Superstition of Angells eod Sunne The meaning of the place eod What it is to regarde the rising of the Sunne eod Supper of the Lord. Wherfore it was ordeined 1062. Why it was called a sacrifice eod The Doctors mindes vpon the supper of the Lord. 1063. How the Lords death is shewed therein 1064. The meaning of the place of Iohn eod Supremacie Proues against it eod Sure How we are sure of our saluation 1065. Surples From whence the wearing thereof came eod Suspention What suspention is eod Swearing Why the Iewes were suffered to sweare 1066. Who sweareth aright eod What swearing is lawfull eod To sweare by the Lord and to the Lord. are two eod All priuate swearing is forbidden 1067 How customable swering is dangero eod The Doctous against swearing eod Lawes made against swearing 1069. How the Pharesies corrupted swering eod Of the concealing of swearing eod Sweating The cause of sweating 1070. Sweete What is ment by sweet odours eo Swine What manner of people is ment by swine eod Swoord To whom it belongeth to punish 1071. What is meant by the two swoords eod T. Table what is ment by the table 1072. The meaning of the place 1073. Tabernacle Wherefore it was ordeined and c. eod Why it was called the Tabernacle of the congregation eod How the Tabernacle was diuided eod Why it was called the tabernacle of witnesse 1074. Of the Tabernacle of Dauid eo Of the feast of Tabernacles eo Tabithae What the word doth meane and signifie eod Tacianus Of his hereticall opinions eod Talent What a Talent is eod Of the talent left to the seruants 1075. Tapers Against the vse of them eo Taught of God How it is vnderstood eo Tell no man How the places bee vnderstood 1076. Temperaunce What it is eod Temples wherefore they are ordeined eod How God dwelleth not in temples made with hands 1077. How long the Temple was a building and c 1078. The meaning of the place eo Of them that trusted in the outward seruice of the temple eod How they are not to be builded to Sa. eo How the Pope doth sit in the temple of God 1079. Temptation What temptation is eo How generally it is not euill 1080. The Israelits rebuked for tēpting the L. eo How God tempteth no man to euill eod Of the Pharesies tēpting of Christ. 1081. How Christ to tempted of the diuel eod God suffereth none to be tempted aboue his strength 1082. Ten. what the number of ten signifieth eo How the ten commaundements are diuided eod What the ten hornes do signifie eod Of the ten virgins 1083 Tents How tents were first inuented eo Of three manner of tents eod Teares whereof teares commeth eod The meaning of these places 1084. Terebint what manner of tree it is eod Tertulianistae What heretiks they wer eo Testament what a testament is eod Tetrarchae What Tetrarchae were 1085 Teudas Of his rebellion eod Thamar Why she is reckoned in the Genealogie eod How she is thought to be Dauids naturall daughter eod Thammuz What this Thāmuz was 1086 Thankeoffering what thanke offering is eo Tharsis What Tharsis is thought to be eo Thebulis What his heresie was 1087. Theft What theft is eod Thema What Thema was eod Theodotus what his heresie was eod Theraphim What this Theraphim was eod Theudas Of his rebellion 1088 Thiatria what Thiatria was eod Thinke How of our selues we cannot thinke well eod How our sinnes shall not be thought vppon 1089. This is my body The interpretation hereof 1090. Thomas How Thomas Didimus is one name 1091. How he was reproued for his vnbeliefe eod Of his death and martirdome eo Thoughts How euery thought is not sinne eod The meaning of the place 1092 Threshing Of two manner of threshings eod What is ment by threshing of the mountaines 1093 Whereto the threshing of Gilead is compared eod Thunder What the cause is that maketh thunder eod Time The meaning of the place 1095. What is meant by time times and halfe a time 1096 Tithes what is vnderstood by tithes eod Of the tithes laide vp for the poore eod To day what the saieng meaneth eod Tongue To speak with tongues what it meaneth eo How the Apostles spake with straunge tongues eod What it is to smite with the tongue 1097 What the tongue of God is eod How the tongue is compard vnto a l◠eo What is meant by the third tongue eod Topas The description of the stone eod Topheth What it is and how it was defiled 1098. How it is taken for hell eod Touch not That is spoken against traditions eod Why Mary was forbiddē to touch Ch. eo Traditions Of the traditions of men 1099. A reason that ouerthroweth them all 1100. Transmutation When it was first inuented 1101. Transubstantiation what it signifieth eod When it was first inuented 1102. Reasons against transubstantiations eo How it hath made the Turks power to increase eod The cause wherfore it is holden defended 1103 Tree The tree falling compared to death eod What the tree of lyfe meaneth 1104 VVinter The meaning of the place eod VVisedome how it signifieth Christ. eod How wisedome is iustified of hir children 1167. VVise men what these wise men are 1168 VVith the holy The meaning of the Prophet heere eo VVitnes how y◠places are to be vnder eo VVoe What woe is 1169 What is ment by the three woes eo VVood. what it is to build on wood 1170 VVolfe how a wolfe is sometimes takē in a good sense eod The meaning of the places eod VVoman of y◠woman araied in purple eo Of womans apparell 1171 How they may not weare mans appa eo Of the woman taken in adulterie 1172. Of a woman taken in warre eod How women are called ministers eo How women ought not to baptise eod What the woman clothed in the Sunne signifieth 1173 Why women are commaunded to keepe silence in the Church eo What is ment by the foolish woman 1174 What is ment by the straunge woman eod The meaning of the place eod VVord of God What the word of God is 1175. How the word was made flesh eo What is ment by the word in this pl. 1176. How the word of God is called the light 1177. How it indureth for euer eod Of the nature and strength thereof eod How it hath sundry names 1178 How the word of God is the key eod How the word of God is plaine eod The more it is troden downe the more it groweth eod How the word and flesh bee not both of one nature 1179. How it ought not onely to be rend but expounded to the people 1180 Workes how workes of the lawe iustifie not eod Of workes done before faith 1182 That worketh not how it is vnderst eo How works are not the cause of felici eo Of workes◠loue and faith 1183. How our good workes are the workes of God eod How we deserue nothing by our good workes eod Of
of strength for it must come from heauen and not from the strength of reason It must also make me beléeue that God the maâ—er of heauen and earth is not onely a Father but also my Father yea and that through the fauour that Christ hath purchased me from the which fauour neither heauen nor earth tribulation nor persecution death nor hell can deuide me But to this sticke I fast that he is not alonely my father but also a merciful father yea and that vnto me mercifull so mercifull that he will not impute my sins vnto me though they be neuer so many nor so great so long as I hang on the blessed bloud of Christ Iesus and sinne not of malice but of frailtie and of no pleasures D. Barnes How Cornelâ—us was iustified Cornelius a Gentile did great almes and praied vnto God alwaies vnto whome the Angell spake on this maner Thy praier and thine almes are come vp into remembraunce in the presence of God Of this text some doe gather that his good workes did helpe to Iustification The solution The Holy ghost hath openly declared himselfe there for he saith that this Cornelius was a deuout man and one that feared God How could this be without that God had taught him inwardly by Faith Yea how could he know God and that deuoutly but by faith Ergo he was iustified before God by his Faith but the world knew not his Iustification And therefore the Holy ghost doth declare his inward Iustification when hée saith that he was deuout and feared God And also doth showe openly the fruits of his Iustification when he saith that he did Almes Moreouer you haue there that the Holy ghost fell on them afore they were baptised in water the which declareth openly that they were iustified before God This well declareth in your owne lawe whose words be these Cornelius Centurion being yet an Heathen man was made cleane by the gifte of the Holy ghost afore all good workes for he was an heathen man D. Barnes ¶ Looke more in Cornelius Iustified by grace what it meaneth Are iustified fréely by his grace ¶ This saieng doth S. Ambrose expound on this wise They working nothing nor acquiting him any whit are iustified by Faith alone by the gift of God This word Fréely although many be therewith offended is also euidently expressed by Paule himselfe in these words Fréely without the lawe without workes it is a gifte and such lyke which thou maist marke for they are all one with this foresaid exposition of S. Ambrose By Faith alone we are iustified which saieng signifieth thus much onely by the beliefe wherewith we beléeue that the mercie of God graunted in Christs bloud doth saue vs are we proâ—ounced righteous The word alone exclude the workes not that thou shouldest not doe them for vnto all good workes commaunded in the Scripture art thou bound and called to walke in them and must earnestly studie and indeuour thy selfe to leaue none of them vndone but that thou shouldest in noâ— condition thinke that thou art thereby iustified or made righteous before God Tindale How this place following is vnderstood The doers of the lawe shall be iustified ¶ So must it bée vnderstood saith S. Austen that we may knowe that they can no otherwise be the doers of the lawe except they be first iustified not that Iustification belongeth vnto doers but that Iustification doth procede all manner of doing ¶ Thus by the minde of S. Augustin we see that Iustification is first giuen that men might be able to doe the workes of the lawe This is also the exposition of the common glose D. Barnes Against those men which doe say they iustifie others Bretheren saith S. Austen we haue Iesus Christ our Aduocate with our Father he is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes he that helde this was in no heresie he that helde this was in no schisme For whereof came the schismes Truly when men do say we be iust when men do say we do sanctifie them that be vncleane we do iustifie the wicked we do pray and we doe obtaine But what saith Iohn If a man doe sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ c. ¶ Thus saith he by which words he did no more touch the Donatists then hée should now a dayes if he were a lyue gall them which doe so much chalenge to themselues all the authoritie in the Church to sanctifie and to iustifie men and doe for filthie gaine set the same also ouer vnto others Mus. in his Com. pla fo 224. How God doth iustifie vs. We said in the first Article of the word of iustifieng that to be iustified is as much to say in this matter according to yâ— meaning of the Scripture as to be acquited by grace from sinne to be taken for iust Therefore God doth so iustifie vs that hee forgiueth our sinnes he hideth them doth not charge vs with them any more but doth rather impute Iustice vnto vs not ours which is none but the Iustice of his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ. And by this imputation of Iustice he maketh vs saued and blessed So the Apostle doth foure times set forth this Iustification to the Romanes least we should séeme to bring any thing with vs of our owne Lyke as Dauid saith he doeth expresse the blessednesse of yâ— man to whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saieng Blessed be they whose wickedness be forgiuen and whose sinnes be hidden Blessed is the man to whom God doth not impute sinne It appeareth verye well that the Iustification which is imputed by grace without works is the forgiuenesse of sinne the help vnto saluation For where as he might haue said Blessed hée they whome God doth iustifie without workes he saith Blessed â—e thou whose sinnes be forgiuen and whose sins be hidden Blessed is the man to whom God doth not impute sinne Muscul. fo 225. Iustifieng of the vngodly But beléeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly ¶ God is said to iustifie the vngodly because he pardoneth his sinnes and of a wicked man maketh him good The Bible note ¶ Which maketh him that is wicked in himselfe iust in Christ. Geneua Of two manner of Iustifications There is two manner of Iustifications vnderstood in holye Scripture the one before God the other before man Of Iustification before God it is truly said of S. Paule Rom. 4. 3. Credidit autem Abraham c. Abraham beléeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse And of Iustification before men S. Iames speaketh in the 2. chapter of his Epistle verse 21. Abraham pater noster c. Was not our father Abraham iustified through workes when he had offered his sonne vp vpon the Altar c. And yâ— he so ment appeareth by his very words which followeth within few lines after thus Credidit autem Abraham c. Abraham beleeued God it was reputed vnto him for righteousnesse he was
that saieng Cursed is he that abideth not in all things that are written in the lawe Therefore he that teacheth the lawe is a minister of the lawe c. Luth. vpon the Gal. fol. 69. What the lawe of nature is The law of nature is that light and iudgement of reason whereby we doe discerne betwixt good and euill Thomas Aquinus saith that the law of nature is nothing els but the perticipation of the eternall law in a reasonable creature That definition indeede doth expresse vnto vs of whom this iudgement light of reason commeth vnto vs that is to say from the eternal law but what it is it declareth not And that parte in a reasonable creature maye comprise also Angells of whose nature heere is nothing in question Other doe define this lawe more largely in this sort The lawe of nature is the common sentence of iudgement wherevnto all men together assent and furder which God graued in euery mans minde appointed to frame mens manners withall c. Musc. fol. 30. What the lawe written is We call that the lawe written which God gaue to Israel by Moses and which Moses comprehended in his booke of Exodus and Leuiticus Numery and Deuteronomy This was deliuered vnto Moses by Angels and Steuen witnesseth saieng Ye haue receiued the lawe by the order of Angells And the Apostle saith The lawe is giuen by Angells in the hand of a Mediatour The same they doe commonly deuide and well inough for the purpose into the Morall precepts Iudiciall and Ceremoniall or into precepts statutes and iudgements By statutes they vnderstand all that pertaineth vnto rites ceremonies by Morall precepts the Tables by Iudicialls all those lawes which they vse in the matters and controuersies of the policies and for punishment of the offenders Musculus fol. 34. How the Lawe is our schoolemaister The schoolemaster is appointed for the childe to teach him to bring him vp and to kéepe him as it were in prison but to what ende and how long Is it to the ende that this straight sharpe dealing of the schoolmaster should alwaies continue Or that the childe should remaine in continuall bondage Not so but onely for a time that this obedience this prison and correction might tourne to the profite of the childe that in time hée might be heire and Prince For it is not the fathers will that his sonne should alwaies be subiect to the schoolemaister and alwayes beaten with roddes but that by his instruction and discipline he may be made able and meete to be his fathers successour Euen so the lawe saith Paule is nothing els but a schoolmaister not for euer but till it haue brought vs to Christ as in other wordes he said also before The lawe was giuen for transgressions vntill the blessed séede shuld come Also the scripture hath all vnder sinne Againe we were kept vnder shut vp vnto faith which should after be reuealed wherefore the law is not onely a schoolemaister but it is a schoolemaister to bring vs vnto Christ. What a schoolemaister were he which would alwaies torment and beate the childe and teach him nothing at all And yet such schoolemaisters were there in time past when schooles were nothing els but a prison and a very hell the schoolmaisters cruell tyraunts and very butchers The children were alwaies beaten they learned with continuall paine and trauaile and yet fewe of them came to any proofe The Lawe is not such a schoolemaister for it doth not onely terrifie and torment as the foolish schoolmaister beateth his scholers teacheth them nothing but with his rods he driueth vs to Christ like as a good schoolemaister instructeth and exerciseth his scholers in reading and writing to the ende they maye come to the knowledge of good letters and other profitable things that afterward they may haue a delight in dooing of that which before when they were constrained thervnto they did against their wils c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 163. How the lawe first entred The lawe entred first into the world by mans disobedience in Paradise was not so much giuen by Gods owne frée motion as by mans owne séeking wilfull procuring which neuer was nor neuer shall be in his power to perfourme Fox in his sermon of Christ crucified How the lawe was giuen in thunder The lawe was giuen in thunder lightening fire smoke and the voice of a trumpet and terrible sight Exo. 20. 18. So that the people quaked for feare and stood a farre off saieng vnto Moses Speake thou vnto vs and we will heare let not the Lord speake to vs least we dye No eare if it be awaked and vnderstand the meaning is able to abide the voice of the lawe except the promises of mercie be by That thunder except the raine of mercie be ioined therewith destroieth all and buildeth not The law is a witnesse against vs and testifieth that God abhorreth the sins that are in vs and vs for our sinnes sake Tindale fol. 118. ¶ The ceremoniall iudiciall lawes were reuealed of God to Moses by the Angells and by Moses to the people and by Moses at Gods commaundement they were inserted into a written booke But the lawe of the ten commaundements was not reuealed by man or any meanes of man but by God himselfe at the mount Sina and written not by the hand of Moses but with the finger of God in tables not made of matter easie to be dissolued but made of stone to indure for euer Bull. fo 111. Wherefore the lawe was giuen The lawe was giuen saith S. Austen that man might finde himselfe not to make his sicknesse whole but by his preaching the sicknesse increased the Phisition might be sought Wherefore the lawe threatning not fulfilling that thing that he commaundeth maketh a man to be vnderneth him But the law is good if a man vse it wel What is that to vse the law wel By the law to know our selues to séeke Gods help to help our health ¶ Héere we sée by S. Austen that the commandements of God giueth vs no strength nor yet declareth any strengh to be in vs but sheweth vs our dutie and weaknesse and also mooueth vs and causeth vs to séeke further for strength D. Barnes ¶ Of profiting to craue the grace of Gods helpe Augustine speaketh ofte as when he writeth to Hilary The lawe commaundeth that endeuouring to do the things commaunded and being wearied with our weakenesse vnder the lawe we should learne to aske the helpe of grace Againe to Aselius The profit of the lawe is to conuince man of his owne weaknesse compell him to craue the Phisicke of grace which is in Christ. Againe to Innocent of Rome The lawe commaundeth and grace ministreth strength to doe Againe to Valentine God commaundeth these things y◠we cannot doe that we may learne to know what to aske of him Againe The law was giuen
doubt not thereof eod L. Labans Gods how they were stolne 596. Labours The meaning of the place eod Ladder what is signified thereby eod Lay men how they ought to read the scriptures 597. The doctours affirmations 598. Of laye mens bookes 600. How saye men may baptise eod The opinion of Iohn Caluine eod How they haue ministred the sacrament 601. Laieng on of hands whoo the custreof me arose eod The meaning of the place 603. Lampes what they without oyle doe signifie eod Land what is ment by the crieng of the lande 604. Laodieia what the word signifieth eod Of the striâ—e yâ— was ther for Easter eod Last Of the last day eod Who be last and who be first 605 Of the last farthing eod Latria what the word signifieth eod Lawe what the lawe is 606. Platoes definition of the lawe 607. What the office the vse of the law is 608. What the lawe of nature is eod What the lawe written is eod How the lawe is our scho lemâ—â—ster 609. How the lawe first entred 610. How the lawe was giuen in thunder eo Wherefore the lawe was giuen eod How the lawe was giuen by Moses 611. How we are dead through the lawe eod How the lawe increaseth sinne 612. Why it is called yâ— messenger of death eod What the lawe of God requireth eod What it is to be vnder the lawe eod What it is not to be vnder the lawe 613. Why Paule calleth the booke of Genesis the lawe eo How the law is impossible to fulfill eod How the lawe is called a yoke 614. The difference between Gods lawe and mans eod Who hath fulfilled the lawe eod How the Gentiles wer not wtout law eod How the law maketh all men sinners eo How it maketh vs to hate God 615. How the law is spirituall eod How we dye to the lawe eod To die in the defence of the law eod The meaning of these places eod The argument of the lawe 616. The nature and office of the lawe and Gospell 617. Lazarus how the poore rich are matched together eod Of the loosing of Lazarus eod Left hand what Gods left hand sig 618. Legion what a Legion is eod League what a league is eo Of three kinde of seagues 619. Lend Net lend vpon vsury eo Lenâ— wherevpon the lenten fast is groâ—ided eod Why the father 's instituted Lent 620 Leper what the Leper signifieth 621 How a Leper was knowen eod Of the leprosie that Christ healed eod Lesse The meaning of the place eod Letanies what the Letanies were 622. Letterâ— what the letter signifieth eod How the letter killeth 623 How the letter and circumcision is taken heere 624 Leuen how it is diuersly taken in scrip eo Leuy Of Leuy otherwise called Mathew 625. Leuites what their office was eod How the place is to be vnderstood 626 Leuâ—athan what LemathaÌ„ signifieth 627 Libanus Charmel what they signi eod Libertie of Christ. To stand therein 628. Lye The definition of a lye eod Whether wee may lye to preserue or no. eod Of the Midwiues lye of Rahabs lye 629. How Paules Iye is excused eod Of one that would not lye 630 Of Abrahams Iye eo Of Dauids Iye eo Life how the places are expounded eod Whether a man may lengthen or shorten his life 631. Light who is the true light eod The meaning of the places 632. What is ment by the shining light 633. Wherfore these lights were ordeined eod Lilies what it is to gather vp Lilies eod Lion The meaning of the place 634 How they bee compared to the persecuters of Christ. eod How Tirants are likened to Lions 635 How they are fed by Gods prouidence 636. Locusts what manner of beasts they wer eod Loynes gird what is ment thereby eod The meaning of the place eod Long life how a good man may desire it eod Lord. how he is our shepheard feedeth vs. 638. Of the Lords helpe in trouble eod How the Lord suffereth long 639 Lordship The meaning of the place eod Lots how they may be vsed lawfully 640 Loue. Of the order of loue eod How it is the fulfilling of the lawe 641. How we ought to loue God 642. Why loue hath the chiefe place eod Of Mary Magdelens loue 643 How perfect loue casteth out all feare 644 The meaning of the place eod The difference betweene loue and charitie 645. Of 5â— manner of loues eod Lowlinesse wherefore lowlinesse come to worship 646 Loosing and binding eod Of the loosing of Lazarus eod Lucifer what is ment by Lucifer eod Luke The life of Saint Luke eod Luke warme what it meaneth 648. Lunatike Of the man yâ— was lunatike eo Luther what he was eod The cause why he first wrote against the Pope eo How he wrote to Pope Leo. 649. How he was troubled with the lusts of the flesh eod Of his question a little before his death 650. His praier before his death eod What sects is said to rise out of him eod M. MAcedonius Of his crueltie and tumult 650 Magi. What the Magies were 651. Magistrate what a magistrate is eod How they are yâ— ministers of gods in 652 How the Ecclesiasticall person is subiect vnto him eod How magistrates the do not perswade the people to Gods worde are not to bee obeyed in cause of conscience eod Magnifie what it is to magnifie 653. Mahomet of yâ— rising vp of this false pr. eo Of his faire shew of holinesse 654 Mayzim what this word signifieth 656. Maker against the word maker in yâ— sacr eo Malachy of yâ— sacrifice he speketh off 657 Mammon what Mammon signifieth 658 Man how he was made after the image of God eod How god made maÌ„ to be vndestroied eo How the death of man and beast is alike 659 How mans life is but sorrow care eod Of mans good purpose before grace eod How mans ordinance may be altred 660 Of the disposition of man eod Of mans will and running 661. Of 2. Hebrue words yâ— signifie man eod Of the first man Adam and the seconde man Christ. 662. Of the man that gathered stickes on the Sabboth day eod Of the man wounded 663. How the birth of man is 4. manner of wayes eo Mandragoras What Mandragoras is eod Manes how the sect of the Maniches rose of this man 664. Wherein yâ— Papists agree with them eo The â—aniches conâ—uted 665. Many of many that be called 666 Manna What Manna signifieth eod How it is not the true bread that came downe from heauen eo Of those that eat Manna are dead eo What Manna and the white stone signifieth 667. How Manna the water brought out of the Rocke is c. eod Maranatha What this word signifieth 668. Marcion Of his damnable heresie eo A comparison betweene Marcions doctrine and the Popes 669. An example of Maâ—cions chast life 670. Marcus The detestable heresie of this man eod Mary how she ought not to bee worshipped 671. Of the painting of hir
their shadowes and figures of the lawe So that there was not a ceremonie but it was a figure of Christ or his Apostles or els of his misticall bodie the Church all which Ceremonies and figures after that Christ had once suffered which was figured by them they were all banished awaie out of Christs Church because there was no vse for them For like as when it is darke the light of a candle is good but when the night is past the day is come why should we occupie anie longer a candle Euen so when Christ was come and had suffered which was the end of the lawe what shoulde we do with the Ceremonies and figures of Christ but vtterlie to cast them awaie as a burden not onelie necessarie but also as Saint Peter saith importable And now being deliuered from the seueritie of the Iudiciall Lawes And multitude of the Ceremoniall Lawes he that goeth about to retaine anie one or part of them to him maie well be spoken the words of Saint Paule If ye will néedes be circumcised Christ doth profite you nothing For hée that is circumcised is bound to keepe the whole Lawe so they that will haue Altars to stand by the force of Moses lawe they must by the same reason haue all the whole Tabernacle to stand with the furniture thereof which is a falling awaie from Christ. Ricâ— Tuâ—nar We haue an Altar whereof they haue no right to eate which serue in the Tabernacle ¶ Habemus Altare We haue an Altar is as much to saie as Habemus Sacrifiâ—ium We haue a Sacrifice But not such a sarifice as the Iewes had for they of their Altars did eate carnallie to the filling of their bellies but we doe eate Christ spirituallie by faith So that now when Saint Paule saith we haue an Altar whereof it is not lawfull for the Priests of Moses Lawe to eate he vnderstandeth by the Altar the Sacrifice that was offered vpon the Altar of the which the Priests did eate they did not eate of the verie Altar for then they should haue eaten stones and mortar but they did eate the Sacrifice offered vpon the Altar And as they had a sacrifice carnall wherof they did eate so haue we a spirituall Sacrifice which is Christ whom we doe eate by faith spirituallie And to the mysticall eating of Christ and drinking his bloud it skilled not whether the Table be of wood or stone Ric. Turnar ¶ They that sticke to the Ceremonies of the â—awe can not be partakers of our Altar which is thankesgiuing and liberalitie which two Sacrifices or offerings are now onelie left to the Christians Geneua How Christ is the true Altar They shall come vp to be accepted vpon mine Altar ¶ Because the Altar was a figure of Christ. Heb. 13. He sheweth that nothing can be acceptable to him which is not offered vnto him by this Altar who was both the offering and the Altar it selfe Geneua What Saint Austen did vnderstand by the Altar When Saint Austen and other holie Fathers did speakâ— of the Altar they vnderstood none other thing by it but the Table or boord that they vsed in their Communion which I say they called an Altar alluding to the Altars of the olde Lawe and hauing respect to the Sacrificâ— of praise and thankesgiuing that was offered by the Church in the Supper of the Lorde This was the state of the Church concerning this matter in Saint Austines time who was about foure hundred yeares after the Ascencion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ at the which time the Church beganne wonderfullie to growe out of kinde I. Veron Saint Paule doth compare the Iewish Leuits and the Preachers of the Gospell together saieng thus Doe you not knowe that they which minister about holie things c. Prouing thereâ—by as the Iewish Leuites serued the Altars and liued of the Altars that is of such things as was offered thereon euen so the Preachers of the Gospell ought likewise to liue of the Gospell S. Austen vpon this word Altar saith The Altar signifieth the Altar of the Iewes So that by this place the Papists cannot stablish their Altars That part that was burnt was deuoured of the Altar and the other was due vnto the Priests by the Lawe Geneua If thou bring thy gift to the Altar c. ¶ He applieth all this speach to the state of his time when as there was an Altar standing in Hierusalem And therefore they are verie foolish that gather héerevpon that we must build Altars and vse sacrifices but they are more fooles which drawe that to Purgatorie which is spoken of peace making and attonement one with another Beza AMATIST The description of an Amatist and what is betokened thereby THe twelfth an Amatist ¶ This â—â—one is as red as a rose and casteth out certeine little flames And it signifieth that the blessed sort are crowned with an vnapparable and flaming crowne of euerlasting life which shall continue alwaies as fresh and redde as a Rose tâ—â—e without ende Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 300. The Amatistâ— is purple violet and rose coloured and this betokeneth them that are seruent méeke and constant in the Lords truth and that hath bene alwaies readie to shedde their bloâ—d for it Such were the seauen bretheren in the Machabees with their most faithfull motherâ— So was also Iames the more and Antipas the faithfull witnesse None can shewe a more token of loue then hée which giueth vp his life for his friend This â—ort did Christ proclaime altogether blessed and said that the kingdome of Heauen was their owne Bale AMEN What this word signifieth AMen is an Hebrew word and signifieth euen so be it or bée it fast and sure approuing and allowing the sentence going before and when it is double it augmenteth the confirmation as in manie Psalmes and Iohn 5. and. 6. T. M. Euen so Amen ¶ Amen among the Hebrewes betokeneth commonlie an affirming or allowing of a thing Like as Etiam doth among the Latines and as yea or sobeit doth among Englishmen By which terme they meane that they agrée to the opinion of other men and subscribe their saiengs and also that they with the same thing with their heart which some forespeaker hath praied in words set together for the purpose So is that terme vsed in psalmes and praiers according as it is to be seene in the â— Cor. 14. 16. Howbeit among the Hebrewes their Amen importeth an assuring or oath according as wee sée the same terme vsed in the Gospell Marl. vpon the Apoc fol. 15. How shall he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned saie Amen at thy giuing of thankes ¶ One onelie made the praiers and the rest of the peopâ—â— followed in heart his words and when he had praied they all said Amen Signifieng that they beléeued assuredlie that God wouâ—â— graunt their requests Geneua AMORITES What an intollerable custome they had IT was the custome of the Amorites that
much shadowed Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 574. ¶ Brooke Cedron was a déepe valleie through the which a streame ranne after a great raine Geneua BRVSED REDE Looke Rede BVDDAS Of his heresie and finall end BVddas otherwise called Terebinthus was a little before Manes the heretike He taught about Babilon that he himselfe was borne of a Uirgin and that he was bred and brought vp in the mountaines He wrote 4. bookes The first of Mysteries the second he called the Gospell the third Thesaurus the fourth a Summerie Through witchcraft he tooke his flight into the aire to offer sacrifice but the diuell threw him downe and broke his necke Socrates li. 1. cap. 17. BVLL The Bull of Pope Clement the sixt published for the yeare of Iubelie 1350. WHosoeuer purposeth for trauaile sake to come to Rome maie choose that daie whereon he setteth forward a confessor or confessours or els in his iourneie by the waie or in anie other place vnto the which confessour or ghostlie Father we giue full power to giue absolution in all causes that concerne the Popes owne prerogatiue in as ample manner as if our owne person were present Item we graunt that if anie béeing confessed die by the waie that he shall bée frée and discharged from all their sinnes And farthermore we commaund the Angels of Paradise that his soule béeing fullie deliuered from Purgatorie they receiue it into Paradise In an other Bull he writeth thus We will not that anie man be formented in himself with the paine of hell And also we graunt to al those that weare the crosse thrée or foure soules at their pleasure whom soeuer they will to deliuer them out of Purgatorie Bale Of a certeine Priest that cast the Popes Bull before the Popes feet There was a certeine Priest which comming before the Pope cast the Popes Bull downe before his féete saieng Loe héere take your Bull vnto you for it doth me no good at all I haue laboured now these thrée yeares with all and yet notwithstanding for all this your Bull I cannot be restored to my right The Pope hearing this commanded the poore Priest to be seourged and after to be cast into prison what became of him afterward the writer of the Storie Henricus de Erphodia maketh no mention In the Booke of Mar. fol. 487. How Doctour Whittington was slaine with a Bull. There was a faithfull woman that suffered martyrdome in a certeine towne called Cheping Sadberie in the time of king Henrie the seuenth condemned by the Chauncelour called doctour Whittington At whose death a great concourse of people there gathered together to beholde hir end Among the which the foresaid Chauncellour was there present to sée execution done The Sacrifice béeing ended the people began to returne homeward comming from the burning of this blessed martyr It happened in the meane time that as the Catholike executioners were buisie in slaieng this séelie lambe at the towne side a certeine Butcher in the towne was as buisie in slaieng of a Bull which Bull he had fast bounde in ropes readie to knocke him on the head But the Butcher belike not so skilfull in his art of killing beastes as the Papists be in murthering Christians as he was lifting his Axe to strike the Bull sailed in his stroke and smit a little too lowe or els howe hée smote I know not This was certeine that the Bull although some what gréeued at the stroke but yet not striken downe put his strength to the ropes and brake loose from the Butcher into the streete the verie same time as the people were comming in great prease from the burning Who séeing the Bull comming towards them and supposing him to be wilde as was no other like gaue waie for the beast euerie man shifting for himselfe as well as hée might Thus the people giuing backe and making a lane for the Bull he passed through the throng of thein touching neither man nor childe till hée came where the Chauncellour was Against whome the Bull as pricked with a sodeine vehementie ranne full but with his hornes and taking him vpon the panch gored him through through and killed him immediatlie carrieng his guttes and trailing them with his hornes all the stréet ouer to the great admiration and wonder of all them that sawe it Booke of Mar. fol. 919. Wherevnto the Bulls of Basan are compared The strong or fatte Bulls of Basan haue compassed mée in on euerie side ¶ A Bull is a beast not onelie stoute and strong but also boisterous blockish fierce and cruell If his nimblenesse and quicknesse were to his might there were lightlie no beast to bée compared vnto a Bull Of these naturall properties and speciallie of his hornewoode and madde fiercenesse when hée is well baited and bitten with dogges the cruell enimies and the spitefull persecutours of our Sauiour Christ are verie aptlie and liuelie called Tauri robusti Boisterous Bulles By Basan ye shall vnderstand that it was a plentiful land full of woods and pastures ouer the which Og that great fat hogge was king Which Og was a Gyaunt whose bed was of yron in length 13. foote and a halfe and in breadth 6. foote and an halfe This countrie Basan ◠Pinguedo was a land of such fertiltie and plentie that the Prophet verie aptlie doth translate and applie the same vnto the persecutors of Christ which for their worldie wealth their tyrannie and pride are verie properlie called fat Buls of Basan ◠men wallowing in wealth in riches and plentie euen as the Bulles of Basan doe wallow in fat pastures And if a man would nowe narrowlie drawe and applie this place of the Prophet vnto the manners of such wicked men which now a daies doe persecute Christ in his members then by the fat Bulls of Basan ye maie wel easilie vnderstand al such idle rich fat couetous worldlie rich men which in our time doe so much gather togethers and kéepe to them and to their hefres that no poore man nor meane man nor handie craftes man can haue anie competent liuing by the true labour of their handes Ric. Turnar ¶ He meaneth by the Bulles of Basan that his enimie◠were so fat proude and cruell that they were rather beastes then men Geneua BVRDEN What is meant by the word burden I will laie none other burden vpon you ¶ Although there be some which in this place vnderstand the worde burden to be ment of the griefe of minde and bitternesse of heart which the godlie shold susteine by reason of his errour which they should be faine to indure till Christ come and deliuer them by his visitation yet is the place more rightlie vnderstood of the burden of the lawe For we know it was the propertie of heretikes and false Apostles to burden the Church with ceremonies whereas contrariwise Christ saith my yoke is swéete and my burden light Mat. 11. 30. c. Read Act. 15. 10. Rom 8. 15. Gal.
Sacrificators were annointed by the ordinance of God in testimonie of their vocation and office they were called by that name And because they were true figures of yâ— verie anointed of the Lord which is the verie sonne of God which was annointed by the holie Ghost which was giuen to him without measure aboue all other men And therefore Christ is named with that name as well because of the same vnction as because that all those Offices were enioined to him by the father Pet. Viret Who they be that come before Christ. All that come before me saith Christ are théeues and robbers ¶ He meaneth all the false Prophets who led not men to Christ but from him Geneua To come before Christ is to despise Christ and to séeke other meanes beside him to enter into the folde They also come before Christ which doe attribute and ascribe vnto themselues or to their owne inuentions that thing which onelie ought to bée ascribed vnto Christ. Sir I. Cheeke ¶ This place hath bene diuerslie expounded being restrained of some to Iudas of Galilee and to such like but Christ generallie compareth all false doctrines with the Gospell and all false Prophets with godlie Teachers c. For to come before Christ in this place is not to goe before Christ in time but to teach other doctrine beside the doctrine of Christ. Moses was before Christ the Prophets also were before Christ but they taught the church of the Lord by the spirite of Christ and preached Christ plainlie though he laie hid vnder shadows tipes For Peter saith that the spirite of Christ was in them also hée saith that the holie men of God spake being inspired with the spirit of Christ wherefore they are with true Pastours because they enter into the church by the word of the Lord and fedde the people of God in the Pastures of Christ c. All the teachers of humane Traditions and the carnall interpreters of the Law are théeues and murtherers for with their pestilent doctrine they murther soules For they which beleeue lies doe perish together with the lies which they beléeue Marl. fol. 364. Of the right hand of Christ. ¶ Looke Right hand Wherefore Christ is worshipped ¶ Looke Worship How we cannot haue Christ heere alwaies But me ye shall not haue héere alwaies ¶ We cannot haue Christ alwaies with vs touching his manhood for he is ascended vp into heauen with it and sitteth on the right hand of the Father but as touching his Godhead he is alwaies with vs vnto the worlds ende Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Christ is not present with vs bodilie or to be honoured with anie outward pompe Geneua How Christ is our Apparell our House our Roote c. Chrisostome saith Christ is become all things vnto thée thy Table thy Apparell thy House thy Head and thy roote How is Christ our Table S. Iohn saith Who so eate me shall liue through me How is he our Apparell S. Paule saith As manie of you as are baptised in Christ ye haue put on Christ. How is he our House S. Iohn saith Who so eateth my flesh dwelleth in me and I in him How is he our Roote S. Iohn saith I am the Uine and ye are the braunches How Christ was subiect to the Lawe After the Lawe of Moses c. ¶ Christ was subiect vnto the Lawe and in all things obeied the Lawe that so he should deliuer vs from the tyrannie and cursse of the Law and also therby to giue vs an example that we though we be made frée by him from the cursse thereof ought to be obedient vnto all ordinaunces and lawes How to know Christ aright That I maie knowe him ¶ The most excellent and the most perfect knowledge of Christ is to knowe that Christ is both a true naturall God and a true naturall man who hauing pitie and compassion vpon vs came downe and was incarnate and at length nailed vpon the Crosse for the satisfaction of our sinnes Sir I. Cheeke ¶ To knowe Christ aright is to knowe and confesse that of him onelie and by him commeth our saluation that by him our good déedes are acceptable vnto almightie God the Father that by him the Fathers wrath is pacified that by him we be enfraunched from the captiuitie and thraldome of the Diuell And to be short that by him we are adopted chosen to be the children of God and inheritâ—â—s of the Kingdome of heauen Erasmus in his Paraphrasis How Christ suffereth in his members And fulfill that which is behinde of the passions of Christ. ¶ Saint Paule doth not meane that there wanteth anie thing in the passion of Christ which maie be supplied by men for the passion of Christ as touching his owne person is that most perfect and onelie sufficient Sacrifice whereby we are made perfect as manie as are sanctified in his bloud But these words ought to be vnderstood of the elect and chosen in whom Christ is and shall be persecuted vnto the worlds ende Act. 9. The passion of Christ then as touching his mysticall bodie which is the Church shall not be perfect till they haue all suffered whom God hath appointed to suffer for his sonne Sir I. Cheeke As Christ hath once suffered in himselfe to redéeme his Church and to sanctifie it so doth he dailie suffer in his members as partaker of their infirmities and therefore a reuenger of their iniuries Geneua ¶ Looke Passion Affliction How Christ is the head of the Church militant and not the Pope God saith Saint Paule hath raised vp Christ from the dead set him at his right hand in the heauenlie places farre aboue all principalities and powers might dominion and euerie name that is named not in this world onelie but also in that that is to come And hath made all things subiect vnder his féete and hath appointed him ouer all things to bée head to the Curch which is his bodie euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things Bullinger fol. 865. Which is the head that is to saie Christ in whom all the bodie is coupled and knit together c. ¶ Héere we learne that as the spirit of life doth come downe from the head into the whole bodie which is sundrie wise compact made of manie members so is the Congregation of the faithfull quickned by the spirit of Christ which is the head of the Church The Ioint that ioineth this mysticall bodie together and wherewith the grace of God is ministred to euerie member is loue and vnitie For neither the hande nor yet the foote being cut off can be partaker of the heauenlie vertue that commeth from the head Sir I. Cheeke How Christ doth call â— bretheren Narrabo nomentuum fratribus â—eis I will spreade abroad thy name among my Bretheren ¶ These be the words spoken in the person of Christ vnto the Father of Heauen The blessed Apostle Saint Paule in the
swoord from shedding of bloud ¶ The Hebrues exround this of the Chalâ—ees that they should haste to destroie the whole kingdome of the Moabites as though the text should meane thus much Cursed bée hee that negligently performeth the vengeance of the Lord that spareth these most wicked Moabites and that with-holdeth his swoord from shedding of their bloud T. M. ¶ Hee sheweth that God would punish the Chaldeans if they did not destroie the Aegyptians and that with a courage and calleth this executing of his vengeaunce against his enimies his worke though the Chaldeans sought an other end Geneua What Gods curse is ¶ Looke God CVSTOME A definition of custome CUstome saith Ostiensis is an vse agréeing with reason allowed by the common institution of them that vse it whose beginning is time out of minde or which is by a iust time prescribed and confirmed so that it is by no contrarie act interrupted but allowed with contradictorie iudgement This is as he thinketh a full definition But in that hee saith that that vse ought to bée agréeing with reason it is not sufficient But first it is to be said that it ought to agrée with the word of God for that is to be counted for the chiefe reason Afterward it must be allowed by the institution of the people and of whose beginning there is no mention or that it is prescribed by a iust time and appointed by the laws neither is interrupted by anie contrarie action For if a Iudge or Prince shall giue iudgement against it the custome is broken As it also happeneth in prescription is cast out of his possession or the matter is called into lawe the matter is in plead the prescriptioÌ„ is broken Also the allowing of the contradictorie iudgement ought to be had that is wheÌ„ one part alleadgeth the custome and an other part denieth it If it be pronounced on the custome side that doth confirme it But all these things as I haue before saide must be reckoned vnto the rule of Gods word Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 190. Of vicious customes and what difference is betweene a lawe and a custome In the countrie of Taurus there was a custome to kill straungers and guestes The Persians had a custome neuer to deliberate of waightie matters but in feastes and when they were dronke Among the Sauromates there was a custome that when they were drinking they solde their daughters These prescribe not when they are manifestly vicious and ill But that custome prescribeth which is neither against the worde of God nor the lawe of nature nor the common lawe For the right of custome commeth by the approbation and secret consent of the people Otherwise whie are we bounde vnto lawes But because they were made the people consenting and agréeing vnto them For this is the difference betwéene a custome and a lawe because in the one is a secrete assent but in the other an open assent Wherefore such customes cannot bée reckoned without daunger Aristotle in Polîticis admonisheth that men which haue learned to doe sinister things ought not to bée compelled to doe thinges dextere Wherefore in thinges indifferent and of no great value custome is to be retained It is an olde Prouerbe Lawe and Countrie for euerie region hath certeine customes of their owne which cannot easilie bée chaunged But it is sayd when they are against the word of God or against nature or the common lawe they are not prescribe For then are they not onelie customes but beastlie cruelties Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 189. How custome must yeeld to the word of God and to truth It is chieflie to be considered howe the Apostle layeth the Oracle of God against an olde receiued custome We are taught by this example that such is the authoritie of Gods worde that vnto it all thinges which were instituted of men of a godlie zeale and holye intent ought to giue place as soone as they séeme anie waies to make against the will of God Therefore their obstinacie is verie péeuish and pernicious that goe about to reteine these Ceremonies in the church which it appeareth haue béene deuised by foolish men for the confirmation of superstition and are verie derogatorie to the merites of Christ. They thinke it a daungerous matter to alter or chaunge anie thing But it is much more daungerous to sticke to the obseruation of olde errours with the losse of saluation And wée ought to remember that the obedience of faith is the ende of true christianitie which requireth of vs to denie our selues and to resigne and yeelde vp all our thoughts and iudgementes vnto the will and power of God Gualter vpon the words of Saint Peter to Cornelius men vz. But God hath shewed me that I should not call anie thing common or vncleane c. After the truth is once found out let custome giue place vnto the truth let no man set custome before the truth and reason for reason and truth putte euermore custome to silence If you laye custome for your selfe ye must remember that Christ sayth I am the waie the truth and the life he saith not I am custome and doubtlesse anie custome bée it neuer so auncient neuer so common yet must it néedes yéelde vnto truth If onelie Christ must be heard we maie not weigh what anie man hath thought good to doe that hath bene before vs but what Christ hath first done which is before all for wée maie not followe the custome of man but the truth of God Speciallie for that God saith by the Prophet Esaie they worshippe me in vaine teaching the commaundements and doctrines of men CVSTOMES What customes are CUstomes are these which are paide of Merchaundises and of those things which are either carried out or brought in Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 263. CVT OF What is meant by this cutting of And will cut him of ¶ To wit from the rest or will cutte him into two parts which was a most cruell kinde of punishment Wherewith as lustine Martir witnesseth Esay the Prophet was executed by the Iewes The like kinde of punishment we reade of 1. Reg. 15. 33. and Dani. 3. 29. Beza DAIE How the daies were first called and after chaunged â— The Iewes did call the whole wéeke Sabbatum As we reade in the Gospell where the Pharesie boasted himselfe of his fasting saieng Ieiuno bis in Sabbato I fast twice euerie wéeke And like as the Iewes did call the whole wéeke Sabbatum so did they call the feast and the chiefe daie of the wéeke Sabbatum the Sabboth daie And the next daie they called Prima Sabbati As we maie perceiue by the wordes of the Euangelist Saint Mathewe saieng Vespere autem sabbati quae lucessit in prima sabbati venit Maria Magdalena altera Maria videre sepnlchrum Upon the Sabboth daie at night which dawneth vpon the first of the sabbots came Marie Magdalene and an other Marie to behold the Sepulchre and that same daie that
husband or wife doe violate the promise of the bed the chast wife maie forsake her husband if he bee a fornicatour as wel as the husband maie put awaie his wife if shée haue plaied the whoore Marl. fol. 420. It is said whosoeuer putteth awaie his wife lette him giue her a letter of diuorcement ¶ These words doe perteine to the lawe of eschewing adulterie and doe teach that truelie and vndefiledly we ought to keepe the faith of wedlocke For euen as the Iewes thought that they behaued themselues falsely and amisse before God if they kéepe not the lawe after a politike order Euen so againe whatsoeuer the politike or morall lawe did not prohibite they fondlie imagined that it was at their plesure Moses in respect of the externall order did not forbidde the diuorsements with their wiues which wer woÌ„t to be obserued but onelie to take awaie the occasion of lust for it was a certeine testimonie of manâ—mission of frée libertie that euer after the woman might be frée from the bondage and power of the man and also the man by the same did acknowledge and confesse that he did not put awaie his wife for anie crime or fault but because the did not please him Marl. fol. 101. How the Bill of diuorcement was made Some write that the Bill of Diuorcement mencioned in the fift of Mathewe was made after this forme following as should appeare by a copie taken out of the lawe of the Hebrues This Bill made the 29. daie of Iune in the yeare of the creation of the world 5030. witnesseth that I H. K. the sonne of W. K. dwelling in the citie of London haue well aduised my self no man constraining me and haue dimist and set at libertie and left thée A. K. to thy self which hast bene héeretofore my wife and nowe hauing dimist thée and set thée frée I giue the leaue to do what thou wilt to go and giue thy selfe to wife to whom so euer it shal please thée In witnes wherof I giue vnto thée this Bill of diuorcement dimissorie Epistle beeing an instrument of libertie according to yâ— law of Moses Marl. fol. 102. Whie the Iewes were suffered to be diuorced The Iewes were suffered by the lawe for their weaknesse sake to be diuorced from their wiues giuing them a Testimoniall in their hands to auoide a further inconuenience yâ— was least when they were moued or angrie with them they would either haue poisoned or killed them The meaning of these places following Whosoeuer marrieth her that is put awaie from her husband committeth adulterie ¶ They that gather by this place that a man cannot be married againe after he hath putte awaie his wife for adulterie while she liueth reson fondlie For Christ speaketh of these diuorses which the Iewes vsed of which sort we cannot take the diuorcement for adulterie for adulterers were put to death by the lawe Let not man therefore put a sunder that which God hath coupled together ¶ He that putteth awaie his wife for adulterie or fornication doth not put asunder that which God hath coupled for it is GOD himselfe which commaundeth such to be stoned to death that doth separate them Where is the Bill of your mothers diuorcement c. God was not the cause whie the congregation of the Iewes which is vnderstood by mother was once his spouse was diuorsed forsaken but their owne offence diuorsed them was the cause whie they were sold to the vsurer c giuen ouer into the hands of the Gentiles or heathen and sparkled among the Medians Persians Babilonians Grecians and Romaneâ—s T. M. DOO Whatsoeuer God willeth to doe is well done THou shalt not doe that which is good in thine owne eies but doe that onelie which I commaund thee ¶ Upon this place Saint Iohn Chrisostome in his Oration against the Iewes saith thus Of a truth that which is done according to the will of God although it seeme to be wicked yet it is altogether pleasant and acceptable before God Contrariwise whatsoeuer is done beside the word of GOD and otherwise then he wil haue it done though it be as a thing acceptable to God yet it is of all other the worst and most wicked D. Wilson in his booke against vsurie fol. 182. How the doers of the lawe are iustified For before God they are not righteous which heare the lawe but the doers of the lawe shall be iustified ¶ That is shall be pronounced iust and righteous This sentence is onely spoken to the rebuke of the Iewes setting no small store by themselues in that behalfe of the lawe which yet they kept not This thing laieth Paule to their charge on this wise It is not inough for thée O thou Iewe to heare the law onelie to be a professour therof and a leaner vnto it but if thou wilt needs be iustified and made righteous in the sight of God by the law as thou so greatlie crakest then must thou kéepe the lawe not onelie heare it now that doest thou not out art guiltie of the breaking of it and therefore must thou haue an other waie to become righteous in the sight of God then by the keeping of the lawe which is as this whole Epistle doth after and before plainlie proue faith that fastlie beleeueth sinnes to be forgiuen fréelie by Christ not for our workes or deseruinges no not wheÌ„ we haue done the best yâ— we can And to this purpose doth Saint Ambrose writing on this selfe text expound Paule saieng Not they are righteous which heare the lawe but which beléeue in Christ whome the lawe promised affirming plainlie that to beléeue in him is to doe the lawe Tindale The Apostle in this place goeth about to rifell the foolishnesse of the Iewes which supposed that the hearing and vnderstanding of the lawe was sufficient to the accomplishing of the same although they in no part fulfilled it which Saint Paule héere confuteth as though he would saie vnto them You bragge that you are iustified by the lawe where in no part ye doe fulfill the lawe but bragging of a little superficiall vnderstanding of the lawe perswade your selues straight that you doe fulfill the lawe as though the accomplishing of the lawe consisted in knowledge and vnder standing and not in fulfilling but heerein you are deceiued for not the heares but the dooers of the law are instified And because none fullie accomplisheth the law so absolutelie as Gods iustice requireth therefore our iustification commeth not by the lawe where of the Iewes bragâ—â—d Rom. 10. and therefore in the same Chapter the Apostle concludeth thus Nam perfecto c. for Christ is the fulfilling of the law to iustifie all that beleeue â— Gough So that ye bee dooers of the worde and not hearers onelye deceiuing your selues For if 〈…〉 hâ—are the worde and declareth not the same by his workes he is like vnto a manâ— beholding his bodilie face in a glasse and so
a liar Faith knoweth God Incrudelitie knoweth him 〈…〉 Faith loueth both God his neighbour Incrudelitie loueth neither of them faith only saueth vs Incrudelitie only condemneth vs. Faith extolleth God and his deeds Incrudelitie extolleth her selfe and her owne déeds Of onelie faith ¶ Looke Onelie FAITâ—â—VLL Hovv God hath deliuered the Faithfull God deliuered Noe from the floud Ge. 6. 8. 7. Lot was deliuered from the Sodomitâ—â— Ge. 19. 10 Iacob froÌ„ the wrath of his brother Esau Ge. 33. Ioseph out of prison Ge. 41. 14. The childreÌ„ of lsrael out of Aegiptâ— Exo. 14. 21. Moses froÌ„ yâ— rebellion of Corah Nâ— 16 The two messengers froÌ„ yâ— meÌ„ of Ierâ— cho Io. 2. Mardocheus froÌ„ the coÌ„spiracie of Amâ— Hoster 6. 7. Dauid froÌ„ the persecutioÌ„ of Saul 1. Reg. from the. 18. Chap. to the. 26. Elias from the hands of Iezabel 3. Reg. 19. Heliseus from the Assirians 4. Reg. 6. 18. Ieremie out of prison Iere. 39. 13. Toby from deuouring of the fish Toby 6. 2. Iudith vndefiled from Holofernes Iudith 13. Daniel from the lyons Dan. 6. The thrée children from the strie â—uen Dan. 3. Susan from the false Iudges Dan. 13. Paule froÌ„ laieng in wait of the gouernour of Damascus Act. 9. 2. Cor. 12. Peter from the hands of Herode Act. 12. FALL How Christ is the fall and vprising of manie Behold this child is appointed for the fall rising againe of manie in Israel ¶ To be the fall of the reprobaâ—e which perish through their owne default raising vp of the elect to whom God giueth faith Geneua Obiection How is Christ will some saie a fall to yâ— vnbeléeuers which are alreadie cast awaie Aunswere The vngodly do perish two maner of waies first they are lost through their owne vnbeliefe secondly for that they wilfully depriue themselues of the saluation that is offered vnto them by Christ. As if a man that is once condemned of theft should afterward not regard the kings sonne that sueth for his parâ—â— but vtterlie â—espiâ—e yâ— deliueraunce offered by him Hemmyng FALSE ¶ Of false Christs MAnie shall come in my name saie that I am Christ. ¶ Iosephus maketh mention in his 20. booke the 12. chapter of a certeine Aegiptian which was a false Prophet who in his own opinion thinking himselfe to be a prophet gathered almost thirtie thousand together whom when he brought out of the wildernesse of the mount of Oliues or Oliuet he went about to take Hierusalem but they were oppressed by Felix the presideÌ„t at that time of the which Felix ther is mention made in the. 21 of the Act. Lastlieâ— the same Iosephus writeth of another also which promised the people quietnes rest froÌ„ all euils if they wold follow him into the desart By many such were the people of the Ieâ—ws mocked deceiued al which as they promised liberty saluation of the people so they affirmed yâ— they were Christs And vnder this name they â—ossed the theÌ„selues also for the true promised 〈…〉 of whoÌ„ yâ— prophets scriptures testifieth Such one was Simon Magus which perswaded the Samaritanes that he was the power of God which was called great ¶ Looke Teudas who was such another Marl. fol. 557. What the false Prophets are Beware of false Prophets which come vnto you in shéepes clothing but inwardlie they are rauening Wolues c. ¶ False Prophets are Preathers that â—eruert wrest the word of God Sheepe â—innes signifie the appearaunce of outward holinesse Rauening Wolues are Tyrants that delight in persecuting and shedding of bloud Tindale False Prophets shal euer impugne the faith of Christs bloud and inforce to quench the true vnderstanding of the lawe and the right meaning and intent of all the workes commaunded by God which fight is a fight aboue all fights First they shall be in such number that Christs true Disciples shall be but a small stocke in respect of them They shall haue workes like Christ so that fasting praier pouertie obedience and chastitie shall be the names of their profession For as Paule saith to the Corinthians The Angels or messengers of Satan shal change themselues into the Angells or messengers of light and truth They shall come in Christs name and that with signes miracles and haue the vpper hande also euen to deceiue the verie elect if it were possible Yea and beyond all this if thou get the victorie of the false Prophets plucke a multitude out of their hands there shall immediatelie rise vp of the same and sette vp a new false sect against thee And against all those Amalechites the onelie remedie is to lifte vp the hands of thy heart to God in continuall praier which hands if thou for wearinesse oncelet fall thou goest to the worse immediatelie Tin fo 239. FANNE What the Fanne is Whose Fanne is in his hand c. ¶ Which is the preaching of the Gospell whereby he gathereth the Faithfull as good Corne and scattereth the Infidells as Chaffe Geneua Another Expositor saith thus The Fanne is Gods word The Flower is the people of Israel the Garner is the kingdome of Heauen â— By the Wheate he vnderstandeth the elect and true Israelitâ—s by the Chaffe he vnderstandeth the vnfaithfull FARE FAIRE VVITH MEN. How this place is vnderstood SEing then that we knowe the feare of the Lord we fare faire with men ¶ We fare faire with men that is wée plaie not the Tyrants with cursings excommunications neither vse we violence malitioustie among the people but feate God and intreat the people louinglie to draw them vnto God Tindale FARTHING What this Farthing meaneth THou shalt not goe thence till thou haue paid the last Farthing ¶ Christs meaning is that he shall neuer come outâ— for that he must euermore paie the last farthing while he â—uâ—fereth euerlasting punishment for his sinnes committed in this world Hier 〈…〉 b. cha 1. vpon the Lam. of Ierem. I. North bridge And that some make Purgatorie of the last Farthing they shew their deepe ignoraunce For first no similitude holdeth euerie word and sillable of the similitude Furthermore when they dispute till he paie the last farthing Ergo he shall paie but not in Hell Ergo in Purgatorie a wise reason Ioseph knewe not Marie till she had borne his first sonne Ergo she bare the second or he knew hiâ— afterward I will not forgiue thee till I be dead nor while I liue Ergo I will do it after my death And a thousand like Tin fol. 204. FASTING A Definition of Fasting FAsting was a certaine discipliue and measurable castigation or chaâ—â—isoment of the bodie alwaies vsed of the auncient fathers and Saints of God vsurped to this ende that the substaunce of heauenlie things might the more be inflamed that the fleshlie desires of the bodie might the more be quenched Marl. fol. 126. What true Fasting is True fasting saith Basile consisteth in fréenesse from â—ites in continencie
cast awaye as if anie owner hath cast awaye anie thing the same thing if a man â—eteine when he hath founde it hée committeth not theft But if that thing which is founde be not willinglieâ— cast awaye neither thought to haue bene willlinglie lost of the owner As when a Ring is founde or a Purse or anie such thing which is not wont to bée cast a side the same thing if thou retaine it is theft vnlesse thou kéepe it by thee with a will and minde to restore it againe Wherefore thou must publiklie testifie that thou hast â—ounde those thinges whereby the owner maye come to his owne agayne as it is decréedâ— in the Digestes De furtis In the lawe Fâ—ssus in the Paragraphe qui alienum But if thou kéepe it by thée with the minde not to restore it it is theft Which thing Augustine in the place now alleadged reproueth Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 283. FINGER OF GOD. What the Finger of God is GOds finger is the holye Ghost Luke 11. 20. If I cast out Diuells in the finger of God c. Where Luke hath in the finger of God it is in Math. 22. 28. If I cast out Diuells in the spirit of God Gods finger therefore is the holie Ghost FIRST Of the first begotten sonne An aunswere to Helindius the heretike Obiection Our Sauiour Christ was called her first begotten sonne and none sayth Helindius canne hee called first begotten but hée that hath bretheren euen as hée is called the onelie begotten sonne which is the onelye sonne of his Father Aunswere That is not true for euerie onelye sonne is the first begotten although he haue no brethren and therefore in the booke of Numbers the almightie God doth define who or what is the first begotten saieng All that breaketh the matricâ— in all flesh whether it bée of men or of beastes shall bée slaine neuerthelesse the first borne of man thou shalt redéeme Héere the worde of the Lorde doth define what first borne is that is euerie one that openeth the matrice first namelye whether it be onelye begotten or first begotten The Lorde saith not tarrie vnto the sccond be borne but he saith Those that are to be redéemed shalt thou redéeme from the age of a moneth for the value of a moneth namelie for fiue Sickles For if it shoulde haue bene so that he that first openeth the matrice shoulde not be called the first borne vntill he haue bretheren then might some man haue saide I owe nothing vnto the Priest till that he be brought foorth by whome he that is alreadie borne be made first begotten Also in Exodus it is said And at midnight the Lorde smote all the first borne in the lande of Aegypt both of man and beast Now if it be true that none are first begotten but they that haue brethren then the onelie begotten although they were first borne perished not Marl. fol. 19. What is meant by breaking of our first Faith Prima fides is not taken for the vow of chastitie but for the faith we promise in Baptime after the minde of Saint Hierome who wrote on this wise Non sunt digoi fide c. They be not worthie to be beléeued that haue forsaken their first faith I meane Marcion and Basilides These two famous heretikes Marcion and Basilides were not condemned for anie vowe of chastitie but for the refusing of the faith of Christ. Which Saint Hierome calleth the first faith Iewel fol. 170. They haue not onelie done dishonoâ—r to Christ in leauing their vocation but also haue broken their faith Geneua ¶ Looke more in this word Widowe What the first fruits signifie in the lawe In the lawe it was commaunded that of all the increase and fruits of the earth shuld be giuen vnto God the first fruits yea also the first borne of liuing creatures were due vnto him And when Paule maketh mention of the masse or 〈…〉 he alludeth to that which we reade in the 15. Chapter of the booke of Numbers that some part of the lumpe of new dowe was commanded to bée separated for God before that the new bread should be tasted of for thereof were made swéete cakes which were offered vnto God Which thing he therefore caused to be done that men by that ceremonie might vnderstand and of their owne accorde testifie that God is vnto them the giuer and distributer of all fruites Wherefore that oblation increased not the riches of God which are otherwise infinite but also nourished in men a gratefull memorie of benefites receiued As oftentimes Emperours and greate and mightie kings giue vnto some one man a citie or prouince or some certeine dominion with this condition That he shall paie vnto him euerie yeare some thing of small value in the name of a Tribute not that they séeke by that talent to be enriched but that they maie perpetuallie vnderstande and testifie that he dependeth vppon that Prince and that he hath at his handes obteined that dignitie which he nowe enioyeth Moreouer this commoditie had the Common weale by that ceremonie that by such oblations the holie ministrie was susteined whose vse is so great that it ought to be mainteined yea though with great charge Moreouer in all the first fruites was signified Christ the first borne of all creatures and namelie the first fruites of them that rose againe from the dead whereby all the faythfull are sanctified for by first fruites was made holye that which was remaining and left at home to susteine the familie Yea and this manner of offering first fruites was deriued also vnto the Ethnikes for the Uirgins called Vestae offered first fruites vnto their domesticall Gods And as Plutarch telleth in Symposiacis the men in olde time dranke not anie Wine before that they had first offered sacrifice to some God that that which they dranke might not hurt them And at Athens the xi daie of the moneth they offered the first fruites of Wine In all these things wée maie beholde the steppes of that holie institution Although yâ— Ethnikes had with idolatrus superstition violated that which was well instituted At this daye also although the yoke of the Ceremonies of Moses be taken away yet should it be verie well done of vs of our frée and liberall will to offer vnto God the first fruites by giuing them to the poore Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 351. The meaning of this place following The first shall be last c. ¶ To be made of the first last is to be excluded and shut out of the kingdome of heauen As in a running game not they that runne first but they that come first to the game winue the game and beare awaie the praise Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Those bée last with God that are first with themselues in their owne opinion and in the estimation of their owne workes And they be first with God that be last with themselues in acknowledging their owne vilenesse
weake infirmitie and want of desert Hemmyng ¶ Therefore euerie man in his vocation as he is called first ought to goe forward and encourage others seeing the hire is indifferent for all Geneua FISHERS The meaning of this place following I Will send out manie fishers to take them ¶ By these fishers are vnderstoode the hoastes by whome the Lorde scourged the Iewes and fished awaie their rulers at foure sundrie draughtes were foure of their kings taken and at euerie time some of the chiefe of the people withall but at the last in the time of Zedekiah was all the rest of the people hunted out of those cruell hunters the Chaldees 4. Reg. 25. T. M. ¶ By the fishers and hunters are meant the Babilonians and Chaldeans who should destroie them in such sorte that if they escaped the one the other should take them Geneua The first inâ—enter of fisher-boates ¶ Looke Zabulon FIVE LOAVES Applied to the good indeuour of the Pastour WE haue héere but fiue loaues and two fishes ¶ Though we thinke our selues vnable to teach Christs congregation yet let vs at the commaundement of Christ emploie and bestowe that little that we haue vppon Christs flocke And hée that augmented the fiue loaues two fishes shal also augment in vs his owne gifts Sir I. Cheeke FLIENG Of flâ—ng 〈…〉 time of persecution AND the woman fiedde into wildernesse c. Although the Church knowe most certeinlie that God hath a care for her whose defence is more for her safetie then all the power and fauour of men yet notwithstanding least she might tempt her mainteiner and defender sometimes shee fileth when shée is assailed by enimies and yet for all that she waiteth quietlâ—e for 〈…〉 at the Lordes hande So we reade that Moses fledde for displeasure of the king of Aegypt and abode priuelie with his father in law lethro the Priest of the Madianites by the space of 40. yeares Exo. 2. 21. And also that Dauid and his companie hidde themselues in caues of mountaines for feare of Saules displeasure 1. Reg. 24. 1. And also that Elias hidde himselfe out of the waye by the space of thrée yeares and an halfe to eschewe the wrath of Iezabel 3. Reg. 19. 3. Likewise the hundred Prophets of the Lorde whome Abdias had hidde in two caues for feare of the same lezabel 3. Reg. 18. 4. Concerning which men looke also Heb. 11. 38 â—o did the Lordes Disciples shut the boores to them and kept themselues out of the waie for a 〈…〉 Iohn 20. 19. Paule béeing let downe in a basket by the brethren at Damasco went aside for a while into Arabia Act. 9. 25. Finallie who is ignoraunt of the hiding of 〈…〉 and of other Catholike Bishoppes in the time of the persecutioâ— stirred vp by the Arrians and moreouer of man 〈…〉 Aegypt which sought the innermost courts of the wildernesse by reason of the vngratiousnesse of the same 〈…〉 of whome Eusebius writeth manie thinges in the fourth chapter of his eleuenth booke of the stories of the church c. Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 172. ¶ The church was remoued from among the Iewes to the Gentiles which were as a 〈…〉 wildernesse and so it is perfecâ—ted 〈…〉 Geneua Of two manner of fliengs There is a flieng of the bodie a flieng of the minde The one is sometime lawfull and the other neuer The flieng of the bodie is when the true preacher flieth the cruell persecution of tyrants that séekes his death and destruction And this maie he doe lawfullie both by the doctrine and example of Christ. The flieng of the minde is when one flieth from dooing his duetie and will not defend the true doctrine by rebuking and condemning the false Hemmyng FLESH What is vnderstood by flesh FLesh is not vnderstood as though flesh were onelie the which perteineth vnto vnchastitie But Paule calleth flesh héere as Christ doth Iohn 3. All that is borne of flesh that is to wit the whole man with life soule bodie wit will reason whatsoeuer he is or doth within or without because that those al all that is in man studie after the world and the flesh c. Tindale By yâ— déeds of the law no flesh shal be iustified ¶ Flesh in Paule doth not signifie as the schoolmen dreame manifest grose sins for these he vseth to call by their proper names as adulterie fornication vncleanenesse such like but by flesh Paule meaneth héere as Christ doth in the third chapter of Iohn That which is borne of flesh saith he is flesh Flesh therefore signifieth the whole nature of man This flesh saith he is not iustified by works no nor of the lawe Flesh therefore according to Paule signifieth all the righteousnesse wisdome deuotion religion vnderstanding will that is possible to be in a naturall man So that if a man be neuer so righteous according to reason and the lawe of God yet with all his righteousnesse works merits deuotion and religion he is not iustified c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 65. That which is borne of flesh is flesh c. ¶ That is fleshlie to wit wholie vncleane and vnder the wrath of God And therefore this worde Flesh signifieth The corrupt nature of man contrarie to which is the Spirit that is the man ingraffed into Christ through the grace of the holie Ghost whose nature is euerlasting and immortall though the strife of the flesh remaineth Beza By the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified ¶ Flesh is héere taken for man as in manie other places and furthermore hath heere a greater feare for it is héere put to shew the contrarietie betwéene God and man as if you would saie man who is nothing els but a péece of flesh defilâ—d with sâ—â—me and God who is most purs and most perfect in himselfe Beza The meaning of this place following Such shall haue trouble in the flesh ¶ By the flesh he vnderstandeth what things soeuer belongeth to this present life for marriage bringeth with it manie discommodities so that he bendeth more to a sole life not because it is a seruice more agreeable to God then marriage bâ—t for those 〈…〉 which if it were poss 〈…〉 hee would with all men to be void of that they might giue themselues to God onelie Beza What it is to be in the flesh Neither doth Saint Paule in this place where he saith Yée are not in the Flesh meane anie other thing then did the Lord in the Gospell when he said vnto his disciples ye are not of this world Wherefore Ambrose saith that we haue such a nature framed vnto vs as we féele it to be and he addeth moreouer that the wise men of the world are in the flesh because they resist faith and will beléeue those things onelie which are agréeable to reason This place againe teacheth vs that Ambrose by the name of flesh vnderstandeth reason and the higher parts of of
of their naturall corruption and this indéede is verie good tidings for heereby we are deliuered from the fearâ— of death and damnation and from the bondage of sinne and Satan Briefelie héereby we are remoued from darknesse to light from despaire to good hope from death to life from Hell to Heauen Now because the office of proclaiming and publishing this most ioifull tidings was committed to the Ministers of the newe Testament the name of the Euangelists is most properlie attributed vnto them and speciallie to those that the Natiuitie conuersation death resurrection of the Lord Iesus wherin the blesfulnesse resteth that we sée so much aduaunced Some writers affirme that as manie promises of felicitie and saluation as there is so manie Gospells there bée and that therefore the Prophets are Euangelists When they speake of the redemption that Gods annointed shoulde accomplish I thinke it not good to striue about words and I denie not that the Hebrewe word Bassac which signifieth the Euangelize and to preach good tidings is applied in some place to yâ— men of yâ— olde time howbeit I beléeue rather that Euangelion is an open publishing of saluation alredie performed and accomplished then of the same promised And therfore they speake more distinctlie and properlie that giue the name of Euangelists to the Apostles and writers of the histories of the Lord Iesus and finallie to the ministers of the new Testament And to giue place rather to this iudgement the wordes of our Sauiour in the. 16. of Luke moueth me where he saith That the Law and the Prophets were vntill Iohn Baptist and from that time the kingdome of God was Euangelized Trah What is meant by the Gospell preached to the dead For vnto this purpose verilie was the Gospel preached vnto the dead that they should be iudged like other men in the flesh but shall liue before God in the spirit ¶ As certeine learned expositours will that he héere calleth preaching of the Gospell vnto the dead in the chapter going next before The preaching to the spirits that were in prison which thing saie they signifie as much as vnto the dead also or spirits in prison came that salue of medicine of the Gospell and of the glad tidings of Christs passion whereby they were loosed the strength thereof béeing so pithie that they were therwith brought out of prison to immortalitie And because it might haue bene demaunded how yâ— soules of these blessed came out of prison whether compassed with their bodies or onely in pure substaunce of yâ— spirit Therfore saith Peter that they should be iudged like other men in the fleshe that is when all other men shall be iudged in the flesh but should liue before God in the spirit which signifieth that in the meane season til that iudgement come shal their soule liue and reâ—oice before God through Christ. T. M. ¶ Although the wicked thinke this Gospell new and vexe you yâ— imbrace it yet hath it béene preached to them in time paste which nowe are dead to the intent that they might haue ben condemned or dead to sinne in the flesh and also might haue liued in the spirit which two are the effect of the Gospell Geneua How Christs Gospell is likened to a Bowe And he that satte vpon him had a bow ¶ The bow is Christs Gospell the preaching whereof is disposed at his pleasure therfore like as the enimies be ouerthrowne by the arrowes which the Bowe shooteth out a farre off euen so the nations that were farre off are subdued vnto Christ by the preaching of the Gospell Ephe. 2. 13. This did Christ promise to his Disciples saieng I will giue you a mouth and wisedome which all they that shall be against you shall not bée able to gaine saye or gaine stande Luke 21. 15. And Paule following the Prophet saith I will destroie the wisedome of the wise and shake off the vnderstanding of the skilfull Esaie 29. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 19. Also the weapons of our warre are not fleshlie but mightie to Godwarde c. 2. Cor. 10. 4. Whereto pertaine those thinges which are written in the Psal. 45. 5. 1. Cor. 14. 24. And Heb. 4. 12. Marl. vpon the Apoc. fo 90. Whie the Gospell is said to beâ— euerlasting Hauing the euerlasting Gospell An honourable Title of the Gospell and it is called euerlasting first because it bringeth and beheighteth good thinges according to this Text He that beléeueth in mée hath euerlasting Iyfe Iohn 6. 47. And this is the promise which he hath assured vs off euen euerlasting lyfe 1. Iohn 2. 25. Seconde because that accordinge to Paules saieng There is none other Gospell to bée looked for no not euen at an Angell from heaâ—en Gal. 1. 8. Thirdlye because it was promised longe agoe by the Prophettes in the holye Scriptures Rom. 1. 2. Lyke as where it was sayde The womans séede shall breake thy head Gen. 3. 15. And also in thy séede shall all Nations of the earth bée blessed Gen. 22. 18. Lastlie the Gospell is tearmed euerlasting because it shall endure for euer maâ—gre all the vngodlye for Christes reigne is such as shall haue no ende Luke 1. 33. 1. Cor. 15. 27. For it consisteth in spirite and truth and not in outward things according as it is sayd all the gloriousnesse of the kings daughter is from within Psal. 45. 13. Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 207. How the Gospell is no lesse to bee reuerenced then the bodie of Christ. I aske this question of you bretheren and sisters sayth Saint Austen aunswere mée whether you thinke greater the worde of God or the bodie of Christ if you will aunswere the truth verilie you ought to saie thus that the worde of GOD is no lesse then the bodye of Chrst. And therefore with what carefulnesse wée take héede when the bodie of Christ is ministred vnto vs that no parte fall thereof out of our owne hands on the earth with as greate carefulnesse lette vs take héede that the worde of God which is ministred vnto vs when wée thinke or speak of vaine matters perish not out of our hearts for he that heareth the worde of God negligentlie shall bee guiltie of no lesse faulte then he that suffereth the bodye of Chrst to fall vpon the ground through his negligence Cranmer fol. 170. Whether the booke or leaues of the booke be the Gospell By the authoritie of Saint Hierome the Gospell is not the Gospell for reading of the letter but for the beliefe that men haue in the worde of GOD. That it is the Gospell that we beléeue and not the letter that we reade For because the letter that is touched with mans hande is not the Gospell but the sentence that is verilie beléeued in mans hearte is the Gospell For so Saint Hierome saith The Gospell that is the vertue of Gods word is not in the leaues of the bookes but it is in the roote of reason Neither the Gospell he sayth is in the writing aboue
that it may appeare that we destroie them for Religion sake and not for couetousnesse But when they are conuerted not into priuate and our owne vse but into common vses or into the honour of the true God that is done and brought to passe in them which is done and brought to passe in men themselues when of Idolaters and wicked persons they are changed into true Religion This hath God him selfe taught in those testimonies which thou thy selfe hast vsed when as God himselfe commaunded that of that same Groue which was dedicate to strange Gods there should be wooâ—e taken for his sacrifice And of Hierico that all the golde siluer and brasse should be brought into the Treasurie of the Lord. Wherefore that also which is written in Deutronomyâ— Thou shalt not couet their siluer nor their gold neither shalt thou take any thing thereof to thy selfe least thou offend because it is abhomination vnto the Lord thy God c. It manifestly appeareth that either priuate vses is forbidden in such things or that nothing should be brought into thy house to be honoured for then it is abhomination I. Whitegift fol. 272. IEHOVAH What Iehouah is IEhouah is Gods name neither is anye creature so called and it is as much to saye as one that is of him-selfe and dependeth of nothing Moreouer as often as thou séest Lord in great letters except there be any errour in the printing it is in Hebrue Iehouah thou that art or he that is Tindale fol. 6. How the Hebrues doe speake of the name Iehoua Rabbi Moses an Aegyptian in the Hebrue called More saith thus All the names of the Creator that be found in all bookes be deriued of effects sauing that name onely Iehouah And it is a name appropriate vnto the most high Creator And therefore it is called an expresse name He meaneth saith Musculus that there is signified and shewed thereby the substance of the Creator and that there is nothing in it common vnto God and creatures But the rest of his names haue some double or mingled signification because they come of workes like vnto them which be deriued in vs. Thus the Hebrewes doe speake of the name of God Iehouah Muscu fol. 367. IERVSALEM The meaning of this place following WHen ye sée Ierusalem besâ—eged with an Hoast ¶ The same is that Mathew and Marke do call the Abhomination of desolation The Hoast of the Romanes is called héere desolation because that by them the Citie and Temple were destroied the Countrie made wast And they are also called Abhomination both for their heathenish impietie and also for the putting downe of the true worshipping and Religion By the holy place both Ierusalem and the Temple is vnderstoode Daniel 9. 26. How Ierusalem was called holy Where manye hundred thousands of men are there are scarcely seauen thousand which knowe God or beléeue in God and yet for their sakes the whole multitude is called godlye people Euen so was it in Ierusalem Albeit the greater parte were wicked and godlesse yet was Ierusalem called holy not onely in respect of a small number of the godlye but also because GOD had his abiding there So when there was not one iuste personne in Sodome but Lot with his two Daughters yet coulde not the Angell destroye Sodome with fire so long as Lot was in it Likewise where foure or fiue or ten godlie persons are to be found for their sakes the whole citie is called holie Luther vpon the Psal. fol. 88. IESVS Of the mysticall and hid signification of this name IEsus the sonne of God and of the most pure Uirgin Marie although in the common translation of the Bible in Latine it séemeth there were diuerse other Iewes so named Yet in the Hebrue tongue as Renclâ—ne writeth in his booke De verbo mirifico There was some diuersitie in the letters of the name of our Sauiour from them that were in the other called Iesus For in his glorious and wonderfull name were the vowels called Tetragrammaton with one consonant called Schin which is one S. of the Hebrewes wherein was a mysticall or hid signification of his diuinitie although the whole name be interpreted Sauiour who beeing equall in diuinitie with God the Father begotten of him before the worlde was created without time willinglie for the redemption of man descended into the blessed bodie of the Uirgin Marie and was conceiued in her by the holie Ghost the thirde person in Godhead And of her borne yâ— 3962 yeare after the creation of the world And being God and man liued héere 32. yeares in forme of pouertie and than béeing betraied of his own Disciple was by the Iewes his owne people most cruellie nailed on the Crosse the yeare after the creation of the world 3994. Eliote What is meant by that that Iesus was seene alone with Moses and Helias And sawe no man more then Iesus onelie with them ¶ In this that Iesus after the departing of Moses Helias is séene alone it is to be noted that the lawe beeing by Christs death remoued and the prophesies fulfilled wée ought onelie to haue respect vnto Christ the only begotten sonne of God our sauiour and redéemer Sir I. Cheeke What is meant by Iesus sleeping in the Ship And he was in the sterne a sleepe on a pillowe ¶ It is sayde that the Lord sléepeth when in the troubles and aduersities of this worlde he deferreth to heare and succour his elect and chosen which thing was héere prefigured by Iesus sleeping Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Christ leaueth vs oftentimes to our selues both as well that we maie learne to knowe our weaknesse as his mightie power Geneua What is meant by Iesus groning in the spirit And he groned in the spirit ¶ Whereas Saint Iohn saith Iesus groned in the spirit he meaneth that he was so moued in the vowells of mercie that for the time he coulde not speake This motion alwaye goeth before teares in such as are vehemently affected For the like also we reade of Ioseph who being moued with compassion towards his brethren sought wher to wéepe Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 414. IEVVES Of whom they tooke their name THere was great lamentation among the Iewes ¶ The Iewes were first called Hebrues of Heber the eldest sonne of Selah sonne of Aâ—phaxat as it appeareth Gen. 11. 14. 1. Par. 1. 18. After were they called Israel of Iacob and after Iewes of one of the sonnes of Iacob that is to wit of Iuda T. M. Of the miserie that happened to the Iewes ¶ Looke in these words Fishers Selum Why the Iewes were suffered to sweare by the name of God In the olde lawe the Iewes in an earnest iust or waightie cause were permitted to sweare in the name of GOD but not by all manner creatures least they dwelling amonge the Heathen and accustoming their oathes should by continuaunce of time fall vnto the filthie worshippinge of their Idolles forgetting God Sweare by his name saith
Moses and sée that yee walke not after strange Gods of the nations that you remaine among See that ye neither make mention sayth Iosua nor yet sweare by the name of their Gods Thus in the olde lawe were they suffered to sweare in an earnest iust and waightie cause But now after the rule of Christ be the matter neuer so true we maye not of our owne selues nor by our own authoritie and priuate power sweare or promise anie manner of thing c. What the principall causes be that stop the Iewes from Christianitie I reade in the persecution of Scotlande of one George Wisehart a Gentleman and Martyr of a certeine storie which he resiteth on this wise I once sayth hée chaunced to méete with a Iew when I was sailinge vpon the water of Rhene I dyd enquire of him what was the cause of his partinacye that he dyd not beléeue that the true Messias was come consideringe that they had séene all the prophesies which were spoken of him to be fulfilled Moreouer the prophesies taken awaye and the Scepter of Iuda by manye other testimonies of the Scripture I vanquished him that Messias was come the which hée called Iesus of Nazareth This Iewe aunswered againe vnto mée When Messias commeth he shall restore all thinges and hee shall not abrogate the lawe which was giuen to our fore-fathers as ye doe For why wée sée the poore almost perishe through hunger amonge you yet you are not moued with pitie towardes them But amonge vs Iewes though wée bée poore there is no begger founde Secondarilie it is forbidden by the Lawe to faine anie kinde of Imagrie of thinges in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the Sea vnder the earth but one God onelye to honour but your Sanctuaryes and Churches are full of them Thirdlye a peece of bread baken vppon the Ashes ye adore and worshippe and saie that it is your God In the booke of Mar. fol. 1446. Why the Iewes were suffered to be diuoâ—ced ¶ Looke Diuorcement Howe the Iewes were driuen out of diuerse Realmes About the yeare of our Lorde 1179. were many Iewes in Englande which agaynst the feast of Easter did vse to Crucifie younge children in despite of Christian Relygion ¶ About the yeare of our Lord. 1186. They crucified a childe in the towne of Bury About the yeare of Christ. 1235. the 18. yeare of the reigne of king Henrie the third the Iews dwelling in Norwich were accused for the stealing of a childe whome they purposed to crucifie ¶ About the yeare of our Lord. 1245. and the 28. yeare of Henrie the third king of England at Tollet in Spaine a Iew digging in the ground to enlarge his vineyard found a hollow stone wherin was a booke of the bignesse of a Psalter written in Gréeke Latine and Hebrew the matter wherof was of the worlds to come And declared the coÌ„ming of Christ to be the beginning of the third world which was expressed on this wise In the beginning of the third world the sonne of God shall bée borne of a Uirgin By occasion of this booke the Iewes were turned to the faith of Christ. ¶ About the yeare of our Lord. 1264. and in the. 47. yeare of the reigne of Henrie the third king of England 500. Iewes were slaine by the Citizens of London because one Iew would haue forced a christen man to paie more then two pence for the vsurie of xx s. the wéeke ¶ About the yeare of our Lord 1279. and in the sixt yeare of the reigne of king Edward the first king of England 284. Iews were put to execution for clipping of the kings coine ¶ About the yeare of our Lord. 1475. at the citie of Trident a childe named Symon was murthered of the Iewes of that Citie in dirision of the passion of Christ for which murther and villanie the Iewes suffered great and worthie punishment ¶ In the yeare of our Lord. 1492. There were driuen out of Spaine by commaundement of the king 125. families of the Iewes of the which 30. thousand died of the pestilence in their iourneie as they were departing Of the conuersion of the Iewes Bretheren I will not haue you to be ignoraunt of this mysterie that you be not high minded in your selues for that the blindnesse is happened vpon parte of the Israelites vntill that the fulnesse of the Gentiles come in so Israel shall be saued ¶ This conuersion of the Iewes I doe disseuer from those tokens which began to be done a great while a goe do passe before the comming of the Lorde and I doe applie it vnto those signes which shall goe nearest before it But how that conuersion shall be fulfilled and what shall be the point of the fulfilling of the Gentiles let him define which is able We can rather wish it then for a certeine define it Augustine sayth that there shall be sometimes a manifest vocation or calling of the Iewes in the saluation of the Gospell but how and what time it shall be he doth not expresse Musculus fol. 451. ¶ He sheweth that the time shall come that the whole nation of the Iewes though not euerie one perticularly shall bée ioyned to the Church of Christ. Geneua IGNORAVNCE What a pleasure it is to the diuell for a man to be ignorant in the Scripture VNto the diuell it is a torment aboue all tormentes and a paine aboue all paines if they sâ—e anie man readinge the worde of GOD and with feruent studie searchinge the knowledge of Gods lawes and the mysteries and secrets of the Scriptures Héerein standeth all the flame of the diuels in this fire are they tormented for they are ceased and possessed of all them that remaine in ignoraunce The reading of the Scriptures is a greate fence against sinne and the ignoraunce of the Scriptures is a daungerous downefall and a great dungeon To knowe nothing of Gods lawe is the losse of saluation Ignoraunce hath brought in heresies and vicious life Ignoraunce hath turned all thinges vpside downe How no man is excused by Ignorance Ignoraunce excuseth no man if thou of ignoraunce followe a blinde guide thou shalt perish together with him The ignoraunce of Scriptures and the word of God is the head spring of all heresies and perniâ—ious errours For why Without the Scriptures the power of God connot be knowne which is Christ. Sir I. Cheeke vpon these words of S. Math. Ye are deceiued vnderstanding not the Scriptures Wherevnto the mainteâ—ners of ignorance maie be likened They be like that Painter that Plutarch speaketh of that had euill fauouredlie proportioned a painted Henne and therefore chased away the liue hennes least that his euill workmanship should be perceiued Those chase awaie Gods word least their fancie should be discouered I LE What is signified by the I le THey that dwell in the Iles shall sée c. ¶ Some reade And he that dwelleth in this I le c. Hierusalem
accordinge as it is said in the Psalme Lord in thée is the fountaine of life and in thy light shal we be lightened Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 228. IMPATIENCIE What Impatiencie is IMpatiencie is not simply a griefe conceiued of the miâ—â—iking of our aduersities when we be weary of them but it is an excessiue hart-burning against them when we cannot submit our selues simply vnto God to dispose of vs at his pleasure Wherefore if our passions be so vnrulely as we cannot kéepe any measure in our aduersities then doth inpatiencie ouer master vs and if we haue no holde nor stay of our selues we must néedes conclude that we are no better then frantike folke against God yea and vtterly out of our wits c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 314. According to the nature of contraries looke what good things be attributed to Patience the contrarie thereof may aright be ascribed vnto Impatiencie Patience is a vertue whereby all aduersities be borne for godlinesse and honestie sake Therefore Impatiencie is the vice wherby there is no aduersitie suffered for godlinesse and honestie sake Musculus fol. 528. IMPOSITION OF HANDS ¶ Looke Laieng on of hands IMPOSSIBILITIE AS it is impossible for a Camell or Cable that is a great rope of a ship remaining in the own quantitie to go through a néedles eye remaining in his owne straightnesse so is it like impossible for a rich man remaining in his own naturall pride couetousnes and corruption to enter into the kingdome of God And therefore when those which heard were offended as king And who may then enter into saluation Christ aunswered Things that are impossible before men are possible with God Marke wel that Christ calleth the humiliation of the rich man impossible to man but possible with God Knox. As the man of Inde may chaunge his skinne and the Cat of the Mountaine hir spots so may ye that be exercised in euill doe good ¶ Upon these two things to Nature impossible did the Prophet conclude that no more could the Citizens of Ierusalem being exercised in al iniquitie leaue the same and so was it impossible Impossible I say to themselues and to their own power For what the spirite of God worketh in the conuersion of sinners ought not to be attributed to mans power Knox. For it is impossible that they which were once lightened c. This is Paules meaning They that doe beléeue truely and vnfainedly doe continue or abide stedfast in the knowen truth If any therefore fall away from Christ it is a plaine token that they were dissembling hypocrites and that they neuer beléeued truly as Iudas Symon Magus Demas Hymeneus and Philetus were which all fell away from the knowen veritie made a mocke of Christ which Paule doth call heere to crucifie Christ a newe because that they turning to their olde vomite againe do most blasphemously tread the benefite of Christs passion vnder their féete They that are such can in no wise be renued by repentaunce for they are not of the number of the Elect as S. Iohn doth say They went from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they would haue remained with vs vnto the ende If such men doe repent their repeâ—tance is as Iudas and Cains repentaunce was ¶ This text denieth no possiblitie of mercie in God but the impossibilitie of repentaunce in such men as malitiously forsake the trueh blaspheame Christ and take parte against the Holy Ghost For the truth is that with the Lord there is mercie plenteous redemption Psal. 130. 7. So that whosoeuer calleth vpon his name shall be saued Ioel. 2. 32. and Rom. 10. 13. Now they that forsake the truth blaspheming Christ and taking part against the Holy Ghost cannot repent For if sinners woulde conuert and call vpon God they should be sure of remission Tindale ¶ They which are Apostates and sinne against the Holy Ghost hate Christ crucifie and mocke him but to their owne destruction and therefore fall into desperation and cannot repent Heb. 6. 6. Geneua IMPVTATION What Imputation is IMputation is that benefit of God the Father whereby hée vouchsafeth to account Christs obedience as ours in as ample manner as we our selues had fulfilled the law and made satisfaction for our sinnes T. Beza INCEST What Incest is THey call Incest an vnlawfull medling of a man with a woman against the honor of bloud affinitie For Cestus signifieth the mariage girdle which the Bride did weare to shew that the mariage was iust lawful We Germanes saith Bullinger call this sin by yâ— name of Bloutschand wherby we signifie yâ— sin committed in corrupting or defiling our owne bloud or kinred In Leuiticus after the degrées and bloud in which we are forbidden to marrie the Lord doth presently adde In all these be ye not defiled for in all these things are the Nations defiled which I cast out before you And héereby the lande is defiled I haue visited the iniquitie thereof vpon it and the lande hath spued out the inhabitaunts thereof Ye shall therefore keepe my statutes and mine ordinaunces and shall not doe anye of all these abhominations For whosoeuer shal doe so he shall be cut off from among his people And in the 20. Chapter of Leuiticus he hath appointed death to be the punishment of Incest which is not changed in the Ciuill lawes or Imperiall constitutions Bullinger fol. 236. INFANTS How Infants ought not to be pertakers of the Lords Supper AS touching Infants the institution of Christ doeth seclude them from the Supper because they cannot yet proue examine themselues neither yet celebrate the remembraunce of Christs death the which thing the Apostle Paule teacheth to be necessary for all those which come to the Communion of the Supper Marl. vpon Iohn 226. INFIDELITIE How Infidelitie is the cause of all euill LEt there not be in any an euill heart of Infidelitie ¶ Infidelitie is it which maketh thine heart abound in euill and if by any meanes it can get roome to lodge within thée thy hart is taken and imagineth from hence-foorth all mischiefe When our Sauiour Christ so many times reprooueth sundry sortes of men he maketh this a generall fault of all that they are vnfaithfull and flow to beleeue When Saint Paule condemneth them as reprobate men which doe neuer sée the light of the Gospell he maketh this the cause of their sinne that the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of their vnbeléeuing harts c. Deering IN OMNEM TERRAM c. ¶ Looke for the exposition of this in the word Sound INSTRVMENTS How they serued in the olde lawe SIng vnto him with Uiole and instrument of ten strings ¶ To sing of Instruments was a part of the Ceremonial seruice of the Temple which doth no more appertaine vnto vs then the Sacrifices Censings and lights Geneua Whereof these Instruments were made in King Salomons time Praise the Lord vppon
the ground and yet when the king calleth pay we neuerthelesse So that if we looke indifferentlye their condition was easier then ours and but euen a verie indifferent way both for the common people and the king Tindale fol. 7. Why they buried Iosephs bones Buried them in Sichem ¶ They buried Iosephs bones partly to performe their promise Gen. 50. 25. and partly for a remembraunce of Gods holye promises concerning the lande of promise and not to be abused as the Sepulchres and reliques in these our latter daies haue bene The Bible note IOSIA How his name was prophesied many yeares before AND bowed neither to the right hand nor to the left ¶ His zeale was prophessed of and his name mentioned by Iddo the Prophet more then thrée hundred yeares before 3. Reg. 13. 2. And being but eight yeares olde he sought the God of his father Dauid Geneua How he remoued the groues ¶ Looke Groues How he put out the Idolatrous Priests from ministring Neuerthelesse the Priests of the high places came not vp to the altar of the Lorde to Hierusalem ¶ Iosia thought not meete that those Priests which had serued Idols should be ministers in the temple of God The Bible note IRONICE What Ironice is IRonia is a figure in speaking when a man dissembleth in speach that which he thinketh not as in scoffing calling that foule which is faire or that swéete which is sowre ISAAC At what age he was sacrificed ISaac the sonne of Abraham was sacrificed by his Father in the 13. yeare of his life as Aben Esra and Saule do write but Iosephus affirmeth it to be done in the. 25. yeare Lanquet ISOPE The meaning of this place O Purge me with Isope I shall be cleane c. ¶ In the solempne sacrifice for sinne of which Nu. 19. and in the cleansing of the leaper of which Leuit. 14. There was Isope anexed and ioyned to By that sprinkling was signified right purenesse of heart for that praieth he héere that is for full remission of his sinne which once had and the fauour of God obteined the mind reioyseth with vnspeakable ioye and becommeth much whiter to the eye of the soule then doth anie Snowe to the bodely eye Sâ—me vnderstand by Isope the passion of Christ by which onely we are purified from our sinnes T. M. ISRAEL What Israel doth signifie Israel by 〈…〉 pretation is as much to saye as a man that feareth GOD. So that euery Christian is an Israelite a man that feareth God Wherfore when the Prophet saith Deliuer Israel out of all his troubles is as much to say as deliuer Lord euery true beléeuer Ric. Turnar Of the goodnesse of God toward Israel Beholde I haue purged thée and not for moneie c. ¶ Some reade beholde I haue purified thée but not as siluer I haue chosen thée out of the furnaice of affliction for mine own sake for mine owne sake haue I done this For lyke whom would they pollute mee truly I wil not giue my glory to any other HarkeÌ„ c. There be some that expound it thus I would not suffer thée wholy to perish for if I had proued and purified thee as golde and siluer is proued and purified from which all manner of drosse is cleansed there should nothing haue remained in thee but I brought thée vnder and proued thée in the furnaice of affliction that is wrapped thee in captiuitie and bondage in Aegypt from which I afterwarde deliuered thée and this haue I done for mine owne sake that is onely for mine owne name and glorie of mine owne gentlenesse and louinge kindnesse not for anye of thy merites or deseruinges which were none at all For how woulde the Gentiles Heathen haue blasphemed my name if I had rooted out mine owne people so haue made the truth of the promises which I had determined to fulfill in Christ vaine and vntrue For as well this prayse of my truth as the glory of the blessing promised in the séede of Abraham Dauid wil I not giue vnto another people or nation The health of the worlde shall come of the Iewes Iohn 4. and from none other The gladde tidinges of the health shall the whole world receiue of none other then of Christ by the preaching of the Apostles c. T. M. Of Israels aduersitie ¶ Looke in the word Nauell What Saint Paule meaneth by Israel of God And vpon Israel that perteineth to God ¶ Because that they which taught circumcision mixing the lawe with the Gospell were of the Israelites Héere Saint Paule doth séeme to put a difference betwéene them and the other which preached the gospell sincerely whom he calleth the Israel of God or that perteyneth vnto God Sir I. Cheeke IVBELY What the Iubely signifieth IT shall be a yeare of Iubely vnto you ¶ Iubely is of this Hebrew word Iobel which in English signifieth a Trumpet a yeare of singuler mirth and ioy and of much rest wherin their corne and all their fruites come forth without sowing tilling or anie other labours And also by this Iubely is signified the restoring of all things vnto her perfection which shall be after the general iudgement in that flourishing world when the chosen shall be admitted into libertie from all wretchednes pouertie anguish and oppression when all shall be fully restored againe in Christ that through the sinne of the first man was taken away T. M Then thou shalt cause to blow the Trumpet of the Iubely c. ¶ In the beginning of the 50. yeare was the Iubely so called because the ioyful tidings of libertie was publikely proclaimed by the sound of a Cornet Geneua Who and by whom the Iubely was first brought vp Boniface the 8. about the yeare of our Lord. 1300. ordeyned that the Iubely should be euerye hundred yeare Clement the sixt brought it backe to euery fiftie yeare And Sextus the fourth brought itâ— downe to euerye 25. yeare pretending the shortnesse of mans lyfe for a cloke to their owne gaine Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 128. IVDAS How this place of Iudas dipping is vnderstood HE that dippeth his hand with me in the dish ¶ That is to say whom I vouchsafed to come to my table alluding to the place Psa. 41. 9. which is not so to be vnderstood as though at yâ— selfe same instant yâ— the Lorde spake these wordes Iudas had his hand in the dish for that had bene an vndoubted token but it is meant of his tabling and eating with him Beza Wherevnto Iudas was called Iudas was not giuen Christ of his heauenlye Father for to be kept and preserued with the other vnto lyfe euerlasting but for to beare the office of an Apostle for a time which appereth to bée most true by that which Christ sayth All that my Father giueth mée shall come to mée and him that commeth I will not cast out The lyke maye be sayd of all those that for a time doe séeme
iudgement It meaneth not that the wicked shall not appeare in iudgement T. M. Whether a Iudge beeing guiltie in any crime may iudge an other accused of the selfe same crime Wherefore O man thou art in-excusable whosoeuer thou art that iudgest for in that thou iudgest an other thou condemnest thy selfe for thou y◠iudgest doest euen the self same thing ¶ Héere it seemeth such to be reproued which iudge others and that not amisse when as yet they themselues liue in the selfe same wicked actes Let vs sée whether their opinion bée vpright which thinke that such Iudges cannot nor ought not to giue sentence against others which are accused vnto them they themselues being guiltie of the selfe same fault but this were to ouerthrowe all publike wealths and vtterly to take away iudgements Neither doth Paule héere anie thing serue for the maintenaunce of this opinion but onelye sheweth that they most grieuouslye sinne which with a greate seueritie punish others and ouerpasse themselues They ought vndoutedly first to correct and amende themselues but yet Paule biddeth them not to forsake the office committed vnto them They vse also for this purpose to recite the saieng of Christ vnto them which accused the adulterous woman Hee which among you is without sinne let him cast the first stone at her But this sentence of Christ is not against iust punishments lawful iudgements Neither commaunded he them that they should not goe forward in accusing the woman whom they had taken in adulterie He himselfe was no Magistrate but the most high Preacher of God therefore that which was his office to doe he executed in perswading those hypocrits to repentance And he wold haue them first héerevnto to haue a regard by a liuely faith and repentaunce to deliuer themselues from the sins whereof they wer guiltie Neither forbad he but y◠they shuld execute y◠which the law of Moses commanded c. Pe. Mar. vpon the Rom. fo 36 ¶ Héere S. Paule speaketh against those men onely who being themselues filled with all wickednesse impietie yet be of all other most busie curious in noting reprehending other mens faults not of anie godly zeale but to iustifie themselues and to bring others into hatred and contempt The Bible note Wherefore Iudges are called Gods In all causes saith God to Moses of iniurie or wrong whether it be Oxe Asse Shéepe or Uesture or any lost thing which an other chalengeth let the cause of both parties be brought before the Gods whom the Gods condemne the same shall paye double vnto his neighbour Marke the Iudges are called Gods in the Scriptures because they are in Gods roome execute the commmaundements of God in an other place in the sayd chapter Moses chargeth saieng Neither speak euill of the rule◠of the people whosoeuer therefore resisteth them resisteth God for they are in the rowme of God and they that resist shal receiue dampnation Tindale fol. 110. I sayd ye are called Gods ¶ Meaning of Princes rulers who for their office are called Gods are made heere in earth as his Liuetenants wherefore if this noble title be giuē to man much more it apperteineth to him that is the sonne of GOD equall with the Father Geneua Of the last iudgement The Hebrewes doe crake vppon a certeine number of thousandes of yeares in which this worlde shoulde be determined and they attribute these wordes vnto the Prophet Elias There shall be sixe thousande yeares of this worlde Two thousande shall bée voide so they doe call the time which went before the lawe two thousande for the lawe and two thousand for Christ. In déede this saieng doth serue well to confute the obstinacye of the Iewes whereas they doe yet stubburnelye denie that Christ is come but to proue the determinate space and ende of the worlde it canne bée of no authoritie at all Lactantius doth also determine this worlde at the sixe thousand Augustine doth confute them which doth determine the thousandes of this worlde according vnto the number of the dayes in the wéeke affirming that the eyght daye is a figure of the resurrection and ende of the worlde As for mée I am well contented to bée ignoraunt of that which God woulde not haue mée to knowe whereby I doe not allowe their coniectures and gessinges which had rather argue in this matter and search the secretes of God then according vnto the admonition of the Lord watch walke in the study and seeking of true godlynesse Musculus vpon his Common place fol. 449. IVST Who is a iust man HE that liueth vnblameable and honestly among men and harmeth no man but is gladde to doe good to all men to his power such is called a Cicero or rather of all men a iust or righteous man Such a one was Symeon and diuers other named in Scripture Hemmyng What is meant by the iust man To the iust man saith Saint Paule there is no lawe set but to the vniust and disobedient c. ¶ By the iust man héere is ment not he which neuer had disease but he which knowing his disease séeketh out the Phisition and being cured kéepeth himselfe in health as much as may from any moe surfets Notwithstanding he shall neuer so kéepe himselfe but that his health that is his new obedience shall alway remaine fraile and vnperfect and shall continually néede the Phisition Wher by the way these thrée points are to be noted First the sicknesse it selfe second the knowing of the sicknesse thirdly the Phisition The sicknesse is sinne the knowing of the sicknesse is repentaunce the Phisition is Christ. Booke of Mar. fol. 1115. ¶ Whos 's hearts Gods spirite doeth direct to doe that willingly which the law requireth so that their godly affection is to them as a Lawe without further constraint Geneua The difference betweene a iust man and a man iustified A iust man is he that is endued with the vertue of Iustice which may increase or diminish in him but a iustified man is he whose sinnes are forgiuen him and he accounted righteous not for his owne worthinesse but for Christs sake Or thus a iust or righteous man is he that exerciseth himselfe in the kéeping of Gods commaundements so neere as God shal giue him grace and the infirmitie of mans corrupt nature will admitte But a iustified man is he that hauing no Iustice or righteousnesse in him before is accepted of God for iust his iniquitie being pardoned and his sinnes couered ¶ Looke Righteous IVSTICE The definition of Iustice. MEn doe sundry wise define Iustice some man bringeth one thing and some another Aristides said It is not to couet any other mans goods In the definition of Iustice some man bringeth one thing and some another which rather belong to some parte thereof then whereby the whole is defined In my iudgement we must first see what it is to be iust that thereby we may come to the knowledge of Iustice
the holy Communion euery Sunday King William Conquerour at a counsell at Winchester where the Popes Legate was put downe many Bishops Abbots Priors He gaue to Lanfranck yâ— Archbishoprick of Canterburie the Archbishopricke of Yorke vnto Thomas a Cauot of Beyon King Henrie the first toke an oath as well of the Clergie as of the Laitie sware them vnto him vnto William his sonne and made Bishops and Abbots c. King Henrie the second made Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterburie who thereat was sworne to the king and to his lawes and to his sonne Edward the first made a statute at North-hampton that after that time no man shall giue neither sell nor bequeath neither chaunge neither by Title assigne landes tenements neyther rents to anie man of religion without the kings leaue In the daies of king Richard the second it was enacted against the Pope that it should be lawfull for no man to try anie cause before him vpon paine to forfait all their goods and to suffer perpetuall prison Elentherius the Pope writing to Lucius king of England said thus vnto him Petijstis a nobis c. Ye haue required of vs to sende the Romane and Imperiall lawes vnto you to vse the same in your Realme of England We may alwaies reiect the lawes of Rome and the lawes of the Emperour but so can we not the lawes of God for ye haue receiued through the mercie of God the lawe and fayth of Christ into your kingdome you haue both the Testaments in your Realme Take out of them by the grace of God and aduice of your subiects a lawe and by that lawe through Gods assuraunce rule your Realme but be you Gods Uicar in that Kingdome A. G. How kings doe reigne by the prouidence of God By me kings reigne c. ¶ Whereby he declareth that honours dignitie or riches come not of mans wisedome or industry but by the prouidence of God Geneua How the kings hearts are in the hands of God The kings heart is in the hands of the Lord c. ¶ Though kings séeme to haue all things at commandement yet are they not able to bring their owne purposes to passe any other wise then God hath appointed much lesse are the inferiours able Geneua How kings were called Nurses The king is called of the Prophet the nursing Father and the Quéenes are named Nurses that although the ministrie of féeding perteine to the Ministers yet the prouision for the foode the ouersight that the children of God be duelye fedde with the right milke with the true bread and water of lyfe belongeth to the Princes therefore haue they the name of Nurses not to nourish children in ciuill matters and corporall fâ—ode onelye but as in ciuill so in Lacte verbi In the milke of the worde of God also Is this onelye the cherishing of the good childe by giuing lands reuenews maintenance and liuing to the Church Is this onely the displing of the froward childe or as ye call it the punishing of the heretike No Maister Stapleton Lyra his exposition and yours doe not agrée He sayth they are Nurses what to doe To féede whom The faithfull ones wherewith With the milke of the word what word Euen the word and Sacraments of God Whereof sith the ministrie and execution belongeth not vnto them but vnto the Ministers it followeth necessarye therevppon that the prouision direction appointing care and ouersight which is the supreame gouernement belongeth to them And this is that which Lyra confesseth and thereby vrgeth of Constantine that he was such another Nurse as did kéepe defend mainteine vpholde and féede the poore faithfull ones of Christ yea carried them in his bosome as it were and procured them to be fedde did set forth Proclamations not onelye against false religion but also to sette forth to exhort and allure vnto the christen fayth caused not the Idolatrous religion to be suppressed but caused also on the other part the true knowledge religion of Christ to be brought in and planted among the people and did not onelye make lawes for punishing of heretikes and Idolaters but also reformed all manner abuses about Gods seruice Thus sayth the Bishoppe out of Eusebius did Constantine playe the Nurses parte I. Bridges fol. 622. Of the kings that serued Iosua And put your feete vpon the neckes of those kinges ¶ This was not done of cruelnesse but to confirme and strengthen the Princes and the whole hoast of Israel which had not killed all but suffered some to flye into Cities that they shoulde heereafter spare no kinges of the Cananites whose possessions the Lord gaue vnto them in as much as they were commanded to slaye all Deut. 20. 17. T. M. ¶ By this Iosua woulde encourage his Captaines and signifie vnto them what victorie they shoulde looke for of the rest of their enimies séeing kings are thus by them serued The Bible note How wicked kings are of God and not of God They haue reigned and not by me They were Princes I knew them not ¶ These wordes are Gods complaint against the wickednesse of those kings of Israel that directed not theyr gouernement by Gods lawe not that they were not kings but that they were wicked kings not that they wer by no meanes ordeined of God for Omnis potestas est a Deo All power is of God And God saith in generall Per me reges regnant Kings rule by me so wel heathen as faithful kings Pilates power was from aboue These kings of Israel Ieroboam Achab Iehu c. were of Gods ordeining Yea Iehu whose house héere GOD complained vpon and sayd He and his ofspring raigned not by him were yet notwithstanding made kings reigned by him In respect of their ambition and priuate affections their reigne was not of him In respect of Gods ordinaunce of his iustice of his prouidence it was not onely permitted but also especially appointed of him as both the Text is euident and your own Glose meaning the Papists coÌ„fesseth for Ieroboam the elder yâ— it was done by Gods will although it were done also by the peoples sinne that regarded not the will of God but followed their owne selfe will And so in some respect it was not the work of God and yet in other respects it was the worke of God And so héere he expoundes himselfe and sayth I know them not not that he was ignoraunt of them but he acknowledged not their doinges Secondly neither the Prophet Ose nor anie other Prophet tooke vpon them to depose any of those wicked kings but to declare the wrath and vengeance of God to come vpon them after which declarations they did not subtract from them their ciuill obedience or counted them from that day forward no longer to be their kings or exhorted the Church of God to forsake their politike gouernement but hauing declared their message from God they let them
not onely know Christ but also they knew both Moses and Helias that talked with him notwithstanding they had neuer séene them before The rich man being in hell knew both Abraham and Lazarus being in ioye Saint Gregorie in his Dialogue sayth There is a certeine thing sayth hée in Gods elect and chosen people which is to bee meruayled at for they béeing in Heauen doe not onelye knowe them whome they knewe in this worlde but they shall knowe also the good people which they neuer sawe euen as perfectlye as though they had afore both seene and knowne them For when they in that euerlasting inheritaunce shall sée the auncientâ— Fathers they shall not bée vnknowne to them in sight whome they alwayes knowe in worke For when all there with one cleerenesse do behold God what is it that they shall not there know where they knowe him that knoweth all things How the Heathen doubt not in this doctrine I haue a greate desire sayde Cato the elder to sée your Fathers whome I honoured and â—oued But I wish not onelye to talke with them whome I haue knowne in this world but with such also as of whom I haue hearde and read yea and I my selfe haue written If I were once goinge thetherward I woulde neuer haue minde to tourne hether agayne Againe he sayth O that noble and pleasaunt daye when it shall be my chaunce to come vnto the heauenlye companye and blessed fellowshippe and departe from this troublesome and stinking worlde for then shall I goe not onelye to those men of whom I spake vnto you before but also vnto my Cato who was as worthye a man as euer lyued and as noble And it is written of Socrates that when he went vnto his death among many other things he sayd that it is a most blessed and godlye thing for them to come together which haue liued iustly and faythfully And saith he what a greate pleasure thinke you it to be friendly to talke with Orpheus Mâ—saeus Homerus Hesiodus and such like verily I would dye full oft if it were possible to get those things yâ— I speake of c. Basil. ¶ Looke Luther Labans Gods How easie Labans Gods were to steale away â—Herfore hast thou stolne away my Gods ¶ Chrisostome expounding this complaint of Laban against Iacob for stealing away his Gods saith thus Wherfore hast thou stoln away my Gods O what a passing folly is this be thy gods such ones that a man may steale them And art thou not ashamed to say Wherfore hast thou stolne away my Gods This is resembled to the Sacrament hanging in the Pixe Canopy which be as easie to steale away as Labans Gods wer LABOVRS The meaning of this place following OTher men laboured and ye are entered into their labours ¶ This ought to be vnderstoode of the preaching of the kingdome of God Among the Israelites and among whom the Prophets had laboured alreadie into whose labours the Apostles did enter But when the Apostles did preach amonge the heathen they were the first labourers as Paule saith I haue planted Apollo hath watered Againe I haue layd the foundation and an other hath builded vpon it 1. Cor. 3. 6. and. 10. Sir I. Cheeke LADDER What is signified by this Ladder ANd behold ther stood a ladder vpon the earth yâ— top of it reached vp to heauen ¶ By this Ladder of many steps is signified the degrées of generatioÌ„ by the which Christ after the flesh descended from Adam vnto the virgin Marie which brought him forth which degrées are numbred in the beginning of Mathews Gospell Lyra. ¶ It maye signifie Christ by whose mediation all graces come downe to vs and all helpe and by whom we ascende vp into heauen The Bible note ¶ Christ is the Ladder by whom God man are ioyned together by whom the Angels minister vnto vs. All graces by him are giuen vnto vs and we by him ascend into heauen Geneua LAY MEN. How lay men ought to read the Scripture TAke héede to thy selfe therefore onely that thou forgette not those things which thine eyes hath seene that they depart not out of thy heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy sonnes and thy sonnes sonnes Heare O Israel the Lord our God is Lord onely and thou shalt loue yâ— Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy might All these wordes which I commaund thée this day shall be in thy hart and thou shalt shew them vnto thy children and thou shalt talke of them when thou art at home in thy house as thou walkest by the way when thou lyest down and when thou risest vp And thou shalt vinde them for a signe vpon thy hand they shall be warnings betwéene thine eyes and thou shalt write them vpon the poasts of thine house and vpon thy gates c. Thy word is a Lanterne vnto my féete and a light vnto my path Blessed is the man that setteth his delectation in the wil of God and his meditation on Gods lawe night and daye ¶ Héere men bée blessed that studye the worde of God D. Barnes Take the helmet of health and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God ¶ Héere is it lawfull for laye men to haue the spirit of God D. Barnes If anye man come to you and bring not this learning receiue him not into your house nor yet salute him ¶ This was written to a Ladie and her children D. Barnes Christ saith to the Pharesies search Scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life All Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improue to enforme to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God maye be perfect and prepared vnto all good workes You may all interprete Scripture one by one that all may learne and all men maye haue comfort But lette your women kéepe silence in the congregation c. If anye will learne anie thing let them aske their husbandes at home ¶ The women was learned belike for he néede not to commaunde them to kéepe silence and if they were vnlearned And also how should the women learne of their husbands at home except they were learned themselues D. Barnes The noblest of Thessalonica which receiued the worde searched the Scriptures dayly whether those thinges that Paule spake were true or no. Priscilla and Aquila did expound vnto Apollo which was a great learned man the perfect vnderstanding of Scriptures ¶ These wer lay persons of whom this great learned and eloquent man disdayned not to be taught nor was not ashamed to be instructed in the doctrine of Christ of a poore christen man and his wife D. Barnes Also Eunuchus that was the treasurer to the Quéene of the Aethiopians did reade Esay the Prophet the which he vnderstoode not till God sent him Philip to declare it vnto him
called an exteriour honouring or a bodely seruice c. If that be true it followeth that they giue that honour to stocks and stones that onely pertaineth to God which doe any exteriour honour whatsoeuer it be This word Latria wherwith the simple people be deceiued is a Greeke word and after S. Austen it signifieth no more but seruice which cannot be denied is giuen to stockes and stones Thinke you that the Children of Israel with their high Priest Aaron could not haue made this Pope holye excuse that they were not so mad nor so foolish as to honor the golden Calfe but rather to referre the honour to the liuing God they had a good colour for them for they knew none other God nor Saint but him and yet this excuse was not lawfull nor could be allowed when Moses came with the word of God Marke also what hée was that made the Calfe not a foole nor ignoraunt person among the people or one of no authoritie but the most wisest man eloquent chiefe among them which was to kéepe the people together in good order He also made a Calfe with yâ— which thing all their Fathers had pleased God in dooing Sacrifice with them So that they might well thinke that it might bée acceptable to God to bée honoured in the Image of a Calfe before any other Image But all these colours is naked before the word of God D. Barnes LAVVE What the Lawe is and what is to be vnderstood thereby THe lawe saith Iustinian is a facultie or science of the thing that is good and right as Celsus ther defineth Or thus The lawe is a certaine rule or Canon to doe well by which ought to be knowen of all men Cicero de lege saith that the Lawe is a certaine rule proceeding from the minde of God perswading right and forbidding wrong So that the Lawe is a certaine rule a directory shewing what is good and what is euill what is vertue and what is vice what profitable and what disprofitable what to be done and what to be left vndone ¶ The Lawe is a doctrine that biddeth good and forbiddeth euill as the Commaundements doe speake Booke of Mar. fol. 1110. This word Law maye not be vnderstoode héere after the common manner as to vse Paules tearmes after the manner of men or after mans wayes that thou wouldest saye the Lawe héere in this place were nothing but learning which teacheth what ought to be done and what ought not to be done as it goâ—th with mans lawe where the lawe is fulfilled with outward workes onely though the heart be neuer so farre off but God iudgeth after the ground of the heart yea the thoughts of the secret moouings of the minde Therefore his law requireth the grounde of the heart and loue from the bottome thereof and is not content with the outward workes onely but rebuketh those workes most of all that spring not of loue from the lowe bottome of the heart though they appeare outward neuer so honest and good As Christ rebuketh the Pharisies aboue all other that were open sinners and calleth them hypocrites that is to say Simulars and painted Sepulchers which Pharesies yet liued no men so pure as pertaining to the outward deedes and workes of the lawe Yea and Paule in the third Chapter of his Epistle to the Philippians confesseth of himselfe that as touching the law he was such a one as no man could complaine on and notwithstanding was yet a murtherer of the Christen persecuted them formented them so sore that he compelled them to blaspheme Christ and was altogether mercilesse as many which nowfaine outward good workes are Tindale ¶ We vnderstand by the lawe these commaundements onely which God gaue by Moses in two Tables of stone wherein is comprehended all the rest of the doctrine of God contained in the holy Scriptures The good things which God alloweth and requireth of vs which we are bound to doe and the euill that displeaseth him which we ought not to followe and beside that it sheweth vs our offences and sinnes and how we stand debters vnto the iudgment of God and preacheth vnto vs nothing els but the very wrath and cursse of him which we haue deserued in offending of him By the law we are all condemned before God as transgressors of all his commaundements and thereby declared worthy of death and eternall damnation So that the law serueth rather to condemne then to saue vs. And yet there is no fault in the law which is good holy and iust but the fault is in vs which are wicked of nature and doe not accomplish the law The law doth vtter our sinnes and sheweth vs plainly our disease and how daungerous it is as the Phisitions doth but it cannot heale vs but sendeth vs to another which is able to heale our disease and none but he one Christ Iesus our Lord. The law is deuided into two parts The first Table pertaineth to God which is this Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Thou shalt make thée no Image nor likenes c. Thou shalt not take the name of God in vaine c. Remember to sanctifie the Sabboth day c. The other Table pertaineth to our neighbour which are these Honor thy father thy mother c. Kil not Commit none adulterie Steale not Beare no false witnes against thy neighbor Couet not thy neighbors house nor his wife c. And all the doctrine comprised in these two Tables Christ reduced into ij points which are these Loue God aboue al things thy neighbor as thy selfe for all the law the Prophets depend vpon these ij commaundements Then whatsoeuer ye wold that men should do vnto you do ye the same vnto them P. Viret Platoes definition of the Lawe Plato in his Booke of Lawes of a Publike wealth and in Minos séemeth thus to define the lawe namely That it is an vpright manner of gouerning which by conuenient meanes directeth vnto the best ende in setting foorth paines vnto the transgressours and rewardes vnto the obedient This definition maye bée most aptlye applyed vnto the Lawe of God yet there can be no such Law vnlesse it be of God Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 137. What the office and vse of the law is The vse and ende of the lawe is to accuse and condempne vs guiltie such as liue in securitie that they may sée themselues to be in daunger of sin wrath death eternall that so they may be terrified brought euen to the brinke of desperation trembling and quaking at the falling of a leafe And in that they are such they are vnder the lawe for the law requireth perfect obedience vnto God and condemneth all those that doe not accomplish the same Now it is certaine that there is no man liuing which is able to perfourme this obedience which notwithstanding God straightly requireth of vs. The law therefore iustifieth not but condemneth according to
to accuse you that being accused ye should feare fearing you should craâ—e pardon not presume of your owne strength Againe The law was giuen for this purpose of great to make little to shew that thou hast no strengh of thine owne to righteousnesse that thou as poore vnworthy and néedie shouldst flye vnto grace After he furneth his speach to God saith Doe so Lord doe so mercifull Lordâ— commaund that which cannot be fulfilled yea command that which cannot but by thy grace be fulfilled that when men cannot fulfill it by their owne strength euery mouth maye bee stopped no man may think himselfe great Let all be litle ones let al yâ— world be guiltie before thée Ca. in his In. 2. b. ca. 7. se. 9. How the lawe was giuen by Moses The lawe was giuen by Moses but grace veritie came by Iesus Christ. ¶ This place doth Tindale in his exposition of the 5. 6. 7. of S. Mathew expound on this wise Though Moses saith he gaue the lawe yet he gaue no man grace to doe it nor to vnderstand it aright or wrote it in any mans hart to consent that it was good and to wish after power to fulfill it But Christ giueth grace to doe it and to vnderstand it aright and writeth it with his holy spirit in the tables of the hearts of men and maketh it a true thing there and no hypocrisie Folio 184. How we are dead through the lawe But I through the lawe am dead to the lawe that I might liue vnto God ¶ But I through the lawe am dead to the lawe that is by the lawe of libertie grace graunted in Christ I am deliuered from the lawe of bondage ministred by Moses and from the burthen and cursse thereof Tindale ¶ Are dead concerning the lawe by the body of Christ. ¶ Because the body of Christ is made an offering and a sacrifice for our sinnes whereby God is pleased and his wrath appeased for Christs sake the Holy Ghost is giuen to all beléeuers whereby the power of sinne is in vs daily weakned we are accounted dead to the lawe for that the lawe hath no dominion ouer vs. The Bible note ¶ Looke Vnder the lawe How the Lawe increaseth sinne But the lawe in the meane time entred in that sinne should increase ¶ The lawe increaseth sinne and maketh our nature more gréedie to doe euill because the law ministreth no power nor lust to yâ— the biddeth or to refrain from yâ— the forbiddeth Tin Why the lawe is called the messenger of death The lawe is called the messenger of death namely becaus that if we haue no more but the doctrine that is contained in the lawe we shall be vtterly ouerwhelmed afore God we shal be cast away without any remedy Then if God indite vs but according to the forme of yâ— lawe he shall discouer filthines inough in vs. Cal. vpon Iob. fo 172. What the lawe of God requireth The lawe of God requireth loue from the bottome of the heart and cannot be satisfied nor fulfilled with the workes therof as mans lawe is for the lawe is spirituall as S. Paule saith Rom. 7. which no earthly creature by his owne strength enforcement is able to fulfill but by the operation and working of the spirit of God Tindale What it is to be vnder the lawe To be vnder the lawe is to deale with the workes of the law and to worke without the spirit and grace for so long no doubt sinne raigneth in vs through the lawe that is to say the lawe declareth that we are vnder sinne and that sinne hath power and domination ouer vs séeing we cannot fulfill the lawe namely with the heart forasmuch as no man of nature fauoureth the lawe consenteth therevnto and delighteth therein which thing is excéeding great sinne yâ— we cannot consent to the lawe which lawe is nothing els but the will of God c. So that to be vnder the lawe is not to be able to fulfill the lawe but to be debter to it and not able to paye that which the Lawe requireth c. Tindale ¶ To be vnder the lawe is nothing els but to be bounde or subiect vnto sinne for the law through sinne condemneth vs as guiltie But to be dead vnto the law is nothing els but to haue that extinguished in vs by which the law accuseth and condemneth vs and that is the olde man the flesh naturall lust corruption of nature when these things be once dead in vs that Christ liueth and raigneth in vs we can by no meanes be condemned by the law c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 161. What it is not to be vnder the Lawe Not to be vnder the lawe is to haue a frée hart renued with the spirite so that thou hast lust inwardly of thine own accord to do that which the lawe commaundeth without compulsion yea though there were no lawe Tin in his pro. to the Rom. Why Paule calleth the booke of Genesis the lawe Tell me ye that would be vnder the law c. ¶ Why doth Paule call the booke of Genesis out of the which he alledgeth the historie of Ismael and Isaac the Lawe séeing that booke containeth nothing at all concerning the law but onely containeth a plaine historie of Abrahams two children Paule is wont to call the first booke of Moses the law after the manner of the Iewes which although it containe no lawe besides the lawe of circumcision but the principall doctrine thereof is concerning faith and that Patriarks pleased God because of their faith yet the Iewes notwithstanding onely because of the law of circumcision which is there contained called the booke of Genesis the lawe as well as the other bookes of Moses so did Paule himselfe also being a Iewe. And Christ vnder the title of the lawe comprehendeth not onely the bookes of Moses but also the Psalmes Iohn 15. 25. But it is that the words might be fulfilled which were writen in the lawe They hated me without a cause Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 205. How the lawe is impossible for a man to fulfill The Pelagians saith S. Austen thinke themselues cunning men when they say God would not commaund that thing that he knoweth a man is not able to doe who is there that knoweth not this But therefore God commaundeth vs to do some thing that we are not able to doe that we may vnderstand what we ought to craue of him Iewel fol. 3â—7 ¶ And the law had righteousnes but for a time not because it could iustifie before the Lord for it could not so forgiue sinne that of sinners it could make them iust But to this end it was giuen that it might be a terrour prouoking men to a godly life punishing the disobedient and vnreuerent persons Therefore is not a lawe giuen which can giue life but condempne I. Gough
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.
The Gospell is the word of grace Act. 14. 20. The Lawe is the word of dispaire Deut. 27. The Gospell is the word of comfort Luke 2. The Lawe is the word of vnrest Rom. 7. The Gospell is the worde of peace Eph. 6. LAZARVS How the poore and rich are matched together RIches are not condemned in themselues as we sée how our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed vs by matching the poore and the rich together in the kingdome of heauen when he speaketh of Lazarus in S. Luke He saith there that the Angels carried Lazarus for albeit he was an out-cast among men and a poore creature of whom no account was made insomuch that he was forsaken of all men yet neuerthelesse behold how yâ— Angels carrie his soule into Abrahams bosome And what was this Abraham A man rich both in cattell monie in householde and in all other things sauing houses and lands for these were not lawfull for him to haue because it behoued him to tarrie Gods leasure till he gaue him the land of Canaan to inherit True it is that he purchased a burieng place but he had not anie inheritance notwithstanding that his moueables wer verie great Therefore when we sée the soule of Lazarus carried by the Angels into the bosome of Abraham who is the Father of the faithfull we perceiue that God of his infinite grace and goodnesse calleth both rich and poore vnto saluation Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 7. Of the loosing of Lazarus Loose him and let him goe ¶ This was commaunded to be done to amplifie the glory of the myracle yâ— the Iewes might féele with their hands the work of God which they saw with their eies For he which had sent away death with the power of his word could either haue made the graue clothes to haue falne of by their owne accord or els yâ— Lazarus should haue vnwound himself But Christ would haue the hands of the standers by to be witnesse of the same But too rediculous are yâ— Papists which vpon this place ground their auricular confession Christ saye they wold haue Lazarus after he had restored him to life to bée loosed by his disciples therfore it is not sufficient for vs to be reconciled to God except the church also forgiue vs our sinnes But whervpon do they define gather that the office of loosing Lazarus was enioined the disciples we rather gather by the text that it was enioyned the Iewes to the end they might haue all scruple of doubting taken from them Therfore this place serueth no more their turne for auricular confession then doth yâ— othere of the ten lepers in the 17. chapter of Luke the which also they haue shamefully abused Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 419. LEFT HAND What the left hand of God doth signifie AS the right hand is taken for euerlasting life so doth the left hand signifie the torments of the wicked LEGION What a Legion is EUerie Legion conteined commonly 6000. footemen 732. horsemen whereby héere he meaneth an infinit number LEAGVE What a League is A League is that bonde betwéene men whereby enterchaungeably they testifie both by wordes and signes that they are bound to performe certeine things so that they handle together with good faith And if it be a bond and perteineth to relation it is grounded vpon humaine actions is referred to those things which the parties considerated ought to performe yâ— one to the otherâ— It is expressed by words for the most part signes are added God when after the floud he made a league with mankinde he did not only declare the forme of yâ— obligation by words but also he put the rainebow in yâ— cloudes as a witnes And in the league which hée made with Abraham he put the signe of circumcision Furthermore in that which was made by Moses at the mount Sinai there were twelue pillers erected and the people was sprinkled with bloud Iosua also when he should dye erected vp a verye great stone thereby to seale the league renued betwéene the people and God Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 73. Of three kinde of leagues There are thrée kinde of leagues The first kinde is when the conquerours set lawes to those whome they haue conquered in punishing them and commanding them what they will haue them afterward to doe The second kinde is when things being yet souÌ„d neither part ouercome they coÌ„mune togethers that things taken from the one part may be restored and couenaunts of peace may bée established The third kinde is when there is no warre betwéene the parties and certeine Princes or cities are ioyned together by some couenaunts either to liue the more peaceably or els to take in hand some coÌ„mon affaires c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 73. LEND ¶ Looke Vsurie LENT Wherevpon the Lenten fast was grounded THere is none other cause of this fasting theÌ„ of yâ— which Moses fasted when he receiued the law at the hands of yâ— Lord. For sith yâ— miracle was shewed in Moses to stablish the authoritie of the lawe it ought not to haue ben omitted in Christ least the Gospell should séeme to giue place to the lawe But since that time it neuer came in any mans minde vnder coulour of following of Moses to require such a forme of fasting in the people of Israel Neither did any of the holy prophets fathers follow it when yet they had minde and zeale inough to godly exercises for that which is sayd of Helias that he fasted fortie daies without meate or drinke tendeth to none other end but that the people should know that he was stirred vp to be a restorer of the law from yâ— which almost all Israel had departed Therfore it was a more wrongful zeale and ful of superstition yâ— they did set forth fasting with the title colour of following Christ. Howbeit in the manner of fasting there was then great diuersitie as Cassiodorus rehearseth out of Soâ—rates in the ninth booke of his historie For the Romanes sayth he had but thrée wéekes but in these thrée was a continuall fasting except on the Sundaie and Saterday The Slauonians and Grecians had sixe weekes other had seauen But their fasting was by diuided times and they disagréed no lesse in difference of meates Some did eate nothing but bread water some added hearbs some did not forbeare fish and foule some had no difference in meates Of this diuersitie Augustine also maketh mention in the latter Epistle to Ianuary Caluine in his Insti 4. b. chap. 12. Sect. 20. Why the Fathers instituted Lent The Fathers when they sawe men liue very carelesly and negligently thought it good that they should be compelled after a sort to renew godlynesse in some part of the yeare somwhat to bridle the fiercenes of yâ— flesh And for this thing they thought that the fortie daies before Easter were most méet that men should so long haue their mindes both occupied in repenting also
therefore she doth willingly submit her self to them in all things for God For she knoweth verie well that God would that euerie man should be subiect vnto them in all things which are of their charge And that they which doe resist the same resist the ordinance of God and do set vp themselues against him Ro. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. Pet. Viret How the Ecclesiasticall person is subiect to the ciuill Magistrate It perteineth to ecclesiasticall persons to iudge in spirituall causes but if anie of them swarue from the right rule of iustice he is subiect to the correction and punishment of the ciuill magistrate As Aaron had his authoritie of iudgement in spiritual causes yet was he reproued by Moses And the high Priest was deposed by Salomon and Sadoc set in his place And so shuld Ahas if he had ben a goodly prince haue deposed Vriah for making the prophane Altar How Magistrates that doe not perswade the people to Gods worde are not to be obeied in cause of conscience The. xxi Princes that were sent to explorate and search the priuitie and conditions of the land of Canaan two of them perswaded the people to beleeue Gods promises and not to feare the people that dwell in the lande Unto these godlye Princes was no faith nor eredence giuen of the people The Princes that perswaded the thing contrarie vnto God were beleeued of the people and their counsell admitted By this we learne that such Magistrates as perswade the people to Gods word should be beléeued and obeied the other not in cause of conscience ther must God onely be heard Act. 5 29. Math. 10. 28. Or els people shall faile of a right faith For he that knoweth not what his duetie is to God and his lawes will beléeue rather a lye with his fore-fathers then the truth with yâ— worde of God And this man is no méet auditor nor disciple of the word of God 1. North. MAGNIFIE What it is to Magnifie THis day will I begin to magnifie thée ¶ To magnifie properly is to aduaunce and set forth excéedingly and to bring him in estimation as it is sayde Gen. 12. and often in the Psalmes T. M. MAHOMET Of the rising vp of this false Prophet MAhomet of Arabia as most men saye of the mother side descended from Abraham by the linage of Ismael his son which he had by Agar his seruaunt which was a Iew béeing fatherlesse and motherlesse He was by the Scenites solde to a great rich Merchaunt who loued him so greatly for his fauour and wit that he made him ruler of all his merchaundise and businesse and was verie diligent in his maisters affayres and gained much by occupieng with the Iewes Christians and in vsing their company learned many things both of the one lawe and of the other His Maister chaunced to dye without heyre leauing his wise verie rich who being about the age of 50. yeares liked the younge man Mahomet so well that shée tooke him to husband and made him of a poore man very rich At the same time it chaunced a Monke named Sergius a man of verie euill nature and verie subtile who fled Constantinople for heresie to fall into familiaritie with Mahomet by whose instruction he increased so in Magicall arte that by his counsell and aide hée tooke vppon him to make the people beléeue that he was a Prophet and shewing some points of Magike he first perswaded his wife and his householde He had also an infirmitie called the falling sicknesse And when his wife being sore afraide thereof would aske him what it was hée made her beléeue that it was the Angell of God which came oftentimes to speake vnto him and forasmuch as he coulde not abide as man the diuine presence he fell into such agonie and alteration of spirit After this his wife died and left him meruailous riches who then what for the riches yâ— constaÌ„t report that went on Mahomet the Prophet he became in greate reputation amonge the Gentiles And so by the counsell of Sergius he called himselfe the greate Prophet of God and shortly after when his name was published and of great authoritie he deuised a lawe or kinde of religion called Alcaron In the which he toke some part well neere of all the heresies that had ben before his time With the Sabellians he diuided the trinitie with yâ— Maniches he affirmed to be but two persoÌ„s in the deitie he denied the equalitie of the father the son with Eâ—nonius and sayd with Macedone the holy Ghost was a creature and approued the multitude of wiues with yâ— Nicholaâ—tes he borrowed of the Iewes circumcision and of the Gentiles much superstition and somewhat he toke of the Christian veritie beside many diuelish fantasies inuented of his own braine Those that obeied his lawes be called Saraseâ—s When he had liued fortie yeares he died of the falling sicknesse which he had of long time saieng that when he was taken therewith yâ— the Angell Gabriel appeared vnto him whose brightnesse he could not behold He was buried at Medina thrée daies iourney from the red sea an hundred miles from Mecha where is now the chiefe temple of his law He was after yâ— incarnation of Christ 600. yeares Of the faire shew of holynesse in the kingdome of Mahomet In outward pretence of religion euen the common sorte of their people excell the Popish Monksâ— Yeaâ— euen they that are best reformed For not onely their Clergie Monks but also their communaltie say the coÌ„mon praiers together fiue times euerie day Namely at the Sun rising at noone at after noone at the Sun setting and after supper when they goe to bed At which time or they go to pray they wash themselues they make themselues bare foote they knéele downe vpon the ground and the noble men and commons intermedling themselues altogether with the King accomplish their ordinarye praiers with certeine bowing and falling flatte downe without some lawfull let no man may neglect the ordinary praiers vnpunished They keepe their ordinarie holydayes and fasting daies with great deuotion and reuerence They make often exhortation to holynesse of lyfe to the people-ward To dealing of doles To making of pilgrimages in remembraunce of their Saints and specially of the Prophet Mahomet They haue many Hospitals as well in their high waies as in their cities for the receiuing and succouring of poore folke Pilgrimes They haue Monkes of such spare and staied behauiour as neuer was heard of both in diet in apparell in forsaking of al things and in withdrawing themselues from the company of the common multitude So as they maye seeme to resemble rather Iohn Baptist yea or the very Apostles for the straitnesse of their lyfe Some of them haue visions rauishments traunces and some of them are renowmed for myracles as well in their life as after their death Moreouer ther is wonderfull honestie and behauiour among them
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.
defused in all things to the which he hath bene accustomed to be made lesse to walke the narrow way whereby he shal finde such an heape of temptations and so continuall that it shall bée impossible to endure or to stande but by prayer and stronge faith Tindale ¶ Looke Straite gate NATVRE What Nature is NAture saith Plato is that thing that God will His meaning is that nature is subiect and obedient ot God and that there is neither chaunge nor necessitie in the course of nature but al things are ordred by Gods omnipotencie natural causes are onely the instruments of Gods will It was Gods will that Christ should take the natural substance of mans body that in al things he shuld be like vnto his brethren that his body should be a creature And as S. Austen saith should be in one place This is Gods knowne and expresse will Therfore by Platos iudgement this is nature Nature is sundrie waies defined Some doe take it to be a certeine strength voide of reson stirring vp necessarie motions in our bodies Againe some doe iudge it to be a strength which hath reson order as procéeding some certein way declaring what the cause of euery thing worketh what followeth the quicknes actiuitie Wherof no art nor hand neither workmaÌ„ is able to attaine vnto by immitation or following it Epicure doth call all thinges by the name of nature Augustine defineth it after this manner Nature saith he is a certein strength power put into things created by God which giueth to each that which belongeth vnto it Surely the very word séemeth to signifie that nature is called to be the same which is proper vnto euery thing that as grafted bred in it at the verye beginning so yâ— whatsoeuer any thing is of the birth as it were yâ— is the nature therof Lactantius saith yâ— nature is termed of the latin word Nascendo which is of birth My opinion saith Lactantius is not yâ— nature is the thing it selfe but the proper peculiar strength of the thing naturally giuen vnto it straight way froÌ„ the beginning therof whereby it receiueth yâ— qualitie which it hath not only of being but also of doing bearing begetting c. What the nature of Gods word is The nature of Gods word is yâ— whosoeuer readeth it or heareth it reasoned disputed before him it will begin immediatly to make him euery day better better till he be growne to a perfect man in the knowledge of Christ loue of the lawe of God or else make him worse worse till he be hardned yâ— he openly resist the spirit of God and then blaspheme after the example of Pharao Coran Abirâ—on Balam Iudas Symon Magus such other Tindale What the nature of God is Of the nature of God Augustine writeth on this wise All natures either is God who hath no beginning or is not God because he is the beginner therof As for yâ— which hath God for yâ— beginner of it by whoÌ„ it is some is not made some is made That which is not made yet for all that is of him either is begotten of him either procéedeth froÌ„ him That which is born is the onely sonne That which procéedeth is the holy spirit and this trinitie is of one and selfe same nature For these three be one each of them is God altogether one God immutable euerlasting without any beginning or end of time But nature which is made is called a creature God is called a creator I meane the Trinitie Musculus How the nature of any creature in it selfe is not euill howsoeuer it be vsed When Hierico was destroied all things accursed not lawfull for the Israelites to touch any thing therof yet was the gold the siluer their brasse yron vessels carried into the tresure house of the Lord and consecrated vnto him Gedeon was commaunded to take sacrifice that Oxe of his Fathers to God which his Father had sed brought vp to be sacrificed vnto Baal yea to burne that Oxe with yâ— selfe same wood that was consecreated and dedicated vnto the Idoll Bucer saith yâ— for any thing to be a note of Antichrist is not in the nature of any creature in it selfe for to yâ— end nothing was made of God but it hangeth altogether of consenting to Antichrists religion and the professing therof the which consent and professing beeing chaunged into the consent and professing Christianitie there can sticke in the things themselues no note or marke of Antichristes religion The vse of Bells was a marke of Antichristianitie in our Churches when the people by them were called to Masses and when they were ronge against tempests Now they are a token of Christianitie when the people by theÌ„ are gathered together to the Gospel of Christ and other holy actions c. Of three natures of men There are thrée natures of men One altogether beastly which in no wise receiue the law writteÌ„ in their harts but rise against Princes and rulers whensoeuer they are able to make their partie good These are signified by them that worshipped the golden Calâ—e for Moses brake the table of the lawe ere hée came at them The second are not so beastly but receiue yâ— law and vnto them the lawe commeth but they looke not Moses in the face for his countenaunce is too bright for them that is they vnderstand not that the lawe is spirituall and requireth the heart they looke on the pleasure profit and promotion that followeth the kéeping of the law and in respect of the reward kéepe the lawe outwardly with workes but not in the heart For if they might obteine like honour glory promotion dignitie and also auoide all inconueniences if they breake the lawe so would they also break the law and follow their lusts The third are spirituall and looke Moses in the open face and are as Paule saith a lawe vnto themselues and haue the lawe written in their hearts by the spirit of God These néed neither of king nor officer to driue them neither that any profer them any reward for to kéepe the lawe for they doe it naturally The first work for feare of the swoord The second for reward The third worke for loue Tindale Of two natures in Christ. ¶ Looke Christ. NAVEL What the Nauell doth signifie IN the day of thy birth when thou wast borne the string of thy Nauell was not cut off c. ¶ The Nauell signifieth the desires and delectations of man which are healed by the worde and feare of God as it is sayd Prouerbs 3. 8. But feary yâ— Lord and depart from euill so shall thy Nauell be whole The learned expound this whole sentence of the tribulation that Israel suffered in Aegypt and after among the Chaldes After the death of Ioseph when Pharao knew them not Exo. 1. wer they most abiect and vile and no man
of Godâ— whom hée defended and auoided as Socrates saith in this clause The mother or bearing God as a bugge or fraieng Ghost yet he proceeded in spite and being called to the counsell of Ephesus hée denied that Christ was God and séeing that there rose greate sturre thereof hée séemed to repent but the Councell deposed and banished him into Oasis GOD winking not at his impietie but plagued diuersly him froÌ„ aboue his tongue was eaten vp of wormes and so he died Socra li. 7. chap. 22. 23. 29. Euag. li. 1. chap. 2. 3. 7. NEVV What it is to be new THat is knowne to be new which neither euer was before nor hath bene yet séene or heard of but now beginning and commeth to light first And therfore Salomon saith that ther is nothing vnder the Sunne that is new nor that it can be sayde loe that is new for that it hath gone and ben before in times past Indéede a thing seemeth to bée new when it hath bene in times past and is now corrupted and perished either by time abuse or negligence of men by restoring againe is renued not that it beginneth now first to bée but rather to be the same which it was before And in vâ—rie déede it is nothing lesse then new For it is one thing to make a thing new and to renue a thing which was made long agoe They be sayde to make new things which doe inâ—titute new things before vnused and vnknowne and they are sayde to renewe which doe restore things decaied vnto their olde estate and vse So the lawe was new which was giuen by Moses to be kept of the Israelites when it was first set forth in the mount Sina And the Gospell of Christ was new when it was first declared in the worlde by the Apostles But the lawe was now new when by the care of godly kinges it was restored and renued after that it hadde bene once corrupt The histories of the kings Asa Hezechias and of Iosias bée well knowne Neither was the doctrine of the Prophets new when they did rebuke the corruptnesse of the lawish religion and requireth the right and true obseruation of Gods lawe although it séemed neuer so new and straunge Muse. fo 361. By whose fault the doctrine of Christ seemeth now new to the Papists What time as the booke of the lawe was found in the dayes of king Iosias in the secret corner of the temple and was exhibited vnto the king himselfe it might haue séemed some newe thing vnto them which had liued a great while without lawe where indâ—ed nothing ought to haue béen more vsed or knowne to the people but through whose fault was it Was it not the fault of their a 〈…〉 itors which woulde no longer heare the wordes of that booke I meane the kinges and Priests which leauing the sermons of the lawe followed the ceremonies of the Gentiles Compare héere with all those things which are betided vs. Hath not the holy Bible bene hidden and cast into corners these many ages vâ—knowne to the multitude of the vnfaithfull yea too many of the pastors also in this our age what time it is translated into all languages well néere set foorth commonly to be read is it anye otherwise taken of yâ— superstitious Papists then if there were some new vnknowne doctrine thrust into the Churches You might haue fouÌ„d in times past in the Poperie a number of Massing Priests pastours which had neuer as much as seene yâ— holy Bible came not this through fault of our aunceâ—ors would God the heads Princes of christen people would knowledge it say with Iosias Go aske counsell of the Lord for vs and for our people for the Lords anger is greate ouer vs because our Fathers hearde not the wordes of this booke and that they woulde not onely acknowledge their fault but also with a godly holy endeuour renue and set vp againe the decaied religion according vnto yâ— Lords word and in so doing they shuld turne away the Lords wrath from themselues and from their people c. Muse. fo 362. A declaration of the olde and new Testament New Testament is as much to say as a new couenant The olde Testament is an olde temporall couenaunt made betwéene God and the carnall children of Abraham Isaac and Iacob otherwise called Israel vpon the déedes and obseruing of a temporall lawe where the rewarde of kéeping is temporall life and prosperitie in the land of Canaan and the breaking is reward with temporall death and punishment But the newe testament is an euerlasting couenaunt made vnto the chrildren of God through faith in Christ vpon the seruing of Christ. Where eternall lyfe is promised to all that beléeue and death to all that are vnbeléeuing My déeds if I kéepe the lawe are rewarded with the temporall promises of this life But I beleeue in Christ Christs déeds hath purchased for me the eternal promise of euerlasting life If I commit nothing worthy of death I deserue for my reward that no man kil meâ— If I hurt no maÌ„ I am worthy that no man hurt me If I helpe my neighbour I am worthy he helpe me againe So that with outwarde works with which I serue other men I deserue that other meÌ„ doe like to me in this world and they extend no farther But Christs déeds extend to life euerlasting vnto all that beléeue c. Tindal in his Pro. to the new Test. How they called Christs doctrine new doctrine What new doctrine is this ¶ They blasphemed which did call the doctrine a new doctrine for Christ did onelye by himselfe speake those things which before he had spoken by the Prophets Sir I. Cheeke ¶ It was then nâ—w and now after fiftéene hundred and seauen and thirtie yeares is yet new when will it then bée olde Tindale ¶ They referre the miracle to the kinde of doctrine and so meruaile at it as a new and straunge thing and doe not consider the power of Christ who is the authour of the one and the other Geneua NICHOLAS Of the heresie that sprang vp by the occasion of this man NIcholas one of the seauen deacons is by S. Iohn abhorred Apoc. 2. 6. He was accused of gelousie ouer his wife to cléere himselfe of this crime he brought forth his wife and bid marry her who would This fact of his is excused by Eusebius His followers by occasion héereof doe practise their wandring lust without respect of wife or maide Euseb. Eccl. hist. li. 3. chap. 26. How this Nicholas the Deacon is excused When the Church was yet springing as Eusebius testifieth in his 3. booke of his history the. 26. chapter the Nicholaites did openly and manifestly commit fornication and layde the custome of their wicked crime to Nicholas the deacon although Clemens Bishop of Alexandria in Stromatis no excuse Nicholas for he saith that he neuer thought or taught any such thing But hauing a faire woman to
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
we not to reioice therefore for we shall haue no profit at all thereby but other shall haue the profite that come thereof But this ought to be our chiefe ioye and comfort that we are elect and chosen in Christ Iesu afore the foundation of the worlde were laid whose names are written in the booke of life S. I. Ch. RELEASEMENT How releasement and payment cannot stand togethers THe Lord forgaue the seruaunt his debt ¶ By this it appeareth that saluation falleth vnto men by releasement of the debt and not for satisfieng of the debt For releasement and payment cannot stand in one respect together It ouerthroweth Popish satisfaction which say they must be done by Pilgrimages fasting and almes deedes It quencheth the fire of Purgatorie For where the debt is forgiuen the debter ought not to be punished RELIGION How couples ioyned in marriage of diuers Religions is doubtfull THe prohibition of S. Paule is that we drawe not the yoake with the vnbeleeuers which thing is to be vnderstood not only of doctrine but of all trade of life For he that toucheth pitch saith Salomon shall be defiled therewith For it cannot bée but that he which keepeth company with the vngodlye must néedes himselfe gather some infection thereby As Salomon kéeping companie with Heathen women became an Idolater Achab through the counsell of lezabel slewe the Prophets Hemmyng Be not vnequally yoked with the Infidels ¶ He séemeth to allude to that which is written Deut. 22. 10. where the Lord cōmaundeth that an Oxe and an Asse be not yoked together because the match is vnequall So if the faithfull marry with the Infidells or els haue to do with them in any thing vnlawfull it is héere reproued Eccl. 13. 18. Geneua How the Diuell is sory to see the religion of Christ flourish Diabolus gentium vocatione cruciatur c. The Diuell is sore greeued with the calling of the Heathen to the faith and with the daily decresing of his power sorrowing to sée himselfe forsaken and Christ the true King to be worshipped in all places therefore he deuiseth guyles and imagineth dissentions REMEMBER How God is said to remember GOd remembred Noe. ¶ This is not so to be vnderstood that there is any forgetfulnesse in God But the Scripture speketh after the manner of our speaking As when we maye delyuer a man that is oppressed and doth it not then it is sayde we doe forget him And when we begin to goe about his delyueraunce then it is said we doe remember him REMNAVNT Of the remnaunt that God saith he had reserued I Haue reserued vnto my selfe seuen thousand men c. ¶ He speaketh of remnaunts and reserued people which were chosen from euerlasting and not of remnaunts that should bée chosen afterward For they are not chosen because they were no Idolaters but therefore they wer no Idolaters because they were chosen and elect Theo. Beza RENT What is ment by renting of clothes HE rent his clothes ¶ It was specially vsed among the Hebrues to rent clothes when the glory of God was contemned And héere where they feared God so little as to kill their owne brother T. M. Then they rent their clothes ¶ To signifie how greatly the thing displeased them and how sorie they were for it Geneua What is ment by renting of our hearts Rent your hearts and not your garments Ioel meaneth that it is to no purpose for men to haue great store of ceremonies and to martir themselues much in outward sight of the world except their hearts be broken before And what manner of renting or breaking is it that God requireth in our hearts it is that we should be cast downe and humbled before him that when we perceiue any signes of his wrath specially when we feele the blowe of his hand already we should be patient assuring our selues that all commeth for our sinnes and that we doe not as many doe who when they be beaten with Gods rod chawe their bridles lyke mules and conceiue I wot not what a fiercenesse bitternesse which serue to set them in a rage against God notwithstanding that they make countenaunce as though they were well tamed But contrariwise as I haue said it behooueth our hearts to be rent according to the exhortation that is made vnto vs in the Psalme by laieng our hearts open before God to the ende that he should knowe all that is within it Then let vs follow the said saieng of the Prophet Ioel that we should not rent our garments but our hearts rather for therein will the true repentaunce shewe it selfe Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 46. And rent your hearts c. ¶ Mortifie your affections and serue God with purenesse of heart and not with Ceremonies Geneua REPENTAVNCE What Repentaunce is and the definition thereof REpentaunce is an vnfained tourning to God whereby wée being of a sincere feare of God once humbled doe acknowledge our sinnes and so by mortifieng our olde man are afresh renued by the spirit of God Bulling fol. 562. Repentaunce is a very displeasure which man hath in his heart of his sinne the which ingenderesh in him an hatred against sinne a desire to liue better in time to come reseruing his life to the will of God Peter Viret Repentaunce is nothing but a conuersion of the minde and an alteration of the former opinion as appeareth by the sayeng of the Prophet Turne vnto me and ye shall be safe Againe I will not the death of a sinner but that he turne liue Also Repent and amende that your sinnes may be done away Marl. Repentaunce is an inward thing which hath his seate in the heart and minde and bringeth foorth fruits in chaunging the life Marl. vpon Math. fol. 47. Concerning this word Repentaunce as they vsed Penaunce the Hebrue hath in the olde Testament generally Sob Turne or be conuerted for which the Translation that we take for S. Hieromes hath most part Conuert◠to turne or to bee conuerted And sometime Agite poenitentiam And y◠Gréeke in the new Testament hath perpetually Metanoeo to tourne in the heart and minde and to come into the right knowledge to a mans right wit againe for which Metanoeo S Hieroms translation hath sometime Ago poenitentiam I doe repent Sometime Poeniteor I am repentaunt Sometime Habeo poenitentiam I haue repentaunce Sometime Poenitet me it repenteth me And Erasmus vseth much this word Recipisco I come to my selfe or to my right minde againe And the very sense and signification both of the Hebrue also of the Gréeke word is to be conuerted and to turne to God with all the heart to know his will and to liue according to his lawes and to be cured of our corrupt nature with the Oyle of his spirit wine of obedience of his doctrine which conuersion or turning if it be vnfained these foure doe accompanie it and are included therein Confession not in
himselfe the Empires both of God and man Hitherto Chrisostome And it is manifest to all men that the papaâ— grew tooke increase by the decay of the Empire at the fall of the Monarch they challenged full possession of all dominion both spirituall and temporall Of the same iudgement is S. Hierome writing vpon the same place of Paul vnto Aglasia in the eleuenth question whose words are these Nec vult aperti c. Neither will he openly say that the Romane Empire should be destroied which they yâ— gouerne it thinke to be euerlasting wherefore according to the reuelation of S. Iohn In the forehead of the purple whoore ther is written a name of blasphemy which is Rome euerlasting The same Hierome in his 13. booke of his Commentaries of the Prophesie of Esay vpon the 24. chapter writeth thus Licet ex eo quod iuxta septuaginta c. Forasmuch as the seauentie Interpreters write not the daughter Babylon but the daughter of Babylon some do interpret the rest not Babylon in Chaldea but the citie of Rome which in the reuelation of S. Iohn the Epistle of Peter is specially called Babylon The same in his preface vnto the booke of Didimus De spiritu sancto which he translated out of Greeke into Latin writing to Pauinianus he vttereth these words Cum in Babylone versarer c. Of late saith he when I was in Babylon was an inhabitant of the purple harlot liued after the lawes of the Romaines I thought to intreate somewhat of the holy Ghost The same writing to Marcella a vertuous gentlewoman of Rome whom he allured to forsake Rome to dwell néere vnto him in Bethleem one especiall reason that he vseth to perswade her is this that as Bethleem whither he would haue her to repaire is situated in the holy land and the place consecrated to the birth of Christ so Rome where she desired to remaine was the Babylonicall harlot according to the Reuelation of Saint Iohn appointed for the birth of Antichrist which there should arise and exercise tyrannye and from thence shoulde deceiue the whole world with his wicked wiles Hue vsque Hieronimus Ambrose writing a Commentarie vpon the Reuelation of S. Iohn is of the same iudgement Primasius also a verye auncient writer who lykewise Commenteth vppon the Apocalips expoundeth these Prophesies of Antichrist to bée fulfilled in the Romane Empire Augustine in his worke De ciuitate Dei not once or twise but oftentimes is bolde to call Rome Babylon and Babylon Rome As in his 6. booke and. 17. Chapter he calleth Rome an other Babylon in the West And in his 18â— booke and second chapter hée calleth Babylon of Chaldea the first Rome and Rome of Italy the second Babylon willing men to consider that in the beginning of the Citie of God which was the Church in Abrahams time the first Rome that was Easterne Babylon her enimie was builded in Chaldea about the same time that the first Babylon was destroied least the citie of God should lacke her enimie the second Babylon which is Rome in Italy was erected Hue vsque August ¶ Looke more in Antichrist Babylon If Caput come of Capio which signifieth take TheÌ„ may Rome wel be called so which nothing doth forsake If you decline Capio capis and to the grounds come Her nets are large cannot misse to caâ—ch both all and some RVDIMENTS What these Rudiments were and wherefore they were called poore WEake and beggerly Rudiments ¶ The poore and weake Rudiments be circumcision sacrifices the choise of daies and meates and other obseruation and kéeping as a thing necessarie to obteine euerlasting life the grace of God He calleth them poore or weake because they be not nor consist of themselues whose nature onely consisteth in signifieng And what strength so euer they haue that they haue because they import or signifie some waightie thing Doctor Heynes ¶ The Galathians of Panims beganne to be Christians but by false Apostles were tourned backward to beginne a new the Iewish ceremonies and so in stéed of going forwarde toward Christ they ran backward from him Geneua Sabboth Wherefore the Sabboth was instituted YE shall doe no labour therein but hallowe the sabboth as I commanded your fathers ¶ The foundation of the faith is to beléeue Gods premise that he made the whole world doth also gouerne it further that he knoweth will iudge all things c. Those things did the law require in keping of the sabboth to confesse both with word and signe to giue diligent héed to the hearing interpreting of the law to thinke of the glory of God to reléeue the faithful soule with the foode of the word to minister occasion also vnto the simple that they likewise might attempt such things in their houses amongst their household folks to be pitifull ouer the wearines of such neighbours as laboured sore al the wéeke long reléeue them to attend giue héed to the exercises of the spirit to the consolation and comforting of their neighbours not onely to absteine from outward works and fulfill their appetites and lustes for that did the Lorde forbid The Sabboth should bée applyed to the lawfull seruing of God not to sinfulnesse and wantonnesse It is commaunded to be sanctified and not polluted and defiled with naughtinesse To God alone must wée also kéepe it and call on his name Other Gods or Gods fellowes ought we not to enquire of nor fall downe vnto them But when such occasions come as turne our rest into occupation labour then ought we remember that the Sabboth was ordeined for man not man for the Sabboth So that in the meane season the feare of God and the charitie towards our neighbour which are the chiefe and principall things in the obseruation of the Sabboth be not lightly regarded T. M. A Sabboth of rest it shall be vnto you ¶ Sabboth feasts and new moones signifie the ioye and gladnesse of the conscience the renuing of man and the rest wherein wée rest from our owne workes not doing our wills but Gods which worketh in vs through the Gospell and gladde tidings while wée earnestly beléeue it Exech 20. 12. Exo. 20. 8. 31. 13. Deut. 5. â—4 God rested the seauenth day ¶ What we should learne in this we may plainly sée in the commaundement Kéepe holye the Sabboth day for that day was instituted for this cause because then God rested from his works in that day a rest is commaunded vs that in it we should do no manner of worke and why déerely beloued shall we rest God is not pleased with idlenesse he will not haue vs like the idle men yâ— in the ninth houre of the day stand still idle in the market but God commaunded vs to kéepe that day holy vnto him which is to serue him in it and not our selues
Deering And went into the Sinagogue on the sabboth day sat down ¶ The truth neuer feareth the light but commeth forth boldly as it appeareth by Paule Barnabas which entered into the common Sinagogue Also héere we doe learne why the sabboth was instituted not for vaine sports and pastimes but that vpon that day the people should giue themselues to praier to read heare the word of God Sir I. Cheekeâ— How the Priests brake the Sabboth and were blamelesse ¶ That on the Sabboth the Priestes in the Temple brake the Sabboth and are blamelesse ¶ Not that the Priests brake the Sabboth in doing that which was commaunded by the lawe but he speaketh this to conâ—ute the errour of the people who thought the Sabboth broken if any necessary worke were done that day Geneua Sée that ye kéepe my Sabboth ¶ The Sabboth beside that it serued to come heare the word of God to seeke his will to offer and to reconcile themselues vnto God It was a signe vnto them also did put them in remembraunce that it was God that sanctified them with his holy spirit and not they themselues with their holy workes T. M. What is meant by the second Sabboth It came to passe in the second Sabboth ¶ Epiphanius noteth well in his treatise where he confuteth Ebion that the time when the Disciples plucked the eares of corne was in the feast of vnleuened bread now wheras in these feasts which kept many daies together as the feast of tabernacles and the passeouer their first day and the last wer of like solemnitie Leâ—â— 23. Luke fitly calleth the last day the second Sabboth though Thâ—ophilact vnderstand it of any of them that followed the first Beza The feasts which conteined many daies as the passeouer and the feast of tabernacles had two Sabboths the first day of the feast and the last Geneua A sâ—ieng of S. Austen concerning the Sabboth It is lesse euill saith Saint Austen to goe to plough then to play vpon one of those daies meaning the Sabboth daies Why the Machabees fought on the Sabboth Obiection The Machabees fought and defended themselues vpon the Sabboth day notwithstanding God had appointed that day to rest Aunswere The Machabees might lawfully defend themselues vpon the Sabboth day for Christ expoundeth the law man is not made for the Sabboth but the Sabboth for the man And the Iewes did euil saith Dâ—do being besieged vpon the Sabboth day to stand to yéeld them vnto their enimies Yet did not the Machabees proclaime yâ— it shuld be lawfull vpon the sabboth day to go to the field The meaning of this place following And beare no burden on the Sabboth day ¶ By meaning the Sabboth day he comprehendeth the thing the is thereby signified for if they trangressed in the ceremony they must néeds be culpable of the rest Read Exo. 20. 8. And by the breaking of this one coÌ„mandemeÌ„t he maketh them transgressours of yâ— who le law for as much as the first second table are conteined therin Geneua The signification of the Latine word Sabbathum Sabbathum was among the Iewes accompted the seauenth day in the which they fasted in remembrance of the seuen daies in the which they were fatigate going fasting in the desart of Arabia or they came to the mount of Sinai S. Austen vpon the Psalmes writeth the Sabbathum is taken three maÌ„ner of waies for ye. 7. day is called by the name in the which almightie God rested after his worke of 6. daies Sabbathum is also eternall quietnesse Moreouer Sabbathum is the conscience of a quiet minde aduaunced by hope of the time to come not being shakeÌ„ or vexed with stormes of things present Eliote Look Winter SACKCLOTH What the wearing of sackcloth signifieth SAckcloth shéering of mens heads renting of their garments and casting of dust and ashes vpon them were â—okens of repentaunce or els of great sorrow among the people of the East countries in olde time Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 29. SACRAMENT What Sacrament is A Sacrament saith S. Austen is the signe of an holy thing ¶ If it be the signe of an holy thing then it is not the very thing it selfe which it doth signifie I. Frith It séemeth to me that a Sacrament is an outwarde signe wherewith the Lord sealeth to our consciences the promises of his good will towards vs to sustaine the weaknesse of our faith And we againe on our behalfes doe testifie our godlinesse towards him as well before him and the Angells as before men We may also with more briefenesse define it otherwise As to call it a testimonie of Gods fauour towards vs confirmed by an outward signe with a mutuall testifieng of our godlinesse towards him Whether of these definitions it differeth nothing in sense from the definition of S. Augustine which teacheth that a Sacrament is a visible signe of an holy thing or a visible forme of an inuisible grace but it doeth better and more certainely expresse the thing it selfe for whereas in the briefenesse there is some darknesse wherin many of the vnskilfull sort are deceiued I thought good in more wordes to giue a fuller sentence that there should remaine no doubt Cal. in his Instit. 4. b. chap. 14. sect 1. A Sacrament as S. Austen defineth it is a signe of an holy thing But if the Sacrament be Christs body as the Papists say it is then can it not be a Sacrament that is the signe of an holy thing for it is the holy thing it selfe So that they must either deny the sacrament to be the body bloud of Christ either els the Sacrament therof For one thing cannot be both the signe the thing signified because they be in that respect most contrary the one to the other Crowley A Sacrament is a visible signe ordeined of Iesus Christ as a seale to confirme vs the better in the faith of the promises the which God hath made vs of our saluation in him Vnet Sacrament is a signe representing such appointments and promises as the Raine-bow representeth the promise made to Noe that God will no more drowne the world Tindale This word Sacrament is as much to say as an holy signe and representeth alway some promise of God as in the olde Testament God ordeined that the Raine-bow should represent and signifie vnto all men an Oth that God sware to Noe and to all men after him that he would no more drowne the worlde with water so the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ hath a promise annexed which the Priest should declare in the English tongue This is my body that is broken for you This is my bloud that is shed for many vnto the forgiuenesse of sinnes This doe in the remembraunce of mée â—aith Christ. Luke 22. 19. and 1. Cor. 11. 24. If when thou seest the sacrament or eatest his body or drinkest his bloud thou haue this promise fast in thy heart
ende that they might be read with diligence and with a minde desirous to finde out those things which belong to true knowledge and true godlinesse The readers of the Scriptures must be searchers and not corrupters wresters dreamers or supersticious murmurers And the scriptures do not require any searching but that which is godly hūble and desirous to know and imbrace one truth onely otherwise a man may finde some which read the Scriptures but not to search out Gods truth but rather to hinder the same Euen so Herode inquired out the truth out of the Scriptures concerning the place where Christ shoulde be borne not to the ende he might worship him but rather to destroy him Also y◠Pharesies said to Nichodemus Search the Scriptures and sée how that a prophet commeth not out of Galile They said not sée what is written in the Scriptures concerning Christ. So lykewise wicked and vngodly men doe search the Scriptures to corrupt them to their owne destruction By this word Scripture is vnderstood the olde Testament For Christ did not first of all begin to be manifest in the Gospell but hauing testimonie out of the Lawe and Prophets he onely exhibited himselfe in the Gospell Therefore that which Christ saith heere agreeth with that which he spake to his Disciples after his resurrection saieng These are the words which I spake vnto you when I was with you that all must néeds be fulfilled which was written of me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes c. Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 179. Though that miracles bare record vnto his doctrine yet desired he no faith to be giuen either to his doctrine or to his miracles without record of the Scriptures When Paule preached Act. 17. 11. the other searched the Scriptures dayly whether they were as he iudged them Why shall not I likewise sée whether it be the Scripture that thou alledgest yea why shal not I sée the christure and the circumstannces and what goeth before and after that I may know whether thine interpretation be the right sense or whether thou iugglest and drawest the Scripture violently vnto thy carnall and fleshly purpose or whether thou be about to teach me or to deceiue me Tindale And searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so ¶ In this place are all Christians taught what they ought to doe to trye the Preachers and other that came vnder colour to set foorth true religion vnto vs according to the saieng of Saint Paule Trye all things and choose out that which is good 1. Iohn 4. 1. Learne héere that the word is the touchstone Sir I. Cheeke ¶ This was not onely to trye if those things which they had heard wer true but also to confirme themselues in the same to increase their faith Geneua SERPENT What Serpent doe signifie Looke Leuiathan Wherefore the Serpent was called Nehustan Looke Nehustan What it is to sucke the Serpents head He shall sucke the Serpents head ¶ That is he shall be subiect to all cursednesse and suffer all manner sorrowes It is such a manner of speach as is before in the. 15. 16. of drinking wickednesse T. M. ¶ He compareth euill gotten goods to the venyme of Aspes which Serpent is most daungerous noting that Iobs great riches were not truly come by and therefore God did plague him iustly for the same Geneua SERVICE What the true seruice of God is WE cannot know wherewith we shall serue the Lord till we come thether ¶ This was an outward seruice but the true and right seruice of God is to feare him as a Father to loue him and kéepe his commaundements and to commit a mans selfe onely vnto him trusting in his mercie onely setting all thought and care vpon him and when we haue offended to repent to be sorie and knowledge our offences beléeue that he wil forgiue it vs for his truth sake as 1. Pe. 5. Psa. 37. 3. T. M. How the seruice ought to be ministred in a knowen tongue Obiection Paule went ouer many countries as Pamphilia Cappadocia Phrigia c. But he spake not to euery man in diuers tongues therefore some were spoken too in an vnknowen tongue which was not their owne Aunswere Fredericus Furius a Spaniard which dedicated his booke to Cardinall Burgensis a Spaniard telleth a quite contrary tale for saith he Andrew Peters brother preached vnto the Scythi Segdiani Sacri in their tongue Barthelmew to the Indians in their tongue Iacob to the twelue Tribes in their tongue Thomas to the Parthians in their tongue to the Medes in theyr tongue to the Persi Hercani and Bracchi in their tongue But put case Fredericus Furius were a tonguelesse man had now yet said nothing I wéene that place of the Acts of the Apostles wil easely choke D. Saunders and all those barkers Lonanians The people there saye then Non omnes qui loquuntur linguis Galilei sunt c. Are not all these y◠speak héere men of Galile is it not much that euery one of vs doth heare his owne vulgar ◠mother tongue We Parthians Medes Elamites of Mesopotamia of Iewry Cappadocia Pontus of Asia Phrigia Pamphilia and Aegypt of Lybia Rome Crete Arabia where these men speake y◠noblenes of matters diuine in our own tongue T. D. Obiection The Catholikes affirme that the Protestants cannot proue that in the Primitiue Church the publique seruice was in the Siriacall or Arabicke or Aegyptian or any other barbarous tongue Aunswere S. Hierom describing the pompe of Paulas funeral hath these words At hir funeral all y◠multitude of the citie of Palestine met together The Psalmes wer song in order in y◠Hebrue Gréeke Latine and Syrian tongue Héere in one Citie foure seuerall Nations in their common seruice vsed foure seuerall tongues Again S. Austen willing y◠Priests to apply their study to correct the errors of their latin speach addeth therto this reson y◠the people vnto the things they plainely vnderstand may say Amen Which sētēce of S. Au. semeth to be spokē generaly of al tōgues SEATE OF GOD. What the seate of God is GOds seat is the euerlasting state of his power y◠rainbow signifieth his mercie patient suffering y◠24. seates the. 24. Elders doe signifie y◠most highest iustice of God that y◠most special friends of God both of the old new Testament are incorporate vnto the kingdome of God The sea of glasse may signifie vnto vs the aduersities of this life which serue to the glorye of God and the profit of the faithfull Sir I. Cheeke SETHIANI What manner of heretikes these were SEthiani wer heretiks deriuing their pedegrée of Seth the son of Adam whom they honored called Christ. They affirmed also y◠Iesus in y◠beginning of the world was called Seth but in the latter daies Christ Iesus Epipha haer 39. saith that he disputeth with some of them in Aegypt
represented by the Paschall Lambe should abstaine from leauened bread Yea how dare your Priests eate anye leauened bread at anye time sith that they doe eate and drinke the bodie and bloud of Christ almost euery day How the Lords death is shewed As often as ye shall eate this bread drinke of this Cup ye shall shew the Lords death c. ¶ The Lords death is not shewed except both parts of the Sacrament be ministred because in his death the bloud was diuided from the bodie it is necessary that the same diuision be represented in the supper otherwise the supper is not a shewing of the Lords death Latimer SHOE What Gods shooe is OUer Edom will I stretch out my shooe ¶ Edom is the earth The Apostles féete be his shooes for it is writteÌ„ How bewtifull are the feete of them which bring glad tidings of peace He stretched out his shooe vppon the earth when he sent them to preach to all creatures for their sound went into all lands their words to the ende of the world SHORT LIFE How short life is not a generall rule of Gods indignation IT is a certaine token but no sure token of Gods indignation when a man is snatched away with vnripe death in his flourishing age Then what shall we saye to the sentence written in the Booke of Sapience 4. chapter The iust man is snatched out of this world that the mallice of men and wickednesse of the worlde shoulde not tourne his minde and least lyeng should deceiue his soule And againe The righteous man what death soeuer he be preuented withall his soule shall go to rest The Innocents that Herod did murther for Christs cause Iohn Baptist whom he did behead are the blessed Martirs of Christ. This must néedes be graunted yâ— sometime God taketh out of this world the righteous onely because the world is not worthy to haue them among them sometime least the mallice lewd example of men shoulde tourne their hearts to vngodlinesse But now this taking away of righteous men out the world is not a rule nor an order generall that God vseth with men but it is onely Per accidens because that troublesome times are at hand as of famine warres and such others and in such perticular cases It is true that Christ saide Beati sterilis c. Happye are the barren and the wombes that neuer bare c. And yet the rule generall of all women is this that fruite of their wombe is a blessing the contrary a woman to be barren is a displeasure a plague more grieuous to them then pouertie or hunger Ric. Turnar SICERA What kinde of drinke it was THis Sicera as Hierom writeth to Nepotianus was a kinde of drinke much like vnto wine which was made either of Wheate or of Apples or of Dates or els of other fruits Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 202. SICLE What a Sicle is A Sicle as Iosephus saith coÌ„teined 4. drams of Athens And a dranâ— of Athens as Budens gathereth in his booke de ass conteined 3. shillings of Towers A shilling of Towers is yâ— half part of a Baâ—se Wherefore a dram was as much in value as a shilling of Argentine that is thrée halfe Batses that is foure shillings But there were two manner of Sicles one was vsuall and prophane and the other was of the Sanctuary The holy sickle was double so much as the prophane Wherefore Ezechiel in his 45. chapter verse 12. saith that a prophane sickle containeth 20. halfe pence but the sicle of the Sanctuary 40. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 238. ¶ A Sicle was a péece of money in value worth 4. grotes equiualent with that which is called Stater whereof the halfe part of this sicle is two grotes that is to saye the 5. part of a French Crowne as they went in Fraunce as very exactly declareth the learned Master William Budns in his booke De Assi Marl. fol. 390. ¶ A Sicle after the Hebrues is an Ounce but after the Gréekes and Latines it is but thâ— fourth part of an Ounce and is contained 12. Geras as in Exo. 30. 13. which is ten pence sterling or thereabout T. M. Take 5. Sicles of euery head ¶ Sicles were of two sorts the one common the other belonging to the Sanctuary and that of the Sanctuary was double the waight of the common The common Sicle weighed two grotes and the Sanctuary Sicle 4. The Scripture in this place and in the 30. of Exo. us Ezechiel fortie and fiue saith that the Sanctuary Sicle doth weigh 20. Geras which the Grecians doe call Obolus and we in English an halfe peny when 8. grotes of our money was an ounce and the Hebrues do think that Obolus doth weigh the waight of 16. barly Cornes The Bible note SICHEM What Dauid meaneth by the deuiding of Sichem SIchem was the most richest and the most strongest Citie in all the Tribe of Ephraim wherof Isboseth was king ouer all Israel beside The Tribe of Iuda onely except which stucke vnto Dauid Now where the Prophet doth prophecie make his bost in God saieng Dominus loquutus est è sanctuario suo laetabor diuidam Sichem The Lord hath spoken it out of his holy place I will reioice and diuide Sichem is no more to say but that Dauid should conquere Sichem and be king therof and diuide it and lot it as Iosua did as all conquerours do when they conquer any countrey or lande And as Dauid shoulde conquere Sichem so was it saide that hée shoulde meate out yâ— valley of Sucoth for Dauid reioysing afore hand of Gods goodnesse towards him saith Ego vallem sâ—coth demetiar It is not Isboseth that shall long continue king of sucoth but it is I whome the Lord hath appointed to be king of sucoth and as I haue now sayd of sichem and sucoth so will I saye of Galaad and Manasses Meus est Galaad meus est Manasses Galaad is mine and Manasses is mine And to know what Sucoth Galaad and Manasses were ye shall vnderstande that sucoth was a vale nigh vnto the citie of sichem in the land of Canaan In the which vale Iacob pitched his tents after he had met his brother Esau and was departed from him And of his pitching his tents there the vaâ—le had this name sucoth giuen him for Sucoth by interpretation and turning of the word into Latine is as much to say as Tabernacula Galaad was the name of a little hillocke as we read in Gen. 31. When Iacob fled away sodeinly and priuely from Laban his father in lawe with his wiues Lea and Rachel Then at the ende of seauen daies iourney Laban ouertooke Iacob in mount Galaad where he reproued him not onely of running away deceitfully but also of theft which when he coulde not proue Laban cooled himselfe and so did shake hands with Iacob And in witnes of friendship of vnfeined reconciliation
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
Hierome aduersus Iouinian lâ— 1. Of the virgin that was sought for Dauid Let there be sought for my Lord the king c. ¶ Dauid tooke this virgin not for lust but for the health of his body by the aduise of his counsell which séemeth to be done by the speciall dispensation of God and therfore not to be followed as an example The Bible note Wherefore virginitie is praised S. Paule praiseth virginitie in them that are apt and able to embrace that state of liuing that they might with more speede go forth to preach and to serue the congregations He praiseth it not because he iudgeth that state to deserue the more grace for this errour fighting against the iustificatioÌ„ of faith he most of all abhorreth We deny it not saith Melancthon but yâ— ther be distinct states of liuing The Maior of the citie excelleth yâ— ship-maister but yet deserueth not the Maior more grace for gouerning the citie then the Shipper for ruling the Ship Yea it is possible that the shipper may worship God better in his ship then the Maior in the citie Wherefore these degrées differ not concerning the spirituall life by faith or any grace therby to be obteined although they conferred together in yâ— externe life one excelleth another for God willeth an order to be in offices and states of liuing A memorable fact of a virgin in defence of her country Aeneas Siluius otherwise Pope Pius the second in describing of Asia minor cap. 74. reciteth a certeine fact of a worthy virgin who at what time the Turkes were besieging a certeine towne in Lesbos and had cast downe a great part of the walls so yâ— al the towns men had giuen ouer putting on a mans harneis stepped forth into the breach where not only she kept the Turks from entring in but â—lue of them a great sort The citizens séeing the rare courage good successe of the maide toke to them againe their heart and harneis and so lustely laied about them that an incredible number of the Turks wer slaine The rest being repulsed from the land reculed into their ships who being then pursued by a nauie of Calisa were worthely discomfited likewise vpon the sea And thus was the I le of Lesbos at that time by a poore virgin that is by the strongâ— hand of the Lord working in a weake creature preserued from the Turks In the booke of Mar. VNBELEEVERS What S. Paule doth meane heere by vnbeleeuers BEare not the strange yoke with the vnbeléeuers ¶ Nothing in this world can hinder a man so much from true godlinesse as doth the amitie and friendship with the vngodly The sonnes of God did in the beginning ioyne themselues in amitie or friendship with the children of men and they were all destroyed by a floâ—d Hée that toucheth Pitch shall be defiled therewith Beware therefore if ye wil continue and abide stedfast in the true doctrine that ye accompanye not your selues with vngodly Epicures which without the feare of God doe giue themselues to all kinde of mischiefe and blasphemie Sir I. Cheeke ¶ He séemeth to allude to that which is written Deut. 23. 10. where the Lord commandeth that an Ore and an Asse be not yoked together because the match is vnequall So if the faythfull marrie with the Insidells or else haue to doe with them in anye thing vnlawfull it is héere reproued Geneua VNCIRCVMCISED LIPPES What is meant by vncircumcised lips SEeing that I haue vncircumcised lips ¶ To be of vncircumcised lips is to haue a tongue that lacketh good vtterance to set out matter withall T. M. ¶ Uncircumcised lips ¶ Or barbarous and rude in speach And by this word Uncircumcised is signified the whole corruption of mans nature Geneua VNCLEANE SPIRIT How this place of the Euangelist is vnderstood WHen the vncleane spirit is gone out c. ¶ Unlesse wée doe now at this present take better héede to our selues vse thankfully the grace of God nowe offered vnto vs by his Gospell and labour to expell these soule spirites that yet remaine among vs as couetousnesse whoordome vncleanenes c. the same that Christ héere threateneth vnto the Iewes shal happen vnto vs. Sir I. Cheeke When the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man c. ¶ The vncleane spirit after he is cast out when he commeth findeth his house swept and garnished taketh to him seauen worse then himselfe and commeth and entreth in and dwelleth there and so is the end of that man worse then the beginning The Iewes they had cleansed themselues with Gods worde from all outward Idolatry and worshipping of Idolls but theyr hearts remained still faithlesse to Godward and towarde his mercy and truth and therefore without loue also and lust to the law and to their neighbour for his sake and false trust in their owne works to the which heresie the childe of perdition yâ— wicked Bishop of Rome with his lawiers hath brought vs Christen were more Idolaters then before and became tenne times worse then in the beginning For the first Idolatry was soone spied and easie to be rebuked of the Prophet by yâ— Scripture But the latter is more subtile to beguile withall and an hundred times of more difficultie to be wéeded out of mens hearts Tindale fol. 35. ¶ When by the grace of God we are induced brought into the knowledge of the truth then are we deliuered from the power of Satan Therefore we must take héede that hée doe not to our vtter destruction returne againe into vs that is to say that wée fall not againe into our own infidelitie superstition and ignorance Then indéed shal we be in worse case then we were before Sir I. Cheeke What is meant by these three vncleane spirits ¶ And I sawe thrée vncleane spirits like frogges come out of the mouth of the Dragon ¶ That is a strong number of this greate Diuell the Popes Ambassadours which are euer crieng and croking lyke Frogges out of Antichrists mouth because they shoulde speake nothing but lyes and vse all manner of craft and deceite to maintaine their rich Euphrates against the true Christians Geneua VNFAITHFVLL How the vnfaithfull eate not Christs bodie ¶ Looke Eating Wicked Euill will VNGODLY The meaning of this place of the Prophet THe vngodly haue bent their bow c. ¶ That is a borrowed speach by which is signified the wicked enimies of Dauid were most prest and readyâ— to destroye him for this Psalme as some suppose was made when he fledde from Saule and hid himselfe from him in diuers and sundry places As ye read 1. Reg. from the. 22. to the. 27. wher his persecution was so great that at length he was faine to flye out of yâ— coasts of Israel vnto the Philistines after the like manner do our Saules daily persecute the christen Psa. 37. 12. T. M. ¶ Looke Wicked VNICORNES What is meant by the Vnicornes ANd heare me from among
of learning as our Uniuersities be This was their portion Num. 35. And to the maintenaunce of their liuing God appointed sixe things foure of them were certaine and standing and two stoode but vpon the frée offering and deuotion of the people The foure things standing were these The first fruites of all manner graine and spices with other commodities The second yâ— first birth or first begotten of euery liuing thing If it were of a man the Parents should redéeme it with money If it were of a beast that the Priest could not eate nor could not be offered it should be redéemed with money also The third was the tenths of yâ— Leuites tithes The fourth were certaine Cities which were common to them with the Leuites These foure were standing The other two were but casualties which passed all the other The one was the daylye Oblations and Sacrifices that were offered vp to God in the Temple and the other was the vowes of the frée-will offering of the people If it were a man that had offered vp himselfe betwéene 20. yeares and 60. his redemption should beâ— 50. Sicles If it were a woman hir fine was 30. Sicles If it were a poore man not able to redéeme himselfe with the former summe then to agrée with the Priest for as little as he could If it be a beast that was vowed either it was cleane or vncleane that is it was mans meate or otherwise If it were no mans meate as an Horse an Asse a Camell a Swine c. Then the Priest might sell it to whom he would And if the owner wold buye it againe then he must giue the fift penie aboue that hée was bidden for it of another man If it wer a clean beast yâ— was offered then it could not be redéemed The lyke fashion was vsed for vowing of houses Likewise also if a man had vowed a péece of land of his inheritaunce looke what summe of corne the ground would beare by the yeare according to the same he should pay to the Priests vse counting to the yeare of Iubely which was euery 7. yeare Concerning those two points that no ground should be plowed nor tilled nor no debtes nor lawe dayes kept to plead for any iniury And euery 50 yeare was the great Iubely in the which also if anye man had morgaged and pledged his land to his neighbour or had vowed it to the Temple the land shuld in the great Iubely neuertheles return home to the right heires So that if any man had vowed a part of his land vnto the Lord the yerely rent thereof according to the value was to be paid vnto the Priests vntill the yeare of Iubely came Thus ye know to what vse and purpose the vow went to the finding and increasing of the Priests liuing Read Leu. 27. Thrée manner of vowes were vnlawfull and of none effect DA vowe made by a Damosell vnder the tuition gouernaunce of hir father without hir fathers consent was voide of no value but with the consent of hir father or he hearing that his daughter had vowed not reclaiming by by the vow of his daughter was to be offered in the temple according to the law Leuiticall before rehearsed A mans daughter being vnmarried but yet handfasted and promised to a man in mariage if he to whom she should be maried did reclaime and forbid the womans vowe as soone as hee heard it in that case the maiden was free froÌ„ hir offering otherwise she stoode bound to performe hir frée-will offering A mans wife making any vow hir husband not consenting hir vowe was not to be kept but he hearing of his wiues vow and not denieng both he and she stood bound to yâ— perfourmance of the vow These are yâ— onely le ts which be expressed in Moses lawe why a vowe should not be perfourmed All other men and also widowes making a vow was by the law of Moses bound to paye his vowe The vowe of the Nazarei that is of the abstainer when hée vowed abstinence vnto the Lord he was bound to abstain from wine and from all manner of strong drinke from things that was made of grapes Also he might not suffer his beard nor his head to be shaueu but the lockes of his haire to grow and the tufts of his beard lykewise Moreouer he might not be present at the death of any man neither father nor mother brother nor sister And kéeping this 3. points during his abstinence he was an holy Nazarei according to the law of Moses This done obserued they should come to the Temple dore and there offer an he Lambe of a yeare olde for a burnt offering and a Ram for a peace offering with a basket of swéete Cakes sprinkled with oyle for a meat offering This oblation done the Nazarei was shaueÌ„ before the temple dore so departed with this blessing spoken of the priest Benedicat tibi Dominus custodiet te osâ—eÌ„dat tibi facieÌ„ suaÌ„ misereatur tui Here is all yâ— the old Testament speaketh of vowes which vowes with the ceremonies and sacrifices were ordeined by yâ— Holy ghost for the people for yâ— time only to the end partly to kéep them from yâ— Idolatry of the heathen froÌ„ yâ— works of their own inuentions partly by these vows Ceremonies to maintaine the Leuiticall seruice and ministration of the Tabernacle vntill the comming of Christ which was the ende of the lawe This could not be without Priestes and other inferiour Ministers nor the Priests could not be honestly and liberally prouided for without liuings Therefore God appointed vnto them sixe things of the which vowes was one Héere is all that can be spoken of vowes taking this word Uowe in his proper kinde and signification As soone therfore as ye heare the name of a vowe by and by remember that ye are in the olde Testament and in the bowells or in the shadow of Moses lawe and cleane out of the Gospell for by the Gospell we are cleane rid from the lawe of Moses both Iudicialls and Ceremonialls and vowes were a parte of the Ceremonialls They that be of Christs religion hath no more to do with Uowes then they haue with Burnt-offering Peace offering Meate offering Altars Censers Candlestickes the Paschall Lambe Cleansing c with an infinite number moe which as Saint Peter saith neither we nor our forefathers were able to beare Christ hath made vs frée from all these baggages In the new Testament ther is no mention made of vowes properly in their owne signification All that may be obiected is where S. Paule shaued his head at Cenchrea for he hadde a vowe saith the text vnderstand the vow of the Nazarei which place doth séeme that S. Paule did allowe the vowes of the Nazareis to be retained among the Christians which was nothing so For in the 16. of the Actes ye shal read that S. Paule
for all that we can doe is gone after him Tertulian sayth The greatest crueltie that ye can deuise is an entisement to our sect how many of vs so euâ—r ye murther when ye come to the view ye finde vs moe and moe The séeds of this increase is christian bloud For what man saith he beholding the paineful torments and the perfect patience of them will not search and inquire what is the cause And when hée hath found it out who will not agrée vnto it who will not desire to suffer for it Thus saith he this sect will neuer dye which the more it is cut downe the more it groweth For euery man séeing and wondering at the sufferance of the Saint is moued the more thereby to search the cause in scarching he findeth it and in finding he followeth it S. Austen saith they were scattered they were imprisoned they were beaten they wer ract they wer burnt yet they multiplied Aug. de ciuit li. 12. cap. 6. Nazianzen sayth By death it liueth by wounds it springeth by diminishing it increaseth Nazian inâ— reditum suum ex agro How the word and flesh be not both of one nature If the word and flesh were both of one nature séeing that the word is euery where why is not the flesh then euery where for when it was in earth then verily it was not in heauen now when it is in heauen it is not surely in earth And it is so sure that it is not in earth that as concerning it we looke for him to come from heauen When as concerning his eternall word we beleeue to be with vs in earth Therefore by your doctrine saith Vigelius vnto Eutiches who defended that the diuinitie and humanitie in Christ was but one nature either the word is conteined in a place with his flesh or else the flesh is euery where with his word For one nature cannot receiue in it selfe two natures and contrary things But these two things be diuerse and farre vnlike that is to say to be conteined in a place and to be euery where Therfore insomuch as the word is euery where and the flesh is not euery wher it appeareth plainely that one Christ himselfe hath in him two natures and that by his diuine nature he is euery where and by his humanitie he is conteined in a place that he is created hath no beginning that he is subiect to death and cannot dye Whereof one he hath by the nature of his word whereby hee is God and the other he hath by the nature of his flesh wherby the same God is made man also Therefore one sonne of God the selfe same was made the sonne of man and hée hath a beginning by the nature of his flesh and no beginning by the nature of his Godhead He is comprehended in a place by the nature of his flesh and not comprehended by the nature of his Godhead He is inferiour to Angells in the nature of his flesh and is equall to his Father in the nature of his Godhead He died by the nature of his flesh died not by the nature of his Godhead This is the faith and catholike confession which the Apostles taught the martirs did coâ—oborate and faithfull people kéepe vnto this day Cranmer fol. 113. How the word of God ought not onely to be read to the people but also to be expounded vnto them Esdras the Priest brought the lawe the booke of Moses and stóod vpon a Turret of wood that is in the holy Pulpet And Esdras opened ye. booke before the congregation of men womeÌ„ and whosoeuer else had any vnderstanding And the Leuites stood with him so that he read out of the booke and the Leuites instructed the people in the lawe and the people stood in their place and they read in the booke of the lawe distinctly expounding the sense causing them to vnderstand the reading Héere it appeareth that the lawfull and holy ministers of the church of God did not onely read the word of God but also expound it And this our Sauiour Christ practised himselfe when he entered into the Sinagogue at Nazareth expounded a certeine place out of the. 61. Chapter of Esay And also after his rising from death he appeared to the two Disciples which went to Emaus expounding to them whatsoeuer was written of him in the Scriptures which example in expounding the word of God all the Apostles followed c. Bullinger fo 24. VVORKES How the deeds and works of the lawe iustifie not BY the déeds of the law shall no flesh be iustified ¶ God in his lawe doth not onely require of vs outward righteousnesse but also an inward perfection that is to say we are not onely bound to fulfil the works of the law outwardly in our liuings but also inwardly in our hearts to be most sincere to loue entirely aboue all things and our neighbour as our selfe But our nature is so corrupted that no man liuing is able to do the same wherefore no man can be iustified by the works of the lawe Sir I. Cheeke ¶ He meaneth the lawe either written or vnwritten which commandeth or forbiddeth any thing whose works cannot iustifie because we cannot performe them Geneua ¶ He includeth heere the whole law both the ceremonial morâ—all whose works caÌ„not iustify because they be imperfect in all men The Bible note No man is iustified by the déeds of the lawe but by yâ— faith of Iesus Christ. ¶ This S. Paule proueth by the words of the Prophet Abacucke 2. 4. A righteous man liueth by faith If he liue by any part of workes then liueth he not by fayth but partly by works and then were Saint Paules probation vnperfect which cannot be With this agréeth Athanasius prouing that fayth alonely hath the vertue in him to iustifie before God Before man peraduenture they may saith he be reckoned righteous that sticke to the lawe but not before God D. Barnes Good workes make not men righteous but followeth him that beléeueth and is already become righteous in Christ. Like as good fruite maketh not a trée to be good but a trée is knowne to be good by the good fruite of it Beza Ye see then how that of déeds a man is iustified and not of faith onely ¶ When we reade in S. Paule that we are iustified through fayth without the workes of the lawe it is to bée vnderstood that through faith whereby we take holde of the mercy of God so plentifully declared vnto vs in our Sauiour Iesus Christ we are without any demerites or deseruings of ours counted iust and righteous before God so that our sinnes shall be no more imputed vnto vs. Héere in Saint Iames to be iustified is to be declared righteous before men and that by good workes which are infallible witnesses of the true iustifieng fayth and therefore he sayth Shew me thy fayth by thy déedes Againe he bringeth the example
diuided Iosephus writeth that Adam and Seth diuided the yeare into twelue months and first obserued and taught the course of the celestiall bodies Lanquet YOKE How the yoke of Christ is to be vnderstood TAke my yoke on you and learne of me ¶ We must so shake of the yoke of mens traditions that in the meane season we doe not refuse to submit our neckes vnto the swéete pleasant yoke of our Sauiour Christ that is to say we must so put the intollerable burdens of Antichrists dreames that in the meane season we seeke no carnall libertie in the Gospell S. I. Cheeke Take my yoke vpon you saith Christ for my yoke is sweet my burthen is light ¶ By which words they argue the commaundements of God to be easie possible to be kept I aunswere that these words of Christ meane not the law of Moses but are to be vnderstood of the receiuing to be our Messias and Sauiour and that we should become subiects vnder his kingdome that is to beléeue in him and to be his Disciples who in so doing shall finde his yoke and subiection vnder him to be plesaunt and swéete For there shall we haue remission of all our sinnes shall ouercome the Diuel and the world shal be frée from death shal be eased of ceremonies shal be raised in the resurrection to euerlasting life andâ— in the meane time shall tast yâ— swéete comfort of the Holy ghost in our hearts Fox ¶ In that Christ calleth it Iugum meum my yoke he meaneth a difference betwéen his doctrine and the lawe and that in respect of the straitnesse of the law and the easinesse of his doctrine and of that he requireth of his children and scholars but how heauie a lumpe the lawe is S. Peter describeth in the 15. of the Acts where he saith thus Nunc ergo c. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put on the disciples necks the yoke which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare I. Gough What the yoke of seruitude is The yoke of seruitude is to beléeue that Circumcision and the fulfilling of the lawe is necessary to obtaine euerlasting saluation D. Heynes What this yoke signifieth For thou shalt breake the yoke of the peoples burthen the staffe of his shoulder c. ¶ This yoke figureth the yoke and burthen of the law which so oppressed the people that Saint Peter could say to the Apostles yâ— neither they nor their fathers were able to keepe it Act. 15. 10. This yoke hath Christ broken according to the Prophecie of Esay and vtterly discharged the burden thereof For we know now that God is satisfied and contented in the bloud of his sonne Christ and that the many thousand fold punishments which are due to our sinnes are cleane pardoned and forgiuen for the merites of the same Christ. 1. Iohn 2. 2. The Hebrues expound this of the destruction of the hoast of Sennacherib which was done by the Angell of the which in the 37. ver 36. And call the hoast of the Assyrians the yoke of the peoples burthen the staffe of the shoulder the rod of the oppressour But it is a more grieuous bondage wherewith the spirituall Sennacherib of whom the Assyrians was a certaine figure and shadow bound vs and from which Christ hath deliuered vs. T. M. What the yoke of transgression is The yoke of my transgression is bound vppon his handes ¶ Mine heauie sinnes are continually before his eyes as hée that tyeth a thing to his hand for a remembraunce Geneua What is ment by the yoke in this place It is good for a man that he â—eare the yoke of his youth He sheweth that we can neuer begin too timely to be exercised vnder the Crosse that when the afflictions grow greater our patience also by experience may be stronger Geneua YRON FVRNACE What is meant by this yron furnace ANd brought you out of the yron furnace of Aegypt By this yron furnace is vnderstood anguish and griefe sorrow carefulnesse of heart 3. Reg. 8. 51. for Aegypt was to them an yron furnace for the great anguish sorrow and carefulnesse of heart which they there suffered T. M. Zachary How Zachary and his wife are counted iust in Scripture SCripture commendeth Zachary and Elizabeth to be both iust before God and to walke in all the commaundements and iustifications of the Lord. To this saith Master Fox I could aunswere thus yâ— if Zachary Elizabeth his wife were both iust before God it was not because God could not but because he would not finde fault with them But to let mine owne aunswere goe I will set S. Hierome to aunswere therevnto where he declareth two manner of perfections to be in holy Scriptures One which is agréeable to the vertues of God and is voide of all sinne and immutable And this saith he is appropriate onely to God was héere declared in Christ The other which agreeth to our fragilitie and is not pure from all sinne and is called perfect not by comparison to Gods iustice but so accounted in the knowledge of God who séeth the good indeuour of the fraile creature accepteth the same in the same produceth this example both of Zachary Elizabeth also of Iob. The like answere may be gathered out of S. Austen who speaking of the worthinesse which is in iust men heere saith yâ— it may be called perfect so far as they both truly acknowledge humbly confesse their own imperfection going wtall c. So yâ— of the righteousnes of Zachary we may say as S. Paule said by the righteousnes of Abraham yâ— if he haue any thing to glory he hath to glory with men not with god in whose iudgment saith Dauid no flesh shal be iustified c. only yâ— flesh of the sonne of God excepted who onely being iust died for yâ— vniust as Saint Peter witnesseth wherevpon I ground this reason Christ dyed for the vniust Zachary and Elizabeth were not vniust before God as they say Ergo Christ died not for them which is absurd to graunt so that rather this argument is to be holden A sensu contrario Christ dyed for the vniust Christ dyed for Zachary and Elizabeth Ergo Zachary and Elizabeth were vniust Againe They that doe the commaundements doe liue therein Zachary and Elizabeth lyued not in the commandements but died Ergo Zachary and Elizabeth did not all the commaundements so iustly as they should Master Fox in his sermon of Christ crucified fo 36. ¶ They were both righteous before God walked in all the lawes ordinaunces of the Lord without reproch These words are not to be vnderstood as though Zachary Elizabeth absolutely fulfilled the law for then they had no néed of Christ and Christ had not then said truly in the 17. of Luke Dicite c. Say ye we are vnprofitable seruants c. But therfore they are said to be iust because God in Christ