his Crosse and in mortifieng the peruerse and crooked disposition of the flesh We ought alwaies to beare in minde the saieng of our Sauiour Christ If any man will follow me let him deny him selfe and take vp his Crosse and follow me c. Marl. fo 432. How mans perfection is vnperfect Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy power Ye shall not turne neither to the right hand nor to the lefte Accursed is he that standeth not in euery thing that is written in the law to performs the same And S. Iames saith Who so offendeth in one commaundement is guiltie in all And Christ saith Be ye perfect not meaning your selues by your owne abilitie but as your father is perfect which is in heauen And yet héerby he meaneth not the perfection that is in God and his Angells but onely the perfection that is required in man I beseech you saith S. Hierom hath God commaunded me that I should be the same that God is that there should be no difference in perfection betwéene me and my Lord the Creator that I should be aboue the highnesse of Angells or that I shuld haue that the Angells haue not I sayd it is possible that a man maye be without sinne if he want not will the power of God assisting him And yet I finde that besides Christ in whom all men shall be quicknesse to life there was neuer man nor neuer shall be who being in this life shall haue this perfection Wherefore doth Christ say Be ye perfect wherefore doeth Paule say As many of vs as be perfect c. Heereto S. Hierom aunswereth thus What then doe we think or what ought we to thinke that be not perfect We ought to confesse that we are vnperfect and that we haue not yet gotten nor taken that perfection that is required This is the true wisedome of a man to know himselfe to be vnperfect And as I might say the perfection of all iust men liuing in the flesh is vnperfect He hath much profited in this life that by his profiting hath learned how farre he is from the perfection of righteousnesse Our very righteousnesse it selfe is so great in this life that it standeth rather in forgiuenesse of our sinnes then in perfection of righteousnesse Iewel fo 316. 317. 318. ¶ Looke Sound PERGAMVS What Pergamus was CHurch which is at Pergamus ¶ Pergamus was the name of a famous Citie in olde time in Asia where the kings of the Atalians were alwaies resident The faith of them of Pergamus is much cōmended because they remained constant euen in the very heate of persecution Theo. Beza PEARLE What a Pearle in Scripture doth signifie NEither cast ye your Pearles before swine ¶ A Pearle hath his name among the Grecians for the orient brightnesse that is in it And a Pearle in auncient time was in great estimation among the Latines for a Pearle that Cleopatra had was valued at two hundred and fiftie thousand Crownes and the word is now borrowed from that to signifie the most precious heauenly doctrine Theo. Beza PERIVRIE How periury is made lawfull by the Popes law YE shal vnderstand that these two worthy Martirs of Iesus Christ Iohn Hus and Hierom of Prage were called to the generall Councell holden at Constaunce and faith was made to them that by safe conduct they should come safe and returne safe and yet were they contrary to the faith taken and burned And least that holy Councell should séeme to doe anye thing wherein all their sect did not consent they made this Antichristian lawe in the 19. Session Presens sancta Synadus c. This present holy Counsell doth publish and declare that there can no preiudice hurt or hinderaunce come to the Catholike faith or to the Ecclesiastical iurisdiction by reason of any safe conduct graunted by the Emperour by Kings or other Princes of the earth to any which either be heretikes or defamed of heresie for what bond or promise soeuer the same Princes haue made vnto them their safe conduct notwithstanding it is lawfull for any compitent Ecclesiasticall Iudge to enquire of the errours yea although they come to y◠place of iudgement trusting vpon their safe conduct so that otherwise they would not haue come Neither he that maketh any such promise any whit bound to performe it if he haue done that that lay in him otherwise I. Pon. PERMISSION Of Gods permission or suffering WE must note that when either the Scriptures or Fathers doe séeme God to be the cause of sinne this word permission is not there so to be added as though he only suffered men to sinne and by his prouidence or gouernment wrought nothing as concerning sinnes Indéede he letteth them not though he can but vseth them and sheweth in them his might and not onely his patience which thing Augustin vnderstood right wel and disputed against Iulianus he confuted that sentence wher it is sayd that God suffereth sinne onely according to patience and proueth that his might is also therevnto to be added by the words of Paule who wrote vnto the Romanes If God by much patience haue suffered vessells of wrath prepared for destruction to shewe forth his anger and to make knowen his might And vndoubtedly there are many things in the holy scripture which cannot alwaies be dissolued by the word of permission or patience For the heart of the King is said to be in the hand of the Lord so that he inclineth it whether soeuer it pleaseth him And Iob testifieth that it was so done as God would But as touching the sinne of the first man when yet nature was not viciated corrupted we graunt y◠the cause therof came from the will of Adam suggestion of the Diuell we saye that God permitted it because when hée might haue withstood and letted it he would not doe it but decreed to vse that sinne to declare his Iustice and goodnesse Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic fol. 167. PERSECVTION What persecution is PErsecution is an obstinate pursuing to destroy by the which there is no place of rest and quietnesse giuen but the destruction of Innocents is sought with all kinde of violence and deceits Mar. vpon Math. fol. 81. They which doe follow vpon any man for to be reuenged so that they make no ende of pursuing of him nor leaue from that which they had begun withal be rightly called persecuters although that at length they be compelled to leaue off contrary to their determination and purpose as it betideth to all persecuters which are at the last constrained whether they will or not to breake off the race and course of their persecution Some doe take the word of persecuting or pursuing to be a ful following or pursuing in all poynts As when an Hound followeth the Deare a drye foote vp hill and downe through thick and thinne c. Both senses be applyed
5. 1. Marl. vpon the Apocalips fol 53. ¶ My minde is to yoke you with no other lawe nor to burden you with anie other traditions then I haue alredie giuen you neither with ceremonies rites nor auncient customes in the obseruation of daies moneths times nor yeares in holie daies fastings vigils nor Sabotes for they were but shadowes of things to come Bale vpon the Apoc. fol. 40. The meaning of this place following What is the burden of the Lord. The Prophets called their threatnings Gods burden which the sinners were not able to susteine Therefore the wicked in deriding the word would aske of the Prophets what was the burden as though they would saye you séeke nothing els but to lay burdens vpon our shoulders And thus they reiected the word of God as a burden But bicause this word was brought to contempt and derision he will saith the Prophet teach them another manner of speach and will cause this word burden to cease and teach them to aske with reuerence what saith the Lord. For the thing that they mocke and contemne shall come vpon them Geneua ¶ The wicked mens hearts were so hardened against 〈…〉 truth that they vsed scornefullie to scosfe at Gods threatening prophestes in mocking calling them Gods fardle or burden The Bible note Of the burden of Babel The burden of Babel which Esaie the sonne of Amos did sée ¶ That is the great calamitie which was prophesied to come on Babel as a most gréeuous burden which they were not able to beare In these twelue Chapters following he speaketh of the plague wherwith God would smite those straunge nations whom they knew to declare that God chastened the Israelites as his children and these other as his enimies And also that if God spared not these that are ignoraunt that they must not think straunge if he punish them which haue knowledge of his lawe and kéepe it not Geneua BVRIAL How Buriall is a looking glasse of resurrection BUriall was brought in by God It is no inuention of man without good ground but it is Gods ordinaunce to the end it should be a witnesse to vs of the resurrection and euerlasting life When men be buried they are laid vp in the earth as in a store house vntill they be raised vp againe at the last daie and so our buriall is vnto vs a loking glasse of the resurrection Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 472. The Pompe of buriall forbidden But when thou doest heare saith Chrisostome that our Lord did rise againe naked cease I praie thée from the madde expence of the burieng what meaneth this superfluous and vnprofitable expence which vnto them that make it bringeth hurt and no profite to the dead but rather harme What the Greekes and Hebures doe call their buring places The Gréekes doe call their burieng places Camâ—tereum that is to saie a Dorter or sléeping place signifieng thereby that we ought to be as sure or rather more sure that they that be buried shall be raised againe at the last daie of the generall resurrection then we are sure to rise againe when we lay our selues downe to sléepe and that therefore we ought no more to 〈…〉 be wâ—ese 〈…〉 out friends when wée sée anie of them to be laide into the ground then wée ought to be soriâ— when we sée them goe to â—edde and laie themselues downe to take their rest béeing most assured by the vndouted infallible word of God that we shall receiue them againe immortall and most gloriouâ—â— The Hebrues doe call their burieng placed oâ— the 〈…〉 〈…〉 the liuing because that they that be buried 〈…〉 God and shall be receiued againe by his 〈…〉 I. Veron What 〈…〉 is to be buried with Christ. 〈…〉 buried with Christ 〈…〉 Bapâ—â—â—e in to his death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorie of the Father so wée also should walke in newnesse of life ¶ This partaking of death and life with Christ is nothing els but the mortifieng of our owne flesh the quickening of the spirit in that the olde man is crucified and we may walke in newnesse of life Calâ—ehill Of the Burial of Iohn Baptist. ¶ Looke Iohn Baptist. BVRNE What it is to Burne IT is is better to marrie then to burne ¶ To burne after Saint Ambrose is when the will consenteth to the lust of the flesh Tindale ¶ Then to burne with the fire of concupisence that is when mans will so giueth place to the lust that tempteth that he cannot call vpon God with a quiet conscience Geneua What these burning lights doe signifie And your lights burning ¶ These burning lightes that Christ willeth us to haue in our handes are a liuelie faith working through charitie The works of the Christians ought to be liuelie feruent and burning Sir I. Cheeke Of burnt offerings and peace offerings They offered burnt offerings and peace offerings ¶ Burnt offerings were they which were all burnt but of peace offerings a certeine part was offered an other part was giuen vnto the Priest an other part returned vnto him which offered it to eate it with his friends in the sight of the Lord. Pet Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 271. Whie it was called a whole burnt offering And offered a whole burnt offering◠¶ It is called a whole burnt offering because the whole sacrifice was consumed with fire by the which is signified that the person which did offer the same should haue his heart and minde wholie vppon God as it is written Loue thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule c. The Bible note How the Christians doe offer burnt 〈…〉 Although that the burnt offering of 〈…〉 〈…〉 Sheepe of Calues and Birdes offered in the olde lawe be abolished by the glorie of Christ whose death and passion they did adâ—â—brate aâ— S. Paule witnesseth Heb. 10. Shall we thinke thereâ— fore that we now which be Christians haue not burnt 〈…〉 fice to offer vnto God yes mâ— then they had For so often as we doe preach or the king or anie other godlie man doth cause or helpe Christs Gospell to be purelie and sincerelie preached to the people so oft doe we offer a burnt sacrifice of swéete sauour vnto God a sacrifice that pleaseth God farre aboue the offering of a young fat calfe that hath hornes and houesâ— This is that swéete sacrifice whereof Malachie the Prophet doth speake in the first Chapter saieng From the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same great is my name among the Gentiles and in euerie place shall sacrifice be made and offering set vp to my name This sacrifice and burnt offering is not the sacrifice of the wicked Masse but it is the sacrifice of the preaching of Christes death and the meritas of hiâ—â—sionâ— We doe also offer burnt sacrifices vnto the Lord when we doe offer our selues our hearts our mindes and all 〈…〉 dilie members to the true seruing of God in
man saith he hath a tyrannicall heart for he would rule all men as hée lust and not by anie reason or lawe Also he writing in his 3. booke De repub saith that Dronkennesse maie be suffered in anie man rather then in a Magistrate for a dronken man knoweth not the ground whereon he is on If a Magistrate be dronke then hath the kéeper néede of a kéeperâ— This is moreouer to be added that there is nothing kept secret where Dronkennesse raigneth How Dronkennesse is condempned by holie Scripture Paule saith Be ye not made dronken with wine wherein is wantonnesse But be ye filled with the spirite speaking to your selues by Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songs Upon which place â—ierom saith we cannot at one time be filled with wine and the Holie ghost for the Apostle putteth these things as contraries euen as we cannot serue two masters He that is filled with the spirit hath wisedome méeknesse shamefastnesse and chas 〈…〉 cie and he which is filled with wine hath foolishnesse furiousnesse malipartnesse and filthy lusts They which are not â—illed with wine can easelie sing Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songs which thing they cannot doe which haue gorged themselues with wine Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 162. Proplâ—ne examples of Dronkennesse Alexander of Macedoniâ— the Conquerour of the world was most filthelie ouercome with wine and being dronke slew Clitus his friend most valiant and faithfull whose diligence industrie labour prudence strength he had in warres long time vsed to his great commoditie Wherefore when he had slept after his wine and being awaked and remembring the wicked act that he had committed he was so ashamed and sorie that he wished himselfe dead But yet he amended not the vice of dronkennesse Yea once afterward he dronke so much wine in one night that he fell into a Feuer and for that he would not temper himselfe from wine within a while after he died Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 163. King Philip father to Alexander the great was a noble Prince and fortunate yet notwithstanding yâ— vice of dronkennesse raigned too much in him wherefore it followed that after he had giuen iudgement vpon a time against a poore widdow woman she aunswered straight she appealed The Nobles then present hearing the woman what she said demaunded to whom she appealed since the king himselfe had giuen sentence She aunswered and said I appeale to King Philip which is now dronk that when he is sober he returne and giue sentence The woman was nothing deceiued in hir appelaâ—ion for after king Philip had reposed and slept a little he reâ—oked and repeaâ—ed that sentence that he had before giuen against hir This Cambices the sonne of Cyrâ—s had a Counsalour about him named Prexaspes because he admonished the King somwhat boldlie of his dronkennesse he commaunded Prexaspes to bring his youngest sonne vnto him for I quod he will shoote at him with my bowe And if I hit his heart with my dart then maist thou thinke that I am not beside the capacitie of reason but if not then maie it worthelie be saide I am dronke and so the childe being bound to a post the king after he had well dronke shot at the childe with his dart and pearced him through the heart which being ript he shewed to Prexaspes the childes father saieng heere thou hast good euidence that I am not dronk for the heart is rightlie hit Carion A good woman had an husband who would be oftentimes dronken wherewith she being ashamed and deuising by what meanes she might cause him to leaue that horrible vice at the last when he was asleepe she caried him vnto the Charnel house wherin were put the bones of dead men and leauing him lieng there she made â—ast the dore and departed and when she thought he was waking she taking with hir bread and meate returned to the Charnell house knocked at the dore hir husband faintlie asked who knocked there The good woman aunswered I which haue brought meate with me for the dead men Peace quod hir husbandâ— thou increasest my paine in speking of meat bring me some drinke I praie thee that hearing the good woman Alas said she tâ—at euer I was borne for this vice gotten by custome my husband hath made it an habite which will neuer forsake him â—xamples of Dronkennesse out of the Scripture Noe a great man iust and loued of God who saw two constitutions of the world for he liued both before after the floud is set foorth vnto vs as an example vtterlie to auoid Dronkennesse When as he hauing dronke more wine then was méete laie in the Tabernacle most filthelie naked and his priuie partes which were wont to be couered he lefte bare and vncouered and hée that was wont to be a Master of vertues was a great offence vnto his children Châ—m mocked him the other two sonnes of a better and holier nature were sorie and verie much ashamed of their fathers filthinesse By this act it is sufficientlie declared that shame derision and offence folowe Dronkennesse But of this sinne we haue a notable example in Lot who vndoubtedlie dranke not immoderatelie to the ende he would abuse his Daughters and to commit incest but to put awaie care and griefes which he had taken for the ouerthrow of the 5 cities for the losse of his deere wife and also of his substance He would also comfort his daughters that they should not take too much thought speciallie â—or the losse of their mother although he ought to haue inuented other waies of comforting But this I speake onelie least that anie man shoulde thinke that he didde with hiâ— will drinke too much to pollute himselfe with most filthie lusts yet for all that toâ— much abundaunce of drinke was the cause of his most vile incest being otherwise an olde man in a time farre out of purpose for as much as the iudgements of God were declared against the filthie lusts of the 5. Cities And which is wonderful wine so alienated Lot from himself that he vnderstood not with what women he had companied Wherefore rightlie saith Seneca in his 84. Epistle They which are dronken doe manie things which afterward when they are sober they are ashamed of Lot sought to make himselfe merrie with wine and he incurred a perpetuall heauinesse Let them therefore which séeke to be made merrie with wine remember that they put themselues in a most present daunger and by that meanes maie easelie throwe themselues headlong into most grieuous wicked actes Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 162. ¶ Through Dronkennesse and other vices wer the Cities of Sodome and Gomorra destroied Gen 19. 24. Eze. 16. 49. ¶ Ammon being dronke was slaine 2. Reg. 13. 29. ¶ Ela the sonne of Baasa King of Israel being dronken was slaine of his seruaunt Zimri ¶ Benhadad King of Syria with his 32. Kings being dronken were all ouercome of King Achab.
¶ 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
men and the praise of men Mar. fol. 112. An exposition of this place following Giue almes and all things are cleane vnto you ¶ These words maie be expounded thrée manner of waies The first waie is to saie that that kinde of speach was anie Ironie as if Christ should haue said to the Phariseies ye giue almes and ye thinkâ— straight yâ— all things are cleane vnto you which is not so for we ought first to make cleane those things which are within An other waie is which Augustine followeth in his Enchiridion to Laurentius certaine had perswaded themselues that if they gaue almes they shuld be saued though they ceased not from sinning their chiefest anker hold was these words of Christ. Augustine answereth that those words of Christ are to be vnderstood of the true approoued almes of which it is written in Ecclâ— the. 30. Chapter Haue compassion of thy soule and please God Wherefore thou oughtest to begin true almes at thine owne selfe that hauing compassion on thy selfe thou maist be conuerted vnto God and cease of from sinnes and afterward haue compassion on othâ—rs And the third waie is this which in my iudgement more agréeth vnto the purpose Christ being at dinner with the Phariseies he began to eate with vnwashed hands for which thing when they were offended Christ beganne to reprooue their ignoraunce which would haue their dishes handes and all outward things made cleane and beautifull but as touching that which they had inward that is in their minde they were nothing carefull Wherefore he first exhorted them to purifie the heart which is inwardlie which thing is done by faith for in the Actes it is written By faith purifieng their hearts Afterward as touching outward things he addeth Giue almes and so all things shall be cleane vnto you c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. 383. What thing we ought to take heed vnto in giuing our almes Take héed to your almes c. ¶ That our almes maie bée acceptable vnto God thrée things are required First that wée giue with a ioifull heart for he loueth him that giueth chéerefullie Secondlie that we giue liberallie putting aside niggardship for he that soweth litle shall reape litle and he that soweth plentifullie shall reape plentiouslie Let euerie man doe according as he is able The poore woman that did offer but two mites did highlie please God Thirdlie that we giue without hypocrisie and ostentation not seeking the praise of men nor our owne glorie Cheeke What profit commeth by almes giuing If we giue almes we shall prouoke men to giue immortall thankes vnto God so that by our almes two profits shall ensue and followe First our poore bretheren shall be succoured helped secondlie God the Author of all goodnesse shall be through the same liberalitie that he hath stirred vp in vs be praised and lauded which thing all Christians ought to séeke Read 2. Cor. 9. 12. Of the almes sent to the Saints at Hierusalem It is not my minde that other be set at ease and ye brought into combrance but that there be equalnesse now at this time c. ¶ Liberalitie ought to be moderated that they which doe giue be in no wise thereby brought to extreme penurie and pouertie the other vnto whom it is giuen in the meane season liuing at ease in idlenesse This is the equalnesse that S. Paule speaketh of héere The Corinthians had riches the Saints of Hierusalem had wholesome doctrine coupled with godlinesse at that time there was great dearth in Hierusalem and in all Syria This is then the meaning of the Apostle I will that with your riches whereof ye haue great plentie abundance ye succour their néed and that they with their godlie doctrine do supplie that which is wanting in you Sir I. Cheeke The meaning of this place following Sell that ye haue and giue almes ¶ This is the figure Metonymia For by this word Almes is meant that compassion and friendlinesse of an heart that tendereth the miserie and poore estate of a man and sheweth forth it selfe by some gift and hath the name giuen it of the Gréeke tongue of mercie and compassion And therefore he is said to giue Almes who parteth with some thing to another and giueth to the poore shewing thereby that he pitieth their poore estate Beza Of the almes that Atticus Bishop of Constantinople sent Atticus vnto Calliopius Minister of Nice sendeth gréeting in the Lord. I am giuen to vnderstand that there is an infinite number in your citie readie to perish with famine and stand in néede of the almes and charitie of godlie and well disposed persons Where I write an infinite number I meane a great multitude the certaine number whereof I doe not readelie knowe Therefore seeing I haue receiued moneie of him which bestoweth abundance and plentie of riches vpon them which vse it aright séeing also dailie experience teacheth vs that some doe want to the ende that such as be rich wealthie and minister not vnto them maie throughlie be tried my will is welbeloued brother that thou receiue of me these thrée hundred péeces of gold and distribute them at thy discretion among the poore people of thy parish sée thou deale the same not among such as respect onelie the bellie and make a liuing or trade throughout their life time of begging but among such as are ashamed to begge Neither would I haue thée héerein to respect anie opinion or sect whatsoeuer neither to preiudice them which practise in doctrine a contrarie faith vnto vs but onelie to haue consideration of this that thou relieue them which hunger and thirst and haue not wherewithall to helpe himselfe Eusebius fol. 391. Of the almes of Cornelius ¶ Looke Cornelius ALOES ¶ Looke Mirrhe ALOGIANI What manner of heretickes they were THese men denied that the sonne of God was Logos which some doe interpret in Latin Verbum some Sermo And therefore they reiected the Gospell of Saint Iohn and his Apocalipsis saieng that they were not his words But that Cerinthus the heretike wrote the Reuelation Eliote Epipha heres â— 1. Augustine ALMVTH LABEN What this word signifieth IT signifieth as some thinke a certaine instrument of Musicke Some saie that Almuth signifieth of the death which some vnderstand by Laben Goliah or some other Philistine Some read the Title thus A vehement and often made exhortation of a secret or foolish sonne they vnderstood thereby the righteous which by faith is the sonne of God and the same is to the world foolish because he is continuallie in death and secrets for his life is hid in Christ till the hid things be shewed Againe in the iudgement of God then shall it appeare that the death of this world is glorie Felix readeth the title thus vnto the victor or ouercommer of the death of a foole which ye maie well vnderstand of the death of foolish Antichrist and of the ruine of
voice should bée hearde neither yet so softlie that hée should onelie thinke in minde the things which heâ— desired but in such sort as wée reade that Hanna praied in the first booke of Samuel where it is sayde that shée moued hir lippes onelie neither spake shée anie thing that could be heard Then was the Oracle giuen on this manner vnto the Priest By the power of the holie Ghost certeine letters appeared aboue the other in the brest plate and that either in place or in brightnesse wherein the Priest read the Oracle and will of God And these things are those Vrim and Thumim which the Priest bare in his breast lappe This is Kimhies opinion vnto whom what faith is to be giuen I cannot tell for it might be that the spirit of God did without letters giue Oracles by the voice of the high Priest whose heart he inspired with prophesie c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. 272 Of whom we ought to aske our petition Uerily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske yâ— father in my name he wil giue it vnto you ¶ He saith not whatsoeuer ye aske the Father in the name of Saint Peter Saint Paule or other Saints but in my name Let vs aske therefore helpe in the name of him which is able to obteine for vs of his Father whatsoeuer we aske least peraduenture héereafter in the end of the world at the straight iudgement we shall heare Hitherto in my name yée haue asked nothing Bilney in the booke of Mar. fol. 1139. How Christ asked what men did saie of him He asked of his Disciples saieng whom do men saie that I the sonne of man am ¶ If anie man saith Origen be a Bishop or a Magistrate let him hardlie aske this question what doe men saie of mee but this they must aske of them that will tell the truth without flatterie Cheeke ASSVR How the people of Assiria tooke their name of him THe Assirians which is a part of Asia came of Assur the second sonne of Sem which Assur as Lyra saith would not rebell against God with Nemroth in the building of the towre of Babilon but fled out of the land of Senhar into a nother farre countrie where he first inhabited by reason wherof the countrie tooke his name and was called Assiria In the which countrie he builded a citie that in processe was called Niniue which citie was so great that it was thrée daies iourney to goe through it Lyra. What is meant by Assur in this place following Assur also shall be slaine with the sword not with a mans sword ¶ The Prophet should héere séeme to prophesie of the great destruction that happened vnto Sennacherib 2. Par. 32. 21. And Esaie 37. 36. which was done by the sword of the Angell not by the sword of man as ye maie there sée Sennacherib was the king of Assiria and therefore is the destruction of the Assirians which happened vnder him signified by this word Assur Some because the Prophet a little before in the Textâ— moueth the people to forsake Idols expound it thus not by our Idols not by our strength not by mannes helpe which all maie be called the sword of man shall our spirituall enimie which is signified by Assur perish but by the power of God and the inuisible sword that cannot bée séene with which the Angell slewe an hundred foure score and fiue thousand in one night T. M. ASTHAROTH What manner of Idoll it was THis Idoll Astharoth was so called because it stoode to be worshipped in the forme of a Shéepe For a shéepe in Hebrue is called Aschtor And as it appeareth by the fourth booke of kings Cap. 23. 13. it was an Idoll of the Sidonians wherevnto Salomon by the instigation of his wiues builded sometime a Cappell c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 68. â— ASTROLOGIE What Astrologie is AStrologie is the knowledge of the naturall order and disposition that God hath set in the starres and planets to iudge of the office propertie and vertue and to bring all to their end and vse Caluine The Astrologer is he that knoweth the course and motions of the heauens and teacheth the same which is a vertue if it passe not his bondes and he become of an Astrologer an Astronomer Who taketh vpon him to giue iudgement and censure of those motions and course of the heauens what they prognosticate and destinie vnto the creatures of the earth man beast and other what shall be the temperature of the aire the condition of the earth the state successe of such fruite as it bringeth foorth By this knowledge they forespeake of pestilence and other discases and séeth the death of great men to come such commotions and warres as shall followe betwéene the Princes of the world And thus they saie they knowe by the course of the heauens Whereas they sée the coniunctions of manie planets of figures and fatall disposition and qualitie concurre by reason of whose influence into these inferiour partes all those calamities must happen Heere they abuse not onelie the name of God and the naturall discourse of reason which hath comprehended the motions and course of heauens but also heauen it selfe and attribute vnto the heauens the thing that onelie apperteineth to God To saie the health of man the sickenesse of man the plentie of the earth and scarcitie of the same the regument of common and the life death of gouernours thereof Their knowledge and practise in those things is nothing at all For almightie God hath not made the heauens to that end and purpose that man shold learne of them good fortune or ill as it is plaine Gen. 1. In the second daie God made the Firmament and superiour Starres which the text calleth Rakiah to this end that it should seperate the waters that be vnder the Firmament from those that be aboue the Firmament and God called the Firmament heauen In the fourth daye GOD made the Sunne the Moone and the Starâ—es And sheweth to what purpose and ende he made them the one to haue dominion in the daie the other in the night and God put them in the Firmament of heauen to giue light vnto the earth These rule in the daie and night and put difference betwéene light and darknesse to diuide the yeare into his portes the Spring Sommer Autume and Winter They are in signes likewise saith the Text. The which the Husbandman that tilleth and soweth the ground obserueth without superstition to sowe and reape his corne Hée casteth it into the ground in the Winter and receiueth it againe in the Summer So doth the Marriner make the reuolution of the Moone his decrease and increase whereby he knoweth the tides the ebbes and flowe of the same And the latter Phisitions Auicene and Auerrois hath likewise assigned their vse in mans bodie therefore they appoint diuersitie of daies in the practise of Phisicke one to bée more apt for letting of bloude then other
were as white as Snowe and with him was seene Moses and Helias talking with him Et ecce nubes lucida obumbrauit â—os And behold a cléere Cloud did shadow them and close them in and out of the Cloud was heard a voice saieng Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo mihi bene complacui ipsum audite This is my beloued Sonne for whose sake I am pleased and pacified toward all them that beléeue in him and will hearken vnto his doctrine ipsum audite heare him Furthermore in the first chapter of the Actes of the Apostles we read that a Cloud compassed and closed in the bodie of our Sauiour Iesus ascending vp into heauen and so tooke him out of the sight of the Apostles Thus by these manifest places of Scriptures conferred together ye see euidentlie the wordes of the Prophet put in practise when he saith The Lorde hath made the darkenesse his secret closet and the Cloudes of the aire his Tabernacle to compasse him round about Ric. Turnar How the Cloudes are called Gods pauilions and Chariots The Cloudes and all the cope of heauen are tearmed Gods Pauilions or Tents And diuers times it is said that yâ— Clouds are his Chariots namelie because he guideth them and maketh them to goe forward or els doth as it were walke vpon them to make his triumphs Thus you sée how God is presented vnto vs as a Prince in that he vseth the Heauens as his Palaice and his maiestie sheweth it selfe there Againe the Clouds are as ye would saie the pillers of his pauilion to the end we shuld be the more moued to consider the royall workmanship Then séeing it is so let vs learne to yéeld God that which is his owne and let not his glorie be lefaced through our vnthankfulnesse Cal. vpon Iob. 672. COCKATRICE EGGES The meaning of the place following THey breede Cockatrice Egges and weaue the Spiders web ¶ To bréede Cockatrice Egges is to go about that which is mischieuous and wicked to weaue the spiders web is to go about vaine and trifling things which are of no value although they séeme neuer so excellent vnto the doers T. M. ¶ Whatsoeuer commeth from them is poyson and bringeth death Geneua COLDE What it is to be colde I Would thou wert either hotte or colde ¶ In some mens opinion to be colde is as much as to be vtterlie void of faith and to be hot is to persist stedfastlie and stoutlie in faith that is workfull by loue and to be luke warme is nothing els but to be a counterfetter and dissembler that is to saie to be hot and faithfull to outward appearaunce inwardly to be void of faith Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 67. I know by thy works that thou art neither hot nor cold c. ¶ Thy works are euidentlie open before me saith the Lord I knowe them in their kinde I sée thou art neither cold nor hot thou art neither a full Infidel nor a full beléeuer neither a perfect Pagan nor a perfect Christian thou art neither constant in thy faith nor yet all without faith Outwardlie thou art hot but within thou art cold as yâ—e Inwardlie thou abhorrest the word of God yet dost thou not outwardlie condemne it I wold thou wert either cold or hot either a Christian or none at all either a perfect louer of the veritie or els a ful hater of it not a dissembling Hypocrite as thou art iudging euill good and good euill calling darknesse light light darknesse making sower swéete and swéete sower allowing fables and lies and contemning the wisedome of God None is so farre from the kingdome of heauen as is a false Christian. Much sooner is he conuerted to the truth that is all colde or all without faith then he that vnder the colour and pretence of Gods lawes maintaineth errors and lies Forsomuch therefore as I finde thee betwéene both neither of both halfe colde halfe hot and neither fullie cold nor hot neither faithfullie giuen to Gods word nor all whole with out it but a false and glosing hyporrite I will begin to vomit thée as a morsell out of season spew thée out of my mouth as a thing out of kinde Thou shalt not be digested Neither shall my word allow thee nor my promise admit thée to rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen But thou shalt be throwen forth into exterior darknes wheras shal be wéeping gnasâ—â—ng of téeth I will cast thee out detest thee abhorre thee For much worse are they that abuse or despise yâ— gift of God then they which neuer receiued it c. Bale vpon the Apoc. COALES OF FIRE What the meaning of S. Paule is in this place FOr in so doing thou shalt heape hot coales of fire vppon his head ¶ This place maie be vnderstood two manner of waies either that our gentle kindnesse towards our enimie shal be vnto him a cause of great damnation and so by the coales we shall vnderstand the vengeaunce of God or that our enimie being ouercome by our gentlenesse and as a man might saie being kindeled with loue might repent and become our friend Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Either thou shalt wound him with thy benefit or els his conscience shall beare him witnesse that Gods burning wrath hangeth ouer him Geneua ¶ Thou shalt as it were by force ouercome him insomuch that his owne conscience shall moue him to acknowledge thy benefites and his heart shall be inflamed Geneua ¶ After this sort doth Salomon point out the wrath of God that hangeth ouer a man Beza COMFORTLES The meaning of this place of Iohn I Will not leaue you comfortlesse ¶ Some vnderstande this of the returne of Christ vnto his Disciples after his Resurrection But other some a great deale better referre the same vnto the comming of the holie Ghast As if Christ should haue said ye shall thinke when I am gone from you in my bodelie presence that you are Orphants without a Father but if you consider the matter well I will neuer leaue you For I will come vnto you with the spirit of consolation which shall helpe you with fatherlie affection in all aduersities So beneficiall shall my departure be vnto you so great profite shall my death bring vnto you Marl. COMMAVNDEMENTS OF GOD. How they be impossible for man to fulfill IF thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commaundements ¶ Remember that when God commaundeth vs to do anie thing he doth it not therefore because that we of our selues can doe that he commaundeth but that by the Lawe we might sée and know our horrible damnacion and captiuitie vnder sinne and therefore should repent and come to Christ receiue mercie and the spirit of God to loose vs strength vs and to make vs able to doe Gods will which is the Lawe Now when he saith if thou wilt enter into life kéepe the Commaundements is as much to
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 soule we saie therfore that to be in the flesh according to the Apostles meaning signifieth nothing els then in all our actions to be ruled and gouerned by the sense and effect of Nature not yet regenerate in Christ. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 198. Againe this place Ye are not in the Flesh cannot but be figuratiuelie interpreted for if we should vnderstand simply that we are not in the Flesh the truth would shew the contrarie Wherefore Chrisostome vpon this place saith that it is a thing verie daungerous alwaies to vnderstande the Scriptures according to the proper signification of the words I meruaile therfore what our aduersaries meane so much to iangle and make such 〈…〉 that when we saie that these wordes of the Lorde This is my bodie are spoken figuratiuelie and that we vnderstand meane by this place the filthie lusts and incontinencie of the flesh But by the vnquietnesse of the flesh and messenger of Satan he vnderstandeth the persecutions and troubles which by the meanes and stirring of Satan he was 〈…〉 to suffer continuallie for the Gospells sake not onelie of the open 〈…〉 but also of the false Bretheren And for 〈…〉 his 〈…〉 persecutions and troubles that happened vnto 〈…〉 praie vnto the Lord that he would deliuer 〈…〉 these afflictions and troubles which his flesh did 〈…〉 Thus both Theodoretus Ambrose and also Erasmus 〈…〉 place ¶ Looke Messenger of 〈…〉 ¶ Looke Pricke of the flesh To take no thought for the flesh how it is expounded Take no thought for the flesh to fill the lusts of it ¶ By the flesh he hèere vnderstandeth not naturall health for that is not to bée neglected that wee maie bee able the more constantlie to serue GOD. Paule writeth to Timothie Use a little Wine because of the stomacke and often 〈…〉 Heere hee prohibiteth onelie the pleasures and delights of the flesh For when wée lette loose the bridle to them the flesh is made vnrulie Wherefore seeing that we ought continuallie to wrastle against the prone affects thereof lette vs take héede that with ouer much delicatenesse we nourish them not Pet. Mar. fol. 434. The meaning of this place following My flesh is verelie meate and my bloud verelie drinke ¶ When Christ spake thâ—se words he spake nothing of the Sacrament for it was not instituted vntill his last Supper Upon this S. Austen saith Why preparest thou either tooth or bellie beléeue and then thou hast eaten him And when Christ sawe them offended hée said vnto them Doth this offende you What will ye saie then when ye shall see the Sonne of man ascending thether whence he was before Then addeth Saint Austen You shall know that he meant not to giue his flesh to eate with your téeth for he shall ascende whole And Christ addeth it is the spirite that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake are spirite and life that is to saie saith S. Austen are spirituallie to be vnderstood And when Christ saith his flesh profiteth nothing meaning of his owne flesh as Austen saith he meaneth that it profiteth not as they vnderstood him that is to saie it profiteth not if it were eaten but it doth much profite to be slaine that through it and the shedding of his bloud the wrath of God our father is pacified our sinnes forgiuen His Disciples which followed him wer astonied and abhorred his words and vnderstoode them not Againe in another place he saith when Christ said Except a man eate my flesh and drinke my bloud he shall haue no life in him they because they vnderstood him not said to each other This is an hard saieng who can heare him August in sermo ad infan What flesh shall inherit the kingdome of Heauen Flesh and bloud cannot inherite the kingdome of Heauen ¶ Our beliefe is that there shall be a generall Resurrection of the flesh according to the Scripture Esaie 26. 19. Rom. 12. 2. Iob. 19. 26. Iohn 5. 29. Neuerthelesse it shall be purged from all corruption and be chaunged to immortall life for it must be an vncorrupt flesh that shall inherit the kingdome of God Of the battaile betweene the flesh and the spirite Betwéene the flesh and the spirite is a continuall strife if the spirit ouercome in temptation then is the stronger and the flesh weaker but if the flesh get a custome then is the spirite none other oppressed then as though she had a mountaine vpon hir backe and as we sometime in our dreame thinke that we beare heauier then a milstone vpon our breastes or when wée dreame now and then that we would runne awaie for feare our legges seeme heauier then leadâ— euen so is the spirit oppressed and ouerladen of the flesh and striueth to gette vppe and breake loose in vaine till God of his mercie which heareth his grone through Iesus Christ come and loose him with his power and put his crosse of tribulation on the back of the flesh to kéepe it downe to minish hir strength and to mortifie her Tindale fol. 186. What flesh and spirite signifieth Flesh and spirite maist thou not héere vnderstande as flesh were onelie that which perteineth vnto vnchastitie and the spirit that which inwardlie pertaineth vnto the heart â—ut Paule calleth flesh heere as Christ doth Iohn 3. All that is borne of the Flesh that is to wit the whole man with life soule bodie wit will reason and whatsoeuer he is or doth within or without because that those all and all that is in man studie after the world and the Flesh. Call Flesh therefore whatsoeuer as long as we are without the spirit of God we thinke or speake of God of faith of good workes and of spirituall matters Call Flesh also all workes which are done without grace and without the working of the spirit of God howsoeuer good holie and spirituall they seeme to be as thou maist proue by the 5. to the Galathians ver 19. 20. where Paule numbreth worshipping of Idolls witchcraft â—nuie and hate among the deedes of the Flesh. And by the eight to the Romanes ver 3. where he saith that the Lawe by the reason of the Flesh is weake which is not vnderstood of vnchastitie onelie but of all sinnes and most speciallie of vnbeliefe which is a vice most wicked and ground of all sinnes and as thou callest him which is not renued with the spirit and borne againe of Christ Flesh and all his deedes euen the verie motions of his heart and minde his learning doctrine and contemplation of high things his preaching teaching and studie in the Scripture building of Churches founding of Abbaies giuing of Almes Masse Mattinâ— and whatsoeuer he doth though it seeme spirituall and after the Lawes of God So contrariwise call him spirituallâ— which is renued in Christ and all his deedes which springeth of faith seeme they neuer so grose as the washing of the Disciples feete done by Christ and Peters fishing after
of the letters but the Gospell is in the marking of the sentence of Scriptures This sentence approueth Saint Paule saieng thus The kingdome of God is not in worde but in vertue and Dauid saith The voice of the Lorde that is his worde is in vertue And after Dauid saith Through the worde of God the heauens were made And in the spirit of his mouth is all the vertue of them In the booke of Mar. fol. 644. An exposition of this place following For I am not ashamed of the Gospell ¶ The Gospell is that heauenly message which declareth vnto vs yâ— Iesus Christ is the power of God in whom and by whom God doth set foorth vnto the world all his heauenlie treasures that whosoeuer doth beléeue in him whether he be a Romaine or a Iew Gréeke or other he should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting Sir I. Cheeke Saint Bede affirmeth that in his time and almost a thousand yeares after Christ héere in Britaine Easter was kept after the manner of the East church in the full moone what daie in the wéeke so euer it fell on and not on the Sundaie as wée doe now whereby it is to be collected that the first preachers in this land haue come out froÌ„ the East part of yâ— world where it was so vsed rather then from Rome Petrus Cluniacensis writing to Barnard affirmeth that the Scottes in his time did celebrate their Easter not after the Romaine manner but after the Gréeks And as the sayd Britaines were not vnder the Romaines in the time of this Abbot of Cluniake So neither were they nor would bee vnder the Romaine Legate in the time of Gregorie nor woulde admit anie primacie of the Bishop of Rome to be aboue them Ghildas saith that Ioseph of Aramathia that tooke downe Christ from the crosse béeing sent hether by Philip the Apostle out of Fraunce he beganne to preach the Gospell first in this Realme in the time of Tiberius the Emperour Nicephorus saith that Symon Zelottes about the same time came into this land and did the like Theodoretus sayth that Saint Paule immediatly after his first deliuerie in Rome vnder the Emperour Nero preched the Gospell in this Ilande and in other Countries of the West Tertulian saith of his time that the countries of Britaiâ—e which the Romaines could neuer attaine vnto are now subiâ—ct to Christ. Origen saith the same GOATE How this Goate doth figure Christ. PUtting them vpon the head of the Goat ¶ Héere this Goat is a true signe of Iesus Christ who beareth the sinnes of the people Esay 53. 5. Geneua Why it is called the scape Goate And the other for a scape Goate ¶ In the Hebrew it is called Azazel which some saie is a mountaine néere Sinai whether this Goate was sent but rather is called scape Goate because it was not offered but sent into the desart as verse 21. Geneua GRACE What Grace is BY grace vnderstand the fauour of God and also the gifte of working of the spirit in vs as loue kindnesse patience obedience mercifulnesse despising of worldlie thinges peace concord and such like Tindale The true definition of grace The true definition of Grace and agréeing to the holy scriptures is the free beneuolence of God whereby he counteth vs déere in Christ Iesus and forgiueth vs our sinnes giueth the holie Ghost an vpright life and eternall felicitie by this definition is séene not onlie what we call grace but also by whom we haue it and with all the principall effects thereof Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 140. Receiued grace of all Apostleship ¶ Grace is throughout all the Epistles of Paule taken for the fauour and frée mercie of God whereby he saueth vs fréelie without anie desertes or workes of the lawe In like maner peace is taken for the tranquilitie of the conscience being fullie perswaded that through the merites of Christs death and bloud-shedding there is an attonement and peace made betwéene God and vs so that God will no more impute our sinnes vnto vs nor yet condemne vs. Sir I. Cheeke What it is to reiect grace To reiect and refuse the grace of God is to séeke righteousnesse by the law or to deserue grace by our owne righteousnes What difference is betweene grace and gift Grace properlie is Gods fauour beneuolence or kind mind which of his owne selfe without deseruing of vs he beareth vnto vs wherby he was moued inclined to giue Christ vnto vs with all his other gifts of grace Gift is the holie Ghost his working whom he powreth into the hearts of theÌ„ on whom he hath mercie whom he fauoureth Though the gifts of yâ— spirit increase in vs dailie haue not yet the full perfection yea though there remaine in vs yet euill lusts sinne which fight against the spirit as he saith héere in the seauenth Chapter and in the fift to the Galathians and as it was spoken before in the third Chapter of Genesis of the debate betwéene the womans seede and the séede of the Serpent yet neuerthelesse GODS fauour is so greate and so strong ouer vs for Christs sake that wee are counted for full whole and perfect before God For Gods fauour towardes vs diuideth not her selfe increasing a lyttle and little as doe the giftes but receyueth vs whole and altogether in full loue for Christes sake our intercessour and Mediatour And because the giftes of the spirite and the battell betwéene the spirite and euill lustes are begunne in vs alreadie Of this nowe vnderstande thou the. 7. Chapter where Paule accuseth himselfe as a sinner and yet in the 8. Chapter sayth There is no dampnation to them that are in Christ and that because of the spirite and because the gifts of the spirite are begunne Sinners wée are because the flesh is not full killed and mortified Neuerthelesse in as much as we beléeue in Christ and haue the earnest and beginning of the spirite and woulde faine bée perfect GOD is so louing and fauourable vnto vs that he will not looke on such sin neither will count it as sinne but will deale with vs according to our beliefe in Christ and according to his promises which hée hath sworne to vs vntill the sinne bée full slaine in vs and mortified by death Tindale in his Prol. to the Rom. The difference betweene grace and the Lawe Chrisostome noteth certeine diefferences betwéene the Lawe and Grace The Lawe sayth hée setteth â—oorth a Crowne but first requireth workes and battailes Grace first crowneth and afterwarde bringeth vnto the battayle By this hée teacheth that the righteousnesse which is set forth the Lawe is obteined by workes for wée cannot bée iustified by the lawe vnlesse wée haue accomplished all the thinges which are commaunded in the lawe But that other righteousnesse which wée haue by grace through fayth doth first crowne vs with a newe generation and adoption to be the children of
The Bible note ¶ Looke Eliote HINDER PART What is meant by the hinder part of God THe hinder part of God is Christs humanitie the which he tooke vpon him in the end of the worlde that we might liue without end HYPOCRITE What an hypocrite is AN hypocrite is as much to saie as a fainer or dissembler or a player which representeth the person of an other man which seemeth to be such a one as indéede he is not Marl. vpon Math. fol. 113. Hypocrisie described We sée manie which beare the face of verie zealous Christians so long as it is but to dispute and to holde long talke to beare men in hand that they studie to serue God and to honour him and yet for all that as soone as they haue to doe with their neighbour a man shall perceiue what they haue in their hearts for they séeke their owne aduauntage and make no conscience to rake to themselues and to beguile folke when they haue them in their danger by what meanes so euer it be Now then there is no doubt but that those which séeke their owne aduauntage and profite are hypocrites Caluine vpon Iob. foi 4. HYPOTIPOSIS What this word signifieth IT is a figure called Illustration by the which the forme of things is so set foorth in words that it séemeth rather to be séene with the eies thâ—â— heard with the eares Marl. vpon Math. fol. 607. HIRE What is meant by hire wages or reward AND my hire is with me ¶ Héere Christ sheweth himselfe to be iudge of the whole worlde inasmuch as he auoucheth that he will render euerie man his reward For all this whole booke treaseth of the holynesse and righteousnesse of the chosen and lykewise of the naughtinesse of the cast-awaies wherfore it behoueth vs to bée héedfull that euerie one of vs doe diligentlie performe his duetie according to his calling As for the profiting or not profiting of our labour that must we put to the discreation of him that promiseth to yéeld to euerie man his reward according to his work Let vs not sléepe as other doe but let vs watch be sober 1. The. 5. 6. waiting for the blessed hope for yâ— appearing of yâ— glory of yâ— great God of our sauiour Iesus Christ. Tit. 2. 13. Moreouer the hire wherof mention is made héere must be referred not to the desert of the worke as the meritmoÌ„gers talke but to yâ— beléeuing of yâ— promise according to this text when yée haue done al that is enioined you saie ye we are vnprofitable seruants haue done that which we ought to doe Luke 17. 10. Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 312. Why eternall life is called by the name of hire And yâ— thou shouldest render hire vnto thy seruants c. The Lord shall bring to light the things that are couered make the righteousnesse of yâ— godlie to shine as the noone daie whome the gracelesse world had condemned for the worst of al men Psa. 32. 6. Esa. 58. 8. 1. Cor. 4. 5. And it is called by yâ— name of hire in the Scripture not absolutelie nor yet for yâ— works sake but in respect of yâ— bountifulnes of the promiser as for example If a man â—uie a bondslaue he is wholie at his maisters coÌ„maundement And whatsoeuer seruice or toile he doth it is onelie his Lorde and maisters Now if his maister should of his owne frée goodnesse promise his slaue anie wages for shewing himselfe diligent and faithfull in dooing his seruice surelie it were rather a reward then of hire but yet the maisters promising of it giueth it the name of hire by reason wherof our Sauiour Christ saith When you haue done all that is commaunded you saye ye we be vnprofitable seruants Luke 17. 10. Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 164. HISTORIE What an historie is TVllie calleth an historie the witnesse of times the light of vertue the life of memorie Maistres of life HOBAB What this Hobab was AND Moses said to Hobab the sonne of Raguel the Madiaâ—te Moses Father in lawe ¶ Hobab is the same which before is called Iethro euen as Salomon is called in some place Idida and as Osias is also called Azarias He was the sonne of Raguel and Father to Zephora Moses wife Albeit that in the second of Exod. Raguel is called her Father not because hee was so indeede but because he was her Fathers Father which manner of speaking is not a few times vsed in the Scripture T. M. ¶ Some thinke that Raguel Iethro Hobab and Keni were alone Kimhi saith that Raguel was Iethroes Father So Hobab was Moses Father in lawe Geneua HOLIE Who is holie HE is holie that is borne againe by the word of lyfe and hallowed that is to saie made cleane by Christs spirite and so â—s become the dwelling place of God In the respect whereof Paule calleth them holie which are borne againe through the fountaine of lyfe Rom. 1. 7. 1. Cor. 1. 2. For the chosen heare how the Lorde saith Be ye holie as I am holie Leuit. 11. 44. 1. Pet. 1. 16. Also God hath not called vs to vncleannesse but to holinesse 1. Thes. 4. 7. Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 276. How Christ is called holie Thus saith he that is holie c. ¶ Christ Iesus is properlye tearmed holie and so soothfast because that all other things yea euen the Starres of the Skie are defiled and vntrue in comparison of him for he is God blessed for euer Rom. 9. 5. Moreouer he onelie is holie in respect of his manhood because béeing segregated from the number of sinners he alwaies performed the things that pleased his Father and became obedient vnto him euen vnto death He did not sinne neither was there anie guile founde in his mouth Heb. 7. 26. Iohn 8. 29. Psal. 2. 8. 1. Pe. 2. 22. Héereby onelie hath he reconciled vs vnto God and obteined faith and grace at his hand for vs becomming our righteousnesse and holynesse 1. Cor. 1. 30. To be short he is worthelie termed the holie of holiest Dan. 9. 24. Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 60 What is meant by the Angells crieng Holie Holie Holie And one cried to an other said Holie Holie Holie ¶ This oft repetition signifieth that yâ— holie Angels cannot satisfie themselues in praising God to teach vs that in all our liues wée should giue our selues to the continuall praise of God Geneua The meaning of the Prophet in this place With the holie thou shalt be holie and with the perfect thou shalt be perfect with the cleane thou shalt be cleane and with the froward thou shalt be froward ¶ This text most commonlie hathâ—bene alleadged to this end That if a man did acquaint himselfe and kéepe companie with good men he shoulde learne by their example custome and companie kéeping to be a good a godlie man And contrariwise who did keep companie with the vngodlie with mockers and scorners with liars and swearers
or with anie other notablie spotted with anie kind of vice or euill manners the companie kéeper with such must néeds at the length be infected with the same vices And therefore Cato gaue a precept to young children Tu bonis ambula My childe kéepe companie with them that be good for it is most true that the Apostle saith Corrumpant mores bonos colloquia praua Naughtie filthie talke do oftentimes corrupt good manners To this purpose and ende therefore to teach men this holye wholesome lesson to beware of euill companie to ioine them to good companie was this text commonlie alledged Cum sancto sanctus eris c. Which sentence as it is verie good so it is not true nor agréeing with yâ— mind of the Prophet For his meaning in this place is yâ— God with a man yâ— is holie he wil be holy that is he wil be present with him mainteine his holines And with him that is present sound without wrinkles or wiles God will dwell with him strengthen him in his perfectnesse and with the pure the Lord will be pure and with the froward the Lord wil deale frowardlie not yâ— there is anie frowardnesse or peruertnesse in God but dealeth frowardlie after the manner of speaking of yâ— Scripture when he punisheth the frowardnesse of men Like as God is holie with them that be holie yâ— is he prospereth them in their holinesse Now ye sée yâ— albeit this as a good godly sentence gathered of these words Cum sancto sanctus eris c. With him that is holie vertuous good a man kéeping companie with such shall haue a smacke of his holinesse vertuousnesse And he that shall vse to kéepe companie with the wicked vngodlie shall grow to wickednes vngodlines yet the more true the verie Germaine sence of these words in this to applie them to the practises of God not companie kéeping with man whose propertie is to be mercifull to shew his louing fauour vnto men fréelie without our deseruing and yet this fauour doth follow them that applie themselues to holinesse and vertuousnesse Ric. Turnar HOLIE GHOST How and when the visible signe of the holie Ghost was receiued ANd they receiued the holie Ghost c. ¶ Understand in a manifest and visible signe as the Apostles themselues receiued it in the first daie or as we call it Whitsondaie which thing at yâ— time was necessarie for the furtherance stablishment of the preaching of the Gospell although not néedful to saluation But now that the preaching thereof is sufficientlie confirmed this visible miracle is ended and yet remaineth that stil which was stablished by the miracle yâ— is by the preaching of yâ— Gospell is ministred the holie Ghost although our bodilie eye sée it not by whom faith commeth which receiueth Christ to be our righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1. 30. Tindale How the holie Ghost is God proued by the Scriptures Are ye not ware that ye are the Temple of God and how that the spirit of God dwelleth in you If anie man defile yâ— temple of God him shall God destroie for the temple of God is holy which Temple are ye And againe ye are the Temple of the liuing God as saith God I wil dwel among them and be their God and they shall be my people But we are also called in Scripture yâ— temples of the holie Ghost For know ye not saith Paule that your bodies are the temples of the holie Ghost which is in you wherefore it must néeds be graunted that the holie Ghost is God ¶ What man knoweth the things of man saue the spirite of man which is within him Euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God By which sentence it is euident yâ— as is the spirit of man to manward so is the spirit of God to God-ward as the spirit and bodie is but one man yet haue seuerall offices euen so the Father Sonne holie Ghost although they be distinct in name and office are yet but one God S. Paule saith If the spirit of him yâ— raised vp Christ froÌ„ death dwel in you euen he yâ— raised vp Christ from death shal quicken your mortall bodies because of his spirit that dwelleth in you And againe speaking of the same holie Ghost he sayth If ther be anie man that hath not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his For as much then as the same holie Ghost is indifferentlie the spirit of the Father and of the â—onne it must néedes be graunted that he is of the selfe same nature and substaunce with them both and so all one God with them This sentence also proueth Christ to be God ¶ Peter sayd to Ananias how is it that Satan hath filled thine hart that thou shouldst lie vnto the holy Ghost And after that he saithâ— Thou hast not lied vnto me but vnto God Wherfore seeing he saith in lieng vnto the holie Ghost he lied vnto God it cannot be denied but that the holie Ghost is God ¶ None maie be euerie where and in all persons at once but God The holie Ghost maie be in all men and euerie where at one time and moment Ergo the holie Ghost is God ¶ None hath power to send forth appoint Christ to yâ— preaching of the Gospell but God but the holie Ghost hath done the same as Christ himselfe affirmeth out of Esaie the Prophet saieng The spirit of the Lord is vpon me for he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poore and hath sent me to heale the broken in heart wherefore the holie Ghost is God ¶ There are thrée saith Iohn that beare record in heauen the Father the Word the holie Ghost and these thrée are one And although some men affirme yâ— this sentence these thrée are one is not found writteÌ„ in yâ— Gréek yet is it altogether vntrue for yâ— Gréeke traÌ„slation hath it But if it were not in yâ— Gréeke what is that for vs séeing the selfe same thing maie be proued by other places of Scripture for Christ sayth I and the father are one And the holie Ghost also is not onelie the spirit of the Father but also of the sonne so is of one nature and substance with them as is before sayde wherefore it maie well bée sayd yâ— he is God and yâ— these thrée are one and beare record of the truth for he sayth If we receiue the witnesse of man yea the witnesse of God is greater The witnesse of them is the witnesse of God Ergo the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost are God ¶ It is onelie the office of God to elect and choose ministers which are fit to gouerne his Church and therfore the Apostles setting Barnabas Mathias before God sayd thus Thou Lord which knowest the heartes of all men shewe whether of these two thou hast
open yâ— thing vnto you which is of truth So that you must do well vnto man the which is made vnto the Image of God giue him honour reuerence giue him meate when he is hungry giue him drinke when hée is a thirst cloath him when he is naked serue him when he is sicke giue him lodging when he is a straunger and when hee is in prison minister vnto his necessities this is the thing that shall be counted to be giuen God truely What honour is this of God to runne about foolishly to stonie and woodie Images and to honour as Gods Idols and dead figures and to despise man in whome is the verie true Image of God Wherefore vnderstane you that this is the suggestion of the Serpent that lurketh within thee which doth make you beléeue that you bée not wicked when you hurt sensible and reasonable men c. Also the same Doctour saith in the same booke What thing is so wicked and so vnthankfull as to receiue a benefit of God and to giue thanke to stocks and stones wherefore awake and vnderstand your health ¶ We are vnthankfull vnto God of whome we haue receiued all things and for them giue thankes to the worme eaten Gods D. Barnes Looke in the word Latria Let vs not leâ—â— anie visible spectacles least by erring from the veritie and by louing shadowes we be brought into darknesse Let vs haue no deuotion to our fantasies It is better to haue a true thing whatsoeuer it be then all manner of thinges that may be fained at our owne pleasure c. ¶ Images are but visible spectacles and shadowes D. Barnes To worship Images is heresie Saint Austen in his Catalogue wherein he rehearseth all the heresies of his time reckoneth among them one Marcella a woman of Capadocia which worshipped the Images of Iesus Christ of Paule of Pithagoras and of Homer with making of adoration and incensing of them I. Olde No religion where Images be vsed There is no doubt saith Lactantius Constantinus Shoolmaster but there is no religion whersoeuer an Image is I. Olde How Images are the teachers of Iyes and not lay mens bookes Damascene doth teach in his fourth booke de Orthodoxa fide and also Gregorie the great in his Registers or booke of Epistles .10 chap. and 4. Epistle that Images be lay mens bookes and godly meanes to stirre vp the hearts of the people to deuotion Aunswere The Prophet Abacuc saith What profiteth the Image for the maker thereof hath made it an Image and a teacher of lies whereby it followeth that the Images are the bookes of lyes and that they came of him who is a lyar from the beginning as the Father of lyes Howe well then are the simple and ignoraunt people for whome our Sauiour Christ did vouchsafe to shed his déere heart bloud prouided for when such bookes are deliuered vnto them in stéede of the liuing preaching of Gods worde It is not for naught that Ieremy doth crye out They altogether doate and are foolish for the stocke is a doctrine of vanitie Meaning that nothing more displeaseth GOD nor bringeth men into greater errour and ignoraunce of God then Images doe wherefore he calleth them the doctrine of vanitie and the worke of errour as Abacuâ— calleth them the teacher of lies who in the same Chapter thundreth out against the wicked opinion of them the calleth them the bookes of the laye people on this manner Wo vnto him that saith vnto the wood awake to the dombe stone arise vp should the same teach Should the same be laied ouer with gold siluer there is no breth in it but the Lord is in his holy temple As if he shuld say there is no breath no lyfe nor mouing in the Image how shuld they teach then Therefore it is more vanitie fondnesse to set forth Images vnto the people for their teachers schoolemaisters sith yâ— the liuing God who is the true teacher is in the middest of the temple that is in the hharts of the faithfull teaching those things that are both profitable the euerlasting whervnto may be added the saieng of Saint Paule What agréement hath the temple of GOD with Images but ye are the Temple of the liuing God who liueth and worketh in you More credit ought to be giuen to the testimonies of the Scriptures as of the Prophets and the Apostles then to the vaine gloses of all Gregories or Damascenes in the world I. Veron But altogether they doate and are foolish for the stocke is a doctrine of vanitie ¶ Because the people thought that to haue Images was a meane to serue GOD and to bringe them to the knowledge of him he sheweth that nothing more displeaseth God nor bringeth men into greater errours and ignoraunce of GOD And therefore he calleth them the doctrine of vanitie the word of errours ver 15. and Abacuc 2. ver .18 calleth them the teacher of lyes contrarie to that wicked opinion that they are the bookes of the lay people Geneua How Images moue weake hearts to Idolatry S. Austen in his Epistle to one called Deo gracias writeth in this manner Who doth doubt but that Idolles and Images are without all sense of feeling but when they are set vp in high and honourable places that they maye be beholden of thâ—m that doe either praye or offer they doe with the similitude or lykenesse of liuâ—lye and sensibles although they bee both insensible and without lyfe moue the weake mindes so that they seeme to bée aliue and to haue breath ¶ Heere wée see to be attributed vnto Images that with the lykenesse of liuely members they doe moue weake hearts And therefore they are perillousiye set foorth vnto them whose bookes they are thought to be and speciallye if they be put in high and honourable places where praier and common exercise of religion is vsed I. Veron That they should come to the dedication of the Image ¶ Shewing that the Idoll is not knowne for an Idoll so long as he is with the workman but when ceremonies and customes are recited and vsed and the consent of the people is there then of a blocke they thinke they haue made a God When Images were taken out of Churches About the yeare of our Lorde 726. Leo the Emperour commaunded that all that were vnder the Empire shoulde takâ— away the Images and pictures of Saintes out of Churches for auoiding Idolatrie But the Pope did resisâ— the Emperour and wrote into all partes of the worlde that neither for feare nor intreatie they shoulde obeye the Emperours commaundement in this behalfe and with so vehement perswasions withdrewe the people of Italy from the obdience of their Emperour Leo that they would haue chosen them a new Emperour ¶ He also in the yeare of Christ. 728. commaunded all Images to be taken out of the Churches of Constantinople to be burned and put to death
How the lawe is called a yoake Why tempt ye God to put on the disciples necks that yoake which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare ¶ He meaneth the holy lawe and not the ceremonies onely and calleth it a yoake not able to be borne because no man not the most holiest and perfectest that euer was Christ onely excepted was able to perfourme the same in all pointes both outwardly according the Letter and inwardly according to the Spirit The Bible note The difference betweene Gods law and mans Mans lawe onely requireth externall and ciuill obedience Gods lawe both externall and internall Who hath fulfilled the lawe Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse to all that beléeue ¶ That is Christ hath fulfilled the whole lawe therfore whosoeuer beléeueth in him is counted iust before God as well as he had fulfilled the whole Lawe himselfe The Bible note ¶ The ende of the lawe is to iustifie them which obserue it therefore Christ hauing fulfilled it for vs is made our Iustice sanctification c. Geneua How the Gentiles were not without a lawe Whosoeuer hath sinned without lawe c. ¶ It is not to be thought that the Gentiles were altogether without a lawe for they had the lawe of nature but not the lawe written which we call the Ten commaundements therefore they cannot excuse themselues from sinne Sir I. Cheeke How the lawe maketh all men sinners Whatsoeuer the lawe saith it saith it to them which are vnder the lawe c. ¶ In this place the lawe is taken for all the holy scripture as it appeareth by these places testimonies that be alledged héere before wherby it is made euident plain that all men without exception are sinners Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The lawe doth not make vs guiltie but doth declare that we are guiltie before God and deserue condemnation Geneua How the lawe maketh vs to hate God In the faith which we haue in Christ finde we mercie life fauour and peace in the lawe we finde death damnation and wrath moreouer the cursse and vengeance of God vpon vs. And it that is to say the lawe is called of Paule the ministration of death and damnation In the lawe we are proued to be the enimies of God and that we hate him For how can we be at peace with God and loue him seeing we are conceiued and born vnder the power of the diuell and are his possession and kingdome his captiues bondmen led at his will and he holdeth our harts so that it is impossible for a man to fulfill the lawe of his owne strength and power séeing that we are by birth and nature the heires of eternall damnation c. Tind in his booke named the wicked Mammon fol. 6. How the lawe is spirituall The lawe is spirituall ¶ The lawe is called spirituall because that it requireth the spirit that is to say the righteousnes and holinesse of the heart and not the outward workes onely How we dye to the lawe For I through the lawe am dead to the law ¶ The law that terrifieth the conscience bringeth vs to Christ and he onely causeth vs to dye to the law indéed because y◠by making vs righteous he taketh away from vs the terrour of conscience and by sanctifieng vs causeth the mortifieng of lusts in vs that it cannot take such occasion to sinne by the restrint which the lawe maketh as it did before Rom. 7. 10. 11. ¶ For I through the lawe am dead to the lawe that is by the lawe of libertie and grace graunted in Christ I am deliuered from the lawe of bondage ministred by Moses and from the burthen and cursse thereof Tindale To dye in the defence of the lawe If we do praise saith S. Austen the Machabees that with great admiration because they did stoutly stand vnto death for the laws of their country how much more ought we to suffer al things for our baptime for y◠sacraments of the body bloud of Christ. The meaning of these places following Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the lawe to do them ¶ All the which meaning the things contained in the lawe since no man doth fulfill them it is manifest that no man can be iustified by the words of the lawe No man is iustified before God because saith S. Hierome no man kéepeth the lawe therefore it is said that the beléeuers must be saued by faith onely Moreouer he will shewe that no man canne be iustified by the workes of Moses lawe vnlesse he haue faith which giueth pardon to him that beléeueth in God neither yet he that beléeueth in Christ liueth without a lawe D. Heynes And I say the heire as long as he is a childe c. ¶ While we were yet younglings we had néede of the law as our tutours not that it should alwaies rule vs but so long till we come to mans state and haue the knowledge of Christ which knowledge when we haue we be deliuered from the seruitude of the law for Christs sake not for feare of punishment abstaining from euill but led by the spirit of God we are prepared made fit to fulfill all good works which the lawe commandeth D. Heynes ¶ The Church of Israel was vnder the lawe as the Pupill subiect to his Tutor euen vnto the time of Christ when she waxed strong and then hir pupilship ended Geneua ¶ Looke before where the Lawe is our schoolemaister An Argument of the Lawe If I cannot haue my sinnes forgiuen me except I kéepe and fulfill the lawe then the kéeping of the lawe iustifieth me Aunswere I cannot haue forgiuenesse of my sinnes except I haue sinned Ergo to haue sinned is the forgiuenesse of sinnes Tindale A disputation betweene the Law and the Gospell The Law saith pay thy debt the Gospell saith Christ hath payed it The Lawe saith thou art a sinner dispaire and thou shalt be damned the Gospell saith thy sinnes are forgiuen thée be of good comfort thou shalt be saued The Lawe saith made amends for thy sinnes the Gospell saith Christ hath made it for thée The Law saith the father of heauen is angry with thée the Gospell saith Christ hath pacified him with his bloud The law saith wher is thy righteousnes thy goodnes satisfaction the Gospell saith Christ is thy righteousnesse thy goodnesse and satisfaction The Lawe sayth thou art bound and obliged to me to the diuell and to hell the Gospell saith Christ hath deliuered me from them all Booke of Mar. fol. 1110. The nature and office of the Lawe and Gospell The Lawe sheweth vs our sinnes Ro. 3. 20. The Gospell sheweth vs remedie for Iohn 1. The Lawe sheweth vs our condemnation Ro. 7. The Gospell sheweth vs our redemption Coll. 1. The Lawe is the word of ire Rom. 4.
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.
seauenth daye hée rested and so shalt thou Saint Paule sayth he that laboureth not let him not eate And againe if any prouide not for his owne and specially for them of his householde the same hath denied the faith and is worse then an Infidell And so he commaundeth seruants to bée seruable vnto their maisters and to doe their worke truely behinde their backes as well as before their faces Now to declare yâ— true meaning of such scriptures as séemed to make for the Massalians S. Austen saith on this wise All such places of the Scriptures as seeme to commend continuall praieng are to be vnderstood of the learnedst the feruent perpetuall desire that we ought to haue to praye wherof we haue an example in that holy widowe named Anne the daughter of Phanuel Quae non discedebat de Templo ieiunijs ac deprecationibus â—eruiens nocte ac die In which wordes we must graunt the tropicall speach called Hiperbole For it cannot bée auoided but that this holy woman did eate drink and was sometime occupied about her necessarie businesse at home But because she was most commonly in the temple praieng therefore the Euangelist saith that shée was there night and daye So that the Saints do fulfill this Scripture praieng continually when they pray often and feruently to God And if anye man now should aske this question forasmuch as Christ hath forbidden much babling in the time of praieng whether do they â—in or no which do pray long To this is answered thus In a case they sinne and in a case they sinne not but doe verye well and godly In case they put their trust in their long praieng thinking that therefore they shall be heard as the Gentiles doe then they sinne as they doe and are condempned by the sentence of Christ in the Gospell But if they praye long with feruent faith and true deuotion then they sinne not no though they pray with often repeating of one praier but they folow the example of Christ which in mount Oliuete did oftentimes repeate one praier which in effect was none other but this Pater si possibile est transeat a me calex iste Wherefore Saint Austen most holyly and truely maketh a distinction betwixt Multum loqui multum precari Much babling and long praieng To pray long with godly and deuout exercising of the heart it is a good thing but to aske a good thing with superfluous an vnprofitable heape of wordes the minde not occupied it is naught And againe saith S. Austen How can any man condemne long praier séeing that of Christ it is written Quod pernoctauit in orando that he was occupied all night in praier But this doe I counsell saith Saint Austen Ad probam Si quis nausiam If any man supposeth lothsomenesse to arise of long praieng let him well consider although it be not long yet often it is lawfull to pray And whatsoeuer he be that so shall pray often he shall neuerthelesse fulfill the example of the Prophet Dauid which saith to the prouoking and teaching of all other men to praye often Benedicam Dominum in omni tempore semper laus â—ius in ore meo I will alwaies praise the Lord and euermore shall his praise be in my month Ric. Turnar ¶ Like as he that is in prison desireth euer to be deliuered whether he be eating drinking or sléeping as he that is sick destreth alwayes to bée whole euen so doth euery christen man pray continually yea euen when he séemeth not to pray For praier consisteth not in much babling Mat. 6. 7. but in spirite and veritie Iohn 4. 24. and in vehement desire of the heart towards God Tindale What the praiers of Saints in the Apocalips meaneth And when he had taken the booke the foure beastes and the. 24. elders fell downe before the lambe hauing euerie one harpes and golden Uialls full of odours which are the praiers of the Saints And in an other place of the same booke he saith And an other Angell came and stoode before the altar hauing a golden censour and much of odours were giuen vnto him that he shuld offer the praiers of the Saints vpon the gloden altar which is before the throne These places the Papists do alledge for the inuocation of Saints Aunswere Ye must vnderstand that there be two kinde of praiers the one is inuocation or petition the other is giuing of thankes laude and praise The petition if néede were might be proued by the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Philippians Wée call that inuocation when we desire some good thing to bée giuen vnto vs or some euill to be taken away from vs. Giuing of thanks doth conteine the praising and lauding or magnifieng of the name of God for his excéeding great benefits which we receiue daily and hourely at his hands It is manifest by yâ— which followeth that the Apostle doth speake of the last and not of the first These be the words and they song a new song saieng Thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redéemed vs to God by thy bloud out of euerie kinred and tongue and people and nation and hast made vs vnto our God kings and Priests we shall reigne on the earth Now what doth this make for the intercession of the blessed spirits or soules that the Saints doe sing praises vnto God in heauen In the other place is meant none other but that the Angell did ioyne his laude and praise which hée gaue vnto God with the Hymnes and songs of the elect Saint Austen expounding this place writeth thus Alius Angelus ipse est Iesus Christus c. The other Angell sayth he is Iesus Christ hauing a golden censour which is an holy body for the Lord himselfe was made a censour out of the which God receiued a swéete odour and was made mercifull vnto the worlde for hée offered himselfe a sacrifice of swéete smell and the Angell did take the censour and did fill it with the fire of the altar Iesus tooke a body that is to say the Church and did fill it with the fire of the holye Ghost The meaning of this place following Withdrawe not your selues one from an other ¶ S. Paule speaketh not this of that kinde of prayer that is commonly and dayly vsed of all faithfull as well married as vnmarried but onely of the generall and solemne prayer of the whole congregation which then as in time of persecution and feare of enimies was kept onely in the night And all the whole multitude of the faythfull was charged to be present at the same At which time it was necessarie that both the man and the woman should leaue the others companie and resort to prayer To this reade Ioel. 2. at the place Blow vp the trumpet in Syon Iewel fol. 172. A praier for the King and chiefe
What a Proselite is IEwes and Proselites ¶ By the Iewes he meaneth them that were both Iewes by birth and Iewes by profession of Religion though they were borne in other places And they were Proselites which were Gentiles borne and embraced the Iewes religion Theo. Beza And Proselites ¶ To wit such as were conuerted to the Iewes Religion which were before Panims Idolaters Ge. PROTESTANTS How the name of Protestants came vp THe originall of the name of Protestants began in Germany about a decrée that was made at Speres against y◠Gospell Anno. Dom. 1529. which Decrée the Princes electours of Germany resisted vnto whose protestation certain of the chiefe Cities to the number of 14. did subscribe with them The number of the Protestants 7. Princes 24. Cities Sledane PROVIDENCE Of the prouidence of God what it is PRouidence is not onely that vnspeakable power whereby it commeth to passe that God hath foreséene all things from euerlasting and most wisely prouided for al things before hand But also that eternall decree or ordinaunce of the most wise righteous God whereby that euery thing that hath bene hath bene and euery thing that is is and euery thing that shall be shall be according as it liked him to appoint from euerlasting Beza We meane by the prouidence of God that euen as he is creator of all things he is also the conseruer which doth by his eternall power and wisedome guide and gouerne them and by his souereigne goodnesse in such sort that nothing commeth by aduenture neither in heauen nor in earth without his counsell and ordinaunce and his most iust will be it in generall or in perticular Peter Viret No good or euill doth happen without a cause or by fortune without Gods prouidence but all things doth happen after his iudgement Hierom. vpon Eze. Prouidence is Gods appointed vnmoueable and perpetuall administration of all things Pet. Mar. Prouidence is sometime as much to say as knowledge and foreknowledge of things to come Sometime it signifieth an ablenesse to foresee for others of things necessary so it is sayde that God in heauen doth foresee and care for all Againe some doe define the prouidence of God after this wise Prouidence is the euerlasting and vnchaungeable kingdome and administration of all things They doe meane saith Musculus by the word of kingdome dominion and power and by the word of administration the temperature of the dominion which they added because of the finding and giuing of all things vnto vs which séemeth in shewe to be a condition of ministery as well as of dominion Musc. fol. 425. and. 426. Gods prouidence we call that souereigne Empire and supreme dominion which God alwaies kéepeth in the gouernement of all things in heauen and earth contained And these two that is prescience prouidence we so attribute vnto God that with the Apostle we feare not to affirme that in him wée haue our beeing mouing and life We feare not to affirme that the way of man is not in his own power but that his foot-steps are directed by the eternall God That the sorts lots which appeare most subiect to fortune goe so soorth by his prouidence that a Sparrow falleth not on the ground without our heauenly Father And thus we giue not to God any prescience by an idle sight and a prouidence by a generall mouing of his creatures as not onely some Philosophers but also moe then is to be wished in our dayes doe but we attribute vnto him such a knowledge prouidence as is extended to euerye one of his creatures In which he so worketh that willingly they tende incline to the ende to the which they are appointed by him c. Knox. fol. 21. Because we knowe not all things saith S. Austen which God doth concerning vs in most good order that therefore in only good will we do according to the law because his prouidence is an vnchaungeable law Therefore sith God doe claime vnto himselfe the poore to rule the world which is to vs vnknown Let this be a lawe to vs of sobernesse and modestie quietly to obay his souereigne authoritie that his wil may be vnto vs the onely rule of Iustice as the most iust cause of all things I meane not that absolute will of which the Sophisters doe babble seperating by wicked prophane disagreement his Iustice from his power but I meane that prouidence which is the gouernesse of all things from which proceedeth nothing but right although the causes be hidden from vs. Caluine 1. booke chapt 17. Sect. 3. PROOVING What proouing and examining of a mans selfe is THis proouing and examining of a mans selfe is first to think with him with what lust desire he commeth to the Maundie and will eate that bread Whether he be sure that he is the childe of God and in the faith of Christ and whether his conscience doe beare him witnesse that Christs body was broken for him And whether the lust that he hath to prayse God and thanke him with a faithfull heart in the middes of the bretheren doe driue him thetherward or els whether he doe it for the meates sake or to kéepe the custome for then were it better he were away For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he maketh no difference of the Lordes bodye that as it is sayde before he that regardeth not the purpose for which it was instituted and putteth no difference betwéene his eating and other eating for other eating doe onely serue the belly but this eating was instituted and ordeined to serue the soule and inward man And therefore he that abuseth it to the flesh eateth drinketh his owne damnation c. I. Frith ¶ Looke Trye Examine PTOLOMEVS Of this mans hereticall opinions PTolomeus of whom Ptolomei are called taught the hereticall opinions of the Gnostici and of Valentinus adding therevnto of his owne certaine heathenish doctrine out of Homer He wrote vnto Flora a woman of his faith and indeuoured to peruert hir Epiph. haere 33. PVBLICAN What the Publicans were The Publicans bought in great the Emperours Tribute and to make their most aduauntage did ouerset the people Tind Of their receiuing before the Iewes The Publicans and Harlots shall come into the kingdome of God before you ¶ The Harlots and Publicans repenting truly and with amendement of life submitting themselues to the mercie of God are more acceptable vnto God then the proud workmongers that trust in their owne righteousnesse S I. Ch. PVNISHMENT How the punishment of the law doth not satisfie for sinnes MOses in the law commaunded that such should be stoned ¶ They recite the law out of the. 20. chap. of Leuit. where it is said the man that commiteth adulterie with another mans wife because he hath committed adultery with his neighbors wife the adulterer the adultresse shal both dye the death But the law doth not therefore punish
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
that he reconciled vnto Christ to testifie our duties vnto God and to shewe our selues thankâ—ull vnto him and therefore they be called Sacrifiâ—es of laudo praise and thankes giuing The first kinde of sacrifice Christ offered to God for vs. The seconde kinde wée our selues offer to God by Christ. And by the first kinde of sacrifice Christ offered also vs vnto his Father and by the seconds we offer our selues and all that we haue vnto him and the Father And this sacrifice generally is our whole obedience vnto God in kéeping his lawes and commaundements of which manner of sacrifice speaketh the Prophet Dauid saieng A sacrifice to God is a contrite heart And S. Peter saith of all Christian people that they be an holy Priesthood to offer spirituall sacrificesâ— acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. And Saint Paule saith that alwayes we offer vnto God a sacrifice of laude and praise by Iesus Christ. Cranmer How the Priests cannot offer vp Christ in sacrifice No man saith S. Paule can offer vp a greater sacrifice then himselfe The Priests therefore cannot offer vp Christ in sacrifice because Christ being offered vp must néedes be the greatest sacrifice and so can he not be when a Priest sacrificeth him selfe for if the Priest sacrificed himselfe he should be yâ— greatest sacrifice yâ— he could offer for no man can offer a greater sacrifice theÌ„ himself yea god requireth none other sacrifice but our selues as writeth S. Paul Giue your selues a liuing sacrifice to God And the Psalmist The sacrifice that God accepteth is a penitent spirit a contrite and an humble heart Whereby it is manifest that the Congeegation redeemed by the sacrifice offered on the Crosse doth not nor cannot offer by the sacrifice of Christs body for as S. Paule writeth he cannot be offred vp but be dyeth Wherefore he offered vp himselfe once for all because hee could not dye but once c. Crowley How it is to offer our bodies a quicke sacrifice Make your bodyes a quicke sacrifice ¶ The sacrifices of the new Testament are spirituall This is a sacrifice most acceptable vnto God if we mortifie our mortall bodyes that is to say if we kill and â—lay our fleshly concupiscencâ—s carnal lusts and so bring our flesh through the helpe of the spirit vnder the obedience of Gods holy lawe Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The Iewes in Moses law were commaunded to offer vp the carkases of beasts but Christians should exhibite their own liuely bodyes for a sacrifice to God in mortifieng their carnall lusts and seaming themselues by faith to godlinesse and charitie The Bible note ¶ In stéede of dead beasts liuely sacrifice In steede of the bloud of beasts which was but a shadowe and pleased not God of it selfe the acceptable sacrifice of the spiritual man framed by faith to godlinesse and charitie Geneua What manner of sacrifice we offer to God By him therefore offer we the sacrifice of land ¶ We béeing a liuely priesthood doe offer 3â— manner of sacrifices The first is the sacrifice of praise and thanks giuing which S. Paul doth héere call the fruite of our lips The seconde is mercie towarde our neighbour as the Prophet Ose saith I will haue mercy and not sacrifice Read the. 25. Chap. of Mathew The third is when we offer our bodies a liuely and an acceptable sacrifice to God mortifieng our carnall and fleshly concupiscences Rom. 12. 1. Sir I. Cheeke Of the sacrifice of the table and of the sacrifice of the crosse S. Cipriane opening the difference of these two sacrifices saith thus Our Lord at the table wheras he sate at his last supper with his disciples with his owne hands gaue not his own very body and very bloud realy and indeed but bread and wine but vpon the Crosse he gaue his owne body with the souldiers hands to be wounded What the sacrifice of righteousnesse is Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousnesse c. ¶ The sacrifice of righteousnesse is the mortifieng of the flesh and meekning of the hearts the praising of God and knowledging our selues sinners T. M. Offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse ¶ That is serue God purely and not with outward ceremonies The difference betweene a sacrifice a sacrament If a man say of the sacrament of Christs body and bloud that it is a sacrifice as well for the dead as for the quicke and therfore the very déede it selfe iustifieth and putteth away sinne I answere that a sacrifice is the slaieng of the body of a beast or a man wherfore if it be a sacrifice then is Christs body ther slain and his bloud there shed but that is not so And therefore it is properly no sacrifice but a sacrament and a memoriall of that euerlasting sacrifice once for all which he offered vpon yâ— crosse now a. 15. hundred yeres agoe and preacheth only to them that are alyue c. Tindale What sacrifices do signifie Sacrifices doe signifie the offering of Christs body on the Crosse. D. Hâ—ynes Of the Leuiticall sacrifices When any of you will bring a sacrifice vnto the Lord. ¶ That the Leuiticall sacrifices were preachings of the passion and death of Christ and of his Gospell which should afterward be published throughout all the world men hath not dremed it but the Holy ghost hath taught it by many testimonies as wel of the olde Testament as of the new As Psa. 39. Esay 41. Ioh. 1. 1. Pet. 1. Heb. 10. c. Of sacrifices made by fire Euen a sacrifice made by fire ¶ In the whole Burnt-offering all was consumed but in the Offering made by fire onely the inwards were burnt The Bible note What the sacrifice of thankes is The Sacrifice of thankes is our obedience in walking in those good workes that God hath prepared for vs to walke in Crowley He shall bring vnto his thanke offerings vnleauened bread ¶ The Hebrue word signifieth to praise and giue thanks this sacrifice they vsed when any man knowledged himselfe to bée a sinner and confessed his sinnes vnto the Lord willingly to reconcile himselfe vnto him The Bible note ¶ Peace offerings containe a confession and thankes giuing for a benefite receiued and also a vowe and a free offering to receiue a benefit Geneua The sacrifice of the olde law what it ment Although in the olde Testament there were certaine sacrifices called sacrifices for sinne yet they were no such sacrifices that could take away our sinnes in the sight of God but they were ceremonies ordeined to this intent that they should be as it were shadowes and figures to signifie before hande the excellent sacrifice of Christ that was to come which shoulde bée the very true and perfect Sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world Cranmer SACRILEDGE What Sacriledge is SAcriledge is rashly to touch or to vsurpe vnto himselfe holy things which are dedicated vnto God
reproued of all men then fornication it selfe False Prophets false Apostles and false Priests sprang vp which vnder a counterfait religion deceiued the people the most part of them vnder the honest name of chastitie commit whooredome adultery incest commonly and without punishment The Bishops Priests of this time how do they endeuour to kéepe either in heart or in hody the holynesse of chastitie without which no man shall sée God They are giuen ouer into a reprobate minde and doe those things that are not conuenient for it were shame to vtter what these Bishops do in secret Againe he saith absteining from the remedy of marriage afterward they flow ouer into all kinde of wickednesse Againe such notorious filthynesse of lecherie there is in manye partes of the world not onely in the inferiour Clarkes but also in Priests yea in the greatest Prelates which thing is horrible to be heard Bar. de conuers ad cleri chap. 19. in ope triperti li. 3. cha 7. Huldericus the Bishop of Augusta in Germany wrote sharply against Pope Nicholas in this wise I haue founde thy decrées touching the single lyfe of Priests to be voyde of discreation thou séest that many followers of thy counsell willing vnder a feined colour of continēt life rather to please man then God commit hainous actes in the end he concludeth thus by such discipline of discretion as you know best roote this Pharesaicall doctrine out of Gods folde I beléeue it were a good lawe and for the wealth and safety of soules that such as cannot liue chast may contract matrimonie For we learne by experience that of the law of continence or single lyfe the contrarie effect hath followed for as much as now a daies they liue not spiritually nor be cleane chast but with their great sinnes are defiled with vnlawfull copulation whereas with their owne wiues they should liue chastly Therefore the Church ought to doe as the skilfull Phisition vseth to doe who if he sée by experience that his medicine hurteth rather then doth good taketh it cleane away And would to God the same waye were taken with all positiue constitutions SINNE The definition of sinne SAint Augustine in his 2. booke De consensu Euangelistarum saith Sinne is the transgression of the law Ad simpliciatum li. 1. Sin is an inordinatenesse or peruersenesse of man that is a turning from the more excellent creator a turning to the inferiour creatures De fide contra Manichaeus cap. 8. he saith What is it else to sinne but to erre in the precepts of truth or in the truth it selfe Again Contra Faustū Manicheū li. 22. ca. 27. Sin is a déed a word or a wish against the law of God The same Augustine De duobus animabus contra Manichaeus ca. 11 saith Sin is a will to reteine or obteine the which iustice forbiddeth is not frée to absteine And in Retract li. 1. cap. 5. he saith That will is a motion of the minde with copulation either not to loose or else to obteine some one thing or other All which definitions as I do not vtterly reiect saith Bullinger so do I wish this to be considered thought of with the rest Sin is the naturall corruption of mankind the action which ariseth of it contrary to the law of God whose wrath that is both death sundry punishments it bringeth vpon vs. Bullinger fo 478. What sinne is Sin in the scripture is not called the outward work only committed by the body but all the whole busines whatsoeuer acompanieth moueth or stirreth vnto the outward déede and that whence the works spring as vnbeleefe pronenesse readinesse vnto the déede in the ground of the heart with all his powers affections and appetites wherwith we can but sin So that we say the a man thē sinneth when he is carried away headlong into sinne altogether as much as he is of that poison inclination corrupt nature wherein he was conceiued and borne for there is none outward sinne committed except a man be carried away altogether with life soule heart body lust minde therevnto The Scripture looketh singularly vnto the hart vnto the race originall fountaine of all sin which is vnbeléefe in the bottome of the heart for as faith onely iustifieth and bringeth the spirit and lust vnto outward good works euen so vnbeleefe onely damneth kéepeth out the spirit prouoketh the flesh stirreth vp lust vnto euil outward works as it fortuned to Adam Eue in Paradise Ge. 3. For this cause Christ calleth sin vnbeléefe and that notably in the. 16. of Iohn The spirit saith hée shall rebuke the world of sinne because they beléeue not in me Wherefore then before all good workes there must néeds hée fayth in the heart whence they spring And before all bad déeds and bad fruits there must néedes be vnbeléefe in y◠heart as in the roote fountaine pith and strength of all sinne which vnbeléefe is called the head of the Serpent and of the olde dragon which the womans seede Christ must tread vnder foote as it was promised to Adam Tindale in his Pro. to the Rom. How euery sinne is mortall That euery sinne is mortall in that it is sinne is euident by the words of God himselfe who can best iudge in this matter In the. 18. of Ezechiel verse 4. saieng thus The soule that sinneth shall dye héere is no exception or difference made of sinne but any sinne in that it is sinne is deadly as Saint Paule sayth Rom 6. 23. For the reward of sinne is death Héere also you see that Saint Paule maketh no difference of sinne but that Mors death is the reward of sinne generally without exception And Saint Iohn sayth Euerie one that committeth sinne the same also committeth iniquitie and sinne is iniquitie Heere also you see that Saint Iohn sayth making no difference of sinne that sinne in that it is sinne it is iniquitie without exception Christ sayth that out of the heart procéedeth euill thoughts murthers adulteryes c. And againe hée sayth That whosoeuer beholdeth an other mans wife to lust after her hath already committed adulterye with her in his heart And Saint Iohn following his maister lyke a good scholler saith thus Omnis qui odit c. Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer So it is euident by the sacred Scriptures that all sinnes without exception are mortall and deadly I. Gough The Doctours saieng in this matter There were also before Christ worthy men both Prophets and Priests but yet conceiued and borne in sin Neither were they frée from originall and actuall sinne And there was found in them all either ignoraunce or insufficiencie in which they going astray haue sinned and haue néeded the mercye of God By the which béeing taught and instructed haue giuen thanks to God haue cōfessed themselues to haue lacked much of the full measure of
méeke in heart in the holinesse of Angells bringing in things which he hath not séene D. Barnes fol. 299. Why Mary was forbidden to touch Christ. Touch me not ¶ This séemeth not to agrée with the narration of Mathew For he plainly writeth that the women imbraced the féete of Christ. And séeing afterward he woulde haue his disciples to handle and to féele him what cause was there why he shuld forbid Mary to touch him For he said vnto Thomas bring hether thy finger and sée my handes and put thy finger vnto my side and be not faithlesse but beléeuing The solution thereof is very easie if so be that we consider that the women were not prohibited y◠touching of Christ before such time as they wer too busie and desirous to touch him For no doubt he did not forbid them to touch him so farre foorth as it was néedfull to take away all doubt But when he saw they were too busie in imbracing his féete he moderated and corrected that rash zeale for they depended vpon his corporall presence neither did they knowe any other waye to inioye him then if he dwelt among them vpon the earth Moreouer because his disciples doubted whether he was truly risen againe or no and because the same that appeared to them was iudged of them to be but a vision to the ende they might beléeue the resurrection he said féele and sée for a spirit hath no flesh and bones as ye sée me haue Also Thomas had said except I sée y◠print of his nailes in his hands and put my fingers into the print of the nailes my hand into his side I will not beléeue therefore Christ did very well in offering himselfe to be felt of him But in Mary there was no such doubting that there should néede any farther féeling but it was requisite y◠she shuld come to a further faith and to more plaine vnderstanding of the kingdome of Christ least she should abase him in computation more then ther was cause Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 593. TRADITIONS Of the traditions of men FRom whence haue we this tradition Whether commeth it from the authoritie of our Lord or of the Gospel or els from the Commaundements and Epistles of the Apostles Therfore if it be either commaunded in the Gospell or contained in the Epistles or Actes of the Apostles let vs kéepe the same tradition Augustine vnto Pompeius The Pharisies said not vnto Christ Wherefore doe thy disciples breake the law of Moses but wherefore do they break the traditions of the Elders Whereby it appeareth that they had altered many things whereas God had commaunded that they should neither adde nor diminish but fearing least they should loose their authoritie as if they had bene law makers to the ende they might seeme the greater they altered much which thing grewe to such a wickednesse that they kept their owne traditions more then the Commaundements of God Chrisostome in his first Homely of the Iewish fast Iohn Northbrooke Some wrast this place so far as men ought to obey all manner of things whatsoeuer the Bishops Presidents or Rulers commaund although they be vngodly and for their authorities sake when as Christ did speake onely of them which did teach rightly the lawe of Moses not of such as did snare men with their ordinaunces constitutions now peraduenture after the same manner a Bishop might be heard which preched truly the Gospell although he liue but a little according vnto the same A reason that ouerthroweth all doctrines of men all Traditions all Poperie God said to Christ Thou art my sonne therefore he is his sonne God said not so to any Angell therefore no Angell can take the name vnto him God said The true worshippers shuld not go to Mount Sion nor to Hierusalem but worship God in spirit truth where said he goe a pilgrimage or go visit this holy sepulcher God said Do not obserue dayes and months times and yeares where said he Kéepe vnto me Lent or Aduent Imber dayes or Saints eues God said to vs It is the doctrine of Diuells to forbid marriage or to commaund to abstaine from meates where said he Eate now no flesh now no whit meate let not the Ministers marrie God said Let euery soule be subiect to Kings Princes and the authoritie of such men let it not be in his Apostles Where said he let the Pope haue the gift of kingdoms be exempt from authoritie of man weare a triple crowne and haue Lords and Noble men vnder him God said Cursed is he that addeth ought to the lawe or taketh from it Where said he The Pope shall dispence against mine Apostles and Prophets God said It is better to speak fiue words which we vnderstand then ten thousand words in an vnknowen tongue where said he the ignoraunt men should pray in Latine With this very argument are ouerthrowen all doctrines of men all traditions all Popery c. Deering What an obstinacie is this or what a presumption to presume an humane tradition before Gods ordinaunce nor to consider that God taketh indignation and wrath so often as an humane tradition looseth or goeth beyond the commaundement of God as he cryeth by his Prophet Esay and saith This people honoureth me with their lips but their harts is seperated from me they worship me in vaine while they teach the commaundements doctrines of men The Lord also in y◠Gospell blaming likewise reprouing putteth forth and saith ye haue reiected Gods commaundement to stablish your tradition Of which cōmaundement S. Paule being mindfull doth likewise warne instruct saieng If any teach otherwise and contenteth not himselfe with the words of our Lord Iesus Christ his doctrine he is puft vp with blockishnes hauing skill of nothing from such a one we ought to depart S. Austen saith that the auncient actes of the godly Kings mentioned in the Propheticall bookes were figures of the like facts to be done by the godly Princes in the time of the newe Testament I. Bridges fol. 25. ¶ Looke Philosophy Walke not after the ordinaunces of your fathers ¶ Looke the exposition of this place in Father ¶ Read 1. Pet. 1. 18. TRANSMVTATION When this word was first inuented LOng after Boniface the third when Idolatry had gotten the vpper hand then did Petrus Lombardus a master of sophisticall sentences bring vp these termes of Transmutation and Transaccidentation about the yere of our Lord. 1646. out of certain blinde trades of the Doctors afore his time Then Pope Innocent the third gaue it this new name called it Accidens sine subiecta Of the which Sophisme Doctor Dunce Doctor Dorbel and Doctor Thomas de Aquino doe dispute very subtilly A. G. TRANSVESTANTIATION What the word signifieth THe word signifieth a passing or turning of one substance into another which is thought of some not tollerable to saye that the substance of
Both for their wicked marriages vnnaturall copulations Idolatry of spirituall whoredome with Moloch and such lyke abhominations Geneua What is called spirituall whoredome Offering to diuells after whom they haue gone a whoring ¶ Idolatry is spirituall whoredome because faith toward God is broken Geneua Soothsaiers to goe a whoring after them ¶ To estéeme sorcerers or coniurers is spirituall whoredome or Idolatry Gen. VVICKED What it is to be wicked I And my people are wicked ¶ The wicked confesse their sinnes to their condemnation but they cannot beléeue to obtaine remission Geneua ¶ To be wicked is to be without the knowledge and féeling of the goodnesse of God and without hope to receiue any goodnesse at his hand so that we cannot patiently heare any of his truths nor beléeue theÌ„ neither suffer them to be taught to other as it appeareth in all Psalmes and in Esay 57. Tindale The wicked are lyke the raging Sea yâ— cannot rest Their euill conscience doth euer torment them and therefore they can neuer haue rest Geneua Ther is no peace saith the Lord vnto the wicked ¶ Thus he speaketh that the wicked hypocrites should not abuse Gods name in whom was neither faith nor repentaunce Geneua How the wicked are punished for dooing wrong to the wicked As I haue done saith Adonibesech so God hath done to me againe ¶ Heere note that the Gentiles had the knowledge of God as saith Paule Rom. 1. and that they knew the law righteousnesse naturall of which Moses Deut. 19. d. and Exo. 21. c. But in the punishment of Adonibesech is this chiefely to bée obserued that God not onely auengeth the wrong that the wicked doe to the good but also that which the wicked doe to the wicked The 70. Kings whose thumbes and great toes hée cut off were wicked men yet he is punished for the iniurie and crueltie done vnto them Such an example haue ye also Amos. 2. What punishment shall they haue then that cruelly slaye the good Not small be ye sure T. M. How the wicked eate not Christs body He that eateth Christs body hath euerlasting life Ergo then the wicked eate not Christs body He that eateth Christs flesh and drinketh his bloud abideth in Christ and Christ in him but the wicked abideth not in Christ nor Christ in them Ergo the wicked eate not his flesh nor drinke his bloud I. Frith VVIDOVVES Obiection of the Papists PAule say they blameth the widowes which after the olde Iewes manner chosen to serue yâ— Congregation when they were found of the common pursse had list afterward to marry Aunswere This place saith Melanctâ—â—on many of the Papistike votaries wrast it for their vowes because that there they are said to reiect their first faith which faith some of them interpret it of the breaking of their vowe But I will aunswere theretâ— simply and plainly That which they call their first faith in that place ought not to be vnderstood of such vowes but of their first and principall faith in Christ as a little before he saith If any man careth not for his owne and chiefly for his owne houshold he denieth to be a faithfull and is worse then an infidell For Paule blameth those women which so long as they wer néedie they would be sad and modest seruing them faithfully but afterward when they wer found of yâ— common charge they began to waxe wanton and light and to neglect their office For these euill manners saith he that they reiected their chiefe faith or principall promise to God casting off their faith whereby they should haue pleased God For their very faith is reiected when their conscience is defiled Beside this if they contend to be spoken of vowes then are their owne selues condempned with the same text commaunding them to put back young persons from such vowes to receiue none before 60. yeares old and why then call they it a lawfull vowe at 21. yeares Also if there had bene in those daies any such common vowes surely they had bene made without any superstition Wherefore these new found vowes of Monkes and Priests are tangled with full many wicked perswasions c. ¶ Looke Vowe First VVIFE What a commoditie she is to hir husband ANtipater an Heathen writer In sermone de Nuptijs hath these words Whosoeuer saith he hath not had triall of a wife and children he is vtterly ignoraunt of true mutuall good will Loue in wedlocke is mutually shewed when man and wife do not communicate wealth children and hearts alone as friends are wont â—o doe but haue their bodies in common also which friends cannot doe And therefore Euripides saieng aâ—â—de the deadly hate he bare vnto women writ these verses in commendation of marriage The wife that gads not giglot wise with euery flirting gill But honestly doth keepe at home not set to gossip still Is to hir husband in his cares a passing sweete delight She heales his sicknesse all and cals againe his dieng sprite By fawning on his angry lookes she turnes them intâ— smiles And keepes hir husbands secrets close when friend worke wâ—ly guilâ—s Bullinger fol. 224. How this place following is vnderstood Come not at your wiues That is when ye will serue the Lord you shall put from you all lust and fleshlye concupiscense giuing your selues wholly to prayer and abstinence as Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 7. 29. That they that had wiues shoulde bée as though they had none T. M. But giue your selues to praier and abstinence that you may at that time attende onely vppon the Lord. 1. Cor. 7 5. Geneua The difference betweene a Wife and a Concubine Looke Concubine VVILDE BEASTS What is signified heere by wilde beasts THe wilde beasts shall worship me Under the name of the beasts signifieth he also the heathen which were wilde rude and beastly concerning godly knowledge these saith he that hee will tame by the preaching of the Gospell which thing he signifieth by waters and streames so that they shall not héereafter doe hurt in the Church but shall put their shoulders vnder the yoke of faith and be ruled with the law of charitie T. M. They shall haue such abundaunce of all things as they returne home euen in the drye and barraine place that the verie beasts shall feele my benefits shall acknowledge them much more men ought to be thankfull for the same Geneua VVILL OF GOD. How all things come to passe by Gods will THese be the great and most exquisite workes of God that whereas the nature of man and Angell had sinned that is to say had done not that he would but that it would euen by the same will of the creature whereby that was done that the creator would not he fulfilled that he would vsing wel euen euill things as good himselfe in the highest degree to the damnation of them whom he iustly fore-ordeined to punishment and to the saluation of them whom he mercifully
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
of Abraham of whom it is written 30. yeares before he offered his sonne Isaac Abraham beléeued it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse Gen. 15. 6. wherby we doe euidently sée that Saint Iames meaning is that Abrahams fayth was no idle fayth but such faith as made him obedient to God which thing he did well declare when he did so willingly offer his sonne at Gods commaundement All that S. Iames goeth about then is to proue that faith cannot be without good works And as by fayth onely we are iustified before God so by good workes procéeding from a liuely fayth wée are iustified before men Heere wée learne also that where no good workes be there is no true iustifieng fayth but a lyght vnprofitable beléeue such as is in diuels and yet we must beware that we ascribe no parte of our iustification before God vnto our good works Sir I. Cheeke Ther can be no good work reckoned to be in any man but in him alone whose sinnes God hath forgiuen Forasmuch as our best déeds are lame and corrupt Therefore they are héere called the doers of good works whom Paule calleth zelous and louers of good works But this estimation and iudgement dependeth vpon the fatherly clemency and acceptation of our God who alloweth that freely for good which deserueth to be reiected as euill and vnperfect c. Marl. fol. 170. Indéede works doe iustifie taking iustifie to be to declare iust Euen as white haires do make a man olde because they be a signe of age But works doe this before men not before God Nor they cannot take hold of forgiuenesse of sins deliuerance from their deserued condemnation For then it should be false that the Apostle saith we be iustified fréely by his grace for to him that worketh the reward is imputed vnto him for a duety and not vpon grace and fauour Wherfore the errours of those men is too grose to deceiue any of them which hath looked ouer the holy Scriptures neuer so slightly Nor it doth not agrée with the sense neither when they will haue iustifie to be as much as to make iust For works doe not go before him that is to bée iustified â—but doe followe him which is alreadye iustified witnesse Augustine and workes doe come of grace and not grace of workes witnesse the same Augustine de fide opere cap. 14. Musculus fol. 227. Of workes done before faith Saint Austen condemneth all our good workes before faith as vaine and nothing worth Read him In probo Psal. 31. That worketh not how it is vnderstood To him that worketh not but beleeueth ¶ That dependeth not on his workes neither thinketh to merit by them Gene. That is which meaneth not to obteine saluation through the worthinesse of his works The Bible note How workes are not the causes of felicitie Works indeed are to be had but not as causes wherfore Christ admonished vs saieng When ye haue done al these things say we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done but the thing which we ought to doe Neither passe we any thing vpon their caueling which say yâ— therfore we are vnprofitable seruaÌ„ts because our good works being no coÌ„modity vnto God forasmuch as God néedeth none of our good works but say they it caÌ„not be denied but yâ— we are by good works profitable vnto our selues Wée graunt indéed that it is profitable vnto vs to liue well But that vtilitie is not to be attributed vnto our workes that they should be the causes of our blessednesse to come Wee haue nothing in vs whereby we can make God obstruct or bound vnto vs. For whatsoeuer we doe the same doe we wholy owe vnto God and a great deale more then we are able to performe Wherfore as Christ admonisheth The Lord giueth not thanks vnto his seruant when he hath done his duetie And if the seruant by wel doing cannot binde his Lord to giue him thanks how shal he binde him to render vnto him great rewards Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 29. Of workes loue and faith Works are the outward righteousnesse before the world may be called the righteousnesse of the members and spring of inward loue Loue is the righteousnesse of the hart springeth of faith Faith is the trust in Christs bloud and is the gift of God Ephe. 2. 8. Tindale How our good workes are the workes of God Although it be written that God will render to euery man according to his works yet is yâ— so to be vnderstood yâ— if they be good works they are for none other cause caled any maÌ„s works but for that they are wrought in him namely by the power of the spirit of God whereby they are in very déede the workes of God S. Austen most truely saith that God crowneth in vs his owne gifts for as touching vs we deserue nothing but death Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 367. How we deserue nothing by our good workes Wo be to all our iustice saith S. Austen if it be iudged setting mercy a part Therefore this is a christen sentence worthy to be beaten in al mens heads Let not thy left hand know what the right hand doth Let our right hand worke those things which be good and pleasant vnto God And in the meane season let our heartes depend vpon the grace of Gods goodnesse onely not thy left hand write into thy kalender those things which be somewhat well done by the right hand Let the note of our owne good works be in Gods hand not in our owne Whatsoeuer he doth reward vs either in this life either in the life to come let vs thanke his grace for it and not our deserts Musculus fol. 234. Of the vnablenesse of our workes If the séeking of righteousnesse and forgiuenesse of sinnes by the kéeping of the law which God gaue vpon mount Sinai with so great glory and maiestie by the denyeng of Christ of his grace what shall we say to those yâ— will néeds iustifie themselues afore God by their owne laws and obseruances I wold wish that such folks should a little compare the one with the other and afterward giue iudgement themselues God minded not to do that honour nor to giue that glorye vnto his owne law yet they wil haue him to giue it to mens laws ordinaÌ„ces But that honour is giuen onely to his onely begotten son who alone by the sacrifice of his death passion hath made ful amends for all our sinnes past present and to come as saith S. Paule Heb. 7. 25. The meaning of this place following Work out your own saluatioÌ„ with fere trembling ¶ S. Paul saith we must work out our saluation with feare trembling But this feare riseth in consideration of our weaknesse and vnworthinesse not of any distrust or doubt in Gods mercy but rather the lesse cause we haue to trust in our selues the morâ— cause we haue to trust in God Iewel fol. 76.
chosen But yâ— holie Ghost also appointeth ministers to preach for it is written that the holie Ghost sayde Seperate me Barnabas Saule vnto the worke wherevnto I haue called them And againe sayth Paule Take héede vnto your selues and to all the flocke amongest whome yâ— holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to rule the congregation of God which he hath purchased with his bloud wherefore it cannot be denied but yâ— the holye Ghost is God The selfe same reason vseth Athanasius against Arrius the chiefe Author of this sect ¶ None hath power to adopt vs to be the children of God but God onelie but by the holie Ghost we are adopted to be the children of God for Paule calleth the holie Ghost the spirit of Adoption and all because we are thereby made the children of God Ergo the holie Ghost is God How the Holy ghost is God proued by the auncient Doctors S. Augustine saith thus Spiritus sanctus est Dâ—us c. The Holie ghost is God Therefore Peter when he saide vnto Ananias thou hast enterprised to lye vnto the Holie ghost he followed readely and tolde him what was the Holie ghost and said Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God August cont literas petilia li. 3. cap. 28. This place of Saint Austen is against those that will quarrell and saie that the Godhead of the Holy ghost cannot be proued by expresse words of the Scripture Iewel fol. 91. Nazianzenus saith Dicit aliquis c. Some man will saie it is not written that the Holy ghost is God but I will bring thée forth a whole swarme of authorities whereby it shall appeare that the Godhead of the holie Ghost is plainlie witnessed in the Scripture Unlesse a man will be verie dull and vtterlie voide of the holie Ghost Nazianzenus de spiritu sanctoâ— Didimus in his booke De spiritu far cto which Saint Hierome did translate proueth that the holie Ghost is verie God because he is in manie places at one time which no creature can be For saith he all creatures visible and inuisible be circumscribed inuironed either within one place as corporable and visible things be or with the propertie of their substaâ—nce as Angels and inuisible creatures so that an Angell sayth he cannot be at one time in two places And for as much as the holie Ghost is in manie places at one time therefore saith he the holie Ghost must néeds be God Didâ—mus de spiritu sancto li. 1. The Angell saith Basil which was with Cornelius was not at the same time with Philip. Nor the Angell which spake to Zacharie in the Altar was not the same time in his proper place in heauen but the holie Ghost was at one time in Abacuck and in Daniel in Babilon and with Ieremie in prison and with Ezechiel in Chober whereby he proueth that the hoâ—â—e Ghost is God Basil de spiritu sancto cap. 22. HOLIE VVATER How it was called in the olde time THen the Priest shall take the holie Water c. ¶ Which also is called the water of purification or sprinkling Nu. 19 9. because they that were separated for their vncleannesse wer sprinkled therewith and made cleane In Hebrue it is called the water of sinne because it is made to purge sinne Nu. 8. 7. It is also called holie water because it was ordeined to an holie vse Geneua Of the Popish holie water and vse thereof Pope Alexander ordeined and commaunded all his Priests to make holie water not to be a remembraunce of Christes bloud of our Baptime but to purge men from sinne as his wordes doe testifie in the booke of the Popes decrées Aquam sale conspersam populi benedicemus c. We blesse water sprinkled with salt for yâ— people that they sprinkled therwith may be hallowed and cleansed The which thing we command all Sacrificers or Priests likewise to doe For if the Ashes of a Calfe sprinkled with bloud hallowed and cleansed the people much more water sprinkled with salt and sanctified with good praiers halloweth and cleanseth the people These bée the words of Pope Alexander both vaine and superstitious HOMILIES Bucers iudgement concerning Homilies read in the Church IT is better saith he that where there lackes to expounde the Scriptures vnto the people there should be godlie and learned homilies read vnto them rather then they should haue no exhortation at all in the administration of the Supper And a little after he sayth There be too few homilies and too few pointes of religion taught in them when therefore the Lorde shall blesse this kingdome with some excellent preachers let them be commaunded to make mo homilies of the principall partes of Religion which maie be read to the people by those Pastors that cannot make better themselues Bucer HONOVR What Honour signifieth IN giuing honour goe one before an other ¶ Honour is héere taken not onelye for a certeine outward reuerence whereby we reuerence the dignitie of our neighbour but also for an outward helpe succour and aide whereby we helpe those that stand in néede Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 419. What honour is to be giuen to the wife Giuing honour vnto the wife ¶ Erasmus in his Annotations noteth out of Saint Hierome that to giue honour héere is not to bow the knée neither to decke them with golde and pretious stones neither to set them in the vpper seates and highest places which manner we sée most foolishlie vsed in diuerse regions but to absteine from fleshlie lusts for so saith Hierome is honour giuen vnto women if they be not defiled with ouer much wantonnesse and lust The signification of this worde honour doth also extend it selfe to amiable kinde and louing speach to the ministring vnto the wife such things as she needeth as farre foorth as thine abilitie stretcheth Tindale What it is to honour parents Honour thy Father and thy Mother ¶ To honour Father Mother is not onlie to shew obedience vnto them but also to helpe them in their age if they be poore néedie As Ephe. 6. 2. Mar. 7. 10. Math. 15. 4. Rom. 13. 7. T. M. ¶ By the which is meant all that haue authoritie ouer vs. Geneua Of three manner of honours a diuine honour a ciuill honour and an Idoll honour There be manie wordes indifferent to diuerse and contrarie significations as are Adoro Colo Seruio to bowe downe worship to serue and to knéele which when the word following is added as to saie Adoro Deum vel Imaginem vel homâ—em It is soone seene what worship is meant for the Scriptures put neuer any such worde alone but expresse what thing is worshipped or honoured In the former chapter it is writteÌ„ yâ— the king fell downe before Daniel honoured him with a ciuile honour And we are commanded so to honour our parents princes and ministers of yâ— word c. but no wher coÌ„mandeth god but vtterly