iustifieth he God praiseth God Tindale fol. 380 Where the name of Christian began The Disciples at Antioch were the first that were called Christians ¶ They that beléeued in Christ were afore this called Disciples and beganne first to be named Christians at Antioch which name we haue of our Lord Iesus Christ in whom we beléeue and béeing pertakers of his spirite doe reioyce in our saluation purchased vnto vs by him Therfore we must take héede that we doe not by our vncleane conuersation pollute and defile this most excellent name and so giue occasion vnto the heathen for to misreport and blaspheme it Sir I. Cheeke A Christian after the Popes religion After the Popes Catholike religion a true Christen man is thus defined First to be baptised in the Latine tongue where the Godfathers professe they cannot tell what Then confirmed by the Bishop the mother of the childe to be purified After he be growne in yeares then to come to the Church to kéepe his fasting daies to fast the Lent to come vnder Benedicite that is to be confessed to the Priest to do his penance At Caster to take his rightes to heare Masse diuine seruice to set vp candles before Images to creepe to the Crosse to take holie bread and holie water to go on Procession to carrie his Palmes and Candles and to take Ashes to fast the Imber-daies and vigils to kéepe his holie daies and to paie his tiths and offering daies to go on pilgrimage to buie pardons to worship his maker ouer the Priests head to receiue the Pope for his supreame head and to obeie his lawes to receiue S. Nicholas Clarkes to haue his beads and to giue to the high Altar to take orders if he will be a Priest to saie his Mattins to sing his Masse to lift vp faire to kéepe his vowe and not to marrie when he is sicke to be anealed and take the rightes of holie Church to be buried in the Churchyard to be rong for to be song for to be buried in a Friers coate to finde a soule Priest c. Booke of Mar. fol. 44. How the Christian maie warrant himselfe the forgiuenesse of his sinnes Saint Hilarie in his 5. Canon vpon Mathew saith It is Gods will that we should hope without anie doubting of his vnknowne will for if the beliefe be doubtfull there can be no righteousnesse obteined by beleeuing And thus we see that according to S. Hilarie a man obteineth not forgiuenesse of his sinnes at Gods hand except he beléeue vndoubtedly to obteine it And good right it is it shuld be so For he that doubteth is like a waue of the sea which is tossed turmoiled with the winde And therefore let not such a one thinke to obteine anie thing at Gods hand Let such foolish imaginations saith Saint Austen murmure as much as it listeth saieng Who are they How great is that glorie By what desert hopest thou to obteine it I answere assuredlie I know in whom I haue beléeued I know that he of his great goodnes hath made me his sonne I know he is true of his promise and able to performe his word for he can doe what he will And when I thinke vppon the Lordes death the multitude of my sinnes cannot dismaie me for in his death doe I put all my trust His death is my whole desart it is my refuge it is my saluation my life and resurrection the mercie of the Lorde is my desart I am not poore of desart so long as the Lord of mercie faileth me not And sith the mercies of the Lord are manie manie are also my deseruinges The more he is of power to saue the more am I sure to bée saued The same Saint Austen talking with God in an other place saith that he had dispaired by reason of his great sinnes and infinit negligences if the worde of God had not become flesh And anone after he saith these wordes All my hope all the assuraunce of my trust is setteled in his precious bloud which was shed for vs and for our saluation In him my poore heart taketh breath putting my whole trust in him I long to come vnto thée O Father not hauing mine owne righteousnesse but the righteousnesse of thy sonne Iesus Christ. In these two places S. Austen sheweth plainlie that the Christian must not be afraide but assure himselfe of righteousnesse by grounding himselfe not vpon his owne workes but vppon the precious bloud of Iesus Christ which cleanseth vs from all our sinnes and maketh our peace with God S. Barnard in his first sermon vpon the Annuntiation saith most euidentlie the it is not inough to beléeue that a man can haue forgiuenesse of his sinnes but by Gods mercie nor anie one good desire or abilitie to doe so much as one good worke except God giue it him no nor that a man can deserue eternall life by his workes but if God giue him the gift to beléeue But beside all these things saith Saint Barnard which ought rather to be counted a certeine enteraunce and foundation of our faith It is néedfull that thou beleeue also that thy sinnes are forgiuen thée for the loue of Iesus Christ c. CHVRCH What a Church or the Church is To the seauen Churches ¶ A Church is properlie a Companie or Congregation of Christen folkes redéemed by the bloud of Christ which suffer themselues to be ruled by Gods word and are alwaies in this world mingled with the vngodlie vnbeléeuers therefore being knowne onelie vnto God They be preserued vnder the protection of Christ their Shepheard that they maie not perish with this world Therfore wheresoeuer we sée Gods word sincerely preached heard and the Sacraments ministred according to Christs institution it is not to be doubted but ther is some church of God considering that his promise cannot deceiue which is Wheresoeeuer two or thrée be gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Marl. fol. 7. If we take the Church in generall it signifieth assembly or companie But when we speake of the Church of God wée take it not onelie for the assemblie and companie of all sorts of people but for a companie and assemblie of men the which God hath chosen from others hath consecrated and sanctified them vnto himselfe in his sonne Iesus Christ by his holie spirit for this cause she is called holie the coâ—â—â—union of saints they be all the true faithfull which by faith are made members of Iesus Christ which is the holie one of holinesse the which hath giuen his holie spirit to his Church to sanctifie it And therefore S. Paule doth call all Christians saints Viret The verie true Church of God is not a felowship gathered in a consent of exterior thing and ceremonies as other politike felowships be but it is a felowship gathered together in the vnitie of faith hauing the holie Ghost within them to
things done in the gates T. M What is to be vnderstood by the gates of Hell And the Gates of hell shall not preuaile against it ¶ The gates of cities for the most part are verie strong haue Perculies to set before them There by the name of Gates all kinde of force and munition is noted And by hell gates all Satanicall and diuellish power is to be vnderstoode These promises are great and most firme which doe pacifie and comfort the consciences of the faithfull when they consider themselues to bée so setteled and graunted that they knowe for a suretie how they are able to resist all the power of Satan according to the saieng of Saint Paule There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesu. And if God be with vs who can be against vs who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs howe then should he not with him giue vs all things who shall laie anie thing to the charge of Gods chosen c. Marl. fol. 161. What the gates of Syon signifie Within the port of the daughter Syon ¶ The portes or gates of the daughter Syon are the companies of the good and faithfull in which are recited the truth of God and al that leadeth so lyfe Psal. 87. 2. T. M. ¶ In the open assemblie of the Church saith Geneua What is vnderstood by the gates of Brasse For he hath broken the gates of brasse ¶ By the gates of brasse and barres are vnderstood all instrumentes of helpe for warre which how manie or strong so euer they bée profite nothing against the Lord. A like maner of speach vseth Christ of the gates of hell for the strengths and powers of them that bée in hell Math. 16. 18. The gates of hell shall not preuaile c. T. M. When there séemeth to mans iudgement no recouerie but all things are brought to despaire then God chieflie sheweth his mightie power Geneua How the gates doe mourne Then shall the gates mourne and lament ¶ The gates shal mourne and complaine because yâ— not onlie the Souldiers shal perish with the swoord but also the Iudges and giuer of Sentences He taketh the place of iudgement for the Iudges for in the gates was iudgment wont to be giuen Ruth 4. 1. Or euen the gates shall be destroied and no man shall enter in or goe out thereat For the gates mourne if the people bée not often séene in them T. M. What it is to open the gates of righteousnesse Open me the gates of righteousnesse ¶ To open the gates of righteousnesse is to open vnto the world the grace and righteousnesse that commeth from God So Esaie 26. 2. saith Open ye the gates that the good people maie goe in c. He willeth preachers to open Christ vnto the people for he is the doore through whome they must enter Iohn 10. 9. T. M. ¶ He willeth the doores of the tabernacle to be opened that he maie declare his thankfull minde Geneua Open ye the gates that the righteous nation c. may enter in ¶ He assureth the godlie to returne after the captiuitie to Hierusalem Geneua What the gates of death are Hath lift me vp from the gates of death ¶ The gates of death are the iudgements of death the counsells of the wicked the congregation of Satan the doctrines of falsenesse whatsoeuer leadeth to death T. M. GELDED ¶ Looke Chastitie GELOVSIE What the lawe of gelousie is THe law of gelousie séemeth to be a feare and a certeine nurture of wiues that they should be obedient vnto their husbands chast mannerlie faithfull such as giue no occasion to be suspect therto serued this lawe while it kept them vnder and gaue them no license to run at large whereby they might haue come in some suspect and so to haue come to this greate shame before the congregation T. M. After what manner God is gelous I the Lorde thy God am a gelous God ¶ I am gelous that is I am the Lord that watcheth and looketh narrowlie vnto your wickednesse and wil punish it secretlie And againe yâ— seruently loueth your goodlinesse and reward it abundantlie T. M. ¶ And will be reuenged of the contemners of mine honour Geneua ¶ He is called gelous because he cannot suffer that any should fall from him T. M. For God is called a gelous God ¶ God is called gelous because he will not permit that anie other Gods shall be worshipped but he onelie will be loued and worshipped as God The Bible note Wherefore Saint Paule was gelous ouer the Corinthians I am gelous ouer you with godlie gelousie ¶ For this cause was Saint Paule gelous ouer the Corinthians because that he had trulie instructed them in the christen faith was afraid least they being deceiued and vndermined by the wilie crafte of them that slaundered him shoulde fall awaie from the true doctrine that they had receiued This godlie gelousie ought to be in all Bishops and Pastours Sir I. Cheeke GENEALOGIE Of the Genealogie of Adam and Christ. IN Moses bookes the Genealogie of Adam is discribed whose children are the children of wrath and of death In the new Testament the Genealogie of Christ is set foorth in whome we are borne a new and are made the children of God and heires of the kingdome of heauen through Christ. Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Luke ascendeth from the last Father to the first And Mathew descendeth from the first to the last Mathew extendeth not his rehearsall farther then to Abraham which is for the assuraunce of the promise for the Iewes Luke referreth it euen vnto Adam whereby the Gentiles also are assured of the promise because they came of Adam and are restored in the second Adam Mathew counteth by the legall descent and Luke by the naturall Finallie both two speaking of the same persons applie vnto them diuerse names Geneua GENERATION How generation is taken in this place Which followe me in the Generation◠¶ The Generation is 〈…〉 wherein the elect shall beginne to liue a new â—yâ—â— that is to saie when they shall enioie this heauenlie inheritaunce doth in bodie and soule Beza GENTILES How God chose the Gentiles to praise him THis people haue I made for my selfe and they shall shew forth my praise ¶ To shew forth the praise of the Lord is to preach the remission of sinnes and the deliuorance from death and hell and the giuenesse of euerlasting life by the mercie of God for Christs sake A like manner of speaking vse th Dâ—uâ—d in the Psal. 22. 22. where he beeing the figure of Christ saith In the midst of the congregation wil I praise thee c. Thus shuld the Genâ—iles and Heaten praise him which people he chose for himselfe as ye maie see in the text For the Iewes which were signified by Iacob wold not doe it but put their confidence in keeping of the lawe This doth
GOD And wée béeing regenerate it bringeth vs forth to battaile and vnto good workes Héerevnto Chrisostome addeth the lawe reproueth but loseth not from sinne Grace loseth from sinne and reproueth not The lawe reproueth sinne and increaseth it Grace forgiuing it suffereth vs not to be vnder sinne c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 134. How this following is vnderstoode And of his fulnesse haue all wée receiued euen Grace for Grace ¶ This sentence is sundrie wise expounded I will first shew you Saint Austens minde These be his words vpon this place That brethren all we haue receiued out of his fulnesse out of the fulnesse of his mercie haue we receiued what Remission of sinnes that we might be iustified by fayth And what moreouer Grace for Grace that is to witte For this Grace whereby we liue of Fayth we shall receiue an other Grace namelie Euerlasting lyfe But what else is it saue Grace For if I shall saie this is due to me I assigne somewhat to my selfe as to whome it is due But GOD crowneth the giftes of his mercie in vs. Thus yée sée Saint Austens meaning to witte that all good giftes and in the ende euerlasting lyfe is not a recompence of our merites but commeth of the frée liberalitie of God because it pleaseth him so to reward his former graces and to crowne his owne gyftes in vs. And so hée calleth faith whereby wée are iustified one Grace and euerlaâ—ing lyfe an other grace verye truelie and godlye to the confusion of the common Idolles Souldiers Other expounding Grace for Grace Grace vppon Grace teach that out of this fulnesse of his sonne GOD gaue to our Fathers vnder the olde Testament the spirite of feare whereby as children vndâ—r a Schoolemaster they were kept in and restrained that they shoulde not stray abroad after fleshlie lusts but be ledde foorth and framed to some goodnesse And in the new Testament hée giueth the spirit of fréedome whereby with more franke and free hearts with more ioifull courage by the motion of the spirit we doe the thing that pleaseth God not that our Fathers were altogether voide of this frée spirit but because of their childlie age they were kept more vnder by feare the spirite was not so richlie larglie giuen to them as to vs I meane vniuersallie touching gods ordinarie disposition For to some speciall person the spirit was larglie giuen and more larglie then it is nowe The exposition of other is that God loueth and fauoureth vs because of the loue and fauour that he beareth to his sonne as Saint Paule writeth That he hath made vs acceptable in the beloued For by nature we are the children of wrath the loue and fauour that we finde in Gods sight is for that of his own goodnesse he hath made vs the members of his most dearelye beloued sonne and so loueth vs as a parte of his sonnes bodie Other thinke that the meaning of these words is that GOD powreth all his graces into the Lorde Iesus and by him conueieth the same vnto vs as by a Conduct pipeâ— I leaue to your choise which of these expositions ye will take B. Traheron By grace vnderstand fauour The meaning is for the fauour that God the Father hath to his sonne Christ hath he receiued vs into fauour So as Christ is beloued of his Father euen so are we beloued for his sake Rom. 5. 15. T. M. ¶ All grace and all that is pleasant in the sight of God is giuen vs for Christs sake onelie euen out of the fulnesse and abundance of the fauour that he receiueth with the father Tindale ¶ Grace for grace That is God doth fauour vs and giue grace to so manie as beléeue in Christ are become his members The Bible note What is vnderstood by grace and peace Grace to you and peace from God By grace héere is vnderstood the fauour of GOD wherewith he fréelie forgiueth sinnesâ— By peace the tranquilitie of conscience prâ—céeding therof Tindale How these words Grace and Truth are expounded But grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. ¶ By grace some vnderstand that that maketh vs amiable and acceptable and getteth vs fauour before God and man By truth they vnderstand true sincere perfect sound and sure righteousnesse Other by grace in this place vnderstand forgiuenesse of sinnes by truth the fulfilling of all the figures and shadowes in Moses lawe in which signification you shall take the words the sâ—nce shall be good and godlie B. Traheron The grace saith Saint Austen which is giuen of the largnesse of God priuilie into mans heart cannot be despised of no manner of hard heart for therfore it is giuen that the hardnesse of the heart shal be taken awaie Wherefore when the father is herde within and doth learne that he must come vnto his sonne then taketh he awaie our stonie heart and giueth vs a fleshlie heart by this meanes he maketh vs his children of promise and the vessels of mercie which he hath prepared to glorie But wherefore doth he not learne all men to come to Christ because that those yâ— he learneth he learneth of mercie and those that he learneth not of his iudgement doth he not learne them These places following are alleadged of D. Barnes against Free will Saint Austen saith that there is no hardnesse of heart that can resist grace Dunce saith that there maie bée an obstacie in mans heart S. Austen saith that grace findeth the heart in hardnesse and obstinacie But Dunce saith that there is a mollifieng that precedeth grace which is called attrition Saint Austen saith when the Father learneth vs within then taketh he awaie our stonie hearts But Dunce saith that we can doe it by the common naturall influence that is wée can dispose our selues of congruence Saint Austen saith how all men be not taught to come to Christ but onelie they that be taught of mercie be taught and if it be of mercie then it is not of congruence by attrition The meaning of these places following For by grace are ye saued through faith ¶ So then grace that is to saie the gift of God and Faith doe stande one with an other to which two these be contrarie to be saued by our selues or by our workes Therefore what meane they which would ioine together things of so contrarie nature Beza And grace for grace ¶ This place is diuerslie expounded Some vnderstand the first grace to be that by yâ— which through faith we receiue remission of our sinnes the other grace to bée lyfe euerlasting the which kinde of Grace is giuen to the faithfull according to the saieng of the Apostle but the grace of God is eternall life Rom. 6. 23. But other some will haue the first to bée that which in the olde Testament was giuen to the Iewes The other to be more copious and large and giuen to all men But the simple sence
to suffer anie thing then they will bée lyke vnto the wicked finally they are such which doe not resist euill but doe ouercome euill 〈…〉 dooing that which is good Marl. fol. 77. How the meeke shall pssesse the earth Blessed are the méeke for they shall possesse the earth ¶ By the earth vnderstand all that we possesse in this worlde which all God will keepe for vs if wée bée soft and méeke And whatsoeuer 〈…〉 arise yet if we will be patient and abide the end will goâ— on our side As it is written in the Psalme 37. 9. The wicked shall bée wéeded out but they that abide the Lords leasure shall inherit the land And againe within a while the wicked shall be gone thou shalt see his place where he was and he shall be away but the meeke shall inherite the earth Euen as Be still and haue thy wilt of a little medling commeth great 〈…〉 for a patient man shall weare out all his enâ—mied Tindale fo 210. How that God doth guide the Meeke in iudgement Dirigit mansuâ—tos in iudicio docebit mitos viaâ— suas Them that bée méeke shall be guide in iudgement and such as be gentle them shal he teach his waies ¶ To guide yâ— méeke in iudgement is not meant onely to be their helpe onely when they shall come before the Iudges of this world but to guide them in iudgement iâ— héere meant to make them through his grace knowledge of his law to liue orderly vprightly in all their doings with right iudgement true discerning of vertue froÌ„ vice This great gift doth God of his gratious goodnes giue vnto men that be sinners but yet saith the Prophet not to all manner of sinners but onely to those yâ— be méeke gentle Vniuersa via Domini misericordia veritas requirentibus testamentum eius testimonia eius All the wayes of the Lord are mercie truth but yet sayth the Prophet Requirentibus testamentum eius testimonia eius Unto such as kéepe his couenaunt and testimonies To the sturdy rebellious sinners Via Dominni odor mortis fuit The wayes of yâ— Lord is a deadly sauour and a pestilent stinke which neuerthelesse of themselues and namely to all good men are Odor vitae the sweete odour of life So that to the wicked the wayes of the Lorde his commaundements are the occasion of their great damnation but vnto the méeke and such as feare the Lord they are light vnto life ouerlasting through the mercie and truth graunted vnto vs in and by Iesus Christ our Lord. Riâ— Turn MELCHISEDECH How he is a figure of Christ. WIthout Father without Mother without kinne c. ¶ So called because that Moses maketh no mention of his parents kinsfolkes but as he had bene sodeinly sent of God into the world to be a figure of Christ or euerlasting Priest and shortly taken out of the worlde againe So Christ as touching his humanitie had no Father and concerning his diuinitie had no mother Geneua ¶ It is sayd that Melchisedech is without father mother because that no mention at all in Scriptures is made of his parents nor yet of his genealogie And thus doth the Scripture declare yâ— he is a liuely figure of Christ which as touching his Godbead is without mother being begotten of his father without all beginnings and as touching his manhood is without father being conceiued by the mighty operation of the holy Ghost Sir I. Cheeke How Melchisedech and Sem is one person Lyra sayth that Melchisedech was the same person which in Scripture is called Sem the first son of Noâ— And S. Paule Heb. 7. saith that Melchisedech was without father without mother without kinne and hath neither beginning of his dayes nor yet end of his lyfe So that by this it should séeme Melchisedech Sem not to be one person To this aunswere is made on this wise that the Apostle reporteth Melchisedech to be without father mother because the Scripture maketh no mention of them not that he was without parents kinsfolks c. For although yâ— Scripture make mention of yâ— father mother of Sem and of his Genelogie yet it is not vnder the name of Melchisedech but vnder the name of Sem. And so is yâ— Apostle to be vnderstood that vnder the name of Melchisedech no mentton is made in the Scripture of his father and mother Lyra. The meaning of Saint Paule in making mention of Melchisedech Saint Paule writing to the Hebrewes goeth about to disswade them from the vaine confidence they had in the sacrifices and ceremonies of Moses lawe to perswade them to put their trust in that onely sacrifice that Christ had offered himselfe once for all And least they shoulde reiect his doctrine as hauing no ground in holy Scriptures he putteth them in minde of Melchisedech who was a figure of Christ and of his Priesthoode which was also a figure of Christs Priesthoode First he was a figure of Christ saith Saint Paule in that he was called Melchisedech which is by interpretation the king of righteousnesse the king of Salem which is the king of peace And in that hée was a Priest of the most high God and hath neither beginning nor ende of dayes noted in holy histories his Priesthoode séemed to be an euerlasting Priesthood and therfore saith Saint Paule he is likened to the sonne of God that is euerlasting and hath an euerlasting Priesthoode and is alwaie able to saue them that séeke saluation at his handes because he lyueth euer to make intercession for vs. This is the minde of Paule And not that Melchisedech was a figure of Christ and of his Priesthood in that he vsed to offer to God a sacrifice of bread and wine c. Crowley How Melchisedech is brought in of the Papists to mainteine the sacrifice of the Masse Melchisedech say they was a figure of Christ for hée was yâ— Priest of the highest And as Dauid saith Christ is an eternal Priest after the order of Melchisedech and therefore he offered bread and wine vndoubtedly Melchisedech was a figure of Christ but Saint Paule manifestlye declareth in what thinges he was the figure of Christ. In the rehearsing of the honours and dignitie of Melchisedech which is that he was an eternall Priest and king of peace and righteousnesse There is not one word of bread and wine They cannot finde in the booke of Genesis that Melchisedech did sacrifice vnto God but that he offered bread and wine to Abraham for sustenaunce of his people as Christ offered to vs his worde Melchisedech brought bread and wine and Abraham paide him tithe Christ after the same sorte gaue vs the Sacrament of his bodye and bloude but he did not offer it to God The Scripture sheweth forth Melchisedech vnder the figure of an eternall and onely Priest But the Papists appoint other Priests to bée Christs Uicars after his ascention into
works that I haue they come of thée First of all thou must beléeue that thou canst not haue remission of sinnes but through pardon and forgiuenesse of God And then next that thou canst haue no good worke except hée giue it thée Last of all that euerlasting life cannot be deserued with any workes except it be giuen vnto thee also fréely What worthy thing doe we that we maye be founde in the heauenly spirits The Apostle saith I iudge that the afflictions of this time are not worthy of that glory that shall be reuealed in vs therefore I take him to be the sounder Diuine the faithfuller Catholike and more agréeable to the holy scriptures that vtterly denyeth all such kinde of merits Waldensis in his booke against Wicleffe Meritum meum c. My merite saith Saint Barnard is the mercie of God So long as God is not poore of mercie so long cannnot I be poore of merite If his mercie bee great then am I great in merite This is the whole merite of man if he put his whole affiaunce in the Lord. Forasmuch as all men are shut vp and closed vnder sinne now the saluation of man standeth not in mans merits but in Gods mercie For nothing thou shouldest saue them What is meant by these words For nothing thou shouldest saue them This is the meaning Thou findest nothing in them wherefore thou shouldest saue them and yet thou sauest them Thou findest nothing wherefore thou shouldest saue them but thou findest wherefore thou shouldest saue them but thou findest wherefore thou shouldest condemne them Aug de verbis Apostoli sermo 15. Againe Deserued paine would throwe all men into death vnlesse the vndeserued grace of God deliuered some from it Trust in mens merits leadeth to desperation and therefore S. Cypriane saith They teach vs night in stéede of day destruction in stéede of health desperation vnder the colour of hope infidelitie vnder the pretence of faith Antichrist vnder the name of Christ. Doth he thanke that seruaunt ¶ Christ doth héere with a lyuely example teach vs that nothing is due to our merites or much rather that we deserue nothing at all Our duetie is to walke diligently and with all feare in the commaundements of God and if he rewardeth vs any thing it is of his mercie and goodnesse Sir I. Cheeke How the name of merite ought to be abolished The name of merit if we will speake properly ought to be banished out of our mouths I knowe that the fathers somtimes vsed that word but yet not properly But that worde is not found in all the holy Scriptures For the nature of merite is that there be a iust proportion and equall consideration betwéene that which is giuen and that which is taken But betwéene the good things which we looke for those things which we either suffer or doe there is no proportion or agréement For Saint Paule saith that the passions of this time are not worthy the glory to come which shall be reuealed in vs. Farther merit hath ioyned vnto it debt which thing Paule testifieth when he saith that to him which worketh reward is rendered according vnto debt is not imputed according to grace Which selfe same Paule writeth expresly that the grace of God is eternall life Lastly vnto the nature of merite there is required that that which is giuen pertaineth to the giuer and be not due vnto him which receiueth it but workes are not of our selues for they are called the gifte of God which he worketh in vs. Wherefore Augustine verye wisely saith that God doeth crowne his giftes in vs. Now if our workes be due vnto him which we cannot denie then vndoubtedly the nature of merite is vtterly taken away c. Pet. Mart. vpon the Rom. fol. 39. Saint Austen saith Let merites of men héere holde theyr peace which haue perished by Adam and let the grace of God raigne by Iesus Christ. Againe The Saints giue nothing to their owne merits they will giue all to none but to thy mercie O God In another place When man seeth that whatsoeuer good he hath he hath it not of himselfe but from his God he séeeth that all that is praised in him is not of his owne merites but of the mercie of God You sée how taking from men yâ— power of dooing well he also throweth downe the dignitie of merit And Chrisostome saith Our workes if there be any which followe the frée calling of God are repaiment and debt but the gifts of God and grace and bountifulnesse and the greatnesse of liberall giuing But leauing the name lette vs looke vpon the thing I haue verely before alledged a sentence out of Barnard as it sufficeth to merit not to presume to merite so to want merits sufficeth to iudgment but by adding foorthwith an exposition he sufficiently mitigateth the hardnesse of yâ— word where he saith Therefore care thou to haue merites when thou hast them knowe that they are giuen hope for fruit the mercie of God and so thou hast escaped all daunger of pouertie vnthankfulnesse and presumption Happy is the Church which neither wanteth merites without presumption nor presumption without merites And a little before he had largely shewed how godly a meaning he vsed For of merites saith he why should the Church be carefull which hath a stedfaster and a surer cause to glory of the purpose of God God cannot denye himselfe he will doe that which he hath promised If there be no cause why shouldest aske by what meanes may we hope for good things Specially when thou hearest sayd Not for your sakes but for my sake it sufficeth to merite to know that merites suffice not Caluine in his Inst. 3. b. cha 15. sect 2. S. Barnard saith Non est qua gratia intret c. Where merite hath taken vp the roome ther is no place for grace to enter Bar. super Canti Ser. 17. Saint Augustine saith Hoc est electio gratia c. This is the election of grace because 〈…〉 good merites of manâ—â— are preuented For if it were giuen by any good merites then wer it not giuen frée but rendred as ought And by this means it is not by a true name called grace where reward is As the saine Apostle saith it is not imputed according to grace but according to dutie But if that it be true grace yâ— is to say fréely giuen it findeth nought in man to whom it may be worthely owing August lib. de patientia cap. 2. Of two kindes of meriting There be two kindes of meriting that is to say of good and euill The good kinde of meriting is by Christ through Christ for Christ and in Christ. That is by casting all our care on him onely hauing him continually beaten and crucified before our eyes and crucifieng our selues vnto the world hauing no trust in our selues nor in any worke that we can doe or any other for vs setting
What a Proselite is IEwes and Proselites ¶ By the Iewes he meaneth them that were both Iewes by birth and Iewes by profession of Religion though they were borne in other places And they were Proselites which were Gentiles borne and embraced the Iewes religion Theo. Beza And Proselites ¶ To wit such as were conuerted to the Iewes Religion which were before Panims Idolaters Ge. PROTESTANTS How the name of Protestants came vp THe originall of the name of Protestants began in Germany about a decrée that was made at Speres against y◠Gospell Anno. Dom. 1529. which Decrée the Princes electours of Germany resisted vnto whose protestation certain of the chiefe Cities to the number of 14. did subscribe with them The number of the Protestants 7. Princes 24. Cities Sledane PROVIDENCE Of the prouidence of God what it is PRouidence is not onely that vnspeakable power whereby it commeth to passe that God hath foreséene all things from euerlasting and most wisely prouided for al things before hand But also that eternall decree or ordinaunce of the most wise righteous God whereby that euery thing that hath bene hath bene and euery thing that is is and euery thing that shall be shall be according as it liked him to appoint from euerlasting Beza We meane by the prouidence of God that euen as he is creator of all things he is also the conseruer which doth by his eternall power and wisedome guide and gouerne them and by his souereigne goodnesse in such sort that nothing commeth by aduenture neither in heauen nor in earth without his counsell and ordinaunce and his most iust will be it in generall or in perticular Peter Viret No good or euill doth happen without a cause or by fortune without Gods prouidence but all things doth happen after his iudgement Hierom. vpon Eze. Prouidence is Gods appointed vnmoueable and perpetuall administration of all things Pet. Mar. Prouidence is sometime as much to say as knowledge and foreknowledge of things to come Sometime it signifieth an ablenesse to foresee for others of things necessary so it is sayde that God in heauen doth foresee and care for all Againe some doe define the prouidence of God after this wise Prouidence is the euerlasting and vnchaungeable kingdome and administration of all things They doe meane saith Musculus by the word of kingdome dominion and power and by the word of administration the temperature of the dominion which they added because of the finding and giuing of all things vnto vs which séemeth in shewe to be a condition of ministery as well as of dominion Musc. fol. 425. and. 426. Gods prouidence we call that souereigne Empire and supreme dominion which God alwaies kéepeth in the gouernement of all things in heauen and earth contained And these two that is prescience prouidence we so attribute vnto God that with the Apostle we feare not to affirme that in him wée haue our beeing mouing and life We feare not to affirme that the way of man is not in his own power but that his foot-steps are directed by the eternall God That the sorts lots which appeare most subiect to fortune goe so soorth by his prouidence that a Sparrow falleth not on the ground without our heauenly Father And thus we giue not to God any prescience by an idle sight and a prouidence by a generall mouing of his creatures as not onely some Philosophers but also moe then is to be wished in our dayes doe but we attribute vnto him such a knowledge prouidence as is extended to euerye one of his creatures In which he so worketh that willingly they tende incline to the ende to the which they are appointed by him c. Knox. fol. 21. Because we knowe not all things saith S. Austen which God doth concerning vs in most good order that therefore in only good will we do according to the law because his prouidence is an vnchaungeable law Therefore sith God doe claime vnto himselfe the poore to rule the world which is to vs vnknown Let this be a lawe to vs of sobernesse and modestie quietly to obay his souereigne authoritie that his wil may be vnto vs the onely rule of Iustice as the most iust cause of all things I meane not that absolute will of which the Sophisters doe babble seperating by wicked prophane disagreement his Iustice from his power but I meane that prouidence which is the gouernesse of all things from which proceedeth nothing but right although the causes be hidden from vs. Caluine 1. booke chapt 17. Sect. 3. PROOVING What proouing and examining of a mans selfe is THis proouing and examining of a mans selfe is first to think with him with what lust desire he commeth to the Maundie and will eate that bread Whether he be sure that he is the childe of God and in the faith of Christ and whether his conscience doe beare him witnesse that Christs body was broken for him And whether the lust that he hath to prayse God and thanke him with a faithfull heart in the middes of the bretheren doe driue him thetherward or els whether he doe it for the meates sake or to kéepe the custome for then were it better he were away For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he maketh no difference of the Lordes bodye that as it is sayde before he that regardeth not the purpose for which it was instituted and putteth no difference betwéene his eating and other eating for other eating doe onely serue the belly but this eating was instituted and ordeined to serue the soule and inward man And therefore he that abuseth it to the flesh eateth drinketh his owne damnation c. I. Frith ¶ Looke Trye Examine PTOLOMEVS Of this mans hereticall opinions PTolomeus of whom Ptolomei are called taught the hereticall opinions of the Gnostici and of Valentinus adding therevnto of his owne certaine heathenish doctrine out of Homer He wrote vnto Flora a woman of his faith and indeuoured to peruert hir Epiph. haere 33. PVBLICAN What the Publicans were The Publicans bought in great the Emperours Tribute and to make their most aduauntage did ouerset the people Tind Of their receiuing before the Iewes The Publicans and Harlots shall come into the kingdome of God before you ¶ The Harlots and Publicans repenting truly and with amendement of life submitting themselues to the mercie of God are more acceptable vnto God then the proud workmongers that trust in their owne righteousnesse S I. Ch. PVNISHMENT How the punishment of the law doth not satisfie for sinnes MOses in the law commaunded that such should be stoned ¶ They recite the law out of the. 20. chap. of Leuit. where it is said the man that commiteth adulterie with another mans wife because he hath committed adultery with his neighbors wife the adulterer the adultresse shal both dye the death But the law doth not therefore punish
froward man saith S. Austen so long as hee hath all things after his owne will pleasure so long he â—audeth and praiseth God But if he be a little pinched with pouertie aduersitie then he raileth curseth then he banneth and blasphemeth God his most righteous works but the righteous vpright men they euermore laud praise God as wel in aduersitie as in prosperitie euen as Iob did therefore saith thâ— Prophet to you that be righteous that is men truly penitent sorie for your offences trusting through Gods mercie all your sins to be couered not imputed nor neuer to be layd to your charge to you I say Exultate iusti in Domino O ye righteous reioyce ye in the Lord. The prooues Christ allowed the praise and confession of Peter when hée sayd Tu es Christus filius Dei viui Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God And dispraised the man possessed with the Legion of Diuells who confessed as much as Peter did when he ran to Iesus and fell downe vpon his knées and worshipped saieng Quid mihi tibi Iesu filij Dei altissimi O Iesu the sonne of God the most highest what haue I to doe with thée When Symon Magus had fained him to beleeue in Christ wold haue bought the gift of the holy ghost for mony Peter said vnto him thy mony perish w e thee because thou wéenest the the gift of God may be obtained with money Thou hast neither parte nor fellowship in his businesse for thy heart is not right in the sight of God c. The wicked may with their mouth crye Domine Domine but note what I set by their praise saith Christ I shall saye vnto them Ego non noui vos I know you not I allow you not nor it was no pleasure to me to heare you praye or preach It was but blasphemy Non erat collaudatio it was no true praise it was but such as Symon Magus did giue vnto God or such as Bariesu would fayne haue giuen vnto God whom Saint Paule rebuked saieng O thou full of guile and of deceipt the sonne of the Diuell the enimie vnto all goodnesse thou ceasest not to subuerte the right wayes of the Lord. Richard Turnar RIGHTEOVSNESSE What righteousnesse is RIghteousnesse is the méere gifte of God without the workes of the lawe and is not paid as a due debt but bestowed on the beleeuers as a grace Beza The name of righteousnesse is not restrained to anye one man but betokeneth all the worshipers of God without exception Howbeit the Scripture calleth those men righteous not which are accounted such for desert of their workes but such as doe long after righteousnesse because that after the Lord hath imbraced them with his fauour in not â—aieng their sinnes to their charge he accepteth their rightfull indeuour for ful perfection of righteousnesse Cal. vpon the. 5. Psa. ve 13. The Christian righteousnesse Although saith the Christian I am a sinner by the lawe vnder the condition of the law yet I dispaire not yet I dye not because Christ lyueth which is both my righteousnesse and euerlasting lyfe in that righteousnesse and lyfe I haue no sinne no feare no stinge of conscience no care of death I am in déede a sinner as touching this present lyfe and the righteousnesse thereof and the childe of Adam where the lawe accuseth me death raigneth ouer me and at length will deuoure me But I haue another righteousnesse of lyfe aboue this lyfe which is Christ the sonne of GOD who knoweth no Sinne nor Death but is righteous and lyfe eternall by whom this body being dead brought into dust shall be raised again deliuered from the bondage of the law and sinne and shall be sanctified together with the spirit Luther vpon the Gâ—l â—ol 6. Of the righteousnesse which commeth by faith But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart c. ¶ That is to say he that is iustified through fayth is not curious he doubteth of nothing that perteineth to his saluation butâ— is perswaded that in Christ he hath the full redemption He asketh not for signes from heauen where he knoweth his Sauiour and mediatour is he goeth not about to learne the truth by the dead for he beleeueth that Christ being risen from death did teach all truth Read the 13. chapter of Deut. Sir I. Cheeke Say not c. ¶ Because we cannot performe the lawe it maketh vs to doubt who shall goe to heauen and to saye who shall goe downe to the déepe to deliuer vs thence But faith teacheth vs that Christ is ascended vp to take vs vp with him and had descended into the deapth of death to destroy death deliuer vs. Geneua And he receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse ¶ This is the righteousnesse of fayth whereof mention is made heere and in many other places if through faith we doe take hold vpon the mercie of God declared vnto vs in our Sauiour Iesus Christ. We are through the same faith counted as righteous before God as if we had fulfilled the law to the vttermost Sir I. Cheeke Saint Austen saith thus in one place The righteousnesse of the Saints in this world standeth rather in the forgiuenesse of sinnes then in perfection of vertues wherewith agrée the notable sentences of Barnard Not to sinne is the righteousnesse of God but the righteousnesse of man is the mercifull kindnesse of God he had before affirmed that Christ is to vs righteousnes in absolution and therefore that they only are righteous that haue obteined pardon and mercye Cal. in his Inst. 3. b. chap. 11. Sect. 12. How by the righteousnesse of Christ we obteine to be iustified By the onely meane of Christs righteousnesse we obteine to be iustified before c. Saint Ambrose hath excellently well shewed how there is an example of this righteousnesse in the blessing of Iacob For as Iacob hauing not deserued the preheminence of the first begotten sonne hidde himselfe in the apparell of his brother beeing clothed with his brothers coate that fauoured of a swéete smell hée crept into the fauour of his father and receiued the blessing to his own commoditie vnder the person of an other So we doe lye hidden vnder the precious purenesse of Christ our elder brother that we may gette a testimonie of righteousnesse in the sight of God The words of Ambrose be these Whereas Isaac smelt the sauour of the garmentes peraduenture this is meant thereby that we are not iustified by works but by faith because fleshly weaknesse hindereth workes but the brightnesse of faith which meriteth forgiuenesse of sinnes ouershaddoweth the errour of déedes And truely so it is that we maye appeare before the faith of God vnto saluation it is necessary for vs to smel swéetly with his odour and to haue our faultes couered and buryed with his
shall saue his lyfe his soule that is his life shall be vnto him as a pray because he should vtterly haue lost it if hée had bidden in Hierosalem and by flieng to the Chaldees he should winne it euen as a man winneth a praye in battell T. M. How satan hath no power of the soule of the godly God hath giuen Satan leaue to punish Iob he sayth to him beholde thou maist worke thy spite vpon his substaunce but much not his person And againe after he hath destroyed all his goods he sayth Thou maist touch his person but thou shalt not come â—eere his soule Hâ—â—reâ—â— agaâ—â— we see how God reserueth alwayes the soule of Iob sol 〈…〉 Satan can no more but torment him in his goods and in his mortall lyfe and in his honour for he had not the power to â—â—lter into his soule to seduâ—e him and to make him to burst out into impatience Caluiâ—â—e fol. 22. How the soules departed know not what is done in earth If the soules of the dead departed sayth Saint Austen were present at the affaires of the liuing then woulde they speake vnto vs when we sée them in our sléepe and to omit others my tender mother would forsake me neuer a night which followed by sea by land to the end she might liue together with me God forbid she should become cruell in the happâ—er life so that if ought al anytime greiue my heart she comfort not her sorrowfull sonne whom she loued entirely whome she would neuer see sadde But in good sooth that which the sacred Psalme soundoth out is true My Father and my Mother hath forsaken me but the Lord tooke me vp if our Fathers haue forsaken vs how are they present at our cares businesse If our parents be not present what other of the departed bée there which know what we doe or what we suffer The Prophet Esay sayth Abraham hath bene ignorant of vs and Israel hath not knowne vs. God of his great goodnesse promised Iosias that he should dye be gathered vnto his people least yâ— he should sée the plagues which he threatned shuld happeÌ„ to yâ— place people Chrisostome writeth that the diuels vseth to say to the liuing Anima talis ego sum I am such a mans soule to the ende he may deceiue him Chrisost. Mat. chap. 8. Cipriane saith The wicked spirits doe hide themselues in pictures and Images consecrated they inspire the mindes of the Prophets they holden the heart strings intrailes they gouerne the flieng of birds they sort lots they sift out Oracles they mingle alwayes falsehood and truth togethers they distemper the health for they deceiue and are deceiued They trouble the lyfe they disquiet the sléepe and créeping into the bodyes they fray the secrets of the minde they bring the limâ— out of fashion they distemper the health they vexe with diseases that they may compell the poore silly wretches to the worshipping of them that being filled with the sauour from the altars and burnt bowels of bâ—astâ— loosing the thing which they bound They may séeme to cure for this is their curing and healing when they cease to hurt Cipriane de Idol vanitate SOVND Why Caluine doth vse this word Sound and not perfect HE was a sound man ¶ This word sound in the Scripture is taken for a plainâ—nesse when there is no point of sayuing counter feiting or hypocriste in a man but that he sheweth himselfe the same out wardly that he is inwardly and specially when he hath no starting holes to shift himselfe from God but â—aâ—eth open his heart and all his thoughts and affections so that he desireth nothing but to consecrate and dedicate himself wholy vnto God The same word also hath ben translated perfect as well by the Gréekes as by the Latines But forasmuch as the word perfect hath afterward bene misconstrued it is better for vs to vse the word sound for many ignoraunt persons not knowing how the sayd perfection is to bée taken haue thought thus Beholde héere a man that is called perfect and therefore it followeth that it is possible for vs to haue perfection in our selues euen during the time wée walke in this present lyfe but they deface the grace of God whereof wée haue néede continually For euen they that haue liued most vprightly must haue recourse to Gods mercye and except their sinnes be forgiuen them and that God vpholde them they must needes all perish So then although that they which haue vsed this word perfect haue meant well yet notwithstanding forasmuch as there hath bene some that haue wrast it to a contrarye sense as I haue sayde let vs kéepe still this worde Sounde Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 3. SOVVE What it is to sowe in the flesh and to sowe in the spirit TO sow in the flesh is to prouido for the néedes of this present lyfe without regard of the lyfe to come It is to bée all for a mans owne selfe to feede his owne paunch onely and to bestowe nothing to the mainteinaunce of the spirituall functions And to sowe in the flesh is to followe the fruites of the flesh and to pamper the fleshly lusts And to sowe in the spirit is to looke more to heauen then to the earth And to frame a mans lyfe as he may séeke alwayes the kingdome of God Wée sowe in the spirit when wée doe and suffer all thing in this lyfe to the end we may be wel at ease in the lyfe to come Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 307. For he that soweth in the flesh c. ¶ Hée proueth that the ministers must be nourished for if men onelye prouide for worldly thinges without respect of the lyfe euerlasting then they procure to themselues death and mocke God who hath giuen them his ministers to teach them heauenly thinges Geneua SPETTLE Of the clay that Christ made with his Spettle HE spat on the ground and made clay of the spettle annointed the eyes of the blinde with the clay ¶ This was not for any vertue that was in the earth in the spettle or in the clay to make one sée but it only pleased him to vse these signes and meanes Geneua How Spettle was abused in Baptime THe spettle whereby they doe not lighten but defile and beraye the infant they tooke out of the miraculous fact of Christ where he did strike ouer the eies of him that was borne blind with the spettle and clay and opened them This miracle the Apostles did see but for all that none of them stroke their spettle in the eies of them that should be baptised Musculus fol. 291. SPIDERS VVEB What it is to weaue the Spiders web AND weaue the Spiders web ¶ To weaue the Spiders web is to goe about vaine and trifling thinges which are of no value although they seeme neuer so excellent to the dooers T. M. SPIRIT How this word spirit is vnderstood GOD is a spirit
the effect which he causeth in vs when he proposeth vs saluation by the lawe with an impossible condition who also doth seale our saluation in our hearts by Christs frée adoption that we consider not God now as a rigorous Lord but as a most mercifull father Gal. 4. 5. Geneua Into the Adoption of children ¶ Whereas we were not the naturall children he receiued vs by grace made vs his children Geneua Men do call children adopted those which be not naturall children to them which doe choose accept them for their children but they are it onelie by the loue fauour of him which taketh them for his children giueth them such right as he might giue to his naturall children The like is with vs towards God séeing the of nature we were the children of wrath it doth then follow we be not Gods naturall children but that he maketh vs his children and counteth vs for such by his onelie grace which he sheweth vs because of the loue wherewith he hath loued vs in his welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ without anie of our deserts but whollie the contrarie Viret The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit ¶ Whereas the Apostle saith beareth witnesse together he signifieth after a sort that there are two testimonies of this adoption The one is our spirit and the other the spirit of God For it is no small or light signe of this Adoption that we haue a quiet conscience and that we doe beléeue that we are now reconciled vnto God and doe now féele that we are refreshed and recreated with manie other good gifts Although these things are not sufficient for our incredulitie and infirmitie For there is none of vs which hath his conscience so quiet as we ought to haue and which putteth so much confidence in God as we ought to doe Wherefore séeing the testimonie of our spirit is weake infirme God would put to a confirmation of his spirit For he it is which testifieth together with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 208. ADORATION ¶ Looke Worship ADVLTERIE What a damnable sinne Adulterie is before God ADulterie is a damnable thing in the sight of God and much mischiefe followeth thereof Dauid to saue his honour was driuen to commit grieuous murther also It is vnright in the sight of God and man that thy childe should be at another mans cost and be another mans heire Neither canst thou nor thy mother haue lightlie a quiet conscience to God or a merie heart as long as it is so Moreouer what greater shame canst thou doe to thy neighbour or what greater displeasure What if it be neuer knowne or come anie child thereof The precioust gift that a man hath in this world of God is the true heart of his wife to abide by him in wealth and woe and to beare all infirmities with him Of that hast thou robbed him for after she hath once coupled her selfe with thée she shall not lightlie loue him anie more so trulie but happelie hate him and procure his death Moreouer thou hast vntaught her to feare God and hast made her to sinne against God For vnto God promised she and not to man onelie For the law of matrimonie is Gods ordinance For it is written Gen. 29. when Pâ—tiphars wife would haue Ioseph to lie with her he answered how could I do this wickednesse sinne against God yea verilie it is impossible to sinne against man except thou sinne against God Finallie read chronicles and stories and sée what hath followed adulterie Tindale fol. 205. God plagued both Pharao and Abimelech with all their housholdes for taking of Abrahams wife from him although they neuer committed anie euill with her The Leuits wife was sore plagued for plaieng the whoore with the Sodomites Dauid for committing of adulterie with Bethsabe the wife of Vrias was sore plagued with pestilence The two Iudges that would haue defiled Susanna were both put to death Herod for kéeping his brother Philips wife was rebukâ—d to Iohn Baptist and afterward as stories saith sore punished of God Adulterie bringeth a man to deffamation beggerie and vtter destruction How the adulterer repenting is forgiuen It is sufficient for the same man that he was rebuked of manie c. ¶ We must beware that we doe not vse too much rigour in the ecclesiasticall discipline For that should be to turne that most comfortable salue wholsome phisicke vnto poison wée ought to excommunicate to this end that the open sinner maie acknowledge his sinne repent And so be reconciled againe and that by times least Satan do get his praie and driue the poore miserable man thus banished from the congregation to vtter dispairing It is said that the Church forgiueth when either it doth comfort them that are troubled in conscience or receiueth the repentaunt into fauour againe Sir I. Cheeke How this adulterer or fornicator was first deliuered to Satan Looke Satan ADVOCATE How there is no mo aduocates betweene God and man but Iesus Christ. In all the whole Bible is not this word Aduocate found but onelie in the first Epistle to Saint Iohn the second Chapter in the which place it is said that Christ is our aduocate to the Father Tindale ¶ Babes if anie man doe sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous ¶ Saint Austine vpon the place of Saint Iohn saith Iohn dranke the secrets of hid mysteries out of the Lords brest Hée for all he was such a man saith not you haue an aduocate with the Father but we haue an aduocate He said not you haue me nor you haue Christ but he put in Christ and not himselfe and he said we haue and not you haue He rather put himselfe in the number of sinners to haue Christ his aduocate then put himselfe an aduocate in Christs stéed and be found among the proud damned Brethren we haue Iesus Christ the righteous an aduocate with the Father he is the mercie seate of our sinnes He that hath holden this hath done no heresie he that hath holden this hath done no scisme nor sedition ¶ Christ is our onelie aduocate and attonement for the office of intercession and redemption are ioined together Geneua Looke more in Mediatour AFFLICTION How and by whom our afflictions are measured vnto vs. LIke as when a Phisition giueth his patient such quantitie as he thinketh good the patient must be faine to receiue the drinke in such portion as the Phisition shall haue appointed or like as a Father in cherishing his children cutteth euerie of them their pitaunce giueth them to eate drinke after his owne pleasure euen so must God dispose of vs and haue the authoritie ouer vs to charge vs and to giue vs such portion of miseries as he shall thinke good c. Caluin vpon Iob. fol. 100. The difference betweene the afflictions of the godlie and vngodlie
seconde Chapter to the Hebrewes doth alleadge this vearse of the Prophet to this purpose and intent to proue that Christ tooke the same nature of man vpon him that we haue This is a verie truth that I doe now teach saith Saint Paule Qui sanctificat qui sanctificabitur ex vno omnes that is both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one Christus sanctificat purgat abluat emundat nos nos vero mortales sanctificamor illum per Christum And this Christ which by the morites of his bitter passion doth sanctifie vs and wée which are sanctified be all of one what is that to saie we come all of Adam concerning the nature and vertue of flesh and bloud Christ came of Adam as well as we and that is the cause why S. Luke describeth the pedegrâ—e of Christ after the flesh he beginneth at Ioseph qui putabat illius pater which Ioseph saith Saint Luke was thought to be Christs Father This Ioseph was the sonne of Hely Hely was the sonne of Mathat which was the sanne of Leâ—â— And so he descendeth in order vntill he come to Adam signifieng thereby that Christ concerning yâ— flesh came of Adam as wel as we And that is the thing which S. Paul saith Qui sanctificat et qui saÌ„ctificatur ex vno omnes so they yâ— sanctifie they yâ— be sanctified by Christ come all of one nempe Adamo that is to wit of Adam Propter quam causam Christus non confidetur vocare nos Fratics For the which cause Christ is not ashamed saith S. Paule notwithstanding we be sinners to call vs his brethren according as it is written Narrabo nomen tuum fratribus meis I will set out spread thy name among my bretheren not bretheren only by affection as when Christ saith Mater mea fratres mei hij sunt qui verbum Dei audiunt faciunt but my bretheren because they be made of the same kinde of flesh and bloud that I am my bretheren because they come of Adam as I doe Ric. Turnar ¶ We cannot haue God to be our father vnlesse we acknowledge Christ to be our brother c. Saint Ambrose saith Hée is our Mouth by the which wée speake to the Father our Eie by the which wée sée the Father our right hande by which wée offer vs vnto the Father The lieng of Christ in the Stall expounded Chrisostome saith As Christ was in the Stall so is he now vpon the Altar And as he was sometimes in the womans armes so is he now in the Priests hands ¶ Erue it is that Christ was there Christ is héere but not in one or like manner of being For he was in the stall by bodilie presence vpon the holie Table he is by waie of a Sacrament The woman in hir armes helde him reallie the Priest in his hands holdeth him in a mysterie So saith Saint Paule Christ dwelleth in our hearts and no doubt the same Christ that laie in the Stall It is one and the same Christ but the difference standdeth in the manner of his beeing there For in the stall he laie by presence of his bodie in our hearts he heth by presence of faith Chrisostome saith that Christ heth vpon the Altar as the Seraphins with their tonges touch our lips with the coales of the Altar in heauen which is an Hiperboricall loquution of which Chrisostome is full Bradford in the booke of Martirs How Christ is called the Rocke ¶ Looke Rocke What it is to put on Christ according to the Gospell The putting on of Christ according to the Gospell consisteth not in Imitation but in a new Birth and a new Creation That is to saie in putting on of Christs innorenâ—ie his righteousnesse his wisedome his power his saâ—ing health his life and his spirit We are clothed with the leather coate of Adam which is a 〈…〉 garment and a garment of Sinne that is to saie We are all subiect to Sinne all solde vnder Sinne. There is in vs horible blindnesse ignoraunce contempt and hatred of God moreouer euill concupiscense vncleannesse couetousnesse c. This garment that is to saie this corrupt and sinfull nature we receiued from Adam which Saint Paule is wont to call the olde man This olde man must wée put off with all his workes Ephe. 4. 22. That of the Children of Adam wée maie bée made the Children of GOD. This is not done by chaunging of a garment or by anie lawes or workes but by a new birth by the renuing of the inward man which is done in Baptime as Paule saith All ye that are baptised haue put on Christ. Also according to his mercie hath he saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renuing of the holie Ghost Tit. 3 5. Besides that they which are baptised are regenerate renued by the holie Ghost to a heauenly righteousnesse and to eternall life there riseth in them also a new light and a new flame there rise in them new and holie affections as the feare of God true faith assured hope c. There beginneth also in them a new will And this is to put on Christ according to the Gospell Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 167. How Christ first loued vs and not we him Who loued me and gaue himselfe for me ¶ Paule saith héere that first he began and not we He euen he saith Paule loued me and gaue himselfe for me as if he had said he found in me no good will or right vnderstanding but this good Lord had mercie vpon me He sawe me to be nothing els but wicked going astraie contemning God and flieng from him more and more yea rebelling against God taken led and caried awaie captiue of the Diuell Thus of his méere mercie preuenting my reason my will and my vnderstanding he loued me so loued me that he gaue himselfe for me to the ende that I might be free from the Law Sin the Diuell and Death c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 82. How Christs corporall presence is hurtfull I tell you truth it is expedient for you that I goe awaie ¶ The corporall presence of Christ is hurtfull vnto men and that through their owne fault For why they are too much addicted vnto it Therefore his flesh must be taken awaie from vs that we maie waxe and increase in the spirite therefore they are farre out of the waie that dreame in the mysticall bread and wine a bodilie presence Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The absence of Christ according to the flesh is profitable to the Church that we maie wholie depend vpon the spirituall power Camerarius How Christ is God by these prooues following First almightie God said let vs make man in our owne Image and after our likenesse Which words no doubt doe signifie vnto vs the Triplicitie of the persons in the Godhead which are thrée distinct in name
holinesse and learning Bishoppe of that Church tooke awaie that custome of confessing Héere let these asses lift vp their eares If auricular confession were the lawe of God how durst Nectarius repell and destroie it Will they accuse for an heretike and scismatike Nectarius a holie man of God allowed by the consenting voice of all the olde Fathers But by the same sentence they must condempne the Church of Constantinople in which Sozomenus affirmeth that the manner of confessing was not onelie lette slippe for a time but also discontinued euen til within time of his remembraunce Yea let them condemne of apostacie not onelie the Church of Constantinople but also all the East Churches which haue neglected that lawe which if they saie true is inuiolable and commaunded to all Christians Cal. 3. b. chap. 4. Sect. 7. A Monks opinion of confession In the daies of king Henrie the fourth there was a Monke of Feuersam which men called Moredome that preached at Canterburie at the crosse within Christs church Abbeie and saide thus of confession That as through the suggestion of the fiend without counsell of anie other bodie of themselues manie men and women can imagin and finde meanes waies inough to come to pride to theft to lecherie and to other diuerse vices In contrariwise this Monke saide Since the Lord God is more readie to forgiue sinnes then the fiend is or maye bée of power to moue anie bodie to sinne then whosoeuer will shame and sorrow heartelie for their sinnes knowledgeing them faithfullie to GOD amending them after their power and cunning without counsell of anie other bodie then of God and himselfe through the grace of GOD all such men and women maie finde sufficient meanes to come to Gods mercie and so to be cleane assoiled of all their sinnes Booke of Mar. fol. 645. CONFIRMATION What confirmation was COnfirmation was that Ceremonie which the Apostles did vse when they laide their handes vpon those which receiued the holy Ghost after they were baptised of them and was likewise ordeined by the auncient Fathers For the Bishoppes doe vse vppon those children which were baptised in their infancie and were afterwarde instructed a newe in Christes religion when they came to bée younge men that they might in their owne person and with their owne tongue allowe and confesse their faith publiklie F. N. B. the Italian This was the matter saith hée in times past that the children of christians should bée sette before the Bishop after they were come to yeares of discreation that they might perfourme that which was required of them that béeing of age did offer themselues to Baptime For these sate amonge the Cathecumeni vntill béeing rightlye instructed in the mysteries of faith they were able to vtter a confession of their faith before the Bishoppe and the people The infants therefore that were baptised because then they made no confession of faith in the Church at the ende of thei◠childehoode or in the beginning of their youth they were againe presented of their parents and were examined of the Bishoppe according to a certeine and common forme of a Catechisme And to the intent that this action which otherwise ought of right to bée graue and holie might haue the greater reuerence and estimation there was added also a ceremonie of laieng of handes so the childe was dismissed his faith being approued with a solempne blessing The auncient Fathers make often mention of this order Pope Leo. If anie man returne from heretiks let him not againe bée baptised but let the vertue of the spirit which was wanting be giuen vnto him by the laieng on of the Bishops hands Héere our aduersaries will crie that it is rightlie called a Sacrament where the holye Ghost is giuen But Leo himself doth in an other place expound what he meaneth by these words He that is baptised saith he of heretiks let him not be rebaptised but let him be confirmed with the inuocation of the holy Ghost by the imposition of hands because he receiued onely the forme of baptime without sanctification Although I doe not denie that Hierome is somewhat héerein deceiued that he saith that it is an Apostolicall obseruation yet he is most farre from these mens follies And he mitigateth it when hée sayth that this blessing was graunted onelye to the Bishoppe rather for the honour of Priesthood then by the necessitie of the lawe Wherefore such an imposition of hands which is simplie in stead of a blessing I commend and would wish it were at these dayes restored to the pure vse Cal. in his insti In the fift Sect of his fourth booke Caluine writeth thus But the latter age hath counterfet confirmation in stead of a Sacrament of God the thing it selfe béeing almost quite blotted out They feine this to bee the vertue of confirmation to giue the holye Ghost vnto the increase of grace which was giuen in Baptime to innocencie of life to confirme them vnto battell which in Baptime were regenerate vnto lyfe This confirmation is wrought with annointing and this forme of wordes signe thée with the signe of the holye Ghost and I confirme thée with the ointment of saluation in the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghost c. And in confuting this manner of confirmation and imposition of hands hée procéedeth on in this fift Sextio and in the sixt D. W. fol. 777. CONIVRING Of coniuring the Diuell out of infants in Baptime The Apostles vsed not the coniurings in Baptime wherby they doe coniure the diuell to goe out from the infants that should be baptised This they do also altogether without anie example of Christ or the Apostles not onelie as concerning the ceremonie of Baptime but also of other For which of them euer coniured Satan to depart out of him y◠was subiect vnto sinnes and possessed of him not in bodie but in minde The Apostles deliuered such as were possessed with Diuells commaunding the spirits to goe out in the name of Iesus Christ but we read not that they did anie such thing with sinners And I thinke that our aduersaries be not so mad to saie the infants be corporallie possessed of Satan for Christ should haue driuen out the euill spirites out of them which were brought vnto him which thing for all that he did not But if they saye that this is done because of originall sinne in respect whereof infants be in bondage of the kingdome of Satan then I praie you why did not Christ so vnto the publicans sinners the Apostles vnto all them which they baptised béeing also conceiued borne in sinne I know saith Musculus that this coniuring was in the Church in the time of Ciprian Augustine but I séeke not what the fathers did but what Christ did institute and what the Apostls did Musculus fol. 291. CONSCIENCE What conscience is THe conscience verilie is the knowledge iudgement reason of a man whereby euerie man in
iudge the world thether shall all gather together vnto him Tindale ¶ That is according to S. Paules interpretation when Christ commeth to Iudgement we shall betaken vp to méete him in the aire and so we shall be with him for euer ¶ That is the faithfull that beléeue the Gospell will repaire vnto him as rauenous birdes to the carion The Bible note And how I caried you vpon Eagles wings ¶ For the Eagles by flieng high is out of daunger And in carieng hir Birdes rather on her wings then in hir talents declareth hir loue Geneua ¶ The Eagle carieth hir young ones vpon hir wings fearing onelie mans violence which rather then they should take harme she would receiue the harme in hir owne bodie In stéed thereof serued the cloud that kept of the Aegyptians force The Bible note ELAM What is signified by Elam I Will breake the bowe of Elam 〈…〉 ¶ By Elam is signified Persia so called of Elam the sonne of Sem. And because the Persians were good Archers he sheweth that the thing wherein they put their trust should not profit them Geneua ¶ The Elamites were good bowe men in battaile and therefore is their bowe prophecied to be broken c. By which is meant that they should be ouercome in battaile of their Enimies and scattered abroad vnto the foure coastes of the earth T. M. ELDAD AND MEDAD ¶ Looke Moses ELDERS Why he nameth them Elders and not Priests IN the olde Testament the temporal heads rulers of the Iewes which had the gouernaunce ouer the laie or common people are called Elders as ye maie see in the foure Euangelists Out of which custome Paule in his Epistle and also Peter call the Prelates and spirituall Gouernours which are Bishops and Priests Elders Now whether ye call them Elders or Priests it is all one to me so that ye vnderstande they be officers and Seruaunts of the word of God vnto the which all men both high and lowe that will not rebel against Christ must obaie as long as they preach and rule trulie and no farther Tindale fol. 38. ELEAZER The meaning of this place that followeth THe childe of the stewardshippe of my house is this Eleazer of Damasco ¶ Eleazer was then Steward of Abrahams house which Eleazer had a sonne called Damascus which child because Sara was barren Abraham had thought to haue adopted for his sonne Of this Damascus tooke the Citie of Damasco his name Lyra. ELECTION What the cause of our Election is and how it is defined ELection is the frée mercie and grace of God in his owne will through faith in Christ his sonne chusing and preferring to life such as pleaseth him Bradford in the booke of Mar. The onelie good pleasure of the will and franke mercie of God by Iesus Christ without respect of anie works either present or for to come is the cause of the diuine Election F. N. B. the Italian The cause of our election is onelie the will of God And to proue this Saint Paule saith which sawe as farre in mens deseruings as we can doe bringeth in an euident example of Iacob and Esau how Iacob was elected and Esau reproued before they were borne or had done either good or bad To the which some will saie that God sawe afore that Iacob should bée good and therefore chose him and that Esau should doe no good and therefore repelled him But to those that will iudge of that that God sawe it maie be demaunded how they knowe that GOD sawe that and if he sawe it yet how knowe they that that was the cause of Iacobs election Saint Paule knoweth none other cause but the will of God whatsoeuer other discusse And if they should saie the cause whie God sawe before that Iacob shoulde doe good was because that God would giue him his grace therfore God sawe that he should doe good and so shoulde also the other haue done if God would haue giuen him that same grace Saint Paule concluding with these Scriptures saith I will shewe mercie to whome I shew mercie and will haue compassion on whome I haue compassion So lyeth it not in mans will and running but in the mercie of God He saith not I will haue mercie on him that I sée shall do good but I will shew mercie to whom I will He sayth not I will haue compassion on him that shall deserue it De congrua but of him of whom I will haue compassion This doth Austen wel proue in these wordes The disputation of them is vaine the which do defend the prescience of God against the grace of God and therfore saie that we were chosen before the making of the world because that God knew afore that we shuld bée good because he shoulde make vs good But he that saith you haue not chosen me saith not so for if he did therefore choose vs because that before he knew that we should be good then must hée also haue knowne before that we should first haue chosen him Héere it is plaine that the election of God is not because he saw afore that we should doe well But onelie the cause of the election is his mercie and the cause of our dooing well is his election And therefore Saint Paule saith not of workes but of calling I. Veron So then election is not of the willer but of God that taketh mercie ¶ It is euident by this Text that our works or merites doe not iustifie vs but that our saluation doth wholie depend vpon the frée election of GOD which béeing righteousnesse it selfe doth choose whome it pleaseth him vnto lyfe euerlasting Sir I. Cheeke Blessed are the people whome the Lorde hath chosen to bée his inheritaunce c. ¶ Of the Lordes frée election and choosing of his Citizens whome he hath predestinate and appointed to be saued the Scripture both in the olde and newe Testament speaketh much In the 20. of Saint Mathew verse 16. our sauiour saith Multi vocati pauci vero electi◠Manie bée called but fewe bée chosen All they bée called which haue had the word of GOD preached vnto them And they onelie are elect which finallie and eternallie shall be saued and inherit the euerlasting kingdome with Iesus Christ the first begotten and the onelie purchaser of lyfe eternall The elect haue these properties and blessings of GOD following them Though they doe fall and sinne of tentimes yea and peraduenture verie gréeuouslie as Dauid did or committing as Saint Peter did with his denieng and forswearing of CHRIST As Marie Magdalene and the woman of Samarie did with their fraile and foolish yéelding vnto the pleasure of the flesh yet they neuer fall from GOD but their grose and naturall falles doe cast them into such a shame of themselues and abhorring of sinnes that by their falling they rise vp the more stronger So that the elect cannot finallie bée seduced nor carried awaie from GOD. For whome Christ loueth In finem diligit hée
vs not that is to saie marrieth vs not vnto God that we shuld continue vnfruitfull as before but the he should put his séed of his holie spirit in vs as S. Iohn in his first Epistle calleth it to make vs fruitfull For saith Paule Ephe. 2. 8. For by grace are ye made safe through faith that not of our selues for it is the gift of God and commeth not of works least anie man should boast himselfe For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordeined that we should walke in them Tin fol 59. But who shall glorie of his owne righteousnesse when hee heareth God by his Prophet saieng That all your righteousnes is lyke a most filthy defiled cloath The onely true glorieng therefore is in the faith of the crosse of Christ which excludeth all that glorieng which descendeth of the workes of the lawe Origen in his 13. booke ad Rom. We thinke that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the lawe For because there is one God which iustifieth circumcision of the law and vncircumcision of faith It manifestly sheweth that righteousnesse is not in the merit of man but in the grace of God who without the workes of the law accepteth the faith of them that beleeue Againe In liâ—â— contra Ecudem he saith thus â—unc ergo iusti sumus c. Therefore we are then righteous when we confesse our selues sinners And our righteousnesse standeth not vpon our owne merit but vpon the merit of God Hicrome li. 2. contra Pelag. We be not iustified by works but by faith For the weaknes of the flesh is a let vnto workes but the brightnesse of faith shadoweth the errour of déedes which desâ—rueth pardon of sinnes S. Ambrose â—de Iacobo Cap. 21. For the théefe beléeued and was iustified by the most mercifull God And héere saie not vnto me that he lacked time to liue vprightlie and to doe good workes for I contend not about that but this onelie I stedfastly affirme that onelye faith by it selfe saued him Chrisostome de fide lege How faith is the worke of God Faith is the worke of God and it commeth of God as Saint Iohn saith This is the work of God then you should beléeue in him Saint Paule witnesseth the same saieng Philip. 1 â—9 Not onlie it is giuen to you that ye should beléeue in God but also yâ— ye should suffer for hiâ— sake Of this it is an euident saieug liuing or dead not to haue had faith of theÌ„selues or of their owne might â— power but to haue receiued it of God which giueth faith to whome he wil when he will although S. Paule saith Faith to come by hearing of the worde of God which worde although manie maie heare it yet no man shall beléeue but he to whom God giueth faith and in whom God worketh faith and loue Bibliander vpon the expos of â—ude What faith is without workes What auaileth it my brethren yâ— man say he hath faith wheÌ„ he hath no deeds Can faith saue him ¶ Can faith saue him S. Iames speketh not héere of true faith which by loue is mightie in operation but of the vaine imagination opinion yâ— the vnthankfull people haue of faith and therefore he doth call it dead faith because ther follow no good works of it as there do of the faith that iustifieth in the sight of God To be iustified heere in all the Chapter ouer is to be counted iust that before the world as in Luke 10. 29 and 16. 15. and not to bee made iust in the sight of God So that when he saith was not Abraham our Father iustified through works c. signifieth thus much was not Abraham our Father by his workes declared iust That is did not his workes declare and shew that he was iust and were sure tokens or his righteousnesse it signifieth that Abraham was by his workes made iust before God reputed righteous obteined remission of sinnes for by Faith he came thereby not by workes as witnesseth S. Paule Rom. 4â—2 Tindale Wilt thou vnderstand D thou vaine man that faith without déeds is vaine was not our Father Abraham iustified of his déedes when he offered his son Isaac on the Alter c. ¶ Wheras Saint Iames bringeth that Abraham was iustified by offering his sonne Iâ—â—ac that is cleane contrarie as manie as doe take it First vnto Moses whereas the verie originall is For it is openlie declared Gen. 15. 6. where these wordes were spoken of Abraham Abraham did beléeue and it was reputed vnto him for iustification where there is no word of Isaac for hée was neither yet â—orn nor promised yet must Abraham néeds be iustified for the holie Ghost saith it And when the wordes were spoken vnto him he was at the most but 86. yeares olde as it is declared in the. 16. Chapter verse 16. But when Isaac was promised him by name then was Abraham 99. years olde as it is open in the. 17. Chapter and the yeare after was Isaac borne And when Isaac was borne was Abraham 100. yeare olde as it is plaine in the. 21. 5. Now would I knowe that where that Abraham was iustified from that he was 86. yeare olde till he was an hundred yeare olde you cannot say by offering vp of Isaac for you sée he is not borne D. Barnes Therefore by faith is the inheritaunce giuen that it might come of fauour and the promise might be sure to all the séede ¶ Therefore by faith c. Therefore are ye pronounced righteous by faith by which vnderstand euen the mercie of God receiued by faith that the conscience might be surelie certified of the wil of God and of the promises of the Gospel that is of remission of sinnes of reconciliation or reputation of righteousnesse of the gift of euerlasting life that these things cléerelye be performed which were not possible if the promise shoulde depende and hang on our workes For then shall the conscience be vnsure doubting whether we had works inough whether God would be mercifull whether the law which we haue trangressed would condemne vs c. Now when doubtfulnesse remaineth in vs ther remaineth also fearefulnes by which commeth desperation death for so long as the law sheweth vs the anger of God feare of death cannot be ouercome Therfore must we néeds sticke onelie to faith in the mercifull promises of God surelie certified and they shall be fulfilled although our works haue not deserued the fulfilling of them Tindale Of faith and deeds And how Saint Paule and Iames doe agree therein Ye sée then how that of déeds a man is iustified and not of faith onelie ¶ Ye sée then the a man is iustified c. That is is declared iust is openlie knowne to be righteous like as by the fruites the good tree is knowne to be good otherwise maie not
of the truth and haue bene obedient vnto the word If the Religion of our fore-fathers hath bene false or contrarie to the Scriptures wée ought in no wiâ—e to followe Lactan. de Origen erro 2. cap. The Father is greater then I. First I saie that one place of the Gospell is not to be expounded against the whole purpose of the booke which is to teach that the Lord Iesus is Gods naturall sâ—nne and equall to God And sith the Euangelist hath this word Equall plainlie and expreâ—lie they shew themselues mad yâ— would make him to incounter against himselfe Second I say that in that place the Lord Iesus compareth not his substaunce with his Fathers substaunce but compareth his present humble state with the glorious state that he should haue after his Ascension And therefore all the godly old fathers well nigh haue taught these wordes to be spoken of his mans nature which should be forthwith aduaunced to immortall and incorporall glorie by the power of the Father Some Gréeke Writers indéede admit that the Father is greater then the Sonne not because he had greater power or that there is anie difference in their substance essence but in that he is the Father and begetteth the sonne is not begotten of the sonne therefore he maie be said greater The meaning also of these words The Father is greater then I maie be this The end why I trauaile with you is not that you should staie in me and looke no farther but to bring you to the Father as to the last marke that with me ye maie see him as he is whose glorie is more deere to me then mine owne glorie and therefore I séeke it more then mine own and I think that I haue not accomplished mine office vntill I haue brought you to him c. My sonne heare thy Fathers instruction ¶ He speaketh this in the name of God which is the vniuersall Father of all creatures Or in the name of the Pastour of the Church which is as a Father Geneua Heare O ye children your Fathers instruction ¶ He speaketh this in the person of a Preacher and Minister which is as a Father vnto the people Geneua Whosoeuer shall saie to the father or mother By the gifte that is offered by me thou maist haue profite ¶ The meaning is this whatsoeuer I bestow vpon the Temple is to thy profite for it is as good as if I gaue it thée For as the Pharisâ—es in our time saie it shall be meritorious for thée for vnder this colour of religion they raked all to themselues as though that he that had giuen anie thing to the Temple had done the dutie of a 〈…〉 Beza The Father haue eaten sower Grapes and the childrens téeth are set on edge ¶ The people murmured at the chastening of the Lord and therefore vsed this Prouerb meaning that their Fathers had sinned and the Children were punished for their transgressions Read Ieremie 31. 29. Geneua The fathers wickednesse punished in their children There is a double manner of punishing the wickednes of the fathers vpon the children for sometime God sheweth mercie to the children and yet notwithstanding ceaseth not to chastise the vnrighteousnes of their fathers in the persons of their children As for example we see a father that hath gotten much goods howbeit by wicked bargening by subtiltie by craft and by crueltie yet God hath pitie vpon the childe of such a man and what will he doe He will rid him quite and cleane of all those euill gotten goods because they would but bring him to confusion according as it is said that such kind of riches are as wood which in the ende will kindle the fire of Gods wrath Therefore when the Lord meaneth to saue the childe of a wicked man that hath liued amisse he bereaueth him of al the euill gotten goodes as though he should lette him bloud to saue his life that he might not be wrapped in the mischife coruption which his father had drawen vnto himselfe Behold how God punisheth the wickednes of the fathers vpon the children yet ceaseth not to be the sauiour of the children to shew them mercie Sometimes he passeth farther because the fathers haue ben so far out of al squareâ— as they haue led a stubborne froward life God forsaketh their ofspring insomuch yâ— the grace of his spirit dwelleth not with them Now when we be so destitute of Gods guiding we must néeds run into destruction néeds must the mischiefe increase more more Thus we sée yâ— when the children of the vngodly do beare the sins of their fathers it is not only for that God forsaketh them and leaueth them vp to the state of their owne natureâ— but also for that he giueth Satan full power ouer them and letteth him haue the bridle to â—aigne in such houses at his pleasure And when the diuell hath led awaie the fathers and carried them into all naughtinesse their children shall also ouer-shoote themselues into excessiue outrage We see then as now what is meant héere that is to witâ— that when the children of wicked men are 〈…〉 destitute of Gods grace walke after their inordinat◠〈…〉 they must néeds come to greater confusion then their Fathers Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 82. How our fathers did eate the same spirituall meate c. Our Fathers did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke of the same spirituall drinke and then dranke of that spirituall Rocke that followed them which Rocke was Christ. ¶ These words Saint Austen expoundeth saieng What is to eate the same meate But that they did eate the same which we doe Whosoeuer in Manna vnderstoode Christ did eate the same spirituall meate that we doe that is to saie that meate which was receiued with faith and not with bodies Therefore to them that vnderstoode and beléeued it was the same meate and the same drinke So that to such as vnderstoode not the meate was onelie Manna and the drinke onelie water but to such as vnderstoode it was the same that it is now To come and is come be diuers words but it is the same Christ. These be S. Austens words De vtilita poeniten How our fathers were iustified by faith as we are now The fathers were no lesse iustified onely by the faith of Christ then we Wherfore it is written in the booke of Genesis of Abraham that he beléeued and it was counted vnto him for righteousnes Iohn also testifieth that Christ said of Abraham yâ— hée had séene his daie therin reioiced The Epistle to the Hebrewes the 13 chap. affirmeth that Christ was yesterdaie to daie remaineth for euer Wherfore euen as we are said now to be saued not by workes but by the true mercie of God by faith in Christ so was it with the Fathers at yâ— time for they wer iustified by no works but only by faith in Christ. Furthermore what
the Resurrection yea and all the déedes of Matrimonie are pure spirituall if they proceede of faith and whatsoeuer is done within the lawes of God though it be wrought by the bodie as the verie wiping of shooes such like howsoeuer grose they appeare outward Without such vnderstanding of these words thou canst neuer vnderstand this Epistle of Paule neither any other place in the holie scripture Take héed therfore for whosoeuer vnderstandeth these words otherwise the same vnderstaÌ„deth not Paul whatsoeuer he be Tin in his Prol. to the Ro. The meaning of this place following The Flesh profiteth nothing ¶ The flesh of Christ profiteth nothing to wit if it be considered as separated from his diuine nature and from his holie spirit but it is the spirit that giueth life meaning God dwelling in Iesus Christ corporallie as Paule saith Col. 2. 9. To dwell reallie and indéede reconciling the world vnto himselfe Tindale ¶ To wit if it be separated from the spirit whereof it hath the force that commeth of the power of the spirit that the flesh giueth vs life and féedeth And therefore that we maie be truly fed and nourished with it wée must bring the spirituall mouth of faith to receiue it The Bible note ¶ Saint Austen expoundeth these words thus Understand ye spirituallie the things that I haue spoken ye shall not eate the bodie that ye sée Likewise Chrisostome saith My words must be heard spirituallie who so heareth them carnallie or according to the flesh getteth nothing nor hath no profitte by them FLORINVS Of the heresie he taught at Rome FLorinus a Priest of Rome and one Blastus fell from the Church and taught at Rome that God was the authour of euill whom Ireneus confuted Euse. li. 5. ca. 13. 18. FOLLOVVERS Who be the followers of Christ and of his Apostles ANd ye became followers of vs and of the Lord. ¶ They are true followers of the Apostles and of Christ which receiue the word of God They do receiue the word of God which doe beléeue it and frame their liues after it béeing readie to suffer patientlie all manner of aduersities for the name of the Lord as the Lord himselfe and all the Apostles did S. I. Cheeke FOOLE That calleth his brother fole ¶ Looke Racha Of the foolish woman ¶ Looke Woman FORGET How God is said to forget God is said to forget when he taketh his mercie from vs forgetting his statutes ordinaunces commaundements and to remember vs when we chaunge and not he ¶ Although God take vs out of this world yet forgetteth hée vs not though he séeme to forget vs hée keepeth those that are his alwaies in his hande and custodie And as for those that are damned they be reserued as it were in chaines vnto the daie of executing the sentence Ye see then that God doth beare vs alwaies in minde And when the Scripture saith that he hath forgot vs it is because we perceiue not his present succour like as if a poore man that lingereth in paine desire God to helpe him and féele not his helpe nor sees any likelihood that God heareth him Thus ye sée after what sorte it is saide that he hath forgotten vs but yet for all that hée remembreth vs continuallie Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 257. FORGIVE How it is vnderstood FOrgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue our trespassers ¶ We maie not thinke that by forgiuing vnto our brethren we shall obtaine forgiuenesse of our sinnes but rather this is added for a plaine and infallible token to certifie therewith our conscience that we haue through faith in Iesus Christ for remission of our sins For if we can finde in our hearts vnfainedlie to forgiue vnto our bretheren their trespasses it is a most infallible token that our sinnes are cleane washed awaie quite forgiuen Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Because he knoweth that our nature is so weake that we cannot but sinne dailie therefore he teacheth vs dailie to repent and to reconcile our selues together dailie to aske God forgiuenesse Séeing he commandeth vs to aske we may be bold so to do and to beléeue that he will forgiue vs. No man therefore néedeth to despaire that can repent aske forgiuenesse how déepe soeuer he hath sinned And me thinke if we looke a little néere vpon this text we néeded not to make the Pope so great a God for his pardons For Christ which is a man to be beléeued sheweth vs héere a more sure way yea and that a sensible way which we may féele that we be pardoned our sinnes forgiueÌ„ We can haue no experience of the Popes things whether they be so or no He can with all his Pardons deliuer no man of any Pargatorre that God putteth vs vnto in this world He cannot blesse or heale anie man so mush as of a poore â—gue or Tooth-ach which diseases yet by his own confession GOD putteth on vs to purge vs from our sinne But where we cannot see feele or haue anie experience at all that it so is there is he mightie If I were come home out of a land where neuer man was before and were sure neuer man should come I might tell as many wonders as Master Moore doth of Vtopia and no man could rebuke me But héere Christ maketh thée sure of pardon for if thou canst forgiue thy Brother GOD hath bound himselfe to forgiue thee What if no man haue sinned against mee that were hard in this life Neuerthelesse if that profession be in thy heart that thou knowest that is thy dutie to forgiue thy brother for thy fathers sake and art obedient vnto thy fathers ordinaunce and wouldest forgiue if anie of thy bretheren had offenced thée and did aske thee forgiuenesse then hast thou that same spirit which God desireth to be in 〈…〉 Marke what Christ saith aboue in the beginning of the 〈…〉 chapter Blessed be the mercifull for they shall haue mercie Doest thou 〈…〉 thy bretheren that sinne and doest thy best to aâ—â—nd them that thy fathers name maie be honoured Then hast thou that whereby thou art sure of mercie as soone as thou desirest it And againe Blessed be the peace makers for they shall be Gods children Loe if there be anie variaunce among thy bretheren that one haue offended the other do thy best to set them at one and thou hast the same thing that God 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 and â—orthwith he hath bound himself to forgiue thée Tindale in the 6. of Math. FORNICATOR ¶ Looke Sa 〈…〉 FORSAKE What it is to forsake a mans selfe IF anie man will follow me let him forsake himselfe ¶ To forsake himselfe is vtterlie to 〈…〉 against the will of the flesh mortifâ—eng the affections of his minde working the glorie of God and the 〈…〉 of his neighbour as is 〈…〉 Rom. 15. 2. ¶ None of them saith S. Luke that refuseth not all that he possesseth can be my disciple that is he that casteth not away
S. Paule vseth it to signifie the verie bread and verie wine or the substaunce of bread and wine not the similitude or likenesse of bread wine without the substance as you fantasie and imagine Craumer 302. FOXES Of the Foxes that Sampson caught ANd Sampson went tooke 300. Foxes c. If a man aske how Sampson got so manie Foxes he must vnderstande that as there are sundrie Regions so are there also in them manie sundrie increase of things In some place there are manie horses and those faire In some place there is great abundaunce of cattell In England there is great plentie of Connies so is there in the Ilands called Baleares In those Regions a man maie easelie in one daie in a little ground take 3. or 400. Conies which to some peraduenture might séeme incredible And so it is said the ther is a verie great abundance of Foxes in Siria speciallie in the borders of Iewrie Wherefore Salomon in his Canticles saith Take Foxes for vs which destroieth the vineyards for they delight most of al in ripe grapes Yea and Dauid saith of the vngodâ—â—e the 〈…〉 be parts of Foxes that is their praie so that their carkasses shall be deuouâ—ed of them And out of the fourth chapter of Nehemias is gathered that the number of them was so great that they could in a manner ouerturne the walles of the citie And Sampson tooke them either by his owne industrie or by the helpe of his friends Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 223. FREE How we are free in Christ. THen are the children free ¶ Though we be made frée by the death of Christ yet ought we to be obedient vnto Magistrates and to paie them such tribute as they doe require of vs. Sir I. Cheeke FREE-VVILL How the word Free-wil is not found in all the Scripture THis word Frée-choise or as some men call it Frée-will is not in all the holie Sccipture but is inuented by proud men which would set vp their owne righteousnesse and put downe the righteousnes of God vpon the which also they haue grounded their merites attributing righteousnesse and saluation to their workes by the which thing they denie the merites of the passion of Christ. Rom. 3 24. Gal. 2. 16. The Free-will of man before his fall Frée-will was giuen to man when he was first created by the which he might haue chosen either to sinne or not to sinne August 12. b. 13. cha of the citie of God ¶ All men before sinne had frée-will either to followe the diuell or not Chrisostome in his sermon of the comming of our Lord in his 36. homelie ¶ Man was made good and by his frée-will was he made an euill man And shall he now saith S. Austen being euill make himselfe good seeing that whâ—n he was good he could not keepe himselfe good He hath set fire and water before thée stretch out thine hand vnto which thou wilt ¶ Frée-will before the fall of man was an vpright frée-will before which fire and water was laied of God and the first man did reach his hande to which he would He did chuse fire and forsooke water So the righteous Iudge the same which man being frée did chuse he did receiue he wold haue euill and the same did follow him Augustine in his booke of the new song the 8. chapter But why God did not vphold man with the strength of his stedfast countenaunce that resteth hidden in his owne secrete councell it is our part onelie to be so farre wise as with sobrietie we maie Man receiued indéede to be able if he would but he had not to will that he might be able For of this will should haue followed stedfast continuance Yet is he not excusable which receiued so much that of his owne will he hath thought his owne destruction And there was no necessitie to compell God to giue him anie other then a meane will and a fraile will that of mans fall he might gather matter for his owne glorie Of the free-will of man after his fall Man misusing his frée-will lost both himselfe and his will Augustine in his Ench. to Laurence the 30. chap. No man can beléeue hope or loue vnlesse he will but euen the selfe same will to beleeue to hope loue commeth not but from God Frée-will once made thrall auaileth nothing now but to sinne August ad Boni in his 3. b. 8. chap. That we liue well that we vnderstand aright we haue it of God Of our selues we haue nothing but onelie sinne that is within vs. Aug. de verbis Apost Ser. 10. After that man had sinned with his frée-will we wer cast headlong downe into necessitie as manie as euer came of his stocke Aug. against Fortunatus in the 2. disp It was shewed in Adam what free-will can doe without help it is able inough of it self to do euil but not vnto goodnes except it be holpen of God Au. in his b. of the new song cap. 8. Man is apt and able to wound himselfe but he is not apt able to heale himselfe when he will he maie be sicke not when he will he maie rise Augustine vpon the 98. Psal. All men at the first wer created without fault or vice and all our natures were in health but by the transgression of the same man we haue lost it There hence is drawne mortalitie there hence are so manie corruptions of the minde ther hence is ignorance a difficultie vnprofitable cares and vnlawfull concâ—â—piscenceâ— c. Amb. in his b. of the calling of the Gentiles chap. 3. We had frée-will before sinne to worke well but after sin we had none because we were not able by our owne power and strength after sinne to escape from the power of ye. diuel but as a ship when the sterne is broken is driuen hether and thether where the tempest will so by the diuell we are domen from one sinne to another neither hetherto can doe anie thing but euen as the diuell will And except God deliuer of with his strong hande of his mercie we shall remaine in bondes and chaines of sinnes vnto death Chrisostome in his 36. hom That man of his naturall power without the spirit of God can doe nothing but sin is proued by the words of Christ himselfe He that abideth in me saith Christ bringeth foorth much fruite for without me can ye doe nothing If a man bide not in me he is cast out as a braunch and he shall burne Héere it is plaine that frée-will without grace can doe nothing that is acceptable before God Saint Austen vpon this place of Iohn saith Least anie man should suppose that the braunch of it self could bring foorth at the least waie a little friute therefore saith he not Without me can ye doe a little but Without me can ye doe nothing Therefore whether it be little
the Prophet vpbraid them with in the person of God saieng Thou gauest me not the younge brests c. As who should saie saie not that thou hast giuen me manie sacrifices both because thou gauest them not to me onelie but vnto my Caâ—ues and Baals and other Iâ—oâ—ls And also because I neuer set greatly by them nor greatly required them They greeued mee alwayes when the faith and deuotion of the giuers was awaye The Shéepe of thy burnt offeringes broughtest thou not vnto mée neither diddest thou glorifie mée with thy sacrifices but diddest onelie satisfie thine owne superstitions I compelled thée not to worshippe mee with thine offeringes but because thou so readie offeredst such things vnto Idols after the manner of the heathen I commaunded that they should not be offered vnto other Gods but vnto me Of whose gift thou receiuedst them c. None of all these profited not me in as much as thou leftest off the things which I chieflie required righteousnesse faith and iudgement Math. 23. â—3 T. M. How the Gentiles found that they sought not for What shall we saie then that the Gentiles which followed not righteousnesse haue atteined vnto righteousnesse ¶ So then the Gentiles had no works to prepare and prâ—eure Gods mercie before hand and as for that that the Gentiles attained to that which they sought not for the mercie of GOD is to be thanked for it And in that the Iewes atteined not to that they sought after they can thanke none for it but themselues because they sought it not aright Beza GENTLENESSE What a vertue Gentlenesse is GEntlenesse is when a man is gentle and tractable in his conuersation and in his whole lyfe For such as will bée true followers of the Gospell must not be sharpe bitter but gentle milde curteous and faire spoken which shoulde encourage other to delite in their companie which can winke at other mens faultes or at least expounde them to the best Which will bée well content to yéelde and giue place to other contented to beare with those which are frowarde and intractable as the verie Heathen saide Thou maist know the manners of thy friend but thou must not hate them Such a one was our sauiour Christ as euerie wher is to be séene in the Gospell It is written of Peter that he wept so often as he remembred the swéet mildnesse of Christ which he vsed in his dailie conuersation It is an excellent vertue and most necessarie in euerie kinde of lyfe Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 262. GIVEN To whom it is giuen to know the mysteries of God TO you it is giuen to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God ¶ To you that is to you that are without deceite and are not curious nor trust in anie thinge that perteineth to man it is giuen of my Father of his mercifull goodnesse to know the mysterie that is the secret of the kingdome of God that is of the Gospell in which is taught the kingdome of God which is our righteousnesse peace and ioye in the holie ghost Rom. 10. which is the kingdome of all mercie and the kingdome of forgiuenesse of sins for Christs sake But vnto them that are without that is vnto such as are curious and trust more in their owne works then in the righteousnesse of Christ are all things spoken in parables that is all that they heare is euen as obscure and dark vnto them as though they wer indéed parables which 〈…〉 God therefore suffereth to be done that when they sée they should sée and not discerne and so forth 〈…〉 it followeth in the text Tindale GVIDE Who is the guide of a womans youth WHich forsaketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the 〈…〉 of her God ¶ Guide of 〈…〉 that is her 〈…〉 which is her head and guâ—â— to 〈…〉 her from whom she ought not to depaâ—t but remaine in his sublertion and not forget the couenant of her God which is the promise made in marriage Geneua GIFT What the gift of God is THat thou stirre vp the gift of God that is in thée◠¶ The gift of God is a certeine liuelie flame kindled in our hearts which Satan and the flesh labour to quench and therefore must nourish it and stirre it vp The Bible note The difference betweene gift and grace Looke Grace GITHITH What it signifieth TO the chaunter vpon Githith c. ¶ Githith after some signifieth as much as for the wine presse after some concerning the Gethites after other some it is an instrument of musicke T. M. ¶ Whether Githith signifie an instrument of musicke or a kinde of tune or the beginning of some notable and well knowne Ballad I leaue it vncerteine For as for those that thinke the Psaline was called so because it was made in the citie of Gith then fetch their fained exposition too farre off Of the thrée former opinions it maketh no greate matter which a man take Caluine GLORIE What Glorious GLorie is nothing else but a praise most abundâ—lie published 〈…〉 63. How glorie doth follow true 〈…〉 Glorie is not to be sought for of men but glorie of her owne accord customablie doth follow true vertue How the glorie of the Lord is taken in this place following And in the morning ye shall sée the glorie of the Lord. ¶ The glorie of the Lord is 〈…〉 〈…〉 for the bright 〈…〉 â—ight that was séene in the Cloude of which glorie the 〈…〉 maketh mention 〈…〉 What is signified by the glorie of God in these places following Because the glorie of the Lord had fulfilled the house of the Lord. ¶ The glorie of the Lord fulfilling the house was a visible Cloude pre 〈…〉 yâ— God ought to be preached praised and magnified throughout the whole worlde in the congrâ—gation of the faithfull As he saith Nu. 14. 22. T. M. For the glorie of the Lord shall appeare ¶ The Prophet calleth the glorie of the Lorde the righteousnesse that shoulde be shewed by the Gospell whereby we shoulde become righteous in the sight of God the father for his sonne Christs merites This glorie shall all flesh sée that is all men as well the Iews as the Gentiles that beléeue A like saieng haue we after in the 60. 1. The glorie of the Lorde shall rise vpon thâ—e T. M. What is vnderstood by glorie in this place following And we saw the glorie of it c. ¶ Iohn saith not we saw his essence but we saw his glorie No man séeth nor hath séene the verie essence of the word But the beleening Apostles saw his glorie The which as it was 〈…〉 séene of three of the Disciples in the mount 〈…〉 Euen so by his glorious resurrection and asceâ—tion it did might 〈…〉 thine and was openlie exhibited to be séene of all the Disciples Therefore by this worde Glorie he vnderstandeth those thinges which set foorth the glorie of the word that is to saie which are certeine sure tokens of
his help but goe about without him to helpe them selues by ther owne workes and wisedome or are impatient in their troubles them doth he forsake vtterlie in the middes of their afflictions Sir I. Cheeke What Gods curse is Gods curse is the taking awaie of his benefites As God cursed the earth and made it barren so now hunger dearth warre pestilence and such like are yet right curses and signes of the wrath of God vnto the vnbeléeuers but vnto them that know Christ they are verie blessings and that wholsome crosse and true Purâ—â—torie oâ— our flesh through which all must go that will liue godlie and be saued As thou readest Math. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake c. And Heb. 12. 6. The Lord chasteneth whom he loueth and scorgeth all the children that he receiueth Tindale What God appointeth and no more Whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell determined before to be done ¶ Héere we doe learne that the enimies of Christ can goâ— no farther then God hath appointed them Therefore let the Preacher of the truth be of good comfort though Satan with all his legion of diuells the world all the mightie Princes thereof doe arise and conspire against them yet they can doe no more then the Lords hand and counsell hath appointed before Sir I. Cheeke How all things come to passe by Gods will ¶ Looke Will Of two wills in God ¶ Looke Will. How God ordeined sinne and yet is not the author of sinne ¶ Looke Sinne. Of the God of this world Iâ— whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beléeue not ¶ Satan is Gods minister and can doe no more then he appointeth him to doe Neuertheles Christ calleth him the Prince of this world Iohn 16. 11. And héere the Apostle calleth him the God of this world because the worlde doth most commonlie forsake the true God and serueth him For vnto whom soeuer we obaie we make him our God As S. Paule calleth the bellie their God that are earthlie minded serue their owne bellies Phil. 3. 19. What is meant by the God of Iacob ¶ Looke Iacob What the seate of God is ¶ Looke Seate GODHEAD IN CHRIST How Christs Godhead is vnderstood FOr in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodelie ¶ We must beware that we doe not with the Antropomorphiâ—es think that God hath a bodilie shape because the Apostle saith that the Godhead dwelleth in Christ bodelie for that is as much to saie that the Godhead doth dwell trulie and naturallie in Christ being a 〈…〉 and◠〈…〉 God and that therefore he is a sufficient treasure of all 〈…〉 riched Sir I. Cheeke ¶ In saieng that the Godhead is reallie in Christ he sheweth that he is verie God Also saieng In him he declareth two distinct natures And by this word Dwelleth he proueth that he is there foreuer Geneua How Christ in his Godhead is euerie where How maie Christ be called a straunger is he departed into a straunge countrie Séeing he is with vs vnto the worlds end and is among them that he gathered in his name Aunâ—were Christ is both God and man hauing in him two natures and as man he is not with vs vnto the worldes ende nor is present with his faithfull gathered together in his name But his diuine power and spirite is euer with vs. Paule saith he was absent from the Corinthians in bodie but he was present with them in spirite So is Christ gone hence saith he and absent in his humanitie which his diuine nature is euerie where And in these saiengs we reserue to both his natures their owne properties Origen in Math. homil 33. GODS MERCIE Of such as presume too much thereof MAnie doe presume so much of Gods mercie that they sinne at pleasure and repent at leasure But be not seduced saith S. Paule for God is not mocked whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape Hemmyng How the Magistrates are called Gods ¶ Looke Iuâ—ges What the nature of Gods word is ¶ Looke Word Nature GODLIE SORROVV What godlie sorrow bringeth to a man FOr godlie sorrow causeth repentaunâ—â— c. ¶ There be two manners of sorrow The one commeth of God and ingendereth repentaunâ—e 〈…〉 life The other commeth of the flesh and bréedeth desperation vnto death We haue examples of both in Cain and Dauid in Iudas and Peter For they all sorrowed but the sorrow of Cain and of Iudas was fleshlie and carnall and therefore being without godlie comâ—ort it did driue them to desperation Whereas Dauid and Peter in their godlie sorrow did flie vnto the father of mercies with a true repentant heart and were receiued againe into the fauour of God Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Whose heart Gods spirite doth touch he is sorie for his sinnes committed against so mercifull a father and these are the fruites of his repentaunce as witnesse Dauids and Peters teares Others which are sorie for their sinnes onelie for feare of punishment and Gods vengeaunce fall into desperation as Cain Saule Achitophel and Iudas Geneua GODLINESSE What Godlinesse is GOdlinesse is not made of words as wood is made of Trées but it is an earnest loue procéeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfained faith in which we maie glorifie God and doe good to his people Paule was godlie when he gloried in nothing but in the crosse of Iesus Christ by which the world was crucified vnto him and he vnto the world They are godlesse hypocrites which in word confesse they know God but in deede doe denie him They are Christs which haue crucified the flesh with the affections and concupiscence of it They are of their father the Diuell that in wickednesse doe the desire of the Diuell c. M. Deering GOG AND MAGOG What they were and what they doe signifie SAint Austen in his 20. booke De ciuitate Dei willeth by Gog to be signified the glorious hypocrites of the world by Magog the open enimies of righteousnesse pretending the contrarie As testifieth Berosus the Chaldean in the first booke of his histories 5. chapter Gog was a mightie gouernour in the land of Sabea Arabia the rich vnder Nimroth the great king of Babilon and there ruled with Sabâ—s his Father in the 18. yeare of his raigne In the 38. Chapter of Ezechielâ— Prophecie ver 2. he is called the chiefe Prince of Mosoch and Tâ—â—bal whom some Expositours taketh for Capadoce and Spaine But after the opinion of S. Hierom and Isidorus which was a Spaniard the Hebrue taketh this Thubal for Italy which is much more agréeable to the purpose Magog was the seconde sonne of Iaphet which was the third sonne vnto Noe. This Magog as witnesseth Iosephus in the first booke of his Antiquities the 11. chapter was the first beginner of the Magogites whom the Greekes called the Scythians and we now the Tartarians And all the chiefe
of the letters but the Gospell is in the marking of the sentence of Scriptures This sentence approueth Saint Paule saieng thus The kingdome of God is not in worde but in vertue and Dauid saith The voice of the Lorde that is his worde is in vertue And after Dauid saith Through the worde of God the heauens were made And in the spirit of his mouth is all the vertue of them In the booke of Mar. fol. 644. An exposition of this place following For I am not ashamed of the Gospell ¶ The Gospell is that heauenly message which declareth vnto vs yâ— Iesus Christ is the power of God in whom and by whom God doth set foorth vnto the world all his heauenlie treasures that whosoeuer doth beléeue in him whether he be a Romaine or a Iew Gréeke or other he should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting Sir I. Cheeke Saint Bede affirmeth that in his time and almost a thousand yeares after Christ héere in Britaine Easter was kept after the manner of the East church in the full moone what daie in the wéeke so euer it fell on and not on the Sundaie as wée doe now whereby it is to be collected that the first preachers in this land haue come out froÌ„ the East part of yâ— world where it was so vsed rather then from Rome Petrus Cluniacensis writing to Barnard affirmeth that the Scottes in his time did celebrate their Easter not after the Romaine manner but after the Gréeks And as the sayd Britaines were not vnder the Romaines in the time of this Abbot of Cluniake So neither were they nor would bee vnder the Romaine Legate in the time of Gregorie nor woulde admit anie primacie of the Bishop of Rome to be aboue them Ghildas saith that Ioseph of Aramathia that tooke downe Christ from the crosse béeing sent hether by Philip the Apostle out of Fraunce he beganne to preach the Gospell first in this Realme in the time of Tiberius the Emperour Nicephorus saith that Symon Zelottes about the same time came into this land and did the like Theodoretus sayth that Saint Paule immediatly after his first deliuerie in Rome vnder the Emperour Nero preched the Gospell in this Ilande and in other Countries of the West Tertulian saith of his time that the countries of Britaiâ—e which the Romaines could neuer attaine vnto are now subiâ—ct to Christ. Origen saith the same GOATE How this Goate doth figure Christ. PUtting them vpon the head of the Goat ¶ Héere this Goat is a true signe of Iesus Christ who beareth the sinnes of the people Esay 53. 5. Geneua Why it is called the scape Goate And the other for a scape Goate ¶ In the Hebrew it is called Azazel which some saie is a mountaine néere Sinai whether this Goate was sent but rather is called scape Goate because it was not offered but sent into the desart as verse 21. Geneua GRACE What Grace is BY grace vnderstand the fauour of God and also the gifte of working of the spirit in vs as loue kindnesse patience obedience mercifulnesse despising of worldlie thinges peace concord and such like Tindale The true definition of grace The true definition of Grace and agréeing to the holy scriptures is the free beneuolence of God whereby he counteth vs déere in Christ Iesus and forgiueth vs our sinnes giueth the holie Ghost an vpright life and eternall felicitie by this definition is séene not onlie what we call grace but also by whom we haue it and with all the principall effects thereof Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 140. Receiued grace of all Apostleship ¶ Grace is throughout all the Epistles of Paule taken for the fauour and frée mercie of God whereby he saueth vs fréelie without anie desertes or workes of the lawe In like maner peace is taken for the tranquilitie of the conscience being fullie perswaded that through the merites of Christs death and bloud-shedding there is an attonement and peace made betwéene God and vs so that God will no more impute our sinnes vnto vs nor yet condemne vs. Sir I. Cheeke What it is to reiect grace To reiect and refuse the grace of God is to séeke righteousnesse by the law or to deserue grace by our owne righteousnes What difference is betweene grace and gift Grace properlie is Gods fauour beneuolence or kind mind which of his owne selfe without deseruing of vs he beareth vnto vs wherby he was moued inclined to giue Christ vnto vs with all his other gifts of grace Gift is the holie Ghost his working whom he powreth into the hearts of theÌ„ on whom he hath mercie whom he fauoureth Though the gifts of yâ— spirit increase in vs dailie haue not yet the full perfection yea though there remaine in vs yet euill lusts sinne which fight against the spirit as he saith héere in the seauenth Chapter and in the fift to the Galathians and as it was spoken before in the third Chapter of Genesis of the debate betwéene the womans seede and the séede of the Serpent yet neuerthelesse GODS fauour is so greate and so strong ouer vs for Christs sake that wee are counted for full whole and perfect before God For Gods fauour towardes vs diuideth not her selfe increasing a lyttle and little as doe the giftes but receyueth vs whole and altogether in full loue for Christes sake our intercessour and Mediatour And because the giftes of the spirite and the battell betwéene the spirite and euill lustes are begunne in vs alreadie Of this nowe vnderstande thou the. 7. Chapter where Paule accuseth himselfe as a sinner and yet in the 8. Chapter sayth There is no dampnation to them that are in Christ and that because of the spirite and because the gifts of the spirite are begunne Sinners wée are because the flesh is not full killed and mortified Neuerthelesse in as much as we beléeue in Christ and haue the earnest and beginning of the spirite and woulde faine bée perfect GOD is so louing and fauourable vnto vs that he will not looke on such sin neither will count it as sinne but will deale with vs according to our beliefe in Christ and according to his promises which hée hath sworne to vs vntill the sinne bée full slaine in vs and mortified by death Tindale in his Prol. to the Rom. The difference betweene grace and the Lawe Chrisostome noteth certeine diefferences betwéene the Lawe and Grace The Lawe sayth hée setteth â—oorth a Crowne but first requireth workes and battailes Grace first crowneth and afterwarde bringeth vnto the battayle By this hée teacheth that the righteousnesse which is set forth the Lawe is obteined by workes for wée cannot bée iustified by the lawe vnlesse wée haue accomplished all the thinges which are commaunded in the lawe But that other righteousnesse which wée haue by grace through fayth doth first crowne vs with a newe generation and adoption to be the children of
for of iust is deriued Iustice. And to say briefely to be iust is to be cleare sound and vpright according to the degrée condition office person which euery man beareth and to aunswere the same in all pointes without blame Each degrée condition estate and person hath his order and Iustite c. Musc. in his Com. pla fo 421. IVSTIFICATION What is vnderstood by Iustification BY iustifieng vnderstande none other thing then to be reconciled to God and to be restored into his fauour and to haue thy sinnes forgiuen thee As when I say God iustifieth vs vnderstand thereby that God for Christs sake merites and deseruings onely receiueth vs vnto his mercie fauour and grace and forgiuenesse of our sinnes And when I say Christ iustifieth vs vnderstand thereby that Christ onely hath redéemed vs bought vs deliuered vs out of the wrath of God and damnation and hath with his works onely purchased vs the mercie fauour and grace of God and the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And when I say Faith onely iustifieth vnderstand thereby that Faith and trust in the trueth of God and in the mercie promised vs for Christs sake and for his deseruings workes onely doth quiet the conscience and certefie hir that our sinnes be forgiuen and we in the fauour of God Tindale in his Prologue to the Romanes To iustifie is nothing els then to acquite him that was accused from all filthinesse as allowing his innocencie sith therefore God iustifieth vs by the intercession of Christ he doeth acquite vs not by allowaunce of our innocencie but by imputation of righteousnesse that we maye be counted for righteous in Christ which are not righteous in our selues Cal. 3. bo chap. 11. sect 3. This word iustifie in the Latine mens eares is as much to say as to make iust lyke as magnifie to make great and sanctifie to make holy And this sence of this word the Diuine schoolemen like well which they that doe followe them doe yet earnestly stand vnto Augustine also doth in diuers places still expound this word of iustifieng in this sence when he saith Beléeuing in him which iustifieth the wicked that is to say of the wicked doth make godly The Apostle Paule out of whose writings this entraunce of Iustification is principally taken vsed the word of iustifieng not in the sence that the Latine eares doe like but in that sence which the holy Scripture vseth it according to the custome of the holy language in which he was born brought vp and instructed in from his childhood In that language to iustifie is as as much to say as to quite a man of his offence and to pronounce him iust The contrary of it is to condemne a man of naughtinesse and wickednesse c. This word iustifie is not to make one iust which is vniust and wicked but is vsed in euery place for to quite a man of his fault and to pronounce and declare him iust Musc. fol. 222. How we are iustified freely and by Faith onely It is also the cause why Faith is plainly called by S. Paule the Faith of the chosen and for the which Iustification is attributed vnto it that honour is giuen vnto it forsomuch as many doth acknowledge himselfe by the same such as he is of his owne nature to wit a poore and miserable sinner the childe of wrath subiect to death and eternall damnation therefore spoyling himselfe of his owne Iustice and of all trust in his owne workes and merites he doth imbrace Iesus Christ to be cladde with his Iustice to the ende that by it his sinnes may be couered in such sort that they come not to count at the iudgement of God and so that the poore sinner by reputed iust as though he had neuer offended and that because the Iustice of Christ is allowed vnto him Faith as though the same were proper to the man to whom it is allowed Pet. Viret All men are sinners and want the glory of God but they are iustified fréely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ. ¶ Héere Paule saith We are iustified fréely If there bée any deseruing lesse or more then it is not freely He saith also Of grace if it be any part of workes then it is not of grace for as S. Paule saith Then grace were no grace S. Ambrose saith vpon this place of S. Paule All men are sinners c. They are iustified fréely saith S. Ambrose for they doing nothing nor nothing deseruing alonely by Faith are iustified by the gifte of God Héere Saint Ambrose saith Men working nothing nor nothing deseruing are iustified by Faith onely D. Barnes ¶ Origen vpon the same tâ—xt saith That the Iustification of Faith is alonely sufficient so that a man do beleeue onely he is iustified though there be no woâ—â—â—es â—oke of him at al. By Faith was the théefe iustified without yâ— workes of y◠〈…〉 for yâ— Lord did not aske him what he had done nor looke for any works of him but did accept him onely for confessing of Christ. Wherefore saith Origen a man is iustified by Faith vnto whome as concerning Iustification the works of the law help nothing ¶ Héere it is plaine by Origen that workes doe helpe nothing to Iustification but Faith onely D. Barnes What thing doth purchase Iustification The same thing that purchaseth remission of our sinnes doth also purchase Iustification For Iustification is nothing els but remission of sinnes Now Faith purchaseth vs remission of sinnes Ergo by Faith we are iustified Now that Faith purchaseth remission of sinnes is well proued by the Article of our Faith Credo remissionem peccatorum I beléeue remission of sinnes Now if I haue not this remission for Faith then Faith deceiueth me For I doe beleeue onely because I would haue remission of sinnes What néede we to beléeue remission of sinnes if I may deserue it by workes D. Barnes What the true way of Iustification is The very true way of Iustification is this First commeth God for the loue of Christ Iesus alonely of his méere mercie and giueth vs fréely the gifte of Faith whereby we doe beléeue God and his holy word sticke fast vnto the promises of God and beléeue that though heauen and earth and all that is in them should perish and come to naught yet God shall be founde true in his promise For this faith sake be we the children of God This is not such a Faith as men dreame when they beléeue that there is one God and beléeue that he is eternall beléeue also that he made the world of naught yea and beléeue that the Gospell is true and all things that God speaketh must be true and fulfilled with other such things This is not the Faith that we be iustified by for Diuells and Infidells haue this faith and also we may atteine to these things by the strength of reasonâ— But the Faithâ— that shall iustifie vs must be of another manner
sinne wherefore hast thou made me such a one If thou be the preseruer of men â—hy shouldest thou condempne me so seeing it lyeth in thée to saue me But a man may well sée that this is not the naturall meaning And such as take it so neuer knewe the intent of the Holy ghost as touching this streine and moreouer they haue ill considered yâ— which is witnessed vnto vs concerning lob how he was patient howsoeuer the world went with him What is it then that Iob ment It is as if he should say Well I confesse my fault and I cannot escape the iudgement of God why so He is the kéeper of men But this word Keeper hath bene misconstrued for men haue taken it for a preseruer of mankind for one that shieldeth them vnder his protection It is certaine that as yâ— Gréeke Translater also hath well marked which thing he is commonly wont to doe Iob ment to say that God wayteth vpon vs that he watcheth vs and that he knoweth all as if a man should watch one to spye and marke all that euer he doeth and saith We sée then in what sence Iob applyeth this title vnto God that is The kéeper of men Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 135. KILL How the intent to kill is worse then the slaughter it selfe BUt ye goe about to kill me c. ¶ We are taught by this place that the minde and purpose to do any work is accounted for the worke it selfe Yea if thou consider well the intent to doe any euill thing is worse then the worke it selfe and the intent to doe any good worke is better then the worke it selfe Better is the desire to doe good to those that are in misery then the Almes déede it selfe And the intent to kill is worse then the murther it selfe The Almes déede may be so done that it may displease God concerning the which reade the 5. of Mathew verse 42. A murderous déede may be so done that it may please God as may appeare in the Leuiticus in Phinehes in Iehu and so refused that God may be displeased for the not dooing of it as we may sée in Agag Amalech whom Saule kept alyue But the desire and intent to do good cannot displease God euen as the desire to kill cannot please him Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 317 KING How and wherefore we are called Kings and Priests AS euery perfect beléeuing man in our Sauiour Christ are called Priests of offering of spirituall Sacrifices so are they â—alled Kings of ruling and subduing the temptations and suggestions of their sinfull appetites vnto reason and to the will of God vppon the perfourmaunce of this condition Moses doeth call vs Kings and Priests saieng If ye will heare my voice and kéepe my appointment ye shall be mine owne aboue all Nations For all the earth is mine ye shall be also vnto me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy people Ric. Turnar Of the Kings of Israel and Iuda how many were good Of all the kings that reigned ouer Israel and Iuda there were no mo but Dauid Ezechias and Iosias that continued perfectly vnto the ende of their liues in the true religion of God not that these thrée were men of such perfection that they did not notably offende the lawe of God in their life time But these wer such men that they wer neuer infected with the foule sinne of Idolatrie and wicked worshipping of straunge Gods Into other sinnes in déede they fell and from the same by true repentaunce obteined mercie and forgiuenesse aâ— Gods hand So that notwithstanding both the murther adulterie of Dauid the foolish vaine glory of Ezechias that shewed all his treasure and all his secrets vnto the Ambassadours of Babilon for the which Esay the Prophet did openly reproue him to his face Yet otherwise they stoode vpright kéeping themselues pure and cleane from the most detestable sinne of Idolatry And therefore Dauid strong in the armes and amiable of countenaunce and Ezechias which by interpretation is called the health of our Lorde and Iosias Fortitudo Domini the strength of the Lord These thrée doe beare the bell away and are preferred aboue all the Kings of Iuda as we reade in the Booke of Ecclesiasticus 40. Chapter where their praises are commended to endure to the worlds ende Ric. Turnar How Kings haue to doe in matters of religion Dauid commaunded Sadoch and Abiathar the Priests and the Leuites to bring the Arke of the Lord God into the place which he had prepared for it Salomon displaced Abiathar from the high Priests office put Sadoch into his roome Heare me O you Leuites and be sanctified cleanse the house of the God of your Fathers and take awaye all vncleannesse from the Sanctuary ¶ Thâ—se are not words of entreatie but flat commaundements as Lyra saith Ezechia cupiens renouare foedus c. Ezechias desirous to renue the Couenaunt with the Lord first did commaund the Leuites to be sanctified Second by them being sanctified the Temple to be cleansed Thirdly by those which were cleansed sacrifice to be made for the offence of the people Fourthly by sacrificing God to be praised Fiftly by cleansing the holye Burnt-offerings to bée offered vp ¶ Thus were all things done by his commaundement by his constitution and at his pleasure c. I. Bridges fol. 285. Nunc mihi debio c. I iudge it saith Constantine the great that this ought before all other things to be my scope that among the most holy multitude of the Catholike Church one faith and sincere Charitie and godlynesse agréeing together towards almightie God might be conserued I. Bridges fol. 117. Quanto subditorum gloria c. How much more saith the king of Spaine called Richardus we are exalted in royall glorie ouer the subiects so much more ought we to be carefull in those matters that apperteine vnto God Either to augment our owne hope or else to looke to the profit of the people committed to vs of God And as ye sée me in very déede inflamed with the seruice of faith God hath stirred me vp to this end that the obstinacie of infidelitie béeing expelled and the furie of discorde remoued I should reuoke the people to the knowledge of faith and to the fellowship of the Catholike Church who serued errour vnder the name of religion These be the wordes of this christen king which he spake openly in the third counsel at To-let before all the Bishops there assembled S. Austen sayth that the auncient actes of the godly kings mentioned in the propheticall bookes were signes of the like factes to be done by the godly Princes in the time of the new testament I. Bridges fol. 505. Of Iosaphats supreme gouernement ¶ Looke Iosaphat Carolus Magnus commaunded that nothing should be read openly in the Church sauing onely the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scripture And that the faithfull people should receiue
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
mortifie his body for to liue according to the doctrine yâ— he himselfe did teach least be should be reproued of men when they should sée him doe contrary or contemne yâ— thing which he taught other to doe Ric. Turnar Of Paules vnquietnesse of the flesh ¶ Looke Flesh. How Paule wrought with his hands He abode with them wrought Their craft was to make tents ¶ How doe they followe Paules example which neither giue themselues to the studie of holy Scriptures to feede the flocke of Christ nor yet will labour with their hands but liue idly with the sweate of other mens browes there was a lawe among the Massilians that if any man did go about to liue idly vnder the pretence of some kind of religion he shuld in no wise be receiued into their citie Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Thus he vsed where euer he came but principally at Corinthus because of the false Apostles which preached without wages to winne the peoples fauour His craft was to make tents or pauilions which were made of skinnes Geneua Wherefore Paule wished himselfe to be seperate from Christ. For I haue wished my selfe to be seperated from Christ for my bretheren c. ¶ The Apostle loued his bretheren so entirely that if it had bene possible he would haue bene ready to haue redeemed the casting away of the Israelites with the losse of his owne soule for euer For this word seperate betokeneth as much in this place Beza ¶ He sawe the losse and destruction of his whole nation falling so farre from Gods true religion he considered how far God should be dishonoured when his wonderfull benefits and blessings bestowed vpon his people should take none effect but vtterly be defaced which so mightely moued him the he wished rather to be cut off from Christ then those things should come to passe The Bible note ¶ He would redéeme the reiection of the Iewes with his owne dampnation which declareth his zeale towardes Gods glorie Read Exo. 32. 32. Geneua How Paule had a wife Paule wished that all men were as he was That is hée wished that all the Corinthians which aduaunced themselues of virginitie widowhood could liue chast without a woman as he did which left his wife in an other place then where hée preached that all men were without care as he was which thing commonly followeth marriage ¶ Looke Apostles had wiues what Erasmus saith thereof ¶ Ignatius and also Clemens Alexandrinus which were verie nigh the Apostles time doth plainely affirme that S. Paule had a wife Ecclesiast histo li. 3. cap. 30. What Paule calleth the infirmitie of the flesh Paule calleth the infirmity of the flesh no disease of yâ— body or temptation of the flesh but his suffering and affliction which he suffered in his bodie So that he setteth the same against the vertue and power of the spirit But least we should séeme to wrast and peruert Paules words let vs heare himselfe speaking in the. 2. Cor. 12. 10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions and anguish for Christs sake for when I am weake then am I stronge And in the. 11. chapt 13. In labours more abundant in stripes aboue measure in prisons more plenteous in death oft of the Iewes fiue times receiued I fortie stripes saue one I was thrise beaten with roddes I was once stoned I suffered thrise shipwracke c. These afflictions which hée suffred in his body he calleth infirmities of the flesh and not corporall diseases Of Paules voice Looke Voice PAVLVS SAMOSATENVS Of the heresie that this man taught THis man was Bishop of Antioch He denied the trinitie He taught that Christ tooke his beginning of our lady And was a man onely of our common nature which heresâ—e was condemned by a generall Councell Paulus excommunicated He was about the yeare of our Lord. 267. PEACE How Christ came not to send peace on earth but debate SUppose ye that I am come to send peace on earth I tell you nay but rather debate ¶ So the peace as this world loueth which is then at peace when mens appetites and desires are satisfied and when the euill agrée with the euill came I not to send on earth but therfore came I with yâ— words of very peace to destroy the peace of this world For sith the doctrine of the Gospell which teacheth all peace shal be enuied of many it cannot be but debate must arise euen amongest greatest friends while they that loue this world will sooner exercise cruelty towards them yâ— they loue best then leaue yâ— vices which they haue bene accustomed vnto And againe those whome the fire of the charitie belonging to the Gospell hath touched will by no meanes suffer themselues to be deuided from that which they haue begun to cleaue to Betwixt these two am I not come to set peace but debate Tindale What it is to be at peace with God Because therefore that we are iustified by faith we are at peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. ¶ To be at peace with God is none other thing then to haue tranquility rest in our hearts to Godward knowing assuredly the we be accepted of him do please him which thing we finde by fayth onely in that it receiueth forgiuenesse of sinnes newnesse of life euerlasting by mercy obteined at Christs hands Our own workes can bring no such tranquilitie because they be vnsure and engender doubt of which followeth desperation and of it dampnation we are not ashamed of our hope for we are sure by the death of Christ that God loueth vs and will bring our hope to passe ¶ By peace héere is meant that incredible and most constant ioye of minde when we are deliuered from all terrour of conscience and fully perswaded of the fauour of God this peace is the fruit of faith Geneua ¶ By peace which is the fruite of faith is ment the incredible and most constant ioy of minde our conscience being quiet and established in Gods grace The Bible note How peace makers be blessed Blessed be the peace makers c. ¶ To inherit this blessing it is not onely required that thou haue peace in thy selfe and that thou take all to the best and be not offended lightly and for euery small trifle alway ready to forgiue nor sowe â—o discord nor auenge thine owne wrong But also that thou be feruent and diligent to make peace go betwéene person persoÌ„ that thou leaue nothing vnsought to set theÌ„ at one Tin ¶ Cursed be the peace breakers pikequarrellers whispers backebiters sowers of discord dispraisers of them that be good stirrers vp of Princes to battell bée-liers of the true preachers of Gods word c. Tindale What peace offering is To offer peace offering of Oxen vnto the Lorde ¶ Peace offering is to reconcile God towards men to be at peace with them to forgiue
praiers fastings and almes déedes that such works do iustifie men before God and not that God forgiueth sinne of his méere mercie if a man beléeue repent and promise to doe his vttermost to sinne no more Tindale fo 202. After what manner Paule commendeth the sect of the pharesies After the most straightest sect of our religion I liued a Pharesie ¶ He taketh the sect of the Pharesies to be perfect because their doctrine was better then the other sectes The Saduces denied the resurrection of the dead The Esses glorifieng in straightnesse of lyfe little regarded true doctrine The Bible note Paule speaketh of this sect according to the peoples estimation who preferred it as most holy aboue all other for their doctrine was least corrupt Geneua How the pharesies added to the Scripture And hate your enimies ¶ This had the Scribes and Pharesies added to themselues because of that which is written Exo. 34. 11. Deut. 7. 1. Iosu. 23. 7. 12. of hauing familiaritie with those nations What pharisaicall righteousnesse is Pharisaicall righteousnesse consisteth in outward workes voide of the feare of God and of faith in God which as it looketh for heauen at Gods hand as a reward for his works so it hunteth for praise at mens hands for the visour of counterfaitâ— holinesse Hemmyng PHASHVR Of the crueltie of this Priest to Ieremy the Prophet THis Phashur was the high Bishop of the Temple the ringleader of false Prophets and the chief heretiktaker that is ouerthrower of true godlynesse The dignitie of Priesthoode giuen vnto him he abused For hée taught not and reproued by the worde but feared the godlye with crueltie hée is not the greater man that striketh but hée is the stronger that is striken He not onelye stroke but also prisoned him that withstoode him not but patientlye looked for the helpe of GOD. It is no newe thing yée maye sée for Bishoppes doe persecute the Prophettes of the LORDE for the preaching of the truth and constancie T. M. ¶ Thus we sée that the thing which neither the king nor the Princes nor the people durst enterprise against the Prophet of God this Priest a chiefe instrument of Satan first attempted Read Chapter 18. 18. Geneua PHEBE What ministration this godly woman vsed in the Church of Cenchrea I Commend vnto you Phebe our sister ¶ Men thinke that this holy womaÌ„ carried this Epistle of Paul to Rome She had ben a minister in the Church of Cenchrea not indéed in teching publikely but in looking to the poore which were susteined at the charges of the Church And what manner of widowes either as touching age or as touching manners were required to that charge it is at large set foorth in the Epistle to Timothy By what manner of meanes she was an helpe vnto Paule we know not but it is inough for vs our of this testimonie of Paule to vnderstand that she had oftentimes bene beneficiall both to many others as also to Paule himselfe She is héere thrée waies commended for that she was a sister for that she was a minister for that she had giuen hospitalitie to many others and to Paule also wherevnto also may be added that she was holye for Pauleâ— straight way addeth as it becommeth Saints Héereby it is manifest the Christians that are straungers ought not onely therefore to be receiued for that they are bretheren but also for that they perteine to God as Saints wholy dedicated vnto him Cenchrea is a towne nigh vnto Corinth and a port or hauen longing to that towne Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fo 453. PHIGELLVS Of hiâ— heresie PHigellus and Hermogenes forsooke Paule and made shipwracke of their faith 2. Tim. 1. 15. Abdias Babilonius sayth that Philetus and Hermogenes sayde that Iesus was not the sonne of God PHILACTERIES What a Philacterie is THey make broade their Philacteries c. ¶ They weare scrowles of parchment wherin the commandements were written And to this day the Iewes vse the same and close them in a péece of Leather and so binde them to their browes and left arme to the intent they might haue continuall remembraunce of the lawe Geneua ¶ A Philacterie was a certeine paper or parchment where the ten commaundements were written And this daye the Pharesies and Scribes put rounde about their heads lyke a crowne thereby to perswade the simple and ignoraunt people that they were holyâ— and that they did diligently kéepe the law Sir I. Cheeke ¶ It was a thrid or ribband of blew silke in the fringe of a corner the beholding whereof made them to remember the lawes and ordinaunces of God And therefore was it called a Philacterie as you would saye a kéeper Nu. 15. 38. Deut. 6. 8. which order the Iewes afterward abused as they doe nowe adaies which hang S. Iohns Gospell about their neckes a thing condempned many yeares ago in the Councell of Aâ—tioch Theo. Beza PHILIP Of the Martirdome of Philip the Apostle PHilip the holy Apostle after he had much laboured among the barbarous nations in preaching the word of saluation to them At length he suffered as the other Apostles did in Hierapolis a citie of Phrigia being there crucified and stoned to death where also he was buried and his daughters also with him Isido PHILOSOPHIE What Philosophy is IT is nothing else but the obseruing and eschewing of such things as reason iudgeth to be good or bad in the mutuall conuersation of lyfe W. Baldwyn Saint Austen sayth If they which becalled Philosophers specially of Plato his sect haue spoken ought that is true and appertinent to our fayth we ought not only not to feare it but also to chalenge it as our owne from them which are no right owners of it For like as the Aegyptians had not onely Idols and greate burdens which the Israelites did hate and flye but also vesselles ornamentes and goodly iewels of golde and siluer which the Israelites departing from Aegypt vnder the coulour of borrowing stole priuely from them not of theyr owne minde but by the commaundement of God to tourne that to a better vse which the Aegyptians abused So in the doctrine of the Gentiles are not onely conteined superstitious and feigned rites with greate burdens of vaine labour all which wée Christians following Christ out from among the vnbeléeuing Gentiles shoulde detest and auoide but also much good learning méete to serue the truth howe to worshippe the eternall and onely God W. Baldwyn Beware least anye man come and spoile you through Philosophie and vaine deceites ¶ Paule héere biddeth the Colloâ—sians take héede of such men that with their Philosophye went about to hinder the Gospell to stoppe the prosperous successe of Gods wrode abusing Gods giftes rebuking the euill conditions of men and not dispraisiâ—g the arte for hée himselfe was a great Philosopher Nowe if Philosohye did set foorth a false and vntrue matter that it confounded the fayth of many how much more is it able to set
the Priests eare for that is but mans inuention but to God in the heart and before all the Congregation of God how that we be sinners and sinfull and that our whole nature is corrupt and inclined to sinne and all vnrighteousnesse and therefore euill wicked and damnable his lawes holy and iust by which our sinfull nature is rebuked And also to our neighbour if we haue offended any man perticularly Then Contrition sorrowfulnesse that we be such damnable sinners and not onely haue sinned but are wholly inclined to sin still Thirdly Faith of which our olde Doctors haue made no mention at all in the description of their Penaunce that God for Christs sake doth forgiue vs and receiue vs to mercie and is at one with vs will heale our corrupt nature And fourthly satisfaction or amends making not to God with holy works but to mine neighbour whome I haue offended if anye open crime be found in me and submitting of a mans selfe vnto the Congregation of the Church of Christ. And note this as satisfaction and amends making is counted righteous before the world and a purging of sinne so that the world to whome I haue made a full amends hath no farther to complaine euen so faith in Christs bloud is counted righteousnesse and a purging of all sinne before God Moreouer he that sinneth against his brother sinneth also against his Father almightie God as the sinne committed against his brother is purged before the world with making amendes or asking forgiuenesse Euen so is the sinne committed against God purged through faith in Christs bloud onely for Christs â—ake Iohn 8. 24. Except ye beleeue that I am he ye shall dye in your sinnes that is to say If ye thinke that through anye other Sacrifice or satisfaction to God-ward then me ye remaine euer in sinne before God how soeuer righteous you appeare before the world Wherefore now whether ye call this Motanoe Repentaunce Conuersion or toâ—â—ing againe to God either amending c. Or whether ye say repent be conuerted turne to God amend your liuing or what ye list I am content so ye vnderstande what is meant thereby as I haue now declaâ—ed Tindale fol. 37. HOW repentaunce is attributed to God I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vppon them ¶ When the Scripture attributeth repentaunce vnto God it is not that he doth contrary to that which he hath ordeined in his secret counsell But when he threateneth it is a calling to repentaunce and when he giueth man grace to repent the threatening which euer containeth a condition in iâ— taketh no place And this the Scripture calleth repentaunce in God because it so appeareth to mans iudgement Geneua The Lord repented of the plague ¶ In the diuine nature there is no such affections or chaungâ—ablenesse But God is sayde after the mauner of men to repâ—â—it when he doth not execute that he had denounced or doth deferre the plague which he had threatened Geneua I repent me that I made Saule King ¶ God in his eternall counsell neuer chaungeth nor repenteth as ver 29. though he séemeth to vs to repent when many things goeth contrarye to his temporall election Geneua ¶ The repentaunce of God is onely chaunging of the deede And as the affection of mercie and of fatherly loue is attributed vnto God euen so doth the Scripture attribute vnto God after his manner of speach to affliction of anger and of fury and of repentaunce also for men cannot otherwise speake of God T. M. ¶ It repented the Lord that he had made man ¶ God doth neuer repent but he speaketh after our capacitie because he did destroy him and in that as it were did disaâ—owe him to be a creature Geneua Of Esaus repentaunce And founde no place of repentaunce ¶ Nouatus did not well vnderstande this place gathering thereby that they which doe of a fraylenesse sinne though they repent neuer so truly ought not be receiued to fauour againe For heere is not one word spoken of remission of sinnes but of the right of the first borne which being sold for a vile messe of poâ—age could not be recouered againe though he sought it with teares Sir I. Cheeke The meaning of this place following My repentings are rouled together ¶ Meaning that his loue wherewith he first loued them made him betwéene doubt and assuraunce what to doe and héerein appeareth his fatherly affection that his mercie towards his shall ouercome his iudgements as he declareth in the next verse Geneua Of two manner of repentaunce I finde saith Frith to Rastall two manner of repentaunce one is without faith is such a repentaunce as Iudas Rastals Christen men which continue still in sinne haue at latter end which doth rather purchase them an halter then the remission of sinnes Another repentance followeth instification remission of sins is a florishing fruit of faith for when by faith wee do perceiue the fauour kindnesse yâ— our louing father hath shewed vs in his sonne Iesus Christ and that he hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe by the bloud of his sonne then begin we to loue him the more we hate the body of sinne and lament and be sory that our members are so fraile that they cannot fulfill the lawe of God and so in mourning and bewailing our infirmitie it causeth vs to abstaine both from meate and drinke and worldly pleasures which is the pure fasting that we talke off but you vnderstand it not And this repentaunce commeth not to purge the sinnes which is committed before but onelyâ— taketh an occasion by the sinnes before committed to know what poyson there remaineth in our flesh and seeketh by all meanes to make vs hate this body of sinne and to subdue it with all manner of workes that God hath appointed to the intent that it should in time to come no more displease God our most mercifull Father which of gentlenesse so often pardoneth and forgiueth vs as I touched before This is the manner of repentaunce which I finde in scripture but this helpeth that we should sinne no more but what Rastall dreameth I wote not But to expresse the vttermost what I meane by repentaunce marke this example If a man builde an house which doth cost him much labour and money and haue layed no sure foundation but that when a tempest commeth his house doeth fall then will he be very sorie and repent that he hath so foolishly bestowed his money and labour Notwithstanding all this great sorrow and repentaunce cannot set vp his house againe which is fallen but onely it taketh an occasion by the ruine of the house to teach the owner wit against another time yâ— when he buildeth againe he may make a sure foundation Euen so though thou repent neuer so much that cannot get remission of thy sinnes that is but that must be pardoned onely by the faith in Christs bloud Neuerthelesse it doth
teach thée wit learne thée to tame thy body subdue it cast a low foundation that in time thou maist the better resist the assaults of the Diuell the world and the flesh This doth Frith teach of Repentance let the world take it as they will but Christs Shéepe doe heare his voice I. Frith fol. 74. REPROBATION A definition of this word Reprobation REprobation is the most wise purpose of God whereby hée hath before all eternitie constantly decréed without any iniustice not to haue mercie of those whom he hath not loued but hath ouerhipped that by their iust condemnation he might declare his wrath towards sinners and also his glory Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 293. How the iust cause of reprobation is hid vnto vs. We say not that Gods ordinaunce is the cause of reprobation but we affirme that the iust causes of reprobation are hid in the eternall counsell of God known to his godly wisdome alone but the causes of sin of death damnation are euident manifestly declared to vs in the scriptures to wit mans frâ—e-wil consenting to the deceiueable perswasion of the diuell wilful â—inne and voluntary rebellion by which entred death into this world the contempt of graces and Gods mercies offered with the heaping vp of sinne vpon sinne till damnation iustly came The causes I say of sinne death and damnation are plainly noted vnto vs in Gods holy Scriptures But why it pleased God to shewe mercie to some and denie the same to others because the iudgments of God are a deuouring depth we enter not in reasoning with him but with all humilitie render thanks to his Maiestie for the grace and mercie which we doubt not but of his frée grace we haue receiued in Christ Iesu our onely head Knox. RESERVING OF BREAD ¶ Looke Bread REST. How rest is heere vnderstood IF they shall enter into my rest ¶ God by his rest after the creation of his workes signified the spirituall rest of the faithfull yet he sware to giue rest in Canaan which was but a figure of the heauenlye rest and dured but for a time Geneua How rest is taken heere for the lande of Canaan They shall not enter into my rest ¶ That is into the lande of Canaan where he promised them rest Geneua How rest is sometime taken for doctrine This is the rest giue rest to him that is weary ¶ This is the doctrine wherevpon ye ought to staye and rest Shewe to them that are wearie and haue neede of rest what is the true rest Geneua RESVRRECTION How that we all doe rise by Christ. I Am the resurrection and the life ¶ That is I am the Author of resurrection and life For those that beleeue in me will I raise vp at the last day vnto life euerlasting those that are dead shall lyue by me because they beléeued in me Tindale ¶ Christ restoreth vs from death to giue vs euerlasting life Geneua The meaning of this place following Since they are the children of the resurrection ¶ That is men pertakers of the resurrection For as we say truly yâ— they shall lyue indéede which shall enioye euerlasting blisse so doe they rise indéede that rise to lyfe though this word resurâ—â—ction be taken generally it betokeneth also to the wicked which shal rise to condemnation which is not properly life but death Beza ¶ For although the wicked rise againe yet that life is but death and an eternall destruction Geneua Infallible tokens of Christs resurrection By many infallible tokens c. He calleth these infallible tokens which were otherwise termed necessary now in that Christ spake and walked and eate and was felte of manye these are sure signes and tokens that he truely rose againe Beza What the first resurrection is This is the first Resurrection ¶ Which is to receiue Iesus Christ in true faith and to rise from sinne in newnesse of lyfe Geneua Of two resurrections Ther be two sorts of resurrections expressed in Gods word of which it is written Likewise as Christ was raised vp from death by the glory of the father euen so we also should walke in a new life This new life is the resurrection from sin Christs raising is the other resurrection that is of the bodye which began in Christ the first fruits of the dead for Paule saith He that raised vp Christ from death shall quicken our mortall bodyes and in another place It shall rise a spirituall bodye Roger Hutchynson REVVARD How reward is deserued HE shall not loose his reward ¶ That is whatsoeuer thou workest at the commaundement of God thou shalt haue the same rewarde therefore that appertaineth to a faithfull worker which is life euerlasting not that it is due to thy work but to thy faith out of the which thy worke proceedeth for wée receiue that promise by faith and not by workes Tindale Shall reward thée openly ¶ We ought not to thinke because that Christ maketh héere mention of a reward that we do merit or deserue any thing but rather we ought to acknowledge that God of his méere mercie rewardeth in vs his owne giftes for what hath he that giueth almes that he hath not receiued He then that giueth any manner thing to a poore man giueth not of his owne but of those goods that he hath receiued of God Sir I. Cheek Or els ye shall haue no reward of your father which is in Heauen ¶ This word Reward is alwaies taken in the Scriptures for a frée recompence and therefore the schoolemen doe fondly set it to be aunswerable to a deseruing which they call merite Concerning this word Merces Reward there hath bene much strife The occasion of the Contention hath bene this Forasmuch as that thing which euery man shal receiue of God according to the measure of his good workes and godlinesse of this lyfe Christ doth call it Merces multa copiosa Therefore some haue gone about to proue that we by our good works otherwise called merites doe deserue Heauen and then if that be true as Saint Paule saith Christ died but in vaine For and if the benefite of iustification come by workes then no gramercie for the grace of God for the merites of Christ. To solute therefore this cauillation learned men doe grâ—unt that the quyethesse of conscience good name and good fame in this lyfe and lyfe euerlasting after this lyfe is called Merces not for because that our merites or good déeds in this life be able to deserue the ioyes of heauen For as Paule saith Non sunt condigne passionis c. Nor againe it is not called Merces because that the merits and good workes that we doe are but Gods giftes Qui operatur in nobis velle perficere but our receipt is called Merces reward albeit most meruailously surmouÌ„teth all our deseruings be they neuer so great To this ende and purpose to prouoke vs
how God worketh in the outward visible sacrament but his meruailous worke is in the worthy receiuers of the sacraments The wonderful worke of God is not in the water which onely washeth the body but God by his omnipotent power worketh wonderfully in the receiuers therof scouring washing and making them cleane inwardly as it were new men and celestiall creatures This haue all olde Authors wondred at this wonder passeth the capacitie of all mens wits how damnation is turned into saluation and of the sonne of the Diuell condemned into hell is made the sonne of God an inheritour of heauen This wonderfull worke of God all men may meruaile and wonder at but no creature is able sufficiently to comprehend it And as this is wondred at in the sacrament of Baptime how he that was subiect to death receiueth lyfe by Christ and his holy spirite so is this wondred at in the sacrament of Christs holy Table how the same lyfe is continued and endured for euer by continual feeding of Christs flesh and his bloud And these wonderfull workes of God toward vs we be taught by Gods hoâ—y word and his sacraments of bread wine water and yet be not these wonderfull workes of God in the Sacraments but in vs. Cranmer fol. 74. How the sacrament may be poysoned Pope Victor the third was poysoned in the Sacrament The Emperour Henry the seuenth was poysoned by a Dominike Frier named Barnardmus de monte policiano in receiuing the sacrament and yet may it be none other substance but the body and bloud of our Sauiour Christ God and man where if he had bene man they had poysoned him first but if he hadde bene God he would first haue espyed their poyson because hée cannot be deceiued And because he cannot deceiue he would not haue poysoned the Emperour who mistrusted nothing A. G. How the Sacrament was cast into the fire and burnt This wicked Pope Heldibrand sought by all meanes how he might destroy Henry the Emperour and on a time demaunded of the Sacrament of Christs body as the Heathen vse to doe of their Idolls what successe he should haue against him And because the sacrament spake not gaue him no aunswere he threw it into the fire maugrie all the Eardinalls that were about him said to the sacrament most blasphemously Could the Idoll gods of yâ— Heathen giue theÌ„ answere of their successe and canst not thou tell me How there is but two sacraments ¶ Looke Two When the sacrament was forbidden to be ministred in both kinds The sacrament was forbidden to be giuen in both yâ— formes vnto lay men in the generall Councell at Constaunce which was in the yere of our Lord. 1415. The words of the Councell Although Christ after supper ordeined this worshipfull Sacrament and gaue it vnder both the formes of bread and wine to his Disciples yet that notwithstanding the authoritie of the holy Canous and the laudable and approued custome of the Church hath ordâ—ined that the lay men should not receiue it Sacraments of the Elders compared to ours Chrisostome bringeth a very apt similitude in his Homely which he made vpon these words of Paule Our Fathers were baptised into Moses And in his vii Homely vpon the Epistle to the Hebrues Paintâ—rs saith he when they intend to 〈…〉 a King first draw out the proportion vpon a table with shadows and darke colours but yet in such sort that a man may by that deliniation although it be some what obscure easely perceiue that the Image of a King is there painted and harsemen Chariots such other like things which things are not yet straight way known of all men But afterward when the Painter hath layed on fresh colours and hath finished the worke those things which before by those first lines appered scarce begon and rude are now manifestly and opresly perceiued Such saith he were the sacraments of the Elders if they be compared with ours By these words it is manifest that Chrisostome was of yâ— opâ—nion that one and the selfe same thing is represented in our sacraments and in the sacraments of Elders although in theirs more obscurely and in ours more manifestly Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 82. SACRIFICE What a Sacrifice is A Sacrifice is a voluntary action wherein we worship God and offer vnto him somewhat wherby we testifie his chiefe dignitie and dominion and our seruitude and submission towardes him Pet. Mart. vpon the Romanâ—s fol. 411. Againe A sacrifice saith he is a voluntary and a religious action instituted of God to offer vnto him our things vnto his glory and that thereby we may with a straighter â—and be coupled vnto him in holy societie To this definition of sacrifices must be added a perticipation Certaine sacrifices are propiciatorie and other of thankes giuing By the first kinde God is made mercifull vnto vs by the power and iust merite thereof but of this sort we haue but onely one forasmuch as onely by the death of Christ the eternall Father is neconciled vnto vs and by the merites of this one onely Oblation the sinnes of the elect are forgiuen but in the other kinde of sacrifice wée giue thankes vnto God we celebrate his name to our power wée obey his will Pet Mar. vpon Iudic. fol 63. Of two manner of sacrifices The sacrifice of reconciliation or redemption is to delyuer sinners from the wrath of God which doeth onely pertaine to our Sauiour Iesus Christ whereof all the Leuiticall sacrifices were but shadowes signes The Sacrifice of praise or thanks giuing is all the workes of the faithful wherewith they praise and laud God and labour to be ioined with him c. S. Austen himselfe doth expound it August lib. 10. de ciuita Dei cap. 6. I. Veron One kinde of sacrifice there is which is called a propiciatory or mercifull sacrifice that is to say such a sacrifice as pacifieth Gods wrath and indignation and obtaineth mercie and forgiuenesse for all our sinnes and is the raunsome of our redemption from euerlasting damnation And although in yâ— olde Testament there were certaine sacrifices called by that name yet in very deede there is but one such sacrifice whereby our sinnes be pardoned and Gods mercie and fauour obtained which is the death of the Sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christ nor neuer was any other sacrifice propiciatory at anye time nor neuer shall be This is the honour glory of this our high Priest wherein he admitteth neither partner nor successour For by his one obsation he satisfied his father for all mens sinnes and reconâ—iled mankinde vnto his grace and fauour And whosoeuer depriue him of this honour and goe about to take it to themselues they be very Antichrists and most arrogant 〈…〉 phemers against God and against his Sonne Iesus Christ whome hee hath sent Another sacrifice there is which doeth not reconcile vâ— vnto God but is made of them
fol. 102. 103. Who brought singing first into the West Church Saint Austen in his booke of Confessions testifieth that singing in the west Church happened in the time of Ambrose For when that holy man together with the people watched euen in the Church least he should haue béene betraied vnto the Aâ—ans he brought in singing to auoide tediousnesse and to driue away the time The iudgement of diuerse learned men concerning singing Franciscus Petrarcha in his booke De remedijs vtriusque fortunae declareth that S. Athanasius did vtterly forbid singing to be vsed in the Church at seruice time because saith hee he would put away all lightnesse and vanitie which by the reason of singing doth oftentimes arise in the mindes both of the singers and of the hearers We ought saith S. Hierome to sing to make melodye and to praise the Lord rather in minde then in voice And this it is that is sayd Singing and making melodie to the Lord in your hearts Let young men sayth he heare these things yea let theÌ„ heare whose office it is to sing in the Church that they must sing to God not in the voice but in the hart neither must their throate be annointed after the manner of game plaiers with swéete ointments that in the church singing more sit for game-players should be heard but in feare in worke in knowledge of the Scriptures ought they to sing in the Lord. Let the voice of the singer so sing that not the voice of him yâ— singeth but the wordes that are read may delight It is without doubt sayth Saint Ambrose a great incrudelitie and vnfaithfulnesse to thinke thus of the power of God that thou canst not be heard except thou criest out Let thy worke cry let thy faith cry let thy minde cry let thy passions sufferings cry let thy bloud as the bloud of holy Abel cry wherof God said to Cain the voice of thy brothers bloud crieth vnto me For he heareth in secret which maketh cleane in secret We cannot heare man except he speaketh vnto vs but vnto God not words but thoughts doe speake Guilhelmus Durandus saith that the vse of singing was ordeined for carnall and fleshly men and not for spirituall godly minded men Rat. Di. Off. Saint Gregory did greatly disalow certeine deacons of Rome in his time which when they ought by their office to haue giueÌ„ their mindes to the preaching of the Gospell and the prouision for the poore set all their pleasure on pleasaunt singing not caring how they liued afore God so that with their voices they might please the world He was therefore compelled to make a decrée that all such as be in the holy ministrie should from thence forth vnder the paine of excommunication giue their mindes no more to singing but applye themselues to the studies of the holy Scriptures and the reading of the Gospell S. Iohn Chrisostome saith on this manner It is the dutie of a deuout minde to pray to God not with the voice or with the sound of the voice but with the deuotion of the minde and with the faith of the heart Againe he sayth the crieng of the voice is not the worke in praier vnto God whome we knowe that he beholdeth the secrets of the heart but the crieng of faith the deuotion of a godly pure minde Therfore the best way to pray is to pray with hart minde spirit soule inward maÌ„ Erasmus Roterodamus expresseth his minde concerning the curious manner of singing vsed in Churches on this wise and â—aith Why doth the Church doubt to follow so worthy an authour Paule Yea how dare it be bolde to descent from him What other thing is heard in Monestaries in Colledges in Temples almost generally then a confused noise of voices but in the time of Paule there was no singing but saieng onely Singing was with great difficultie receiued of them of the latter time and yet such singing as was none other thing then a distinct and plaine pronunciation euen such as wée haue yet among vs when we sound the Lords praier in the holy Canon And the tongue wherin these things were sung the common people did then vnderstand and aunswered Amen Now what other thing doth the common people heare then voyces signifieng nothing And such for the most parte is the pronunciation that not so much as the wordes or voices are heard onely the sound beateth the eares When plaine song prick-song and descant were brought into the Church Pope Gelasius Pope Gregory the first S. Ambrose with other brought in first of all the plaine song into the Churches Antonius Guil. Durand Pope Vitalian being a lustie singer and a fresh couragious Musition himselfe brought into the Church pricke song Descant and all kinde of swéete and pleasaunt melodie and because nothing should want to delight the vaine foolish and idle eares of fond and fantasticall men he ioyned the Organs to the curious musikell Thus was Paules preaching and Peters praieng turned into vaine singing and childish plaieng vnto the great losse of time and to the vtter vndoing of christen mens soules which liue not by singing and piping but by euery word that commeth out of the mouth of God In the yeare c. 653. Theo. Basil in his b. of Reliques ¶ Looke Musicke SINGLE LIFE What the fruites of single lyfe among the Priests are NOt onely they doe not that they teach but also cruelly without mercy they lay their iniuÌ„ctions vpon others not coÌ„sidering each mans abilitie Such be they that forbidde men to marry And from that thing that is lawfully to be done driue force men to an vnreasonable purity They binde lay on heauie burdens and cause men to fall vnder them And often time we sée them that teach such things to doe contrary to their owne saiengs They teach chastitie and yet kéepe no chastitie They doe all things for the commendation of men and vaineglory that they may be séene and noted of the people And commonly they be such as loue the highest places at feasts and bankets and to be saluted and honoured in the market places of the people to be called Rabby that will be called Bishops Priests and Deacons Origen in Mat. tract 24. They refuse marriage but not lust or pleasure For they estéeme not chastitie but hypocrisie and yet the same hypocrisie they will haue called chastitie Epiphan contra Origen heraef 42. Chrisostome writeth of the vowed and chast women in his time saieng we may say saith he that marriage is a great deale better then such virginitie héereafter it were better ther were no virgins at all The name of virginitie continueth still but virginitie it selfe in their bodies is quite gone They liue more in pleasure then harlots in the stewes Ther is often and dayly running for midwiues to virgins houses This manner of virginitie of women amongest men is more
righteousnesse trusting in God haue not presumed to ascribe vnto themselues any societie or righteousnes of their owne No man can be without sinne so long as he is laden with the garment of the flesh the weaknesse whereof is thrée manner of waies brought in thraldome and subiection of sin to wit by déeds thoughts by words Lact. in his 6. b. de ver cul ca. 13. We may so long as we dwell in the tabernacle of this body are compassed about with fraile flesh measurably rule our affections and passions but cut them off quite we cannot by any meanes Hierom. in his Epist. ad Algasis It is to be demaunded if the nature of man be good which none dare be so bold to deny but Manicheus Marcion How then is it good if it be not possible for it to be without euil For that all sinne is euill who doubteth we answere both that the nature of man is good c. Sée the place August de per. iust li. Wherevpon S. Gregory saith he that gathereth vertue together without humility is as one that heareth dust into the wind For like as dust with a mightie blast of winde is scattered abroade so euery good thing without humilitie is with the winde of vaineglorie dispearsed asâ—nder And also it is much better to be an humble sinner theÌ„ to be a righteous man arrogant Which thing is plainly set forth by the Lord as the Publican and Pharesie are brought in for example as a certeine wise man saith Better is in wicked déedes an humble confession then in good déedes a proud boasting Gregory de donis spiri sanct cap. 2. How God ordeined sinne and yet is not the Authour of sinne To ordeine a thing to be the proper cause authour worker of a thing is not all one as by these examples following He that setteth his wine abroad in the Sunne to make vineger ordeined it to be made vineger and yet he is not the proper cause of vineger but the nature of the wine and the hotte Sunne beames He that in Spaine cutteth downe grapes in the Summer layeth them in a Sunny place ordeineth them to be made raisons and yet he is not the proper cause of raisons but the nature of the grapes and the heate of the Sunne Finally to bring a plaine rusticall example he yâ— hangeth vp Swines flesh in a chimney ordeineth it to be made Bacon and yet he is not the proper cause of Ba 〈…〉 but the nature of the flesh and smoake Wherefore sith it is euident yâ— it is not euer all one to ordeine a thing to be the proper cause authour of a thing we may boldly say the scripture bearing plaine record and S. Austen and sundry other most excellent writers holdeth vp their hands to the same that God ordeineth sinne yet is not the authour of sinne Traheroâ— The cause of sinne is not to be layed vnto God God compelleth no man to doe euil but euery man willingly sinneth wherfore the cause of sinne is not to be laied on him For séeing he procreateth not in vs wicked desires he ought not to beare the blame if wicked actions doe spring out of a corrupt 〈…〉 of wicked affections yea the goodnesse of God is rather to be acknowledged which is present and so gouerneth the wicked affections that they cannot burst forth nor bee hurtfull nor troublesome to any but when he hath appointed to chastin some and to call them backe to repentaunce or to punish them Pet. Mart. vpon Iudic. fol. 167. How all sinne is both deadly and veniall We say that all sinne in that it is sinne is deadly And yet we say againe that there is not any one sin but that the same is both deadly and veniall Deadly if the offender repent not veniall if the same be vnfeinedly repented and by mercie craued at the hands of God in the bloud of Christ. For the same God that sayd in Ezechiel Anima c. The soule that sinneth shall dye sayth also in the same Chapter And when the wicked man turneth away from his wickednesse that he hath done doth the thing which is equall and right he shall saue his soule aliue Héere you sée like as all sin in that it is sinne is deadly So againe all sinne in that it is vnfeinedly repented is also veniall I. Gough How sinne is not of Gods creation in man Whereas sinne is in mans nature it is not of Gods putting in by creation but by reason that Satan did spread his naughtinesse farther abroad at such time as man was beguiled by his wilinesse to disapoint the benefit of God c. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 16. How sinne entered into the world As by one man sinne entered into the world and death by the meanes of sinne c. ¶ Sinne is heere taken for the naturall inclination or readinesse to sinne which some doe call right-well the originall coruption of man which though it bee â—id in mans heart and declarâ— not it selfe vnto the manifest works of wickednesse yet it is able to condemne all men onely they being excepted whom faith in Iesus Christ doth saue This originall corruption doth manifest it selfe first by wicked and vncleane thoughts Second by consenting vnto the concupisence or thoughts Thirdly by committing the déede or fact Sir I. Cheeke But sin is not imputed so long as ther is no law ¶ Though man imputeth not sinne where there is no lawe yet it followeth not that God which from the beginning hath written in mens hearts the lawe of nature doth impute no sinne Foâ— sith that death which is the punishment of sinne did reigne ouer all men euen from Adam it is euident that sinne was impâ—ted Sir I. Cheeke How Christ is called sinne Whereas Christ is called sinne it might be vnderstood sayth Saint Augustin that he was the sacrifice for sinne For Christ was without sinne as S. Paule saith He hath made him sinne for vs which knew no sinne And againe God sent his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and not in sinfull flesh How no man can pardon sinnes but Christ. Sonne be of good chéere thy sinnes be forgiuen thée ¶ The same moued the Scribes that sinne should be pardoned by a man for they regarded and beheld nothing in Iesus Christ but manhood and that the lawe could not release that which was pardoned of him for onely faith iustifieth and afterwarde the Lord behelde inwardly their murmuring and said that it was easie for the Sonne of man to pardon sinnes in earth but neuertheles none can pardon sinnes but God only wherfore he that doth pardon them is God for none can pardon but God Hil. vpon S. Mathew in the 9. Canon To sinne against the Holy ghost what it is But whosoeuer shall speak against the Holy ghost c. ¶ To perseuer and continue in sinne of infidelitie to
kicke against the manifest and knowen truth and so to dye without repentaunce with a dispaire of the mercie of God in Iesus Christ is to sinne against the Holy ghost Sir I. Cheeke But whosoeuer c. ¶ That is he that striueth against the truth which he knoweth and against his owne conscience cannot retourne to repentaunce for he sinneth against the Holye ghost Geneua He resisteth the Holy ghost which openly repugneth against the veritie of God and by despite enforceth himselfe as much as he can to ouerthrow it Now a man may sinne willyngly yet be not in wil to warre against God or to blaspheme his holy word Caluine It is named the sinne of the Holy ghost not against the godhead of the Holy ghost for the same God is also father sonne nor against the person of the Holy ghost for it is no greater then the person of the Father and of the Sonne but it is to sinne against the graces of the spirite within vs and so to sinne against them that we contemne and despise them treade them vnder féete accompt them prophaneâ— and maliciously cary them away to all wantonnesse This then is sinne against the Holy ghost In a continuall Apostacie and general falling from God to sinne against thine owne conscience so that thou despise the graces of God which he had giuen thée to the setting foorth of his praise and turne them to the contempt of his maiestie and glorie By the example of Satan and the Angels that fell from heauen by Caâ— that flew his brother by the Scribes Pharesies against Christ and Iulianus the Emperour and that is written before it appeareth that the sinne of the Holy ghost is a generall Apostacie from God with wilfull malitious vnrepentaunt heart to persecute the truth vnto the ende As manie as doe feare at the remembrance of this sinne they are as farre from it as the East is from the West for this sinne is a mocking and scoffing of the Sonne of God it is not a wéeping and mourning Deering When couetousnesse findeth aduauntage in seruing falshood it riseth vp in an obstinate mallice against the truth and séekeâ—h all meanes to resist it this is sinne against the Holy ghost As by example Balaam the false prophet though he wi 〈…〉 that God loued Israel and had blessed them promised them great things and that he would fulfill his promise yet for couetousnesse and desire of honour fell into such mallice against the truth of God that he sought how to resist and to cursse the people Christ saith It shall neuer be forgiuen héere nor in yâ— world to come that is that as the sinne shall be punished with euerlasting damnation in the life to come euen so shal it not escape vengeaunce heere as thou séest in Iudas Pharao and in Balaam and in all other Tyrants which against their consciences resisted the open truth of God The cause why it shall not be forgiuen is for that the offender cannot repent but is vtterly shut out from repentaunce hath his heart hardened for if he were able to repent he shuld be pardoned because that by repentaunce and faith all things are washed away Wherefore the Holy ghost will rebuke the world of sinne Of sinne because they beléeue not in me ¶ Unbeléefe is that sinne that condemneth the world by the world vnderstand the wicked reproued and vnfaithfull and not all the creatures that be in the world and faith is the righteousnes of beléeuers This thing because the world and naturall reson will not know but will be iustified saued by their owne works is euen it wherof the Holy ghost shall rebuke the world and shew that it shall be iustly condemned Tindale Of sinne c. His enimies which contemned him and put him to death shall be conuict by their owne conscience for that they did not beleeue in him Act. 2. 27. And shall knowe that without Iesus Christ there is nothing but sinne Geneua How sinne is taken in this place following And by sinne condemned sinne in the flesh ¶ Sinne is héere taken for a sinne offering after the vse of the Hebrue tongue Tindale God through the sacrifice of sin which Christ his onely sonne offered vpon the Crosse in his flesh and abolished sinne which raigned in our mortal bodies The Bible note Of sinne vnto death how it is declared There is a sinne vnto death and for it I say not that thou shouldest pray ¶ Whatsoeuer sinne we sée in the world let vs pray and not dispaire for God is the God of mercie But for the sinne to death which is resisting grace fighting against mercie open blaspheming of the Holy ghost affirming yâ— Christs miracleâ— are done in Belzabub and his doctrine to be of the diuell I thinke no Christen man if he perceiue it can otherwise pray then as Paule prayed for Alexander the Coppersmith the 2. to Timothy the last that God would rewarde him according to his workes They that goe backe againe after they knowe the truth and giue themselues willingly to sinne for to follow it and persecute the doctrine of truth by profession to maintain falshood for their glory and vauntage are remediles as ye may sée Heb. 6. and 10. Balaam so sinned the false Prophets in the olde Testament so sinned the Pharesies so sinned Alexander so sinned and now many so sinne following their pride couetousnesse Tindale ¶ What this sinne vnto death is our Sauiour Christ doeth sufficiently declare saieng If ye will not beléeue ye shall dye in your owne sinnes So that this sinne vnto death is nothing els but a wilfull obstinate infidelitie this sinne no man that is borne of God doth commit though of frailenesse we be subiect to sinne as long as we liue Sir I. Cheeke If we sinne willingly after we haue receiued yâ— knowledge of the truth ¶ This is the sinne whereof is spoken Mat. 12. 31. that is the sinne of blasphemie against the Holy ghost which sinne Iohn calleth the sinne vnto death 1. Iohn 5. 16. ¶ They sinne willingly which of set purpose and mallice doth withhold the truth in vnrighteousnesse and lying which know that in all the world ther is no other Sacrifice for sinne but that onely Omnisufficient sacrifice of Christs death and yet they will not commit themselues vnto it but rather despise it and abide still obstinately in their wickednesse and sinnes vnto such remaineth a most horrible and dreadfull iudgement Sir I. Cheeke For it is not possible that they which were once lightened haue tasted ¶ This text denieth not impossibilitie of mercie in God but the impossibilitie of repentaunce in such men as malâ—tiously forsake the truth blaspheme Christ take part against the Holy ghost For the truth is that with the Lord ther is mercie plenteous redemption Psa. 130. 7. So that whosoeuer calleth vpon his name shal be saued Ioel.
of them which beléeue in the name of Christ and doe receiue the right of the adoption of the sonnes of God they which are such are not borne of flesh bloud but of God flesh bloud begetteth not the children of God That which is of the flesh is flesh that which is of the spirit is spirit By these words the Euangelist meaneth nothing els but the carnall birth For he maketh a comparison of the generation of the flesh and the spirit reiecting the one and allowing the other c. They which beléeue in Christ being before vncleane Gentiles are not borne the sonnes of God out of the wombe or by flesh and bloud but are brought therevnto by the workmanship of the holy Ghost And although properly he hath respect vnto the Iewes which were proud in the flesh yet notwithstanding of this place a generall doctrine maye be gathered namely that whereas we are counted the sonnes of God it commeth not by the propertie of our nature neither of our selues but because the Lord hath begotten vs of his owne frée will singular loue Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 19. That we should be called the sonnes of God ¶ Being made the sons of God in Christ he sheweth what qualities we must haue to be discerned from bastards Geneua SOPHIST What a Sophist was at the beginning and what it is now SOphists at the first beginning were men that professed to be teachers of wisdome and eloquence And the name of Sophists was had in honour and price and they were of the same estimation and of the verie same facultie science that afterward wer called Rhetores that is Rethoritians yea also Logitians For when the Sophists fell to cauilling brawling and triâ—ling by little and little the estimation decayed So that or the time that Socrates liued in a Sophist was a name of contempt and hatred and so it is yet still at this day Vdal SORROVV Of godly sorrow and worldly sorrow FOR godly sorrow causeth repentaunce vnto saluation Godly sorrow is when we are not terrified with the feare of punishment but because we féele we haue offended God our most mercifull Father Contrarye to this there is an other sorrow that onely feareth punishment or when a men is vexed for the losse of some worldly goods the fruite of the first is repentaunce the fruite of the second is desperation vnlesse the Lord helpe spéedely Beza ¶ Ther be two manner of sorrowes The one commeth of God and engendereth repentaunce vnto life The other commeth of the flesh and bréedeth desperation vnto death We haue examples of both in Cain and Dauid in Iudas and Peter for they all sorrowed but the sorrow of Cain and Iudas was fleshly carnall and therfore being without godly comfort it did driue them to desperation Whereas Dauid and Peter in their godly sorrow did flye vnto the father of mercie with a true repentaunt heart and were receiued againe into the fauour of God Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Whose heart Gods spirit doth teach he is sorrie for his sinnes committed against so mercifull a God these are the fruites of his repentaunce as witnesse Dauids and Peters teares Other which are sorrie for their sinnes onely for feare of punishment and Gods vengeance fall into desperation As Cain Saule Iudas Achitophel c. Geneua How Christ ouercame the sorrowes of death And loosed the sorrowes of death ¶ The death that was full of sorrowe both of body and minde Therfore when death appeared conquerour and victour ouer those sorrows Christ is rightly sayd to haue ouercome those sorrowes of death when as being dead he ouercame death to liue for euer with his father Beza ¶ Both as touching the paine and also the horrour of Gods wrath and curse Geneua SOVLDIER What the profession of a souldier is TO professe a souldier is of it selfe saith Erasmus to confesse the puddle and sinke of all mischiefe The meaning of this place following Thou therfore suffer afflictioÌ„ as a good soldier of Iesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this lyfe because he woulde please him that hath chosen him to be a souldier ¶ The latter sentence is generall and perteyneth to all men The meaning is this Whosoeuer would be a souldier vnto Christ must leaue all worldly things and follow him And what Saint Paule meaneth by the affaires of this lyfe Heare Maister Caluines iudgement by the affaires of this life the Apostles vnderstandeth the care of gouerning his family and other ordinary businesse He also applieth the place on this wise Now this comparison saith he is to be applied to the present purpose that whosoeuer will playe tho warrier vnder Christ leauing all worldly matters and impediments must giue himselfe wholy vnto him SOVLE The diuerse taking of this word Soule THe soules of them that were put to death c. ¶ The worde soule is put somtime for the life because the soule is yâ— cause of lyfe and because the life consisteth in the soule as in yâ— Psal. 119. 109. and in Iob. 16. 4. Also it is taken for will minde or desire because it is the seate of the will and desire In which sense the soule of Ionathas is sayd to be linked to the soule of Dauid 1. Re. 18. 1. And the soule of Sichem is saide to haue cleued to Dina the daughter of Iacob Ge. 24. 8. And Luke saith that the multitude that beléeued were of one heart and of one soule Act. 4. 32. Many times it is taken for the whole liuing man as when it is saide that thréescore sixtéene soules went with Iacob into Aegypt Ge. 46. 27. Also the soule that sinneth the same shall dye Eze. 18. 20. And the soule that steppeth aside to witches and southsayers shall dye the death c. Leuit. 20. 6. And again eight soules wer saued by water â— Pet. 3. 20. Somtime it is taken for the breath which men doe breath in out wherein consisteth the liuely mouing of the body like as when it is said perplexity hath caught hold of me although my whole soule be still within mâ—â— 2. Reg. 1. 9. And his soule is in him Act. 20. 10. Also let the soule of the child returne into his bowels 3. Reg. 17. 21. And like as in the Latin phrase of speach they be commonly wont to say that the soule is puffed or breathed out so also doth the scripture say that the soule passeth or goeth out as it is said in Rachel And as her soule was passing or going out for she was then vieng she called the child Benony Gen. 35. 18. But most often the soule is taken for the immortall spirit of man lyke as it is sayd feare not them that kill the bodye but cannot kill the soule Math. 10. 28. In this sense doth Iohn say héere that he sawe the soules of them that were put to death c. Marl. vpon the Apoc.
giuen to finde souldiers as Augustine doth often say Now reasons why ther shuld be wepons ther be many But this is yâ— speciall reson which the Cantons wher euery man wereth a weapon alledge for their so doing that the magistrate country may be assisted and defended And euery man do weare wepon ought to weare wepon for the magistrate ought not only to weare it but also to drawe it at the Magistrates voice to do as it is said in the. 3. booke fourth Chapter of Esdras If the king alone saie Doe kill they do kill If he say do forgiue they forgiue If he say smite they do smite If he say banish they do banish If he saye cut off they cut off I say if the people ought thus to do for the Prince magistrate to draw their weapons in his cause to lay downe their life at their foote how much more ought the magistrate for his owne cause and for all their causes to beare weapon and not to beare it in vaine but to purpose c. T. Draut Warres sent of God And sent forth his warriours to destroye those murtherers ¶ This was done by the Emperours of Rome Vespatianus Titus which destroied HierusaleÌ„ slew aboue eleuen hundred thousand men Note that the Romanes are héere called the armies of the Lord euen as they of the Assirians is in the Prophet called the seruants of God because that by him God did punish his people Sir I. Cheeke Of him that warreth vnder Christ. ¶ Looke Souldier VVASHING Wherevnto the washing of feet had relation IN those places that are extreame hotte when men haue done their iourney they vse to wash their béete and to wipe away the dust which office was somtime shewed vnto Christ our sauiour And he againe executed the same vnto his Apopostles Paule also required this of good widowes namelye to wash the féete of thâ— Saintes c. Pet. Mart. vppon Iudic. fol. 252. How this word wash is taken If I wash thée not ¶ There are some which refer this word Wash vnto the free remissâ—on of sinnes And there are other fome also which referre the same to newnesse of life And a third forte vppon a good consideration referre it to both For Christ washeth vs when he wipeth awaye our sinnes by the offering vp himselfe least they should come into iudgement Moreouer he washeth vs wheÌ„ by his holy spirit he abolisheth the wicked and sinfull desires of the flesh Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 461. Ye also ought to wash one anothers feete ¶ The Bishop of Rome too apishly foolloweth Christ in many thinges And in this he would seeme to follow Christ washing once in a yeare the feete of certeine poore folkes which haue bene washed before and not onely washed but also perfumed with swéete odours and waters And thus by a bare and naked ceremony they thinke that they haue done very well And when they haue done it they can be conâ—eÌ„ted to contemne their brethren and cruelly to teare the members of Christ and to spit in his face Wherfore that comminical pompe is nothing else but a filthy scorning of Christ. And verely Christ doth not héere commend vnto vs a yearely ceremonie but commaundeth vs all our lyfe time to be ready to wash our bretherens féete When Abigal sayd to the messengers of Dauid Beholde let thine handmaide be a seruaunt to wash the féete of the seruants of my Lord shée meant not such a counterfeit seruice as the imitating enimies of Christ doe vse but she meant that she would be so obedient loyall and seruable to Dauid that she would not refuse to wash euen the feet of his seruants So Saint Paule vnderstoode washing of the féete when hée required the good and vertuous widow to be a washer of the Saints féete that is to saye to be serueable to them in each point Christ sayth not ye ought to wash my féete but to wash one an others féete Marl. vppon Iohn fol. 463. Saint Augustine ad Iannar saith thus If thou demaunde vpon what consideration this ceremony of washing féete first began notwithstanding I haue well thought of it yet canne I finde nothing that séemeth more likely then this For that the bodyes of them that hadde appointed to be baptised at Easter being ill cherished by reason of the lenten fast wold haue had some loathsomnesse in the touching vnlesse they â—ad bene washed at sometime before And that therefore they chose this day chiefly to that purpose vppon which daye the Lordes supper is yearely celebrated Héere Saint Austen sayth it was the fulsomnesse of the bodyes loathsomenesse of the senses that first began this ceremonye and not the institution or commaundement of Christ. What is signified by washing of Christs Disciples feet And beganne to was his Disciples féete ¶ Hée washed their féete to declare that hée came to minister vnto other and not be ministred vnto And further to teach by this washing that his ministration was to purge and wash away the â—ilth of sinne which is done by the shedding of his bloud for the bloud of Christ sprinkled into our hearts by the worde of his Gospel and receiued by sayth cleanseth vs from all sinne Tindale ¶ He that is washed néedeth not saue to wash his feete ¶ Whosoeuer is washed that is to saye whosoeuer beleeueth in the bloud of Christ which doth wash away all our sinnes hée is cleane but yet he hath néede to wash his féet that is to say hée hath néed with continuall watch to came his carnal affections and fleshly concupiscenses dayly with a true repentant heart flieng vnto the Lord for mercye and pardon of his sinnes Héere they be confounded that affirme vs to be without sinne after we be regenerate Sir I. Cheeke Saue to wash his feete ¶ That is to be continually purged of his corrupt affections worldly cares which remain dayly in vs. Geneua VVAST SEA How Babylon is compared to the wast sea ¶ Looke Babylon VVATCH What it is to watch WAtch is not onely to absteine from sleepe but also to be circumspect and to cast all perills as a man should watch a Towre or Castle we must remember that the snares of the diuell are infinite and innumerable and that euerye moment arise new temptations and that in all places méete vs fresh occasions against which we must prepare our selues and turne to God and complaine to him and make our moue desireâ— him of his mercy to be our shield our towre our castle defence from all euill to put his strength in vs for with out him we can do nothing and aboue all thing we must call to minde what promises God hath made and what he hath sworne that he will doe to vs for Christs sake and with strong faith cleaue vnto them and desire him of his mercie and for the loue hée hath to Christ and for his truths sake to fulfill his promises If
we thus cleaue to God with strong faith beléeue his words Then as sayth Paule God is faithfull that he will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able or aboue our strength that is to sayâ— if we cleaue to his promises and not to our owne fantasies and imaginations he wil put might and power into vs that shall be stronger then all temptations which he shall suffer to be against vs. Tindale fo 81. What is vnderstood by watchmen For his watchmen are all blinde c. ¶ By those blinde watchmen vnderstand the chiefe Priests yâ— Scribes Pharesies c. which were the peruerters and deprauers of the law of God These for filthy lucre sake abolished the true seruice of God and were the chiefe causers of the forsaking of Israel They were sluggish and sought not that which was for the edification of the people and for the glory of God but that which was for their owne priuate profit and pleasure They were slothfull to roote out vice and to plant vertue and driuen into the profound déepe sléepe of ignorance of idlenesse of lecherousnesse of pride As oft as the Prelates of the people Bishops Abbots and they that auaunt themselues for religious be such there hangeth a great scourge ouer the whole flocke of Christ. T. M. ¶ He sheweth that the affliction shal come through the fault of the gouernours Prophets and pastours whose ignorance negligence auarice obstinacy prouoketh Gods wrath against them Geneua I haue made thée a watchman to the house of Israel ¶ By this watchman are figured Bishops Priests aâ—d Preachers which must take the occasion of their speaking and exhorting at the mouth of God and speake not in their owne but in his name T. M. He sheweth that the people ought to haue continually gouernours teachâ—rs which may haue a care oner them and â—o warne theÌ„ euer of the daungers which are at hand Eze. 33. 2. Ge. The meaning of this place following The voice of thy watchmen shall be heard ¶ The Prophets which are thy watchmen shall publish this thy deliueraunce This was begun vnder Zorobabel Ezra Nehemiah but was accomplished vnder Christ. Geneua Of the watchman that Daniel speaketh of And behold a watchman and an holy one came downe from heauen Meaning the Angell oâ— God which neither eateth nor sleepeth but is euer ready to doe Gods will and is not infect with mans corruption but is euer holy and in that that he commaundeth to cut downe this tree â—e knew that it shoulde not be cut downe by man but by God Geneua What the fourth watch meaneth And in the fourth watch of the night The Hebrewes diuided the night inâ—o â—oure parts which they called the foure watches wherefore the fourth watch was next to the morning and was called the morning watch As in the. 1. Reg. 11. 11. Tindale VVATER How it is not water that doth wash away our sinnes ARise and be baptised and wash away thy sinnes We ought not to thinke that water washeth away our sinnes but the mercy and grace of God which is signified and represented vnto vs by the water Ye shall note that by a figure named Allocosis the same is ascribed vnto the outward signe which doth onely perteine vnto the grace election of God Sir I. Cheeke He sheweth that sins cannot be washed away but by Christ who is the substance of Baptime in whom also is comprehended the father and the holy Gost. Geneua The meaning of this place following Whosoeâ—er drinketh of this water c. To drinke this water is to beléeue credit the word of God and to receiue the testimony of Christ which thing onely can quench the thirst of the soule Sir I. Cheeke What is signified by water and spirit Except a man be borne of water and spirit ¶ Héere by the water he vnderstandeth the worde and grace of God and also the illumination of the holy Ghost which is that heauenly water that Esay the Prophet doth speake of saieng All that be a thirst come vnto the waters Iohn 4. 14. and. 7. 38. Iere. 2. 13. By the spirit he vnderstandeth the inspiration of the holy Ghost and the heauenly working of the spirit of God So that this place helpeth them nothing that doe affirme that the children of the faithfull are damned and that they shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen if they dye before they canne be baptised Sir I. Cheeke ¶ This place of Iohn is not to be vnderstood of the outwarde signe of holy Baptime but simply of the inward and most spirituall regeneration of the holye spirit which when Nichodemus vnderstoode not perfectly the Lorde figured and made the same manifest by Parables of water and of the spirit that is to saye of the winde or the aire by Elements very base and familyar for by an by hée addeth That which is borne of flesh is flesh c. Againe The winde bloweth where it lysteth c. Which must néedes bée meant of the ayre For the other part of the comparison followeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirit Bullinger fol. 1048. ¶ By this is signified the Baptime which is the mortification of the flesh preached by Iohn Baptyst and the renuing of the spirit which is remission of sinnes obteined by Christ. Tindale What the water of Siloh doth signifie Forsomuch as the people refuse the still running water of Siloh c. ¶ Hee calleth the kingdome of Dauid which figureth the kingdome of Christ the still running water of Siloh which thing agréeth verie well vnto Christ that was meeke and lowlye of heart Math. 11. 29. Zach. 9. 9. Beholde thy king commeth vnto thée poore and lowly c. He raigneth in still and peaceable consciences Siloh was a spring at the foote of the hill of Syon which hath not continally water but springâ—th certeine houres and dayes and commeth with a great sound by the bottome of the ground and rifts and holes of an hard rocke The manner of speaking is borrowed of the despised littlenesse of the water which signifieth the small estimation and pouertie of the christen T. M. ¶ Looke Siloh What is meant by the water of the Sea The water of the sea shall bée drawne out Nilus shall sinke away and be dronke vp ¶ The water of the sea c. Aegipt as stories shew receiueth no raine forth of the aire but is ouerflowed with yâ— water Nilus at certein times 14. 15. or 16. cubits high froÌ„ the ground for if it increse to any lesse height the Countrey scapeth not a dearth sayth Plinie And therefore by the scarcenesse and want of water is the desolation of the land described Nilus is heere called by diuerse names Sometime the Sea sometime riuers sometime wells sometime pondes c. For that fludde runneth seuen sundry wayes and it is called the Sea not onelye because the Hebrewes call
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
is to heare the Gospell to beléeue it with heart to confesse God with mouth which worship Paul laieth it as the foundation of all righteousnes saluation saieng Nigh is the word vnto thée euen in thy mouth heart and this is the word of faith which we preach For faith in our hearts iustifieth and the confession with our mouth bringeth saluation c. Melancthon vpon Dan. How God onely is to be worshipped Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue saith our Sauiour Iesus Christ Whervpon it may be argued thus Whosoeuer is neither our Lord nor our God to him ought we in no wise to giue godly honor nor yet to worship him but neither the Angells nor the dead Saints are our Lords and Gods but are ministers of our Lord God vnder him our fellow seruaunts To them therefore ought we in no wise to giue godly honour nor yet to worship them neither do we honour and worship Christ because he is holy righteous or because that he is beloued of God but because he is true and naturall God of one substaunce with the Father and the Holy ghost Veron Of the worshipping of Saints ¶ Looke Saints VVRATH What wrath is in God BY wrath is vnderstood not a disturbaunce or perturbation of mind for these things can haue no place in God but as Augustine hath well interpreted in his Booke of the Trinitie Wrath in God signifieth a iust vengeaunce And God is saide to be angry when he sheweth forth the effects of an angry man which are to punish and auenge So he is said to repent himself that he had made man because lyke a man that repenteth himselfe he would ouerthrow his worke Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 107. ¶ Looke Anger VVRITTEN So much is written as is necessary for our saluation I Suppose the world could not containe the bookes yâ— should be written ¶ This is a figuratiue speach which doth signifie yâ— there was many things mo to write but there remaineth so much written as is necessary sufficieÌ„t for our saluatioÌ„ Ti. ¶ But God would not charge vs with so great an heape séeing therefore that we haue so much as is necessary we ought to content our selues and praise his mercie Geneua ¶ These things are written which being well weyed are plentifull inough to instruct vs in all godlinesse I wold to God they were so exactly discussed to imbrace godlinesse as they are narrowly sifted and stretched to maintaine contention and brawle Marl. vpon Ioh. fo 613. ¶ S. Austen plainly declareth and saith True it is that the Lord hath done many things the which be not all written but they haue written those things which ought to be written and which is sufficient for all beléeuers Aug. vpon the 11. of Iohn tract 49. I am not ignoraunt saith Bullinger but that I knowe that the Lord Iesus both did and spake many things which wer not written by the Apostles but it followeth not therefore that the doctrine of the word of God taught by the Apostles is not absolutely perfect For Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist doth fréely confesse that the Lord did many other things also which wer not written in his booke but immediately he addeth this saith But these are written that ye might beléeue the Iesus is Christ the sonne of God that in beléeuing ye might haue life through his name He affirmeth by this doctrine which he contained in writing that faith is fully taught and that through faith there is graunted by God euerlasting life Bullinger fo 17. What it is to be written in the earâ—h Domine omnes qui te derelinquunt confundentur recedentes a te in terra scribentur quoniam derelinquerunt venam aquarum viâ—entium Domini Lord all they that forsake thée shall come to shame all they that run from the trust in thy gouernaunce and diuine prouidence hoping and trusting in the pollicies of Princes and might of men they shall be written in the earth that is their name shall be spoken off héere in the earth amongst men they shall haue cappe and knée and manye gaye good morrowes in this lyfe In terra scribentur but in Heauen and in the booke of lyfe they shall not come Why so For they haue forsaken the vaine of liuing waters I meane the Lord and his word Ric. Turnar Whose names are written in the booke of life and whose in earth Whose names are not written in the Lambes booke of life ¶ The names of the Apostles and all beléeuers are written in heauen and the names of the wicked are written in the earth according to this saieng They that depart from thée shall bée written in the earth Iere. 17. 13. that is to say they shal be forgotten before God and before the Congregation of the righteous which thing is expressed vnder another borrowed speach The vngodly are not so but they be as chaffe which the winde tosseth about Psal. 1. 4. Marl. fol. 191. ¶ They onely shall possesse that which are written in the Lambes booke of life yâ— were predestinate therevnto in Christ before the worlds constitution to be holy and vnspotted in his sight These are they whom he hath in a perpetuall remembraunce whom he hath ordâ—ined of goodnesse chosen of mercie called by the Gospell iustified through faith and glorified in the perfourmaunce of his commaundements that they shoulde bée lyke fashioned to the shape of his sonne Though these of frailenesse offend many times as the flesh can doe none other yet denie they not the veritie they abhorre not the scriptures But after they haue fallen they repent from the heart they séeke yâ— remedies they hate their owne déedes they call vnto Christ they lament their chance they hunger and thirst continually for the righteousnesse of God and such other lyke Bale Yeare How the yeare is now as it was in the olde time THat which Macrobius doth only attribute vnto the Aegyptians shuld haue ben more better attributed to the Hebrues among whom there was alwaies a certaine course of yâ— yere which by the circuit of the Sunne was obserued The yeare was then of twelue months as it is now The month contained that time as it doth now the whole course of the Moone the day lyke of 24. houres Whereby worthely is refused the errour of them which would the yeares of that age to be ten times shorter then they be now which the holy scripture testifieth to be false The floud began in the 600. yeare of the life of Noe in the 17. daye of the second month ceased the 30. day of the same month in the yere following in which place the 11. months is read whereby it appeareth that there were no fewer months in a yere then there be now and as they lyned then much longer then we doe now so is it plain that they had farre greater bodies then we haue now Lanquet How the yeare was
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