pilate ther wer two sundrie sorts good bad the soules of Infidels the soules of vngodlie wicked liuers in this wretched world as Cain Nemroth the Sodomits Gomoreanâ— the Philistines the Iebusites Iudas the traitor with his fellowes And the soules of the Patriarchs Adam Abel Seth Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid and all other soules of holie men and faithfull beléeuers in Christ to come All flesh both good and badde were in prison till at the suffering of Christ vpon the Crosse but yet not all in one prison The soules of the Saints that is of good men were by themselues in one societie or fellowship which the Gospell calleth the Bosome of Abraham and S. Peter calleth it a prison in respect of the infinite pleasures To both these sorts of spirits or soules Christ preached but after a sundry sort To the good sort he preached redemption satisfaction for their sinnes paied by Christ vpon the crosse and therevpon receiued them into heauen vnto himselfe To the soules of the sinfull he preached perpetuall paines in Hell neuer to haue ende but bound and to burne continuallie with the Diuell whom they did serue when they were aliue Of the wicked and damned soules S. Peter giueth an example by whome all the world maie take héede Of the good soules he giueth no example But of the damned soules he giueth now example by them that liued iâ— Noesâ— time that were disobedient to the preaching of Noe when the long suffering of God abode excéeding patientlie but in conclusion there were no moe saued from drowning sauing onelie eight persons That the meaning of S. Peter in the third chapter should be this that I haue recited That is that Christ in the spirit that is in the power and vertue of his passion descended into hell these learned and godlie writers do proue by the exposition that Saint Peter maketh of his owne words in the next Chapter following where he saith thus Mortuis euangelizatum est vt iudicentur quidem secundum homines in carne viuant autem secundum Deum in spiritu The Gospell was preached vnto the dead that they should bée iudged in the flesh after the fashion of men but in the Spiritshould
sinke into it It made Balaam which knewe all the trueth of GOD to hate it and to giue most pestilent counsell against it It taught the false prophets in the olde Testament to interpret the Law of God falslie c. It kept Iudas in vnbeliefe c. And compelled him to sell Christ vnto the Scribes and Pharesies for couetousnesse is a thing mercilesse Couetousnesse made the Pharisies to lye on Christ to persecute and falselie to accuse him It made Pilate though he found him an Innocent yet to slaie him It caused Herode to persecute Christ in his cradle It maketh hypocrites to persecute the truth against their owne conscience c. Finallie Couetousnes maketh manie whom the truth pleaseth at the beginning to cast it vp againe and to be afterwarde the most cruell enimies thereof after the ensample of Symon Magus Act. 8. Tindale fol. 230. Through Couetousnesse shall they with fained words make marchandise of you c. ¶ False Prophets must néedes be among vs and also preuaile and that because we haue no loue vnto the truth And Couetousnesse is the father of them and their preaching confidence in workes is the denieng of Christ. Tindale ¶ This is euidentlie séene in the Pope and his Priests which by lies and flatteries sel mens soules so that it is certaine that he is not the successour of Symon Peter but of Symon Magus Geneua COVNCELS Of a Councell a little before that Christ reuealed himselfe THere was a Councell gathered together at Hierusalem a little before yâ— Christ reueled himselfe to chuse a Priest in the roome of one that was deceased Looke how manie letters there are in the Hebrue tongue so manie Priests there were in the Temple to wit 22. The manner was to register in a certaine â—ooke reserued in the Temple the daie of the election the name of the elected the name of his father of his mother and of his Tribe Whilest that they thought some on one man some on another ther stepped forth a Priest one of the multitude said My wil is that Iesus the sonne of Ioseph the carpenter be elected Priest who though he be young in yeares yet passeth he in vtteraunce wisedome and manners I thinke trulie there was neuer séene in Hierusalem such a one both for eloquence life and manners the which I am sure all that inhabite Hierusalem doe knowe as well as I. The which was no sooner spoken but was allowed of and the partie I meane Iesus chosen to be a Priest They doubt of his Tribe againe they wer therin resolued They call for his parents to register their names The Priest that sauoured Iesus made aunswere that Ioseph his father was dead yet Mary his mother was a liue She was brought before them she affirmed that she was his mother and that Iesus was hir sonne But she said moreouer that hée had no father on earth that she was a Uirgin and the holie Ghost had ouershadowed hir They sent for the Midwiues and also for such as had bene present at the birth she was found to be a virgin In the ende they concluded with one voice that hée should be registred Iesus the Sonne of God and of Mary the virgin We remember moreouer Iosephus to haue said that Iesus sacrificed in the Temple together with the Priests Héerevpon also it fell out that as Iesus entered into the Synagogue of the Iewes the booke was deliuered vnto him where he read of the Prophet Esay whereby we gather that if Iesus had not bene Priest among the Iewes the bóoke would not haue bene deliuered vnto him Neither is it permitted amongst vs Christians for anie to read holie Scripture in the open assemblie vnlesse he be of the Cleargie So farre Suidas as he learned of a Iewe. A Councell of the Scribes and Pharisies The Scribes and the Pharisies gathered a Councel at Hierusalem and sent from them Scribes Pharisies and Leuites vnto Iohn Baptist to know who and what he was Ioh. 1. 19. A Councell of the high Priests and Pharisies The high Priestes and Pharisies gathered a Councell in the hall of the high Priest to aduise them what was best to be done touching the doings of Christ. If they let him alone then feared they least the Romanes came and tooke their place Nation They decréed therein that whosoeuer knewe the place of his abode he should enforme them thereof they decréed also that whosoeuer confessed Christ shuld be excommunicated they consulted how they might put Lazaâ—us to death and how they might take Iesus by subtiltie and kill him Then Iudas went in to them and said what will ye giue me I will deliuer him into your hands and they appointed him 30. péeces of siluer Iohn 12. 12. Mat. 26. 3. A Councell of the Scribes Pharisies and Elders The Scribes Pharisies Elders hearing that Christ was risen from the dead gathered a Councell for to suppresse the rumor thereof and concluded that a péece of moneie should be giuen to the souldiers for saieng that his disciples stole him away by night Mat. 28. 12. Councells helde of the Apostles The Apostles immediatelie after the Ascension of our Sauiour returned from Mount Oliuet to Hierusalem and ther assembled together for the election of one to succéede in the roome of Iudas the traitor where they chose Mathias A Councell is summoned of the Apostles and disciples of Christ at Hierusalem for the remouing of the tumult risen betwéene the Grecians and the Hebrwes about the contemning of their widowes wherein they chose 7. Deacons The Apostles Elders and Bretheren gathered a Councell at Hierusalem Anno. 4. Claudij to determine what was to be done touching the doctrine sowed by certaine bretheren of the Pharisies which came from Iudaea affirming that Circumcision was necessarie the obseruation of the Lawe This newes Paule Barnabas and Titus brought vnto them Gal. 2. Where they decréed that the faithfull should abstaine from things offered to Idolls from bloud from that that is strangled and from fornication the which they published by their letters vnto the Church of Antioch Syria and Cilicia with Silas and Iudas which accompanied Paule and Barnabas Beda Lyra. Iames Bishop of Hierusalem Paule and the Elders summoned a Councell at Hierusalem for the remouing of the slaunder bruted by the Iewes of Paule that he was no obseruer of the Lawe that he spake against Moses wherefore for the remouing of this suspition and for the winning of the bretheren the Councell decréed that Paule should cleare him and purisie himselfe according vnto the Lawe yéelding a little for a time vnto the Ceremonies of the Lawe Of certaine generall Councells At Nicena was called a generall Councell in yâ— which the Emperour Constantine was present with 318. Bishops by whome was determined against Arrius that the Sonne was equall with the Father Which decrée was confirmed by the Emperour and Arrius with 6. Bishops banished This Councell willing to reforme the
healing that a man maie be saued by another mans faith for this man was healed by the faith of the men and not by his owne because he could not heare for faith commeth by hearing To this it maie be said there is a difference betwéene corporall benefites and euerlasting saluation But no mans faith can stand in steed for another touching saluation Now Christ loosed the tongue of the deafe and then being called vpon of him hée gaue him faith and so the dumbe man was healed by his owne faith DENIENG OF GOD. How and when men doe denie God ANd denie God which is the onelie Lord c. ¶ Men truly denie God when they ascribe their iustification or forgiuenesse of sinnes to anie creature or to anie worke by the might and power of the worke to anie Indulgence or Pardon to Masses to holie Bread to kissing of Images and such like and not to Christ Iesus and to his bloud shed for vs to obtaine vs remission of sinnes by whose bloud onelie we were washed from â—ur sinnes as S. Iohn saith Apoc. 1. 5. He hath washed vs in his owne bloud from our sinnes They denie the Lord which ascribe remission of sinnes to anie other thing then vnto Christ and his bloud which thing false Prophettes doth denieng their Master Bibliander DEEPE What the Deepe signifieth OUt of the Déepe call I vnto thée O Lord c. ¶ By the Déepe is vnderstood the aduersitie wherein the people of Israel was when they were scattered among the Chaldes Unto vs christen it signifieth the aduersitie trouble miserie which hapneth to vs for our offences and sinnes T. M. DESPERATION What an offence Desperation is SAint Hierom affirmeth the offence of Iudas to be greater in dispairing of the mercie of God then in betraieng Christ. And that Cain stirred God more to anger through desperation of pardon then by the slaughter of his brothers bloud Manie which haue persecuted Christ being conuerted beléeuing in him haue obtained pardon and are made examples to man that he ought not to distrust the remission of his wickednes seing the death of our sauiour is forgiuen to the penitent Let no man dispaire of Gods mercie and goodnesse Let him that is weake and cannot do that he would faine doe not dispaire but turne to him that is strong and hath promised to giue strength to all that aske of him in Christs name and complaine to God and desire him to fulfill his promise to God cominit himselfe And he shall of his mercie and truth strengthen him and make him féele with what loue he is beloued for Christs sake though he be neuer so weake Tindale The meanes to keepe vs from Despaire in time of afflictions To knowe Gods righteousnesse and to be fullie perswaded of it is a meane to bring vs to patience Howbeit that wée must match another Article with it that is to wit wée must alwaies thinke that GOD in afflicting vs doth not cease to loue vs yea that he will procure our saluation what rigour soeuer he vse towards vs so as all our afflictions shall bee asswaged through his grace and he will giue them a gladsome ende Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 139. DESTINIE SAint Augustine in Opusculo 82. questionum quest 45. Confuting soundlie the destinies of Planets among other his reasons saith The conceiuing of Twinnes in the mothers wombe because it is made in one and the same act as the Phisitians testifie whose discipline is farre more certaine and manifest then that of the Astrologers doth happen in so small a moment of time that ther is not so much time as two minutes of a minute betwixt the conceiuing of the one and the other How therefore commeth it that in Twinnes of one burden there is so great a diuersitie of déedes wills and chaunces considering that they of necessitie must needes haue one the same Planet in their conception and that the Mathematicalls doe giue the constellation of them both as it it were but of one man To these wordes of Saint Augustine saith Bullinger great light maie be aded if you annexe to them and examine narrowlie the example of Esau and Iacobs birth and sundrie dispositions The same Augustine writing to Boniface against two Epistles of the Pelâ—gians li. 2. cap. 6. saith They which affirme that Destinie doth rule will haue not onelie our déedes and euents but also our verie wills to depend vpon the placing of the starres as the time wherein euerie man is either conceiued or borne which placing they are wont to call Constellations but the grace of God doth not onelie goe aboue all starres and heauens but also aboue the verie Angells themselues Bullinger fol. 480. ¶ Looke Astrologie Fortune Chaunce DESTROIE NOT. The meaning of this place DEstroie not ¶ Or thou shalt not destroie or make awaie as some will By this he signifieth after the mind of Kimhi that he twice withstood and stilled his Souldiers which moued him to destroie and kill Saule Ezra thinketh it to be a certaine tune and manner of singing T. M. DEATH What Death is by the minde of Secundus the Philosopher WHen Adrian the Emperour had heard Secundus the Philosopher in the seuerall Oration he made of a noble Romane Matron a kinswoman of the Emperours he asked of him what death was to whom the philosopher answered thus Death is an eternall sléepe a dissolution of the bodie a terror of the rich a desire of yâ— poore a thing inheritable a pilgrimage vncertaine a théefe of man a kinde of sléeping a seperation of the liuing a companie of the dead a resolution of all a rest of trauailes an end of all idle desires Finallie death is yâ— scourge of all euill and the chiefe reward of the good ¶ We call death the loosing asunder and departing of two things the soule from the bodie yâ— which departing no man can escape but necessarilie die all we must that be borne in this world When the bodie by anie violence looseth his senses is spoiled from the quicke vse of his principall parts theâ—â— departeth the soule from him in manner the bodie leaueth yâ— soule before the soule leaueth the bodie For it is not yâ— soule by himselfe yâ— goeth from the bodie but it is the bodie by himselfe sorsaking life that causeth the soule to depart c. Lupset How the Diuell hath power of Death The Diuell hath yâ— power of death that is â—he is the authour of it by his malitious nature he brought it into the worlde for God made it not nor hath anie delight in it neither is it good in his eies nor was neuer mentioned among yâ— works of his hands but from the Diuell and of the Diuell and in the Diuell it began and is and videth And therfore in the Apocalips his name is giuen him Abaddon that is the destroier and as death is of him so for this cause also he is said to haue the power of it
husband or wife doe violate the promise of the bed the chast wife maie forsake her husband if he bee a fornicatour as wel as the husband maie put awaie his wife if shée haue plaied the whoore Marl. fol. 420. It is said whosoeuer putteth awaie his wife lette him giue her a letter of diuorcement ¶ These words doe perteine to the lawe of eschewing adulterie and doe teach that truelie and vndefiledly we ought to keepe the faith of wedlocke For euen as the Iewes thought that they behaued themselues falsely and amisse before God if they kéepe not the lawe after a politike order Euen so againe whatsoeuer the politike or morall lawe did not prohibite they fondlie imagined that it was at their plesure Moses in respect of the externall order did not forbidde the diuorsements with their wiues which wer woÌ„t to be obserued but onelie to take awaie the occasion of lust for it was a certeine testimonie of manâ—mission of frée libertie that euer after the woman might be frée from the bondage and power of the man and also the man by the same did acknowledge and confesse that he did not put awaie his wife for anie crime or fault but because the did not please him Marl. fol. 101. How the Bill of diuorcement was made Some write that the Bill of Diuorcement mencioned in the fift of Mathewe was made after this forme following as should appeare by a copie taken out of the lawe of the Hebrues This Bill made the 29. daie of Iune in the yeare of the creation of the world 5030. witnesseth that I H. K. the sonne of W. K. dwelling in the citie of London haue well aduised my self no man constraining me and haue dimist and set at libertie and left thée A. K. to thy self which hast bene héeretofore my wife and nowe hauing dimist thée and set thée frée I giue the leaue to do what thou wilt to go and giue thy selfe to wife to whom so euer it shal please thée In witnes wherof I giue vnto thée this Bill of diuorcement dimissorie Epistle beeing an instrument of libertie according to yâ— law of Moses Marl. fol. 102. Whie the Iewes were suffered to be diuorced The Iewes were suffered by the lawe for their weaknesse sake to be diuorced from their wiues giuing them a Testimoniall in their hands to auoide a further inconuenience yâ— was least when they were moued or angrie with them they would either haue poisoned or killed them The meaning of these places following Whosoeuer marrieth her that is put awaie from her husband committeth adulterie ¶ They that gather by this place that a man cannot be married againe after he hath putte awaie his wife for adulterie while she liueth reson fondlie For Christ speaketh of these diuorses which the Iewes vsed of which sort we cannot take the diuorcement for adulterie for adulterers were put to death by the lawe Let not man therefore put a sunder that which God hath coupled together ¶ He that putteth awaie his wife for adulterie or fornication doth not put asunder that which God hath coupled for it is GOD himselfe which commaundeth such to be stoned to death that doth separate them Where is the Bill of your mothers diuorcement c. God was not the cause whie the congregation of the Iewes which is vnderstood by mother was once his spouse was diuorsed forsaken but their owne offence diuorsed them was the cause whie they were sold to the vsurer c giuen ouer into the hands of the Gentiles or heathen and sparkled among the Medians Persians Babilonians Grecians and Romaneâ—s T. M. DOO Whatsoeuer God willeth to doe is well done THou shalt not doe that which is good in thine owne eies but doe that onelie which I commaund thee ¶ Upon this place Saint Iohn Chrisostome in his Oration against the Iewes saith thus Of a truth that which is done according to the will of God although it seeme to be wicked yet it is altogether pleasant and acceptable before God Contrariwise whatsoeuer is done beside the word of GOD and otherwise then he wil haue it done though it be as a thing acceptable to God yet it is of all other the worst and most wicked D. Wilson in his booke against vsurie fol. 182. How the doers of the lawe are iustified For before God they are not righteous which heare the lawe but the doers of the lawe shall be iustified ¶ That is shall be pronounced iust and righteous This sentence is onely spoken to the rebuke of the Iewes setting no small store by themselues in that behalfe of the lawe which yet they kept not This thing laieth Paule to their charge on this wise It is not inough for thée O thou Iewe to heare the law onelie to be a professour therof and a leaner vnto it but if thou wilt needs be iustified and made righteous in the sight of God by the law as thou so greatlie crakest then must thou kéepe the lawe not onelie heare it now that doest thou not out art guiltie of the breaking of it and therefore must thou haue an other waie to become righteous in the sight of God then by the keeping of the lawe which is as this whole Epistle doth after and before plainlie proue faith that fastlie beleeueth sinnes to be forgiuen fréelie by Christ not for our workes or deseruinges no not wheÌ„ we haue done the best yâ— we can And to this purpose doth Saint Ambrose writing on this selfe text expound Paule saieng Not they are righteous which heare the lawe but which beléeue in Christ whome the lawe promised affirming plainlie that to beléeue in him is to doe the lawe Tindale The Apostle in this place goeth about to rifell the foolishnesse of the Iewes which supposed that the hearing and vnderstanding of the lawe was sufficient to the accomplishing of the same although they in no part fulfilled it which Saint Paule héere confuteth as though he would saie vnto them You bragge that you are iustified by the lawe where in no part ye doe fulfill the lawe but bragging of a little superficiall vnderstanding of the lawe perswade your selues straight that you doe fulfill the lawe as though the accomplishing of the lawe consisted in knowledge and vnder standing and not in fulfilling but heerein you are deceiued for not the heares but the dooers of the law are instified And because none fullie accomplisheth the law so absolutelie as Gods iustice requireth therefore our iustification commeth not by the lawe where of the Iewes bragâ—â—d Rom. 10. and therefore in the same Chapter the Apostle concludeth thus Nam perfecto c. for Christ is the fulfilling of the law to iustifie all that beleeue â— Gough So that ye bee dooers of the worde and not hearers onelye deceiuing your selues For if 〈…〉 hâ—are the worde and declareth not the same by his workes he is like vnto a manâ— beholding his bodilie face in a glasse and so
the word of God should be saued by the fiâ—e of this examination F. N. B. the Italian If anie man build vpon this foundation golde siluer precious stones wood haie or stubble c. Heere the Apostle woulde haue vs to be feruent in good workes and earnest to doe wel he wisheth vs to be occupied in yâ— labouâ— which when the iudge of all shall come maie in his sight be acceptable maie to his word be commendable and that we should well beware what works we build vpon our foundation he plainlie sheweth that at the last daie all our dâ—â—ing shall be opened and that then the same shall be so tried as the golde-smith in fining his mettalls trieth out the drosse and base matter from the pure perfect and fine The daie saith he of our Lord shall declare it because it shall appeare in fire The daie of our Lord is the daie of iudgement the thing is so plaine as no man though he be verie peruerse maie denie it But when shall it appeare in fire euen then at the generall iudgement so is the Text. This place is onelye spoken of those which shall be saued of such as build vpon Iesus Christ vpon which foundation as all cannot builde golde precious stones and siluer as all cannot be perfect neither by martirdome be crowned nor yet by good learning shine like the starres of heauen So thereon building being bâ—t wood or haie be it but verie stubble though the worke it selfe be in the ende burned though he himselfe receiue no such reward as yâ— others yet shall he be saued and hom As it were through fire Not through fire but through the greate feare wherein he then shall stand of the iustice and iudgement of God O how comfortable is this doctrine How farre passeth it all their painted fires and â—ained flames of Purgatorie You see now that the Scripture admitteth no such place you sée the right meaning of the Apostle c. L. Euans The meaning of these places following And he heard him from heauen in fire vpon the Altar of whole burnt offerings ¶ God declared that he heard his request in that he sent downe fire from heauen for els they might vse no fire but of that which was reserued still vppon the Altar Leuit. Chap. 6. 13. and came downe from heauen Chap. 9. 14. as appeareth by the punishment of Nadab and Abihu Leuit. cap. 10. â— Geneua Shal be worthie to be punished with heâ—fire ¶ The Iewes vsed foure kindes of punishments before their gouernement was taken awaie by Herode hanging beheading stoning and burning This is it that Christ shot at because burning was the greatest punishment therefore in that he maketh mention of a iudgement a counsell and a fire he sheweth that some sins are worse then other some but yet they are all such yâ— we must giue an account for them and shall be punished for them Beza FIGGE-TREE Of the Figge-tree that Christ cursed ANd spied a Figge-trée in the waie and came to it and found nothing thereon but leaues onelie ¶ By this Figge-tree Christ doth sufficient lie shew that the Iews although they had an appearaunce of holinesse by their ceremonies yet neuerthelesse they had not the fruite of charitie by which he signified yâ— they should worthely be depriued put from this false appearance by the destructioÌ„ of Hierusalem Mar. 13. 2. Luk. 21. 6. Tin Cut it downe whie combereth it the ground ¶ Unles we do beléeue also bring foorth fruite worthie repentance we shall with the vnprofitable figge-trée be cut downe also our talent shall be taken from vs and giuen vnto an other that shall put it to better vse Sir I. Cheeke FIGVRE Proues how the bread in the Sacrament is a figure of Christs bodie THe Lord doubted not to saie This is my bodie when hée gaue a signe of his bodie And after in the same Chapter he expoundeth it For trulie so the bloud is the soule Christ was the stone And yet the Apostle doth not say the stone did signifie Christ but he saith the stone was Christ. ¶ Héere Christ calleth the figure of his bodie his bodie saith S. Austen doth compare the thrée texts of scripture This is my bodie The bloud is the soule Christ was the stone Declaring them to be one phrase and to be expounded after one fashion August contraâ— Adam The Priest saith make vs this â—â—lation acceptable c. For it is a figure of the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ. ¶ Héere he calleth it plainlie a figure of Christs bodie Ambrose li. 3. de Sacra â—et that saieng be expounded by a figure I saie the thing that is spoken is not true indéede but figured vnder the cloude of an allegorie Hieromâ— aduers. 〈…〉 Ye haue heard that it is a figure Therefore meruaile not â— And béeing a figure require not al things to agrée for otherwise it were no figure Chrisostome in Gen. Homil. 35. First of all thou must take heede that thou take not a figuratiue speach according to the letter for that is it wherof Saint Paule saith The letter killeth For when the thing that is spoken vnder a figure is so taken as if it wer plainlie spoken ther is a fleshlie vnderstanding neither is there anie thing that may better be called the death of the soule August de doct Chri. li. 3. ca. 5. Figures be in vaine serue for no purpose when the things of them signified be present Lactan. insti li. 2. â—ap 1. A figure of a bodie saith Tertulian presupposeth a verie naturall bodie for of a shew or a fancie ther can be no figure But Christ gaue vnto his Disciples a figure of his bodie therefore it must needs follow that Christ had a verie naturall bodie His words be these Christ taking the bread and distributing it to his Disciples made it his bodie saieng This is my bodie that is to say This is a figure of my bodie but a figure it could not bée vnlesse there were a bodie of a truth and indeede for a voide thing as is a fantasie can receiue no figure Tertulian contra Mar. li. 4. There is a figure saith Hilarie for bread and wine be outwardlie seene And there is also a truth of that figure for the bodie and bloud of Christ be of a truth inwardlie seene This Hilarie was within lesse then 350. yeares after Christ. Crisostome affirmeth saieng that if a man vnderstand the words of Christ carnallie he shal surelie profit nothing therby For what meane these words the flesh auaileth nothing He meant not his flesh God forbid but he ment of them that fleshlie and carnallie vnderstood those things that Christ spake But what is carnall vnderstanding To vnderstand the words simplie as they be spoken nothing else For we ought not so to vnderstand the things which we see But all mysteries must be considered
The Gospell is the word of grace Act. 14. 20. The Lawe is the word of dispaire Deut. 27. The Gospell is the word of comfort Luke 2. The Lawe is the word of vnrest Rom. 7. The Gospell is the worde of peace Eph. 6. LAZARVS How the poore and rich are matched together RIches are not condemned in themselues as we sée how our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed vs by matching the poore and the rich together in the kingdome of heauen when he speaketh of Lazarus in S. Luke He saith there that the Angels carried Lazarus for albeit he was an out-cast among men and a poore creature of whom no account was made insomuch that he was forsaken of all men yet neuerthelesse behold how yâ— Angels carrie his soule into Abrahams bosome And what was this Abraham A man rich both in cattell monie in householde and in all other things sauing houses and lands for these were not lawfull for him to haue because it behoued him to tarrie Gods leasure till he gaue him the land of Canaan to inherit True it is that he purchased a burieng place but he had not anie inheritance notwithstanding that his moueables wer verie great Therefore when we sée the soule of Lazarus carried by the Angels into the bosome of Abraham who is the Father of the faithfull we perceiue that God of his infinite grace and goodnesse calleth both rich and poore vnto saluation Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 7. Of the loosing of Lazarus Loose him and let him goe ¶ This was commaunded to be done to amplifie the glory of the myracle yâ— the Iewes might féele with their hands the work of God which they saw with their eies For he which had sent away death with the power of his word could either haue made the graue clothes to haue falne of by their owne accord or els yâ— Lazarus should haue vnwound himself But Christ would haue the hands of the standers by to be witnesse of the same But too rediculous are yâ— Papists which vpon this place ground their auricular confession Christ saye they wold haue Lazarus after he had restored him to life to bée loosed by his disciples therfore it is not sufficient for vs to be reconciled to God except the church also forgiue vs our sinnes But whervpon do they define gather that the office of loosing Lazarus was enioined the disciples we rather gather by the text that it was enioyned the Iewes to the end they might haue all scruple of doubting taken from them Therfore this place serueth no more their turne for auricular confession then doth yâ— othere of the ten lepers in the 17. chapter of Luke the which also they haue shamefully abused Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 419. LEFT HAND What the left hand of God doth signifie AS the right hand is taken for euerlasting life so doth the left hand signifie the torments of the wicked LEGION What a Legion is EUerie Legion conteined commonly 6000. footemen 732. horsemen whereby héere he meaneth an infinit number LEAGVE What a League is A League is that bonde betwéene men whereby enterchaungeably they testifie both by wordes and signes that they are bound to performe certeine things so that they handle together with good faith And if it be a bond and perteineth to relation it is grounded vpon humaine actions is referred to those things which the parties considerated ought to performe yâ— one to the otherâ— It is expressed by words for the most part signes are added God when after the floud he made a league with mankinde he did not only declare the forme of yâ— obligation by words but also he put the rainebow in yâ— cloudes as a witnes And in the league which hée made with Abraham he put the signe of circumcision Furthermore in that which was made by Moses at the mount Sinai there were twelue pillers erected and the people was sprinkled with bloud Iosua also when he should dye erected vp a verye great stone thereby to seale the league renued betwéene the people and God Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 73. Of three kinde of leagues There are thrée kinde of leagues The first kinde is when the conquerours set lawes to those whome they haue conquered in punishing them and commanding them what they will haue them afterward to doe The second kinde is when things being yet souÌ„d neither part ouercome they coÌ„mune togethers that things taken from the one part may be restored and couenaunts of peace may bée established The third kinde is when there is no warre betwéene the parties and certeine Princes or cities are ioyned together by some couenaunts either to liue the more peaceably or els to take in hand some coÌ„mon affaires c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 73. LEND ¶ Looke Vsurie LENT Wherevpon the Lenten fast was grounded THere is none other cause of this fasting theÌ„ of yâ— which Moses fasted when he receiued the law at the hands of yâ— Lord. For sith yâ— miracle was shewed in Moses to stablish the authoritie of the lawe it ought not to haue ben omitted in Christ least the Gospell should séeme to giue place to the lawe But since that time it neuer came in any mans minde vnder coulour of following of Moses to require such a forme of fasting in the people of Israel Neither did any of the holy prophets fathers follow it when yet they had minde and zeale inough to godly exercises for that which is sayd of Helias that he fasted fortie daies without meate or drinke tendeth to none other end but that the people should know that he was stirred vp to be a restorer of the law from yâ— which almost all Israel had departed Therfore it was a more wrongful zeale and ful of superstition yâ— they did set forth fasting with the title colour of following Christ. Howbeit in the manner of fasting there was then great diuersitie as Cassiodorus rehearseth out of Soâ—rates in the ninth booke of his historie For the Romanes sayth he had but thrée wéekes but in these thrée was a continuall fasting except on the Sundaie and Saterday The Slauonians and Grecians had sixe weekes other had seauen But their fasting was by diuided times and they disagréed no lesse in difference of meates Some did eate nothing but bread water some added hearbs some did not forbeare fish and foule some had no difference in meates Of this diuersitie Augustine also maketh mention in the latter Epistle to Ianuary Caluine in his Insti 4. b. chap. 12. Sect. 20. Why the Fathers instituted Lent The Fathers when they sawe men liue very carelesly and negligently thought it good that they should be compelled after a sort to renew godlynesse in some part of the yeare somwhat to bridle the fiercenes of yâ— flesh And for this thing they thought that the fortie daies before Easter were most méet that men should so long haue their mindes both occupied in repenting also
in remeÌ„bring yâ— benefits of God This inuention although at the first sight it might séeme trim yet it agréeth not with Christs libertie For we must think vpon the benefits of God and our great ingratitude other most gréeuous sinnes not only fortie daies but also continally Further by this meanes they opened a most wide window to liue securely rechlye For if they once had performed fullye these fortie daies they thought that all the whole yeare after they might giue themselues wholy to all kinde of pleasures lusts For they referred the time of repentaunce to these fortie daies And although the elders had a Lent yet as Eusebius saith in his 5. booke and 24. Chapter it was left frée vnto all men For Ireneus after this manner intreated with Victor Bishop of Rome when he would have excommunicated the East Church because in the obseruing of Easter it agréed not with the Church of Rome What sayth he can we not liue at concord although they vse their owne cities as we vse ours for some fast in Lent two dayes some foure dayes some x. daies some fiftéene daies some twentie and other some forty dayes And yet is concord neuerthelesse kept in the Church Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fo 279. LEPER What the Leper signifieth THe Leper signifieth properly mans doctrine which spreadeth abrode like a canker And to be short all infection of vngodlynesse therefore must the Leuites giue diligent héede thereto for a little leauen sowreth all the whole lumpe of dowe T. M. ¶ He meaning the Priest shall iudge the plague to be cleane ¶ For it is not that contagious leper that infecteth but a kind of scurffe which maketh not the flesh rawe as the leprosie doth Geneua ¶ Of the leprosie in clothes which was vsed among the Iewes let them iudge This is euident that we in our time suffer ouer many leprosies in clothes T. M. ¶ The leprosie in houses is anye thing thereto perteining whereby the dweller might take anie harme in health of bodie in hurting of his goods or otherwise as if it stoode in an euill ayre T. M. If I send the plague of leprosie in an house c. This declareth that no plague nor punishment commeth to man without Gods prouidence and his sending Geneua How a Leper was knowne A leper had these fiue marks to be knowne by his garment was vpon him and cut in twaine his head vncouered his face mufled his dwelling from the companie of men proclaimed openly to be a leper and vncleane Hemmyng Of the leprosie that Christ healed The leprosie that Christ healed in S. Mathewes Gospell was not like the leprosie that is now but was a kinde thereof which was vncurable Geneua LESSE The meaning of this place following NOtwithstanding he that is lesse in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he ¶ Christ which humbled himselfe to the crosse was of lesse reputation in this world then Iohn Baptist was yet in the kingdome of heauen Christ was greater then hée Tindale The least of them that shall preach the Gospell in the new estate of Christes Church shall haue more knowledge then Iohn and their message shall be more excellent Geneua LETANIES What the Letanies are LEtanies are nothing else but humble praiers and supplications to God to procure his fauoâ—r and turne awaye his wrath and wer receiued long before procession came in place Some be called Minores the lesse some Maiores the greater The lesse were instituted by Mamartus Bishop of Vienna in the yeare of our Lord. 469. as Sigebertus sayth 02. 488. as Polichronicon reporteth The order of them was but a solempne assembly of people vnto prayer at such time as we call the rogation wéeke The cause was for earthquake and tempests and inuasion of wilde beasts which then did greatlye destroye the people The greater Letanie was deuised by Gregorie the Pope Anno. 592. When as the cause béeing lyke as before the superstition beganne to be more for by the reason of a great pestilence following a floud the Bishoppe by Ceremonies thought to appease the wrath of God and therefore made Septiformen Laetanian a seauenfold Letanie One of the clergie an other of the Monks one of men an other of their wiues One of maidens an other of widowes the last of poore and children together These people so distinct in the seauen orders shoulde come from seauen seuerall places and then it was thought they should be heard the sooner but in their Procession fourescore persons were striken with the plague to shewe howe well God was pleased with them Notwithstanding how thinges of a good deuotioâ— instituted in time doe growe to great abuse For what the order and solempnitie of them was we reade in the counsell of Mentz celebrated 813. yeares after Christ. The words of the decrée be these Placint nobis c. Our will is that the greate Letanie bée obserued of all Christians thrée daies And as our holye Fathers haue ordeined it not riding nor hauing precious garments on them but bare footed in Sackcloth an Ashes vnlesse infirmitie doe let Thus farre the Counsell LETTER What the Letter signifieth AVgustine in his third booke and. 5. Chapter De doctrina Christiana writeth that they sticke in the Letter which take the signes for the thinges and that which is figuratiuely spoken in the holy Scriptures they take it so as if it were spoken properlye And so lowe crope they on the ground that when they heare the name of the Sabboth they remember nothing but the seauenth day which was obserued of the Iewes Also when they heare of a Sacrifice they thinke vppon nothing but the sacrifices which were killed And though ther bée some seruitude tollerable yet hée calleth that a miserable seruitude when wée take the signes for the thinges wherein there is a greate offence committed in these dayes in the Sacrament of the Eucharist for howe manye shall a man finde which beholding the outwarde signes of the Sacrament calleth to memorye the death and passion of Christ whereof it is most certeine that they are signes or which thinketh within himselfe that the bodye and bloud of Christ is a spirituall meate for the soule through fayth euen as breade and wine are nourishmentes for the bodye Or which weigheth with himselfe the coniunction of the members of Christ betweene themselues and with the head These thinges are not regarded and they cleaue onelye to the sight of the signes and men thinke it is inough if they haue looked vppon bowed the knée and worshipped This to imbrace the Letter and not to giue eare vnto the sayde Augustine who in the place wée haue now cited and a little afterwarde most appertlye affirmeth that to eate the bodye of Christ and to drinke his bloud are figuratiue kinde of speaches So are the Iewes accused because they cleauing onely to the Letter and circumcision were transgrassers of the lawe Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 49.
Churches in this sorte Although a man had lyen with our Ladye Christs mother and had begotte her with childe yet were he able by the Popes pardons to pardon the fact How he wrote to Pope Leo. In the yeare of our Lorde 1518. the tenth yeare of King Henry the eight Luther wrote first to Leo Biopsh of Rome concerning the vse of pardons and in certeine priuate disputations called in doubt diuerse things concerning the Bishops supremacie for which after he was troubled lastly proclaimed an heretike vnder the defence and maintenaunce of Frederike◠Duke of Saxonie he preached writ against his power All Germanie soone after forsooke the Bishop of Rome and so was the whole state of Religion by his meanes altered among them Sleadane How he was troubled with the lusts of the flesh When I was a Monke I thought by and by that I was vtterly cast away if at any time I felt the lust of the flesh that is to saye if I felt any euill motion fleshly lust wrath hatred or enuie against my brother I assaide manie wayes to helpe to quiet my conscience but it wold not be for the concupiscence and lust of my flesh did alwaies returne so that I coulde not rest but was continually vexed with these thoughts This or that sinne thou hast committed Thou art infected with enuy with impaciencie and such other sinnes therefore thou art entered in this holy order in vaine and all thy good works are vnprofitable If then I had rightly vnderstood the sentences of Saint Paule The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirit contrary to the flesh and these two are one against another so that ye cannot doe the things that ye would do I shuld not haue so miserablye tormented my selfe but shoulde haue thought and sayde vnto my selfe as now commonlye I doe Martin thou shalt not vtterlye be without sinne for thou hast flesh thou shalt therefore féele the battell thereof according to that saieng of S. Paule The flesh resisteth the spirit Dispaire not therefore but resist it strongly and fulfill not the lusts therof thus doing thou art not vnder the lawe c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 251. Let all troubled consciences comfort themselues by this example of Martin Luther and say as he sayde The question that Luther put foorth a little before his death Luther a little before his death moued this question to his friends as they sate at supper Whether we should know one an other in the lyfe to come or no and when they were al desirous to learne of him What saith he chaunced to Adam He had neuer seene Eue but what time god shaped her he was cast into a meruailous dead and sound sléepe But awaking out of the same when he sawe her he asked not whence shée is nor whence shée came but sayth Shée is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones But howe knewe he that Uerily béeing full of the holy Ghost and replenished with true knowledge of God he spake thus In lyke manner shall we also in another life bée renued with Christ and shall knowe more perfectlye our parents wiues children and whatsoeuer is besides then Adam that time knew Eue. Sleadane Luthers praier before his death O God my heauenly Father the father of our Lord Iesus Christ and of all consolation I giue thée thanks that thou hast reuealed vnto me thy sonne Iesus Christ whome I haue beléeued whome I haue professed whome I haue loued whom I haue set foorth and honoured whome the Bishoppe of Rome and all that wicked rabell doe persecute and dishonour I beséech thée my Lorde Iesus Christ receiue my soule my heauenly Father although I be taken out of this lyfe albeit I must leaue this bodye yet knowe I assuredly that I shall remaine with thée for euer and that no man can take me out of thy hand Slea What sects is sayd to rise out of him Looke Sect. Macedonius Of his crueltie and tumult he caused in the Church MAcedonius a Priest of Constantinople taught that the holy Ghost was a creature and no God Betwéene this man and one Paulus was great strife whether of them should succéede Alexander in the Bishoprick of Constantinople So that Hermogenes maister of the chiualrie was slaine of the people when he came with the Emperours authoritie to stablish Macedonius whom the Arrians fauoured And being Bishoppe of Constantinople he practised extreame crueltie in the Church constraining the Christians to receiue the Communion with the Arrians in such wise that if women or children refused to doe the same he did either cut off their paps or by such other cruell torments force them therevnto He caused much tumult and businesse in the Church till at last a Sinode was assembled at Constantinople of 180. Bishops against him Cooper ¶ Macedonius at the first being an Arrian deposed by Acacius sect could not quiet himselfe but fell from the Arrians into an other heresie He denied the Godhead of the holye Ghost terming him the seruant and drudge of the Father and of the sonne This opinion they say Marathonius Bishop of Nicomedia taught before him These heretiks be called Pneumatomachoi Socrat. li. 2. chap. 25. Epiph. haeraes 73. MAGI What the Magies were BEholde there came wise men from the East to Hierusalem ¶ Wise men or Magi in the Persians tongue signifieth Philosophers Priestes or Astronomers and are héere the first fruites of the Gentiles that came to worshippe Christ. Geneua ¶ The wise men called Magi that came fom the East were neither kings nor Princes but as Strabo sayth which was in their time sage men among the Persians as Moses was among the Hebrewes He saith also that they were the Priests of the Persians Tindale MAGISTRATE What a Magistrate is THE worde Magistrate is deriued from Maister and signifieth the authoritie office of them which do eyther by right of inheritance gouerne subiects peoples or cities either haue y◠rule appointed thē by free electiō choise some do deriue the word Maister from the Latin Aduerbe Magis which is to say More for that master can do no more them others and excelling them in dignitie and authoritie Some doe drawe the worde Maister from the Gréeke word Menisos which signifieth greatest But whether that Maister come of the Aduerbe Magis either of the Greeke word Mènisos euerie way Magistrates do represent y◠authoritie office of Maisters And we be also therby enformed that it were méete for them which doe rule others to aduance and passe them whome they do rule in the prerogatiue of wisdome and authoritie Musc. fol. 546. How Magistrates are the Ministers of Gods iustice As the true Church doth acknowledge the ministers of the Gospell as the true ministers of God ordeined by him for the administration of spirituall things euen so doe shee knowledge the Magistrates as ministers of his iustice ordeined of him for the confirmation of the publike peace and
wine is to vs which thing appeareth more plaine by the words of Saint Austen following which be these Manducauit Moses Manna c. Moses did also eate Manna Aaron Phinehes did eate of it which pleased God are dead wherfore because they vnderstood yâ— visible meat spiritualy They wer spiritualy an huÌ„gred they tasted it spiritualy yâ— they might be spiritualy replenished They did all eate the same spirituall meate and all dranke the same spiritually which we doe and they all did drinke the same spirituall drinke They dranke one thing and we another but that was in the outward appearaunce which neuerthelesse did signifie the same thing spiritually How dranke they the same drinke They saith the Apostle dranke of the spirituall stone following them and that stone was Christ. And thereto Saint Bede addeth these words Videte autem fide manente signa variata Behold that the signes are altered and yet the faith abideth one Of these places it may plainely be perceiued that it is no Article necessary to be beleeued vnder paine of damnation that the Sacrament should be the naturalll body of Christ seeing the olde fathers neuer beleeued it And as they were saued without beleeuing that Manna was altered into Christes body euen so shall we be saued without beleeuing that the substaunce of bread is turned into his naturally body for the same faith shall saue vs that saued them And we are bound to beléeue no more vnder paine of damnation then they wer bound to beleeue I. Frith MARANATHA What this word Maranatha signifieth LEt him be had in execration Maranatha ¶ By these words is betokened the seuerest kinde of cursse and excommunication that was among the Iewes and the words are as much to say as our Lord commeth So that his meaning maye be this Let him be accursed euen to the comming of the Lord that is to say to his deaths daye euen for euer S. Hierome doth expound this word Maranatha the Lord commeth as if he should say If a man doe not beleeue our Lord Iesus Christ let him be accursed and let him be sure that the the Lord against whoÌ„ no hatred can preuaile doth come Some againe doe expound it thus Let him be as a rotten member cut off and perish vtterly Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Maranatha a word wherewith the accursed or vyle person in the extreame degrée is signified The Bible note MARCION Of the damnable heresies of this man MArcion of Pontus encreased the doctrine of Cerdon He liued in the time of Iustinus Martir which wrote a booke against him He met Policarpus and asked of him Knowest thou vs Policarpus I knowe thée for the first begotten of Satan Euseb. li. 4. cap. 11. 14. He said the soule onely should bée saued and not the body He thought that Cain with the Sodomites Aegyptians c. were saued when Christ went downe to Hell Irenaeus li. 1. ca. 29. Epiph. haeres 42. writeth of him that he was a Bishops sonne who when he had deâ—â—oured a Uirgin was by his own father excommunicated the church afterward he fled to Rome Being there because they admitted him not into the Church he began to preach detestable doctrine That there were three beginnings good iust and euill That the new Testament was contrarye to the olde He denied the resurrection of the body A comparison betweene the Marcions doctrine and the Popes The Marcions receiued no man to be a Christen man except he would refuse mariage The Pope receiueth no Priests except they fo rs weare mariage So that there is no diuersitie betwéene these heretikes and the Pope but that these Heretikes doth except a greater number then the Pope doth and speaketh more generally but the thing is all one For the Marcionites indgeth mariage vncleane for their sort and so doth the Pope for his sort Farther more Marcion saith that among christen men may be no temporall mariage but all conjunction must be turned into a spirituall mariage And the selfe same thing saith the Pope of his Priests wherfore seeing yâ— they do graunt how that S. Paule and also holy Fathers hath condemned this heresie of the Marcionites it must néedes followe that the opinion of the Pope is likewise damned But héere will some obiect and say as Eckius hath written that the Pope doth not condemne mariage but he causeth men alonely to keep his vowe Aunswere First the Pope compelleth them and if they will be Priests to vowe fo rs weare mariage For if ther wer no statute made afore of the Pope yâ— all Priests shuld fo rs weare mariage theÌ„ shuld ther no vowes he made of priests against mariage but the thing shuld be frée So yâ— the vowe commeth out of the Popes decrée prohibition not the decrée out of the vowe Ergo the prohibition goeth before the vowe wherefore this euation can haue no place Example The Emperour maketh a statute that no man shall be admitted into his seruice except he first sweare to be an enimie vnto the Kings grace of England Is not now the Emperour first an enimie vnto the Kings person and then also a forbidder of loue and fauour towards the Kings grace of England I thinke his grace will take his acte none otherwise For though he doe not nor cannot make all men the Kings enimies yet he maketh all that appertaine vnto him to be the kings enimies So likewise the Pope though he doe not forbidde all men mariage yet he forbiddeth as many as will be Priests yea and he will admit no man to be Priest except he first forswears mariage So that the vowe is first made or the Priesthood bée giuen D. Barnes A notable example of Marcions chast life Marcion and Montanus two ranke Heretikes anone after the Apostles daies sprong vp and fained such a chaste holinesse of life that they forbad and damned mariage But Epiphanius writeth that Marcion when he was receiued as a guest in the house of a certaine Deacon in Cipres he caried away his Hosts wife deceiued with his holy pretence of his new chast religion And when Doctor Marcion had taken his pleasure of hir and cast hir vp the miserable woman constrained to returne to hir husband lamenting hir fault asked him forgiuenesse This carefull woman saith Epiphanius was afterward a good warning for many other women monishing them to beware of Bishop Marcion his doctrine This Marcion and Montanus were the onely beginners of the lawe of wiuelesse and husbandlesse chastitie and the first authours and patrons of the Monkes religion Melancthon MARCVS The dâ—testable heresies of this man MArcus of whom Marcosij Colorbasus of whom Colorbasij and Heracleon after whom the Heretikes are called Heraâ—leonites sacrificed with witchcraft to amaze their auditory they pronounced Hebrue words they said vnto the women open your mouthes and prophecie through the power which commeth from vs. Many women came to the Church and vnder colour of prophecie confessed
But if they will teach you things of their owne then heare them not then dde it not For certainly such men séeke their owne and not the things that pertaine to Christ Iesu. ¶ The Chaire of the which our Sauiour Christ maketh mention héere doth not signifie the authoritie of Moses which the Scribes abused but it signifieth the place out of the which they purely red and interpreted the law of Moses ¶ To sit in Mosâ—s chaire is nothing els then to shewe out of the Lawe of God how men ought to liue And although it be not certaine out of what place they didde speake or preach yet notwithstanding their coniectures is probable which referre it to the Pulpet which Esdras made to haue the Laws taught in He therefore sitteth in Moses Chaire which preacheth not of his â—wne braine but by the authoritie and word of God Marl. vpon Math. fol. 521. ¶ So long as the Scribes safe in Moses seate and continued in the pure and simple interpretation of the Lawe teaching those things which the Lord had commaunded and taught in the name of God For Saint Austen very well and according to the minde of Christ expoundeth that the Scribes sitting vpon Moses seate taught the Lawe of God and that therefore the shéepe ought to heare the shepheards by them as by hirelings To the which words he addeth by and by saieng God therefore teacheth by them But if they goe about to teach theyr owne inuentions neither heare them nor follow them To the which sentence agréeth that which the same Father hath in his fourth booke De doctrina Christiana saieng Because the good and faithfull do not heare euery man but obediently heare God himselfe therefore they are heard profitably which also lyue not profitably Therefore the seate not of the Scribes but of Moses constrained them to teach that which was good For in their life they did what them lust but the seate being none of theirs suffered them not to teach what they lusted Marl. vpon Math. fol. 522. ¶ We ought to haue an eye most especially vnto the doctrine of the Preachers whether they sit in Christs chaire or not that is to say whether they teach Christs doctrine or not for by their doctrine we shall be either iustified or condemned and not by their liuing Sir I. Cheeke How Moses did eate the body of Christ ¶ Looke Manna How this place is vnderstood And Moses wrote this Lawe ¶ Before Moses time the doctrine which contained the manner of seruing God was not put in writing but onely deliuered by word of mouth by the fathers to theyr children from one generation to another The Bible note How we are sent to Moses and the Prophets They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them ¶ We are bidden to beléeue Moses and the Prophets and not the dead and if we will néedes heare the dead speake Christ ought to be sufficient for vs which being reuiued taught none other doctrine but that which he had taught in his time that is to say Moses and the Prophets Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Which declareth that it is too late to be instructed by the dead if in their life time they cannot profite by the liuely word of God as faith commeth by Gods word so is it maintained by the same So that neither we ought to looke for Angells from heauen or the dead to confirme vs there by onely the word of God is sufficient to life euerlasting Geneua Why Moses was bid to put off his shooes Put off thy shooes from thy feete ¶ Moses could not be suffered to talke with God afore he didde put off his shooes whereby we vnderstande that wée must put awaye all fleshly and carnall lusts and so approach vnto God in faith purenesse of heart Let them héere which will not touche holye things with theyr bare hands without gloues learne of the Angell of the Lorde what they ought for to doe in such things Of Moses death and buriall which maketh against reliques We read of Moses the seruaunt of the Lorde that hée died in the lande of Moab and the Angell of the Lord buryed him in a valley but no man knoweth of his Sepulcher vnto this daye which thing was of purpose by the prouidence of God appointed so that the Iewes might haue no occasion thereby to comâ—nitte Idolatry But if the translating of dead bones had bene either for the glorye of God or commoditie of man the reliques of such a one as Moses was should not haue bene hidden For doubtlesse of all Prophets he was the greatest by the testimonie of God himselfe who called him faithfull in all his house to whom he spake mouth to mouth by vision and not in darke wordes and yet was not his body shrined nor his bones carried in procession nor anye Chappell erected for him Indeed the Diuell did attempt no lesse then to make it matter of superstition for we read that there was a strife betwixt him and Michael about Moses body but the Angell of the Lorde withstood him I. Calfehill MOTHER OF GOD. Wherein Mary the mother of God was most blessed TO be the childe of God is a great deale greater grace then to be the mother of God which Saint Austen proueth thus Beatior â—rgo Maria c. Mary was more blessed or full of grace in that the receiued the faith of Christ then in that she conceiued the flesh of Christ. Motherly kinred coulde haue done Mary no good vnlesse she had borne Christ more blessed in hir heart then shée bare him in hir flesh Againe he sayth Master mea quam c. My mother whom ye haue called blessed therefore is blessed because she hath kept the word of God not because the word in hir was made flesh How mother is taken for grandmother He put downe Miacha his mother ¶ Mother for grandmother As Dauid is oftentimes called father of them of whom he was grandfather And as Zephora Moses wife calleth Raguel father which yet was hir grandfather How the Church is called our mother Forsake not thy mothers teaching ¶ That is of the Church wherein the faithfull are begotten by the incorruptible séede of Gods word Geneua MOVNTAINES How Mountaines heere doe signifie Scriptures LEt them that be in Iewry flye then to the mountaines ¶ That is to say let them that be in Christs profession flye to the scriptures the scriptures of the Apostles and Prophets be the mountaines c Our Lord knowing that there should be such confusion in the last daies therfore commaundeth that Christen men yâ— beléeue in Christ willing to haue an assurance of the true faith shuld haue recourse to nothing els but vnto the scriptures Otherwise if they haue regard vnto any other thing they shal be offendâ—d and perish not vnderstanding what is the true Church and by meanes héereof they shall fall in abhomination of desolation Iewel fo 722. ¶ S.
that his body was slaine and his bloud shed for thy sins beléeuest it so art thou saued iustified therby if not so helpeth it thée not though thou herest a thousand Masses in a day or though thou dost nothing els al thy life long then eat his body drink his bloud no more then it shuld help thée in a dead thirst to behold a bush at a Tauerne dore if thou knewest not therby the ther wer wine wtin to be solde Tin This word sacrament did not signifie the same with the olde Writers as it doth now in the Church for they call a sacrament the oth or religious bond which was of the strength of an oth So they called yâ— souldiers oth wherby they sware when they shuld go a warfare for the Common wealth that they would serue faithfully The souldiers sacrament as we may perceiue by Seruius and Vigetius in their bookes of warre matters Augustine defineth a sacrament in this sort The visible sacrifice saith he is the sacrament of the inuisible sacrifice that is to say the holy signe And againe A sacrament saith he is a visible forme of an inuisible grace c. Musc. fol. 272. S. Austen describeth a sacrament thus The word of God comming to the Element maketh the sacrament And againe in another place he saith A sacrament is a thing wherin the power of God vnder the forme of visible things doth worke secret saluation And the Master of the sentences doeth describe a sacrament none otherwise A Sacrament saith he is an inuisible grace and hath a visible forme and by this inuisible grace saith he I meane remission of sinnes In the b. of Mar. fo 1352. What the Sacrament doth signifie The signification and substaunce of the Sacrament is to shewe how we are fed with the body of Christ that is that like as materiall bread feedeth the body so the body of Christ nailed vpon the Crosse embraced and eaten by faith féedeth the soule The like representation is also made in the Sacrament of Baptime that as our bodies is washed cleane with water so is our soules cleane with Christs bloud How the sacrament is called the body of Christ. It is called the body of Christ that is to say it signifieth the body of Christ. Glosa de consecra dist 2. Hoc est The right consecrating of the sacrament The same Christ that did adorne and beautifie the Table is now present and he doth consecrate the same also For it is not men that doth make these things that be set before vs of the consecration of yâ— Lords table to be yâ— body bloud of Christ but the same Christ which was crucified for vs. The words are pronounced by the mouth of the Priest but the things are consecrated by the power grace of God This is saith he my body by this word are the things yâ— are set before vs consecrated And euen as yâ— voice which saith grow be multiplied replenish yâ— earth was but once spoken but yet doth at all times by the work of nature féele effect to generation so that voice also was but once spoken yet it giueth sure staye to the sacrifice throughout al yâ— tables of the Church euen to this daye from henceforth til his comming ¶ Chrisostome doth héere compare yâ— words yâ— Christ spake at yâ— insitution of his supper to the words yâ— God spake when he appointed man to be multiplied by generation affirmeth yâ— the same power yâ— worketh stil in the one doth stil work in the other also Not to charm out the substance of breadâ— to charme in yâ— substance of Christ vnder the accideÌ„ts of bread as you do teach meaning Watson But yâ— as by naturall order yâ— generation of mankind is continued according to the first voice so the inuisible graces yâ— wer promised by the death bloudshedding of our Sauiour Christ are by yâ— sacramentall vse of these creatures according to his commaundement continually preached to our senses and by â—aith receiued into our soules Crowley How the sacrament is a memoriall or signe of Christs death If Iesus haue not dyed whose memoriall and signe is this Sacrifice Thou seest what diligence he gaue that we shuld continually keepe in memory that he dyed for vs c. ¶ Héere Chrisostome calleth the Sacrament a memoriall or signe of Christ and that it was instituted to kéepe his death in perpetuall remembraunce And where he calleth it a Sacrifice he meaneth it to be a remembraunce of that holy sacrifice that Christ made vpon the Câ—osse once for all for he can be sacrificed no more seeing he is immortall I. Frith How the sacrament is receiued with our mouth Rabanus Maurus saith The sacrament is receiued with the mouth of our body but the body of Christ is receiued into the inner man and that with the spirituall mouth of our soule How the sacrament is more then bare bread or wine Our Bread and Cup be not of the common sort as in stéede of Christ bound togethers in eares of corne and twigs as they that is the Maniches do foolishly imagine but by vndoubted consecration it is made vnto vs mystical or sacramental bread it doth not growe such wherefore that foode that is not so made although it be bread and wine it is a nourishment of refection but not a sacrament of religion otherwise then that we blesse and giue thankes to God in all his gifts not onely spirituall but corporall also How the sacrament is made of two natures Ireneus saith that the Sacrament is made of two natures of an heauenly nature of a terrenall earthly nature now take away the substaunce of bread what earthly nature or substaunce remaineth in this holy Sacrament How sacraments are no cause of grace In Sacraments the onely promise of God by Christ both by word and signe are exhibited vnto vs which promises if we apprehende by faith then is the grace increased in vs and the gifte of God by faith receiued is by the Sacrament â—ealed in vs. What ought to be considered in sacraments S. Augustine saith in Sacraments we must consider not they be indéede but what they signifie All misteries or sacraments must be considered with inward eyes that is to say spiritually How the sacraments are holie whether the minister or receiuer be good or bad S. Augustin in this place against the Donatists shooteth not at this But whether Christs verye naturall bodie be receiued with our mouths but whether the Sacraments in generall bee receiued both of good and bad And he declareth that it is all one water whether Symon Peter or Symon Magus be christened in it all one Table of the Lord and one Cup whether Peter sup thereat or Iudas all one Oyle whether Dauid or Saule were annoynted therewith Wherefore he concludeth thus Memento ergo sacramentis Dei c. Remember
the sorrowful affliction of his poore flocke being so long vnder persecution the space of 300. yeares and so to asswage their griefes and torments which is meant by binding vp of Satan worker of all these mischiefes Understanding thereby that for so much as the Diuell Prince of this worlde hadde now by the death of Christ the sonne of God lost all his power and interest against the soule of man shuld turne his furious rage and mallice which he had to Christ against the people of Christ. Which is ment by the héele of the seede Gen. 3. 15. in tormenting their outward bodies Which yet should not be for euer but for a determinate time when as it should please the Lord to bridle the malice and snaffle the power of the olde Serpent and giue rest vnto his Church for the terme of a thousand yeares Which time béeing expired the said Serpent should be suffered loose againe for a certaine or a small time In the bo of Mart. fol. 493. SATISFACTION What is vnderstood by this word satisfaction AS pertaining to satisfaction this wise vnderstande that he that loueth God hath a commaundement as S. Iohn saith in the. 4. chapter of his first Epistle ver 21. to loue his neighbour also Whom if thou haue offended thou must make him amends or satisfaction or at the least way if thou be not able aske him forgiuenesse and if he will haue mercie of God he is bounde to forgiue thée If he will not yet God forgiueth thée if thou thus submit thy selfe But to God ward Christ is a perpetuall an â—uerlasting satisfaction for euermore As oft as thou fallest through frailtie repent and come againe and thou art safe and welcome as thou maist sée by the similitude of the riotous son Lu. 15. If thou be lepen out of sanctuary come in again If thou be fallen from the way of truth come thereto againe and thou art safe If thou be gone astray come into field againe the shepheard Christ shall saue thée yea and the Angells of heauen shall reiâ—yce at thy comming so farre it is that any man shall beate thée or chide thée If any Pharesie enuie thée grudge at thee or rayle vpon thée thy father shall make answere for thee as thou séest in the fore-rehearsed likenesse or Parable Whosoeuer therefore is gone out of the way by whatsoeuer chaunce it be let him come to his Baptime againe and vnto the profession thereof and he shall be safe For though that the washing of Baptime be past yet the power thereof that is to say the word of God which Baptime preacheth lasteth for euer and saueth 〈…〉 As Paule is past and gone â—enerthelesse the Lord the Paul preached lasteth euer and saueth euer as many as come theretoo with a repenting heart and stedfast faith Héereby seest thou that when they make penaunce of repentaunce and call it a Sacrament and deuide it into contrition confession and satisfaction they speake of their owne heads and lye falsely Tindale fol. 149. How hurtfull the doctrine of satisfaction is The Schoolemen doe call satisfaction the worke of peâ—ance enioined by the Priest after the Auricular confession And héere they make much adoe that the satisfaction be neither lesse nor lighter then counteruaileth the waight of the sinne This doctrine of satisfaction doth excéedingly darken the clearenesse of the grace of Christ it doth make mens consciences either falsely assured when they suppose that they haue satisfied either it doth piteously torment them when they cannot tell by what time they haue satisfied in the sight of God for one sinne much lesse for all their sinnes Beside that it hath not opened one gap but all dores windowes and arches c. to the Popes markâ—t to gape vpon pardons and for the traffike of Priests Masses to deliuer soules out of Purgatorie wherefore all godly doe worthely abhorre it The doctrine of the Gospell doth denounce vnto vs pardon of our sinnes by the bloud of Christ by the shedding whereof there is satisfaction made not onely for ours but for the sinnes of all the world And wheresoeuer this grace doth take place that satisfaction hath nothing to doe we could beare with them if they said that like as the faith in Christ is reputed for righteousnesse to the beléeuers according to the example of Abraham so repentaunce is of mercie and frankly imputed for satisfaction As we maye perceiue it was in the prodâ—gall sonne whose returne and repentaunce his father of his right fatherly clemencie did accept for a most sufficient satisfaction and sought nothing further of him This meaning of satisfaction doth derogate nothing from the grace of God but doth excéedingly aduaunce it It maketh nothing for the gaine and iuglings of the Popes markets but it maketh much to the quieting of our consciences Wherefore we will sticke vnto it and we wil leane the trumpery wares of counterfaite satisfactions to the Pope and his Priests and Friers Musculus fol. 219. Of two manner of satisfactions There are two manner of satisfactions the one is to God the other to my neighbour To God cannot all the world make satisfaction for one sinne insomuch as if euery grasse of the ground were a man as holy as euer was Paule or Peter and shuld pray vnto God all their life long for one crime yet could they not make satisfaction for it but it is onely the bloude of Christ that hath made full satisfaction vnto God for all such crimes Heb. 7. or els were there none other remedie but wee should all perish There is another satisfaction which is to my neighbour whom I haue offended whom I am bound to pacifie as we can agrée and as the Lawe of the Realme determineth betweene vs as if I had defamed him then am I bounde to pacifie him and to restore him to his good name againe If I haue murthered any man then by the lawes of the Realme I must dye for it to pacifie my neighbour and the Common-wealth but yet I am sure that Rastal is not so childish as to thinke that this eiuill satisfaction is the very satisfaction which pacifieth Gods wrath for breaking his lawe for if thou murther a man and should dye an hundred times for it yet except thou haue satisfaction in Christs bloud and so I speake that no temporall paine was instituted of God for the intent that wée should satisfie Gods wrath thereby c. Frith fol. 74. SATVRNINVS Of his opinions THis man was of Antioch he taught in all points as Menander did before him He affirmed that Christ had no true body but a phantasticall body and that there was no resurrection Adding moreouer that marriage and procreation was of the Diuell Ireneus lib. 1. cap. 22. Eus. li. 4. cap. 6. SAVIOVRS How that there is no moe Sauiours then one AN aunswere to those that asketh whether Paule goe about to make manie Sauiours doe this and then thou shalt saue thy selfe and other ¶
represented by the Paschall Lambe should abstaine from leauened bread Yea how dare your Priests eate anye leauened bread at anye time sith that they doe eate and drinke the bodie and bloud of Christ almost euery day How the Lords death is shewed As often as ye shall eate this bread drinke of this Cup ye shall shew the Lords death c. ¶ The Lords death is not shewed except both parts of the Sacrament be ministred because in his death the bloud was diuided from the bodie it is necessary that the same diuision be represented in the supper otherwise the supper is not a shewing of the Lords death Latimer SHOE What Gods shooe is OUer Edom will I stretch out my shooe ¶ Edom is the earth The Apostles féete be his shooes for it is writteÌ„ How bewtifull are the feete of them which bring glad tidings of peace He stretched out his shooe vppon the earth when he sent them to preach to all creatures for their sound went into all lands their words to the ende of the world SHORT LIFE How short life is not a generall rule of Gods indignation IT is a certaine token but no sure token of Gods indignation when a man is snatched away with vnripe death in his flourishing age Then what shall we saye to the sentence written in the Booke of Sapience 4. chapter The iust man is snatched out of this world that the mallice of men and wickednesse of the worlde shoulde not tourne his minde and least lyeng should deceiue his soule And againe The righteous man what death soeuer he be preuented withall his soule shall go to rest The Innocents that Herod did murther for Christs cause Iohn Baptist whom he did behead are the blessed Martirs of Christ. This must néedes be graunted yâ— sometime God taketh out of this world the righteous onely because the world is not worthy to haue them among them sometime least the mallice lewd example of men shoulde tourne their hearts to vngodlinesse But now this taking away of righteous men out the world is not a rule nor an order generall that God vseth with men but it is onely Per accidens because that troublesome times are at hand as of famine warres and such others and in such perticular cases It is true that Christ saide Beati sterilis c. Happye are the barren and the wombes that neuer bare c. And yet the rule generall of all women is this that fruite of their wombe is a blessing the contrary a woman to be barren is a displeasure a plague more grieuous to them then pouertie or hunger Ric. Turnar SICERA What kinde of drinke it was THis Sicera as Hierom writeth to Nepotianus was a kinde of drinke much like vnto wine which was made either of Wheate or of Apples or of Dates or els of other fruits Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 202. SICLE What a Sicle is A Sicle as Iosephus saith coÌ„teined 4. drams of Athens And a dranâ— of Athens as Budens gathereth in his booke de ass conteined 3. shillings of Towers A shilling of Towers is yâ— half part of a Baâ—se Wherefore a dram was as much in value as a shilling of Argentine that is thrée halfe Batses that is foure shillings But there were two manner of Sicles one was vsuall and prophane and the other was of the Sanctuary The holy sickle was double so much as the prophane Wherefore Ezechiel in his 45. chapter verse 12. saith that a prophane sickle containeth 20. halfe pence but the sicle of the Sanctuary 40. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 238. ¶ A Sicle was a péece of money in value worth 4. grotes equiualent with that which is called Stater whereof the halfe part of this sicle is two grotes that is to saye the 5. part of a French Crowne as they went in Fraunce as very exactly declareth the learned Master William Budns in his booke De Assi Marl. fol. 390. ¶ A Sicle after the Hebrues is an Ounce but after the Gréekes and Latines it is but thâ— fourth part of an Ounce and is contained 12. Geras as in Exo. 30. 13. which is ten pence sterling or thereabout T. M. Take 5. Sicles of euery head ¶ Sicles were of two sorts the one common the other belonging to the Sanctuary and that of the Sanctuary was double the waight of the common The common Sicle weighed two grotes and the Sanctuary Sicle 4. The Scripture in this place and in the 30. of Exo. us Ezechiel fortie and fiue saith that the Sanctuary Sicle doth weigh 20. Geras which the Grecians doe call Obolus and we in English an halfe peny when 8. grotes of our money was an ounce and the Hebrues do think that Obolus doth weigh the waight of 16. barly Cornes The Bible note SICHEM What Dauid meaneth by the deuiding of Sichem SIchem was the most richest and the most strongest Citie in all the Tribe of Ephraim wherof Isboseth was king ouer all Israel beside The Tribe of Iuda onely except which stucke vnto Dauid Now where the Prophet doth prophecie make his bost in God saieng Dominus loquutus est è sanctuario suo laetabor diuidam Sichem The Lord hath spoken it out of his holy place I will reioice and diuide Sichem is no more to say but that Dauid should conquere Sichem and be king therof and diuide it and lot it as Iosua did as all conquerours do when they conquer any countrey or lande And as Dauid shoulde conquere Sichem so was it saide that hée shoulde meate out yâ— valley of Sucoth for Dauid reioysing afore hand of Gods goodnesse towards him saith Ego vallem sâ—coth demetiar It is not Isboseth that shall long continue king of sucoth but it is I whome the Lord hath appointed to be king of sucoth and as I haue now sayd of sichem and sucoth so will I saye of Galaad and Manasses Meus est Galaad meus est Manasses Galaad is mine and Manasses is mine And to know what Sucoth Galaad and Manasses were ye shall vnderstande that sucoth was a vale nigh vnto the citie of sichem in the land of Canaan In the which vale Iacob pitched his tents after he had met his brother Esau and was departed from him And of his pitching his tents there the vaâ—le had this name sucoth giuen him for Sucoth by interpretation and turning of the word into Latine is as much to say as Tabernacula Galaad was the name of a little hillocke as we read in Gen. 31. When Iacob fled away sodeinly and priuely from Laban his father in lawe with his wiues Lea and Rachel Then at the ende of seauen daies iourney Laban ouertooke Iacob in mount Galaad where he reproued him not onely of running away deceitfully but also of theft which when he coulde not proue Laban cooled himselfe and so did shake hands with Iacob And in witnes of friendship of vnfeined reconciliation
kicke against the manifest and knowen truth and so to dye without repentaunce with a dispaire of the mercie of God in Iesus Christ is to sinne against the Holy ghost Sir I. Cheeke But whosoeuer c. ¶ That is he that striueth against the truth which he knoweth and against his owne conscience cannot retourne to repentaunce for he sinneth against the Holye ghost Geneua He resisteth the Holy ghost which openly repugneth against the veritie of God and by despite enforceth himselfe as much as he can to ouerthrow it Now a man may sinne willyngly yet be not in wil to warre against God or to blaspheme his holy word Caluine It is named the sinne of the Holy ghost not against the godhead of the Holy ghost for the same God is also father sonne nor against the person of the Holy ghost for it is no greater then the person of the Father and of the Sonne but it is to sinne against the graces of the spirite within vs and so to sinne against them that we contemne and despise them treade them vnder féete accompt them prophaneâ— and maliciously cary them away to all wantonnesse This then is sinne against the Holy ghost In a continuall Apostacie and general falling from God to sinne against thine owne conscience so that thou despise the graces of God which he had giuen thée to the setting foorth of his praise and turne them to the contempt of his maiestie and glorie By the example of Satan and the Angels that fell from heauen by Caâ— that flew his brother by the Scribes Pharesies against Christ and Iulianus the Emperour and that is written before it appeareth that the sinne of the Holy ghost is a generall Apostacie from God with wilfull malitious vnrepentaunt heart to persecute the truth vnto the ende As manie as doe feare at the remembrance of this sinne they are as farre from it as the East is from the West for this sinne is a mocking and scoffing of the Sonne of God it is not a wéeping and mourning Deering When couetousnesse findeth aduauntage in seruing falshood it riseth vp in an obstinate mallice against the truth and séekeâ—h all meanes to resist it this is sinne against the Holy ghost As by example Balaam the false prophet though he wi 〈…〉 that God loued Israel and had blessed them promised them great things and that he would fulfill his promise yet for couetousnesse and desire of honour fell into such mallice against the truth of God that he sought how to resist and to cursse the people Christ saith It shall neuer be forgiuen héere nor in yâ— world to come that is that as the sinne shall be punished with euerlasting damnation in the life to come euen so shal it not escape vengeaunce heere as thou séest in Iudas Pharao and in Balaam and in all other Tyrants which against their consciences resisted the open truth of God The cause why it shall not be forgiuen is for that the offender cannot repent but is vtterly shut out from repentaunce hath his heart hardened for if he were able to repent he shuld be pardoned because that by repentaunce and faith all things are washed away Wherefore the Holy ghost will rebuke the world of sinne Of sinne because they beléeue not in me ¶ Unbeléefe is that sinne that condemneth the world by the world vnderstand the wicked reproued and vnfaithfull and not all the creatures that be in the world and faith is the righteousnes of beléeuers This thing because the world and naturall reson will not know but will be iustified saued by their owne works is euen it wherof the Holy ghost shall rebuke the world and shew that it shall be iustly condemned Tindale Of sinne c. His enimies which contemned him and put him to death shall be conuict by their owne conscience for that they did not beleeue in him Act. 2. 27. And shall knowe that without Iesus Christ there is nothing but sinne Geneua How sinne is taken in this place following And by sinne condemned sinne in the flesh ¶ Sinne is héere taken for a sinne offering after the vse of the Hebrue tongue Tindale God through the sacrifice of sin which Christ his onely sonne offered vpon the Crosse in his flesh and abolished sinne which raigned in our mortal bodies The Bible note Of sinne vnto death how it is declared There is a sinne vnto death and for it I say not that thou shouldest pray ¶ Whatsoeuer sinne we sée in the world let vs pray and not dispaire for God is the God of mercie But for the sinne to death which is resisting grace fighting against mercie open blaspheming of the Holy ghost affirming yâ— Christs miracleâ— are done in Belzabub and his doctrine to be of the diuell I thinke no Christen man if he perceiue it can otherwise pray then as Paule prayed for Alexander the Coppersmith the 2. to Timothy the last that God would rewarde him according to his workes They that goe backe againe after they knowe the truth and giue themselues willingly to sinne for to follow it and persecute the doctrine of truth by profession to maintain falshood for their glory and vauntage are remediles as ye may sée Heb. 6. and 10. Balaam so sinned the false Prophets in the olde Testament so sinned the Pharesies so sinned Alexander so sinned and now many so sinne following their pride couetousnesse Tindale ¶ What this sinne vnto death is our Sauiour Christ doeth sufficiently declare saieng If ye will not beléeue ye shall dye in your owne sinnes So that this sinne vnto death is nothing els but a wilfull obstinate infidelitie this sinne no man that is borne of God doth commit though of frailenesse we be subiect to sinne as long as we liue Sir I. Cheeke If we sinne willingly after we haue receiued yâ— knowledge of the truth ¶ This is the sinne whereof is spoken Mat. 12. 31. that is the sinne of blasphemie against the Holy ghost which sinne Iohn calleth the sinne vnto death 1. Iohn 5. 16. ¶ They sinne willingly which of set purpose and mallice doth withhold the truth in vnrighteousnesse and lying which know that in all the world ther is no other Sacrifice for sinne but that onely Omnisufficient sacrifice of Christs death and yet they will not commit themselues vnto it but rather despise it and abide still obstinately in their wickednesse and sinnes vnto such remaineth a most horrible and dreadfull iudgement Sir I. Cheeke For it is not possible that they which were once lightened haue tasted ¶ This text denieth not impossibilitie of mercie in God but the impossibilitie of repentaunce in such men as malâ—tiously forsake the truth blaspheme Christ take part against the Holy ghost For the truth is that with the Lord ther is mercie plenteous redemption Psa. 130. 7. So that whosoeuer calleth vpon his name shal be saued Ioel.
fol. 96. ¶ The soules of the Saintes are vnder the Altar which is Christ meaning that they are in safe custodye in the heauens Geneua How Christs soule was heauie My soule is heauie euen vnto death ¶ Héere we learne that Christ did not onely take an humane body vpon him but also an humane soule So that he was both a perfect man and perfect God else if the Godhead had ben vnto him in stéed of his soule he could not haue bene heauy Sir I. Cheeke Of Christs soule descending into hell That his soule should not be left in hell ¶ Saint Augustine writing of the presence of God vnto Dardanus 2. chap. alleadgeth this saieng of the Apostle and thereby goeth about to proue that the soule of Christ went downe in very déed to hell but that he suffered nothing there Other doe affirme that it is sayd by a figuratiue manner of speaking that he went downe to hell because that the merit of his death and passion was profitable to them that after died in the faith of Abraham Some againe by the word Inferi doe vnderstand the graue I would wish we should alwaies studie to vnitie and peace and leaue these vnfruitfull questions Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Looke Christs descending into hell Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell ¶ That is thou shalt not forsake me that my soule shall dye and that followeth neither shalt thou suffer thy Saints to see corruption signifieth thou shalt not suffer my body to abiâ—â— in the graue and so to corrupt So doth Peter expound this place of Christ. Act. 2. 27 and Paule Act. 13. 7 T. M. ¶ This is chiefly spoken of Christ by whose resurrection all his members haue immortalitie Geneua Wherein the soule of man and beast do differ In man the soule by which he knoweth iudgeth and hath discreation is called liuing The soule of beasts haue none other facultie but to giue mouing vnto their bodies Caluine Of the apparition of soules The soules that is departed from the body cannot wander in this countries or regioÌ„s for the soules of the righteous are in the handes of God and also the soules of sinners are straight waies after their departure led away it is made manifest by the rich man and Lazarus Chrisostome in his 29. Homil. vpon the. 8. of Mathew T. M. But the Lord doth say in an other place this day will I fetch againe thy soule from thée Therefore the soule after it is once gone from the body cannot wander heere among vs and not without a good cause For if they that go in a iourney if they chaunce to come into some vnknowne country cannot tell whither to goe except they haue a guide how much more shall the soule being departed from the bodie when she entereth into life and way that is altogether new vnto her bée vncerteine and ignorant whither she may goe except shée gette a guide It may be proued by many places of Scripture that yâ— soules of the righteous men doe not wander heere after their death For Stephen sayth Lord receiue my spirit And Paule did desire to be loosed and to be with Christ. The Scripture also doth say of the Patriarke and he was layd to his Fathers being dead in a good age And that the soules of sinners cannot abide there neither heare the rich what he sayth marke and weigh what he doth aske and not obteine If the soules of men might be conuersant héere he would haue come himselfe as his desire was and certified his bretheren of the torments of hell By the which place of the scripture this is also most manifest and plaine that the soules after they be gone out of their bodyes are lead into a certein place from whence they come not againe at their owne will and pleasure but doe tarry there for the dreadfull day of iudgement God forbid that we should beléeue that the soule of any Saint much lesse of a Prophet haue ben fetched vp by the diuel being taught that Satan himselfe is transformed into an Angell of light much more into a man of light and that he shall also affirme himselfe to be God and worke wonderfull signes for to subuert euen the very elect if it were possible But although the vertue of God hath called againe certein soules into their bodyes for to teach vs that he might doe it by his owne right it shall not therefore be communicated or graunted vnto the confidence and boldnesse of Magitians or Sorcerers and vnto the deceitfulnesse of dreames and lyeng Poets but when in the example of the resurrection the vertue or power of God doth bring againe the very soules into the bodies it is shewed with a whole full truth and which can bée touched and handled that is a shape and forme of veritie or that is a true and vnfeined shape or forme so that thou maist iudge that all fetching vp appearing of the dead without bodies are méere illusions and deceitfulnesse There be such now a dayes which are wont to say Who hath seene what is done in hell who euer came to bring vs word But let them heare what Abraham sayth for if we doe not beléeue the Scriptures we wold not beléeue them neither that should come from hell The Iewes haue well declared the same which because that they beléeued not the Scriptures would in no wise beléeue them that were raised againe from the dead but wold haue slaine Lazarus that was raised againe And although many were raised againe from death after that Christ was crucified yet did they not let to persecute the Apostles most cruelly afterward Theophilact vpon the 16. of Luke I. N. The spirit of Samuel which the woman Sorcerer raysed vp to Saule was not the soule of Samuel but the diuell which appeared in Samuels lykenesse for to deceiue Saule Aug. to simpl 3. quest Of soules departed S. Austen writeth that the soules of the Saints be in the secret receptacles vntill they shall receiue the crowne of glorie in the day of iudgement Againe in an Epistle he wrote to Saint Hierome A soule saith he after bodely death shall haue rest and than after that shall take her body that she may haue glory S. Barnard saith the swéetnesse which the soules of the Saints haue at this present is great but it is not yet perfect for it shall be made perfect when they shall sit on seates as Iudges When they haue put of their bodies they be forthwith brought into rest but not into the glorie of the kingdome He saith farther that there be thrée estates of the soule The first is in the body as in a tabernacle the second after death as in a porch of the temple the third in heauen with his glorified body The meaning of this place following And shall winne his soule for a praye ¶ That is shall escape daunger It is all one with that which goeth before he
shall saue his lyfe his soule that is his life shall be vnto him as a pray because he should vtterly haue lost it if hée had bidden in Hierosalem and by flieng to the Chaldees he should winne it euen as a man winneth a praye in battell T. M. How satan hath no power of the soule of the godly God hath giuen Satan leaue to punish Iob he sayth to him beholde thou maist worke thy spite vpon his substaunce but much not his person And againe after he hath destroyed all his goods he sayth Thou maist touch his person but thou shalt not come â—eere his soule Hâ—â—reâ—â— agaâ—â— we see how God reserueth alwayes the soule of Iob sol 〈…〉 Satan can no more but torment him in his goods and in his mortall lyfe and in his honour for he had not the power to â—â—lter into his soule to seduâ—e him and to make him to burst out into impatience Caluiâ—â—e fol. 22. How the soules departed know not what is done in earth If the soules of the dead departed sayth Saint Austen were present at the affaires of the liuing then woulde they speake vnto vs when we sée them in our sléepe and to omit others my tender mother would forsake me neuer a night which followed by sea by land to the end she might liue together with me God forbid she should become cruell in the happâ—er life so that if ought al anytime greiue my heart she comfort not her sorrowfull sonne whom she loued entirely whome she would neuer see sadde But in good sooth that which the sacred Psalme soundoth out is true My Father and my Mother hath forsaken me but the Lord tooke me vp if our Fathers haue forsaken vs how are they present at our cares businesse If our parents be not present what other of the departed bée there which know what we doe or what we suffer The Prophet Esay sayth Abraham hath bene ignorant of vs and Israel hath not knowne vs. God of his great goodnesse promised Iosias that he should dye be gathered vnto his people least yâ— he should sée the plagues which he threatned shuld happeÌ„ to yâ— place people Chrisostome writeth that the diuels vseth to say to the liuing Anima talis ego sum I am such a mans soule to the ende he may deceiue him Chrisost. Mat. chap. 8. Cipriane saith The wicked spirits doe hide themselues in pictures and Images consecrated they inspire the mindes of the Prophets they holden the heart strings intrailes they gouerne the flieng of birds they sort lots they sift out Oracles they mingle alwayes falsehood and truth togethers they distemper the health for they deceiue and are deceiued They trouble the lyfe they disquiet the sléepe and créeping into the bodyes they fray the secrets of the minde they bring the limâ— out of fashion they distemper the health they vexe with diseases that they may compell the poore silly wretches to the worshipping of them that being filled with the sauour from the altars and burnt bowels of bâ—astâ— loosing the thing which they bound They may séeme to cure for this is their curing and healing when they cease to hurt Cipriane de Idol vanitate SOVND Why Caluine doth vse this word Sound and not perfect HE was a sound man ¶ This word sound in the Scripture is taken for a plainâ—nesse when there is no point of sayuing counter feiting or hypocriste in a man but that he sheweth himselfe the same out wardly that he is inwardly and specially when he hath no starting holes to shift himselfe from God but â—aâ—eth open his heart and all his thoughts and affections so that he desireth nothing but to consecrate and dedicate himself wholy vnto God The same word also hath ben translated perfect as well by the Gréekes as by the Latines But forasmuch as the word perfect hath afterward bene misconstrued it is better for vs to vse the word sound for many ignoraunt persons not knowing how the sayd perfection is to bée taken haue thought thus Beholde héere a man that is called perfect and therefore it followeth that it is possible for vs to haue perfection in our selues euen during the time wée walke in this present lyfe but they deface the grace of God whereof wée haue néede continually For euen they that haue liued most vprightly must haue recourse to Gods mercye and except their sinnes be forgiuen them and that God vpholde them they must needes all perish So then although that they which haue vsed this word perfect haue meant well yet notwithstanding forasmuch as there hath bene some that haue wrast it to a contrarye sense as I haue sayde let vs kéepe still this worde Sounde Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 3. SOVVE What it is to sowe in the flesh and to sowe in the spirit TO sow in the flesh is to prouido for the néedes of this present lyfe without regard of the lyfe to come It is to bée all for a mans owne selfe to feede his owne paunch onely and to bestowe nothing to the mainteinaunce of the spirituall functions And to sowe in the flesh is to followe the fruites of the flesh and to pamper the fleshly lusts And to sowe in the spirit is to looke more to heauen then to the earth And to frame a mans lyfe as he may séeke alwayes the kingdome of God Wée sowe in the spirit when wée doe and suffer all thing in this lyfe to the end we may be wel at ease in the lyfe to come Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 307. For he that soweth in the flesh c. ¶ Hée proueth that the ministers must be nourished for if men onelye prouide for worldly thinges without respect of the lyfe euerlasting then they procure to themselues death and mocke God who hath giuen them his ministers to teach them heauenly thinges Geneua SPETTLE Of the clay that Christ made with his Spettle HE spat on the ground and made clay of the spettle annointed the eyes of the blinde with the clay ¶ This was not for any vertue that was in the earth in the spettle or in the clay to make one sée but it only pleased him to vse these signes and meanes Geneua How Spettle was abused in Baptime THe spettle whereby they doe not lighten but defile and beraye the infant they tooke out of the miraculous fact of Christ where he did strike ouer the eies of him that was borne blind with the spettle and clay and opened them This miracle the Apostles did see but for all that none of them stroke their spettle in the eies of them that should be baptised Musculus fol. 291. SPIDERS VVEB What it is to weaue the Spiders web AND weaue the Spiders web ¶ To weaue the Spiders web is to goe about vaine and trifling thinges which are of no value although they seeme neuer so excellent to the dooers T. M. SPIRIT How this word spirit is vnderstood GOD is a spirit
SVSPENTION What Suspention is SUspention is the censure of the Eldershippe whereby one is for a time depriued of the Communion of the Sacraments Often this sorte are forbidden which as yet make profession of religion And in olde time among the Iewes the vncircumcised whether they were straungers or Iewes Exo. 12. 48. 49. Thus with vs they were by the same reason to bée debarred for a time which haue not embraced true religion or embracing make no profession thereof They also are put backe which professing religion commit any haynous crime for thus in times past the vncleane although not with greatest pollution were put of for a time as namelye those that were vncleane by touching of a dead bodye Num. 8. which after the same manner ought to bée obserued with vs. Neither it is doubtfull but when as Christ hath warned that he against whome a brother is offended shoulde not offer his gifte vntill hée were reconciled if hée doe it not of his owne frée will if the offence be knowne ought to be by the authoritie of the Senate compelled therevnto SVVEARING Why the Iewes were suffered to sweare by the name of God IN the olde lawe the Iewes in an earnest iust weightie cause were permitted to sweare in the name of God but not by all manner of creatures least they dwelling among the Heathen and accustoming their othes shuld by continuance of time fall into the filthy worshipping of their Idolls forgetting God Sweare by his name saith Moses Deut. 6. 13. and see that ye walke not after strange Gods of the Nations yâ— you remaine among So that ye neither make mention saith Iosua 23. 7. nor yet sweare by the names of their Gods Who sweareth aright They sweare iustly being required of the Magistrates which minding fraud nor deceit witnesseth onely the truth Which séeketh no parcialitie but the right not themselues but the glory of God the profit of their neighbour and the Common-wealth of Gods people What swearing is lawfull And sweare by his name c. ¶ To sweare that which is true in a cause of faith either to the honour of God or profit of thy neighbour is lawfull and then will Moses that the oth bee made in the name of God By which he meaneth that if we must néedes sweare we referre the oth to God onely although thou sweare by a booke or other thing as Paul did by his conscience Rom. 9. 1. T. M. And shall sweare by his name ¶ We must feare God serne him and confesse his name which is done by swearing lawfully Geneua To sweare by the Lord and to the Lord are two things And they sweare to the Lord c. ¶ To sweare vnto the Lord is to giue thy selfe wholly to him with a pure hart which thing true worshippers do as is said of Dauid Psal. 132. 2. But to sweare by the Lord is to call on the name of the Lord as a witnesse and Iudge as it is said Iosua 2. 12. T. M. Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe ¶ As we are forbidden to take the name of God in vaine or to sweare by any manner thing giuing the honour and glory vnto creatures that ought to be ascribed onely to God the Creator so when we are called before Magistrates we may lawfully take an Oth and sweare the Lord liueth Exo. 32. 8. 9. 10. 11. Deut. 6. 13. Heb. 4. 3. Rut. 1. 17 1. Reg. 20. 3. Sir I. Cheeke All priuate swearing is forbidden Sweare not at all saith Christ but let your communication be yea yea nay nay ¶ He saith twice yea and twice nay that is yea in heart and yea in mouth nay in heart and nay in mouth And if men when you meane truly will not beléeue you by your yea and nay let them take héede saith S. Basil â—or they shall tast the paine that belongeth to the vnbeléeuers therfore it is both foolish and damnable when a man cannot be beléeued by yea and nay without an oth because he wold be beleeued to sweare The Gospell saith S. Hierom permitteth no manner of priuate swearing because the whole language of a Christian should be so faithfull true and perfect that euery sentence thereof shall be able to stand for an oth How customable swearing is daungerous Of customable swearing commeth the damnable vice of periâ—â—â—e If a man shall vse commonly to sweare he cannot chuse but many times damnably to forsweare himselfe That a man hath in customeâ— he shall doe at all times but he shall not at all times refraine it The Lord saith Moses will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Deut. 5. 11. Exo. 20. 7. A man that vseth much swearing saith Iesus Sirach shall bée full of iniquitie and neuer shall the plague depart from his house All théeues and swearers are vnder one curse of God saith Zachary Stoned was he by the law that blasphemed the name of the Lord in Israel The Doctors against swearing Tell vnto me my friend saith Iohn Chrisostom what doâ—â— thou proâ—â—te by thy swearing If thine aduersary shuld thinke thée to sweare aright he would neuer compell thee to it but because he thinketh thee thereby to become a periâ—rer therefore enforceth he thée to an oth Seldome hath the priuate oth a good conclusion But happely thou wilt say I cannot â—â—ll my wares vnlesse I doe sweare or my debter beleeueth me not vnlesse I make him an oth Wherevnto I aunswere rather be content to haue thy wares vnsolde and to loose thy money then thy saluation in Christ. Reason faithfully with conscience and let thy soule be more deare vnto thee then thy corruptible substaunce For though thou loose part of thy substance yet maist thou liue but if thou loose God thou canst not liue A greater reward shalt thou haue for loosing of it in the feare of God then if thou hadst giuen it in almes for that is done in paine for the loue of the Lord requireth a more worthy crowne then that is done without paine Moreouer I counsell thée as my friend saith Chrisostome if thou be a true Christian that thou neuer compell any other man to sweare For whether he sweareth right or wrong thou art not without daunger afore God considering that Christ whose seruaunt thou oughtest to be hath giuen thee a sore commaundement to the contrary Beside that though his oth were true yet is not thy conscience cléere from periury for so much as the matter being doubtfull vnto thée thou puttest him to the daunger thereof And if it were false then hast thou enforced him to periury and so for lacke of Christen charitie lost both his soule and thine owne for whom Christ suffered his death Worse is he saith S. Austen then an homicide that compelleth a man to sweare whome he knoweth to forsweare himselfe For the homicide slayeth but the body whereas he slayeth the soule yea two soules rather That is to
did circumcise Timothy at Derba and Listria not because he allowed Circumcision but to beare with the time and with the weakenesse of the Iewes wherby he might the better perswade them and allure them to the faith of Christ. For the same purpose did he shaue his head in Cenchrea faining himselfe to the sight of the Iewes to haue bene a Nazarei when he was nothing lesse but onely to win the Iewes by a little and a little was content to vse an holy charitable dissimulation as I might say onely for this purpose that he might win them to Christ. That this was S. Paules practise he himselfe confesseth in yâ— 1. Co. 9. 22. saieng I framed and fashioned my selfe to please all men only to this end that I might win them to Christ. This place ye see maketh nothing for the establishing of vowes Votum is sometime taken of the Lawiers Propteractis promissis ciuilibus as we would say Vir iustus est vota promissa prestare The propertie of a good man a righteous liuer is to performe all his couenaunts bargaines And now this word Votum is borrowed out of the olde Testament We call commonly our profession in Baptime a vow which is not properly to be called a vow forasmuch as a vow is a worke of a mans owne frée will But let it be that our profession be taken for a vow which vow if we kéepe all other monasticall vowes are but vaine vnprofitable foolish wicked and full of hipocrisie for either it must be graunted that these vowes as they call them of chastitie of puritie and of obedience either they are workes commaunded of God or els workes mo or other then God hath commaunded what a blasphemous pride is it what a presumpteous hypocrisie is it to doe more for our own vowing then for Gods commaunding Were not that souldier worthy of wages that would doe nothing at the commaundement of his Captaine but that which he first had vowed of his owne frée will to serue his Captaine And againe If we doe other things then those which God hath commaunded vs all our labour is but in vaine For Christ saith Frustra colunt â—me docentes doctrinas mandata hominuÌ„ Ri. Tur. ¶ Looke Widow Of the vowe of the Nazarite As touching the vow of yâ— Nazarits as it is manifestly set forth in the 6. of Num. But those things which are ther written may all be reduced to thrée principall points The first was they should drinke no wine nor strong drinke nor anye thing that might make them dronke Another was that they shuld not poll their head but all that time the Nazarite should let his hayre grow The third was that they shoulde not defile themselues with mourning for vnrialls no not at the death of their father or mother These things wer to be obserued only for some certaine time for he vowed to be a Nazarite but for certein number of dayes months or yeares Pet Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 201. Of the godly vow of Staupitius I haue saith this godly learned man vowed vnto God aboue a thousand times that I would become a better man but I neuer perfourmed that which I vowed Héereafter I will make no such vow for I haue now learned by experience that I am not able to perfourme it Unles therefore God be fauourable mercifull vnto me for Christs sake and graunt vnto me a blessed and an happy houre when I shall depart out of this miserable life I shal not be able with all my vowes and all my good deedes to stand before him ¶ This was not onely a true but also a godly an holy desperation this must al they confesse both with mouth heart which will be saued For yâ— godly trust not in their own righteousnes but say with Dauid Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 251. VRIM AND THVMIM What they doe signifie VRim Thumim are Hebrue words Vrim signifieth light and Thumim perfectnesse and I thinke the one wer stones that did glister had light in them the other cleere stones as Christall and the light betokened the light of Gods word the purenesse cleane liuing according to the same was therof called the example of the children of Israel because it put them in remembrance to séeke Gods word and to do there after T. M. ¶ Vrim Thumim signifie light perfectnes out of the which it pleased God to giue aunsweres oracles iudgments but what they were it doth not well appeare to any writer They were placed in the Priests breast to admonish him that he ought to shine in doctrine and to be perfect in conuersation of life The Bible note ¶ Vrim signifieth light and Thumim perfectnesse declaring that the stones of the breast plate wer most cleare and of perfect beautie by Vrim also is ment knowledge Thumim holines shewing what vertues are required in the Priests Geneua The meaning of these places following But the Lord aunswered him not neither by dreame nor by Vrim ¶ Of Vrim is spoken Nu. 27. 21. God would not that the high Priest should giue Saule aunswere at this time therfore suffered not to see his will in Vrim as he was wont to doe or happely he saw his will but saw therewith that he should not shew it to Saule T. M. Who shal aske counsell for him by the iudgement of Vrim ¶ According to his office signifieng yâ— the ciuill magistrate could execute nothing but yâ— which he knew to be yâ— will of God Ge. VS How this word signifieth mo persons then one LEt vs make man in our Image ¶ Moses speaketh in yâ— plurall number signifieng mo persons to be in God that the father in the creation of man consulted with his wisedome and spirit The Bible note ¶ God commaunded the water to bring forth other creatures but of man he saith Let vs make signifieng that God taketh counsell with his wisdome vertue purposing to make an excellent worke aboue all the rest of his creation Geneua The meaning of this place following They went out from vs but they were not of vs. ¶ Héereby doe we learne that they that fall away from among the elect chosen of God yet they be none of the members of them For if they were of them they would continue and abide with them Sith then that they fall away from the knowen truth they do plainly declare thereby that they were none of the true elect chosen of God but were plaine hipocrites which for a tune did shine in the Church with fained holinesse whereas in wardlye they wer filled with all kinde of infidelitie vnbeleefe which they cloaked as long as they could till they were by the righteous iudgement of God manifested and opened at length such shall the Church haue vnto the worlds ende I. Veron VSVRIE The
causes of true repentaunce that bringeth forth wéeping One is for because we haue through negligence omitted many things which we ought not to haue done These are commonly called sins of committing omitting And in the same place he interpreteth this sentence Bring forth worthy fruit of repentance after this manner that wee should wéepe for the sinnes already committed and we should take héede that we doe not the same againe Chrisostome also vpon the Epistle to the Collossians the. 12. homely complaineth that the christians abused teares And when as otherwise teares are good creatures of God they defame them in adioyning them to those things which deserue not weeping Sinnes onely sayth he are to be wept for not onely our owne sins but other mens also Which Paule performed in very deede who in the second to the Corinthians sayde That he was afraide not to come vnto them but so that he was deiected and compelled to wéepe for very many which had fallen and not repented Yea and hée exhorted the same Corinthians to wéepe for other mens sinnes when in the first Epistle he sayd Ye are puffed vp and ye haue not mourned namely for the grieuous crime of an incestuous man And Dauid in his 119. Psalme writeth Mine eyes haue brought forth riuers of waters because they haue not kept thy lawe That holy Prophet wept because of yâ— publike transgressions of the lawe when he sawe the same transgressions perpretated he abundantly powred out teares c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 63. How godly men doe easilier weepe then laugh Ezechiel in the. 8. chapter commended certeine which wept for the wicked acts of other men And héereof it commeth that when holy men sée horrible spectacles of sinners oftentimes to happen they easilyer burst forth into teares then into laughter for so Christ vsed whom we read to haue oftentimes wept but neuer to haue laughed which selfe same thing also we must doe at this day when as so great and euill an haruest of sins doth on euery side offer it selfe vnto vs. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 63. VVHY Why God doth this or that we ought noâ— to aske WHen it is asked saith S. Austen why God did this thing or that thing we must aunswere that he did it because yâ— it was his will so to doe If thou goest any farther asking why it was his will so to doe thou doest aske a thing which is both greater and higher then the will of God which thing cannot be found out Aug. cont Mad. li. 1. cap. 3. Why God doth more for one then for another If a man doe aske why God doth shew mercye more to one then to another S. Austen maketh aunswere by an apt similitude on this wise If a man haue many debters that doth owe vnto him the like sum of money doth it not lye in his power to forgiue some of them the whole debt to call vpon the other for the whole sum who can lay any thing to his charge for so doing Then marke saith he we are all debters vnto God and haue all deserued euerlasting damnation that he doth then of méere mercy and goodnesse forgiue some and to some againe he doth according to righteous iudgement who shall be so bolde to blame him for it I. Veron Why doth not God will some say giue his grace to all alike when his word is preached but suffereth some to receiue it other to despise it S. Luke in the Act. 13. 48. And they saith he did beléeue yâ— were ordeined before to life euerlasting Againe he could doe it saith S. Austen because he is almighty and why then doth he it not because saith he that he will not And why he will not that doe we leaue vnto him Veron ¶ Looke Predestination Will of God Vaine Questions VVHITE What is vnderstood by the white horse BY the white horse may be vnderstood the first state of the christian Church without blemish By the second seale red horse vnderstand the state of the kingdome of Christ in yâ— time of yâ— martirs By the third scale the beast yâ— black horse ballance measure vnderstand dearth want of victuals with the portion that was allowed for one man for his dayes spending which happened to all the world either when Claudius or â—raianus raigned Emperours By the fourth seale the beast the voyce and the pale horse vnderstand the heretikes which diuers waies vexe the holy Church with false doctrine The fift seale may signifie the right godlye Christian men The sixt seale the great misery affliction which shall rise be procured through Antichrist Marl. ¶ Looke Seale ¶ By the white horse is signified the Apostles and the first disciples of Christ for why yâ— scripture doth so call them These horses were white they were made pure righteous cleane by Iesus Christ and bare him by their preaching the world ouer Such a white horse to the glory of God was Paule when he bare the name of Christ before the Gentiles the Kings the Children of Israel c. Bale What is meant by the white stone And will giue him a white stone ¶ Arethas writeth that such a stone was wont to be giuen to wrastlers at games or els that such stones did in olde time witnesse the quitting of a man Beza ¶ By the white stone is signified the election before God also euerlasting peace and confidence in the grace and fauour of God vnto euerlasting life Sir I. Cheeke ¶ I will also giue him for a token of perpetuall peace and loue that pure and precious stone Iesus Christ so white as the Lily â—loure innocent and cleane from all contagious vices to be his onely and whole wisedome righteousnesse light health and redemption Bale VVHOLE BVRNT OFFERING Wherefore it was called a whole burnt offering ¶ Looke Burnt offering VVHOREDOME How whoredome is taken in the Prophet Ose. THe vse of whoredome or fornication throughout the Prophet is to take another God beside the true God to serue Images and beléeue in them T. M. How whoredome was punished by death Bring ye hir forth let hir be burnt ¶ We sée that the law which was written in mans heart taught them yâ— whoredome should be punished with death albeit no law as yet was giuen Geneua How whoredome being suffered spreadeth abrod Whoredome saith Basil stayeth not in one man but inuadeth a whole Citie For some one young man commeth to an harlot and taketh vnto himselfe a fellowe and the same fellowe taketh another fellow wherefore euen as fire béeing kindeled in a Citie if the winde blow vehemently stayeth not in yâ— burning of one house or two but spreadeth farre and wide draweth a great destruction with it so this euill being once kindled spredeth ouer all parts of the Citie Pet. Mar. vpon Iudi. fo 233. How whoredome is spued out As it spued out the people that were before you ¶
Godhead S. Iohn sayth not Caro verbum facta est as the Arrians expound it and say the flesh receiued the worde but hée sayth Verbum caro factum est The word was made flesh I. Proctour ¶ In that he sayth the word became flesh and not man hée sheweth how farre Gods sonne humbled and abased himselfe For the Scripture calleth man flesh when he will signifie the pouertie vilenesse and miserie of man As when it is said All flesh is grasse and he remembred that we were but flesh my spirit shall not euer striue in man for he is flesh But when yâ— Euangelist sayth The word became flesh we may not imagin that Gods sonne ioyned to his diuine nature flesh only and not mans soule as Appolinaris thought in his traunce that flesh and the Godhead made one person without mans soule For he imagined that the diuinitie was in steede of a soule But so it should follow that the Lord Iesus was not a very man For flesh is not a man For the soule is the formall part of a man namely that wherby a man is a man without which a man cannot be And that the Lord had a mans soule beside his diuinitie he himselfe testifieth where he saith My soule is heauy vnto yâ— death Neither can Appol 〈…〉 is aide himselfe with this place For when the Scripture calleth men flesh it meaneth not that they are without soule for then they were no men indeede Traheâ—on What the Euangelist meaneth by the word in this place of Iohn In the beginning was the worde c. ¶ By the word the Euangelist meaneth the second person in the holy Trinitie namely our Lord Iesus Christ touching his diuine nature as it appeareth afterward when he saith And the worde became flesh Héere we must consider why Gods son is called a word Auncient writers consider a worde two wayes For they teach that there is an outward word and an inward word The outward word is that foundeth and passeth awaye The inwarde worde is the conceite of the heart which remaineth still in the heart when the sound is past So they saye that God hath an outward worde which is sounded pronounced and written in bookes And that hée hath an inwarde worde which remaineth within himselfe whereof the outwarde worde is an Image effect and fruite This inwarde worde euer remaining in him is called his sonne as the conceite of the heart maye bée called the ingendered fruite of the heart and the heartes childe They thinke also that he is called the worde of God because that as a worde is the Image of mans minde and representeth it vnto vs so the Lorde Iesus is Gods Image and most liuely representeth vnto vs his power his Godhead and his wisedome For whatsoeeuer is in the Father shineth in the Sonne Some other thinke that the worde héere is taken for a thing after the Hebrew manner of speaking For the Hebrewes vse Dabar which signifieth a worde for a thing When Esay the Prophet asked king Ezechias what the Babylonians had seene in his house he aunswereth thus They sawe all that was in my house Iohaial dabar there was not a word that is to say any one thing that I shewed not vnto them in my treasures The Prophet replyeth Behold the daies come that whatsoeuer is in thine house shall be taken away and whatsoeuer thy father haue laid vp in store vnto this day shal be carried to Babylon Ioij vather dabar ther shall not a word remain saith the Lord that is to say there shall not one thing be left behinde The Angel also in S. Luke when the virgin Mary meruailed how she shuld coceiue a childe without mans helpe sayd vnto her No word shall be impossible vnto God yâ— is nothing shal be impossible for him to do So that after this vnderstanding S. Iohns mening is that in the beginning ther was a diuine and heauenly thing with God Traheron How the word of God is called the light Thy word saith Dauid is a lanterne vnto my féet Psa. 119. 105 Againe the commaundements of the Lord is lightsome giuing light to the eyes Psal. 19. 7. Theophilact saith Verbum Dei est lucerna c. The word of God is the candle whereby the théefe or false preacher is espied How the word of God endureth for euer S. Hierome sayth Quomodo eternae erunt Scripturae diuinâ— c. How shall the holy Scriptures be euerlasting séeing the world shall haue an ende True it is that the parchment or leaues of the books with the letters and all shall bée abolished but forsomuch as the Lord addeth My words shal neuer passe doubtlesse though the papers and letters perish yet the thing that is promised by the same letters shall last for euer Of the nature and strength of the word of God For the word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then anye two edged swoorde and entereth through euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit of the ioyntes and of the marrowe and is a discouerer of the thoughts and the intent of the heart neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked and open vnto his eyes with whome wée haue to doe Surely as the raine commeth down and the Snow from heauen and returneth not thether but watereth the earth and maketh it to bring forth bud that it may giue séed to the sower and bread to him that eateth so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me in vaine but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it How the word of God hath sundrie names The word of God according to the sundry effectes and propertyes thereof hath sundry names as thus It is called seed for that it encreaseth and multiplyeth It is called a sword for that it cutteth the heart and diuideth the flesh from the spirit It is called a net for that it taketh vs and encloseth vs together It is called water for that it washeth vs cleane it is called fire for that it inflameth vs It is called bread for that it féedeth vs. Euen so it is called a key for that it giueth vs an entrye into the house The house is the kingdome of heauen Christ is the doore the word of God is the keye Iewel fo 144. How the word of God is the key ¶ Looke Key How the word of God is plaine They are all plaine vnto him that will vnderstand ¶ Meaning that the word of God is easie to al that haue a desire vnto it and which are not blinded by the Prince of this worlde Geneua The more that Gods word is troden downe the more it groweth The Pharesies sayd thus of Christ Videtis nos nihil proficere c. Ye sée we can doe no good lo the whole world