power is that which is altogether frée and is neither gouerned or restrained by the law or will of any other The limitted power is not frée but subiect to an absolute or greater power of another which cannot of it selfe doe euery thing but that onely that the absolute power or greater authoritie doth suffer to be done and suffereth it vnder certaine conditions c. Bullinger fol. 837. PRAIER What Praier is PRaier is a mourning a longing and a desire of the spirite to God-ward for that which she lacketh as a sicke man mourneth and sorroweth in his heart longing for health Tindale fol. 8◠Againe Praier is either a longing for the honour of the name of God that all men should feare him and kéepe his precepts and beléeue in him either to giue God thankes for benefits receiued either a complaining and a shewing of thine owne miserie and necessitie or of thy neighbours before God desiring him with all the power of thine heart to haue compassion and to suceour thée and them Tindale ¶ The true and acceptable prayer consisteth not in a rabblement of words nor yet in the vehemencie of the voice but in the stedfastnesse of our beléefe in the beautie of our desires and in the pure intentiue thought of our hearts fixed on Gods diuine mercie at such time as we doe pray ¶ God hath giuen vs a speciall comaundement to pray promising to heare and graunt our requests Wherefore it is requisite when we powre out our feruent praiers vnto God that we haue a speciall regard vnto the promise for except the Lord had promised to heare vs we could obtaine nothing by our prayers And whensoeuer we obtaine any thing in our prayer we may not attribute the graunt thereof to our praiers or worthinesse but onely vnto his mercifull promise ¶ Prayer saith Augustine is the deuotion of the minde that is to say the turning vnto God by godly and humble affection but we saith Musculus define it thus that the praier which may appeare vnto God is the affection and bewayling of an afflicted heart wherby the ayd of God is most humbly besought whether the same be done with words or without wordes by wayling alone and sighes Masculus fol. 485. ¶ The right forme and affection of prayer commeth by the holy Ghost who maketh intercession tor vs not that hée prayeth and mourneth but that he so stirreth our hearts that we lift them vp to heauen earnestly and feruently which is the true prayer Heare my prayer O God ¶ True prayer is an earnest and affectious communication of the heart with God and a diligent consideration of the things that want in vs concerning the séeking of his glorye and dooing his will with a burning and feruent desire of the spirite that requyreth him to repaire and amende that which wanteth in vs. Psa. 5. 1. Pro. 15. 29. Euery godly with also is a good prayer T. M. What els is praier then a record of the faith that we haue to God-ward for by calling vpon God without Hypocrisie we witnesse openly that all our welfare lyeth in him and that he is the onely party to whom we ought to flye for succour And to be short by calling vpon God we yéelde him the glory that belongeth vnto him and which he reserueth vnto himselfe c. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 205. ¶ The sincere praier which is appoynted of God is vsed to inflame the heart of man with a feruent desire to séeke God alwaies in true faith and euermore to haue recourse to him in all his néedes and the rather to receiue his benefites with a thankful mind when he is certefied by prayer that all benefits doe come from his bountifull hande and finally to confirme weake mindes so that they shall not haue cause to doubt in Gods prouidence when they sée God doth stirre them vp yea doth commaund them to call vpon him in their necessities by Iesus Christ doth promise them y◠he will heare their prayers through the same Iesus Christ whensoeuer they call vppon him that they may render thankes vnto him and glorifie his holy name Neither will God haue vs make our praiers without his Temple that is Iesus Christ his Sonne in whom his Deitie dwelleth effectually For as he hath giuen vs our béeing and the knowledge of him by the meanes of his Sonne so will he likewise haue vs to aske of him by this meanes not by any other And therefore whosoeuer doth praye and offer vp his petitions to any other then to God onely or doth séeke any other meanes then Iesus Christ to offer them by without doubt he doth both against the commaundements and against the promise of God and doth sinne grieuously in Gods sight F. N. B. the Italian ¶ Praier is the ordinarie instrument to attaine all things that are néedefull for vs of God Or thus Praier is a lowly listing vp of y◠minde vnto God in desiring ought at Gods hand or yéelding thankes for benefits receiued Hemmyng We are taught by Ose how we should pray The Prophet Ose telleth vs how we should praye Lord saith he take away mine iniquitie and receiue if I haue any my goodnesse and I will giue thee the Bullockes and Sacrifices of my lippes The meaning of this place following But when thou praiest enter into thy chamber ¶ The heauenly schoolemaster when he minded to set out the best rule of praieng commaunded vs to goe into our chamber and ther the dores being shut to pray to our Father which is in secret that our Father which is in secret may heare vs. For when he hath drawen them away from the example of Hypocrites which with ambitious boasting showe of prayers sought the fauour of men he therewithall addeth what is better namely to enter into our chamber and there to praye the doore being shutte in which words as I expound them he willeth vs to séeke solitarie being which may helpe vs to descend and to enter throughly with our whole thought into our heart promising to the affections of our heart that God shall be néere vs whose Temples our bodies ought to be For he ment not to deny but that it is expedient also to pray in other places but he sheweth that praier is a certaine secret thing which both is chiefly placed in the soule and requireth the quyet therof farre from all troubles and cares Cal. in his Insti 3. b. cha 20 sect◠29. ¶ Looke Chamber ¶ When thou with pray saith Christ goe into thy Closet shut the dore vpon thée and pray vnto the father in secret ¶ He spake not to this intent to restraine the praiers of his faithfull vnto chambers closets but to admonish them that they shuld specially eschew the fault of ostentation and boasting which the Pharesies vsed in their prayers praieng openly at the corners of the stréetes and in the Synagogues to be séene of men and to be taken for deuout folke
¶ This word spirit is to be taken heere as it is set against that commaundement which is called carnall Heb. 7. 16. as the commaundement is considered in it selfe And so he speaketh of truth not as we set it against a lye but as we take it in respect of the outward ceremonies of the lawe which did onely shadow that which Christ performed in déede Beza ¶ God being of a spirituall nature requireth a spirituall seruice and agreeable to the nature Geneua How the spirit of God maketh intercession for vs. But the spirit maketh great intercession for vs c. ¶ The right forme affection of praier commeth by the holy Ghost who maketh intercession for vs not that he prayeth mourneth but that he so stirreth our heartes that we lift them vp to heauen earnestly and seruently which is the true praier The Bible note Who is of else spirit of truth and who is not Euen the spirit of truth c. ¶ The spirit which Christ did promise shal teach onely these things which Christ had taught before whosoeuer therfore doth teach any other doctrine besides Christs doctrine he is not of the spirit of truth but of the spirit of leasing Sir I. Cheeke Of the spirit that Christ promised to send The spirit saith hâ— which I will 〈…〉 from my father shall lead you into all truth but howâ— Because saith he he shal put you in minde of all those things that I haue told you Ther he giueth warning that there is nothing more to be looked for of his spirit but that he should enlighten our minds to perceiue the truth of his doctrine Therfore Chrisostome Sermo de sanc adon spi. Iohn 12. 〈…〉 10. saith excellently wel Many saith he do boast of the holy spirit but they which speak their owne do falsely pretend that they haue him As Christ testified that he spake not of himselfe because he spake out of the lawe the Prophets So if any thing beside the Gospell be thrust in vnder the title of the spirit let vs not beléeue it because as Christ is the fulfilling of the lâ—we and Prophets so is yâ— spirit of the Gospell Câ—â— in his Inst. 4. b. cap. 8. Sect. 13. Why the holy Ghost is called the spirit of truth Who is the spirit of truth He is called the spirit of truth not onely because he is true but because he maketh the men in to whom he entereth true whereas all that they doe without the spirit is none other thing but lyes Tindale So called because he worketh in vs the truth Geneua Of the spirit of southsaieng A certeine damosell possessed with the spirit of southsaieng met vs. Which could tell things past gesse at things to come which knowledge in many things God permitteth to the diuell to this end as Austen writeth that he might thâ— more mightely deceiue those that woulde beleeue him The Bible note Of the spirit of the Prophets For the spirits of the Prophets are in the power of yâ— Prophets Héere he speaketh not of the holy Ghost in whose power all men ought to be but of the seuerall gifts of the spirit which are now in the power of them that haue them that they may alwaies without contention vse them to yâ— odifieng of the Church of Christ. Sir I. Cheke Spirits of the Prophets yâ— is the doctrine that they doe bring as being put in minde by the spirit of God The Bible note Or learning which Gods spirit moueth them to vtter Ge. Of the spirits in prison And preached vnto the spirits in prison ¶ It is vnknowne to vs where this prison was for the holy Scripture speaketh nothing of it In the Gospell it is called the bosome of Abraham It is sufficient for vs to know and beléeue that all the soules of the Saintes or faythfull which dyed since the beginning of the world are saued by the bloud of Christ howbeit the Gospell was sundrie wayes preached vnto the dead For vnto the holy Patriarkes deliueraunce and saluation vnto the vnfaythfull deserued dampnation was preached Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Christ being from the beginning head and gouernour of his Church came in the dayes of Noe not in the bodye which he then had not but in the spirit and preached by the mouth of Noe for the space of an hundred and twentie yeares to the disobedient which would not repent and therfore are now in prison reserued to the last iudgement Geneua How to serue God in the spirit To serue God in the spirit is to honour God with a true â—ffection procéeding from a pure and cleane heart and not by Images or other visible and corruptible things or else by shewes and outward ceremonies Pet. Viret SPIRITVALL Who they be that be spirituall ALL be spirituall men which are lead by Gods spirit hée who hath more abundaunce of Gods spirit is more spirituall Of a lyke manner S. Paule speaking to the married sorte in Rome as wel as to the rest said Vos non estis in carne sed in spiritu You be not in the flesh but in the spirit And Saint Iohn in his first Chapter nameth all to be spirituall that beléeue in Christ for flesh and bloud is not able to bring foorth such a child And if the outward admission were able to make a man spirituall then should Iudas and such lyke who had the outward election yet inwardly folowed the spirit of the flesh of the Diuell be worthely called spirituall But our Sauiour Christ reasoning with Nichodemus maketh a plaine proofe by euident demonstration that onely such as be endued with Gods spirit be worthy of the name spirituall and that such as bée not borne of Gods spirit bée not spirituall but carnall And in the same place the Lord hath giuen a generall resolution that no man can enter into the kingdome of heauen vnles he become a spirituall man and be borne a newe not onely of water but also of the holy Ghost Ponet fol. 34. For the spirituall iudgeth all things ¶ Who is that spirituall Not such as we now call men of holy Church but all that haue the true interpretation of the law in their hearts The right faith of Christ the true inteÌ„t of works which God biddeth vs to worke He is spirituall and iudgeth all things is iudged of no man Tindale The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God c. but he that is spirituall discusseth all things ¶ Paule doth call him spirituall which is renued by the spirit of God and béeing gouerned by the same spirit doth examine and trye all things with the true touchstone of Gods word which is set forth vnto vs by the inspiration of the same spirit that hée is inclined withall but he himself that is to say the spirit is iudged of no man Héere also the naturall man is taken for him which being without
word of God but that hee maie come to saluation and therefore we ought to praie for all kinde of men But héereof we cannot inserre that God endueth euerie man with grace or predestinateth euerie man to saluation as in the time of the floude all liuing creatures are said to haue bene saued in the Arke with Noe for that onelie some of euerie kinde were gathered together in it Or we maie vnderstand it thus that God will haue all men to be saued for that as manie as are saued are saued by his will As if a man should saie of one that teacheth Rhetoricke in a citie that he teacheth all men By which kinde of speach is not signified that all the citizens are learners of Rhetoricke but as manie as learne are taught of him And this also is like If a man pointing to the gate of an house should saie that all men enter in this waie we must not thereby vnderstand that all men enter into that house but as manie as doe enter doe enter in by that gate onelie c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 306. Obiection If God saie they would haue all men saued how can that stand firme and stedfast that he hath chosen some onelie to saue and refused the rest Aunswere To this Saint Augustine saith thus which would haue all men saued not that there should be no man whom he would not haue saued Which would doe no vertue of miracles amongest them which he said would haue done penaunce if hée had done them but wée shoulde vnderstand by all men all sorts of men distributed in certaine differences kings priuate persons noble and base high and lowe c. And a litle after for the Apostle commaunded that they should praie for all men and speciallie he added for kings and them that were in high estate which might haue bene thought to refraine from the basenesse of the christian faith for a loftinesse of courage and a worldlie pride Therefore when he said This is good before God our sauiour that is to saie that we should praie also for such hée did adde by and by to take awaie desperation Which would all men to be saued In another place he saith thus But as that which is said All shall be restored to life in Christ whereas for all that manie are condemned to eternall death it is said therefore because that all as manie as doe enioie euerlasting life doe not enioie it but in Christ so the same that is spoken God wil haue all men saued whereas he willeth not to haue so manie saued it is spoken therefore because that they which be saued are not saued but as he willeth And in case these words of the Apostle maie be anie otherwise vnderstood so that for all that they maie not be contrarie to this most manifest truth wherein wee doe sée so manie not saued where as men would and God willeth not This saith Augustine Whereby we doe sée that the words of the Apostle are not so to be taken that of all men God hath refused none but that he would haue no sort of men shutte out from his saluation and knowledge of the truth c. Musculas fol. 214. The meaning of this place following All things are yours ¶ This place of S. Paule Athanasius that auncient writer expoundeth on this wise All things are yours onelie for that God hath subiect all things vnto you and hath ordeined all things to serue your commoditie and pleasure you are Christs through your creation and seruitude Christ is Gods because he was before the world with the father was of the same essence substance that God the father was of c. I. P. ALMES What almes signifieth THis word Almes importeth as much as mercie Now we sée that among other titles God challengeth this vnto himselfe that he is gentle and mercifull Then can we not be his children neither will he acknowledge vs for such except we labour to followe his example in this behalfe namelie to be moued to pitie when we sée anie poore folke in aduersitie and to go about to prouide for them euerie of vs according to his abilitie True it is that we maie giue all our substaunce and yet our doing shall not be counted a vertue For before the hand be opened to giue it behoueth the heart to be touched with compassion but if we haue pitie of those which are in aduersitie it behouâ—th vs also to succour them to our power For as â—â—â—ames saith If I saie to a poore man my friend God helpe thée thereby I shew that I haue no loue in me If I saie it is great pitie of this man and yet in the meane while labour not to succour him whom I ought to relieue it is a mockerie I am but an hypocrite That is to saie I sée there how God sheweth me a pitifull case it is as much as if God gaue me occasion to emploie my selfe thereby I sée that he calleth me yet in the meane time I make no countenance of it at all If there were but one drop of kindnesse in me would I not endeauour to helpe such a necessitie for my part So then we haue to beare in minde in this text that the holie ghost exhorteth vs to almes déedes that the same consisteth in two points that is to saie in being pitifull towards our neighbors when we see theÌ„ in aduersitie also when we haue such pitiful affection as we séeke the meanes to succour them euerie man straineth himselfe to his power True it is that we cannot stead all the necessities that we sée And therefore a christian man maie well mourne in his heart without putting his hand to his pursse For it is impossible euen for them that be best minded to helpe at all times And therefore this pitifulnes shall suffice them God accepteth it for an Almes déede as if the poore were norished and fed by them And when they haue this compassion vpon a poore man it is as great a Sacrifice vnto God as if he had giuen and dealt dole out of a full pursse c. Caluin vpon Iob. fol. 535. ¶ Almes déeds properlie is mercifulnesse notwithstanding vse and custome hath brought to passe that almes is called a gifte that of compassion and mercie is giuen vnto him that néedeth But in that diuersitie there lieth no waight nor force whether thou read righteousnesse or almes because it is manifest inough that by them both the vice of ambition is reprooued which in doing wel looketh to haue praise of men as did the Scribes Phariseies of whom Christ speaketh thus All that they doe is to be séene of men He forbiddeth not héere to doe well in the sight of men but that we should not doe it to this end to be commended of them For otherwise it is lawfull for vs to giue our almes publikelie so that our minde haue respect vnto God and brotherlie loue to
beléeued Therefore they that by this place doe take a boldnesse to vse the communion priuelie in their house haue no example at all of that thing in the Scripture and therefore they doe naught vnlesse they be thereto driuen by sicknesse Sir â—â—â—eeke Béeing come togethor 〈…〉 to breake bread ¶ By this it is euident and plaine that in the administration of the Sacraments we are bound neither to time nor yet to place For Paule did breake the bread and did minister the Communion in the night time and we doe it in the daie time Againe hée did both preach Christ and minister the Lordes supper in a Parler and these things are we not wont customablie to do in the Church Howbeit all things ought to be done in a due decent order Sir I. Cheeke And when he had broken them ¶ The breaking of bread was so common and vsuall with Christ that by the same hée was knowne to his two Disciples as they were going to Emaus This manner of broaking of bread was verie fatherlike and commendable among the elders of olde time as it is hetherto in manie places and after the same sort best beséeming and belonging vnto Christ by whom we are all fed Furthermore this breaking of bread hath in it selfe a signe to diuide as appeareth by this place of the Prophet Breake thy lofe to the hungrie For a lofe cannot refresh manie without it be broken and diuided And by this meanes it aunswereth and is agréeable to the mysterie of the communicating the bodie of the Lord. The Apostle saieng The bread which we breake is it not the participation of the bodie of the Lord not that the bodie of Christ is therefore said to be broken because it hath in it selfe some cut but because it is made communicable that is apt and meete to be participated and receiued of manie The Apostle Paule saith in an other place in the person of Christ. This is my bodie which is broken for you in stéed of the which Saint Luke hath which is giuen for you c. Marlorate Of three kindes of Breads The Hebrues as Lyra saith hath thrée kinds of Breads Panis propositionis siue facierum panis oblationis panis laicos siue coÌ„munis Holie shew bread set before the face of the Lord vpon the propiciatorie seate and this bread belonged onelie to Aaron and his sonnes Hoc est soli Sacerdotibus The bread offered vpon the oltar of Holocaust that was not to be eaten but of the Leuits And ther was common bread indifferent for euerie man that list Ric. Turnar BRETHREN OF CHRIST Who are called the bretheen of Christ. THen came his mother and his brethren ¶ Héere they are called Christs brethren which in déed were not his naturall brethren but his cosins and kinsfolks euen as Lot is called Abrahams brother which was his brother Arams sonne Conferre the sixt of Marke and the. 13. of Mathew with the 19. of Iohn and thou shalt finde the virgin Marie had neuer no moe sonnes and daughters but Christ onelie Sir I. Cheeke Is not his Mother called Marie and his brethren Iames and Ioses and Symon and Iudas c. This place and the first of the Acts and Gal. the first Helindius bringeth to proue that Marie Christs mother was no virgin Aunswere In the Scripture a man is said to be our brother 4. manner of waies that is to saie by nature by countrie by kinred and affection By nature brethren are as Esau and Iacob the twelue Patriarches Andrew and Peter Iames and Iohn By Countrie brethren are said to be as the Iewes which among themselues were called brethren as in Deut. If thou buy thy brother which is an Hebrue he shal serue thée six years And so S. Paule I haue wished my selfe to be accursed from Christ for my brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh By kinred they are said to be brethren which come of one house that is when of one stocke a multitude doe spring as in Genesis Abraham said to Lot Let ther be no contentioÌ„ betwéene thée and me and betwéene my Shepheardes and thy Shephearde because we are all brethren And againe Laban said to Iacob because thou art my brother thou shalt not serue me fréelie for nothing Those that bée brethren by affection are diuided into two sortes into spirituall and common They are spirituall brethren which are Christians as in the Psalme 133. Beholde how ioyfull a thing it is brethren to dwell together in vnitie Commonly we be called brethren because we came all of one brother By this diuision it is apparaunt that they were sayde to be the brethren of CHRIST by kinred not by nature not by Countreie nor affection Therefore as Ioseph was called the Father of Christ euen so were they said to be his brethren that both in one respect For Ioseph was thought to be the Father of Iesus and so were Iames Ioses and others thought to be his brethren But none will contend about this but such as be too curious Mar. fol. 20. ¶ Looke Christ. BRIDE-GROME Who is the Bride-grome and whereto the parable tendeth TO méete the Bride-grome ¶ It is verie corruptlie added of the olde interpretour in that he saith to méet the Bridegrome and the Bride séeing it is found in none of the Gréeke bookes And as for Chrisostom Hillarius Theophilact they make no mention of the Bride For Christ is the Bridegrome And the whole parable tendeth to this end that he comming we should go foorth to méete him No part of the parable perteine to the Bride naie they which come to méete the Bridegrome in good time euen they I saie are the Bride Saint Augustine expounding this place in a sermon which he made of the words of Christ out of the 22. of Mathew neither readeth nor maketh anie mention of this word Brid Marl. fol. 592. ¶ The pompe of Bridealls was wont for the most part to be kept in the night seasons and that by Damsels Bezâ— When the Bride-grome shall bée taken from them ¶ The Bride-grome is taken from vs when euill affections concupicense and lustes doe driue Christ out of our heartes Then ought we to vse abstinence therby to tame our wanton flesh and to giue our selues to earnest praiers that so the spirit of God maie be renued in vs. Sir I. Cheeke BROOKE CEDRON Wherefore it was so called OUer the Brooke Cedron ¶ Some thinke that this Brooke was called the brooke of Ceders because many Ceder trées grew about the same but it is verie like notwithstanding that this name came vp through errour For of the vallcie or brooke of Cedron there is mention oftentimes made in the Scripture where the Hebrue worde doth not signifie Ceder trées but dimnesse or darknesse Concerning the which brooke we read in the booke of kings This place was so called because of the darknesse because it was a déepe valleâ—e
there present he would not be for nothing At this Councell Eugenius was deposed and Amodius Duke of Sauoie in Fraunce chosen in his place But Eugenius notwithstanding continued still as Bishop and would not resigne Cooper This Councell by reason of a great Pestilence was transferred to Florence where the Christians of Arminia and India consented to the Romane church and the Greekes agréed that the holie Ghost procéeded from the Father and the Sonne that there was a Purgatorie that the Sacrament ought to be celebrated onelie with vnleauened bread made of wheate and that the Bishop of Rome was Peters lawful successour and Christs glorious Uicar on earth to whome all the world ought to obaie which they neuer consented to before this time neither at this time did long continue in that beliefe Cooper In the Councell of Milinitani it was decréed that if a Clearke of Afrike would appeale out of Afrike beyonde the Sea he should be taken as a person excommunicate In the generall Councell of Constantinople the first it was decréed that euerie cause betwéene anie person should be determined within the Prouinces where the matters did lie and that no Bishoppe should exercise anie power out of his owne Diocesse or Prouince And this was also the minde of holie Saint Ciprianâ— and of other holie men in Africa Therefore the Pope hath no such Primacie giuen him either by the wordes of Scripture or by anie generall Councell nor by common consent of the holie Catholike faith And the Apostles and Elders came together to reason of this matter â—When Councells be gathered in the name of Christ there is no doubt but Christ is in the middes of them and with his spirite doth assist them But if they be gathered in their owne name that is to saie to set foorth their owne glorie they are vtterlie destitute of the Holie Ghost and whatsoeuer they doe decrée or sette foorth ought to be estéemed none otherwise but mens doctrines and tradâ—tions Sir I. Cheeke How Councells maie erre THe Councell maie erre as it hath erred concerning the contract of Matrimonie Inter raptorem raptam And the saieng of S. Hierome was afterward preferred aboue the staâ—ute of the Councell as it is prooued 36. Question 2. Tria For in things concerning the faith the saieng of a priuate man is to bee preferred aboue the Pope if hee haue better reasons and Scriptures out of the olde and new Testament for him then the Pope hath Neither it can helpe that the Councell cannot erre because that Christ did praie that the faith of the Church should not faile for I aunswere to this that though the generall doe represent the whole vniuersall Church yet neuerthelesse in verie déed ther is not the vniuersall Church but representatiue For the vniuersall Church standeth in the election of all faithfull men throughout the whole world whose head and spouse is Christ Iesus And the Pope is but the Uicar of Christ and not the verie head of the Church This is the Church that cannot erre The Councells that maie be gathered together in euerie prouince must without doubt giue place to the authoritie of yâ— full Councells which be gathered of all Christendome And also these full Councells oftentimes must be amended by the full councells that came afterward if anie thing be opened by experience that was before shut and if anie thing be knowen that was afore hidden And this must be done without anie shadowe of supersticious pride without anie boasted arrogancie without anie contention of malicious enuie but with holy méeknesse with holie peace with christen charitie ¶ Héere Saint Augustine saith plainlie that the full Councells maie erre and maie be reformed D. Barnes fol. 248. Of wicked Councells Councells that be wicked the Lord breaketh as the Prophet Dauid saith The Lord breaketh the councell of the heathen and bringeth to naught the deuises of the people The councell of the builders of Babel is confounded The councell of Iosephs bretheren is letted The councell of Balaac is turned The councell of Absalom against Dauid his father is destroied The councell of Achitophel taketh none effect The councell of Sanabalat Tobiah against the building of Hierusalem is disappointed The wicked councell of Haman is his owne destruction The councells and deuises of the wicked are ouerthrown Esay 7. 3. The councell of the Pharesies and Priests c. preuailed not The councell of the Priests and Saduces against the Apostles prosper not CRETA Of the description of this I le THis I le doth lie betwéene the part of Greece called Peloponesus and the Rhodes It hath one the North part the sea Aegeum and Cretense On the South the Sea of Aegypt Africa It is now called Candie In this I le was Iupiter nourished whom the Panims named their chiefe God There Minos raigned RhadamaÌ„thus gouerned vnder him with most exquisit iustice as ye may read in their places of whose laws other couÌ„tries tooke their first patterne yet notwithstanding the people of that countrie were noted of olde Authours to be vicious and shamefull liars as Epimenides wrote in a vearse recited by S. Paule in his Epistle to Titus saieng The Cretians alwaie bene liars vngracious beasts and slouthfull paunches Eliote Euen one of their owne Prophets said The Cretians are alwaies liars euill beasts slowe bellies ¶ He calleth Epimenides the Philosopher or Poet whose verse héere he reciteth a Prophet because the Cretians so estéemed him and as Laercius writeth they sacrificed vnto him as to a God forsomuch as he had a meruailous gifte to vnderstand things to come which thing Satan by the permission of God hath opened to the Infidells from time to time but it turneth to their great condemnation 1. Tim. 1. 4. Geneua CRIE What it is to crie vnto the Lord. WHerefore criest thou vnto me ¶ To crie vnto the Lord is to praie vnto him with full heart and feruent desire as Moses héere did and yet spake neuer a word and so doth this word crieng and making of noise signifie throughout all the Psalmes And in the Psal. 5. 2 T. M. ¶ Thus in temptations faith fighteth against the flesh and crieth with inward gronings vnto the Lord. Geneua This erie is to be vnderstood not of the sound of his voice but of the earnest affection of his heart The Bible note What it is to crie from the endes of the earth From the endes of the earth will I crie vnto thée c. ¶ To crie from the endes of the earth is being in a farre Countrâ—ie to sigh with affection and pray with feruent desire to come out of the tribulation and aduersitie wherein we are oppressed in those farre Countreies and to be brought againe to the place where we would wish vs. Read the 3. of the Kings the 8. chap. ver 47. Dauid was driuen into the vtmost Coasts of all
is the childe of God and in the faith of Christ and whether his conscience doe beare him witnesse that Christs bodie was broken for him and whether the lust he hath to praise GOD and thanke him with a faithfull heart in the middest of the bretheren doe driue him thetherward or els whether hee dooe it for the meates sake or to kéepe the custome for then were it better that he were awaie For he that eateth or drinketh vnworthelie eateth drinketh his owne damnation because he maketh no difference of the Lords bodie Frith ¶ Looke Weake and Sicke ¶ We must marke that in this examination he sendeth no man to another but euerie man to himselfe The Papists bid thée goe to an auricular Confessour there to confesse thy selfe to receiue absolution and to make satisfaction for thy sinnes according to the forme that is commaunded thée But Paule the Doctour of the Gentiles and the vessell of election speaketh not a word of these things but saith simplie Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that Cup for like as God is the searcher of the hearts and requireth the inward affection of the minde and hateth hipocrisie so none knoweth what is in the heart of man or what affections we beare to Godward but we our selues doe therefore he willeth vs our selues to examine euerie thing in our selues That is to saie he willeth euerie man to descend into himselfe and to examine himselfe Bullinger fol. 1109. ¶ Looke Prouing EXCOMMVNICATION What Excommunication is IT is the separation and reiection from the holie assemblie of our Lord Iesus Christ the which is done by the Church against open and obstinate sinners Tindale ¶ Excommunication is a censure of the Eldership whereby he that is guiltie of some most grieuous crime is without anie certaine prescription of time shut from the sacraments and banished the companie of the faithfull This is the sorest punishment of the Church which also is called of Saint Paule a deliuering vp to Satan of Christ to be as an Ethnike and Publicane which aunswereth the Iewes cutting them off from the Couenaunt so often repeated to the people of God by Moses Héereof is oft mention made in the new Testament Iohn 9. 18. And 1. Cor. 5. 4. 2. The. 3. 15. and in other places mo Now wheras it is so grieuous a punishment it is executed on none but on him that is guiltie of some heinous trespasse which kind of sinnes are rehearsed by Saint Paule 1. Cor. 5. 11. and 2. Thessa. 3. 14. Yet count him not as an Enimie but warne him as a Brother ¶ The ende of Excommunication is not to driue from the Church such as haue fallen but to winne them to the Church by amendement Geneua They shall excommunicate you ¶ In that he saith they shall be excommunicated his meaning is this They shall cast you out of their Sinagogues they shall condemne you of impietie and heresie they will refraine you of water and fire and such necessaries They will banish you and sell your goods and they will account you not for Israelites but for Gentiles and Atheists For the good as subiect not onelie to persecution but also to ignomie and reproach euen as saith the Apostle Paule Be thinketh that God hath set foorth vs which are the last Apostles as it were men appointed to death for we are made a gasing stocke vnto the world and to the Angells and to men Christ notwithstanding commaundeth to stande firme and stedfast against this temptation because though they bée thrust out of Synagogues yet neuerthelesse they shall abide in the kingdome of God Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 527. What S. Paule meant by the excommunicating of Alexander And Alexander which I haue deliuered to Satan ¶ Wheras Saint Paule saith that he did deliuer Alexander and Himeneus vnto Satan he meaneth none other thing therby but that he did excommunicate them openlie as no true Christians and that he did threaten them if they would not repent and tourne that GOD woulde punish them euerlastinglie by Satan and his Angells Sir I. Cheeke Saint Austen saith What is a man the worse if the ignoraunce of a man strike him out of the booke of the Church if his conscience strike him not out of the booke of life In this case saith Saint Austen it commeth sometimes to passe that there be manie Sheepe without the Church manie Wolues within the Church EXORCISTES What the Office of an Exorcist was THe Exorcists office was by a speciall gift of God seruing onelie for that time to call foorth foule spirites out of the bodies of them that were possessed Iewel fol. 98. EXTREMEVNCTION ¶ Looke Oile Face What the Face of Christ is IN the Face of Iesus Christ. ¶ That is to saie in the knowledge of Iesus Christ not in the Face of Moses which is the knowledge of the Lawe for by Christ came we to the knowledge of God Tindale What the Face of God is ¶ The face of God is the knowledge of his diuine nature of the which it is written Shew vs the light of thy countenaunce and we shall be whole that is graunt vs to knowe thée Otherwise Gods face doth signifie the inuisible nature of Christs Diuinitie Exo. 33. 23. You shall sée my hinder parts but my Face you cannot sée that is You shall sée Christs humanitie but his diuinitie cannot be séene The Face of God is that which is described in the 26. of Leuiticus I will tourne my face to you I will make you fruitfull I will giue you raine in season and peace in the earth the sword shall not come in the Land if ye wil walke in my statutes and kéepe my precepts c. Plenteousnesse and goodnesse and all Gods benefites that is Gods face T. Drant What is the Face or countenaunce of God It is not a shape like vnto a mans visage which hath nose eies mouth but the Face of God is the recorde which he giueth vs when we knowe his will God therefore sheweth vs his Face when he telleth vs why he doth this thing or that and it is all one as if wée sawe him before our Eies Contrariwise hée hideth his face from vs when hée afflicteth vs when things séeme straunge vnto vs and when we knowe no reason why he worketh after that sort Therefore when God holdeth vs in ignoraunce it is an hiding of his Face from vs. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 629. ¶ Thou maist not sée my face for there shall no man see me aliue ¶ There shall no man see my face liue not that the face of God which is the face of life is the cause of death to them y◠see it for the Saints that are in heauen do indeed sée it but none that liueth in the bodie can sée neither comprehend the maiestie of his face but must be first purified by death as Paule declareth it 1.
the loue of all worldlie things can be no scholer of Christ to learne his doctrine Tindale What it is to forsake the Lord. And forsooke the Lord God of their Fathers c. To forsake the Lord God of their fathers is to despise and forsake the word of God not so beléeue his promises nor to walke in his commaundements but to imagine another seruice of him then hee himselfe hath assigned in his word T. M. FORTVNE How nothing ought to be ascribed to fortune TO be had in fauour it helpeth not to be cunning but that all lieth in Time and Fortune ¶ Thus the worldlings say to proue that all things are lawfull for them and attribute that to Chaunce and Fortune which is done by the prouidence of God Geneua ¶ Thus the wicked worldlings are deceiued attributing to Fortune that which is ordered by the secret prouidence of God The Bible note Augustine in his booke against the Academites saithe It doth displease me that I haue so often named Fortune albeit my meaning was not to haue anie Goddesse ment thereby but onelie a chaungeable happening in outward things either good or euill Of which word Fortune are deriued these words which no Religion forbiddeth vs to vse Forte forsan forsitan fortasse fortuito y◠is Perhaps peraduenture by fortune by chaunce which yet must al be applied to y◠prouidence of God And that did I not leaue vnspoken when I said For peraduenture that which is commonlie called Fortune is also ruled by sercet order and we call chaunce in things but that whereof the reason and cause is vnknowen I said this indéed but it repenteth me that I did there so name Fortune Forasmuch as I sée that men haue a verie euill custome that whereas they ought to say It pleased God they saie It pleased Fortune Cal. in his inst 1. b. chap. 16. sect 8. ¶ Fortune and aduenture are the words of Panim◠the signification whereof ought in no wise to enter into the heart of the faithful For if all prosperitie be the benediction of God and all aduersitie his malediction there remaineth no place to Fortune in such things as come to men Basil. retract li. 1. ca. 2. FOOTE What the foote doth signifie in scripture My foote standeth right Foote in the scripture is taken for the affection desire or will of the heart As in the Psa. 36. 11. O let not the foote of pride ouertake me T. M. The meaning of this place following At the féete of Gamaliel ¶ That is his dailie hearer The reason of this speach is this for that they which teach sit commonlie in the higher place speaking to their scholers which sit vpon fourmes beneath and therefore he saith At the féete of Gamaliel Beza What the feete of God signifieth As his head signifieth his diuinitie so his féete signifieth his humanitie the which is subiect to Gods deitie as our féete are vnto our heads Psal. 8. 6. Thou shalt put all things in subiection vnder his féete In some places the Preachers of Gods word be meant by the féete as in Deut. 33. 3. They that drawe nigh his féete shall taste of his doctrine FOOTE-STOOLE What this Foote-stoole was ANd a foote-stoole for our God The foote-stoole c. was the mercie seate at which and on which God had promised the Hebrewes to heare them and speake vnto them which was vpon the Arke as it appeareth Exo. 25. T. M. And fall downe before his foote-stoole c. ¶ That is before his Temple or Arke where he promised to heare when they worshipped him as now he promiseth his spirituall presence wheresoeuer his Church is assembled Geneua And remembred not his foote-stoole ¶ Alluding to the Temple or to the Arke of the Couenaunt which was called the foot-stoole of the Lord because they should not set their mindes so low but to lift vp their hearts toward the heauens Geneua Untill I 〈…〉 thy foot-stoole ¶ Christ is the only◠redéemer vnto whom all power are subiect must obay Gene. FOVRE Of the foure Angels ¶ Looke Angels Of the fourth Watch. ¶ Looke Watch. ANd intreate them euill foure hundred yeares ¶ That is not to be vnderstood that they stould be euill intreated the whole foure hundred yeares but by excesse of speach called Hyperbole is signified that they should be euill intreated within the space of 400. yeares The Bible note FOVRTEENE GENERATIONS Vnder whom the fourteene Generations were ruled THe first fourtéene generations from Abraham to Dauid was vnder the rule of Iudges from Dauid vnto the captiuitie of Babilon vnder Kings from captiuitie of Babilon vnder high Priests And the last fourtéene generations from the captiuitie of Babilon ended in Christ. Marl. fol. n. FORME OF GOD. What it is to be in the forme of God Athanasius saith Nature substaunnce kinde and forme be all one thing Leo saith What is it to be in the forme of God He aunswereth it is to be in the nature of God Chrisostome saith The forme of God is the nature of God S. Austen saith As concerning the forme of God Christ himselfe saith of himselfe I and my Father are both one againe he saith The forme is one because the Godhead is one Iewel fol. 88. ¶ Looke Shape of God What it is to take the forme of a seruaunt Leo saith What is it to take the forme of a seruant He answereth doubtlesse it is to take the perfection of nature state of man Chrisostome saith The forme of a seruaunt verelie is the nature of a seruaunt Saint Augustine saith When thou thinkest of the forme of a seruaunt in Christ thinke of the shape of a man if there bée anie faith in thée Againe Wée must beléeue and confesse saith hée that Christ according to his humanitie is visible hath the substaunce and propertie of a bodie is conteined in place forme of a seruant that is to saie in verie truth he tooke man And tooke on him the forme of a seruaunt ¶ If Christ being verie God equall with the Father laide aside his glorie being Lord became a seruaunt and willinglie submitted himselfe to most shamefull death shall we which are nothing but vile slaues through arrogancie tread downe our bretheren and preserue our selues Geneua How this vocable Forme signifieth verie bread wine in the Sacrament S. Paule speaking of Christs incarnation saith that he béeing in the forme of God did humble himselfe taking vpon him the forme of a man By which words S. Paule ment not that Christ was like vnto God and not God indéede nor yet was like vnto man and not verie man indéed but that he was and is verie God and verie man hauing two substances one of his godhead and the other of his manhood vnited together in one person And the auncient Doctors writing of this Sacrament when they speake of the formes of bread and wine do vse this vocable Forme as
the winde doth signifie a man inconstant As in Math. 11. 7. and Luke 7. 24. Geneua What is meant by the brused Rede A brused Réede shall he not breake c. ¶ By the brused Réede and smoking flaxe the aduersaries of Christ the Scribes and Pharesâ—es are vnderstoode whose power is likened vnto a brused Râ—ede and their furâ—e wherwith they persecuted the innocent vnto smoking flaxe so that it had bene as easie for Christ to haue destroyed them as it is to breake a sunder a brused Réede or to quench smoking flaxe Some suppose that the same should be vnderstoode of the Publicans and sinners whom he did not contemne nor despise but mercifully called them vnto him Sir I. Cheeke A brused Réede c. ¶ That is he will beare with them that is infirme and weake Geneua READING What profit commeth of reading holy Scripture AVgustine sayth Reading cléereth and purgeth all things who will euer be with God must euermore pray and read Aug. de tâ—mpor sermo â— If we either read not the Scriptures our selues or bée not desirous to heare other read them then are our 〈…〉 dictnes turned into wou 〈…〉 and then where we might haue had remedy we shall haue iudgement Aug. Ser. 55. Heare me ye men of the world get ye the Bible that most wholesome remedy for the soule if ye will nothing else yet at the least get the new testament S. Paules Epistles the Acts that may be your continuall and earnest teachers Chrâ— vpon the Coll. in hâ— 9. Homâ—â— Isidore saith saith that reading bringeth great profit to the hearers Tertulian saith when ye come together to the reading of holy Scripture wée féede our faith with these heauenly voyces we raise vp our affiaunce wée fasten our hope And againe he calleth the reading of thâ— scriptures the féeding of our fayth Let one of you take in hand the holy booke let him call his neighbours about him by the heauenly words let him water their mindes and also his owne Chris. in Gen. hom 6. Being at home we may both before and after meat take the holy booke in hand thereof receiue great profit and minister spirituall foode vnto our soules Chris. in Gen. Homi. 10. Would God we would all doe according as it is written Search the Scriptures Origen in Esay Homi. 10. Harken not héereto onely héere in the Church but also at home let the husband with the wife the father with the childe talke together of these matters and both to and fro let them enquire and giue their iudgements and would God they wold begin this good custome Chrisost. in Math. Homil. 78. Looke Scripture REGENERATION What this word Regeneration importeth THis worde Regeneration importeth as much as a man might say new birth As if after that wée were once borne we are borne yet againe And therefore it importeth forthwith a reformation fo the man which is a rising againe from the dead which is wrought in the spirit as the last resurrection shall be wrought in the flesh Pet. Viret Regeneration standeth chiefly in these two points In mortification that is to say a resisting of the rebellious lusts of the flesh and in newnesse of life whereby we continually striue to walke in that purenesse and perfection wherewith we are clad in Baptime How Regeneration is taken in these places following Ye which followed me in the regeneration c. In this worke whereby the world is chaunged renued and regenerate or to ioyne this word with the sentence following and so take regeneration for the day of iudgement when the elect shall in soule and body enioy their inheritaunce to the end that they might know that it is not sufficient to haue begun once Geneua By the washing of the new birth ¶ Baptime is a sure signe of our regeneration which is wrought by the holy Ghost Geneua How this place is vnderstood Except a man be borne of water and spirit ¶ Nichodemus vnderstoode not the opinion concerning regeneration or newe birth of man Therefore our louing and mercifull Sauiour more plainely expoundeth these things which before he spake mystically teaching that to be borne againe is nothing else but to be borne of water and of the spirit and that the same is the true manner of regeneration But all men for the most part by this sentence of our Sauiour Christ vnderstand Baptime and many of them doe héereby make Baptime so necessary that they affirme it impossible for a man to attaine to saluation except he be washed with the water of Baptime so disorderly they include the assuraunce of our saluation vnder the signe when as the whole Scripture attributeth the grace and power of regeneration to the Holye ghost as maye appeare in diuers places of Scripture but specially by these places noted in the margent And as touching this place we ought to vnderstand the same simply of mans regeneration and not of Baptime For the purpose of Christ was to exhort Nichodemus to newnesse of life because he was not capable of the Gospell vntill he was a newe man Therefore this is the simple meaning of this place That it behooueth vs to be born againe that we may be the sonnes of God and also that the Holy ghost is the Author of the second birth Marl. vpon Ioh. fol. 66. REYNES What they signifie YE shall vnderstand that the reynes or kidneyes of a man is that intire part from which springeth chiefely the strength the desire of naturall generation which effect or desire in man because of all other effects it is the most mightiest therfore the Scripture vseth to call the secrets or the priuie thought or effects of a man by the name of the reynes or the kidneyes Insomuch as when the Scripture saith that God knoweth all our harts our thoughts then the Scripture saith Scrutans corda reâ—es Deus God is the searcher of hearts and reynes that is of the most priuie and secret thoughts that be in man R. Tur. Trye out my reynes and my heart ¶ By the heart and reynes will he signifie the delectations and affections of yâ— flesh which let him to follow God As in the Psa. 16. 7. T. M. ¶ My reynes also teach me in the night ¶ God teacheth me continually by secret inspiration Geneua ¶ Examine my reynes and my heaâ—t ¶ My very affections and inward motions of the heart Geneua Thou hast possessed my reynes ¶ Thou hast made me in all parts and therefore most needes know me Geneua Thou art néere in their mouth and farre from their reynes They professe God in mouth and denye him in heart which is héere meant by the reynes Esay 29. 13. Math. 15. 8. Geneua REIOICE Wherefore we should chiefely reioice REioice because your names are written in heuen ¶ Though we should worke miracles and cast foorth diuells yet ought
we not to reioice therefore for we shall haue no profit at all thereby but other shall haue the profite that come thereof But this ought to be our chiefe ioye and comfort that we are elect and chosen in Christ Iesu afore the foundation of the worlde were laid whose names are written in the booke of life S. I. Ch. RELEASEMENT How releasement and payment cannot stand togethers THe Lord forgaue the seruaunt his debt ¶ By this it appeareth that saluation falleth vnto men by releasement of the debt and not for satisfieng of the debt For releasement and payment cannot stand in one respect together It ouerthroweth Popish satisfaction which say they must be done by Pilgrimages fasting and almes deedes It quencheth the fire of Purgatorie For where the debt is forgiuen the debter ought not to be punished RELIGION How couples ioyned in marriage of diuers Religions is doubtfull THe prohibition of S. Paule is that we drawe not the yoake with the vnbeleeuers which thing is to be vnderstood not only of doctrine but of all trade of life For he that toucheth pitch saith Salomon shall be defiled therewith For it cannot bée but that he which keepeth company with the vngodlye must néedes himselfe gather some infection thereby As Salomon kéeping companie with Heathen women became an Idolater Achab through the counsell of lezabel slewe the Prophets Hemmyng Be not vnequally yoked with the Infidels ¶ He séemeth to allude to that which is written Deut. 22. 10. where the Lord cōmaundeth that an Oxe and an Asse be not yoked together because the match is vnequall So if the faithfull marry with the Infidells or els haue to do with them in any thing vnlawfull it is héere reproued Eccl. 13. 18. Geneua How the Diuell is sory to see the religion of Christ flourish Diabolus gentium vocatione cruciatur c. The Diuell is sore greeued with the calling of the Heathen to the faith and with the daily decresing of his power sorrowing to sée himselfe forsaken and Christ the true King to be worshipped in all places therefore he deuiseth guyles and imagineth dissentions REMEMBER How God is said to remember GOd remembred Noe. ¶ This is not so to be vnderstood that there is any forgetfulnesse in God But the Scripture speketh after the manner of our speaking As when we maye delyuer a man that is oppressed and doth it not then it is sayde we doe forget him And when we begin to goe about his delyueraunce then it is said we doe remember him REMNAVNT Of the remnaunt that God saith he had reserued I Haue reserued vnto my selfe seuen thousand men c. ¶ He speaketh of remnaunts and reserued people which were chosen from euerlasting and not of remnaunts that should bée chosen afterward For they are not chosen because they were no Idolaters but therefore they wer no Idolaters because they were chosen and elect Theo. Beza RENT What is ment by renting of clothes HE rent his clothes ¶ It was specially vsed among the Hebrues to rent clothes when the glory of God was contemned And héere where they feared God so little as to kill their owne brother T. M. Then they rent their clothes ¶ To signifie how greatly the thing displeased them and how sorie they were for it Geneua What is ment by renting of our hearts Rent your hearts and not your garments Ioel meaneth that it is to no purpose for men to haue great store of ceremonies and to martir themselues much in outward sight of the world except their hearts be broken before And what manner of renting or breaking is it that God requireth in our hearts it is that we should be cast downe and humbled before him that when we perceiue any signes of his wrath specially when we feele the blowe of his hand already we should be patient assuring our selues that all commeth for our sinnes and that we doe not as many doe who when they be beaten with Gods rod chawe their bridles lyke mules and conceiue I wot not what a fiercenesse bitternesse which serue to set them in a rage against God notwithstanding that they make countenaunce as though they were well tamed But contrariwise as I haue said it behooueth our hearts to be rent according to the exhortation that is made vnto vs in the Psalme by laieng our hearts open before God to the ende that he should knowe all that is within it Then let vs follow the said saieng of the Prophet Ioel that we should not rent our garments but our hearts rather for therein will the true repentaunce shewe it selfe Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 46. And rent your hearts c. ¶ Mortifie your affections and serue God with purenesse of heart and not with Ceremonies Geneua REPENTAVNCE What Repentaunce is and the definition thereof REpentaunce is an vnfained tourning to God whereby wée being of a sincere feare of God once humbled doe acknowledge our sinnes and so by mortifieng our olde man are afresh renued by the spirit of God Bulling fol. 562. Repentaunce is a very displeasure which man hath in his heart of his sinne the which ingenderesh in him an hatred against sinne a desire to liue better in time to come reseruing his life to the will of God Peter Viret Repentaunce is nothing but a conuersion of the minde and an alteration of the former opinion as appeareth by the sayeng of the Prophet Turne vnto me and ye shall be safe Againe I will not the death of a sinner but that he turne liue Also Repent and amende that your sinnes may be done away Marl. Repentaunce is an inward thing which hath his seate in the heart and minde and bringeth foorth fruits in chaunging the life Marl. vpon Math. fol. 47. Concerning this word Repentaunce as they vsed Penaunce the Hebrue hath in the olde Testament generally Sob Turne or be conuerted for which the Translation that we take for S. Hieromes hath most part Conuert◠to turne or to bee conuerted And sometime Agite poenitentiam And y◠Gréeke in the new Testament hath perpetually Metanoeo to tourne in the heart and minde and to come into the right knowledge to a mans right wit againe for which Metanoeo S Hieroms translation hath sometime Ago poenitentiam I doe repent Sometime Poeniteor I am repentaunt Sometime Habeo poenitentiam I haue repentaunce Sometime Poenitet me it repenteth me And Erasmus vseth much this word Recipisco I come to my selfe or to my right minde againe And the very sense and signification both of the Hebrue also of the Gréeke word is to be conuerted and to turne to God with all the heart to know his will and to liue according to his lawes and to be cured of our corrupt nature with the Oyle of his spirit wine of obedience of his doctrine which conuersion or turning if it be vnfained these foure doe accompanie it and are included therein Confession not in
How many Sects are layde to Luthers charge Fredericus Staphilus sheweth in his Apology that out of Luther haue sprung three diuerse heresies or Sects The Anabaptists the Sacramentaries and the Confessionists otherwise called the Protestants And that the Anabaptists be diuided into sixe Sects The Sacramentaries into eight and the Confessionists into twentie Which all be laide to Luthers charge and for suffering the rude and rash people to haue the Scriptures in their owne tongue Aunswere At the first preaching of the Gospell by the Apostles of Christ and other holy Fathers there grew vp immediatly with the same sundrie sorts of Sects to yâ— number of 90. as they are reckoned in perticular by S. Augustine all flowing out of one spring all confessing one Gospell and all knowne by the name of Christ. Besides that the very Apostles and other holy fathers hath séemed to be diuided by some discention among theÌ„selues as Peter froÌ„ S. Paule S. Paule from Barnabas S. Cipriane froÌ„ Cornelius S. Augustine from Hierome S. Chrisostome from Epiphanius and so forth Now if Staphilus had ben in the primitiue church séene all these hot and troublesome discentions doubtlesse as he saith now all these diuersities sprung from D. Luther so would he then haue said all these former diuersities and formes of heresies sprang onely from Christ and so haue concluded as he doth now that the rude and rash people should in no wise be suffered to read the Scripture SECVNDIANI What they were SEcundiani of secundus together with Epiphanes and Isidorus taught the lyke with Valentinus in lyfe they were beastly all women among them were common They denyed the resurrection of the flesh Epiphan herees 32. SEE OR SELING What is meant by seeeing in this place And I turned me about to sée the voice that spake to me ¶ After the Hebrue phrase to sée is put for to vnderstande or to heare for a voyce is not séene but heard So read we in Moses the people sawe the voice Ex. 20. 18. vnlesse any man had leuer to referre this saieng vnto him yâ— vttered the voice as if Iohn should say I turned me about to see him that vttered this great voice so as the effect should be put for the cause Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 20. How the people sawe God And sawe the God of Israel ¶ They sawe God that is they knew certeinly that he was there present and they sawe him as in a vision not in his godly nature but as it were by a certeine reuelation T. M. And they sawe the God of Israel As perfectly as their infirmities could behold his maiestie Geneua How the iust shall see God They which are not delighted with craft deceit but walke godly purely and sincerely among men which also adioine theÌ„selues with a sincere and feruent minde vnto Christ such I say shall see God that is first they shall be endued with the perfect knowledge they shall vnderstand his will and minde last of all they shall haue euerlasting life when they shal behold him not in darke speaking of faith but face to face with his holye Angels Marl. vpon Math. fo 79. SEEDE How the seede of the righteous man is said to inherit the earth ANima eius in bonis demorabitur semen eius heriditabiâ— terram His soule shall long inioye good things and his séed shall inherit the earth ¶ This is not a generall warrant that euery good man shall haue good children which shall inioye and inherit their Fathers land For we read in Scripture of many good Fathers which haue had children some foolish some godly Isaac the holy Patriarke had to his sonnes Iacob the vertuous and Esau the scapethrift King Ezechias was a noble and a godly king of Iuda whose sonne Manasses was a murtherer of the Prophets of God and a cruell shedder of innocent bloud Salomon excelled in wisdome whose son heire named RoboaÌ„ was a rash and a foolish man And on the other â—ide Amon was a wicked Idolater but Iosias his sonne was a noble vertuous and a most excellent king wherefore we cannot certeinly conclude that the words of the Prophet when he sayth The soule of that man which feareth the Lorde shall long inioy good things and his séede shall inherit the earth that euery good man shall haue good children which shall inioy and inherit their fathers land but the meaning is this By the vertuous or righteous mans séede ye must not vnderstand his naturall séede but his spirituall séede his spirituall seede are all those which doe followe his godly steppes of liuing All that his séed which doe labour to liue a godly lyfe and study with all reuerence and feare to please the Lord all that séede shall long inioy good things c. Ric. Turnar How the field may not be sowen with mingled seede and what it meaneth Let none of thy cattell gender with a contrarie kinde neither sowe thy field with mingled seede ¶ Cattell may not gender with a contrary kinde against the order of nature much lesse reasonable creatures made to the Image of God as men and women The field may not be sowen with mixt séed that is our déede and words may not be mingled with hypocrisie neither may our garments be made of lynnen wollen that is we may not mingle false doctrine with true or shew a carnall lyfe vnder pretence of religion Tho. Mathew Thou shalt not sowe thy vineyard with diuerse kindes of séedes c. ¶ The tenour of this lawe is to walke in simplicitie and not to be curious of new inuentions Geneua SEEKE The meaning of this place following THey shall séeke me early but they shall not finde me ¶ Because they sought not with affection to God but for ease of their owne griefe Geneua They seeke me that hitherto haue not asked for mée ¶ Meaning the Gentiles which knewe not God shoulde seeke after him when he had moued their heartes with his holye spirit Rom. 10. 20. Geneua What it is to seeke after God Oâ— séeke after God ¶ To séeke after God is at no haÌ„d to séeke our owne in any thing but both to doe and suffer all things to the glory of God profit of our neighbour to denie our selues and all ours and become the seruants of all men and this is the especiall point of godlynesse against which no man striue more stifly then the bloud thirstie and deceitfull which thinke they séeke God and séeke themselues T. M. That would vnderstand and séeke God ¶ Whereby he condemneth all knowledge and vnderstanding that tendeth not to seeke God Rom. 3. 10. Geneua SELAH What this word Selah signifieth SElah signifieth a lifting vp of the voice It admonished the singers of the Psalmes to sing out in their highest tune because the matter of that part of the Psalme where that word is found was especially to be hearkened vnto and to be considered
giuen to finde souldiers as Augustine doth often say Now reasons why ther shuld be wepons ther be many But this is yâ— speciall reson which the Cantons wher euery man wereth a weapon alledge for their so doing that the magistrate country may be assisted and defended And euery man do weare wepon ought to weare wepon for the magistrate ought not only to weare it but also to drawe it at the Magistrates voice to do as it is said in the. 3. booke fourth Chapter of Esdras If the king alone saie Doe kill they do kill If he say do forgiue they forgiue If he say smite they do smite If he say banish they do banish If he saye cut off they cut off I say if the people ought thus to do for the Prince magistrate to draw their weapons in his cause to lay downe their life at their foote how much more ought the magistrate for his owne cause and for all their causes to beare weapon and not to beare it in vaine but to purpose c. T. Draut Warres sent of God And sent forth his warriours to destroye those murtherers ¶ This was done by the Emperours of Rome Vespatianus Titus which destroied HierusaleÌ„ slew aboue eleuen hundred thousand men Note that the Romanes are héere called the armies of the Lord euen as they of the Assirians is in the Prophet called the seruants of God because that by him God did punish his people Sir I. Cheeke Of him that warreth vnder Christ. ¶ Looke Souldier VVASHING Wherevnto the washing of feet had relation IN those places that are extreame hotte when men haue done their iourney they vse to wash their béete and to wipe away the dust which office was somtime shewed vnto Christ our sauiour And he againe executed the same vnto his Apopostles Paule also required this of good widowes namelye to wash the féete of thâ— Saintes c. Pet. Mart. vppon Iudic. fol. 252. How this word wash is taken If I wash thée not ¶ There are some which refer this word Wash vnto the free remissâ—on of sinnes And there are other fome also which referre the same to newnesse of life And a third forte vppon a good consideration referre it to both For Christ washeth vs when he wipeth awaye our sinnes by the offering vp himselfe least they should come into iudgement Moreouer he washeth vs wheÌ„ by his holy spirit he abolisheth the wicked and sinfull desires of the flesh Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 461. Ye also ought to wash one anothers feete ¶ The Bishop of Rome too apishly foolloweth Christ in many thinges And in this he would seeme to follow Christ washing once in a yeare the feete of certeine poore folkes which haue bene washed before and not onely washed but also perfumed with swéete odours and waters And thus by a bare and naked ceremony they thinke that they haue done very well And when they haue done it they can be conâ—eÌ„ted to contemne their brethren and cruelly to teare the members of Christ and to spit in his face Wherfore that comminical pompe is nothing else but a filthy scorning of Christ. And verely Christ doth not héere commend vnto vs a yearely ceremonie but commaundeth vs all our lyfe time to be ready to wash our bretherens féete When Abigal sayd to the messengers of Dauid Beholde let thine handmaide be a seruaunt to wash the féete of the seruants of my Lord shée meant not such a counterfeit seruice as the imitating enimies of Christ doe vse but she meant that she would be so obedient loyall and seruable to Dauid that she would not refuse to wash euen the feet of his seruants So Saint Paule vnderstoode washing of the féete when hée required the good and vertuous widow to be a washer of the Saints féete that is to saye to be serueable to them in each point Christ sayth not ye ought to wash my féete but to wash one an others féete Marl. vppon Iohn fol. 463. Saint Augustine ad Iannar saith thus If thou demaunde vpon what consideration this ceremony of washing féete first began notwithstanding I haue well thought of it yet canne I finde nothing that séemeth more likely then this For that the bodyes of them that hadde appointed to be baptised at Easter being ill cherished by reason of the lenten fast wold haue had some loathsomnesse in the touching vnlesse they â—ad bene washed at sometime before And that therefore they chose this day chiefly to that purpose vppon which daye the Lordes supper is yearely celebrated Héere Saint Austen sayth it was the fulsomnesse of the bodyes loathsomenesse of the senses that first began this ceremonye and not the institution or commaundement of Christ. What is signified by washing of Christs Disciples feet And beganne to was his Disciples féete ¶ Hée washed their féete to declare that hée came to minister vnto other and not be ministred vnto And further to teach by this washing that his ministration was to purge and wash away the â—ilth of sinne which is done by the shedding of his bloud for the bloud of Christ sprinkled into our hearts by the worde of his Gospel and receiued by sayth cleanseth vs from all sinne Tindale ¶ He that is washed néedeth not saue to wash his feete ¶ Whosoeuer is washed that is to saye whosoeuer beleeueth in the bloud of Christ which doth wash away all our sinnes hée is cleane but yet he hath néede to wash his féet that is to say hée hath néed with continuall watch to came his carnal affections and fleshly concupiscenses dayly with a true repentant heart flieng vnto the Lord for mercye and pardon of his sinnes Héere they be confounded that affirme vs to be without sinne after we be regenerate Sir I. Cheeke Saue to wash his feete ¶ That is to be continually purged of his corrupt affections worldly cares which remain dayly in vs. Geneua VVAST SEA How Babylon is compared to the wast sea ¶ Looke Babylon VVATCH What it is to watch WAtch is not onely to absteine from sleepe but also to be circumspect and to cast all perills as a man should watch a Towre or Castle we must remember that the snares of the diuell are infinite and innumerable and that euerye moment arise new temptations and that in all places méete vs fresh occasions against which we must prepare our selues and turne to God and complaine to him and make our moue desireâ— him of his mercy to be our shield our towre our castle defence from all euill to put his strength in vs for with out him we can do nothing and aboue all thing we must call to minde what promises God hath made and what he hath sworne that he will doe to vs for Christs sake and with strong faith cleaue vnto them and desire him of his mercie and for the loue hée hath to Christ and for his truths sake to fulfill his promises If
we thus cleaue to God with strong faith beléeue his words Then as sayth Paule God is faithfull that he will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able or aboue our strength that is to sayâ— if we cleaue to his promises and not to our owne fantasies and imaginations he wil put might and power into vs that shall be stronger then all temptations which he shall suffer to be against vs. Tindale fo 81. What is vnderstood by watchmen For his watchmen are all blinde c. ¶ By those blinde watchmen vnderstand the chiefe Priests yâ— Scribes Pharesies c. which were the peruerters and deprauers of the law of God These for filthy lucre sake abolished the true seruice of God and were the chiefe causers of the forsaking of Israel They were sluggish and sought not that which was for the edification of the people and for the glory of God but that which was for their owne priuate profit and pleasure They were slothfull to roote out vice and to plant vertue and driuen into the profound déepe sléepe of ignorance of idlenesse of lecherousnesse of pride As oft as the Prelates of the people Bishops Abbots and they that auaunt themselues for religious be such there hangeth a great scourge ouer the whole flocke of Christ. T. M. ¶ He sheweth that the affliction shal come through the fault of the gouernours Prophets and pastours whose ignorance negligence auarice obstinacy prouoketh Gods wrath against them Geneua I haue made thée a watchman to the house of Israel ¶ By this watchman are figured Bishops Priests aâ—d Preachers which must take the occasion of their speaking and exhorting at the mouth of God and speake not in their owne but in his name T. M. He sheweth that the people ought to haue continually gouernours teachâ—rs which may haue a care oner them and â—o warne theÌ„ euer of the daungers which are at hand Eze. 33. 2. Ge. The meaning of this place following The voice of thy watchmen shall be heard ¶ The Prophets which are thy watchmen shall publish this thy deliueraunce This was begun vnder Zorobabel Ezra Nehemiah but was accomplished vnder Christ. Geneua Of the watchman that Daniel speaketh of And behold a watchman and an holy one came downe from heauen Meaning the Angell oâ— God which neither eateth nor sleepeth but is euer ready to doe Gods will and is not infect with mans corruption but is euer holy and in that that he commaundeth to cut downe this tree â—e knew that it shoulde not be cut downe by man but by God Geneua What the fourth watch meaneth And in the fourth watch of the night The Hebrewes diuided the night inâ—o â—oure parts which they called the foure watches wherefore the fourth watch was next to the morning and was called the morning watch As in the. 1. Reg. 11. 11. Tindale VVATER How it is not water that doth wash away our sinnes ARise and be baptised and wash away thy sinnes We ought not to thinke that water washeth away our sinnes but the mercy and grace of God which is signified and represented vnto vs by the water Ye shall note that by a figure named Allocosis the same is ascribed vnto the outward signe which doth onely perteine vnto the grace election of God Sir I. Cheeke He sheweth that sins cannot be washed away but by Christ who is the substance of Baptime in whom also is comprehended the father and the holy Gost. Geneua The meaning of this place following Whosoeâ—er drinketh of this water c. To drinke this water is to beléeue credit the word of God and to receiue the testimony of Christ which thing onely can quench the thirst of the soule Sir I. Cheeke What is signified by water and spirit Except a man be borne of water and spirit ¶ Héere by the water he vnderstandeth the worde and grace of God and also the illumination of the holy Ghost which is that heauenly water that Esay the Prophet doth speake of saieng All that be a thirst come vnto the waters Iohn 4. 14. and. 7. 38. Iere. 2. 13. By the spirit he vnderstandeth the inspiration of the holy Ghost and the heauenly working of the spirit of God So that this place helpeth them nothing that doe affirme that the children of the faithfull are damned and that they shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen if they dye before they canne be baptised Sir I. Cheeke ¶ This place of Iohn is not to be vnderstood of the outwarde signe of holy Baptime but simply of the inward and most spirituall regeneration of the holye spirit which when Nichodemus vnderstoode not perfectly the Lorde figured and made the same manifest by Parables of water and of the spirit that is to saye of the winde or the aire by Elements very base and familyar for by an by hée addeth That which is borne of flesh is flesh c. Againe The winde bloweth where it lysteth c. Which must néedes bée meant of the ayre For the other part of the comparison followeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirit Bullinger fol. 1048. ¶ By this is signified the Baptime which is the mortification of the flesh preached by Iohn Baptyst and the renuing of the spirit which is remission of sinnes obteined by Christ. Tindale What the water of Siloh doth signifie Forsomuch as the people refuse the still running water of Siloh c. ¶ Hee calleth the kingdome of Dauid which figureth the kingdome of Christ the still running water of Siloh which thing agréeth verie well vnto Christ that was meeke and lowlye of heart Math. 11. 29. Zach. 9. 9. Beholde thy king commeth vnto thée poore and lowly c. He raigneth in still and peaceable consciences Siloh was a spring at the foote of the hill of Syon which hath not continally water but springâ—th certeine houres and dayes and commeth with a great sound by the bottome of the ground and rifts and holes of an hard rocke The manner of speaking is borrowed of the despised littlenesse of the water which signifieth the small estimation and pouertie of the christen T. M. ¶ Looke Siloh What is meant by the water of the Sea The water of the sea shall bée drawne out Nilus shall sinke away and be dronke vp ¶ The water of the sea c. Aegipt as stories shew receiueth no raine forth of the aire but is ouerflowed with yâ— water Nilus at certein times 14. 15. or 16. cubits high froÌ„ the ground for if it increse to any lesse height the Countrey scapeth not a dearth sayth Plinie And therefore by the scarcenesse and want of water is the desolation of the land described Nilus is heere called by diuerse names Sometime the Sea sometime riuers sometime wells sometime pondes c. For that fludde runneth seuen sundry wayes and it is called the Sea not onelye because the Hebrewes call