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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02916	The epistle of the blessed apostle Saint Paule which he, in the time of his trouble and imprisonment, sent in writting from Rome to the Ephesians. Faithfully expounded, both for the benefite of the learned and vnlearned, by Nicholas Hemming ... Familiarlie translated out of Latine into English, by Abraham Fleming. Heerein are handled the high mysteries of our saluation, as maie appeare by the table of commonplaces necessarilie annexed by the same A.F. Perused and authorised.; Commentarius in epistolam Pauli ad Ephesios. English	Hemmingsen, Niels, 1513-1600.; Fleming, Abraham, 1552?-1607.	1580 (1580)	STC 13057.8; ESTC S102723	176,886	270

doe euill in my sight and heare not my voice I will repent of the good that I thought to do for them XIIII Héereby plainlie appeareth that Gods predestination is ratified confirmed by in Christ and that therefore it requireth at our hands the condition of faith whereby wée are graffed into Christ and so numbered among the chosen XV. Vpon the things which we haue hetherto spoken let vs make this definition of Predestination Predestination is the ordinance of God whereby he hath appointed by and in Christ before the foundation of the world was laide according to his good pleasure and the counsell or purpose of his will all such to life euerlasting as should beleeue in Christ their redeemer that they might be holie and blamelesse before him that they might magnifie the praise of the glorie of his grace for euer euer world without end The opposite or contrarie to Predestination is Reprobation whereby so manie as care not for beléeuing in Christ so manie as continue not in the faith of Christ to their liues end are cut off from grace banished from euerlasting life and like bondslaues condemned to perpetuall paines The cause of this reprobation is the sin of men the iustice of God punishing offenders which foreslowe to flée for succour to the mercie seate which God hath vouchsafed to set before men in open sight XVI Furthermore when we require the condition of faith we do therewithall reproue Pharisaicall errour touching the worthinesse of persons the prerogatiue of flesh the merits of mens works c. Wherevpon this also followeth That we must not iudge of this great mysterie either after reason or according to the law For as reason séemeth to make the worthinesse of persons the prerogatiue of flesh the cause of election so the law likewise séemeth vnto Hypocrites but yet amisse to make the merits of works the cause of election XVII The cause therefore of our predestination is not in vs as the Monks thought who were farre wide but in God which cause the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluntas Dei The good pleasure of Gods will And S. Augustine Misericordissimam Dei voluntatem The most mercifull will of God Of this will of God toward men when we are well warranted certeinlie assured then haue we an vnmouable foundation of our predestination For God worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will as Saint Paule witnesseth XVIII The most mercifull will of God is not vnknowne or hidden from vs but deliuered opened by the voice or sound of the Gospell in foure things chieflie it is to be seene namelie In the sending of his son In the promise In the commandement and In the sealing of grace XIX This sending of the sonne is a substantiall testimonie of Gods fatherlie will towards vs according to this saieng of the son Sic Deus c. So God loued the world that he gaue his onelie begotten sonne that as manie as beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And againe Commendat Deus c. God setteth out his loue towards vs seeing that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. The price therfore which he paid downe is a sufficient amends for the misdéedes of the world For the Father himselfe confesseth That in his sonne he is well pleased and biddeth vs boldlie heare him XX. No man hath to thinke that the sonne was sent into the world to redéeme a certaine number put a part from the rest of mankind onlie but rather to take awaie the sins of the whole world according to that saieng Ecce agnus c. Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the world For as he toke vpon him y e nature common to vs all so with our nature he tooke likewise our cause For so he saith openlie of himselfe Filius hominis c. The sonne of man came to saue that which was lost Now there were not a few handfuls of mankind lost but all mankinde one with an other As therefore in Adam we all fell so the promise of the seede which should bruse the serpents head is giuen to all Adams ofspring Héerevpon saith S. Iohn Christus apparuit c. Christ appeared to destroie the works of the Deuill Wherfore as S. Paule saith Fidelis hic sermo c. This is a true saieng by all meanes worthie to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners XXI Now in that the successe the more pitie is not answerable to the fathers will who sent his sonne nor to the desire of the sonne who suffered punishment for mans sinne that proceedeth from their own malice wilfulnes for that they béeing bidden of a most mercifull gentle father to the mariage of his best beloued sonne might be welcome guests cared not for comming but vnthankfullie set at naught his kindnes as Christ himselfe complaineth saieng Multi sunt vocati c. Manie are called but few are chosen that is to saie Few beléeue bring foorth fruits worthie of repentaunce This is the cause why they are shut out of the Bridehouse as guests not garnished with a wedding garment XXII THE PROMISE OF GRACE which in déede stretcheth vnto all doth likewise commend vnto vs the most mercifull will of our heauenlie father Heervnto serue manie saiengs among the rest these which followe Haec est voluntas c. This is the will of my Father which sent mee that all which see the sonne beleeue in him should haue life euerlasting Againe Sic non est c. So is it not the will of your Father which is in heauen that one of these little ones should perish Againe Deus vult c. It is the will of God that all should be saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth Againe Deus longanimis c. God is patient and long suffering towards vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentaunce To this also perteineth that place of the Prophet Nolo mortem c. I will not the death of a sinner but that he repent and liue Héerevpon saith Saint Barnard Prodit in lucem c. The great counsell which from the euerlasting laie hid in the bosome of euerlastingnesse is come abroad in light for the comfort of the miserable and distressed bicause God will not the death of a sinner but rather that he should repent and liue XXIII This promise of grace as it reacheth vnto all so is it also fréelie giuen and is to be receiued by faith alone The Apostle most plainlie auoucheth both in the 9. 10. 11. Chapters of his Epistle to the Romanes where he aloweth no place at all to the prerogatiue of the flesh nor to the merits of workes concludeth that Whosoeuer beleeueth shall not

of this heauenlie blessing is added to wit That we should be holie without blame before him in loue which is the fountaine of all other christian duties This high and excellent calling therefore doeth require holinesse and innocencie of life as the last end or effect of spirituall blessing Thus far we haue shewed the meaning of y e Apostle now let vs see what doctrine comfort is to be gotten therby First therefore where he saith that We are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world we may thervpon as vpon an vnmoueable principle conclude these specialties to wit That our election is frée that it is without vs that election is not to be sought in the matter of man that election is firme ratified that our saluation is founded in Christ alone that all merits of men are excluded that they are called elect or chosen which are in Christ by faith for the principle of our saluation standeth stedfast He that beleeueth in the sonne shall not perish but shall haue euerlasting life For by faith a passage is made frō eternal election to glorification to come Some out of this place doe reason in this manner God hath chosen some in Christ before the foundation of the world Ergo God ordeined the fall of man before the foundation of the world For of them which fell some are chosen to life and some are reserued or kept to due condemnation Now séeing it is necessarie that men stood before their fall it followeth that God ordeined the creation of man in righteousnesse and holinesse from the which he fell by sinne Therefore the creation of man his corruption his election his reprobation are ordeined of God To this argument I aunswere That to ordeine and bring to passe is one thing to foreknow in eternall counsell another God ordeined the creation of man to his owne Image or likenesse that he should be righteous and holie it was the fatherlie will of God that his creature shuld continue such a one He did foreknow y t man shuld fall after Sathan had deceiued him yet notwithstanding he ordeined not his fall yea rather this his fall was contrarie to Gods ordinaunce els had it not bene deadly vnto man But in so much as God foreknew mans discase he ordeined a remedie to wit his election after his fal in Iesus Christ Therefore the foreknowledge of God is not the cause of mans fall but contrariewise his fall which was to come was the cause of Gods foreknowledge For the thing dependeth not vpon knowledge but knowledge vpon the thing Againe we haue to vnderstand that the election of God is eternall and before all time so that therein in respect of time nothing is to be thought before or after S. Paule therefore when he saith That God hath chosen vs before the foundation of the world speaketh in respect of vs who are then in déede said to bée elected and chosen by Gods eternall decrée when we beleeue in Christ and indeuour to liue in holinesse and innocencie Héerevpon it followeth that the blasphemous speaches of such are execrable accursed which say If I am elected and chosen why then mine iniquitie shall not condemne mée the counsell of God is vnchaungeable If I be not elected and chosen why then neither faith nor desire to liue vertuously will doe me any good The manner of election which is conditionall confuteth these kinde of speaches We are chosen in Christ Ergo we are chosen vpon this condition if we be in Christ that is if we shall beleeue in Christ Wherefore he that is condemned is condemned through his owne default bicause when he was fallen he refused to take hold of Gods right hand whose wil it was to lift him vp againe This is proued by the ende of the ministerie of the word For God sent the Apostles their successors also abroad to this end That they shuld preach the Gospel that they which beleeued should haue life euerlasting Our saluation therfore out of doubt is conditional as these words of Paule beare record Si modo c. If you continue grounded and stablished in the faith Participes c. We are made partakers of Christ if we hold fast the confidence and the reioicing of the hope vnto the ende Mulier c. The woman shall bee saued if she continue in faith Si tamen c. If so be we shall be sound cloathed not naked Christ in like case beateth into our heads this condition Qui crediderit c. He that beleeueth shall not be condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie Nisi c. Except yee amend your liues ye shall all likewise perish Si manseritis c. If ye abide in me my words abide in you aske what ye will and it shall be done vnto you Vpon this simplicitie of Gods word let vs stedfastlie staie our selues neither let vs suffer our selues to be withdrawn from it by anie sophistrie let vs giue to God the praise of truth and let vs be trulie resolued in our selues that Gods will is to do that indéed which he witnesseth in his word he will doe But if we be not able to aunswere to all the craftie conclusions of Sophisters which wrest the Scripture diuerslie to mainteine vphold their decrees of destinie let vs confesse that we are but babes in the schoole of Christ and let vs hold fast the grounds of godlines which we haue atteined vnto by an vnfeined faith neither let these most sweete and delicate saiengs be snatcht from vs Fidelis sermo c. This is a true saieng and by all meanes worthie to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners Againe Hoc honestum c. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour who will that all men shall be saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth For there is one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men And the Lord himselfe saith Venite c. Come vnto me all ye that labour are heauie loaden and I will refresh you And againe Non veni c. I came not into the world to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce Againe Deus est c. The Lord is patient towards vs would haue no man perish but would all men to come to repentaunce Againe Omnis c. Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed for there is no difference betweene the Iewe and the Grecian for he that is Lord ouerall is rich vnto all that call vpon him Againe Apparuit c. For the grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appered teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlines worldlie lusts and that we should liue soberlie righteouslie and godlie in this present world looking for

merits of men ouerthrowne and condemned For how can that be of merit which is of grace For that saieng of the holie Ghost standeth vnremouable Si ex gratia non ampliùs ex operibus alioqui gratia non est gratia c. If it be of grace it is no more of works or else were grace no more grace But if it be of works it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke The Apostle in this place doth so oppose and set grace and worke one against the other that both of them can by no meanes be attributed to one selfe same third thing neither yet the one ascribed to the other Moreouer this well wishing doth teach vs that we can obtaine no good thing at Gods hand but that which procéedeth from God by and through our Lorde Iesus Christ Saint Paule therefore sendeth vs to the Well head of all goodnesse and there withall requireth faith which is the bucket whereby wee drawe all goodnesse out of this Well head For as the foundation of this grace and peace is the good will of God and his fatherly loue in hauing compassion of man so man is the marke or ende wherevnto this foundation is referred but yet by faith For faith is the instrument whereby this grace and reconciliation offered vnto vs is receiued and possessed 3. Verse Blessed be God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ THe apostle beginneth with thanksgiuing which tendeth héerevnto euen to admonish vs of our duetie For it is not conuenient that we should lightly passe ouer and let slip any grace of God without praising magnifieng his name for the same The word Blessing which Saint Paul vseth in this place hath not a simple signification but varieth in consideration of that wherevnto it is applied for God blesseth man man blesseth God and man blesseth man howbeit diuerse and differing waies When God is said to blesse man y e meaning is That God in speaking the word prospereth and dealeth well with him For the worde of God is his worke and what he saith is done Man is said to blesse God when with a true faith he praiseth glorifieth God for his benefits through Iesus Christ and that with the heart outward confession of the mouth That this is so it is euident bicause the Scripture vseth these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well wishing and blessing indifferently the one for the other Man is said to blesse man when he wisheth him prosperitie and praieth that all things may goe well with him Furthermore the priestlie blessing is not to be supposed the blessing of man onely but rather of God in which blessing the commaundement the promise is to be marked The commaundement is this Benedicetis c. Thus shall you blesse the children of Israel saith the Lord say vnto them The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee The Lord make his face shine vpon thee be mercifull vnto thee The Lord lift vp his countenaunce vpon thee and giue thee peace The promise is this Inuocabunt Sacerdotes c. The Priests shall put my name vpon the children of Israel and I will blesse them This promise is to be receiued by faith and it staieth vpon the merite of Christ in whome all the promises of God are yea and Amen 3. Verse Who hath blessed vs vvith all spirituall blessing in heauenly things in Christ VVhich hath blessed vs with all manner of spirituall blessing in heauenly things by Christ THis is the reason of his thanksgiuing wherein hee comprehendeth very great things in singular shortnes For first of all he setteth foorth the fountaine and Author of all blessing that is to say of all prosperitie namely God the Father who of his fatherly good will blesseth vs. Secondly he giueth vs a sight of the obiect to wit man vpon whom God hath powred his blessing most liberally Thirdly he declareth the peculiar blessing which is handled in this place to be spirituall grace whereby wée are adopted and made heires of euerlasting life Fourthly he sheweth that this peculiar and excellent blessing is not to be sought for in the worlde but in heauen and that it is begun first heere but there ended and made perfect Fiftly and lastly he addeth the matter of this spirituall blessing For Christ is the matter and merite of the same Marke how many and how heauenly things the Apostle knitteth vp in a very few words As the first and the second point teach vs that God is the Fountaine of all good so they beate downe and kéepe vnder all arrogancie and pride of man The third point teacheth vs that the benefits of the Gospel are spiritual The fourth sendeth vs to heauen by faith where the treasure of all blessing is laid vp in Christ The fift and last ouerthroweth mightily all merites of men For the merit of this heauenlie blessing is in none other but in Christ alone 4. Verse As he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that vve should be holie vvithout blame before him According as he hath chosen vs in him before the creation of the world that we should be Saints vnreproueable before him in loue THis is a reason of that which the Apostle said before For as in the last verse he set downe a reason why we are bound by dutie to extoll the goodnesse of God to wit because he hath most liberallie powred his spirituall blessing vpon vs whereby he hath blessed vs in Christ so héere is annered a reason of that reason by exposition Wherein as he comprehendeth the foundation and matter of that heauenlie grace or spirituall blessing so likewise he shutteth vp as it were in a verie briefe Aphorisme the time and last ende of the same to the intent that this mysterie might the more manifestlie appeare before our eies The foundation of our spirituall blessing or heauenlie grace or of our saluation the Apostle maketh Gods eternall election whereby he vouchsafed to choose such as should beléeue in him before the creation of the world The matter thereof is Christ For in him onelie heauenlie grace doth rest yea our life saluation is in him Héere we must take verie great héede that we separate not election from his proper matter For we must not dreame of anie election without Christ God hath not chosen vs simplie but in Christ that is to say as members of Christ knit by faith vnto Christ our head He saith that this election in Christ was therefore wrought before the world was made least the Ephesians should thinke that this Gospell or doctrine of obteining saluation by Christ was preached by Paule at happe hazard or aduentures as a doctrine but latelie hatcht but that they might rather know that it was the eternall counsell or purpose of God to giue saluation to all that beléeue in Christ The last ende

faith wee will laie it downe in partes and diuide this conclusion into seuen partes or members then will wée shew and that brieflie what our faith may gather out of them seuerally The first member is declared in these words When he raised him from the dead that is to saie God in raising his sonne from the dead shewed the working of his excéeding power Of this first member there are thrée points The first of the Lordes death The second of his resurrection The third of the power whereby he was raised Of these thrée pointes wée will giue you a verie short admonition The historie of the Lords death is well knowne by y e writings of the Prophets y e Apostles the Creeds But y e power working therof is diligentlie to be distinguished sundered frō the passions or sufferings the deaths of other Saints or holie men For the passions or sufferings and the deaths of other Saints were either martyrdoms or trials of their faith and confession or els as for example in the théefe certaine punishments for offences But the death and passion of Christ is farre otherwise to be considered which Christ himselfe defineth to be sanctification that is to saie an offering vp of himself for many And he defineth the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he saith thus The sonne of man came not to be ministred vnto but to minister and to giue his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a redemption for many Nowe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not redemption as the olde intrepreter hath translated it but the price of redemption For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Gréeke signifieth whatsoeuer is paid downe for their redemption which are kept in captiuitie which Homer in his Iliads calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the price of redemption The passion and death of Christ therefore is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price downe paid for the redemption of men who were held captiues and prisoners vnder the power of the deuill which price was paid to God by whose iust iudgment we were captiues This price hath his infinit estimation vncountable value from the wonderfull vnion or knitting of Gods nature and mans in one person Wherevpon Saint Paule doubteth not to speake thus Ecclesiam c. The Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud Héerevnto we will adde a fuller definition for declaration sake The passion and death of our Lord Iesus Christ God and man is a propitiatorie sacrifice or sacrifice of attonement wherein the eternall son of the eternall God béeing made man offered himselfe by the eternall spirit vnto his father that by this his oblation obedience he might both purge the sinnes of the world and appease the wrath of God to the ende that all such as beléeue might be sanctified vnto life euerlasting through him As by this definition our vnderstanding and iudgement is rightly informed and taught concerning the passion and death of Christ so our faith must be stirred vp and stedfastlie resolued that sinne is so washed awaie by the death of Christ as that God doth remember it no more Moreouer wee must and ought with continuall thankfulnsse and innocencie of life to aduaunce and extoll this great benefit The second point of this first member is of the Lordes resurrection wherof wée will shew brieflie what is to be thought faithfullie and godlie First of all we must holde fast the testimonies of his resurrection which are of thrée sortes as commonlie I make them touching these the Catechisme and the historie of Christs resurrection set foorth in the Gospell must bée looked vpon and considered The definition of the Lordes resurrection must bée maintained to wit that the resurrection of Christ from the dead is Christs victorie and his triumph ouer sinne death hell and ouer the whole kingdome of Sathan For Christ by his resurrection fulfilled the promise Semen mulieris c. The seede of the woman shall bruse the Serpents head that is to saie as Saint Iohn the Lords Apostle expoundeth it Christus apparuit c. Christ appeared that hee might destorie the workes of the diuell Christ therefore rising againe is conquerour ouer Sathan which Sathan lieth conquered and crushed vnder the féete of Christ the conquerour that hée is no more able to drawe the faithfull that is to saie the members of Christ into death and destruction although he beare full swaie ouer the reprobate and obstinate and vseth manie and sundrie guilefull sleights to prouoke the faithfull to tast the forbidden fruite and so to be cast againe out of the Lordes Paradise that is to saie hée goeth about with corrupt doctrine and lewde manners to infect and poison the faithfull that the holie Ghost might be driuen out of them and so they through the losse of faith might bée shut out of Gods housholde and so become castawaies In the third place the fruites of the Lords resurrection must bée gathered which the godlie alone enioie the first wherof is remission of sinnes Si Christus c. If Christ bee not risen ye are yet in your sinnes Héerevnto serueth that saieng of the Prophet Daniel Auferetur c. Wickednesse shall be finished sinnes shall be sealed vp and iniquitie reconciled And although the reconcilement of iniquitie bée most properlie appertaining to Christs passion and death as before is declared yet notwithstanding it is also verie well applied to his resurrection bicause this is the accomplishment of all Christs benefits The second is our iustification Resurrexit c. Christ is risen againe for our iustification And Daniel saith Adducetur c. Euerlasting righteousnesse shall be brought in Doth not Saint Paule likewise define the obedience of Christ to bée our righteousnesse Both are true For whatsoeuer is giuen to one action or déede of Christ the same is rightlie giuen to them all by reason of the ordinarie appointment and ordinance common to all his works and actions The third is the giuing of the spirit Nisi c. Except I goe my waie that comforter shall not come And Paule saith Emisit c. He hath sent the spirit of his sonne into your hearts which crieth Abba Pater Abba Father The fourth is the confirming of the couenant of grace or an assurance and certaine warrant of a good conscience before God For so saith S. Peter Habentes c. Hauing a good conscience And In that a good conscience maketh request vnto God The words at large lie in this order Cui respondens c. To the which also the figure that now saueth vs euen Baptisme agreeth not the putting awaie of the filth of the flesh but in that a good conscience maketh request vnto GOD by the resurrection of Iesus Christ The fift is the renewing of our selues which is after two sortes to wit of our soules and of our bodies Of our soules according to that saieng of

more at large to the Gentiles vnder the name of the Ephesians declaring how the Gentiles who in times past were straungers from the Commonwelth of God are made Citizens with the Saints and of Gods houshold all which is wrought by the crosse of Christ the vertue and power whereof is made knowne vnto men by the preaching of the Gospell Lastlie he ioineth héerewithall a conclusion with a notable enlargement All these things tend wholie héerevnto that the Ephesians might estéeme and thinke of the grace of the Gospell according to the worthinesse therof least they being made partakers of so heauenlie a mysterie should vnaduisedlie fall awaie from it againe ¶ THE EXPOSITION OF THE SEcond Chapter with the obseruation of doctrines therein conteined Verse 1. 2. 1 And you hath he quickened that vvere dead in trespasses and sinnes 2 Wherein in time past ye vvalked according to the course of this vvorld and after the Prince that ruleth in the aire euen the spirit that novv worketh in the children of disobedience And you when you were dead in the trespasses and sinnes wherein you walked according to the trade of this world after the Prince that ruleth in the aire euen the spirit which now worketh in the children of vnbeliefe ALthough the wordes of this speach or sentence stand out of order yet notwithstanding there is no disorder of matter Wherfore to the intent it maie be perfect and full the Nominatiue case and the Verbe must be fetcht out of the words which followe after this maner God the Father hath quickened you together with Christ when you were dead in sinnes Now let vs weie the sentence well In the ende of the former Chapter the Apostle calleth Christ The head of the Church and héere he placeth the Ephesians vnder Christ the head that they might aduisedlie cōsider to how great dignitie glorie they are called by the gospel Now y t this passing great benefit might become more sweet to the Ephesians he setteth downe a comparison of a double state common to the Iewes and the Ephesians that is to saie the Gentiles The former state is of them both before their conuersion the latter after their conuersion Before their conuersion S. Paule auoucheth that they both were dead in trespasses sinnes After their conuersion hée saith that they were discharged from the guiltinesse of their sinnes and were quickened in Christ By Trespasses vnderstand the beginnings as it were of sinnes and by Sinnes the custome of sinning And that the Ephesians were dead in trespasses and sinnes before their conuersion he proueth by two reasons For hée sendeth them both to experience or proofe and also to the cause and Prince of all euill and mischiefe Experience would not suffer them to be ignorant how defiled and vncleane they were According to the course of the whole world béeing indéede plunged ouer head and eares in the bottomlesse pit of sinnes For According to the course of this world signifieth the trade fashion custome and vse of this worlde which delighteth in nothing else but in sinnes They are not said in this place To bee dead in trespasses and sinnes whose sinne i●●●ut out but they whom sinne hath wounded slaine as guiltie before the iudgement seat of God The Apostle speaketh of spiritual death which is a separation of Gods spirit grace from man From whence also y t death which we call the first death to wit the departing of the soule from the bodie and the second death which is death euerlasting doe procéede Let vs now sée what doctrine is ministred vnto vs out of this place First we learne héerehence that men destitute of Gods grace can doe nothing else but sinne in euerie thing that they take in hand Secondlie that Sathan hath full swaie in the children of vnbeliefe that is to saie in them which beléeue not the Gospell Thirdlie that the life and conuersation of men is a testimonie and witnesse by what spirit they are lead whether by the spirit of God or the spirit of the Diuell Fourthlie that such as beléeue in Christ are set frée from the tyrannie of Sathan that hée hath no power ouer them to egge them as hée list to this sinne and that There are two causes of sinnes noted héere to wit The course of this world and The Prince that ruleth in the aire But of these I will speake héereafter when I shall ioine vnto these other causes also as the words of the Apostle shall moue me to the end wée may haue all the causes of sinnes in the vnbeleeuers noted together and so with the greater diligence take héede of them Verse 3. 3 Among vhom vve also had our conuersation in time past in the lusts of our flesh in fulfilling the vvill of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature the children of vvrath as vvell as others Among whom likewise all wee were sometimes conuersant in the concupiscence of our flesh dooing the will of the flesh and of the minde and we were by nature the children of wrath as well as others THis is spoken by waie of application and serueth to this end that the Ephesians looking vpon the Iewes as vpon a paterne or example might hope well For séeing y e Apostle saith That the Iews were no lesse giuen to the lewd lusts of the flesh and vnto doing the will of their wicked thoughts whereby they became the children of wrath by the like corruption of nature which reigned in the rest than the Ephesians or other Gentiles and yet affirmeth that they were taken to grace and receiued into fauour it putteth the Ephesians in good hope comfort that they should be receiued into fauour also and be saued through the selfe same goodnesse of God Héerehence let vs learne the vse of such examples as the holie scripture commendeth vnto vs. For they to speake brieflie besides the doctrine which is to be gathered by them set before our eies Gods iudgement and his mercie that we might be instructed and taught hauing such godlie examples of them both in present view The lust of the flesh is that which springeth from the corruption and naughtinesse of the flesh that is of originall sinne For héere this word Flesh signifieth the whole man not yet renewed In the Flesh dwelleth Lust whereby man is egged to do those things which the flesh and the wicked thoughts of the same doe like The Apostle in this place séemeth to make two parts of a corrupt and naughtie nature to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saie the flesh and the minde or the vnderstanding part By the first is meant that part of the minde which the Philosophers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the appetite or desire which is void of reason By the last that part which they name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reasonable part Wherevpon it commeth to passe that the whole man before the grace of regeneration is by nature that is to say not