that his body was slaine and his bloud shed for thy sins beléeuest it so art thou saued iustified therby if not so helpeth it thée not though thou herest a thousand Masses in a day or though thou dost nothing els al thy life long then eat his body drink his bloud no more then it shuld help thée in a dead thirst to behold a bush at a Tauerne dore if thou knewest not therby the ther wer wine wtin to be solde Tin This word sacrament did not signifie the same with the olde Writers as it doth now in the Church for they call a sacrament the oth or religious bond which was of the strength of an oth So they called yâ— souldiers oth wherby they sware when they shuld go a warfare for the Common wealth that they would serue faithfully The souldiers sacrament as we may perceiue by Seruius and Vigetius in their bookes of warre matters Augustine defineth a sacrament in this sort The visible sacrifice saith he is the sacrament of the inuisible sacrifice that is to say the holy signe And againe A sacrament saith he is a visible forme of an inuisible grace c. Musc. fol. 272. S. Austen describeth a sacrament thus The word of God comming to the Element maketh the sacrament And againe in another place he saith A sacrament is a thing wherin the power of God vnder the forme of visible things doth worke secret saluation And the Master of the sentences doeth describe a sacrament none otherwise A Sacrament saith he is an inuisible grace and hath a visible forme and by this inuisible grace saith he I meane remission of sinnes In the b. of Mar. fo 1352. What the Sacrament doth signifie The signification and substaunce of the Sacrament is to shewe how we are fed with the body of Christ that is that like as materiall bread feedeth the body so the body of Christ nailed vpon the Crosse embraced and eaten by faith féedeth the soule The like representation is also made in the Sacrament of Baptime that as our bodies is washed cleane with water so is our soules cleane with Christs bloud How the sacrament is called the body of Christ. It is called the body of Christ that is to say it signifieth the body of Christ. Glosa de consecra dist 2. Hoc est The right consecrating of the sacrament The same Christ that did adorne and beautifie the Table is now present and he doth consecrate the same also For it is not men that doth make these things that be set before vs of the consecration of yâ— Lords table to be yâ— body bloud of Christ but the same Christ which was crucified for vs. The words are pronounced by the mouth of the Priest but the things are consecrated by the power grace of God This is saith he my body by this word are the things yâ— are set before vs consecrated And euen as yâ— voice which saith grow be multiplied replenish yâ— earth was but once spoken but yet doth at all times by the work of nature féele effect to generation so that voice also was but once spoken yet it giueth sure staye to the sacrifice throughout al yâ— tables of the Church euen to this daye from henceforth til his comming ¶ Chrisostome doth héere compare yâ— words yâ— Christ spake at yâ— insitution of his supper to the words yâ— God spake when he appointed man to be multiplied by generation affirmeth yâ— the same power yâ— worketh stil in the one doth stil work in the other also Not to charm out the substance of breadâ— to charme in yâ— substance of Christ vnder the accideÌ„ts of bread as you do teach meaning Watson But yâ— as by naturall order yâ— generation of mankind is continued according to the first voice so the inuisible graces yâ— wer promised by the death bloudshedding of our Sauiour Christ are by yâ— sacramentall vse of these creatures according to his commaundement continually preached to our senses and by â—aith receiued into our soules Crowley How the sacrament is a memoriall or signe of Christs death If Iesus haue not dyed whose memoriall and signe is this Sacrifice Thou seest what diligence he gaue that we shuld continually keepe in memory that he dyed for vs c. ¶ Héere Chrisostome calleth the Sacrament a memoriall or signe of Christ and that it was instituted to kéepe his death in perpetuall remembraunce And where he calleth it a Sacrifice he meaneth it to be a remembraunce of that holy sacrifice that Christ made vpon the Câ—osse once for all for he can be sacrificed no more seeing he is immortall I. Frith How the sacrament is receiued with our mouth Rabanus Maurus saith The sacrament is receiued with the mouth of our body but the body of Christ is receiued into the inner man and that with the spirituall mouth of our soule How the sacrament is more then bare bread or wine Our Bread and Cup be not of the common sort as in stéede of Christ bound togethers in eares of corne and twigs as they that is the Maniches do foolishly imagine but by vndoubted consecration it is made vnto vs mystical or sacramental bread it doth not growe such wherefore that foode that is not so made although it be bread and wine it is a nourishment of refection but not a sacrament of religion otherwise then that we blesse and giue thankes to God in all his gifts not onely spirituall but corporall also How the sacrament is made of two natures Ireneus saith that the Sacrament is made of two natures of an heauenly nature of a terrenall earthly nature now take away the substaunce of bread what earthly nature or substaunce remaineth in this holy Sacrament How sacraments are no cause of grace In Sacraments the onely promise of God by Christ both by word and signe are exhibited vnto vs which promises if we apprehende by faith then is the grace increased in vs and the gifte of God by faith receiued is by the Sacrament â—ealed in vs. What ought to be considered in sacraments S. Augustine saith in Sacraments we must consider not they be indéede but what they signifie All misteries or sacraments must be considered with inward eyes that is to say spiritually How the sacraments are holie whether the minister or receiuer be good or bad S. Augustin in this place against the Donatists shooteth not at this But whether Christs verye naturall bodie be receiued with our mouths but whether the Sacraments in generall bee receiued both of good and bad And he declareth that it is all one water whether Symon Peter or Symon Magus be christened in it all one Table of the Lord and one Cup whether Peter sup thereat or Iudas all one Oyle whether Dauid or Saule were annoynted therewith Wherefore he concludeth thus Memento ergo sacramentis Dei c. Remember
shall be vp waked c. ¶ To dye is not els but after labour â— wearinesse of body to go to bed and sléepe and so to rise vp early more fresh and lustie by which vprising he describeth our resurrection By sleep is vnderstood the rest of our bodies in our graues for our soules sléep not but be receiued into the handes oâ— our Father in heauen blessed with Christ in the fruition of his presâ—nce by the rising vp again in the morning is vnderstood yâ— resurrection of our dead bodies vnto life eternal our soules ioyned againe to them Melan. vp Da. ¶ Meaning all shall rise at the generall resurrection which thing he heere meaneth because the faithfull shoulde haue â—uer their respect to that for in the earth there shall be no sure comfort Geneua How God is said to sleepe God is said to sleepe when Christ laye dead in his graue whose death is called a swéete sléepe of â—eremie or els when he is slowe to helpe his elect out of trouble as in the Psa. 44. 23. Arise wherefore dost thou sléepe O Lord. SLIME What Slime was SLime was their mortar ¶ That slime was a fatnes yâ— issued out of the earth like vnto tarre thou maist call it Sement and if thou wilt In the 14. Chap. verse 10. ye shall read of Slime pits SMYRNA What Smyrna was ANd vnto Smyrna ¶ This was the famous Citie of all Ionia by the record of Plinie in his 5. Booke and 29. Chapter and of Strabo in his 14. Booke This word Smyrna soundeth as much as Myrrhe Marl. fol. 19. SNARE What the snare signifieth FRom the snare of the hunter ¶ The snare héere signifieth al naughtie doctrine whether it be taken of the Scripture euil expounded or of the euill inuentions of men As in the Psa. 69. 22. and 119. 110. T. M. That is Gods helpe is most redy for vs whether Satan assaile vs secretly which he calleth a snare or openly which is heere ment by the pestilence Geneua The meaning of this place following Let their Table be made a snare to take themselues withal ¶ That is let their opinion and doctrine be the cause of their stiffenesse and destruction as it is come to the Iewes Ro. 11. 9. The Hebrue Paraphrast saith thus Let such a dinner be sette before them wherevnto they may be so bound that they cannot escape The Scripture is a snare vnto the vngodly wherewith they be trapped although they be neuer so wel learned for only the spirituall perceiueth the meaning On the other side vnto the godly though they haue neuer so little learning it is the Riuer of the water of life Iohn 7. 38. T. M. ¶ The Iewes carry about in their hands the bookes of Moses and vnderstand them not they read the Prophecies denie that in theÌ„ is promised But where vnto maketh this some man will say They are blindfolded they are snared they be bowed downe and become deafe Eras. in his Paraphrase SNOVV Of the ingendring of snow WHen God couereth the whole earth with snow whence taketh he so great quantitie of waters Truly men will it is ingendered in the middle roomth of the ayer which is colde that when a great quantitie of vapours be drawen vp thether at length the same commeth together and fréeseth and thereof ingendereth the snow and if the same stuffe be more harder bound then is hayle ingendered because yâ— thing is become more fast and substantiall c. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 704. Snow is a Cloud congeled by great cold before it be perfectly resolued froÌ„ vapors into water Snow is white not of the proper colour but by receiuing the light into it in so many smal parts as in fome or the white of an Egge beaten Snow is often vppon high Hills lyeth long there because their tops are colde as they be neare to the middle region of the ayer For oftentimes it rayneth in the valley when it snoweth on the Hills Snowe melting on the high hills and after frosen againe becommeth so hard that it is a stone and is called Christall Sléet is generated euen as Snow but of lesse colde or els beginneth to melte in the falling Snow causeth things growing to be fruitfull increase because the colde driueth heate into the rootes and so cherisheth the plants W. Fulee SOLD What it is to be sold vnder sinne BUt I am carnall sold vnder sinne ¶ Lyke as bond-men are violently thrust hurled turmoiled as it pleaseth their cruell master so are we through heapes of sinnes drawâ—n to many euill doings which we neither doe lyke nor allow The Bible note ¶ Read 3. Reg. 21. 20. of Achab. SONNE OF MAN What is ment by the Sonne of man BEcause he is the Sonne of man ¶ To be the Sonne of man according to the phrase of Scripture is nothing els then to be a very man euen as that he is said to be the Sonne of God is meant that he is very God The meaning of Christ is that he came foorth vnto men adorned with such power that hée might communicate and bestow that vpon them which he had receiued of his father And in that he is man he was ordeined by the Father to be the Authour of lyfe least we shoulde séeke him a farre off For Christ hath not receiued any thing wherof he himselfe stoode in néede but rather to make vs rich with his abundaunt treasure The summe and meaning is that in the man Christ the same is reueled vnto vs which was hidden in God and the life which men before could not attaine vnto is now at hand Also it is worthy to be noted yâ— when he might haue said because he is man he chose rather to saye because hée is the Sonne of man Let this serue our faith against those that teach that Christ tooke flesh not of the Uirgin Mary yâ— is to say of the séede of Abraham which the whole Scripture teacheth but that he brought the same with him from Heauen But Christ héere plainely calleth himselfe the Sonne of man not man onely Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 168. But the Sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head ¶ Christ calleth himselfe the Sonne of man that is very natural man shewing in that his humilitie goodnesse which humbled himselfe to the death of the Crosse for our saluation Tindale Whosoeuer speaketh a word against the Sonne of man c. ¶ To speake a word against the Sonne of man is to be offenwith the humanitie or manhoode of Iesus Christ for his humble and lowe degrée as were manye of the Iewes Tindale Behold one lyke the Sonne of man came in the cloudes ¶ Which is ment of Christ who had not yet taken vpon him mans nature neither was the Sonne of Dauid according to the flesh as he was afterward but appeared then in a figure and that in the Cloudes that is being seperate from the common sort
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.
fol. 96. ¶ The soules of the Saintes are vnder the Altar which is Christ meaning that they are in safe custodye in the heauens Geneua How Christs soule was heauie My soule is heauie euen vnto death ¶ Héere we learne that Christ did not onely take an humane body vpon him but also an humane soule So that he was both a perfect man and perfect God else if the Godhead had ben vnto him in stéed of his soule he could not haue bene heauy Sir I. Cheeke Of Christs soule descending into hell That his soule should not be left in hell ¶ Saint Augustine writing of the presence of God vnto Dardanus 2. chap. alleadgeth this saieng of the Apostle and thereby goeth about to proue that the soule of Christ went downe in very déed to hell but that he suffered nothing there Other doe affirme that it is sayd by a figuratiue manner of speaking that he went downe to hell because that the merit of his death and passion was profitable to them that after died in the faith of Abraham Some againe by the word Inferi doe vnderstand the graue I would wish we should alwaies studie to vnitie and peace and leaue these vnfruitfull questions Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Looke Christs descending into hell Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell ¶ That is thou shalt not forsake me that my soule shall dye and that followeth neither shalt thou suffer thy Saints to see corruption signifieth thou shalt not suffer my body to abiâ—â— in the graue and so to corrupt So doth Peter expound this place of Christ. Act. 2. 27 and Paule Act. 13. 7 T. M. ¶ This is chiefly spoken of Christ by whose resurrection all his members haue immortalitie Geneua Wherein the soule of man and beast do differ In man the soule by which he knoweth iudgeth and hath discreation is called liuing The soule of beasts haue none other facultie but to giue mouing vnto their bodies Caluine Of the apparition of soules The soules that is departed from the body cannot wander in this countries or regioÌ„s for the soules of the righteous are in the handes of God and also the soules of sinners are straight waies after their departure led away it is made manifest by the rich man and Lazarus Chrisostome in his 29. Homil. vpon the. 8. of Mathew T. M. But the Lord doth say in an other place this day will I fetch againe thy soule from thée Therefore the soule after it is once gone from the body cannot wander heere among vs and not without a good cause For if they that go in a iourney if they chaunce to come into some vnknowne country cannot tell whither to goe except they haue a guide how much more shall the soule being departed from the bodie when she entereth into life and way that is altogether new vnto her bée vncerteine and ignorant whither she may goe except shée gette a guide It may be proued by many places of Scripture that yâ— soules of the righteous men doe not wander heere after their death For Stephen sayth Lord receiue my spirit And Paule did desire to be loosed and to be with Christ. The Scripture also doth say of the Patriarke and he was layd to his Fathers being dead in a good age And that the soules of sinners cannot abide there neither heare the rich what he sayth marke and weigh what he doth aske and not obteine If the soules of men might be conuersant héere he would haue come himselfe as his desire was and certified his bretheren of the torments of hell By the which place of the scripture this is also most manifest and plaine that the soules after they be gone out of their bodyes are lead into a certein place from whence they come not againe at their owne will and pleasure but doe tarry there for the dreadfull day of iudgement God forbid that we should beléeue that the soule of any Saint much lesse of a Prophet haue ben fetched vp by the diuel being taught that Satan himselfe is transformed into an Angell of light much more into a man of light and that he shall also affirme himselfe to be God and worke wonderfull signes for to subuert euen the very elect if it were possible But although the vertue of God hath called againe certein soules into their bodyes for to teach vs that he might doe it by his owne right it shall not therefore be communicated or graunted vnto the confidence and boldnesse of Magitians or Sorcerers and vnto the deceitfulnesse of dreames and lyeng Poets but when in the example of the resurrection the vertue or power of God doth bring againe the very soules into the bodies it is shewed with a whole full truth and which can bée touched and handled that is a shape and forme of veritie or that is a true and vnfeined shape or forme so that thou maist iudge that all fetching vp appearing of the dead without bodies are méere illusions and deceitfulnesse There be such now a dayes which are wont to say Who hath seene what is done in hell who euer came to bring vs word But let them heare what Abraham sayth for if we doe not beléeue the Scriptures we wold not beléeue them neither that should come from hell The Iewes haue well declared the same which because that they beléeued not the Scriptures would in no wise beléeue them that were raised againe from the dead but wold haue slaine Lazarus that was raised againe And although many were raised againe from death after that Christ was crucified yet did they not let to persecute the Apostles most cruelly afterward Theophilact vpon the 16. of Luke I. N. The spirit of Samuel which the woman Sorcerer raysed vp to Saule was not the soule of Samuel but the diuell which appeared in Samuels lykenesse for to deceiue Saule Aug. to simpl 3. quest Of soules departed S. Austen writeth that the soules of the Saints be in the secret receptacles vntill they shall receiue the crowne of glorie in the day of iudgement Againe in an Epistle he wrote to Saint Hierome A soule saith he after bodely death shall haue rest and than after that shall take her body that she may haue glory S. Barnard saith the swéetnesse which the soules of the Saints haue at this present is great but it is not yet perfect for it shall be made perfect when they shall sit on seates as Iudges When they haue put of their bodies they be forthwith brought into rest but not into the glorie of the kingdome He saith farther that there be thrée estates of the soule The first is in the body as in a tabernacle the second after death as in a porch of the temple the third in heauen with his glorified body The meaning of this place following And shall winne his soule for a praye ¶ That is shall escape daunger It is all one with that which goeth before he
and the most excellent ministers of God will haue vs worship one God with them by whose contemplation they are all blessed Neither doe we build temples for them for they will not be so honoured of vs because that they knowe that when we are godlie we are the Temples of God Therefore it is well and rightlie written that man was forbidden of the Angell to worship him but one God vnder whom he was his fellow-seruant How this place following is vnderstood Which after his owne imagination walketh in the humblenesse and holinesse of Angels ¶ By religion of Angels saith the olde translation Erasmus By superstition of Angels What S. Paule meaneth héere I cannot well tell except he meane that false Apostles phantasied some hie honour worship to be giuen to holie Angels if they kéepe yâ— law giuen by the ministration of holie Angels and those to displease the Angels yâ— kéepe not the lawe giuen by Angels holie Angels to honour them that obserue the lawâ— So they taught yâ— Angels of God to venge their iniurie displeasures in them yâ— kéepe not the law of Moses So these Pseudo Apostles taught it to be a worshipping of Angels to obserue yâ— lawe the workes of the lawe as necessarie to saluation which thing S. Paule counteth here no honour nor worship of Angels but superstition of Angels a pretence to honour Angels do dishonour them most rebuke to Angels that can be done Or els this place maie be otherwise expounded after this manner That some Pseudo Apostles among the Collâ—sians studied to deceiue them saieng they were the Angels of God sent from God aboue that they had receiued certeine visions of Angels and of holie spirits in some Oracles wherin they were shewed the will pleasure of God what God wold haue done of men in the earth that was that they must néeds kéepe the law of Moses the workes of it or els they said they could not be saued which thing S. Paule reproueth in all his Epistles but most plainlie improued condempned of yâ— Apostles of Christ. Act. 15. Such Pseudo Apostles was among vs sometimes that said holie Angels holie spirits soules of men departed to haue appeared vnto them that they should goe this pilgrimage to this Image or that Image in such a place that they should cause to be said or song so manie Dâ—riges so many Masses found such a foundatioÌ„ for Masses for prescript praiers purchase such Pardons such Indulgenties and manie like reuelations hath bene shewed to men as Pseudo Apostles said by the which meanes they deceiued manie of a long time but thanks be to God their deceit is knowne in a manner to all men how vaine foolish it was how vngodly how perilous contrary to mans saluation how it came not of God but of the diuell was inuented of men and maintained for lucre sake I. Ridley Of good and euill Angels Of good Angels that doe â—erue God and his Church The Epistle to the Hebrewes saith thus Are not all ministering spirits and sent to minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation Heb. 1. 14. Of the euill Angell the Lord saith that Satan with his companie is a liar and a murtherer from the beginning And Saint Peter saith The diuell goeth about like a roring lion séeking whom he maie deuâ—ure Iohn 8. 44 1. Pet. 5. 8. How the Angels are not against the authoritie of Magistrates When the Angels which are greater both in power might giue not railing iudgement against them before God ¶ Albeit the Angels condemne the vice iniquitie of wicked magistrates yet they blame not the authoritie and power which is giuen them of God Geneua Whie the Angels be called powers principalities vertues c. Although Angels be called powers principalities vertues it is not for that God hath resigned his owne office vnto them it is not for that he hath dispoiled himselfe of his owne power it is not for that he himselfe abideth idle in heauen But it is for that the Angels are instruments of his power to the ende it should be spread out ouer all c. Caluin vpon Iob. fol. 15. How Angels be called the sonnes of the Gods Among the sonnes of the Gods ¶ He calleth the Angels the sonnes of the Gods because they neither haue had their beginning of the earth nor are clad with corruptible bodies but are heauenlie spirits endued with the glorie of God Not yâ— they bée anie part of gods being or substance as brainsick persons dreame but because God vttereth his mightie power in them therfore is their nature distinguished from ours by this title The effect thereof is that although there shine foorth a greater maiestie is yâ— Angels then in other creatures insomuch that they rauish vs to wonder at them yet come they nothing néere vnto God that they should dimme him with their excellencie or part stakes of souereigntie with him which thing is to be marked aduisedlie because yâ— although God do euerie where auouch yâ— Angels to bée but seruaÌ„ts redie at his coÌ„maundement yet yâ— world being not contented with the one God forgeth to it selfe many Gods Caluin How Angels appearing in humaine bodies were not men Two things are diligentlie héere to be weighed One is whether Angels when they after this sort put on humaine bodies maie be called men I think not For if we vnderstand humaine flesh which is formed borne of a resonable soule vndoubtedlie Angels after that manner cannot be said to haue hamaine flesh What then will some men saie Were the sences deceiued wheÌ„ men sawe them Not so For the sences iudge onelie outward things such things as appeare But what inwardly impelleth or moueth these things which they sée they iudge not That longeth to reason to séeke search out This also is to be added that Angels did not continuallie retaine these bodies bicause they were not ioined to them in one and the selfe same substaunce so yâ— an Angel a bodie were made one person The holie Ghost also although hée was a true Doue where he desceÌ„ded yet was not he together one substance with it wheâ—fore the Doue was not yâ— holie Ghost not yâ— holie Ghost the Doue Otherwise Angels may as we haue before taught enter indéed into a body before made which before had his being as it is read of yâ— Angel which spake in yâ— Asse of Balaâ—m and of the diuell which by the Serpent talked with Eue. But at this present we dispute not of that kinde but onelie saie that Angels working in this manner in the bodies of creatures are not ioined vnto them in one and the selfe same substaunce Wherefore the asse could not bée called an Angell neither was the Angell an Asse euen as the Serpent was not in verie déede the diuell neither was the diuell the Serpent Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic.
God is iust and good although his hand be fore vpon him Geneua He that shall blesse in the earth shall blesse himselfe in the true God and he that sweareth in the earth shall sweare by the true God By blessing and by swearing is ment the praising of God for his benefites the true worshipping of him which shall not be onelie in Iudea but through all the world Geneua How this place of the Psalme is expounded And he shall receiue a blessing of the Lord. ¶ When he speaketh of blessing he doth vs to wit that not all they which in title onely vaunt themselues for worshippers of God shal be pertakers of the promised blessednesse but they that are aunswerable to their calling from the heart Howbeit it is a very effectuall encouragement to godlinesse to and good life when the faithfull heare that they misspend not their labour in following righteousnesse because there is an assured blessing laied vp for them with God Caluine BLINDE Who be blinde ANd blinde ¶ That is to saie one whom Christ enlighteth not which knoweth not God nor Iesus Christ whome hée hath sent Concerninn blindnesse sée Iohn 9. 41. Also he is called blinde which séeth not how miserable and néedie himselfe is Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 68. Why God is said to blinde men The cause why God is said to blinde men is for that when he hath bereft them of right vnderstanding of minde and of the light of his holie spirit he giueth them vp to the Diuell to be caried awaie into a wilfull wicked minde Rom. 1. 28. and sendeth them strong illusions 2. Thes. 2. 11. And so executeth iust vengeaunce vpon them by the minister of his wrath Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 92. ¶ God is said to blinde mens eies so oft as he doth reuoke or take awaie the contemned light of his truth and sinceritie leauing them that delight in darknes stil for then the Lord permitteth his worde to be preached to the vnthankfull and vngodlie receiuers vnto their iudgement or condemnation For so verelie doth the Euangelicall and Apostolique doctrine teach vs to thinke This saith the Lord is condemnation or this is iudgement that the sonne of God the verie true light came into the world and the world loued darknesse more then light And Paule said If yet the Gospell be hid it is hid in them that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the senses of their vnderstanding c. Pullinger in his Decades fol. 492. The meaning of this place following Except thou take awaie the blinde and the lame thou shalt not come in hether ¶ The Iebusites spake this in derision béeing perswaded that the◠strong holde was of such force y◠Dauid could not ouercome it although it were defended onelie by lame and blinde men Some write that they spake this of a confidence they had in their Idolls which the children of God estéemed as blinde and lame The Bible note ¶ The Children of God called Idolls blinde lame guides Therefore the Iebusites meant that they should proue y◠their Gods were neither blinde nor lame Geneua BLOVD What is meant by bloud And bloud went out of the wine fat vnto the Horse bridles ¶ By the name of bloud the Scripture is wont to betoken vengeaunce and reuengement and so meant Iohn to describe the greatnesse of Gods wrath in this place Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 218. ¶ By this similitude he declareth the horrible confusion of the Tyraunts and Infidells which delight in nothing but warres slaughters persecutions and effusion of bloud Geneua How our cleansing is by Christs bloud And made them white in the bloud of the Lambe ¶ That is to saie in faith and in following the sufferings of Christ. But how can bloud make them white will some man saie I aunswere after the same manner that the Authour of the Epistle to the Romanes saith If the bloud of Bulls and Goates and the ashes of a Bullocke besprinkling them that are defiled doe hallowe them as touching the cleansing of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ who by the euerlasting spirite hath offered himselfe vnspotted vnto GOD cleanse your consciences from deade workes to serue the liuing GOD. The Saints therefore and the faithfull being cleansed by the bloud of the Lambe both from originall sinne and also from actuall sinne committed through humaine ignoraunce and weaknesse and béeing preserued that they should not giue their assent to pestilent errours against y◠faith are said to haue cleare yea and also comelie garments Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 111. ¶ There is no puritie nor cleannesse but by the bloud of Christ onelie which purgeth our sinnes and so maketh them white Geneua And sprinckling of the bloud of Iesus Christ. ¶ Héere S. Peter séemeth to haue had respect vnto the olde Ceremonie of bloud sprinckling for euen as it was not inough then that the Sacrifice should be offered and the bloud thereof shed vnlesse the people had bene sprinkeled with the same so now at this present it shall profit vs nothing that Christs bloud is shed vnlesse our conscience be cleansed and purified therewith which thing is done by the ministring of the holie Ghost which doth sprinkle our consciences with Christs bloud to wash them withall Sir I. Cheeke How the verie flesh and bloud of Christ is not in the Sacrament It was not lawfull by Moses lawe to eate nor drinke the bloud neither of man nor of beast And the Apostles themselues somewhat fauouring the infirmitie of the Iewes did institute that men should abstaine from bloud Now if the Apostles had taught that in the sacrament the very flesh and bloud of Christ is eaten and dronken with the téeth and mouth it had bene a great occasion to haue excluded al y◠Iewes at once from Christ againe the Apostles would haue bene too scrupulous if they had so groselie vnderstood it to haue dronken the very bloud séeing it was so plaine against Moses Lawe Reade the 10. of the Actes where as Peter had the cloath sent downe I. Frith Bloud is the soule ¶ S. Augustine vppon these wordes saith thus So is the Bloud the Soule euen as the Rocke was Christ. And in the same Chapter he ioineth these thrée sentences together The Bloud is the Soule the Rocke was Christ and This is my Bodie as being all both of like meaning and also of like manner of vtteraunce ¶ Saint Ambrose expounding the same words saith thus When Moses in that place called the Bloud the Soule doubtlesse he meant thereby that the Bloud is one thing◠and the Soule another For this is my bloud in the new Testament ¶ The wine signifieth that our soules are refreshed and satisfied with the bloud of Christ spirituallie receiued so that without him we haue no nourishment Geneua How the bloud of Martirs is the seede of the Church And there fell
healing that a man maie be saued by another mans faith for this man was healed by the faith of the men and not by his owne because he could not heare for faith commeth by hearing To this it maie be said there is a difference betwéene corporall benefites and euerlasting saluation But no mans faith can stand in steed for another touching saluation Now Christ loosed the tongue of the deafe and then being called vpon of him hée gaue him faith and so the dumbe man was healed by his owne faith DENIENG OF GOD. How and when men doe denie God ANd denie God which is the onelie Lord c. ¶ Men truly denie God when they ascribe their iustification or forgiuenesse of sinnes to anie creature or to anie worke by the might and power of the worke to anie Indulgence or Pardon to Masses to holie Bread to kissing of Images and such like and not to Christ Iesus and to his bloud shed for vs to obtaine vs remission of sinnes by whose bloud onelie we were washed from â—ur sinnes as S. Iohn saith Apoc. 1. 5. He hath washed vs in his owne bloud from our sinnes They denie the Lord which ascribe remission of sinnes to anie other thing then vnto Christ and his bloud which thing false Prophettes doth denieng their Master Bibliander DEEPE What the Deepe signifieth OUt of the Déepe call I vnto thée O Lord c. ¶ By the Déepe is vnderstood the aduersitie wherein the people of Israel was when they were scattered among the Chaldes Unto vs christen it signifieth the aduersitie trouble miserie which hapneth to vs for our offences and sinnes T. M. DESPERATION What an offence Desperation is SAint Hierom affirmeth the offence of Iudas to be greater in dispairing of the mercie of God then in betraieng Christ. And that Cain stirred God more to anger through desperation of pardon then by the slaughter of his brothers bloud Manie which haue persecuted Christ being conuerted beléeuing in him haue obtained pardon and are made examples to man that he ought not to distrust the remission of his wickednes seing the death of our sauiour is forgiuen to the penitent Let no man dispaire of Gods mercie and goodnesse Let him that is weake and cannot do that he would faine doe not dispaire but turne to him that is strong and hath promised to giue strength to all that aske of him in Christs name and complaine to God and desire him to fulfill his promise to God cominit himselfe And he shall of his mercie and truth strengthen him and make him féele with what loue he is beloued for Christs sake though he be neuer so weake Tindale The meanes to keepe vs from Despaire in time of afflictions To knowe Gods righteousnesse and to be fullie perswaded of it is a meane to bring vs to patience Howbeit that wée must match another Article with it that is to wit wée must alwaies thinke that GOD in afflicting vs doth not cease to loue vs yea that he will procure our saluation what rigour soeuer he vse towards vs so as all our afflictions shall bee asswaged through his grace and he will giue them a gladsome ende Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 139. DESTINIE SAint Augustine in Opusculo 82. questionum quest 45. Confuting soundlie the destinies of Planets among other his reasons saith The conceiuing of Twinnes in the mothers wombe because it is made in one and the same act as the Phisitians testifie whose discipline is farre more certaine and manifest then that of the Astrologers doth happen in so small a moment of time that ther is not so much time as two minutes of a minute betwixt the conceiuing of the one and the other How therefore commeth it that in Twinnes of one burden there is so great a diuersitie of déedes wills and chaunces considering that they of necessitie must needes haue one the same Planet in their conception and that the Mathematicalls doe giue the constellation of them both as it it were but of one man To these wordes of Saint Augustine saith Bullinger great light maie be aded if you annexe to them and examine narrowlie the example of Esau and Iacobs birth and sundrie dispositions The same Augustine writing to Boniface against two Epistles of the Pelâ—gians li. 2. cap. 6. saith They which affirme that Destinie doth rule will haue not onelie our déedes and euents but also our verie wills to depend vpon the placing of the starres as the time wherein euerie man is either conceiued or borne which placing they are wont to call Constellations but the grace of God doth not onelie goe aboue all starres and heauens but also aboue the verie Angells themselues Bullinger fol. 480. ¶ Looke Astrologie Fortune Chaunce DESTROIE NOT. The meaning of this place DEstroie not ¶ Or thou shalt not destroie or make awaie as some will By this he signifieth after the mind of Kimhi that he twice withstood and stilled his Souldiers which moued him to destroie and kill Saule Ezra thinketh it to be a certaine tune and manner of singing T. M. DEATH What Death is by the minde of Secundus the Philosopher WHen Adrian the Emperour had heard Secundus the Philosopher in the seuerall Oration he made of a noble Romane Matron a kinswoman of the Emperours he asked of him what death was to whom the philosopher answered thus Death is an eternall sléepe a dissolution of the bodie a terror of the rich a desire of yâ— poore a thing inheritable a pilgrimage vncertaine a théefe of man a kinde of sléeping a seperation of the liuing a companie of the dead a resolution of all a rest of trauailes an end of all idle desires Finallie death is yâ— scourge of all euill and the chiefe reward of the good ¶ We call death the loosing asunder and departing of two things the soule from the bodie yâ— which departing no man can escape but necessarilie die all we must that be borne in this world When the bodie by anie violence looseth his senses is spoiled from the quicke vse of his principall parts theâ—â— departeth the soule from him in manner the bodie leaueth yâ— soule before the soule leaueth the bodie For it is not yâ— soule by himselfe yâ— goeth from the bodie but it is the bodie by himselfe sorsaking life that causeth the soule to depart c. Lupset How the Diuell hath power of Death The Diuell hath yâ— power of death that is â—he is the authour of it by his malitious nature he brought it into the worlde for God made it not nor hath anie delight in it neither is it good in his eies nor was neuer mentioned among yâ— works of his hands but from the Diuell and of the Diuell and in the Diuell it began and is and videth And therfore in the Apocalips his name is giuen him Abaddon that is the destroier and as death is of him so for this cause also he is said to haue the power of it
because through his manifest temptations he maketh men sin by which death raigneth c. Deering Of euerlasting death He shall neuer sée death ¶ What els is the meaning of this which Christ saith he shall neuer sée death but because he sawe another death from yâ— which he came to deliuer vs. That is to saiâ— the second death euerlasting death death of hell fire the death of damnation with the Diuell and his Angells that is death indeede Therfore neuer to see death is nothing els but to haue euerlasting life So that we maie note and learne héere that faith is the waie to immortalitie and that Christians doe trulie liue and neuer die although in this world they bee more like to dead men then to liuing men to die in bodie by other men For the saieng of Christ héere is most true to the which also agreeth this place Euerie one which liueth and beleeuth in me shall neuer die Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 329. How this place following is vnderstood Some there be standing heere shall not tast of death til they shall sée the Sonne of man come in his kingdome ¶ The same is to be vnderstood of his glorious transfiguration as if he should saie there are some standing among you which shall not die till they haue seene me in the same glorie and maiestie that I shall come in at the last daie of Iudgement Sir I. Cheeke This was fulfilled in his Resurrection and was as an entrie into his kingdome and was also confirmed by sending the Holie Ghost whereby he wrought so great and sundrie miracles The meaning of this place following In death there is no remembraunce of thée ¶ His meaning is that if he shall by Gods grace be deliuered from death he wil be thankfull and mindfull of it And he bewaileth that this power shall be â—erefte him if he should be taken out of this world because he should be no more conuersant among men so set out the praise of God But héerevpon doe some wrongly vnskilfullie gather that the dend are void of all sense and that ther remaineth no perseuerance at all in them wheras in this place he intreateth of nothing els but of the mutuall praising of Gods grace wherein men exercise themselues while they be aliue For we knowe wée are placed on this earth to this purpose thâ—â— wee shoulde with one consent and one mouth praise GOD which thing is the ende for which wée liue Now â—hen although that death make an ende of such praisings yet doth it not followe that the faithfull soules which are loosened from their bodies are bereft of vnderstanding or touched with no affection to God ward Caluine vpon the 6. Psal. ¶ He lamenteth that occasion should be taken from him to praise God in the Congregation Geneua In what respect the children of God maie wish death O that God would begin to smite me that he would lette his hand goe and take me awaie ¶ True it is that Gods children maie well wish death howbeit to another ende and for another respect then Iob doth héere like as all of vs must with S. Paule desire to be let loose from the bondage of sinne wherein we be helde prisoners Saint Paule is not mooued there with anie temptation of his flesh but rather the desire that he hath to imploie himselfe in Gods seruice without let seemeth him to wish that he might passe out of the prison of his bodie Why so For so long as we be in this worlde we must be wrapped in manie miseries and we cease not to offend God being so weak as we be S. Paule is then sorie that he must liue so long in offending God and this kinde of desire is good and holie and procéedeth of the holie Ghost Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 108. Of foure manner of deaths Beside the mortall and eternall death bée other two the spirituall death and the temporall death which be not so well knowen nor so soone espied of the simple as the naturall and eternall death is The spirituall death is when the bodie is yet liuing the soule is dead as the Apostles proueth by the widdowes that liue at pleasure béeing aliue in bodie and yet dead in soule The temporall death is when the affections lusts of the bodie are so killed that the spirit maie liue wherof the Apostle speaketh Col. 3. exhorting vs to mortifie our earthlie members to kill all the strength of our corrupt nature that striue against the spirite For by obaieng our lustes at the first came death into the world as it appeareth by Eue when she eate of the forbidden fruit M. Luther How death is not to be feared Example of a Panim I finde that a learned Panim wrote that we should neither care for life by it selfe nor yet for death by it selfe Hée saith that we should care to liue well and to die well and let life and death passe without care for life is not good but to liue well is good If Panims haue this right consideration of life and death what shame is it for Christen men to care for death Seeing Christ whose wordes cannot but be true so vehementlie forbiddeth vs the same that Panims sawe by reason to be done c. Lupset DEBT How debtes ought to be required and how not ESaie the Prophet seemeth to account it in the Iewes a great fault to aske their debt saieng Et Omnes debitores repetitis Ye chalenge and charge all your debters ye call all debts back againe Whie is it not lawfull for a good christen man to cal for his debts Yea and if neede so require to sue for them by the lawe God forbid else otherwise there could no good order no pollicie no ciuilitie nor Common wealth endure If buyeng and selling keeping of contracts couenants were not lawfull then all things should be common then we should liue like lawlesse beasts wée needed no king no maigistrate But yée must vnderstand that in a case charitie will not suffer right to call for her debt The case shall bée this My brother my neighbour is burnt with fire is lamed of his limmes is robbed of his sight at one word is so oppressed with pouertie that he is not able to paie In this case charitie will commaunde iustice to giue place and not to aske her debt but rather to giue more of their owne The Iewes were so hard hearted that they spared not forgaue no debters were they neuer so poore nor so pitifull And therefore Esaie layeth it to their charge saieng Omnes debitores vestros repetitis Ye cal vpon al your debters as wel them that be in extreame néede and vnable to paie as they that be wealthie and able inough to paie Beside this the Iewes had a certeine ciuill lawe giuen vnto them by God vnto the which we now are not bound The lawe was this Euerie seauenth yeare thou shalt kéepe a frée yeare
the word of God should be saued by the fiâ—e of this examination F. N. B. the Italian If anie man build vpon this foundation golde siluer precious stones wood haie or stubble c. Heere the Apostle woulde haue vs to be feruent in good workes and earnest to doe wel he wisheth vs to be occupied in yâ— labouâ— which when the iudge of all shall come maie in his sight be acceptable maie to his word be commendable and that we should well beware what works we build vpon our foundation he plainlie sheweth that at the last daie all our dâ—â—ing shall be opened and that then the same shall be so tried as the golde-smith in fining his mettalls trieth out the drosse and base matter from the pure perfect and fine The daie saith he of our Lord shall declare it because it shall appeare in fire The daie of our Lord is the daie of iudgement the thing is so plaine as no man though he be verie peruerse maie denie it But when shall it appeare in fire euen then at the generall iudgement so is the Text. This place is onelye spoken of those which shall be saued of such as build vpon Iesus Christ vpon which foundation as all cannot builde golde precious stones and siluer as all cannot be perfect neither by martirdome be crowned nor yet by good learning shine like the starres of heauen So thereon building being bâ—t wood or haie be it but verie stubble though the worke it selfe be in the ende burned though he himselfe receiue no such reward as yâ— others yet shall he be saued and hom As it were through fire Not through fire but through the greate feare wherein he then shall stand of the iustice and iudgement of God O how comfortable is this doctrine How farre passeth it all their painted fires and â—ained flames of Purgatorie You see now that the Scripture admitteth no such place you sée the right meaning of the Apostle c. L. Euans The meaning of these places following And he heard him from heauen in fire vpon the Altar of whole burnt offerings ¶ God declared that he heard his request in that he sent downe fire from heauen for els they might vse no fire but of that which was reserued still vppon the Altar Leuit. Chap. 6. 13. and came downe from heauen Chap. 9. 14. as appeareth by the punishment of Nadab and Abihu Leuit. cap. 10. â— Geneua Shal be worthie to be punished with heâ—fire ¶ The Iewes vsed foure kindes of punishments before their gouernement was taken awaie by Herode hanging beheading stoning and burning This is it that Christ shot at because burning was the greatest punishment therefore in that he maketh mention of a iudgement a counsell and a fire he sheweth that some sins are worse then other some but yet they are all such yâ— we must giue an account for them and shall be punished for them Beza FIGGE-TREE Of the Figge-tree that Christ cursed ANd spied a Figge-trée in the waie and came to it and found nothing thereon but leaues onelie ¶ By this Figge-tree Christ doth sufficient lie shew that the Iews although they had an appearaunce of holinesse by their ceremonies yet neuerthelesse they had not the fruite of charitie by which he signified yâ— they should worthely be depriued put from this false appearance by the destructioÌ„ of Hierusalem Mar. 13. 2. Luk. 21. 6. Tin Cut it downe whie combereth it the ground ¶ Unles we do beléeue also bring foorth fruite worthie repentance we shall with the vnprofitable figge-trée be cut downe also our talent shall be taken from vs and giuen vnto an other that shall put it to better vse Sir I. Cheeke FIGVRE Proues how the bread in the Sacrament is a figure of Christs bodie THe Lord doubted not to saie This is my bodie when hée gaue a signe of his bodie And after in the same Chapter he expoundeth it For trulie so the bloud is the soule Christ was the stone And yet the Apostle doth not say the stone did signifie Christ but he saith the stone was Christ. ¶ Héere Christ calleth the figure of his bodie his bodie saith S. Austen doth compare the thrée texts of scripture This is my bodie The bloud is the soule Christ was the stone Declaring them to be one phrase and to be expounded after one fashion August contraâ— Adam The Priest saith make vs this â—â—lation acceptable c. For it is a figure of the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ. ¶ Héere he calleth it plainlie a figure of Christs bodie Ambrose li. 3. de Sacra â—et that saieng be expounded by a figure I saie the thing that is spoken is not true indéede but figured vnder the cloude of an allegorie Hieromâ— aduers. 〈…〉 Ye haue heard that it is a figure Therefore meruaile not â— And béeing a figure require not al things to agrée for otherwise it were no figure Chrisostome in Gen. Homil. 35. First of all thou must take heede that thou take not a figuratiue speach according to the letter for that is it wherof Saint Paule saith The letter killeth For when the thing that is spoken vnder a figure is so taken as if it wer plainlie spoken ther is a fleshlie vnderstanding neither is there anie thing that may better be called the death of the soule August de doct Chri. li. 3. ca. 5. Figures be in vaine serue for no purpose when the things of them signified be present Lactan. insti li. 2. â—ap 1. A figure of a bodie saith Tertulian presupposeth a verie naturall bodie for of a shew or a fancie ther can be no figure But Christ gaue vnto his Disciples a figure of his bodie therefore it must needs follow that Christ had a verie naturall bodie His words be these Christ taking the bread and distributing it to his Disciples made it his bodie saieng This is my bodie that is to say This is a figure of my bodie but a figure it could not bée vnlesse there were a bodie of a truth and indeede for a voide thing as is a fantasie can receiue no figure Tertulian contra Mar. li. 4. There is a figure saith Hilarie for bread and wine be outwardlie seene And there is also a truth of that figure for the bodie and bloud of Christ be of a truth inwardlie seene This Hilarie was within lesse then 350. yeares after Christ. Crisostome affirmeth saieng that if a man vnderstand the words of Christ carnallie he shal surelie profit nothing therby For what meane these words the flesh auaileth nothing He meant not his flesh God forbid but he ment of them that fleshlie and carnallie vnderstood those things that Christ spake But what is carnall vnderstanding To vnderstand the words simplie as they be spoken nothing else For we ought not so to vnderstand the things which we see But all mysteries must be considered
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
and strong doubting of altering in no parte but by all meanes studieth euerie daie to make their faith more stronger and stronger by all manner of good workes Bibliander vpon Iude. HELINDIVS What his heresie was HElindius said that Marie was a Uirgin when Christ was borne Yet afterward to haue borne the bretheren of Christ. August Gennad catalog vir illustrâ— HEM How we touch the hem of Christs vesture ANd touched the hem of his vesture ¶ We touch the hem of Christs vesture when we beléeue that he did take our fraile nature vpon him to heale the filthie diseases of our corruptible flesh Sir I. Cheeke HEMEROBAPTISTS What manner of Heretikes they were THe Hemerobaptists were Iewes in all points they affirmed that it was impossible for anie man to attaine vnto euerlastiâ—g life vnlesse he were euerie daie purified and baptised Epiphan perâ—a lib. 1. de heres HENOCH What his taking vp into heauen signifieth THis is not Henoch the first sonne of Caâ— but Henoch the sonne of Iared whose taking vp into heauen doth manifest vnto vs the immortalitie that remaineth after this life and that God would iudge the world who will saue those that be righteous and dampne those that be wicked Lanquet For God tooke him awaie ¶ To shewe that there was a better life prepared and to be a Testimonie of the immortalitie of soules and bodies As to enquire where he became is méere curiositie Geneua HER AND ANAN How they were slaine for not vsing the lawfull benefite of mariage HEr the eldest sonne of Iuda was maried to Thamar of Mesopotamia the daughter of Aran. Now Her was a wicked impe and doubted of Thamar because she was not of the lande of Chanaan therfore the Angell of the Lord slew him the third night after his mariage when he had not yet companied with hir by reason of his mothers subtiltie and so he died in his naughtinesse for she was loath that he should haue anie child by hir When Anan was mariageable Thamar was giuen vnto him and he also of a spite companied not with hir notwithstanding that he liued a full yeare with hir and when he was threatened of his father Iuda then he companied with hir but yet by his mothers commandement he let his séed fall vpon the ground and so he also died in his wickednesse ¶ This Storie is in the booke of the 12. Patriarks HEARE HIM How Christ is to be heard in all things THis is my deare sonne in whom I delight heare him ¶ Sith that we are from aboue by the voice of the heauenlie Father bidden to heare Christ we ought not as Saint Cyprian saith to care what the Fathers haue done before vs but much rather what Christ which was before the Fathers did commaund vs to doe that are we most bound to follow and to doe Sir I. Cheeke HERESIE The definition of Heresie AS touching the definition of Heresie S. Austen saith To expresse by orderly definition what thing maketh and Heretike as I iudge is either impossible or verie hard ¶ The word Heresie is deriued of a Uerbe which signifieth to elect or chuse vnto themselues some certain opinions which are against the holy Scriptures and do stubbornly defend the same And the causes of this their choise for the most part are either because they are ignoraunt of the holy Scriptures or els if they knowe them they despise them and being driuen by some couetousnesse they apply themselues to the inuention of some errours Wherefore Augustine in his booke De vtilitate credendi writeth An Heretike is he which for the loue of gaine or rule either bringeth vp or els followeth new opinions The definition therefore of Heresie is a choice and stubborne defending of opinions which are against the holy Scriptures either by reason of ignoraunce or els contempt of them to the ende the easier to obtaine their owne pleasures and commodities The choise and stubborne defending is in this definition in steed of the forme but the opinions disagréeing with the holy Scriptures serue for the matter Pride and couetousnesse make Heresie And the obtaining of dignities gaine and pleasures are appointed the endes of this so great a mischiefe By this definition it is manifest inough as I thinke who be Heretikes Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 58. What things are required for the proofe of Heresie For iust proofe of Heresie thrée things necessarie are required for the proofe of Heresie First that it be an errour Second that it be an errour against the truth of Gods word Thirdly that it be stoutly and willingly maintained Otherwise an errour in Gods truth without wilfull maintenaunce is not an Heresie S. Austen saith Errare possum c. In an errour I maie be but an Heretike I cannot be Iewel How Heresie is to be auoyded and punished A man that is giuen to Heresie after the first and second admonition auoid c. After that the godlie Minister hath by the mightie word of God conuinced any man of heresie if that man will obstinately abide in his erronious opinion doctrine it is lawfull for the godly Magistrate to punish him with the sword this place which doth only pertain to the Minister vnto whom the temporall sword is not deliuered notwithstanding Paule did smite Bariesu with blindnesse Act. 13. 11. And the Lord Deut. 13. 5. did commaund yâ— the false Prophet shall be slaine put to death This law is not yet abolished Sir I. Cheeke ¶ This Commaundement is giuen to the Minister and so particularly to all men to whom the sword is not committed but els the Magistrate whose chiefe office is to maintain Gods glorie in his Church ought to cut of all such rotten infectious members from the bodie Geneua HERETIKE What is to be done with Heretikes MY bretheren saith Iames if anie of you doe straie from the truth so that anie man conuert him he must know that who soeuer doe cause a sinner to turne from the errour of his waie shall saue a soule from death But now a daies you maie find men that will trauaile rather to ouerthrow then to turne heretiks The Lord saith Augustin doth ouerthrow the kingdomes of errour through his seruaunts but he giueth charge that the men forasmuch as they be men should be rather reformed then lost Neither ought we to dispaire of the turning of our brother which is fallen into Heresie For vnlesse that such a one might be conuerted by the grace of the Lord the aduise of Iames hadde bene vtterly to no purpose This Augustine knew well and therefore he emploied himselfe whollie vnto the conuerting of Heretikes and that with great lenitie and mildenesse of spirite according vnto the monition of the Apostle Againe he saith It was our dutie to chuse and to wish the best that we might make our waie to your reformation not in contention wrawling and persecution but by comforting of you gently by aduising you fauourably by
in remeÌ„bring yâ— benefits of God This inuention although at the first sight it might séeme trim yet it agréeth not with Christs libertie For we must think vpon the benefits of God and our great ingratitude other most gréeuous sinnes not only fortie daies but also continally Further by this meanes they opened a most wide window to liue securely rechlye For if they once had performed fullye these fortie daies they thought that all the whole yeare after they might giue themselues wholy to all kinde of pleasures lusts For they referred the time of repentaunce to these fortie daies And although the elders had a Lent yet as Eusebius saith in his 5. booke and 24. Chapter it was left frée vnto all men For Ireneus after this manner intreated with Victor Bishop of Rome when he would have excommunicated the East Church because in the obseruing of Easter it agréed not with the Church of Rome What sayth he can we not liue at concord although they vse their owne cities as we vse ours for some fast in Lent two dayes some foure dayes some x. daies some fiftéene daies some twentie and other some forty dayes And yet is concord neuerthelesse kept in the Church Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fo 279. LEPER What the Leper signifieth THe Leper signifieth properly mans doctrine which spreadeth abrode like a canker And to be short all infection of vngodlynesse therefore must the Leuites giue diligent héede thereto for a little leauen sowreth all the whole lumpe of dowe T. M. ¶ He meaning the Priest shall iudge the plague to be cleane ¶ For it is not that contagious leper that infecteth but a kind of scurffe which maketh not the flesh rawe as the leprosie doth Geneua ¶ Of the leprosie in clothes which was vsed among the Iewes let them iudge This is euident that we in our time suffer ouer many leprosies in clothes T. M. ¶ The leprosie in houses is anye thing thereto perteining whereby the dweller might take anie harme in health of bodie in hurting of his goods or otherwise as if it stoode in an euill ayre T. M. If I send the plague of leprosie in an house c. This declareth that no plague nor punishment commeth to man without Gods prouidence and his sending Geneua How a Leper was knowne A leper had these fiue marks to be knowne by his garment was vpon him and cut in twaine his head vncouered his face mufled his dwelling from the companie of men proclaimed openly to be a leper and vncleane Hemmyng Of the leprosie that Christ healed The leprosie that Christ healed in S. Mathewes Gospell was not like the leprosie that is now but was a kinde thereof which was vncurable Geneua LESSE The meaning of this place following NOtwithstanding he that is lesse in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he ¶ Christ which humbled himselfe to the crosse was of lesse reputation in this world then Iohn Baptist was yet in the kingdome of heauen Christ was greater then hée Tindale The least of them that shall preach the Gospell in the new estate of Christes Church shall haue more knowledge then Iohn and their message shall be more excellent Geneua LETANIES What the Letanies are LEtanies are nothing else but humble praiers and supplications to God to procure his fauoâ—r and turne awaye his wrath and wer receiued long before procession came in place Some be called Minores the lesse some Maiores the greater The lesse were instituted by Mamartus Bishop of Vienna in the yeare of our Lord. 469. as Sigebertus sayth 02. 488. as Polichronicon reporteth The order of them was but a solempne assembly of people vnto prayer at such time as we call the rogation wéeke The cause was for earthquake and tempests and inuasion of wilde beasts which then did greatlye destroye the people The greater Letanie was deuised by Gregorie the Pope Anno. 592. When as the cause béeing lyke as before the superstition beganne to be more for by the reason of a great pestilence following a floud the Bishoppe by Ceremonies thought to appease the wrath of God and therefore made Septiformen Laetanian a seauenfold Letanie One of the clergie an other of the Monks one of men an other of their wiues One of maidens an other of widowes the last of poore and children together These people so distinct in the seauen orders shoulde come from seauen seuerall places and then it was thought they should be heard the sooner but in their Procession fourescore persons were striken with the plague to shewe howe well God was pleased with them Notwithstanding how thinges of a good deuotioâ— instituted in time doe growe to great abuse For what the order and solempnitie of them was we reade in the counsell of Mentz celebrated 813. yeares after Christ. The words of the decrée be these Placint nobis c. Our will is that the greate Letanie bée obserued of all Christians thrée daies And as our holye Fathers haue ordeined it not riding nor hauing precious garments on them but bare footed in Sackcloth an Ashes vnlesse infirmitie doe let Thus farre the Counsell LETTER What the Letter signifieth AVgustine in his third booke and. 5. Chapter De doctrina Christiana writeth that they sticke in the Letter which take the signes for the thinges and that which is figuratiuely spoken in the holy Scriptures they take it so as if it were spoken properlye And so lowe crope they on the ground that when they heare the name of the Sabboth they remember nothing but the seauenth day which was obserued of the Iewes Also when they heare of a Sacrifice they thinke vppon nothing but the sacrifices which were killed And though ther bée some seruitude tollerable yet hée calleth that a miserable seruitude when wée take the signes for the thinges wherein there is a greate offence committed in these dayes in the Sacrament of the Eucharist for howe manye shall a man finde which beholding the outwarde signes of the Sacrament calleth to memorye the death and passion of Christ whereof it is most certeine that they are signes or which thinketh within himselfe that the bodye and bloud of Christ is a spirituall meate for the soule through fayth euen as breade and wine are nourishmentes for the bodye Or which weigheth with himselfe the coniunction of the members of Christ betweene themselues and with the head These thinges are not regarded and they cleaue onelye to the sight of the signes and men thinke it is inough if they haue looked vppon bowed the knée and worshipped This to imbrace the Letter and not to giue eare vnto the sayde Augustine who in the place wée haue now cited and a little afterwarde most appertlye affirmeth that to eate the bodye of Christ and to drinke his bloud are figuratiue kinde of speaches So are the Iewes accused because they cleauing onely to the Letter and circumcision were transgrassers of the lawe Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 49.
Ghost They taught also to reiect ciuill power For Matrimonye and gouernaunce of Common wealth they sayde to haue their ofspring from the euill God and not to be ordeined of the good God Carion Wherein the Papists agree with the Maniches They called their vnmarried Ministers as S. Austen Epist. 72. faith Electos they ministred the holy mysteries vnder one kind They yelded more credit to their own deuises thē to Gods holy word They say the scriptures are falsified ful of errors They abstaine from flesh yet in their fast they had and vsed all manner delicates and straunge fruits with sundry sorts of spices in great abundaunce They abstained from wine and yet vsed other lyquors more daintie precious then any wine and thereof dranke while their bellies would hold Manes the Hereticke whereof the Maniches haue their appellation had his originall in Persia as Epiph. haeres 66. writeth about the. 4. yeare of Aurelianus He called himselfe Christ and the comforter He chose vnto himselfe xij Apostles He said that Christ was not truly borne but phantastically Euseb. li. 7. cap. 30. Socrates li. l. cap. 17. saith of him that at the first he was called Cubricus Afterward chaunging his name he went into Persia found the bookes of Buddas and published them in his owne name He taught that there were many Gods that the Sunne was to be worshipped that there was fatall destenie that the soules went from one body into another The king of Persia sonne fell sicke Manes through Sorcerie tooke vpon him to cure him and killed him The King caused him to be clapt in prison but he brake prison and fled into Mesopotamia there was he taken and flayed aliue his skinne filled with chaffe hanged at the gates of the Citie The Maniches confuted He walked on the water to goe to Iesus ¶ This place confuteth the Maniches and such like Heretikes which denied the truth of the humaine nature of Christ saieng that his bodye was not a true body but a phantasticall bodie Thus they reasoned to vphold their errours It pertaineth not to a true bodie to walke on the Sea but Christ walked vpon the Sea therfore he had no true nor reall bodie but a phantasticall bodie These men consider nothing more to be in Christ then in a bare man as though it were impossible for God to helpe an humaine bodie from sinking in the Sea But what saye they vnto this y◠Peter at the commaundement of Christ walked vpon the Sea Why do they not consider that he which caused Peter to walke vpon the Sea with an humaine body can much more easely himselfe doe the like They should weigh the power of Christ if not in his owne déede yet at the least by the deede of Peter Marlorate 324. MANY ¶ Looke Call Loue. MANNA What Manna signifieth THen eate they Angells foode ¶ Manna is called the foode of Angells not that the Angells vse such foode but because it came downe from heauen which is the dwelling place of Angels and therefore doe some read héere the bread of the cloudes because it came from the cloudes Some the bread of the mightie because it came from the Almightie Exo. 16. 14. Sap. 16. 20. lohn 6. 31. T. M. How Manna is not the true bread that came from heauen Moses gaue you not that bread from heauen c. ¶ He denieth that Manna was that true heauenly bread saith that he himselfe is that true bread because he féedeth vnto the true and euerlasting life And as for that that Paule 1. Cor. 10. calleth Manna spirituall foode it maketh nothing against this place for he ioyneth the thing signified with the signes but in this whole disputation Christ dealeth with the Iewes after their owne opinion and conceipt of the matter and they haue no further consideration of the Manna but that it fed the belly Beza ¶ Manna is called the bread of heauen and of Angells because it rained from heauen by the ministerie of Angells Ther be some that do interpret this to be the bread of Princes or of great men because of the Hebrue word which in another place signifieth Princes or Noble men Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 206. Of those that eate Manna and are dead Your Fathers did eate Manna in the Wildernesse and are dead ¶ This verse is two waies expounded Some vnderstand it generally of all those fathers of the Iewes which did eate Manna in Moses time in the Desart as well godly as vngodly insomuch that the Lord speaketh héere in this place not of the death of the soule but of the body But other some expoūd it of the wicked onely which did eate Manna without faith of the truth in the which is life and therefore are also dead that is to say they perished euerlastingly but it séemeth not necessary that we heere distinguish betwéene the beléeuing the vnbeléeuing Iewes Onely Christ saith y◠Manna was a corruptible meate to the Fathers being foode not of the soule but of the body not sempiternall but temporall which could not saue them from death It followeth therefore that mens soule finde foode no where but in him whereby they may be fed into euerlasting life for we must remember what was spoken in another place that there is no mention made heere of Manna as Christ was a secret figure for in that respect Paule calleth him spirituall meate but héere Christ frameth his speach to his hearers who beeing onely carefull for the feeding of their bellyes had no farther consideration of any thing in Manna He doeth therefore iustly pronounce that their fathers are dead that is to say which were in like manner addict to their bellyes Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 221. What Manna and the white stone signifieth To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate Manna that is hid and will giue to him a white stone c. ¶ By Manna vnderstande the word of God and true heartie loue by the white stone is signified the election before God and also euerlasting peace and confidence in the grace and fauour of God vnto euerlasting life Sir I. Cheeke How Manna the water brought out of the Rocke is compared to our bread and wine in the Sacrament The Manna which God sent downe from heauen to féede the people of Israel in the wildernesse and the water which he brought out of the stone to refresh and comfort them were euen the same things vnto them that bread wine is now vnto vs. For as S. Austen saith as many as in that Manna vnderstoode Christ did eate the same spirituall meate that we doe But as many as sought onely to fill their bellies of that Manna the fathers of the vnfaithfull did eate are dead And likewise the same drinke for the stone was Christ. Héere may we gather of S. Austen that the Manna was vnto them 〈…〉 the bread is vnto vs. And likewise that the water was to them as the
shoulde in countenaunce and iesture make an outward shew of righteousnesse whereas inwardly he is full of all iniquitie rapine and filthy couetousnesse Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Saint Paule doth not curse the high Priest but denounce sharply the punishment of God which should light vpon him in the way of prophesieng Geneua Of the painting of the virgin Mary and of Christ. Some saye that Saint Luke did paint first the Image of the virgin Mary and did sette it foorth with liuely couloures and that Nichodemus who came vnto our Sauiour Christ by night hadde the Image of Christ béeing crucified And that also Agbarus the king of Edessenes did send a Painter to Christ to bring his Image to him and when hée coulde not doe it because of the exceeding great brightnesse of his face Christ himselfe tooke his cloth that he would haue painted him on and did wipe his face therewith and so gaue him in the cloth a liuely Image or resemblaunce of his face sending it to Agbarus who was desirous of it The lyke say they did happen vnto the Veronike when she did reach her fine cloth vnto our sauiour Christ to drie his face with all that did runne full of sweate All these things they father vpon Athanasius which is most false and vntrue First as touching S. Luke it is not in Scripture that euer he was a Painter but that he was a Phisition Scripture maketh mention And béeing a Phisition for the body he was afterward called to be a Phisition for the soule And because that Luke of all other the Euangelists did sette forth most liuely the strong fayth humilitie and lowlinesse al other heauenly vertues of the blessed virgin Mary Some did affirme that Luke painted out the virgin Marie And as for the storie of Agbarus and of the Veronike if any such things had bene done or wrought the Euangelists would as well haue set that forth as they did other things of smaller importaunce They wrote of the Hem of Christs garment but not a word of this meruailous Image of Christs face Therefore such vaine and fond histories ought in no wise to be credited I. Veron PARADISE The meaning of this place following HOw that he was taken vp into Paradise ¶ So the Grecians name that which we call a Parke that is to say a place wher trées are planted and wilde beasts kept By which name they that translated the olde Testament out of Hebrue into Greeke called the Garden whereinto Adam was put straight after his creation as a most delâ—â—able and pleasaunt place And héervpon grew it that the blessed seate of the glory of God is called by that name Beza The felicitie of Paradise described by Saint Austen Man liued in Paradise as he would so long as he willed that God commaunded he liued hauing the fruition of God of whome came his gooddesse He liued wanting nothing hauing in his powâ—r withall to liue continually Meate was euer redy and at hand because he should not be hungrie and drinke for that he should not thirst And tree of lyfe that age should not â—onsume and end his lyfe No corruption was thereâ— neither in his bodie or came of his bodyâ— which was to the loathsomenesse and 〈…〉 He feared neitheâ— inward disease nor outward 〈…〉 〈…〉 his flesh was perfect health and in euerie part of his soule no lesse tranquilitie and quietnesse As in Paradise no griefe was felt through heate or colde So lykewise to the inhabiters ther of happened there nothing through vnlawfull destra or feare that might be vnto the impeachment of his good and godâ—yâ—â—â— liued 〈…〉 In him was ther no foâ—â— coâ—fulneâ—â—â— at 〈…〉 nor yet anie 〈…〉 gladnesse true ioye was in him continued by Godâ— toward whom ther issued a burning 〈…〉 not of a pâ—â—e heart a good conscience and an vnfeiâ—ed 〈…〉 the â—anâ—â— the woman there was 〈…〉 proceeding of vertuous and 〈…〉 watching of minde and body and finally kéeping of Gods 〈…〉 without griefe or grudging 〈…〉 wit yâ— of all yâ— trees in paradise he might lawfully eate so that he absteined from the tree of the knowledge of good and built He therto Saint Austen PARADOX What Paradox iâ— PAradox is a straunge sentence contrarie to the opinion of the most partâ— Or thusâ— It is a straunge sentence not easely to be conceiued of the common sort Pet. Mar. fo 284. PARAPHRASE What Paraphrase is PAraphrase is a plaine setting forth of a text or sentence more at large with suchâ— circumstaunce of moe or other wordes as may make the sentence open cléere plaine familyar which other wise should perchaunce séeme bare vnfruitfull hard straunge rough obscure and darke to be vnderstood of any that were either vnlearned or but meanely letteredâ— Vdal PARDONS Of the Bishop of Romes forged Pardons THe Papists call the treasure of the Church the merites of Christ and of the holyâ— Apostles and Martirs The priâ—câ—â—all custodie of this â—arne as I haue alreadyâ— touched they â—aine to be deliuered to the Bishoppe of Rome that he shoulde haue the distributioâ— of so greatâ— giftes that he might both giue them himselfe and also graunt iurisdiction to other to giue them Héere vpon proceede 〈…〉 the Pope some time pleuâ—rie pardons some pardons 〈…〉 certeine yeares From the Cardinals pardons for an hundred daies from Bishops pardons for fortie daies But they â—e as I â—ay naturally describe theÌ„ the prophaning of the bloud of Christ Satans mockerie to 〈…〉 away the Christen people from she grace of God from the lyfe that is in Christ and to 〈…〉 from the true way of saluation for how could the bloud of Christ be more filthely prophaned then when it is deuied to suffice to the remission of sinnes to reconciliation and satisfaction vnlesse the want therof as being withered 〈…〉 wasted shoulde be other wise supplyed and profited The Lawe and the Prophts sayth Peter beare witnesse of 〈…〉 I ◠〈…〉 thatâ— by him for giuenesse of sinnes is to bee receiued 〈…〉 giue remission of sinnes by Peter Paule and the Martirs The bloud of Christ sayth Iohn cleanseth vs from sinne Pardons doe make the bloud of Martirs the washing awaye of sinnes Christ saith Paule which knewe not sinne was made sinne for vs that is the satisfaction of sinne that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God by him Pardons doe sette the satisfaction of sinnes in the bloud of Martirs Paule cried out and testified to the Corinthians that onelye Christ was crucified and dyed for vs Pardons pronounce that Paule and other dyed for vs. In an other place he sayth That Christ purchased the Church with his bloude The Pardons appoint an other price of purchase in the bloud of Martyrs The Apostle sayth that Christ with one oblation made perfect for euer them that were sanctified The Pardons crye out to the contrarie and saye that satifaction is made perfectly the bloude of Martyrs which otherwise were not sufficient Iohn sayth that all
SVSPENTION What Suspention is SUspention is the censure of the Eldershippe whereby one is for a time depriued of the Communion of the Sacraments Often this sorte are forbidden which as yet make profession of religion And in olde time among the Iewes the vncircumcised whether they were straungers or Iewes Exo. 12. 48. 49. Thus with vs they were by the same reason to bée debarred for a time which haue not embraced true religion or embracing make no profession thereof They also are put backe which professing religion commit any haynous crime for thus in times past the vncleane although not with greatest pollution were put of for a time as namelye those that were vncleane by touching of a dead bodye Num. 8. which after the same manner ought to bée obserued with vs. Neither it is doubtfull but when as Christ hath warned that he against whome a brother is offended shoulde not offer his gifte vntill hée were reconciled if hée doe it not of his owne frée will if the offence be knowne ought to be by the authoritie of the Senate compelled therevnto SVVEARING Why the Iewes were suffered to sweare by the name of God IN the olde lawe the Iewes in an earnest iust weightie cause were permitted to sweare in the name of God but not by all manner of creatures least they dwelling among the Heathen and accustoming their othes shuld by continuance of time fall into the filthy worshipping of their Idolls forgetting God Sweare by his name saith Moses Deut. 6. 13. and see that ye walke not after strange Gods of the Nations yâ— you remaine among So that ye neither make mention saith Iosua 23. 7. nor yet sweare by the names of their Gods Who sweareth aright They sweare iustly being required of the Magistrates which minding fraud nor deceit witnesseth onely the truth Which séeketh no parcialitie but the right not themselues but the glory of God the profit of their neighbour and the Common-wealth of Gods people What swearing is lawfull And sweare by his name c. ¶ To sweare that which is true in a cause of faith either to the honour of God or profit of thy neighbour is lawfull and then will Moses that the oth bee made in the name of God By which he meaneth that if we must néedes sweare we referre the oth to God onely although thou sweare by a booke or other thing as Paul did by his conscience Rom. 9. 1. T. M. And shall sweare by his name ¶ We must feare God serne him and confesse his name which is done by swearing lawfully Geneua To sweare by the Lord and to the Lord are two things And they sweare to the Lord c. ¶ To sweare vnto the Lord is to giue thy selfe wholly to him with a pure hart which thing true worshippers do as is said of Dauid Psal. 132. 2. But to sweare by the Lord is to call on the name of the Lord as a witnesse and Iudge as it is said Iosua 2. 12. T. M. Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe ¶ As we are forbidden to take the name of God in vaine or to sweare by any manner thing giuing the honour and glory vnto creatures that ought to be ascribed onely to God the Creator so when we are called before Magistrates we may lawfully take an Oth and sweare the Lord liueth Exo. 32. 8. 9. 10. 11. Deut. 6. 13. Heb. 4. 3. Rut. 1. 17 1. Reg. 20. 3. Sir I. Cheeke All priuate swearing is forbidden Sweare not at all saith Christ but let your communication be yea yea nay nay ¶ He saith twice yea and twice nay that is yea in heart and yea in mouth nay in heart and nay in mouth And if men when you meane truly will not beléeue you by your yea and nay let them take héede saith S. Basil â—or they shall tast the paine that belongeth to the vnbeléeuers therfore it is both foolish and damnable when a man cannot be beléeued by yea and nay without an oth because he wold be beleeued to sweare The Gospell saith S. Hierom permitteth no manner of priuate swearing because the whole language of a Christian should be so faithfull true and perfect that euery sentence thereof shall be able to stand for an oth How customable swearing is daungerous Of customable swearing commeth the damnable vice of periâ—â—â—e If a man shall vse commonly to sweare he cannot chuse but many times damnably to forsweare himselfe That a man hath in customeâ— he shall doe at all times but he shall not at all times refraine it The Lord saith Moses will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Deut. 5. 11. Exo. 20. 7. A man that vseth much swearing saith Iesus Sirach shall bée full of iniquitie and neuer shall the plague depart from his house All théeues and swearers are vnder one curse of God saith Zachary Stoned was he by the law that blasphemed the name of the Lord in Israel The Doctors against swearing Tell vnto me my friend saith Iohn Chrisostom what doâ—â— thou proâ—â—te by thy swearing If thine aduersary shuld thinke thée to sweare aright he would neuer compell thee to it but because he thinketh thee thereby to become a periâ—rer therefore enforceth he thée to an oth Seldome hath the priuate oth a good conclusion But happely thou wilt say I cannot â—â—ll my wares vnlesse I doe sweare or my debter beleeueth me not vnlesse I make him an oth Wherevnto I aunswere rather be content to haue thy wares vnsolde and to loose thy money then thy saluation in Christ. Reason faithfully with conscience and let thy soule be more deare vnto thee then thy corruptible substaunce For though thou loose part of thy substance yet maist thou liue but if thou loose God thou canst not liue A greater reward shalt thou haue for loosing of it in the feare of God then if thou hadst giuen it in almes for that is done in paine for the loue of the Lord requireth a more worthy crowne then that is done without paine Moreouer I counsell thée as my friend saith Chrisostome if thou be a true Christian that thou neuer compell any other man to sweare For whether he sweareth right or wrong thou art not without daunger afore God considering that Christ whose seruaunt thou oughtest to be hath giuen thee a sore commaundement to the contrary Beside that though his oth were true yet is not thy conscience cléere from periury for so much as the matter being doubtfull vnto thée thou puttest him to the daunger thereof And if it were false then hast thou enforced him to periury and so for lacke of Christen charitie lost both his soule and thine owne for whom Christ suffered his death Worse is he saith S. Austen then an homicide that compelleth a man to sweare whome he knoweth to forsweare himselfe For the homicide slayeth but the body whereas he slayeth the soule yea two soules rather That is to
Godhead S. Iohn sayth not Caro verbum facta est as the Arrians expound it and say the flesh receiued the worde but hée sayth Verbum caro factum est The word was made flesh I. Proctour ¶ In that he sayth the word became flesh and not man hée sheweth how farre Gods sonne humbled and abased himselfe For the Scripture calleth man flesh when he will signifie the pouertie vilenesse and miserie of man As when it is said All flesh is grasse and he remembred that we were but flesh my spirit shall not euer striue in man for he is flesh But when yâ— Euangelist sayth The word became flesh we may not imagin that Gods sonne ioyned to his diuine nature flesh only and not mans soule as Appolinaris thought in his traunce that flesh and the Godhead made one person without mans soule For he imagined that the diuinitie was in steede of a soule But so it should follow that the Lord Iesus was not a very man For flesh is not a man For the soule is the formall part of a man namely that wherby a man is a man without which a man cannot be And that the Lord had a mans soule beside his diuinitie he himselfe testifieth where he saith My soule is heauy vnto yâ— death Neither can Appol 〈…〉 is aide himselfe with this place For when the Scripture calleth men flesh it meaneth not that they are without soule for then they were no men indeede Traheâ—on What the Euangelist meaneth by the word in this place of Iohn In the beginning was the worde c. ¶ By the word the Euangelist meaneth the second person in the holy Trinitie namely our Lord Iesus Christ touching his diuine nature as it appeareth afterward when he saith And the worde became flesh Héere we must consider why Gods son is called a word Auncient writers consider a worde two wayes For they teach that there is an outward word and an inward word The outward word is that foundeth and passeth awaye The inwarde worde is the conceite of the heart which remaineth still in the heart when the sound is past So they saye that God hath an outward worde which is sounded pronounced and written in bookes And that hée hath an inwarde worde which remaineth within himselfe whereof the outwarde worde is an Image effect and fruite This inwarde worde euer remaining in him is called his sonne as the conceite of the heart maye bée called the ingendered fruite of the heart and the heartes childe They thinke also that he is called the worde of God because that as a worde is the Image of mans minde and representeth it vnto vs so the Lorde Iesus is Gods Image and most liuely representeth vnto vs his power his Godhead and his wisedome For whatsoeeuer is in the Father shineth in the Sonne Some other thinke that the worde héere is taken for a thing after the Hebrew manner of speaking For the Hebrewes vse Dabar which signifieth a worde for a thing When Esay the Prophet asked king Ezechias what the Babylonians had seene in his house he aunswereth thus They sawe all that was in my house Iohaial dabar there was not a word that is to say any one thing that I shewed not vnto them in my treasures The Prophet replyeth Behold the daies come that whatsoeuer is in thine house shall be taken away and whatsoeuer thy father haue laid vp in store vnto this day shal be carried to Babylon Ioij vather dabar ther shall not a word remain saith the Lord that is to say there shall not one thing be left behinde The Angel also in S. Luke when the virgin Mary meruailed how she shuld coceiue a childe without mans helpe sayd vnto her No word shall be impossible vnto God yâ— is nothing shal be impossible for him to do So that after this vnderstanding S. Iohns mening is that in the beginning ther was a diuine and heauenly thing with God Traheron How the word of God is called the light Thy word saith Dauid is a lanterne vnto my féet Psa. 119. 105 Againe the commaundements of the Lord is lightsome giuing light to the eyes Psal. 19. 7. Theophilact saith Verbum Dei est lucerna c. The word of God is the candle whereby the théefe or false preacher is espied How the word of God endureth for euer S. Hierome sayth Quomodo eternae erunt Scripturae diuinâ— c. How shall the holy Scriptures be euerlasting séeing the world shall haue an ende True it is that the parchment or leaues of the books with the letters and all shall bée abolished but forsomuch as the Lord addeth My words shal neuer passe doubtlesse though the papers and letters perish yet the thing that is promised by the same letters shall last for euer Of the nature and strength of the word of God For the word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then anye two edged swoorde and entereth through euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit of the ioyntes and of the marrowe and is a discouerer of the thoughts and the intent of the heart neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked and open vnto his eyes with whome wée haue to doe Surely as the raine commeth down and the Snow from heauen and returneth not thether but watereth the earth and maketh it to bring forth bud that it may giue séed to the sower and bread to him that eateth so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me in vaine but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it How the word of God hath sundrie names The word of God according to the sundry effectes and propertyes thereof hath sundry names as thus It is called seed for that it encreaseth and multiplyeth It is called a sword for that it cutteth the heart and diuideth the flesh from the spirit It is called a net for that it taketh vs and encloseth vs together It is called water for that it washeth vs cleane it is called fire for that it inflameth vs It is called bread for that it féedeth vs. Euen so it is called a key for that it giueth vs an entrye into the house The house is the kingdome of heauen Christ is the doore the word of God is the keye Iewel fo 144. How the word of God is the key ¶ Looke Key How the word of God is plaine They are all plaine vnto him that will vnderstand ¶ Meaning that the word of God is easie to al that haue a desire vnto it and which are not blinded by the Prince of this worlde Geneua The more that Gods word is troden downe the more it groweth The Pharesies sayd thus of Christ Videtis nos nihil proficere c. Ye sée we can doe no good lo the whole world
As manie as I loue I rebuke and chasten ¶ To chastice saith Gasper Megander is to correct one to his behoose And therfore héere is to be noted the difference betwéene the afflictions of the godlie the vngodlie for the godlie are afflictted to their owne profit namelie that they maie be nurtured to patience holde fast in the feare of the Lord according as you maie sée in Iob. 5. 17. lere 31. 18. and. 47. 28. Pro. 3. 11. Heb. 12. 6. But the correction of the vngodlie is called a consuming of them Ieremie 30. 23. 24. and 46. 10. And therefore the chosen doe amend at the Lords chatisement as did Dauid 3. Reg. 12. 13. but the reprobates are hardened the more by Gods scourge as Pharao was Exo. 9. 7. 35. Marlo vpon the Apo. fol. 69. Whie the iust be afflicted There are two principall causes whie God doth yéelde the iust men to be punished of the vngodlie and vniust The one is for their exercise the other for a speciall example For exercise that they maie thereby be trained in faith hope praier and praise of his name Such a matter Paule expressed saieng We will not haue you ignorant brethren of our trouble which betided vs in Asia c. The other is the elect and godlie persons be made examples of faith and patience when they doe with constant faith and sufferaunce beare the struglings of their afflictions in this world and so doe shine as bright as starres in the Church of the faithfull c. Musculus fol. 511. How our afflictions suffered for the truth shall be witnesses against our enimies And this shall turne to you for a testimoniall ¶ This shall be the end of your troubles and afflictions They shall be witnesse both before God and man as well of the trecherous and cruell dealing of your enimies as also of your constancie A notable saieng that the afflictions of the godlie and holie men perteine to the witnesse of the truth Beza ¶ This their sufferance shall both be a great confirmation of the Gospell and also by their constancie the tyrannie of their enimies shall at length be manifest before God and man Chapter 12. 12. Mathew 10. 19. Marke 13. 11. Geneua How afflictions are called light things For our light afflictions which is but for a moment ¶ Afflictions are not called light as though they were light of themselues but because they passe awaie quicklie when as indeede our whole life is of no great continuaunce Beza Light afflictions which is so called in respect of the euerlasting life Geneua How the rest of Christs afflictions are fulfilled And fulfill the rest of Christs afflictions c. ¶ The afflictions of the Church are said to bée Christes afflictions by reason of that fellowshippe and knitting together that the bodie and the head haue the one with the other not that there is anie more néede to haue the Church redéemed but that Christ sheweth his power in the dailie weaknesse of his and that for the comfort of the whole bodie As Christ hath once suffered in himselfe to redéeme his Church to sanctifie it so doth he dailie suffer in his members as partakers of their infirmities and therefore a reuenger of their iniuries Geneua Looke passion AGAINST Who is against Christ and who not WHosoeuer is not against vs is on our side ¶ Hée that doth not withstand the Gospell nor let the preaching of it but rather doth fauour it and willeth it to bée set foorth suffering himselfe to bée taught and rebuked by it though that he doe not followe Christ in all things yet ought wée not to count him for an enimie but much rather for a friend Christ saith in the. 12. Chapter of Mathew He that is not with me is against me but that saieng is nothing contrarie to this where he saith Hée that is not against vs is with vs. For in the twelfe of Mathew he speaketh of open blasphemies and haters of the truth Sir I. Cheeke Although he shew not himselfe to be mine yet in that he beareth reuerence to my name it is inough for vs. Geneua He that is not with mée is against me ¶ Hée declareth to the Pharesies that they were in two sorts his enimies not onelie because they did forsake him but also make open war against him Geneua AGONIE Whie Christ was in such an agonie BUT being in an agonie he praied more earnestlie ¶ This agonie sheweth that Christ stroue much was in great distresse for Christ stroue not onelie with the feare of death as other men vse to doe for so manie martyrs might séeme more constant then Christ but with the fearfull iudgement of his angrie Father which is the fearefullest thing in the world and the matter was for that he tooke the burthen of all our sinnes vpon himselfe Beza ¶ The word signifieth the honour that Christ had receiued not onelie for feare of death but of his Fathers iudgement and wrath against sinne Geneua AGRIPPA For what cause Agrippa was so willing to heare Paule I Would also heare the man my selfe ¶ Agrippa will heare Paule not for to learne the truth whereof he was nothing desirous but that he might heare some new thing beeing in this matter like vnto manie which now a daies goe to sermons not to learne how to amend their liues but to heare newes Sir I. Cheeke Agrippa said vnto Paule somewhat thou perswadest me to be a Christian. ¶ He sawe a little light but it was soone out much like vnto those that hearing a Sermon are for the time well minded but after returne to their olde trade The Bible note ALABASTER What the propertie of Alabaster is SAuing an Alabaster bore ¶ This was a verie fine and delicate boxe being made of Alabaster which was a kinde of glasse verie necessarie to preserue ointment in it was so called of the Grecians and of taking the primatiue A because for the smoothnesse thereof it could not be held Plâ—ie in his 36. booke and viij Chapter maketh mention of the Alabaster stone For when he had spolien in the. 35. Chapter of the Onix stone he goeth forward thus Some men saith he call this the Alabaster stone the which they make holowe to put in ointment bicause it is said to preserue the same verie well These things agrée with that which Homere writeth saieng the little Onir will drawe vnto it a pipe of the Oile Spiknard or Nardus ointment Marl. vpon Mathew fol. 620. ALBANENSES The opinions that these heretiâ—es held THis sect began about the yeare of our Lord. 1120. which held sundrie heresies One was that the soule of man after his death was put into an other bodie An other that Baptisme was of no efficacie The third that there were two Gods one good and an other euill And that of the good God procéeded good thinges and of the euill God euill things The fourth that in hell were
none other paines then be in this world The fift that the generall iudgement is past and that there is none to come The sixt that it is not lawfull for anie man to swere The seuenth that a man hath no fréewil called in latine Liberum arbitrium The eight that the matter whereof the world was made was not made of God but is coeternall with God The ninth that there is no originall sin Also that sinne conuneth not of frée-will but of the diuell The tenth they denied that the bodie should eftsoones arise at the daie of iudgement The eleuenth they abiected all the olde Testament as a vaine thing and of no authoritie Eliote ALBIGENSES The opinion of these heretikes THese were heretikes which began by Tolonce in Fraunce the yeare of our Lord. 120. which helde the heresies of the Albanenses touching the soule of man that after death the soule was put into an other bodie And that Baptisme was of none effect And that there was two Gods the one good and the other euill And that the generall iudgement was past And beside that they said it was not lawfull for a Christian man to eate flesh Eliote ALLEGORIE What the nature of an Allegorie is AN Allegorie is that which is one in words and an other in sentence and meaning It is as much to saie as straunge speaking or borrowed speach as when we saie of a wanton childe This Shéepe hath maggattes in his taile hée must bée annointed with Byrchin salue which speach I borrowe of the Shepheard c. Tindale An Allegorie is when the words are not transferred from the proper signification but sound one thing and couertlie shew foorth an other thing as when it is said that pearles are not to bée giuen to Swine héere euerie worde kéepeth still his proper signification and in them is taught that the precious doctrine of God ought not to bée sette foorth vnto impudent and obstinate men c. Pet. Mart. vpon the Romaines fol. 327. What the true vse of an Allegorie is First Allegories proue nothing And by Allegories vnderstand examples or similitudes borrowed of straunge matters and of an other thing then that thou intreatest off And though circumcision be a figure of Baptisme yet thou canst not proue Baptisme by circumcision For this argument were féeble The Israelites were circumcised therefore wée must bee baptised And in like manner though the offering of Isaac were a figure or example of the resurrection yet is this argument naught Abraham would haue offered vp Isaac but God deliuered him from death therefore wée shall rise againe and so of all other But the verie vse of Allegories is to declare and open a text that it maie be the better perceiued and vnderstoode As when I haue a cleare text of Christ and of his Apostles that I must bée baptised then I maie borrowe an example of circumcision to expresse the nature power fruite or effect of Baptisme For as circumcision was vnto them a common badge signifieng that they were all souldiers of God to warre his warre and seperating them from all other nations disobedient vnto God Euen so Baptisme is our common badge and sure earnest and perpetuall memoriall that wée perteine vnto Christ and are separated from all that are not Christes And as circumcision was a token certefieng them that they were receiued vnto the fauour of GOD and their sinnes forgiuen them Euen so Baptisme certifieth vs that we are washed in the bloud of Christ and receiued to fauour for his sake And as circumcision signified vnto them the cutting away of their owne lusts and slaieng of their fréewill as they call it to followe the will of God euen so Baptisme signifieth vnto vs repentaunce and the mortification of our vnrulie members and bodies of sinne to walke in a newe life and so foorth Tindale fol. 15. Of two kinde of Allegories There are two kindes of Allegories For some are set foorth vnto vs by holie Scripture as Christ is Ionas who was in the heart of the earth thrée daies as he was in the bellie of the Whale Againe that he is Salomon or the serpent hanged vp in the desert or the Lambe And that the two sonnes of Abraham are two testaments Those I saie for as much as they are found in the holie Scriptures maie in no wise bée reiected but are firme places whereby when néede requireth maie bée proued doctrines There are other allegories which men through their owne iudgement and reason finde out whom indéede wée confesse that they maie followe their owne fantasie so that they beware of two things First that they deuise nothing that is repugnaunt to sound doctrine Secondlie that they obtrude not those their deuises as naturall and proper sences of the holie Scripture Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 345. ALL. How this word All is taken AND all the cattell of Aegipt died ¶ This word all is not taken heere for euerie one but a great number or of all sorts of cattell some as 1. Tim. 2. 1. T. M. How this place God will haue all men saued is vnderstood God will haue all men saued ¶ That is will haue the Gospell preached to all men without exception offer to all men repentance and will haue all men praied for Tindale ¶ The meaning of this foresaid text is that God hath chosen of euerie estate condition order or degrée of men whom he will haue to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth Whereby we do learne that God doth as well choose the king as the subiect and as well the subiect as the king as well the riche as the poore and as well the poore as the rich And that there is no estate or condition of life out of the which he will not haue some to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth I. Veron ¶ Héere we learne that God refuseth no nation whether they be Iewes or Heathen Also that he refuseth no estate whether they be poore or rich king or subiect it is all one to him he hath no respect of persons but will haue his Gospell to be preached vnto al nations estates that such as be preordinated vnto life maie come to the knowledge of the truth Sir I. Cheeke ¶ We take it to be spoken of all estates and kindes of men namelie that God will haue some of all kinde of men to be saued which interpretation agreeth excellentlie well with the purpose of the Apostle He had commanded that praiers supplications shuld be made for all men especiallie for kings and those which haue publike authoritie that vnder them we maie liue a quiet life in all pietie chastitie And therefore to declare that no estate or kinde of men is excluded he added That God will haue all men saued As if he should haue said no man is letted by that vocation and degrée wherein he is placed so that it be not repugnaunt to the
spoken of in the same that in the flame they felt no heate and in the fire they felt no consumption And I constantlie beléeue that howsoeuer the stubble of this my bodie shall be wasted by it yet my soule spirit shall be purged thereby A paine for a time whereon nowithstanding followeth ioie vnspeakable And he much intreated of this place of Scripture Noli timere c. Feare not for I haue redéemed thée and called thée by name Thou art mine owne when thou goest through the water I will bée with thée and the strong floud shall not ouerthrow thée when thou walkest in the fire it shall not burne thée and the flame shall not kindle vpon thée for I am the Lord thy God the holie one of Israel Which he did most comfortablie intreat off as well in respect of himselfe as appling it to the perticular vse of his friendes there present Of whom some tooke such swéet fruit therein that they caused the whole sayd sentence to be faire written in tables and some in their bookes the comfort whereof in diuerse of them was neuer taken from them to their dieng daie In the booke of Mar. fol 1131. His aunswere to a proude Papist BIlney béeing demaunded in dirision by a proud Papist when hée went to his death whie hée wrought no Myraâ—les béeing so holy a man as he was accompted aunswered with milde voice and countenance God onely sayd he worketh myracles wonders he it is that hath wrought this one wonder in your eies that I being wroÌ„gfullie accused falslie belied opprobriouslie and spitefullie handled imprisonned buffeted and condmned to the fire yet hitherto haue I not once opened my mouth with one ill word against anie of you This passeth the worke of nature and is therefore the manifest miracle of God who will by my suffering and death be glorified and haue his truth enhaunced Of the Bill of diuorcement ¶ Looke Diuorcement BINDING AND LOOSING What is meant heereby TO binde and loose is to preach the lawe of God and the Gospel or promises as thou maist sée in the third chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians wher Paule calleth the preaching of the lawe the ministration of death and damnation and the preaching of the promises the ministring of the spirit and of righteousnesse For when the lawe is preached al men are found sinners and therefore dampned And when the Gospell of glad tidings are preached then are all that repent and beléeue found righteous in Christ c. Tindale fol. 150. Whatsoeuer ye binde on earth c. ¶ That is whatsoeuer ye condemne by my word in earth the same is condempned in heauen And that ye allow by my word in earth is allowed in heauen Tindale In the. 16. Chapter verse 19. he meant this of doctrine and héere of Ecclesiasticall discipline which dependeth of the doctrine Geneua ¶ To binde is to banish the stifnecked and vnrepentant sinner from the congregation of the Saints to loose is when he repenteth and submitteth himselfe to receiue him againe into the fellowship of the elect and chosen people of God Sir I. Chee ¶ God in promising men the forgiuenesse of their sinnes giueth charge and commission to the ministers of his worde to drawe them from death according as it is expreslie saide that the keies of the kingdome of heauen are coÌ„mitted so those which preach the gospell to what end To forgiue sinnes not of their owne authoritie but to the intent that the wretched man bée the better assured of their saluation and not doubt but God receiueth them to mercie Cal. â—pon Iob. fol. 592. BISHOP What a Bishop and his office is IF a man couet the office of a Bishoppe he desireth a good worke c. ¶ Bishop is as much to say as séer to or an ouer séer Which when he desireth to féede Christs flocke with the foode of health that is with his holie word as the Bishops did in Paules time desireth a good work and the verie office of a Bishop But he that desireth honour gapeth for lucre thirsteth great rentes séeketh preheminence pompe dominion coueteth abundance of al things without want rest and hearts ease castles parkes Lordships Earledomes c. desireth not a worke much lesse a good worke and is nothing lesse then a Bishop as Saint Paule héere vnderstandeth a Bishop Tind How Bishops were chosen In choosing of Bishops the people had their libertie long preserued that none should be thrust in that were not accepted of all This therfore was forbidden in the counsell at Antioch that none should be thrust in to them against their wil Which thing also Leo the first doth diligentlie confirme Héerevpon came these saiengs Let him be chosen whom the Clergie and the people or the greater number shal require Againe let him that shall beare the rule ouer all be chosen of all For it must needs be the he that is made a ruler being vnknowne and not examined is thrust in by violence Againe let him be chosen by the Clarks and desired by the people and let him be consecrate by them of that prouince with the iudgemeÌ„t of the Metropolitane The holy Fathers tooke so great héed that the libertie of the people should by no meanes be diminished that when the generall Synode gathered together at Constantinople did ordeine Nectarius they would not doe it without the allowance of the whole Clergy and people As they testified by thrée Epistles to the Synode at Rome Therfore when anie Bishop did appoint a successor to himselfeâ— it was none otherwise stablished vnlesse yâ— who le people did confirme it Whereof you haue not onely an example but also yâ— verie forme in Augustine in the naming of Gradius And Theodorâ—te when he reheraseth that Peter was named by Athanasius to bée his successor by by addeth yâ— the elders of Priests confirmed it the magistrate nobility the people approued it with their allowing shoute Caluine in his insti 4. â— Chap. 4. Sect. 11. Of the ordination of Bishops and Ministers The ordination of Bishops hath nothing proper or peculiar besides fruits commodities that necessarilie depend therof for it is the decrée of the Lord that of them to whome they minister the secrets and mysteries of the heauenlie life they receiue the things that belong to the necessarie vses and maintenaunce of this lyfe As Saint Paule plainlie proueth to the Corinthians 1. Chapter 9. from the. 4. verse to the. 15. And the 1. to Timothie 5. 17. 18. And to the Gal. 6. 6. which thing also Christ teacheth Mat. 10. 10. Luke 10. 17. So the this is the iust right lawe of God that the Bishoppes or ministers are to bée mainteined of the Churches and such a measure is to be kept the they be neither pressed with ouer great néed nor runne riot with too much excesse for in either of them a regard is to bée had to the calling of a
a great feare vpon those that sawe them ¶ That is to saie when the enimies of the truth sawe they auailed nothing by putting the Preachers of the word to death they were sore afraid like as at this daie manie of the persecuters of the Gospell are constrained to saie that they loose their labour vtterlie in persecuting those that be against the Popish doctrine For the moe of them that be burned and put to death the mo do come away from the vntoward doctrine to the doctrine of the Gospel for the bloud of Martirs is the séed of the church◠Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 159. BODIE What a naturall bodie is A Naturall bodie is he that is led by his affections not vnderstanding the things of the spirit of God Tindale What a spirituall bodie is A spirituall bodie is he that is led by the spirit of God How the bodie of Christ is in one place Dardamus did write vnto Saint Austen for the exposition of these words that Christ spake vnto the Thiefe saieng This daie shalt thou be with me in Paradise and wist not how to vnderstand it whether Christ meant that the Thiefe should be in Paradise with Christs soule or with his bodie or with his Godhead Therevpon Saint Austen writeth that as touching Christs bodie that daie it was in the Sepulcher saith it was not in Paradise although it was in a garden that he was buried for Christ he saith meant of a place of ioie and that was not saith S. Augustine in his Sepulcher And as for Christs soule it was that daie in hell and no man will saie that Paradise is there wherefore saith S. Austen the text must néedes be vnderstood that Christ spake it of his Godhead ¶ Héere S. Austen saith plainlie that Christs bodie as touching his manhood was in the graue and as touching his Soule it was in Hell so that while his bodie was in the graue it was not in Paradise For if he had thought that Christs bodie or soule might haue bene in diuers places at once he would not haue said that the text must néedes be vnderstood of his Diuinitie Againe As touching his Manhoode he was in Earth and not in Heauen where he now is when he said No man ascendeth into Heauen but he that descended from Heauen the Sonne of man which is in Heauen ¶ Doubt not saith Austen againe but that Christ our Lord the onelie begotten sonne of God equall with the Father and the same being the sonne of man wherein the Father is greater is whole present in all places as touching his Godhead and dwelleth in the same Temple of God as God and in some place of heauen for the cordicion of his verie bodie Héere S. Austen saith as touching his Manhood he is onelie in one certaine place in heauen and not in manie places at once ¶ The same one man is locall that is to saie contained in one place as touching his manhood which is also God vnmeasurable from the father The same one man as touching the substaunce of his manhood was absent from heauen when he was in earth and so forsaking the earth when he ascended into Heauen but as touching his Godhead vnmeasurable substance he neither forsooke heauen when he descended from heauen nor forsooke the earth when he ascended into heauen which maie be knowen by the most sure word of the Lord which to shew his humanitie to be locall that is to say conteined in one place onelie did say vnto his Disciples I ascend vnto my father your father my God and your God Of Lazarus also when he said I am glad for your sakes that you may beléeue for that I was not there And againe shewing the vnmeasurablenesse of his Godhead said vnto his Disciples I am with you vnto the worlds ende How did he ascend into heauen but because hée is locall and a verie man or how is he present vnto his faithfull but because he is vnmeasurable and verie God ¶ Now may Christ be called a straunger is he departed into a strange countrey séeing he is with vs vnto the worlds end and is among them that be gathered in his name Aunswere Christ is both God and man hauing in him two natures And as man he is not with vs vnto the worlds ende nor is present with his faithfull gathered together in his name But his diuine power spirit is euer with vs. Paule saith he was absent from the Corinthiaris in bodie but he was present with them in spirit So is Christ gone hence saith he and absent in his humanitie which in his diuine nature is euerie where and in these saiengs we reserue to both his natures their properties ¶ A bodie must néedes bée in some place if it be not within the compasse of a place it is no where if it be no where it is not ¶ Doubt not but Iesus Christ as concerning the nature of his manhood is now there from whence he shall come And we may not thinke that his mans nature is euerie where for we must beware that we doe not so stablish his diuinitie to take awaie the vertue of his bodie ¶ Christian people must beléeue that although Christ be absent from vs concerning his bodie yet by his power he gouerneth vs all things For like as when he was conuersant héere in earth as man yet then he filled heauen Euen so being in heauen with his flesh yet filleth the Earth and is in them that loue him ¶ S. Ambrose saith We must not séeke Christ vpon earth nor in earth but in heauen where he sitteth at the right hande of his Father ¶ To goe to his father from vs was to take from the world the nature which he receiued of vs. He is with vs and not with vs. For touching the forme of a seruaunt which he tooke away from vs into heauen he is absent frōm vs but by y◠forme of God he is present with vs. And neuerthelesse both present absent he is all one Christ. ¶ If the word flesh wer both of one nature séeing that the word is euerie where why is not the flesh then euerie where For when it was in Earth then verelie it was not in heauen And when it is in heauen it is not surelie in earth And so sure that it is not in earth that we looke for him to come from heauen ¶ To be conteined in a place and to be euerie where be diuers and contrarie one nature cannot receiue in it selfe two diuers and contrarie things ¶ He is created by nature of his flesh and not created by the nature of his Godhead He is comprehended in a place by the nature of his flesh and not comprehended in a place by the nature of his Godhead ¶ Thus much of this matter gathered out of the workes of I. Frith BOOKE What the booke of life is ANd
5. 1. Marl. vpon the Apocalips fol 53. ¶ My minde is to yoke you with no other lawe nor to burden you with anie other traditions then I haue alredie giuen you neither with ceremonies rites nor auncient customes in the obseruation of daies moneths times nor yeares in holie daies fastings vigils nor Sabotes for they were but shadowes of things to come Bale vpon the Apoc. fol. 40. The meaning of this place following What is the burden of the Lord. The Prophets called their threatnings Gods burden which the sinners were not able to susteine Therefore the wicked in deriding the word would aske of the Prophets what was the burden as though they would saye you séeke nothing els but to lay burdens vpon our shoulders And thus they reiected the word of God as a burden But bicause this word was brought to contempt and derision he will saith the Prophet teach them another manner of speach and will cause this word burden to cease and teach them to aske with reuerence what saith the Lord. For the thing that they mocke and contemne shall come vpon them Geneua ¶ The wicked mens hearts were so hardened against 〈…〉 truth that they vsed scornefullie to scosfe at Gods threatening prophestes in mocking calling them Gods fardle or burden The Bible note Of the burden of Babel The burden of Babel which Esaie the sonne of Amos did sée ¶ That is the great calamitie which was prophesied to come on Babel as a most gréeuous burden which they were not able to beare In these twelue Chapters following he speaketh of the plague wherwith God would smite those straunge nations whom they knew to declare that God chastened the Israelites as his children and these other as his enimies And also that if God spared not these that are ignoraunt that they must not think straunge if he punish them which haue knowledge of his lawe and kéepe it not Geneua BVRIAL How Buriall is a looking glasse of resurrection BUriall was brought in by God It is no inuention of man without good ground but it is Gods ordinaunce to the end it should be a witnesse to vs of the resurrection and euerlasting life When men be buried they are laid vp in the earth as in a store house vntill they be raised vp againe at the last daie and so our buriall is vnto vs a loking glasse of the resurrection Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 472. The Pompe of buriall forbidden But when thou doest heare saith Chrisostome that our Lord did rise againe naked cease I praie thée from the madde expence of the burieng what meaneth this superfluous and vnprofitable expence which vnto them that make it bringeth hurt and no profite to the dead but rather harme What the Greekes and Hebures doe call their buring places The Gréekes doe call their burieng places Camâ—tereum that is to saie a Dorter or sléeping place signifieng thereby that we ought to be as sure or rather more sure that they that be buried shall be raised againe at the last daie of the generall resurrection then we are sure to rise againe when we lay our selues downe to sléepe and that therefore we ought no more to 〈…〉 be wâ—ese 〈…〉 out friends when wée sée anie of them to be laide into the ground then wée ought to be soriâ— when we sée them goe to â—edde and laie themselues downe to take their rest béeing most assured by the vndouted infallible word of God that we shall receiue them againe immortall and most gloriouâ—â— The Hebrues doe call their burieng placed oâ— the 〈…〉 〈…〉 the liuing because that they that be buried 〈…〉 God and shall be receiued againe by his 〈…〉 I. Veron What 〈…〉 is to be buried with Christ. 〈…〉 buried with Christ 〈…〉 Bapâ—â—â—e in to his death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorie of the Father so wée also should walke in newnesse of life ¶ This partaking of death and life with Christ is nothing els but the mortifieng of our owne flesh the quickening of the spirit in that the olde man is crucified and we may walke in newnesse of life Calâ—ehill Of the Burial of Iohn Baptist. ¶ Looke Iohn Baptist. BVRNE What it is to Burne IT is is better to marrie then to burne ¶ To burne after Saint Ambrose is when the will consenteth to the lust of the flesh Tindale ¶ Then to burne with the fire of concupisence that is when mans will so giueth place to the lust that tempteth that he cannot call vpon God with a quiet conscience Geneua What these burning lights doe signifie And your lights burning ¶ These burning lightes that Christ willeth us to haue in our handes are a liuelie faith working through charitie The works of the Christians ought to be liuelie feruent and burning Sir I. Cheeke Of burnt offerings and peace offerings They offered burnt offerings and peace offerings ¶ Burnt offerings were they which were all burnt but of peace offerings a certeine part was offered an other part was giuen vnto the Priest an other part returned vnto him which offered it to eate it with his friends in the sight of the Lord. Pet Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 271. Whie it was called a whole burnt offering And offered a whole burnt offering◠¶ It is called a whole burnt offering because the whole sacrifice was consumed with fire by the which is signified that the person which did offer the same should haue his heart and minde wholie vppon God as it is written Loue thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule c. The Bible note How the Christians doe offer burnt 〈…〉 Although that the burnt offering of 〈…〉 〈…〉 Sheepe of Calues and Birdes offered in the olde lawe be abolished by the glorie of Christ whose death and passion they did adâ—â—brate aâ— S. Paule witnesseth Heb. 10. Shall we thinke thereâ— fore that we now which be Christians haue not burnt 〈…〉 fice to offer vnto God yes mâ— then they had For so often as we doe preach or the king or anie other godlie man doth cause or helpe Christs Gospell to be purelie and sincerelie preached to the people so oft doe we offer a burnt sacrifice of swéete sauour vnto God a sacrifice that pleaseth God farre aboue the offering of a young fat calfe that hath hornes and houesâ— This is that swéete sacrifice whereof Malachie the Prophet doth speake in the first Chapter saieng From the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same great is my name among the Gentiles and in euerie place shall sacrifice be made and offering set vp to my name This sacrifice and burnt offering is not the sacrifice of the wicked Masse but it is the sacrifice of the preaching of Christes death and the meritas of hiâ—â—sionâ— We doe also offer burnt sacrifices vnto the Lord when we doe offer our selues our hearts our mindes and all 〈…〉 dilie members to the true seruing of God in
that Christ was borne of the virgin Mary saieng he was gotten of the séede of Ioseph Also that his bodie suffered and that his soule onelie was receiued into heauen He liued about the yere of our Lord. 142. CARREN OR CARKAS ¶ Looke Eagles CASTOR AND POLLVX What these two were and how they were worshipped Whose badge was Castor and Pollux ¶ These in olde time were estéemed as Gods which if they appeared both together were counted fauourable and luckie to mariners and such as trauailed the Seas If one after another or but one alone vnfortunate and cruell The owner of the ship caried the badge of them not without great confidence therein that these two Gods would prosper his voiage because he honoured them with the carieng thereof Tindale ¶ Those the Panims fained to be Iupiters children and Gods of the Sea Geneua ¶ So they vsed to decke the fore-part of their ships wherevpon the ships were called by such names Beza CAVE OR DENNE What difference is betweene a caue and a denne MAde them dennes in the mountaines and caues raelits to auoid the miseries made them caues For so doth this Hebrue word Manaharoth signifie denies It is in Hebrue writeten Mearoth But what difference there is betwéen these two words as much as I can gather by the Hebrâ—es I will declare Those first places were in bankes of hills and were so called because from the vpper parts they had certaine chinkes and holes which were like windowes so that through them they had light sufficient within And yâ— same places were verie hansome for men to dwell in theÌ„ R. Leui. saith yâ— through those holes and cliftes which were like windowes spies when they saw the Madianites comming did vse either by kindeling of fires or by some other token to giue knowledge vnto the Hebrues whereby they might gather their stuffe fruits and cattels into the dennes and lead them awaie from the enimies which were comming by For dennes were not in mountaines but places vnder the earth in the fields being darke and without light wherein men did not dwell but they might after a sorte hide their things and goods But Caues in Latine are called Specus a speciendo which is to behold and looke vpon because out of them as out of high places they which were ther vsed to looke through c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 112. CAVSE What the cause of vnbeliefe is and also of faith Obiection What is the cause that the one sort through vnbeliefe do reiect the Gospell when it is offered them that the other receiue it by faith Aunswere It is not to be meruailed at when men by their vnbeliefe and vnkindnesse reiect the Gospell but it is meruaile that some are found that doe receiue it by faith For that all men being corrupted with sin is of such peruerse nature wickednes that they cannot nor will not beleeue in God nor follow his word And though that manie of contrarie nature be found which not onelie receiue by faith the word of God Iesus Christ our Lord but are also readie to laie downe their life to adandon the same for the confession of their faith vnderstand they are not such of nature but by the grace of God by the which they are renued transformed into a new nature are new creatures For it is not flesh and bloud that hath reuealed it to them but the heauenlie father Pet. Viret How the cause of sinne is not to be laid vnto God God compelleth no man to sinne but euerie man willinglie sinneth wherefore the cause of sinne is not to be laied in him Pet. Mar. vpon ludic fol. 163. How the successe maketh not the cause either good or bad If the successe be euill the cause is not therfore straight way euill Neither if the successe be good is yâ— cause therfore straight way good Nabuchodonozer destroied Iewrie and led away the Nations that were adioining captiues into Babilon yet was not his cause therefore good Gods cause indéede was iust for he would by that meanes take vengeance of a rebellious people But Nabuchodonozer thought nothing els but to exercise his tyrannie Ioseph because he would auoid adulterie was cast into prison and yet was not his cause therefore euer a whit the worse Dauid was reiected of Absalom yet was not Absaloms cause therefore any whit the better In our time Princes that are Protestants haue had euill successe in warre yet is therefore not yâ— cause of the Gospell to be thought yâ— worse The Beniamites now got the victorie more then once or twice in a cause most wicked The holie Martyrs in our time are most miserarablie slaine of Tyrants that with most cruell kinde of torments and yet we nothing doubt but their cause is most excellent England had of late as touching the word of God truth a Church most rightlie instituted which was afterward miseblie disiected and seperated neither followed it thereby that the cause of Religion was euill But now thankes be giuen vnto God that hath restored it Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 271. ¶ Looke Sinne. CENCHREA How Paule vesd himselfe at Cenchrea what Cenchrea as ANd he shore his head in Cenchrea ¶ Cenchrea is an hauen at Cormth where Paule taking ship did sheare his head according to his vowe For according to the Lawe of Moses they that vowed themselues to God were commanded to suffer their haire to growe as long as they would continue Nazarites and afterward to sheare it to burne it This did Paule not forgetting what he had before decréed with yâ— Apostles touching the abolishing of yâ— law But lest the Iewes which beleeued shuld be offended he fained himselfe a Iew to win yâ— Iewes Tindale CERDON Of the wicked opinions of this man HE taught that Christ was neuer borne of a woman that he had no flesh nor suffered anie passion but séemed onely to suffer He affirmed that God which is declared in the Lawes Prophets to be God was not the father of our Sauiour Christ forsomuch as he was knowen the other vnknowen The one was iust the other was good It was his doctrine also that some creatures of themselues were euill that they were not made of the God that was the chiefe goodnesse but of another God of all naughtinesse whom he called the chiefe or principall mischiefe He was about the yeare of our Lord. 144. Eliotâ— Eusebius li. 4. cap. 10 11. CEREMONIES What Paule meaneth by Ceremonies ¶ Looke Rudiments When Ceremonies maie be retained when not SO long as it maie be vnderstood of all people what is ment by them and so long as they serue the people preach one thing or other they hurt not greatlie Although the free seruant of Christ ought not to be brought violentlie into subiection vnder bondage of mens traditions As S. Augustine complaineth in his daies how that the condition and state of the
of good fridaie which we after our counting of yâ— clock do take to be toward night as it were about 3. of yâ— clocke in yâ— after noone vntil yâ— dawning of Easter daie in yâ— morning But I doubt of this doctrine saith yâ— Author and yâ— for two causes Once we read yâ— Christ hanging vpon yâ— crosse did giue vp his soule commending it into the handes tuition of his Father saieng Pater in manus c. Againe we read that Christ hanging vpon the crosse said to the good théefe that said Remember me O Lord when thou shalt come into thy kingdome Christ answered yâ— thiefe saidâ— Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso This day thou shalt be with are in paradise weigh these words wel First Christ said Hodie to day yâ— is to say immediatly after thy soule shal depart out of thy body MecuÌ„ eris Thou shalt be yâ— me wher In Paradiso in paradise what shal we cal paradise Shal we not vnderstaÌ„d yâ— kingdoÌ„e of heuen by paradise séeing yâ— théefe said Remember me wheÌ„ thou coÌ„mest into thy kingdom wher is Christs kingdoe but in heauen Lyra doth wrest this word paradise to signifie LimbuÌ„ sanctoruÌ„ patruÌ„ But Theophilactus grauÌ„teth yâ— paradise the kingdoÌ„ of heaueÌ„ is all one thing in vnderstaÌ„ding yet he séemeth to lene to this conclusioÌ„ Quod Christâ—s euÌ„ menâ—e ingressus est paradisuÌ„ in infernuÌ„ desceÌ„det cuÌ„ aâ—ima And yet he denieth yâ— théefe had yâ— fulnes of glory yea or yâ— the soules of yâ— patriarks other saints departed in of yâ— faith of Christ haue yâ— fulnesse of ioyes glory which they shal haue at yâ— day of dome wheÌ„ yâ— body yâ— soule shal be vnited together yet he graunteth yâ— the théefs soule went straight to yâ— kingdoÌ„e of heaueÌ„ S. Augustine in an epistle yâ— he wrote to Euodius affir moth plainly Quod anima Christi descendit ad infernos yâ— Christ in his soule while his bodie laie dead in yâ— graue went downe into hell whom Saint Bede doth follow Saint Hierome in his commentaries that he written vppon yâ— Psalter Si tamen Hieronimi sint hath these words Non derelinques qua ipsa ad inferna defcendit vt electos suos eijcerit diabolos ligaret qua antea iactitabat se esse omniuÌ„ DominuÌ„ nunc omnium seruus And therfore S. Hierome in a certeine Epistle hath these words Quid homine imbecilius qui a carne sua vincitur quid ita homine Christi aut fortius qui diabolum mundum vincit But how Quia omnia possum in eo qui me confortat Because we put our trust in the name of Iesus which bad vs be bold vpon him saieng Confidete a me quia ego vici mundum To tell you more of their mindes that say that Christ went downe into hell in his soule Saint Gregorie and certeine other doe adde and saie moreouer Quod anima Christi passasiâ— apud inferos And that when Iohn Baptist béeing in prison and hearing of the myracles of Christ sending to Christ two of his Disciples with this message saieng Tu es qui venturus an alium expectamus The meaning of Saint Iohn was this Art thou he or shall wée looke for an other not meaning whether he were the true Messias incarnate for then he must haue said Tu es quivenisti an alium expectamus but Iohn said Tu es qui venturus an alium expectamus Meaning saith Saint Gregorie that where now I am in prison and sée nothing but present death what shall I in my soule like as I haue bene thy preacher and thy fore runner héere iu earth shall I in my soule also preach vnto the soules departed in the faith of thée to come These bée Saint Gregories words Debeo te nunciare inferis qui te nunciam superis As touching the second opinion that Christ descended into hell not personalie in his soule Sed in spiritu Hoc est viuifica mortis sua virtute that is by the might and power of his redeÌ„mption that he made vpon the crosse This opinion I haue not saue onelie in the learned writers of this our age which doe proue their opinion true by the wordes of Saint Peter written in his first Epistle in the third and fourth Chapters which places vndoubtedlie are verie notable These bée the wordes of Saint Peter in the third Chapter Christus in spiriâ—u 〈…〉 spiritibus â—ui 〈…〉 careete â—raâ—t prâ—dicaâ—it Christ in spirit that is to sale in the power of his Godhead and inerites of his manhood and vertue of his passion went and preached vnto the Saints that were in prison Of the spirites that were in prison at the time of Christs suffering vnder Pontius Pilate ther wer two sundrie sorts good bad the soules of Infidels the soules of vngodlie wicked liuers in this wretched world as Cain Nemroth the Sodomits Gomoreanâ— the Philistines the Iebusites Iudas the traitor with his fellowes And the soules of the Patriarchs Adam Abel Seth Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid and all other soules of holie men and faithfull beléeuers in Christ to come All flesh both good and badde were in prison till at the suffering of Christ vpon the Crosse but yet not all in one prison The soules of the Saints that is of good men were by themselues in one societie or fellowship which the Gospell calleth the Bosome of Abraham and S. Peter calleth it a prison in respect of the infinite pleasures To both these sorts of spirits or soules Christ preached but after a sundry sort To the good sort he preached redemption satisfaction for their sinnes paied by Christ vpon the crosse and therevpon receiued them into heauen vnto himselfe To the soules of the sinfull he preached perpetuall paines in Hell neuer to haue ende but bound and to burne continuallie with the Diuell whom they did serue when they were aliue Of the wicked and damned soules S. Peter giueth an example by whome all the world maie take héede Of the good soules he giueth no example But of the damned soules he giueth now example by them that liued iâ— Noesâ— time that were disobedient to the preaching of Noe when the long suffering of God abode excéeding patientlie but in conclusion there were no moe saued from drowning sauing onelie eight persons That the meaning of S. Peter in the third chapter should be this that I haue recited That is that Christ in the spirit that is in the power and vertue of his passion descended into hell these learned and godlie writers do proue by the exposition that Saint Peter maketh of his owne words in the next Chapter following where he saith thus Mortuis euangelizatum est vt iudicentur quidem secundum homines in carne viuant autem secundum Deum in spiritu The Gospell was preached vnto the dead that they should bée iudged in the flesh after the fashion of men but in the Spiritshould
liue after the fashion of the sonne of God Héere Saint Peter séemeth to make answere to a secret question that might haue bene asked which is this If the Gospell that is the tidings of their redemption by the merites of Christs passion was preached the deliuerance of the faithfull that wer in prison how came they out with their bodies or without their bodies S. Peter answereth yâ— they came out with their soules alone for as concerning their bodies they shal be iudged secundum homines after the fashion of men that is to saie at the daie of doonie Thus I haue rehearsed to you the second Opinion Now shall yée heare briefelie of the third Opinion which is that these words Christus descendit ad inferna is no distinct nor seuerall article of our Crede but rather an exposition of the former clause et sepultus est he was buried They that be of this Opinion they bring these reasons for the proofe of their assertion First S. Cipriane expounding the Crede doth make no exposition thereoff but he saith Haec verba non habentur in symbolo romano Erasmus expounding the Crede séemeth to allow verie much the sentence of S. Cypriane Insomuch that he saith that Inconcinâ—itas sermonis i. the disordred speach proueth these words to be added for the exposition of these wordes Et sepultus est otherwise it is the cart before the horse yea Erasmus is so plaine that it is but a patch added vnto yâ— Crede that he thinketh that S. Thomas not Thomas the Apostle but Thomas Aquina did adde to the Crede these words Descendit ad inferna These be Erasmus words An Thomas Aquina addidit sub dubito Furthermore they bring in for their purpose this argument in the Crede read at the holie Communion called Symbolum necenum And likewise in the Counsell set forth in the thrée other generall counsells ther is no mention of these words Descendit ad inferna And where as Athanasius in his Crede which we call Quicunque vult hath these words Descendit ad inferna they graunt but yet onlie in steed of these words Et sepultus est which all other Credes haue And Athanasius vsed in the stéed therof Descendit ad inferna And to proue Descendere in infernum may rightly signifie I was buried they alledge the words of Iacob dolens Ioseph discerptum a bestia Descendam ad filium meum lugens in infernuÌ„ morietur pater noster deducent samuli tui cauos eius cum dolore ad infernum R. Turnar Of Christs Ascention This same Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come euen as ye haue séene him goe vp into heauen As Christ did ascend visiblie into heauen so shall he come againe in the same shape and forme that he went vp Till that time then that we maie see him with our own eies come down as the Apostles saw him go vp let vs neuer beléeue that he is héere touching his manhood for he is euerie where touching his Godhead so in that he is a very naturall man he is in heauen and sitteth at the right hand of the Father Sir I. Cheeke The heauens saith S. Peter must conteine and hold him vntill the time that all things be restored ¶ Cyrillus saith Christus non poterat c. Christ could not be conuersant with his disciples in the flesh after he had ascended vnto the father l. Fri. How Christ is the ende of the Lawe Christ is the end of yâ— law to iustifie all that beléeue ¶ That is Christ is yâ— fulfilling of yâ— Law so yâ— whoso hath him beléeueth that he with shedding of his bloud hath washed away sinnes therewith ouer come death hell and obtained the fauour of his father For all that thus beléeue is counted righteous although he do not indéed satisfie the lawe Tindale ¶ The end of yâ— law is to iustifie theÌ„ which obserue it Therfore Christ hauing fulfilled it for vs is made our iustice sanctification c. Geneua ¶ Christ hath fulfilled the whole law and therefore whosoeuer beléeueth in him is counted iust before God as well as hée had fulfilled the whole lawe himselfe The Bible note ¶ The end of the lawe is to iustifie them that kéepe the law but seeing we doe not obserue the law through the fault of our flesh we attaine not vnto this end But Christ salueth this disease for he fulfilled the lawe for vs. Beza How Christ dwelleth in vs. When Christ is said to dwell in vs by faith or yâ— spirit it doth not therfore folow yâ— either his body or his soule dwelleth in our harts really as I may cal it substaÌ„cially It is inough yâ— Christ be said to be in vs by his diuine presence that he is by his spirit grace gifts present with vs c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Ro. fo 199. We denie not saith Cyrill against the heretike but we bée spirituallie ioined to Christ by faith and sincere charitie but that we should haue no manner of coniunction in our flesh with Christ that we vtterlie denie and thinke it vtterlie discrepant from Gods holie Scriptures For who doubteth but Christ is so the Uine trée and we so the braunches as we get thence our life Heare what S. Paule saith we be all one bodie with Christ for though we be manie we be one in him All we participate in one seede Thinketh this hereticke that wée knowe not the strength vertue of the mysticall benediction which when it is made in vs doth it not make Christ by communication of his flesh to dwell corporallie in vs Why be the members of faithfull mens bodies called the members of Christ And Shall I make the members of Christ parts of the whores bodie GOD forbid And our Sauiour also saith He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him ¶ Although in these words Cyrill doth saie that Christ doth dwell corporallie in vs when we receiue the mysticall benediction yet he neither saith that Christ dwelleth corporallie in the Bread nor that he dwelleth in vs corporallie onelie at such times as we receiue the Sacrament nor that he dwelleth in vs and not we in him but he saith as well that we dwell in him as that he dwelleth in vs. Which dwelling is neither corporall nor locall but an heauenlie spirituall and supernaturall dwelling whereby so long as we dwell in him he in vs we haue by him euerlasting life And therfore Christ saith in the same place that Christ is the Uine and we are the braunches because that by him we haue life For as the braunches receiue life and nourishment of the bodie of the vine so receiue we by him the naturall propertie of his bodie which is life and immortalitie and by these meanes we being his members doe liue and are nourished And this meant Cyrill by this word Corporallie in vs.
shut it vp If man doe confesse his sinne God doth forgiue his sinnes Manie men by this place of the Prophets haue gone about to stablish secret confession which some doe call auricular confession where the Prophet by his owne expressed words do declare that he speaketh héere of the confession that a sorrowfull sinner maketh to God saieng Delictum meum cognitum tibi feci O Lord to thée haue I declared my sinne and thou hast forgiuen it me This confession as S. Hilarie saith is nothing els but a continuall calling to remembraunce of our sinnes with a true repentant heart for the same That man or woman doth onely confesse themselues vnto God which in his heart in his spirit béeing pricked and afflicted doth vtterly detest and abhorre his olde filthie life defieth dâ—nieth himselfe hateth his owne dooings and doth wholie consecrate himselfe both bodie and soule vnto God doth care for nothing but to fashion his life vnto the will and pleasure of God who so hath not this minde this spirit and this purpose when he confesseth him vnto God he is but a mocker of God Ric. Turnar If we doeconsesse our sinnes he is faithfull iust to forgiue vs our sinnes c. ¶ S. Austen doth expound this If thou tell not God what thou art God doth condemne that which he shall finde in thée wilt thou not yâ— he shall condemne thée condemne thou thy selfe Wilt thou haue him pardon thée acknowledge thou thy self that thou maist saie vnto God Turne away thy face from my sinnes and saie also the words vnto him of the same Psalme for I doe acknowledge my wickednesse Thus saith Austen M. 218. What haue I to do with men saith Augustine to heare my confession as though they were able to heale my diseases They be a curious kinde of men that will séeke to knowe an other bodies life and be slowe to amend their owne Whie doe they séeke to heare of me what I am which will not heare of another man what they bée And how doe they know when they doe heare me tell of my selfe whether I doe saie true or no For no man doth knowe what is done within man but the spirit of man which is in man Thus saith Augustine Musculus fo 228. I saie not vnto thée that thou shouldest bewraie thy selfe abrode openlie neither yet accuse thy selfe before other but I will they obeie the Prophet which saith Shewe vnto the Lord thy waie that is the manner of thy liuing Therfore confesse thy sinnes before God confesse thy sinnes before the true Iudge with praier for the wrong that thou hast done not with thy tongue but with the memorie of thy conscience Chrisost. in his 3. Homi. vpon the. 12. to the Hebre. It is not now necessarie to confesse other béeing present which might heare our confessions Let the séeking out of thy sinnes be in thy thought let this iudgement be without the presence of anie bodie let onelie God sée the making of thy confession God which doth not vpbraide thée for thy sinnes and cast them in thy téeth but looseth them in thy confession Chrisost. in his ser. of conf and repen Beware thou tell anie man thy sinnes least he cast them in thy téeth reuile thée for them Neither doe thou confesse them vnto thy fellow seruant that he might tell thy faultes abroade but to him which is thy Lord and maister which also careth for thée to him that is kinde and gentle and thou shewest thy woundes vnto him that is a Phisition Chrisost. in his 4. ser. ad Lazarus I doe not call thée before men for to discouer thy sinnes vnfolde thine owne conscience before God shew thy woundes and stripes vnto the Lorde who is the Phisition and praie him to remedie it he it is which doth not checke and which gentlye healeth the poore sicke persons Chrisostome in the fift homili of the incomprehensible nature of God against the Anomians The Church of Rome doth commaund to confesse all our â—nnes not excepting anie Aunswere Dauid saith who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret faults Psal. 19. 11. Peter powred foorth teares not praieng in voice I doe finde that he did wéepe and lament but I doe not finde what hée hath said I doe reade of his teares but I reade not of satisfaction Saint Ambrose of the repentaunce of S. Peter in his 46. Sermon Iesus Christ did heale him that had the leprosie and sayde vnto him Goe shew thy selfe vnto the Priest and offer that which Moses commaunded in the lawe for thy healing O thing neuer heard The Lord healed the disease yet neuerthelesse hée did send them to the lawe of Moses Wherefore did he so For none other cause but that the Iewes might not reproue him as a transgressour of the lawe Chrisostome in the 12. Homilie of the Cananite Blessed Rheuanus a man of great reading and singular iudgement writeth thus Tertulianus c. Tertulian of this priuie confession of sinnes saith nothing neither doe we reade that the same kinde of priuie confession in olde time was euer commaunded Bea. Rheua in argum li. Ter. de penit Erasmus saith thus Tempore Hieronimi c. It appeareth that in the time of Saint Hierome which was 400. yeares after Christ secret confession of sins was not yet ordeined which notwithstanding was afterward wholesomely profitably appointed by the church so yâ— it be well vsed as well by yâ— Priest as by the people But héerein certeine diuines not considering aduisedly what they saie are much deceiued for whatsoeuer the auncient fathers write of generall and open confession they wreast and drawe the same to this priuie and secret kinde which is farre of an other sort It is better said saith the Glose that confession was appointed by some tradition of the vniuersall church then by anie authoritie or commaundement of the new or olde Testament De poenit dist 5. in poeni in glossa Of three manner of confessions to men allowed by Gods word There maie be an open confession made vnto men as that was which S. Paule made vnto Timothie I thanke the Lord Christ Iesus O brother Timothie for that he hath made mée strong and hath now committed vnto me the office of Apostleship to bée a preacher of the Gospell which héeretofore haue bene a blasphemer of Christ a railer a persecuter of the Gospel a verie sturdie bloudie Tyrant against all them yâ— beléeued in him To this manner of confession maie bée reduced such godlie talke and godlie confession as sicke men haue oftentimes when they lie vppon their death bed Cantantes Cygnea cantionem Singing swéetlie as the prouerbe saith lyke Swannes and Signets which song albeit all their lyfe time it is most mournefull and vnpleasant to be heard yet against death almost contrarie to nature their song is most swéete and pleasant So oftentimes
seuerally at seueral times they think theÌ„selues purer theÌ„ other people Epipha de haere The Esseans saith Iosephus Antiquit. lib. 15. cap. 13. exercise the like trade of life as Pythagoras deliuered among the Grecians Againe lib. 13. cap. 8. They affirme all things to be gouerned by destenie They marie no wiues They thinke Bel. Iud. li. 2. ca. 7. that no woman will kéepe hir selfe to one man They haue nothing proper but all common They are in number aboue 4. thousand Antiq. li. 18. ca. 2. There is a second sort of Esseans saith Iosephus Bel. Iud. li. 2. cap. 7. which agrée with the other in all things mariage onlie excepted They commend mariage for the maintenaunce of succession Their manner is for thrée yeares space to behold the health and behauiour of maidens then if they sée them healthie and fit for procreation they marie them Of the people called Esseni or Essei A people inhabiting Iudea toward the West which doe liue without women and contemne gold siluer and all other riches They liue by eaâ—ing of Dates There resorteth continuallie vnto them by the prouidence of God men from diuers parts so that their companie neuer faileth but none is receiued vnlesse the merite of his vertue and chastitie do aduance him Eliot ESTRICH The nature and propertie of the Estrich THis Bird hath such a waightie bodie that he cannot mount vp to flie aloft but flickereth in such wise as he cannot be ouergone A man maie wel runne post after him but he cannot ouertake him For what with his halfe leaping vpon his clées and what with his halfe flieng with his wings he passeth all the swiftnesse that can be in horses or in anie other beast They haue this pollicie to take vp stones by the waie throwe them at such as follow after them But againe there is such foolishnesse in them that if they once hide their head they thinke that all their bodies are hidden and yet the huge carkasses of them are séene still And as touching their Egges they sit not vpon them But forasmuch as they kéepe in hot Countries they hide them in the sande and the Sunne giuing warmnesse vnto them doth by that meanes hatch them c. Caluine vpon Iob. fo 716. EATING Of the eating of Christs flesh and drinking his bloud WHen our Lord Iesus Christ spake of his bodie Except saith he a man eate my flesh and drinke my bloud hee shall haue no life in himselfe for my flesh is verie meate my bloud is verie drinke The spirituall vnderstanding saueth him that beléeueth for the letter killeth but the spirit quickeneth August in ser. ad infantes ¶ Heere it is plaine that the text must be taken spirituallie Marke saith Origen that they are figures which are written in the Scripture of God and therefore examine them as spirituall men and not as carnall vnderstand those things that are spoken For if thou follow after the letter this saieng that is spoken Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you can haue no life in you this letter killeth Origen in Leuit. 7. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him This is therefore saith S. Austen the eating of that meate and drinking of that bloud is to abide in Christ and haue him abiding in vs. And therefore he that abideth not in Christ and in whom Christ abideth not without doubt hee eateth not Christs flesh nor drinketh his bloud although he eate drinke the Sacrament of so great a thing vnto his owne damnation Augu. sermo circa feria pas ¶ Héere it is plaine that he which abideth not in Christ that is to saie he that is wicked vnfaithfull doth not eate his flesh nor drink his bloud although he eate and drinke the Sacrament of so great a thing And so must it néedes follow that the Sacrament is not the verie naturall bodie of Christ for then the vnfaithfull should eate his flesh séeing he eateth the Sacrament of his bodie but that doth S. Austen denie Wherefore it must néedes be but onelie a token of a remembraunce and a signe of his bodie breaking and a representation of his passion He that abideth not in me and in whom I abide not let him not saie or think that he eateth my bodie or drinketh my bloud They abide not in Christ which are not his members which make themselues the members of an harlot ¶ Héere it is plaine that the wicked and vngodlie or vnfaithfull which are not the members of Christ do not eate his bodie nor drinke his bloud and yet they doe eate the Sacrament as well as the other Wherefore it must néeds be that the Sacrament is not the verie bodie of Christ but a figure token or memoriall thereof The bread saith Saint Ambrose that goeth into the bodie is not so gréedelie sought of vs but the bread of euerlasting life which vpholdeth the substaunce of our soule so he that discordeth from Christ doth not eate his flesh nor drink his bloud although he receiue yâ— sacrament of so great a thing to his damnation and destruction Ambrose de Sacra ¶ Heere S. Ambrose confirmeth S. Austens saiengs before Though we doe verelie eate Christ yet it it followeth not that we doe groselie and naturallie eate him with our mouth And though Christ be verie meate yet it followeth not that he is therefore reallie fleshlie in the Sacrament S. Austen saith What preparest thou thy téeth or thy bellie beléeue and thou hast eaten In another place he saith Beléeuing in him is the eating of the bread of life You shall not eate this bodie that you sée nor drinke that bloud which they that crucified me shed out I haue giuen a verie sacrament vnto you if it be spirituallie vnderstood it quickeneth you but the flesh profiteth nothing Augu. prefa psal 98. ¶ This is plaine enough spoken Frith He that discordeth from Christ saith this Doctour doth neither eate his bodie nor drinke his bloud although he receiue indifferentlie the sacrament of so great a thing vnto his condemnation of his presumption These are also the verie wordes of Bede vpon the 11. chapter of the first Epistle to yâ— Corinthians ¶ Therefore saith S. Cipriane he that drinketh of the holie Cup remembring this benefite of God is more thirstie then he was before lifting vp his heart vnto the liuing God is taken with such a singular hunger and appetite that he abhorreth all gallie and bitter drinking of sinne all sauour of carnall pleasure is to him as it were sharpe and sower vineger And the sinner being conuerted receiuing the holie mysterie of the Lordes supper giueth thankes vnto God and booweth downe his head knowing that his sinnes be forgiuen and that he is made cleane and perfect and his soule which God hath sanctified hée rendreth to God againe as a faithfull
vnto the Temple at the tune appointed and there to make their humble praiers vnto God for peace aâ—n his fauour as the manner of Gods people was in all their distresses to fast and praie in faithfull repentaunce Iere. 36. 6. The Bible note Against supersticious Fasting Behold when ye fast your lusts remaineth still ¶ This fast remaineth yet among the christen for true chastening of the bodie abstaining from vice will we yet neither vnderstand nor heare of but still think with the Iewes that we do God a great pleasure when we fast and also that we then fastâ— when we abstaine from one thing fill our bellies with another And verelie in this thing doth our superstition excéede the superstition of the Iewes for we neuer read that they euer tooke it for a fast to abstaine from flesh and eate either fish or white meate as they caâ—â— it T. M. Quid prodest oleo c. What auaileth it to eat no oile with pain much ado curiously to séek for Nelits figs pepper nuts dates fine white bread honnie Pistacia Besides this I heare saie ther be some which contrarie to the common order nature of men wil neither drink water nor eate bread but séek for delicate suppings hearbs shred togethers the iuice of Béetes receiue yâ— same not out of a cup but out of a shell fie for shame do we not bluâ—h at such foolishnesse Are we not wearie of such superstition And yet beside all this liuing in such curious delicacie we looke to be praised for our fasting How hypocrites will haue their fasting accepted Wherefore haue we fasted and thou séest it not ¶ He setteth foorth the malice and disdaine of the hppocrites which grudge against God if their workes be not accepted Geneua How Fasting driueth out Diuells Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by praier and fasting ¶ The best remedie to strengthen the weake faith is praier which hath fasting added vnto it as an help to the same Gen. ¶ For the casting foorth of diuells by fasting praier marke what Christ aunswereth he saith that the Apostles could not because of their incredulitie and weaknesse of faith and afterward he addeth these two fasting praier as wepons works of faith which cannot be seperated froÌ„ faith neither can be found in the olde bottells of the hypocrits This praier when it striueth against the diuell it surmounteth all worldlie things or plesures and the same is also the onelie true fast to neglect for the time all worldlie things to neglect meat drink whatsoeuer bodelie pleasure or desire maie be imagined yâ— in praier thy minde maie be lifted vp aboue the heauens vnto the throne of God A. G. The vnderstanding of these two places following When ye fast be not sad as the hypocrites are c ¶ By this it appeareth that the true fast is to put awaie all wanton desires and lusts c. And to rule the bodie by conuenient chastitie and mortifieng as it is said in the Psa. 35. 13. I afflicted my soule with fasting Esa. 58. 4. Behold wheÌ„ ye fast your lusts remain stil. Tin Then shall they fast in those daies ¶ Then shall they fast that is so long as I am with them they shall not féele the trouble and great persecution of the world but when I am taken from them then shall they fast that is then shall they mourne for then their persecution and trouble shall begin Tindale Of miraculous Fast. Ther is a fast which is aboue mans strength is sometime giuen of God meruailously vnto some of his saints to commend their doctrine Moses in the mountain fasted 40. daies For God wold by a notable example shew the the law which he set foorth came from himselfe was not inuented of men Neither went Moses therefore vnto the mountaine to fast but to receiue the law of God to talke with him Elias also receiuing bread water of the Angell in the strength of the meate walked 40. daies euen vnto the mount of God Horeb the he by this miracle shuld be declared to be the true reuenger of the law By this kinde of fasting our sauior coÌ„mended the preching of the Gospel yâ— it shuld not séeme to be a thing vulgar but shuld be proued a thing begun by god But these were miracles neither pertain they anie thing vnto vs but only yâ— we shuld haue theÌ„ in admiratioÌ„ by such exaÌ„ples be stirred vp with reuereÌ„ce to receue the word of god P. M. vp I. 274 And wheÌ„ he had fasted 40. daies ¶ The fasting of Christ ought to be vnto vs an example of sober liuing not for 40. daies as some do imagin of their own brains but as loÌ„g as we are heere in this wildernesâ— S. I. Che. Of the fast compelled Ther is a fast which lieth not in our power as when we béeing destitute of meate haue not whereof to â—ate Héere is need of patience we must praie vnto God yâ— he would strengthen encourage vs. So the Saints when they wandred about preached the Gospell were compelled sointinies to hunger And the disciples when they followed yâ— Lordâ— wer driueâ— by hunger to plucke the eares of corne to rub out the corne Elias also desired meate of the widdow and waited at the Brooke for such meatâ— as the Rauens should bring him This kinde of fasting men do not take vpon them of their owne frée will but it is laide vpon them by God Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 274. FATHER How these places following be expounded NO man commeth to me except my Father drawe him ¶ Manie men vnderstand these words in a wrong sence as though God required in a reasonable man no more then in a dead post and marketh not the words that follow Omnis qui audit c. that is euerie man that heareth and learneth of my father commeth to me God draweth with his word the Holie ghost but mans dutie is to heare and learne that is to saie receiue the grace offered consent vnto the promises not repugne the God that calleth God doth promise the Holie ghost to them that aske it and not to them that contemne him c. ¶ Looke Drawing My Father worketh hetherto and I worke My Father worketh that is my Father kéepeth not the Sabboth daie no more doe I. My Father vseth no common Merchandise on the Sabboth daie and no more doe I. Tindale Walke not in the steps of your Fathers Whereby the holie ghost confuteth them that saie they will follow the religion and example of their Fathers and not measure their dooings by Gods word whether they be approoueable thereby or no. Geneua When your Fathers tempted me c. ¶ Sée I praie you how perillous it is to followe the example of our fore-fathers vnlesse it be most certaine that they haue walked in the waies
obedience soeuer the fathers had towards the commandemeÌ„ts of God also faith in the promises they were not deriued from their own strength power but euen as it also happeneth vnto vs they came vnto them by the grace of God and Christ. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 74. FAT What is ment by the fatâ— the inwards two kidneies THe fat that couereth the inwards ¶ By taking away of the fat the inwards two kidneies and the kall is signified vnto vs that if we wil be a swéet sacrifice vnto the Lord we must cut off all concupiscence and mightie desires of the flesh and the euill vse of all our members and must subdue and mortifie our affections and offer them to God by the mortification of the crosse as saith the Prophet Psa. 25. T. M. What the fatted Calfe signifieth And bring hether the fatted Calfe ¶ That fat Calfe is Christ which hath washed awaie our sinnes in his bloud and féedeth vs dailie through faith with his bodie and bloud vnto life euerlasting for he was killed therefore that he might be the foode and meate of our soules Sir I. Cheeke What fat Bread signifieth Of Aser commeth fat bread ¶ Fat bread is plenteousnes of the earth as increase of corne and other c. therewith shall féede Kings all the men of the earth As 2. Esd. 9. T. M. FAVOVR How Fauour casteth manie a man awaie DEsired fauour against him ¶ Héere we doe learne that manie good men are by fauour of them that be in authoritie or by hatred of the Iud ges cast awaie Sir I. Cheeke FEEDE The exposition of this place Feede my sheepe WHereas you thinke that this place of the Gospell of Iohn was spoken onlie to Peter and that these wordes make him shepheard ouer all and aboue all S. Peter himselfe testifieth the contrarie in his canonicall Epistle where he saith to all Priests Féed yâ— flock of Christ which is among you which he bad them doe by the authoritie yâ— Christ had put them in as followeth And when the chiefe shepheard Christ shal appeare ye shall receiue the incorruptible crowne of eternall glorie Tonstall in the b. of Mar. fol. 1212. Whosoeuer they be saith S. Austen that féede the shéepe to the end to make them theirs not Christs they loue theÌ„selues not Christ for desire either of glorie or of rule or of gaine Iewel fol. 18. FELIX Wherefore he is praised of Tertullâ—s the Orator FElix by his diligence had taken Eleazarus the Captaine of the murtherers put the Aegyptians of flight which raised vp tumults in Iewrie for these yâ— Orator praised him Otherwise he was both cruell and couetous Read Iosephus lib. 2. Antiq. cha 11. 12. And li. 2. De bello Iudaico cap. 12. Geneua Of Felix trembling Felix trembled ¶ The feare of the dreadfull iudgement of God profiteth nothing vnlesse it do ingender true repentance in mens hearts Felix was afraid at the preaching of the iudgment but he was neuer the better for it for why he did gape still for bribes and rewards as a most corrupted Iudge Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The word of God maketh the verie wicked astonished therefore to them it is the â—auour of death vnto death Geneua Wherefore Felix would haue pleasured the Iewes And willing to get fauour of the Iewes left Paule in prison ¶ For whereas he had behaued himselfe verie wickedlie in the Prouince hadde it not bene for fauour of his brother Pallas he should haue died for it So that we maie gather héereby why he would haue pleasured the Iewes Beza FEARE A definition of feare FEare is nothing els but a certaine affect of the minde wherby we are striken by reason of some great and hurtfull euill which is at hand We are not commonlie moued by such daungers which are far from vs but by those which seeme to be euen now at hand neither do things light and of small waight make vs afraid Wherefore feare as a Diuine speaketh of feare hath a respect vnto sinne vnto the wrath of God vnto chastisement scourges and finallie vnto hell fire But there are noted two kinde of feares of which the one is commonly called filiall that is pertaining to a naturall childe and the other seruile that is pertaining to a bond-man And that is called a seruile feare which onelie by the feare of paines of hell fire either draweth vs backe from doing euill or impelleth vs to do well Euen so signified an Ethnike Poet when he wrote Oderunt peccareâ—maâ— formidine poenâ— that is The wicked hate to sinne for feare of punishment But the finall feare is whereby men liue vpright and flie wickednesse for that they desire to set foorth the glorie of God and for that they allow righteousnesse euen for his owne sake wherfore the same Poet saith Oderunâ— peccare boâ—â— virtutis amore that is The good hate to sinne for the loue of vertue c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 209. Difference of feares Peter feared otherwise then did Iudas For Iudas indéede so feared that he despaired but Peter so feared that he gotte him againe vnto Christ whom before by denieng he had forsaken Where we saie that a seruile feare is whereby we so abhorre God being angrie and flie from him that we are vtterly void of faith But a filial feare is wherby in the midst of terrors we are lifted vp through faith neither suffer we our selues to be swallowed vp with feare Wherfore in godlie men feare is neuer seioined from faith For these 2. things are so to be knit together yâ— faith alwaies gouerneth feare for if it shuld not desperation wold easily succéed for euen as the law ought alwaies to be ioined with the gospell so also ought feare to be euer ioined with faith We do not so imbrace the gospell but yâ— we alwaies think vpoÌ„ the obedieÌ„ce of the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of God when we see how often how grieuously we fal we call our selues back again by repeÌ„tance And contrariwise the law is not to be receiued without the gospell for if it should we could neuer obey it without Christ nor also obtaine pardon for the offences which we committed against it Pet. Mar. vpon the Ro. fol. 207. What Feare importeth Feare importeth as much as yâ— our life must be ruled according to the will of God For what becommeth of men when they know not themselues to be subiect to their maker They rush out into al naughtines We know what our lusts are theÌ„ if the feare of god raign in vs we must acknowledge yâ— he hath not put vs into the world to liue at such libertie as we lust our selues but reserueth his whole right ouer vs so as we must obey him behold I say what the word feare importeth yâ— is to say yâ— we shuld lern to direct our whole life to the wil of god c. Ca. vp Iob.
them that would not obey ¶ About the yeare of our Lord. 747. Constantine the Emperour did persecute them which worshipped Images When we were going saith Epiphanius to the holye place which is called Bethel there to celebrate the Communion with them according to the Ecclesiasticall manner and was come to the farme place called Anablatha and did sée there passing by a light burning and did aske what the place was and had learned that it was a Church and hadde gone for to praye there I found as it were a vale dyed or painted and hauing the Image as it were of Christ or of some Saint for I doe not well remember whose Image it was Therfore when I did sée the Image of man did hange in the Church contrarye to the Scriptures I rent it and did rather giue counsell to the Wardens of the place that they shoulde wind some poore dead body therin And a little after Bid I be séeâ—h thâ— yâ— elders of yâ— place to receiue of the bearer the vale yâ— is sent by vsâ— charge from hencefoorth yâ— no such vales be hanged in the Church of Christ yâ— are contrary to our religion For it becommeth thine honestie to haue 〈…〉 care that the 〈…〉 for the church 〈…〉 Christ and the people comm 〈…〉 〈…〉 I. Veron Epiphanius saith Estote memores c. My deere children be ye mindfull yâ— ye bring no Images into the Churches that ye erect vp none at yâ— burial of Saints But euermore carie God in your heartsâ—â—ay suffer not Images 〈…〉 not in your priuate houses For it is not lawfull to lead a Christian man by the eyes but rather by studie exercise of the minde For this cause Epiphanius saith The superstition of Images is vnfit for the Church of Christ. Iewel fol. 505. How God cannot be presented by no manner or similitude or Image Whose is this Image and superscription ¶ Tho Image 〈…〉 God is not in the gold but in the man therfore gold and siluer with other riches ought to be paide vnto Caesar. But our consciences and soules ought to be kept cleane vnto the Lorde our God Sir I. Cheeke Let them tell me I pray them how God doth aunswere or is knowne by such thinges Is it by the matter or stuffe that is about them and whereof they be made or by the forme or shape that is giuen them If it be of the stuffe what néede is there of the forme or shape and why did not God rather aford they were fashioned and shapen appeare and manifest himselfe by the vniuersall stuffe But if the forme or shape that they haue receiued is the knowledge of God what néed is there of golde or anie other stuffe Or why is not God rather reuealed by the true liuing creatures whose shapes and â—ormes the Images are for truely according to their owne reason the glorie of God should better be knowne if God were manifested or reuealed rather by the liuing and reasonable creatures then by the vnliuing and vnreasonable No caruer or maker of Images was esteemed among the Iewes Origen in his fourth booke against Celsus commendeth the Iewes on this wise Among them saith hée nothing was euer accounted God beside him which ruleth all nor in their Common-wealth any caruer of Idols or Image maker was as whome the lawe it selfe droue awaye from them to the intent they shoulde haue no occasion to make anye Images which might plucke certeine foolish persons from God and turne the eyes of their soules to the contemplation of earthlye things Of the harme that commeth by Images It is written in the booke of wisedome that the creature of God through the vse of Images be made temptation to the soules of men and a trappe to the féete of the vnwise for as much as the séeking out of Images is the beginning of whooâ—dome and the finding of them is the corruption of mans lyfe Also in the xv chapter it is sayd that they lead into errour and that their worke is without fruit and that by their sight alone they stirre a desire in the foolish The Church cannot haue Images without ieopardie for if there were no perill of Idolatrie in hauinge of Images what néeded Iohn to haue sayde Beware of Images A place of Chrisostome opened Chrisostome sayth That he that doth anie iniurie or villanie to the Image of Caesar he doth commit the same against Caesar himselfe ¶ Chrisostome in this saieng concludeth not that therefore wée must haue Images of God and of Christ in the Church but he that doth iniurye to anye man that is made after the Image of God or disobeyeth a magistrate which representeth the person of God c. He doth iniurie to God for he that doth make an Image of God doth God greate iniurie transforming the glorie of the inuisible God into the shape of any corruptible creature Rom. 1. 23. God hath forbidden an Image or an Idoll as well to be made as to bee worshipped as farre as making goeth before worshipping so farre is it before that the thing be not made that may be worshipped Some men will saye I make it but I worshippe it not as though he durst not to worshippe it for anie other cause but onelye for the same cause for which he ought not to make it I meane both wayes for Gods displeasure naye rather thou worshippâ—â— the Image that giueth the cause for others to worship it Saint Austen is against the Image of the Trinitie Man was made after the similitude and likenesse of God howe Not in bodye but in soule and minde in the inwarde man Wherefore Saint Austen a man most expert in Gods worde crieth out against the Image of the Trinitie callinge it Sacrilegium a staining of Gods honour and an Idoll because the glorye of the immortall God is chaunged into the similitude and Image of mortall man forbidding such an Image not onelye in the Church but also in thought and mind When Philip desired Christ to shew him the Father hée rebuked him and aunswered Hée that séeth mee séeth the Father It is sinne to set foorth to the inuisible and vnfashionable God an Image of an olde man with an hore head For it is forbidden that no Image bée made for God Deut. 4. 12. You sawe no likenesse in that daye when the Lorde God spake to you in Hebrewe And Esias 40. 18. sayth To whome therefore shall wée make God like Or what Image shall we set to him It is a verye wicked matter to chaunge the glorie and maiestie of the inuisible and incorruptible God into the liâ—enesse of a corruptible man as we maye sée in the Epistle to the Romanes 1. 23. And because they shall not saye that the blame which the Apostle founde was to bée vnderstoode onelye of the Gentiles they shall bee yet stopped with the writinge of Saint Austen who writeth thus Wée beléeue also that hée sitteth at the right hande
of Saints namely buriall not papistical canoniâ—ation or false worshipping which hath bene vsed with great abuse Marl. vpon Math. fol. 313. How Iohn is thought to worke miracles after his death He is risen from death and therefore are miracles wrought by him ¶ It is an Heathenish beliefe to thinke that men can do greater things after their death then in their life time and héereof did spring the vaine worshipping of dead folkes Sir I. Cheeke ¶ He spake after the common errour for they thought that the soules of them that were departed entered into another bodie Geneua Wherefore Iohn was called Helias Iohn Baptist was called Helias because he came in the spirit and power of Helias most sharply rebuking sin That so men knowing their owne sinfull nature and the damnation yâ— hung ouer them should the more gladly embrace Christ the sauiour redéemer of the world Sir I. Cheeke Wherefore Iohn Baptist did no miracles Iohn did no miracles ¶ God would haue no miracles done by Iohn least the people should haue attributed too much vnto him And therefore he would haue him onely to teach to testifie For as the bodie of Moses his sepulchre are hid vnto this present day and that by the iust prouidence of God least that superstitious flesh in visiting the body of Moses should commit Idolatrie euen so for iust cause Iohn than whome other wise there arose not a greater among womens children wrought no miracles For if so be the gift of miracles had bene ioyned to his doctrine and holinesse of lyfe the people could scarce haue ben driuen srom beléeuing him to be Christ c. Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 394. Of Iohns Baptime The Baptime of Iohn whence was it c. ¶ Héere the Baptime of Iohn is taken for that heauenlye doctrine which he taught For as water doth wash awaye the filthinesse of the bodie so doth true doctrine make the soule cleane deliuering it from superstition and erronious doctrine Sir I. Cheeke Unto what then were ye baptised and they said vnto Iohns Baptime ¶ By this place Iohns Baptime signifieth Iohns doctrine which therefore is so called for that he sealed his doctrine with the seale of Baptime in them that beléeued The Bible note Meaning what doctrine they did professe by their Baptime for to be baptised in Iohns Baptime signifieth to professe the doctrine which he taught and sealed with the signe of Baptime to bée baptised in the name of the Father c. is to be dedicate and consecrate vnto him To be baptised in the death of Christ or for the dead or into one bodye vnto remission of sins is that sinne by Christes death may be abolished and die in vs and that we maye growe in Christ. Math. 3. 11. Mar. 1. 8. Luke 3. 16. Ihon. 1. 27. Act. 1. 5. and 2. 2. 11. 16. Geneua Baptime in this place is taken for the doctrine and not for the lauer of water For the baptime of Christ and the baptime of Iohn which is done in the water is all one els Christ who was baptised by Iohn ought to haue bene baptised againe Héere then we doe gather that these folkes not twice baptised with the water of Baptime but were twice instruccted and at length after perfect instruction they were baptised with water in the name of Christ. Sir I. Cheeke Of the difference betweene Iohns Baptime and the Apostles The difference betwéene the Baptime of Iohn and the Apostles was onelye this that Iohn baptised them to beléeue in Christ that was for to come and the Apostles baptised them to beléeue in Christ which was come alreadie and had suffered for the remission of sinnes of as manie as beléeued in him Tindale IOHN THE EVANGELIST Of this Iohns life written by Saint Hierome IOhn the Apostle whome Iesus loued right well béeing the sonne of Zebedeus and Iames the Apostles brother whome after the Lordes death Herode had beheaded wrote his Gospell last of all the rest being desired there to by the Bishops of Asia both against Cerinthus and diuerse other heretiks But principally against the Ebeonites which euen then arose which Ebeonites auouch that Christ was not before Marieâ— by reason whereof he was enforced to shew of his diuine natiuitie They say that beside this there was an other cause of his writing because that when he had read the volumes of Mathew Marke Luke he well allowed the text of the storie and affirmed that they had said truth but had onely made their storie of one yeares act in the which after the imprisonment of Iohn Christ suffered Wherefore omitting that yeares actes which were sufficientlye entreated of all thrée he sheweth such thinges as were done before Iohn was imprisoned which thing maye euidently appeare to such as shall diligentlye read the volumes of the foure Gospels the which thing also doth take awaie the disagreeing that séemeth to be betweene Iohn the rest He wrote beside the premises one Epistle which beginneth thus That which was from the beginning which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes c. The other two which beginne The elder to the well beloued Ladie and her children c. And the elder to the best deloued Caius whom I loue in the truth c. are affirmed to haue bene written of Iohn the Priest whose seuerall tombe is at this day to be seene at Ephesus many suppose that there are two memorials of this same Iohn the Euangelist of which matter we wil entreate after we shal by order come to yâ— lyfe of Papias his scholer In the 14. yeare â—hen at what time Domicianus after Nero stirred vp the second persecution Iohn being banished into the I le of Pathmos wrote yâ— reuelation which is intituled the Apocalips which Iustin the martir and Ireneus doe make Commentaries vpon But after Domician was slaine and all his acts reuoked by the Senate because of his ouermuch crueltie he returned to Ephesus in the time of Prince Neruai and continued there vntil the time of the Emperour Traiane he instituted and gouerned all the Churches of Asia and ther continued till he was impotent for age He died the thréescore and eight yeare after the passion of the Lord Iesus And was buried a little beside the same Citie Eras. in his Paraphras A noâ—able historie of this Iohn When Iohn was returned to Ephesus fr 〈…〉 the I le of Pathmos he was desired for matters of religion to resort to yâ— places borâ—â—ring néere vnto him And comming to a certeine place he sawe a goodly young man both of bodie and countenaunce on whom he east such a fauourâ— that he committed him to the Bishoppe there charging the Bishoppe most earnestly and that two seuerall times to sée him diligently instructed in the doctrine and faith of Christ. And so Iohn returning againe to Ephesus the Bishop toke the young man and brought him home and diligently instructed him in the waies of Christ and
at the last baptised him and sawe such towardnes in the man that hée committed vnto him the ouersight of a certeine cure in the Lords behalfe The young man being now at libertie it chaūced certeine of his old companions and familiars to resort vnto his companie who being idle dissolute and wicked persons enticed him to all mischiefe insomuch that at the last he became as head and captaine among them in committing all kinde of murther and felonie In the meane time it chaunced Iohn to come into that quarters méeting the Bishop required of him the pledge that he left with him The Bishop was now so amazed that he could not tell what to aunswere Then Iohn perceiuing his doubting said It is the young man the soule of our brother committed to your custodie which I require Then y◠Bishop with great sorow wéeping said he was dead By what death quoth Iohn◠He is dead to God quoth the Bishop for he is how become an euill man the head Captaine of theeues which doth frequent this mountaine When Iohn the Apostle heard this he rent his clothes for sorrow and rode in al hast toward the place where the young man lay and by the way was taken with théeues Then sayde Iohn to the théeues for this cause came I hether therfore bring me to your Captaine And being brought vnto him the young man béeing all armed began at the first to looke féercely vpon Iohn but comming to the knowledge of him he was striken with great confusion and shame and began to flée but Iohn following sayd My sonne why doest thou flée from thy Father An armed man from one naked a young man from an olde man haue pitie vpon me my sonne for there is yet hope of saluation I will answere for thee vnto Christ I will die for thée if néede be as Christ hath dyed for vs. I will giue my life for thée Beleeue me Christ hath sent me The young man hearing stoode still cast downe his weapon sorrowed out of measure for his offence And Iohn comforting him in Christ and in the sweete promises of saluation for his sake neuer left him vntill he had restored him vnto the congregation againe and made him a great example and triall of regeneration and a token of the visible resurrection The booke of Mar. fol. 56. How this Iohn is called a barbarous fellow Numenius an Heathen Philosopher when he had read the beginning of Iohns Gospell burst out into these words I pray God I die and if this barbarous followe haue not comprehended in few words all that our Plato prosequuteth in so manye words He calleth him barbarous because he was an Hebrew and in his writing leaueth traces of his mothers tongue and followeth not curiously the finenesse properties of the Gréeke manner of speaking but he graunted vnto him as much knowledge as the most famous Philosopher and father of all learned wits Plato had and more shortnesse in writing which is more commendable in a writer of graue matters Writers of histories shew many wonderfull things of this Iohn as that he was put in boiling oyle and came out againe vnhurt c. But it shal be sufficient for vs to knowe and consider that he was one of the most excellent singular and speciall Apostles and therefore a méete witnesse of the Lord Iesus B. Traheron IONA The interpretation of this word Iona. THou art Symon the sonne of Iona. ¶ Whereas our text hath the sonne of Iona Noinus readeth it the sonne of Iohn and not of Iona to the which agréeth this place Symon Iohanna or Symon the sonne of Iohn louest thou me But it is likely that the father of Symon was called Iochanan wherevpon the letter of Asperation being altered out of his place s. put to the end came Iohannes the which also afterward being made short became Iona. And Iochanan or Iochana doe signifie that which we call in English Iohn and is as much to say as Grecians Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 37. IOSAPHAT Of his supreme gouernement HE sendeth out Preachers throughout all Iewrie ¶ Héere is declared saith Lyra how he instructed his people to wit by the Priests and Leuits whom he sent to this purpose with them certeine of his Princes to moue the people to obedience and to punish the rebellious if they shoulde finde anie I. Bridges fol. 265. And Iosaphat appointed in Hierusalem Leuits and Priests and families of Israel that they might giue iudgement and iudge the cause of the Lord to the inhabitants therof c. And he commaunded them saieng Thus shall ye do in the feare of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart in euery cause that shall come vnto you and your brethren that dwell in their Cities betweene bloud and bloud betwéene law and precept statutes and iudgements ye shal iudge them and admonish them c. Wherevpon saith Lyra Hic ordinatur c. Héere is ordeined the gouernement of the people in difficult causes which could not well be cut off without recourse had to Hierusalem according to the which is commaunded Deut. 17. 8. where it is said If thou shalt perceiue the iudgement before thée to be difficult and doubtful arise and get thée vp to the place which the Lord shall choose c. And therefore Iosaphat appointed Iudges there to determine such difficult matters wherefore it followeth euerie cause which commeth vnto you c. Wheresoeuer the question is if it be of the lawe so farre forth as perteineth to the commaundementes of the tables if it bée of the preceptes of the tenne commaundementes as it were certeine conclusions picked out If it be of the Ceremonies so farre forth as perteineth to ceremonial matters of iustifications that is to say of iudiciall matters wherby iustice is to be conserued among men ¶ Thus is there no part ecclesiasticall or temporall exempted from the ouersight care direction and appointment of the King I. Bridges fol. 272. IOSEPH Of Ioseph the husband of Marie THen Ioseph her husbande beeinge a iust man c. ¶ Upright and fearing God and therefore suspectinge that she had committed fornication before shée was betrothed woulde neither receiue her which by the lawe should be married to an other neither accusing her put her to shame for her fault Geneua Of the equall way that Ioseph the sonne of Iacob deuised for the Aegyptians in the time of dearth That Ioseph brought the Aegyptians into such subiection woulde séeme vnto some a very cruell déede howbeit it was a very equall way for they paied but the fift part of that the grew of the grounde and therewith were they quite of all duetyes both of rent custome tribute and tolle And the king therewith found them Lordes and all ministers and defended them We now paye halfe so much to the Priest onelye beside their craftie exactions Then paye we rent yéerely though ther grow neuer so little on
a liuely faith working through charitie The workes of the Christians ought to be liuely seruent and burning Sir I. Cheeke LONG LIFE How a good man may desire long life THat it is no euill thing for a good man to aske of God long life may be gathered by the words of the Prophet where he saith Vitam petijt a te He hath asked life of thee And what meruaile is it if the iust man that is but a member of Christ doe aske long life in some cases and at some times séeing that the naturall sonne of God did in the fraile nature of his manhood desire of his father that the Cup of his bitter passion might passe away from him and what was that els but to desire to liue still or at the least not to dye then neuerthelesse he teacheth all men how they shall pray in such a case he vsed a kind of speach called Correctio a calling backe of words againe saieng Veruntamen Pater non sicut ego volo sed sicut tu vis neuerthelesse father let it not be as I in the nature of my manhood desire it but let it be done as thy diuine pleasure is Thus to aske long life hauing no euill purpose or euill intent as the rich glutton had which when he had inlarged his barns belked out these glorious words Anima habes bona reposita Soule thou hast much goods layd vp in store for many yeares be merry make good chéere This foolish glutton did liue to eat not eate to liue And all they yâ— desire to liue for any such sensuall purpose their praier is not lawfull nor good nay it is not worthy to be called a praier but a carnall wish so to desire to liue is to desire to be seperated from God and to goe to the déepe dungeon of hell But to desire to lead a long life to the end that he may the more set foorth the glorie of God and to doe good to the world not to be an vnprofitable burthen vnto the world as they be which do nothing héere but marre malte wast wheate Nati consumere fruges apt borne to spend and to spoile But to liue and labour to doe good as much as in them lieth to all men and hurt to no man their desire to liue long is not to be doubted to bée a thing lawfull forasmuch as long life is a blessing of God And if long life be one of the blessing of GOD that he giueth to his chosen and elect seruaunts who can say that to aske long life of God is a carnall propertie And to proue that long life is the blessing of God Read Exo. 20. 12. Deut. 5. 16. Ric. Turn If the good desire to liue it is for the great desire they haue to doe good but if the wicked or euill desire to liue it is for that they would abuse the world longer In the Diall of Princes LORD How the Lord is our shepheard and feedeth vs. DOminus regit me c. ¶ Ye shall vnderstand that S. Hierome following the texte of the Hebruâ— veritie doth read in the stéede of Dominus regit me Dominus pascit me Which may be Englished well The Lord féedeth me or The Lord is my shepheard The Gréeke word Paiuosinou signifieth Pascere regere both to rule and to gouerne and also to féede as the shepheard feedeth his shéepe and by a Metaphore it is translated and applyed very properly sometime to God himselfe and sometime to such men which héere in the earth are called by Office to be the spirituall Pastours and Fathers of the Christian flock Arnobius in his briefe Commentaries doth properly write vpon these words Dominus regit me nihil mihi deerit after this manner Dicant qui volunt reget me ager meus c. Let them say that lyst my house and my land shall finde me let other say my shéepe and my fat Oxen are store inough for mée and another make his boast of his Maister another of his Merchaundise and he of his handie craft and this man of his pen and that man of his profound learning but I am at a point saith the Prophet and in this opinion will I dwel all the daies of my lyfe Dominus regit me nihil mihi deerit The Lord is my shepheard and therefore I am sure neuer to lacke Nihil mihi deerit I shall lacke nothing that shall be necessary and good both for the body or for the soule c. Ric. Turn Of the Lords helpe in trouble The Lord is thy kéeper he is the shadow or protection at thy right hand ¶ He is called the shadow at thy right hand to teach thée that he is at hand and standeth by thy side readie to defende thée Or els The Lord is thy shaddowe at thy right hande that is he prospereth all thy affaires he giueth successe to all thou takest in hande If thou be a Preacher and a teacher in the Church of God if thou trauaile in thy vocation vprightly and with a good conscience to prouide for thy selfe and thy family thou shalt not lacke thy Crosse but be of good comfort for the Lord hath promised to be on thy right hande he will aids thée and succour thée in all things that thou shalt either doe or suffer Luther vpon the Psal. fol. 41. How the Lord suffereth long Long suffering and of great goodnesse ¶ The Lord is long suffering which is more then patient for he not only suffereth but also deferreth vengeaunce desiring the amendement of the sinner louing better to pardon and forgiue then to punish Rom. 2. 4. either dispisest thou the riches of his goodnes and patience and long sufferaunce c. T. M. LOST SHEEPE The meaning of this place following I Am not sent but vnto the lost shéepe of the house of Israel ¶ Christ calleth them the lost shéepe vnto whom he is sent In which saieng we haue two things to bée obserued First that wée must acknowledge that we are all lost or els Christ hath nothing to doe with vs. We must euery one confesse with the Psalmist that I haue wandred lyke a lost shéepe O séeke then thy seruaunt They therefore that are proude of opinion of their owne good workes and thinke to be saued by their desertes are not for Christ to meddle withall for hée is sent but vnto the lost shéepe of the house of Israel or as he said to the Pharesies The whole haue no néed of the Phisition but the sicke First therefore we must acknowledge that we are altogether cast away and that we haue no more wit nor power to retourne or to saue our selues then hath a shéepe that is wandring in the Wildernesse among Wolâ—es Beares and Lyons Secondly if we confesse and finde our selues to bee such then are we héere comforted that is properly sent and appointed of GOD to saue the lost shéepe of the house of Israel lyke as he saith in
words al perfection as immortalitie wisdome truth innocencie power c. Geneua After the likenesse of God created he him ¶ That is after the shape and Image which was before appointed for the son of God The chiefe part of man also which is the soule is made like vnto God in a certeine proportion of nature of power working So that in that we are made like vnto God Tindale How God made man to be vndestroied God made man to be vndestroied ¶ That is when God made him in the Image of his owne likenesse neuerthelesse through the enuie of the diuell came death into the world whereby it may be easily gathered yâ— the wise maÌ„ doth speak ther of Adam being in the most perfect state of his first creation in the which if he had continued abiden still obaieng the commandement yâ— the Lord his God had giuen him neither death nor hel could haue had anie power of him he shoulde haue bene immortall he should haue liued for euer God then had created him to bée vndestroied if he had not through disobedience broken his commaundement I. Veron ¶ For God would not that man shuld perish But they after that they were created haue defiled the name of him that made them and are vnthankfull vnto him which prepared lyfe for them How the death of man and beast is alike It happeneth vnto man as it doth to beasts euen one condition to them both as the one doth so doth the other ¶ There is no difference betwéene a man and a beast as touching the body which of them both dieth but the soule of man liueth immortal the body of man riseth vp againe by the mightie power of the spirit of God The Bible note ¶ Man is not able by his reason and iudgement to put difference betwéene man and beast as touching those thinges wherevnto both are subiect or the eye cannot iudge any otherwise of a man béeing dead then of a beast which is dead Yet by the word of God and fayth we easily know the difference Geneua Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpward ¶ Meaning that reason cannot comprehend that which faith beléeueth héerein Geneua ¶ The immortalitie of the soule is not knowne by carnall reason or sense but by the word of the spirit of God The Bible note How mans life is but sorow and care What profit saith the wise man hath man more of all the labour wherewith he wearieth himselfe vnder the Sunne but sorrow and care and nothing without paine griefe ¶ Euripides saith if thou which art borne mortall doe thinke to liue thy selfe without labour and vnquietnesse thou art a foole I. Northbrooke Of mans good purpose before grace A reason of the Pelagians Dunce men of mans good purpose before grace The grace of God say they doth helpe mans good purpose so that man doth first intend and purpose well as Dunce saith dispose himselfe by attrition to receiue grace and then God doth helpe him Aunswere Of truth there is no good purpose in man no good disposition nor good intent but all is against goodnesse and cleane contrarie against all things that agréeth with grace till that God of his méere mercy commeth and giueth him a will to will goodnesse yea and that when he thought nothing of goodnesse but doth cleerely resist all goodnesse This doth S. Austen proue in these words The Pelagians say that they graunt how the grace doth helpe euery mans good purpose but not that he giueth that loue of vertue to him that striueth against it This thing doe they say as though man of himselfe without the helpe of God hath a good purpose and a good minde to vertue by the which merit proceeding before he is worthy to be holpen of the grace of God that followeth after Doubtlesse the grace that followeth doth helpe the good purpose of man but the good purpose should neuer haue bene if grace had not preceded And though that the good studie of men when it beginneth is holpen of grace yet it did neuer begin without grace ¶ Héere we sée S Austen cléere against them D. Barnes How mans ordinance my be altered There be some orders in the primitiue Church commaunded by God some other were deuised by men for yâ— better training of the people Such orders as were coÌ„manded by God may in no wise be chaunged onely because God commaunded them for as God is euerlasting so is his word commaundement euerlasting On the other side such order as haue bene deuised by men may be broken vpon some good consideration only because they were men that deuised them For as they be mortall so all their wisdome and inuentions be but mortall And so indéed as touching such things as haue ben ordeined by men we are not bound of necessitie to the order of the primitiue Church But such things as God hath precisely coÌ„manded by his word may neuer be broken by any custome or consent Iewel Of the disposition of man As mans strength is so is his worke as is his will so is his worke as is his forecast so is his dooing as is his heart so is his mouth as is his eye so is his sleepe as is his mind so is his talke either of the law of the Lord or of the lawe of Behal In the Testam of Neptalin Of mans will and running It lieth not in any mans will or running but in the mercie of God Whereas some vpon this place doe ascribe part of iustification vnto the grace and mercie of God part of it vnto the same will and running or indeauour of man S. Austen maketh answere thus If saith he the Apostle did meane none other thing but that it doth not onely lye in the will and running of man except the mercy of God doe helpe we may also say on the contrary that it lyeth not only in the mercy of God without the will and running of man but sith it were a plaine vngodlynesse to saye so let vs not doubt but yâ— the Apostle did attribute all to yâ— mercy of God that he did leaue no manner of thing vnto our owne will endeuour Againe he saith in an other place Therefore that we should beléeue in God liue godly it lyeth not in the will and running of man but in the mercy of God not that we ought not both to will runne but because that he himselfe doth worke in vs both to wil and also to runne I. Veron Of two Hebrew words that signifie man A man sent from God ¶ The Hebrewes haue two words to signifie man Adam and Ish. Adam signifieth a man subiect to mortalitie miserie and calamitie Ish signifieth a man of reputation The Prophet Dauid comprehendeth both in one verse in the Psal. Heare this all ye people c. Bâ—th children of Adam and children of Ish. The Greeke word which the
that they were abused of them Marcus ranne away with another mans wife They powre oyle and water vpon the head of the departed hoping so to redeeme them They said that the life and generation of man consisted in 7. starres that Christ suffered not indéede but was so thought and that there was no resurrection of the flesh Epiph. haeres 34. 35. 36. Irenaeus Aug. li. de haeres MARY How Mary the mother of Christ ought not to be worshipped CHrist saith Epiphanius did forme a fashion himselfe of the Uirgin Mary as of the earth who came downe from heauen and being both God and the word did put on flesh of the Uirgin but not that the Uirgin should be worshipped or that he would make hir a God or that we should offer in hir name For he neither did suffer hir to giue or minister Baptime nor to blesse the Apostles neither did he commaund hir to beare rule in the earth but will haue vs to know that he alone is the sanctification and that she is made worthy of the kingdome of heauen Whence doth this rolling Serpent or Dragon come vnto vs Whence are these lewd and wicked councells renued Let Mary be in honour let the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost be worshipped let no man worship Mary And by by after Let no man eate of the errour which is of the holy Mary Although it be a goodly trée yet is it not for meate to be eaten of Although Mary be most beautiful holy honourable yet she is not appointed to be worshipped let therfore the error of the deceiued cease For neither is Mary a God neither hath she a body from heauen but of the conception of man woman howbeit disposed according to yâ— promise as yâ— coÌ„ception birth of Isaac was And let no man offer in hir name for he that doth it doth cast away his soule Againe let no man raile against hir nor blaspheme yâ— holy Uirgin God forbid for she was not coupled to man neither after the birth nor before the birth of our Sauiour Againe in yâ— same booke Contra Colicidianos these are also his words Indéed the virgin was a virgin honorable but not giuen to vs to be worshipped but rather she doth worship him yâ— tooke his substaunce of hir that is to say of hir flesh Of the painting of hir Image ¶ Looke Painting Wherein Mary was most blessed ¶ Looke Mother of God Of Mary Magdalens loue ¶ Looke Loue. Of Mary the sister of Lazarus It was that Mary that anoynted the Lord with oyntment ¶ Because the Gospell maketh mention of many Maries héere there is a difference put betwéene this Mary the rest namely that it was the very same which anoynted the Lord. And this is put downe héere by anticipation For the Euangelist declareth this anoynting in the Chapter following Therefore there is a great ignoraunce in them which imagine this Mary the sister of Lazarus to be that infamous woman of whome Luke maketh mention in his 7. Chapter The making mention of the oyntment occasioned this error and also because in both places mention is made of Symon in whose house it was done as though it were not manifest that Christ was oftentimes annointed that in diuers places The sinfull woman of whome Luke speaketh of anoynted Christ in Ierusalem wher she dwelt And Mary of Betany did the like in hir towne And the preter tense anoynted which the Euangelist vseth ought not to be referreâ— to the time in the which the same was done but to the time in which he wrote as if he should sayâ— This is that Mary which afterward powred out hir oyntment for the which cause there arose a murmuring among the Disciples c. Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 376. MARIAGE Who ordeined Mariage and how it is honourable in all estates Concerning Mariage we say that it ordeined of God and honourable in all estates as the holy Scripture teacheth So that whosoeuer hath not the gift of continencie that is to say who that feeleth in himselfe such a naturall desire that he may be drawen to euill thoughts is obliged and bound to marry Theodore de Beza Wedlocke or mariage is a perpetuall ioyning together of one man with one woman instituted of God to bring forth fruit and is ordained to auoid lusts forbidden in the scripture They shall be two in one flesh that is to say to please God the Creator of nature to obaie his ordinaunce in that vocation the man not to despise the womankinde but to honoâ—r and loue hir that euerie man should know his owne vessell as the part and parent of mankinde to defend hir to helpe hir and to loue hir Both bringing foorth children teaching them the true knowledge of God that this knowledge of God might be set foorth more plenteously and be conserued vpon earth For this cause also ought wedlocke to be vsed that when men be departed from this societie euery mans dutie is for himselfe gone to leaue after him by iust wedlocke other worshippers of God in his place vpon earth For this intent Abraham Isaac and many ancient olde holy Bishops desired to haue children that they might leaue after them the faithfull kéepers of the heauenly doctrine Mâ—laâ—ctâ—on Matrimonie or wedlocke is a state or a degrée ordeined of God and an office wherein the husband serueth the wife the wife the husband It was ordeined for a remedie to increase the world and for the man to helpe the woman the woman the man with all loue and kindnesse not to signifie any promise that euer I haue heard or read off in the scripture Therefore ought it not to be called a Sacrament It hath a promise that we sinne not in that state if a man receiue his wife as a gifte giuen him of God and the wife hir husband like wise as all manner of meates and drinkes haue a promise that we sinne not if we vse them measurably with thanks-giuing It they cal Matrimonie a Sacrament because the scripture vseth the similitude of matrimonie to expresse the mariage or wedlocke yâ— is betwéene vs and Christ for as a woman though she be neuer so poore yet when she is maried is as rich as hir husband euen so we when we repent beleeue the promises of God in Christ though we be neuer so poore sinners yet are as rich as Christ all his merits are ours with all that he hath If for that cause they call it a Sacrament so will I mustard seed â—euen a net keyes bread wine a thousand other things which Christ the Prophets and all the Scriptureâ— is to expresse the kingdome of heauen and Gods word withall They praise wedlocke with their mouth and say it is an holy thing as it is verely but had leuer be sanctified with an whore then to come within the sanctuary Tindale fol. 144. How eurry man is commaunded to marry that hath not the gift of
the Masse let them read Platina and Polidore Virgil touching the same and ther shall they finde how by whom vpon what occasion and in what processe of time all the parts of the Masse were peeced and set together And that in the space of seauen hundred years surely and with much ado it was made vp at last and brought to some perfection Iewel How the Masse is not a sacrifice propiciatorie It is proued by Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrues that the offring of the Priest in the Masse or the appointing of his ministration at his pleasure to them that be quicke or dead cannot merit or deserue neither to himself nor to them for whō he singeth or saith the remission of their sinnes but y◠such popish doctrine is contrarie to the doctrine of the Gospel iniurious to the sacrifice of Christ. For if onely the death of Christ be the oblation sacrifice and price wherfore our sins be pardoned then the act or ministration of the Priest cannot haue the same office Wherfore it is abhominable blasphemy to giue that office or dignitie to a Priest which perteineth only to Christ or to affirme that the Church néed of any sacrifice as who should say that Christs sacrifice were not sufficient for the remission of our sinnes or else that his sacrifice shoulde hang vppon the sacrifice of a Priest Cranmer MASSILIANI Of the opinions of these Heretikes MAssiliani were idle Monks whom the diuell had possessed they sayd that the body of Christ in the Sacrament did neither good neither harme They said Baptime was to no purpose Lentus Bishop of Melitena draue the théeues out of their dennes the wolues from among the shéepe set the Monastaries on fire Theodoretus li. 4. chap. 11. These heretiks wer called also Euchitae so called because of their continual praieng It is a wonder saith Augustine to heare what a number of praiers they run ouer much like vnto the late mumbling of praiers vpon beads where Christ said pray alwaies S. Paule Pray without intermission which is deuoutly to be taken for euery day they do it too much therfore saith Augustine to be nūbred among heretiks They say when the soule is purged y◠a Sow with her pigs is séene to come out of mans mouth that a visible fire entereth in which burneth not These Euchits did think that it apperteined not vnto Monks to get their liuing with y◠sweat of their browes but to liue idly Epiphanius saith that when Luppicianus the Praetor executed some of them for their lewdnesse they called themselues Martirianos Some of them thought that it was their duetie to worship the diuell least he should hurt them These were called Satiniani If ye called any of them Christ a Patriarke a Prophet or an Angell he would answere that he was They slept like Swine men and women all in one heape August li de haeraes Epi. haer 80. These Massilians were condempned in the generall counsell helde at Ephesus in the time of Theodosius lunior Cyril li. Apologet. MAISTER What the Maisters office is to the Seruaunt Ye Maisters doe vnto your seruaunts that which is iust and right putting away all bitternes and threatnigs knowing that ye also haue a Maister in heauen The Pharesies dissembling in calling Christ Maister Maister we know that thou art true ¶ This is a deceitful dissimulation they are not ashamed of inconstancie by the which they now call him Maister whereas before they blasphemed him saieng that he had the spirit of Belzabub euen so in an other place the Pharesies which were the Maisters of these Ambassadours sayd vnto Christ Maister wée woulde sée a signe of thee And againe Maister this woman was taken in adulterie But they called him Maister whose disciples they would not be for they sayd vnto that begger to whom Christ restored his sight be thou his Disciple for we are Moses Disciples Heere the Prouerbe is fulfilled Such lippes such lettice The Pharesies were dissemblers and hypocrites their Disciples follow them in all points Marl. fo 502. MATHEVV The lyfe of Saint Mathew written by Saint Hierome MAthew which was otherwise also called Leuy being of a publican made an Apostle first of al other cōposed wrote in Iewry the Gospell of Christ in the Hebrew tongue for their behoofe and cause which being of the circumcision had beleeued which Gospell what person did afterwarde translate into Greeke it is not very certeynly knowne But truelye the very Hebrue it selfe is had euen vntil this present day in y◠Librarie of Cae 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 e which Librarie Pamphilus the martir did with all possible studiousnesse set vp and make And I my selfe also had the same Gospell of Mathew in Hebrewe lent me to coppye it out of the Nazarites which in Beroea a Citie in Syria doe vse the same booke wherein is to be noted and obserued y◠wheresoeuer the Euangelist either in his owne person or else of the person of our Sauiour doth vse any allegations of the olde Testament he doth not followe the authoritie of Septuaginta that is to say of the threescore and ten translaters but of the Hebrue Of the which sort are set forth these two citations heere ensuing Out of Aegypt haue I called my sonne And for a Nazarite shall he be called Erasmus MATRIMONIE ¶ Looke Marriage MEDIATOVR Proues that Iesus Christ is the onely Mediatour betweene God and man ¶ There is one God and one mediatour betwéene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus ¶ If there be but one mediatour as Saint Paule saith there is not then cannot Saints come to make mo then one Saintes cannot be mediatours for other because they haue néede of a mediatour themselues D. Barnes Christ is our mouth wereby we speake vnto the Father our eyes whereby we sée the Father our right hande whereby wée offer our selues to the Father without whose intercession neither we nor all the Saints haue ought to doe with God Ambrose in his booke of Isaac and the soule We haue all things in Christ If thou desire to be cured of thy wounds he is thy Phisition If thou be gréeued with thy sinnes he is thy righteousnesse If thou lacke helpe he is thy strength If thou feare death he is thy lyfe If thou be in darknesse he is light If thou wilt goe into heauen he is thy way If thou séeke meate he is thy nourishment Ambrose in his 4. booke vpon Saint Luke We are reconciled and brought in fauour againe with God through Christ which is the mediatour that of enimies wée might be made sonnes Neither should we be deliuered through him as onely y◠mediatour of God and man Christ Iesus if he were not also God But when Adam was made that is to wit a right man he néeded no mediatour but when as sinnes did separate sunder mankinde farre from God we must be brought in fauour againe with
him and would haue killed him ¶ Some referre this to Moses and say that the Lord would haue killed him because he carried Eleazer his sonne with him which was not circumcised But Gerson was circumcised in the land of Madian Other referre this to Eleazer the childe saieng the Lord would haue killed him because he being vncircumcised would yet goe into Aegypt to remaine among the children of Israel which were circumcised but this séemeth not to be so for the childe not yet being come to â—ull growth was not in fault but Moses his father which had the cure and charge of the childe Lyra. How Moses stilled the murmuring of the people When Moses complained vnto the Lord that he was not able to beare the burthen of the murmuring people alone God commaunded him to choose out 70. of the Elders of Israel and bring them before him and he would take of his spirit and giue vnto them and they should beare the burthen of the people with him Then Moses willing to quench the murmuring of the Iewes against him chose out of euery Tribe 6. because he would not take out of One Tribe more then another So that the number taken out of twelue Tribes came to 72. And because the Lord commaunded no moe but 70. Moses made 72. littlle rolles of paper writ in them all sauing in two wherin was nothing written and put them all in a vessel togethers that no man saw them and then each one should take out a paper as his fortune was and whosoeuer did lyght vpon the papers vnwritten it was a signe that God would not haue them counted among the Seniours Now were there two of them named Eldad and Medad whose chaunce was by Gods prouidence to draw the papers vnwritten wherfore they went not vp with the other 70. to the Tabernacle but remained in the hoast vpon whom neuerthelesse the spirit of Prophecie rested so that they prophecied Then Iosua the sonne of Nun hearing how they had prophecied of the death of his maister Moses and how that Iosua should lead the people of Israel into the Land of promise spake vnto Moses to forbid them But Moses not discontent with their prophecieng wished that all the people could prophecie and that the Lord would put his spirit vppon them all Lyra How Moses tooke to wife the Kings daughter of Aethiope The woman of Inde which Moses had to wife was daughter to yâ— king of Aethiope as Ioâ—ephus writeth For what time saith he as there arose cruell warres betwéene the Aethiopians and the Aegyptians the Aethiopians destroyed Aegypt wasted the Countrey so soâ—e that the Aegyptians of necessitie were compelled to flye for counsell vnto thier Oracles and Diuinations wher they receiued an aunswere that they must elecâ— an Hebrue Captaine ouer their Armie by whose helpe the Aethiopians should be subdned vpon the which Moses both for his wisedome and personage was chosen soueraigne Captaine ouer their Armie who so politikely set vpon the Aethiopians that at the first battaile he put them to flight and slew a great number of them and they not able to resist him fledde into their strong Citie called Saba which Citie Moses besieged and did so valiant so politikely assualt that he was of the Kings Daughter of Aethiope vehemently beloued so that she not able to sustaine the power of loue sent vnto him requiring of him marriage Who vppon condition to render vnto him the Citie was contented Which thing by hir meane was quickly brought to passe and be married vnto hir By which occasion he subdued all Aethiope and retourned into Aegypt with great triumph T. Lanquet Wherefore Moses slew the Aegyptian He slew the Aegyptian c. ¶ That is he declared himselfe to haue such loue vnto his bretheren the Israelites that were the people of God that he would rather slaye or be â—laine then that his brother should suffer wrong of the enimies of yâ— Lord. In which act also he shewed himselfe to be predestinate of the Lord to be a defence and sauer of the Israelites T. M. What Moses face is Moses face is the law in hir right vnderstanding Tindale Of Moses and Helias which talked with Christ. And behold there appeared vnto them Moses Helias ¶ No doubt this appearing talke of Moses Helias did make very much to yâ— declaration of the kingdome of Christ. Notwithstaning it is demanded whether they wer truly present or whether yâ— a figure or shew only of them was set before yâ— face of his disciples euen as visions of things absent wer set before the prophets although yâ— matter be so probable yâ— both parties may haue good occasioÌ„ to dispute yet notwtstaÌ„ding it is more likely yâ— they wer truly brought into yâ— place neither it is any absurditie at al to say seeing that God hath both body soule in his hand power yâ— the dead for a time may be restored to life according to his wil Moses Helias did not rise vnto themselues at yâ— time but they rose at the wil commandement of God to be present for yâ— time with Christ. Againe if any demaund how the Apostles knewe Moses Helias whom they neuer saw It may be aunswered that when God had set them in the mids before them he gaue them signes and tokens by the which they might be knowen vnto them This truly was done by an extraordinary manner of reuelation that they might certainely knowe Moses and Helias But why did these two rather then any other of the Saints appeare â— Surely that reason ought to satisfie vs to say that the Lawe and the Prophets had no other scope or ende then Christ. For it was a great aide helpe to our faith that Christicame not forth without testimonie but was commended of God long before Therefore in Moses the Lawe and in Helias the Prophets are represented Marl. vpon Mat. fol. 377. Of Moses chaire what it signifieth The Scribes and Pharesies sit in Moses seate c. ¶ Christ speaketh of them that doe teach the Lawe of Moses and not of such as wrap them in the constitutions of men And euen now haply must the Bishop be heard that doth truly teach the Gospell though he lyue skant Gospell lyke But who can suffer them against Christs doctrine for their owne profites to make and vnmake lawes exercising vpon the people plaine ¶ Tyranny and measuring all things for their owne aduauntage and authoritie They that with traditions imagined for their owne lucre and tyranny do hamper the people do not sit in the chaire of the Gospell but in the chaire of Symon Magus and Cayphas Tindale ¶ To sit in Moses chayre was truly and rightly to instruct the people and to open vnto them the law of Moses S. Austen saith Sedendo super cathedram Mosis c. Sitting vpon Mofes chaire they teach the lawe of God Therefore it is God that teacheth by the meanes of them
imputed vnto him the first Article All men were in the first man created without sinne all by the transgression of the same man haue lost the freedome of our nature from thence we tooke the manifolde corruption both of body and soule from thence ignoraunce and dulnesse hath ensued c. Ambr. in his 1. booke and 3 Chapter of the calling of the Gentiles In the lawe it is commaunded that for him that is borne a paire of Turtles or young Pigeons shoulde be offered of the which the one should be for a sinne Offering and the other for a burnt Offering For what sinne is this one Pigeon offered Could this new borne childe sinne Yea euen then he hath sin for the which he is commaunded to offer a sinne Offering from the which ther is no man cleane and though he be but one day olde Origen in his 5. booke and 6. chap. vpon the Rom. No man lyueth heere vpon earth without sinne Hiero. in his 29. Epistle There shall be no iudgment without mercie for because ther can no man liuing be found cleane without filthines no though he were but one day olde from his birth Basil. vpon the 32. Psalme No man is cleane from filthinesse no not an Infant of a daye olde hath a cleane life héere vpon earth Barnard in his second sermon vpon the first Sunday after the Epiphany OTH What an Oth is AN Oth is the calling or taking to witnesse of Gods name to confirme the truth of that we saye c. Bullinger fol. 132. An Oth is a way or meane whereby contreuersies are ended and promises perfourmed by the calling vpon the name of God For it is written in the Lawe If a man deliuer vnto his neighbour Oxe or Asse or Shéepe to pasture and it dye or be hurt or driuen away no man séeing it then shall an Oth of the Lord goe betweene them and he shall sweare whether he hath put any hand to the taking away of his neighbors goods or not And the owner of the goods shall receiue the Oth. And if he by the Oth that he hath taken saith that he hath put no hand to it then shall he not make it good c. And this must bée done before the Gods that is to saye before the Iudges and Magistrates ¶ An Oth is also a meane whereby promises are performed as in Gen. 21. where Abraham sware to Abimelch y◠he wold neither hurt him nor his posteritie and performed it indéed How an Oth is lawfull Lawfull it is for the Magistrate when they put any man in office to take an Oth of him that he shall be true diligent and faithfull therein as Iacob for the commoditie and profit of his posteritie tooke an Oth of Laban the Idolater Lykewise Iudas Machabeus of the Romanes for the same purpose Also Princes may demaund an Oth of their Subiects Commons for the sauegard of their lands and people But they that sweare must haue these properties They béeing required of the Magistrate must sweare truly minding neither fraude or deceipt but witnesse onely the truth séeking no parcialitie but the truth not themselues but the glory of God the profite of of theyr neighbour and the Common wealth of GODS people How an Oth is damnable To sweare to doe euill as to slaye to rauish or to robbe is damnable without faile and to performe such an Oth or to doe those wickednesses indéede is a double damnation both to him that so sweareth and also to the Iudge that causeth him to sweare Such an Oth was the cursed Oth that King Herod made vnto the Daughter of Herodias his harlot for the heade of holy Iohn Baptist whome Christ calleth a wily Foxe for his craftie conueyaunce A colour was this Oth of his cruell Tyranny and a cloake to his most spitefull murder For through that meanes was Iohn done to death Neither was an Oth ordeined after the minde of Saint Austen to binde the perfourmaunce of man-slaughter robberie Idolatry or other sinnes Rather had Dauid breake his Oth then to fulfil it with bloudshedding Wheras Dauid did not by shedding of bloud performe his promise bound with an Oth therein his godlines was the greater Dauid sware rashly but vpon better and godly aduise he performed not the thing he had sworne By this and by like it is declared that many Othes are not to be obserued Now he that sweareth so doth sinne but in chaunging his Oth hée doth very well He that chaungeth not such an oth committeth a double sinne First for swearing as he ought not and then for doing that he should not Bullinger fol. 134. How wicked Othes vowes are to be broken Othes are to be obserued when their ende is not euill nor to the hinderaunce of soules health In which promises sayth Isidore let faithfulnesse haue place In filthie vowes chaunge thy decréed purpose Doe not the thing in effect that thou hast without consideration sworne vnto for the promise is euermore wicked that cannot be done without sinne Therefore if the Iudges or Rulers should inforce the inferiour subiect to sweare to the things that were against soules health or Gods honour as to worship an Idol or to an Innocents vndoing they ought rather to dye then to obey as did Eleazarus with the seauen faithful bretheren and their mother in the Machabees for much better it is saith Saint Peter in such a cause to obey God then man Of Herodes wicked Oth. Neuerthelesse for his Oth sake c. ¶ Better it is otherwhises to forswere himselfe then to do any vngodly thing This déede of Herod can in no wise be excused for if she had asked his owne head or hir mothers head he would not haue graunted hir Sir I. Cheeke How Othes first began When the Lawe of naturall loue which God had inwardly written in the hearts of men remained among the good fathers Adam Seth Enoch Noe Abraham Moses other godly men then was no swearing but euery man did vnto his neighbour as he would his neighbour should doe vnto him But when the wicked as Cain the filthie Giaunts Nymroth Cham and such lyke beganne to increase in the lande they contrariwise for want of that rule fell into all manner of abhominable sinnes so that daylye more and more great mischiefes increased And as Ose the Prophette complaineth there was no faithfulnesse no brotherly loue no truth among men but bitternesse lieng manslaughter thefte and adulterie hath gotten the ouer hand In their dayly occupieng was much falshood vsed and that was thought well wonne good that was gotten by deceipt Uery seldome in their bargaining were promises perfourmed more seldome a great deale was faithfull honestie regarded In processe of time therfore were very few or none beleeued vnlesse they tooke God to witnesse that the matter was true Wherepon first of all came vp the swearing of Othes among men to confirme their sayeng with ¶ Looke Swearing
Beza PLANT How this sentence following is expounded EUerie plant which is not of my fathers planting shall bée plucked vp ¶ Some vnderstand this sentence of opinions as if it should haue ben sayd that all the inuentions of men whatsoeuer came not out of the mouth of God must be plucked and rooted out and perish But Christ rather had a respect vnto men so that these words are in effect as if he should haue sayd that it is no meruaile that if the doctrine of saluation were mortiferous and deadly to the reprobate because they are alwayes carried headlong into destruction Wherefore we must vnderstand those to be planted by the hand of God which by his frée adoption are graffed in the trée of lyfe Marl. vpon Math. fol. 336. ¶ Euerie plant c. That is to saye the tradition of man is to bée rooted out by the loue whereof they transgressed the commaundements of the lawe and therefore are they blinde leaders of the blinde promising the way of eternall life which themselues cannot sée And so being blinde themselues and guides of the blinde they tumble into the ditch together I. Bridges fol. 454. All plants c. That is all doctrines that are not grounded on the word of God shall perish Tindale ¶ All they that are not graffed in Iesus Christ by frée adoption and euerie doctrine that is not established by Gods word Geneua ¶ All kindes of religion and doctrine that is not of God shal be plucked vp by the roots onely the word of God shal remaine for euer Sir I. Cheeke PLOVGH By what meanes the plough of Gods word goeth awrie THe kingdome of Christ is a spirituall kingdome which no man can minister well and a temporall kingdome too Because that no man which putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backe is apt for the kingdome of heauen As Christ answered Luke 9. vnto him that woulde haue followed him but would first haue taken leaue of his household If a man put his hand to the plough of Gods word to preach it looke also to worldly businesse his plough will surely go awry And therfore saith Christ vnto an other that would likewise follow him but desired first to goe burie his father let the dead bury the dead but come thou and shew or preach the kingdome of God As who should say he that will preach the kingdome of God which is Christs Gospell truely must haue his heart no where else Tindale POLICRONICON What Policronicon is POlicronicon is as much to saye as a Chronicle of manye times POLIGAMIE What Poligamie is POligamie is when a man hath many wiues or a woman many husbands Bibhan fol. 27. POORE How this place following is vnderstood THe poore yée shall euermore haue with you but mée ye shal not haue ¶ Let good men heare this and not be carefull for this he speaketh of the presence of his body For according to his maiestie according to his prouidence according to his vnspeakable and inuisible grace it is fulfilled that he said I am with you vnto the consummation of the world But according to the flesh that the word receiued according to that he was borne of a virgin according to that he was taken of the Iewes according to that he was nailed to the crosse according to that he was taken downe and lapt in a shroud laide in a graue and rose againe and shewed himselfe In this respect it is true that he sayd ye shall not euermore haue me with you ¶ He speaketh of the presence of his bodie when he saith The poore you shall alwaies haue with you but me shal ye not haue alwaies For in respect of his maiestie of his prouidence and of his vnspeakable grace is that fulfilled which he spake Beholde I am with you alwaies vnto the end of the world But in respect of the flesh which the word tooke vpon it In respect that he was borne of a virgin that he was taken by the Iewes that he was nailed to the crosse that he was wound in a shéet that he was laide into the sepulchre that he was manifested in the resurrection you shall not haue me with you alwaies And why so Because he was conuersaunt as touching his bodelye presence fortie dayes with his Disciples and they accompanieng him but not following him he ascended into heauen and is not héere For there he sitteth at the right hand of the Father And he is héere for he is not gone hence in respect of the presence of his maiestie Bullinger fol. 1096. What the complaint of the poore is He forgetteth not the complaint of the poore ¶ The complaint of the poore is the feruent desire and burning affection wherewith they crie vnto the Lorde and be heard By the poore in the scripture are vnderstood the afflict which féele their néed temptation which sorow and lament that the truth is ouertroden which put no trust at all in any thing that is in this world yea which are despised and forsaken of the world and cleaue onely to the liuing God assured at his hande they shall finde help though the world be neuer so extreme against them And in the next Psalme T. M. How the poore in spirit are blessed Blessed are the poore in spirit ¶ That is to say the rich that haue not their confidence nor consolation in the vanitie of their riches the poore that desiâ—eth not inordinatly to be rich but haue their trust in the liuing God for foode and raiment for all that perteineth either to the bodie or to the soule for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Tindale ¶ None is poore in spirit but he which being humble lowly in his owne eyes trusteth onely to the mercie of God For they which are ouerwhelmed with desperation when they fret fume against God are puffed vp with a lustie proude spirit Marl. vpon Mat. fo 76. ¶ Christ calleth them héere poore which are poore in spirit that is which trust in no worldly thing are forsaken despised of other being poore and contrite of heart which often doe not prosper in the world because they lead a godly lyfe put their whole trust and confidence in God Tindale How the poore receiueth vs into euerlasting Tabernacles That when you haue néede they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations ¶ It is manifest that Christ receiueth the beléeuers into euerlasting habitations for eternall lyfe is GODS gifte by Iesus Christ. And where as it is sayde in this text that the poore shall receiue vs into euerlasting Tabernacles it is meant that they shall be as witnesses and aueâ—chers of our faith Tindale POPE Reasons of the Papists to confirme the Popes supremacie aunswered Their first reasons AS the first begotten in the olde Law was Lord ouer his bretheren euen so because it is euident that Peter was the first begotten of Christ he must be Lord
power is that which is altogether frée and is neither gouerned or restrained by the law or will of any other The limitted power is not frée but subiect to an absolute or greater power of another which cannot of it selfe doe euery thing but that onely that the absolute power or greater authoritie doth suffer to be done and suffereth it vnder certaine conditions c. Bullinger fol. 837. PRAIER What Praier is PRaier is a mourning a longing and a desire of the spirite to God-ward for that which she lacketh as a sicke man mourneth and sorroweth in his heart longing for health Tindale fol. 8◠Againe Praier is either a longing for the honour of the name of God that all men should feare him and kéepe his precepts and beléeue in him either to giue God thankes for benefits receiued either a complaining and a shewing of thine owne miserie and necessitie or of thy neighbours before God desiring him with all the power of thine heart to haue compassion and to suceour thée and them Tindale ¶ The true and acceptable prayer consisteth not in a rabblement of words nor yet in the vehemencie of the voice but in the stedfastnesse of our beléefe in the beautie of our desires and in the pure intentiue thought of our hearts fixed on Gods diuine mercie at such time as we doe pray ¶ God hath giuen vs a speciall comaundement to pray promising to heare and graunt our requests Wherefore it is requisite when we powre out our feruent praiers vnto God that we haue a speciall regard vnto the promise for except the Lord had promised to heare vs we could obtaine nothing by our prayers And whensoeuer we obtaine any thing in our prayer we may not attribute the graunt thereof to our praiers or worthinesse but onely vnto his mercifull promise ¶ Prayer saith Augustine is the deuotion of the minde that is to say the turning vnto God by godly and humble affection but we saith Musculus define it thus that the praier which may appeare vnto God is the affection and bewayling of an afflicted heart wherby the ayd of God is most humbly besought whether the same be done with words or without wordes by wayling alone and sighes Masculus fol. 485. ¶ The right forme and affection of prayer commeth by the holy Ghost who maketh intercession tor vs not that hée prayeth and mourneth but that he so stirreth our hearts that we lift them vp to heauen earnestly and feruently which is the true prayer Heare my prayer O God ¶ True prayer is an earnest and affectious communication of the heart with God and a diligent consideration of the things that want in vs concerning the séeking of his glorye and dooing his will with a burning and feruent desire of the spirite that requyreth him to repaire and amende that which wanteth in vs. Psa. 5. 1. Pro. 15. 29. Euery godly with also is a good prayer T. M. What els is praier then a record of the faith that we haue to God-ward for by calling vpon God without Hypocrisie we witnesse openly that all our welfare lyeth in him and that he is the onely party to whom we ought to flye for succour And to be short by calling vpon God we yéelde him the glory that belongeth vnto him and which he reserueth vnto himselfe c. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 205. ¶ The sincere praier which is appoynted of God is vsed to inflame the heart of man with a feruent desire to séeke God alwaies in true faith and euermore to haue recourse to him in all his néedes and the rather to receiue his benefites with a thankful mind when he is certefied by prayer that all benefits doe come from his bountifull hande and finally to confirme weake mindes so that they shall not haue cause to doubt in Gods prouidence when they sée God doth stirre them vp yea doth commaund them to call vpon him in their necessities by Iesus Christ doth promise them y◠he will heare their prayers through the same Iesus Christ whensoeuer they call vppon him that they may render thankes vnto him and glorifie his holy name Neither will God haue vs make our praiers without his Temple that is Iesus Christ his Sonne in whom his Deitie dwelleth effectually For as he hath giuen vs our béeing and the knowledge of him by the meanes of his Sonne so will he likewise haue vs to aske of him by this meanes not by any other And therefore whosoeuer doth praye and offer vp his petitions to any other then to God onely or doth séeke any other meanes then Iesus Christ to offer them by without doubt he doth both against the commaundements and against the promise of God and doth sinne grieuously in Gods sight F. N. B. the Italian ¶ Praier is the ordinarie instrument to attaine all things that are néedefull for vs of God Or thus Praier is a lowly listing vp of y◠minde vnto God in desiring ought at Gods hand or yéelding thankes for benefits receiued Hemmyng We are taught by Ose how we should pray The Prophet Ose telleth vs how we should praye Lord saith he take away mine iniquitie and receiue if I haue any my goodnesse and I will giue thee the Bullockes and Sacrifices of my lippes The meaning of this place following But when thou praiest enter into thy chamber ¶ The heauenly schoolemaster when he minded to set out the best rule of praieng commaunded vs to goe into our chamber and ther the dores being shut to pray to our Father which is in secret that our Father which is in secret may heare vs. For when he hath drawen them away from the example of Hypocrites which with ambitious boasting showe of prayers sought the fauour of men he therewithall addeth what is better namely to enter into our chamber and there to praye the doore being shutte in which words as I expound them he willeth vs to séeke solitarie being which may helpe vs to descend and to enter throughly with our whole thought into our heart promising to the affections of our heart that God shall be néere vs whose Temples our bodies ought to be For he ment not to deny but that it is expedient also to pray in other places but he sheweth that praier is a certaine secret thing which both is chiefly placed in the soule and requireth the quyet therof farre from all troubles and cares Cal. in his Insti 3. b. cha 20 sect◠29. ¶ Looke Chamber ¶ When thou with pray saith Christ goe into thy Closet shut the dore vpon thée and pray vnto the father in secret ¶ He spake not to this intent to restraine the praiers of his faithfull vnto chambers closets but to admonish them that they shuld specially eschew the fault of ostentation and boasting which the Pharesies vsed in their prayers praieng openly at the corners of the stréetes and in the Synagogues to be séene of men and to be taken for deuout folke
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
saith S. Austen that the manners of euill men hinder not the sacraments of God that either they vtterly be not or be lesse holy but they hinder the euill men themselues so yâ— they haue the sacraments to witnesse of their damnation not to helpe of their saluation And all processe spoken there by S. Austen is spoken chiefely of Baptime against the Donatists which said yâ— Baptime was naught if either the Minister or receiuer were naught Against whom S. Austen concludeth that the sacraments themselues be holy and be all one whether the Minister or receiuer bée good or bad Cranmer fol. 63. What the olde fathers doe teach of the sacrament Ireneus S. Agustine and other auncient Doctors yea and the Canon law doth teach there must be both the outward Element which in Baptime is water and in the Lords supper bread and wine and the outward grace as the two principalls thereof Take away the bread and wine and then it is no sacrament How the sacrament is our body Because Christ hath suffered for vs he hath betaken vnto vs in this sacrament his body and bloud which he hath made also euen our selues for we also are made his body by his mercie we are euen the same thing that we receiue And after hée saith Now in the name of Christ ye are come as a man wold say to the Chalice of the Lord there are ye vpon the Table and there are ye in the Chalice ¶ Héere ye may sée that the Sacrament is our body and yet it is not our naturall body but in a mysterie I. Frith If you wil vnderstand the body of Christ heare the Apostle which saith Ye are the body of Christ members 1. Cor. 12. 27. Therefore if ye be the body of Christ members your misterie is put vpon the Lords Table ye receiue the mysterie of the Lord vnto that you are you aunswere Amen and in aunswering subscribe vnto it ¶ Héere we may sée the Sacrament is also our body and yet is not our naturall body but onely our body in a mysterie that is to say a figure signe memorial or representation of our body For as the bread is made of many graines or cornes so we though we be many are bread one body for this propertie and similitude it is called our body beareth the name of the very thing which it doth represent and signifie I. Frith As the sacrament of the Altar is our body euen so it is Christs First vnderstand ye that in yâ— wine which is called Christs bloud is admixed water which doth signifie the people yâ— are redéemed with his bloud so that yâ— head which is Christ is not without his body which is the faithful people nor the body without the head Now if the wine when it is consecrate be turned bodely into Christs bloud then it is also necessary that the water which is admixed be bodely turned into the bloud of the faithfull people for wheras is one consecration must folow one operation whereas is like reson ther must follow like mysterie But whatsouer is signified by the water as concerning the faithfull people is taken spiritually therefore whatsoeuer is spoken of the bloud in the wine must also néedes be taken spiritually This is Bartrams reason vpon a. 700. yeares since How in the sacrament there can be no accident without his substance In the sacrament of the Altar saith I. Puruay after yâ— consecration ther is not neither can be any accident with yâ— substance but ther verely remaineth the same substance the very visible incorruptible bread likewise the very same wine yâ— which before yâ— consecratioÌ„ wer set vpon the Altar to be consecrate by yâ— Priest likewise as wheÌ„ a PagaÌ„ or Infidel is baptised he is spiritually coÌ„uerted into a meÌ„ber of Christ yet remaineth yâ— very same maÌ„ which he before was in proper nature substaÌ„ce B. of M. 649. Of a new article inuented in the sacrament Innocentius the third Pope was the head of Antichrist who after the letting loose of Satan inuented a new Article of our faith a certaine fained veritie touching the sacrament of tâ—e Altar that is to say that the Sacrament of the Altar is an â—â—cident without a substance But Christ his Apostles do teach manifestly yâ— the sacrament of the Altar is bread the body of Christ together after yâ— manner yâ— he spake And in yâ— he calleth it bread he wold haue the people to vnderstand as they ought with reason that it is very and substanciall bread no false nor fained bread In the b. of Mar. fol. 649. Of the sacramentall chaunge Of the sacramentall chaunge S. Bede which was about 900. yeres agoe saith thus The creature of the bread wine by the ineffable sanctification of the spirit is turned into the sacrament of Christs flesh and bloud In sacraments saith S. Augustine we must consider not what they be of themselues but what they doe signifie S. Ambrose saith What sawest thou in thy Baptime water no doubt but not onely water Againe he saith Before the blessing of the heauenly words it is called another kinde but after the consecration the body of Christ is signified Of the sacramentall word Let the word saith S. Austen be added to the element and there shall be made a Sacrament For whence commeth this so great strength to the water to touch the body wash the soule but by the word making it not because it is spoken but because it is beléeued For in the very word it selfe the sound which passeth is one thing the power which abideth is another This is the word of faith which we preach saith the Apostle whervpon in the Actes of the Apostles it is said By faith cleansing their hearts c. Cal. in his Inst. 4. b. chap. 14. sect 4. How in the sacrament remaineth bread wine That which you sée saith S. Austen in the altar is the bread the cup which also your eyes doe shew you but faith the weth you further the bread is the body of Christ the cup his bloud ¶ Heere he declareth two thingâ— yâ— in the sacrament remaineth bread wine which we may discerne with our eyes that the bread and wine be called the body and bloud of Christ. He that called his naturall body saith Theodoretus wheate and bread and also called himselfe a Uine the selfe same called bread and wine his body and bloud and yet chaunged not their nature And in his Dialogue he saith more plainely for saith he as the bread and wine after the consecration lost not theyr proper nature but kept their former substaunce forme figure which thâ—y had before euen so the body of Christ after his Ascention was chaunged into the godly substaunce Of the sacramentall eating ¶ Looke Eating What is to be wondred at in the sacraments The wonder is not
let the whole body of Christ crie out wheÌ„soeuer it suffereth afflictions diuers temptations innumerable slaunders preserue my soule for I am a Saint Ric. Turn To al you of Rome beloued of god saints by calling â—Saints by calling is as much to say as called to be saints called to holynesse holy things For the Scripture is accustomed to call them that be aliue Saints And it ought to be all one to say S Saint or a christen man or a christian Tindale How Saints shall iudge the world They shall iudge saith Chrisostome not they themselues sitting in iudgement and exacting an accompt God forbid But they shall condemne the world the which signifieng he sayth And if in you c. He sayth not of you but in you as who should say the iust condempnation of those that are the worldlinges shall shine in the saluation of you that are in his Saintes I. Bridges SALOMONS HOVSE Of the beautie thereof and wherevnto it is applied SAint Hierome and other learned interpreters in reading and pointing doe swarue quite and cleane from our Latine Bibles reading this clause of commending of Salomons goodly house on this wise Epalatijs eburneis vt te exhilerentâ— and yet héere is still Eclipsis which may be thus made vp Supplia vestimenta deprompta e palatijs eburneis vt te exhileret Out of the Iuory pallaices and not Iuory places but out of Iuory pallaces are thy swéet garments brought out to make thée merâ—ie and ioyfull for that is one of the properties of sweete odours to make the spirits of a man merrie and chéerefull Thus then doth the Prophet commend Salomon the figure of Christ. He saith that Salomon had not onely a princely store of swâ—â—tâ— and goodly garments smelling of Mirre Aloes Eassia but also they were said vp in pallaices of Iuorie Of Salamons most princely house the Scripture maketh mention 3. Reg. 7. Where it is sayde that Salomons house was a building xiâ— yeares There was none other timber occupied in the making of the roofe certeine other parts but only Cedar which wood is costly hard to be gotten The walls were in many places set with precious stones and the pillers of Ceder plated ouer with golde This was a sumptuous house But yet we read not that Salomons pallaice was made of Iuorie No of Iuorie there is no mention and no meruaile for Iuorie is onely the bone of an Elephants tooth So that it is not lykely that such plentie of Elephants téeth could be gathered or gotten that should make or couer Salomons pallaice that was so great so large that it was xiii yeares a building wherefore by these words Domus eburnea Iuorie pallaices we must vnderstand nothing else but most goodly and sumptuous houses so pleasant and so beautifull as if they had ben made of white Iuorie of the shining teeth of Elephants Thus then hath the prophet in this dark place E domibus eburncis And if ye will applie these words vnto Christ then ye must allegorically vnderstand by the Iuory houses the white and the pure hearts of the elect Saints seruants of God wherin through the sanctifieng of the holy Ghost Christ dwelleth more princely then euer Salomon did in anie of his gorgeous houses Of Salomons Temple Which had séene the first house c. Wept with a loud voyce ¶ Because they sawe that it was nothing so glorious as that Temple which Salomon had built notwithstanding Aggeus comforteth them and prophesieth that it shall be more beautifull then the first Aggeâ— 2. meaning because Christ and his Apostles should preach the Gospell and worke miracles therein The Bible note ¶ The note in the Bible of Geneua hath thus in the ende meaning the spirituall Temple which are the members of Christs body What Salomons porch meaneth In Salomons porch ¶ The Euangelist calleth Salomons porch the Temple not because it was the Sanctuarie but a part of the same Therefore this place in the which Christ walked belonged not to the Scribes and Pharesies but to the common sort of people For it is certeine the this porch of the which mention is made héere was not the same which is described in yâ— booke of Kings for that was taken away by the Chaldees and quite ouerthrown but the same which the Iewes straight after their returne from their exile into Babylon builded according to the paterne of the olde Marl. vpon Iohn fo 391. Which was builded againe after the paterne of that which Salomon builded Geneua SALT What it is to salt THE office of an Apostle and true preacher of Christ is to salt not onely the corrupt manners and conuersations of earthly people but also the rotten heart within and all that springeth out thereof their naturall reason their will their vnderstanding and wisedome yea and their fayth and beleefe and all that they haue imagined without Gods worde concerning righteousnesse inuocation satisfaction and seruing God c. Tindale fol. 196. Who is meete to Salt The true preaching is a salting that stirreth vp persecution and an office that no man is méete for saue he that is seasoned himselfe before with pouertie in spirit softnesse méeknesse patience mercifulnesse purenesse of heart and hunger for righteousnesse and looking for persecution to and hath al his comfort and hope in the blessing onely and in no worldly thing Tindale fol. 196. Of the salting of hypocrites The nature of Salt is to bite fret make smart though the sicke patients of the world canne suffer their grose sinnes to be rebuked vnder a fashion as in a Parable a farre of yet to haue their righteousnesse their holynesse and seruing of God and his Saintes disallowed improued and condempned for dampnable and diuellish that may they not abide Tindale fo 196. Of salt that hath lost his saltnesse If Salt haue lost his saltnesse it is good for nothing but to be troden vnder foote of men ¶ That is if the preacher which for his doctrine is called Salt haue lost his nature of Salt the is to say his sharpnesse in rebuking all vnrighteousnesse all naturall reason naturall will and vnderstanding and all trust confidence in whatsoeuer it be saue in the bloud of Christ he is condempned of God and disallowed of all them that cleaue to the truth c. Tindale fol. 197. Ye are the Salt of the earth c. ¶ The ministers of Gods word are called the Salt of the earth because the men are made by their true doctrine being receiued through faith sauory vnto the Lord. And the Salt hath lost his saltnesse when the ministers fall from Gods worde vnto the dreames and traditions of Antichrist Beza How our speach ought to be poudred with salt Let your speach be gratious alway and poudred with salt Héere wée haue a goodly lesson how that our communication ought to bée tempered with godly wisedome which he vnderstandeth
represented by the Paschall Lambe should abstaine from leauened bread Yea how dare your Priests eate anye leauened bread at anye time sith that they doe eate and drinke the bodie and bloud of Christ almost euery day How the Lords death is shewed As often as ye shall eate this bread drinke of this Cup ye shall shew the Lords death c. ¶ The Lords death is not shewed except both parts of the Sacrament be ministred because in his death the bloud was diuided from the bodie it is necessary that the same diuision be represented in the supper otherwise the supper is not a shewing of the Lords death Latimer SHOE What Gods shooe is OUer Edom will I stretch out my shooe ¶ Edom is the earth The Apostles féete be his shooes for it is writteÌ„ How bewtifull are the feete of them which bring glad tidings of peace He stretched out his shooe vppon the earth when he sent them to preach to all creatures for their sound went into all lands their words to the ende of the world SHORT LIFE How short life is not a generall rule of Gods indignation IT is a certaine token but no sure token of Gods indignation when a man is snatched away with vnripe death in his flourishing age Then what shall we saye to the sentence written in the Booke of Sapience 4. chapter The iust man is snatched out of this world that the mallice of men and wickednesse of the worlde shoulde not tourne his minde and least lyeng should deceiue his soule And againe The righteous man what death soeuer he be preuented withall his soule shall go to rest The Innocents that Herod did murther for Christs cause Iohn Baptist whom he did behead are the blessed Martirs of Christ. This must néedes be graunted yâ— sometime God taketh out of this world the righteous onely because the world is not worthy to haue them among them sometime least the mallice lewd example of men shoulde tourne their hearts to vngodlinesse But now this taking away of righteous men out the world is not a rule nor an order generall that God vseth with men but it is onely Per accidens because that troublesome times are at hand as of famine warres and such others and in such perticular cases It is true that Christ saide Beati sterilis c. Happye are the barren and the wombes that neuer bare c. And yet the rule generall of all women is this that fruite of their wombe is a blessing the contrary a woman to be barren is a displeasure a plague more grieuous to them then pouertie or hunger Ric. Turnar SICERA What kinde of drinke it was THis Sicera as Hierom writeth to Nepotianus was a kinde of drinke much like vnto wine which was made either of Wheate or of Apples or of Dates or els of other fruits Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 202. SICLE What a Sicle is A Sicle as Iosephus saith coÌ„teined 4. drams of Athens And a dranâ— of Athens as Budens gathereth in his booke de ass conteined 3. shillings of Towers A shilling of Towers is yâ— half part of a Baâ—se Wherefore a dram was as much in value as a shilling of Argentine that is thrée halfe Batses that is foure shillings But there were two manner of Sicles one was vsuall and prophane and the other was of the Sanctuary The holy sickle was double so much as the prophane Wherefore Ezechiel in his 45. chapter verse 12. saith that a prophane sickle containeth 20. halfe pence but the sicle of the Sanctuary 40. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 238. ¶ A Sicle was a péece of money in value worth 4. grotes equiualent with that which is called Stater whereof the halfe part of this sicle is two grotes that is to saye the 5. part of a French Crowne as they went in Fraunce as very exactly declareth the learned Master William Budns in his booke De Assi Marl. fol. 390. ¶ A Sicle after the Hebrues is an Ounce but after the Gréekes and Latines it is but thâ— fourth part of an Ounce and is contained 12. Geras as in Exo. 30. 13. which is ten pence sterling or thereabout T. M. Take 5. Sicles of euery head ¶ Sicles were of two sorts the one common the other belonging to the Sanctuary and that of the Sanctuary was double the waight of the common The common Sicle weighed two grotes and the Sanctuary Sicle 4. The Scripture in this place and in the 30. of Exo. us Ezechiel fortie and fiue saith that the Sanctuary Sicle doth weigh 20. Geras which the Grecians doe call Obolus and we in English an halfe peny when 8. grotes of our money was an ounce and the Hebrues do think that Obolus doth weigh the waight of 16. barly Cornes The Bible note SICHEM What Dauid meaneth by the deuiding of Sichem SIchem was the most richest and the most strongest Citie in all the Tribe of Ephraim wherof Isboseth was king ouer all Israel beside The Tribe of Iuda onely except which stucke vnto Dauid Now where the Prophet doth prophecie make his bost in God saieng Dominus loquutus est è sanctuario suo laetabor diuidam Sichem The Lord hath spoken it out of his holy place I will reioice and diuide Sichem is no more to say but that Dauid should conquere Sichem and be king therof and diuide it and lot it as Iosua did as all conquerours do when they conquer any countrey or lande And as Dauid shoulde conquere Sichem so was it saide that hée shoulde meate out yâ— valley of Sucoth for Dauid reioysing afore hand of Gods goodnesse towards him saith Ego vallem sâ—coth demetiar It is not Isboseth that shall long continue king of sucoth but it is I whome the Lord hath appointed to be king of sucoth and as I haue now sayd of sichem and sucoth so will I saye of Galaad and Manasses Meus est Galaad meus est Manasses Galaad is mine and Manasses is mine And to know what Sucoth Galaad and Manasses were ye shall vnderstande that sucoth was a vale nigh vnto the citie of sichem in the land of Canaan In the which vale Iacob pitched his tents after he had met his brother Esau and was departed from him And of his pitching his tents there the vaâ—le had this name sucoth giuen him for Sucoth by interpretation and turning of the word into Latine is as much to say as Tabernacula Galaad was the name of a little hillocke as we read in Gen. 31. When Iacob fled away sodeinly and priuely from Laban his father in lawe with his wiues Lea and Rachel Then at the ende of seauen daies iourney Laban ouertooke Iacob in mount Galaad where he reproued him not onely of running away deceitfully but also of theft which when he coulde not proue Laban cooled himselfe and so did shake hands with Iacob And in witnes of friendship of vnfeined reconciliation
reproued of all men then fornication it selfe False Prophets false Apostles and false Priests sprang vp which vnder a counterfait religion deceiued the people the most part of them vnder the honest name of chastitie commit whooredome adultery incest commonly and without punishment The Bishops Priests of this time how do they endeuour to kéepe either in heart or in hody the holynesse of chastitie without which no man shall sée God They are giuen ouer into a reprobate minde and doe those things that are not conuenient for it were shame to vtter what these Bishops do in secret Againe he saith absteining from the remedy of marriage afterward they flow ouer into all kinde of wickednesse Againe such notorious filthynesse of lecherie there is in manye partes of the world not onely in the inferiour Clarkes but also in Priests yea in the greatest Prelates which thing is horrible to be heard Bar. de conuers ad cleri chap. 19. in ope triperti li. 3. cha 7. Huldericus the Bishop of Augusta in Germany wrote sharply against Pope Nicholas in this wise I haue founde thy decrées touching the single lyfe of Priests to be voyde of discreation thou séest that many followers of thy counsell willing vnder a feined colour of continēt life rather to please man then God commit hainous actes in the end he concludeth thus by such discipline of discretion as you know best roote this Pharesaicall doctrine out of Gods folde I beléeue it were a good lawe and for the wealth and safety of soules that such as cannot liue chast may contract matrimonie For we learne by experience that of the law of continence or single lyfe the contrarie effect hath followed for as much as now a daies they liue not spiritually nor be cleane chast but with their great sinnes are defiled with vnlawfull copulation whereas with their owne wiues they should liue chastly Therefore the Church ought to doe as the skilfull Phisition vseth to doe who if he sée by experience that his medicine hurteth rather then doth good taketh it cleane away And would to God the same waye were taken with all positiue constitutions SINNE The definition of sinne SAint Augustine in his 2. booke De consensu Euangelistarum saith Sinne is the transgression of the law Ad simpliciatum li. 1. Sin is an inordinatenesse or peruersenesse of man that is a turning from the more excellent creator a turning to the inferiour creatures De fide contra Manichaeus cap. 8. he saith What is it else to sinne but to erre in the precepts of truth or in the truth it selfe Again Contra Faustū Manicheū li. 22. ca. 27. Sin is a déed a word or a wish against the law of God The same Augustine De duobus animabus contra Manichaeus ca. 11 saith Sin is a will to reteine or obteine the which iustice forbiddeth is not frée to absteine And in Retract li. 1. cap. 5. he saith That will is a motion of the minde with copulation either not to loose or else to obteine some one thing or other All which definitions as I do not vtterly reiect saith Bullinger so do I wish this to be considered thought of with the rest Sin is the naturall corruption of mankind the action which ariseth of it contrary to the law of God whose wrath that is both death sundry punishments it bringeth vpon vs. Bullinger fo 478. What sinne is Sin in the scripture is not called the outward work only committed by the body but all the whole busines whatsoeuer acompanieth moueth or stirreth vnto the outward déede and that whence the works spring as vnbeleefe pronenesse readinesse vnto the déede in the ground of the heart with all his powers affections and appetites wherwith we can but sin So that we say the a man thē sinneth when he is carried away headlong into sinne altogether as much as he is of that poison inclination corrupt nature wherein he was conceiued and borne for there is none outward sinne committed except a man be carried away altogether with life soule heart body lust minde therevnto The Scripture looketh singularly vnto the hart vnto the race originall fountaine of all sin which is vnbeléefe in the bottome of the heart for as faith onely iustifieth and bringeth the spirit and lust vnto outward good works euen so vnbeleefe onely damneth kéepeth out the spirit prouoketh the flesh stirreth vp lust vnto euil outward works as it fortuned to Adam Eue in Paradise Ge. 3. For this cause Christ calleth sin vnbeléefe and that notably in the. 16. of Iohn The spirit saith hée shall rebuke the world of sinne because they beléeue not in me Wherefore then before all good workes there must néeds hée fayth in the heart whence they spring And before all bad déeds and bad fruits there must néedes be vnbeléefe in y◠heart as in the roote fountaine pith and strength of all sinne which vnbeléefe is called the head of the Serpent and of the olde dragon which the womans seede Christ must tread vnder foote as it was promised to Adam Tindale in his Pro. to the Rom. How euery sinne is mortall That euery sinne is mortall in that it is sinne is euident by the words of God himselfe who can best iudge in this matter In the. 18. of Ezechiel verse 4. saieng thus The soule that sinneth shall dye héere is no exception or difference made of sinne but any sinne in that it is sinne is deadly as Saint Paule sayth Rom 6. 23. For the reward of sinne is death Héere also you see that Saint Paule maketh no difference of sinne but that Mors death is the reward of sinne generally without exception And Saint Iohn sayth Euerie one that committeth sinne the same also committeth iniquitie and sinne is iniquitie Heere also you see that Saint Iohn sayth making no difference of sinne that sinne in that it is sinne it is iniquitie without exception Christ sayth that out of the heart procéedeth euill thoughts murthers adulteryes c. And againe hée sayth That whosoeuer beholdeth an other mans wife to lust after her hath already committed adulterye with her in his heart And Saint Iohn following his maister lyke a good scholler saith thus Omnis qui odit c. Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer So it is euident by the sacred Scriptures that all sinnes without exception are mortall and deadly I. Gough The Doctours saieng in this matter There were also before Christ worthy men both Prophets and Priests but yet conceiued and borne in sin Neither were they frée from originall and actuall sinne And there was found in them all either ignoraunce or insufficiencie in which they going astray haue sinned and haue néeded the mercye of God By the which béeing taught and instructed haue giuen thanks to God haue cōfessed themselues to haue lacked much of the full measure of
sit as God and to bée exalted aboue all that is called God For whoso contemneth the Decalogue of the table of the commaundements of God there is but a small punishment for him neither is that punishment to death but contrariwise he yâ— shal contemn or violate speaking to Frier Brusiard the constitutions which you cal the sanctions of men is couÌ„ted by all mens iudgmeÌ„ts guiltie of death What is this but the high bishop of Rome to sit to raign in yâ— temple of God yâ— is in mans conscieÌ„ce as God Bil. in the b. of M. 1140 What it is to sit on the right hand of God Sit thou on my right hand c. ¶ To sit on the right hand is to haue yâ— same glory of the godly maiestie the he hath to rule gouern as largly as he doth Ephe. 1. 20. whom he set on his right hand in heauenly things aboue all rule c. That is made him equall with himselfe and ruler ouer all things T. M. What it is to sit in the dust Thou shalt sit in the dust ¶ To sit in the dust is to bée brought low to be poorely araied decked to sit without pompe and to fall from hir estate and degrée As is said Ionas 3. 6. The Prophet héere describeth the destruction of Babylon vnder the figure of a proud Quéene which was deliciously and dainetely brought vp and after fell into extreame pouertie miserie and wretchednesse T. M. Why they sate not downe at the eating of Passeouer ¶ Looke Passeouer SIXE TROVBLES What it is to deliuer out of vi troubles HE shall deliuer thée in vi troubles ¶ We had néede to minde well this lesson that is to wit that God wil deliuer vs out of vi troubles as if it had ben said we must not trust in God onely for a daye or two or onely for one push but forasmuch as our lyfe is full of many miseries so yâ— we be not sooner crept out of one aduersitie but there commeth another fresh in the necke of it so we be tormented with miseries out of number Therefore insomuch as we haue a continuall battell and should be ouerthrowen incontinently if God were not at hand to helpe vs we must beléeue for a certaintie that he will not faile vs. Some expound this text more precisely as though it were said that God will deliuer vs from miseries all yâ— time of our life and in the ende make vs to passe out of all by taking vs out of this world For lyke as the world was made in vi daies so also mans life is willingly comprehended in that number then commeth rest wheÌ„ God strippeth vs out of this mortall body for ye sée how he then maketh an ende of all our labours griefes and battells But let it suffice vs to hane the plain meaning of this text which is that although we be â—ossed with many miseries during this present lyfe God will continually make vs way out of them bring as to a good hauen Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 99. This sentence propounded after the manner of a Prophecie in the 5. chap. of Iob signifieth all one with that of Paul 1. Coâ— 10. 13. God is faithfull which shall not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength but shall in the middes of the temptation make a waye to escape out Eliphas meaneth he hath verelye wrapt thée in many miseries but when the seuenth commeth when it shall seeme to him that the offence is sufficiently punished and that thou hast left thine impatiencie for that layeth he to Iob though vniustly then will he prosper thée with so great health that thou shalt after leade thy lyfe most â—ortunate T. M. ¶ Alluding the sixe troubles to the sixe daies of Gods first worke and the seuenth daye he rested meaning that of all thy cares and troubles God wil delyuer thee and bring thée to rest as in the seuenth day The Bible note ¶ He will send trouble vpon trouble that his children maye not for one time but coÌ„tinually trust in him but they shal haue a comfortable issue euen in the greatest and the last which is héere called the seuenth Geneua What time of the daye the sixt houre was ¶ Looke Houre SLEEPE How sleepe is taken in Scripture THe maide is not dead but sleepeth ¶ Sleepe in the scripture is taken oftentimes to dye neither is it so saide of the good onely but also of the wicked It is said of Steuen when he had thus spoken he fell asleepe and of Lazarus Our friend Lazarus is asléepe but I goe that I may awake him Moreouer it is written Of the which some remaine as yet other some are asléepe Also of wicked Ieroboam it is said And he slept with his Fathers Both the wicked and the vngodly sléepe vnto the Lord and shall be raised of him but this is onely beleeued of the godly which know yâ— God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing that all things liue vnto him Héer vpon yâ— Christians with a singular faith calleth the place of the burial Coimeteâ—iou which is in Latin DormitoriuÌ„ as much to say in English properly a sléeping place which commonly we now call a Sepulcher a Tombe or a graue But heere in this place Christ taketh it otherwise For Christ maketh a speciall difference betweene sleepe and death to the ende he might bring hope of life as if he should haue said She is not so dead that she sleepeth in death for ye shall see hiâ— arise by and by whome ye thinke to be deadâ— Marl. vpon Mat. fol. 191. Concerning them which are fallen asléepe ¶ To sléepe in this place is taken to dye because of the sure hope of the resurrection For we are not so sure to rise againe when we laye our selues downe to sléepe as we are sure by the word of God that our naturall bodies shall be raised againe and this sléepe ought onely to be applied to the body and not vnto the soule which is immortall S. I. Cheeke But while men slept ¶ This sléepe signifieth the negligence that men haue of God which connueth by the carefulnesse of riches and pleasures of this world Tindale Sléepe henceforth and take your rest ¶ This is an Ironie which is one thing spoken another ment And héere in hidding them sleepe he signifieth that it had bene more méeteâ— for them to haue gone about other businesse then to fall a sléeping at this time Tindale ¶ He speaketh this in a contrary sense meaning they shuld anone be well wakened Geneua What Dauid ment by this sleepe That I sléepe not in death c. ¶ That is that I sléepe not the sléepe of death that I dye not and be ouercome of mi 〈…〉 enimies and therefore followeth it least mine enimies say they haue preuailed against me T. M. The meaning of this place following And many sléeping in the earth
the spirit of God is lead by his naturall affections Sir I. Cheeke Of the spirituall house ¶ Looke Stone Of the spirituall eating of Christs body As the body of Christ is séene so is it touched and as it is touched so is it eaten But it is not seene with bodily â—ies it is not touched with bodily fingers S. Ambrose saith Fide tangitur Christus c. By faith Christ is touched By faith Christ is seene therfore the body of Christ is not eaten with the bodily mouth but only by faith which is the spirituall mouth of the soule SPITTING What is meant by spitting in her face IF her Father had spit in her face should she not be ashamed 7. dayes ¶ To spit in her face is to punish her and to cause her to sée her offeÌ„ce The Lord is a father punisheth his chosen not to vampne them but to correct feare them and to driue them to earnest repentance After 7. daies was she receiued againe into yâ— hoast So after repentance had must we be receiued into the congregation T. M. SPRINKLING What is meant by the sprinkling of bloud AND sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ. ¶ Héere S. Peter séemeth to haue had a respect vnto the olde ceremony of bloud sprinkling For euen as it was not inough then yâ— the sacrifice should be offered and the bloud therof vnlesse the people had ben sprinkled with the same So now at this present it shall profit vs nothing that Christs bloud is shed vnlesse our conscience be cleansed purified therewith which thing is done by the ministring of the holy Ghost who doth sprinkle our consciences with Christs bloud to wash them with all S. I. C. STAFFE What it is to goe with a Staffe FOr with my staffe came I ouer this Iordane ¶ To go with a staffe is a manner of speaking of the Hebrewes which signifieth nothing els but to go simply barely without any riches or strength As in Mar. 6. 8. T. M. What the staffe of Gods mouth signifieth With the staffe of his mouth shall be sley the wicked ¶ With the staffe of his mouth c. That is with the word of preaching not with harnesse will I destroye Antichrist 2. Thessa. 2. 8. ¶ All these properties can agrée to none but onely vnto Christ for it is he that onely toucheth the hearts of the faithfull and mortifieth their concupiscences And to the wicked he is the sauour of death and to them that shall perish So that all the world shall be smitten with this rod which is his word Geneua What the staffe of bread signifieth When I shall breake the staffe of your bread ¶ That is the strength whereby the lyfe is suffeined or the force and strength wherewith it should nourish As Eze. 4. 16. and. 5. 16. STAINED CLOTHES ¶ Looke Edom. STARRE What the starre was that appeared to the Mages THe Starre that appeared to the Mages differed from other common stars thrée manner of waies first in place for yâ— it was set in the lowest part of the aire to guid the trauailers the better and surer on the way Second in mouing for yâ— it is moued not circle wise but went right forward as a guid to them as the cloud and piller of fire was a guid vnto the children of Israel at their going out of Aegypt Thirdly in brightnesse for that it shined not onely in the night as other Starres did but gaue light also euen in the broad daie Wherefore it was no naturall starre but out of all doubt as Epiphanius saith it was an Angell of God in the shape of a starrâ— Hemmyng How the Moone and Starres are vncleane in Gods sight And the starres are vncleane in his sight ¶ If God shew his power the Moone and stars cannot haue their light which is giuen them much lesse can man haue any excellencie but of God Geneua The seauen starres called Pleiades Wilt thou hinder the swéet influence of the seauen Stars ¶ Which stars arise when the Sun is in Taurus which is the spring time and bring floures Geneua How the instructers of the people shall shine as Stars And they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer euer ¶ He chiefly meaneth the ministers of Gods word next all the faithfull which instruct the ignorant and bring them to the true knowledge of God Geneua How Starres presage nothing Starres presage nothing for if we should say they presage good vnto vs then would we thinke that good commeth naturally vnto vs and not through the benefit of God If they shuld presage euill then might it be said that it commeth vnto vs by the naturall influence and not by the secrets of God STEVVARD Of the vniust Steward ANd the Lord commended the vniust steward ¶ This parable doth not approue the stewards naughtie dealing for it was very theft but Parables are set foorth to shew a thing couertly and as it were vnder a figure to represent the truth though it appeare not throughly with the matter it selfe So that Christ meaneth by this parable to teach vs yâ— wordly men are more héedy in their affaires of this world then the children of God are carefull for euerlasting lyfe Beza God who doth here represent the maister of the house doth rather commend the prodigall wast of his goods the liberall giuing of the same to the poore then the straite kéeping and hoording of them Geneua ¶ He speaketh after the common sort not that such vntruth is praise worthy but because it is thought wisdome in the eies of the world The Bible note STOIKES What they were THe Stoikes were a kinde of learned men which wanting the knowledge of God affirmed that mans whole felicitie and happinesse did consist in the qualities and vertues of the minde The Bible note What certeine of their opinions were Among other dampnable and false opinions the Stoiks had this was one They did place such power in the Starres and in their oppositions that impossible they affirmed it was to chaunge or auoid that which by their constellation influence was appointed to come Insomuch that they held that Iupiter himself whom they called the great and supreame God could neither alter nor stop the operation of the starres and the effects that should follow therevpon And so they affirmed that the mutation of kingdomes the honours of some the deiection of others and finally that both vice and vertue wer altogether in the power of the starres Against this pestilent opinion straightly and learnedly disputeth S. Austen in diuerse places but chiefly in his first booke of that work intituled Of the Citie of God affirming that onely by the prouidence of God are kingdomes erected mainteined and chaunged that starres haue no power neither to encline man to vertue nor to vice That such blasphemies ought to bée expelled from the eares of all men Knox
her from sin if she repented but he tooke not away the punishment publike example Euen as also he receiueth the penitent faithful théefe into the fauour grace of God but yet did not delyuer him from the punishment which he had deserued for theft Marl. fo 288. ¶ Goe and sinne no more This is the penance that Christ doth enioyne to all sinners that is to saye that they sinne no more In the meane season we must marke that if this woman had bene condemned by the lawe he wold not haue quited her from temporall punishmentâ— for he was not come to break the lawe Sir I. Cheeke Of a woman taken in warre And seest among the captiues a beautifull woman and hast a fansie to her that thou wouldest haue her to wife ¶ Héerâ— were they permitted to take a wife of the Gentiles but first to shaue her head and cut her nayles c. which ceremonie signified that she should be instruct to cut away the wantonnesse and superfluous decking with the delicate conditions of the Gentiles least the cleane people of the Iewes shoulde in short space abhorre her if shee continued in her olde manners T. M. How women are called Ministers Looke Phebe How women ought not to baptise But how the custome was before that Augustine was borne first is gathered of Tertulian that it is not permitted to a woman to speake in the Church not to teach nor to baptise nor to offer that she should not claime to her selfe the execusion of any mans office much lesse of the Prie 〈…〉 s. Of the same thing Epiphanius is a substantiaâ— witnesse where he reproueth Martion that he gaue women libertie to baptise neither am I ignoraunt of their aunswere which thinke otherwise that is that common vse much differeth from extraordinarye remedie when extreame necessity enâ—oreeth But when he pâ—onouncing that it is mockery to giue women libertie to baptise excepteth nothing It sufficiently appereth that he condemneth this corruption So that it is by no coulour excusable Also in the third booke where teaching that it was not permitted euen to the holy mother of Christ he addeth no restraint Caluine What the woman clothed in the Sunne signifieth A woman clothed with the Sunne ¶ In this third vision is declared how the Church which is compassed about with Iesus Christ the sonne of righteousnesse is persecuted of Antichrist Geneua Why women are commaunded to keepe silence in the Church Saint Paule both in the Epistle to Timothy and in the first Epistle to the Corinthians commaundeth that a woman should keepe silence in the Church And hee assigneth causes of â—his silence so commaunded namelye because they ought to bee subiect vnto their husbandes but the office of a teacher hath a certeine authoritie ouer those which are taught which is not to be attributed vnto women ouer men for shee was made for the man whome shee ought alwayes to haue a regard to obeye which thing is also appointed her by the sentence of God whereby after sinne committed he said vnto the woman Thy lust shall perteine vnto thy husband Farther the Apostle giueth another reason drawne from the first front because he saith Eue was seduced and not Adam wherfore if women should ordinarily be admitted vnto the holye mysterie of the Church men might easily suspect that the Diuell by his accustomed instrument woulde deceiue the people and for that cause they would the lesse regard the ecclesiasticall function if womeÌ„ shuld be beleeued It ought therfore to be coÌ„mitted only vnto men and that by ordinary right and the Apostles rule c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fo 93. Let your women kéepe silence in the Churches ¶ Because this disorder was in the Church that women vsurped yâ— which was peculiar to men The Apostle heere sheweth what is meet to be done and what is not And albeit he mentioned this abuse afore yet he reserueth it to this place to be reproued because there he brought it in for an other purpose Gen. 3. 16. Geneua What is meant by the foolish woman A foolish woman is troublesome ¶ By the foolish woman some vnderstande the wicked Preachers who counterfeite the word of God as appeareth verse 16. where he sayth Who so is simple let him come hether and to him that is destitute of wisdome he sayth Which are the words of the true preachers ver 4. but their doctrine is but as stolen water meaning that they are but mens traditions which are more pleasant to the flesh then the word of God and therfore they themselues boast thereof Geneua What is meant by the straunge woman And it shall deliuer thée from the straunge woman c. Meaning that wisdome which is the word of God shall preserue vs from al vices naming this vice of whooredome whervnto man is most proâ—e Geneua The meaning of this place following A woman shall compasse a man ¶ This doe they commonly expound of the redemption of Israel by the similitude of a woman searching her husband as though the Prophet aadde sayd The people of Israel after they haue of long time forsaken their spouse God shall yet at the last returne and imbrace him with the armes of faith charitie and obedience Some expound it of the virgin Mary and some of the Church the spouse of Christ. T. M. Because their deliueraunce from Babylon was a figure of their deliuerance from sinne he sheweth how this shoulde bee procured to wit by Iesus Christ whom a woman should conceiue and beare in her wombe which is a straunge thing in earth because he should be borne of a woman without man or 〈…〉 meaneth that Hierusâ—lâ—m which was lyke a barren woman in her captiuitie should be fruitfull as she that is ioyned in marriage and whome God blesseth with children Geneua VVORD OF GOD. What the word of God is THE word of God doth signifie the vertue and power of God It is also put for the son of God which is the second person in the most reuerent Trinitie for the saieng of the holy Euangelist is euident to all men The word was made flesh Bullinger fol. 2. How the word was made flesh And the word was made flesh c. That is to say the euerlasting word which is the only begotten sonne of God did take our fraile nature and flesh vpon him in the which being equal with the father touching his Godhead he was made a curse for vs that is to say he did take vpon him that malediction and curse that was due vnto vs for the breaking of the law of God Sir I. Cheeke ¶ He was formed and made man by the operation of the holy Ghost without the operation of man Geneua ¶ That is the word the second person of the Godhead Iesus Christ came downe and was made flesh that is to wit receiued the nature of man wholy and perfectly both bodye and soule vniting the same to the person of his
Looke Saluation Of the workes of darknesse and of the spirit For ye were sometimes darknesse ¶ They are called darknesse that walke yet in the night of incredulitie misbeléefe doing the works of darknesse which are whooredome adultery wantonnesse c. but they are contrariwise called the children of light that bring forth the fruits of the spirit Gal. 5. 21. How they know not God that denieth him in deedes They confesse they know God but with works they deny him ¶ As infidelitie is the headspring of all wickednesse and vice so on the contrarie side faith is the original well fountaine of all vertue and godlynesse Which faith is declared not onely by works but by such déeds works as God hath commaunded vs in his holy and sacred Scriptures And where no such works be speake they neuer so godly ther is no true liuely faith Sir I. Cheeke VVORLD What the world signifieth in this place ANd the world knew him not◠The world in this place signifieth all men for it cannot be taken in a straighter sense In the sentence going before the world was made by him In other places of Scripture the world signifieth y◠reprobate onely Héere the world is condemned of vnthankfulnesse vnkindnesse that it hath not embraced but shamefully refused reiected his maker It is vnnaturall it is horrible abhominable that men should not acknowledge him by whom they haue euen this that they be men Trah Why Paule doth call this world present and euill To deliuer vs from this present and euill world ¶ Hée calleth this whole world which hath bene is and shall be the present world to put a difference betwixt this and that euerlasting world which is to come Moreouer he calleth it an euill world because that whatsoeuer is in this worlde is subiect to the mallice of the Diuell reigning ouer the whole world◠For this cause the world is sayd to be the kingdome of the Diuell for ther is nothing else in this world but ignorance contempt blasphemy and hatred of God Also disobedience against all the words and works of God In and vnder the kingdome of this world are we c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 20. Of the disputers of this world Where is the disputer of this world ¶ He that is so subtile in discussing of questions and héerein Paule reprocheth euen the best lerned as though not one of them could perceiue by his owne wisdome this mysterie of Christ reuealed in the Gospell Geneua The meaning of this place following We haue receiued not the spirit of the world Wée are not moued with that spirit which techeth things wherwith the world is delighted which men vnderstand by nature◠Ge. VVORME How Christ compareth himselfe to a worme EGo sum vermis non homo I am a worme and no man The scorne of men the outcast of the people ¶ How truly and how iustly Christ might say I am a worme no man euery man knoweth that hath read either the. 26. of Mathew or the. 14. of S. Marke how the Iewes did spit in his face did buffet him with fists so vilely intreated him as no man could be worse and therefore it is very properly said of the Prophet◠I am a worme and no man A worme is a vile thing in daunger of treading on and killing with euery mans foot No man regardeth it no man loueth it nor pittieth it though he be a right good man To expresse therefore liuely and properly the vile reputation of Christ at the time of his passion it is verye aptly sayde Ego sum vermis non homo c. Beside this Saint Austen supposeth him to bée called Vermis for an higher consideration Why is Christ called Vermis saith he Because he aunswereth he was mortall he was borne of the flesh and begotten without the companieng together of man and woman in the act of generation And therefore he sayth thus Sicut vermis calefaciente sole de puro limo formatur sic spiritu sancto c. As the worme is ingendered of the pure and onely slime or mudde being made hotte with the warme Sunne Euen so the holy Ghost illustrating and halowing the heart of the virgin She was conceiued with childe without any humane act of ingendering wrought therein In consideration whereof Christ comparing himselfe to a worme sayth by Dauid I am a worme and no man that is I am not conceiued after the manner fashion of man Thus farre Saint Austen Ric. Turnar VVORMEVVOOD How false teachers heretiks be compared to wormewood THe name of the starre was called wormewood Wormewood is an hearbe faire inough vnto the eye◠but very bitter to the tast Euen so be heretiks and as many as fauour Antichrist the more they seeme to excell in holines the more do they annoy Marl. ¶ The nature of wormwood is to withdraw all sweetnesse These meaning pernitious heretikes with their bitter heresies and their noysome doctrine destroyed y◠pits of Abraham they troubled the text they mixed the truth with falshoode they poysoned the waters they tooke away the louesomnes of them they left them vnpure and vnperfect not that they can be so of themselues but of their false working they made them vnpleasaunt vnprofitable yea and most perillous vnto many c. Bale ¶ The third plague came vpon the starres of heuen that is vpon the most holiest people which were taken for the spirituall state order as Monkes Friers Priests which through their hipocrisie haue heaped vnto themselues money goods and treasures and haue gotten lands and dominions for the which great diuision was among them And whereas the world shuld haue learned of them faith loue and knowledge it was nothing but slaundered offended deceiued seduced and sore hindered by them both in faith and in godly liuing behauiour both which were vtterly decayed in these persons to the great vndoing and destruction both of body and soule And thus the swéete honnye of Christian loue and concord among these Orders is turned into bitter wormwood by the which many soules are destroyed Erasmus in his Paraphrase VVORSHIP What is meant by worshipping BY worshipping whether it was in the olde Testament or new vnderstand the bowing of a mans selfe vpon y◠ground as we oftentimes as we knéele in our praiers boow our selues and lye on our armes and hands with our faces to the ground Tindale fol. 11. ¶ Whereas the Latin word of worshipping is of that nature that it signifieth both to serue and obserue and honour it is aptly referred to God so that all that seruice obseruation reuerence and deuotion whereby we doe worship God as wel inwardly in our hearts as outwardly in deede is called the worship of God Muscul. fol. 351. ¶ To worship God is the first precept euen to beléeue him to be our God and to haue no strange Gods in his sight that
fall away from the obedience of the Emperour Moreouer Iohn in his Apocalips setting foorth the Church of Rome vnto vs to be not the spouse of Christ but of Antichrist saith That he saw a certeine whore the mother of all vncleannesse abhomination of all the world holding a golden Cup in her hand of whose mingled liquor all the dwellers of the earth should be made dronke from the highest to the lowest And further this whore shall be made dronke with the blood of Saints and of the Martirs of Christ and vpon hir forhead she had written Babilonia And least any man should doubt whether Iohn speake of Rome or not hée saith plainlie that the Whore sate vpon seauen hills which thing is well knowen to be agréeable vnto Rome wherevpon it is called the Citie with seauen hills wherefore Antichrist seate must be at Rome which thing is euident both by holie scripture and also by Hierom in an Epistle he wrote to Fabiola against Iouinian to Marcello and Aglasia in the 47. Chapter of his Commentaries vpon Esay and in the second Chapter vpon Ose The same is confirmed by authoritie of Tertulian writing against the Iewes and the Gentiles in a booke of the resurrection of the bodie and of Saint Austen also in his booke De ciuitate Dei In the same opinion is Nicolaus de lyra and many other beside Bar. Ochine Of Antichrists disciples Saint Paule foretelleth of Antichrists disciples 1. Timo. 4. that they shall beare a great countenaunce of continent life forbid mariage And of such Saint Hierom saith Iactant pudicitiam suam inpudenti facie They make bragge of their chastitie with whorish countenaunce Iewel Of Antichrists progenie Antichrist was the sonne of a certaine wicked person called Sinne hauing to his mother a certaine woman called Perdition who caused him to be brought vp of a corrupt nursse called dame Falsehood the daughter of Satan The person of this Antichrist is not simple but compounded of two natures that is to say diabolicall and humaine as Iesus Christ is compounded both of diuine and humaine And as of God and man is made one Iesus Christ so of the Diuell and of the Pope is made one Antichrist And as Iesus Christ is the head of the beléeuing Church which is his bodie so is Antichrist likewise the head of the malignaunt Church which is his bodie and doth receiue of him béeing hir head all manner of corrupt humours running downe into her And because he is borne into the world onelie to bée contrarie to Iesus Christ therefore all his thoughts all his will all his workes all his doctrine and briefelie all his life is repugnaunt to IESUS CHRIST euen to the drawing of his sword against him Albeit he would haue the world beléeue that hée doth all this for the better obseruing of Christian religion F. N. B. the Italian ¶ Looke more of Antichrist in Rome Pope ANTIPAS Of his faithfull seruice to God ANtipas my faithfull witnesse was put to death among you ¶ It is a likelihood that this Antipas was some one of the notable Ministers of the Church whom the seruants of Satan could the lesse away with because he taught Christ there more earnestlie and stronglie then other did and stood more stoutly against the aduersaries in defence of the things which the true faith conteineth and that is to be coniectured vpon this that he calleth him a faithfull witnesse such a one as Stephen was at Hierusalem And trulie this name agréed verie well vnto him for this word Antipas is as much to say as before or against all men For nothing ought to moue a Christian heart from the constancie of faith and pure confession of the truth Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 44. ANTROPOMORPHITAE What a kinde of Heretikes they were THese were Monkes inhabiting the Desarts of Aegypt who affirmed that God had a bodie and members as a man had And héere vpon it rose saith Socrates li. 6. cap. 7. that God the father hath bene painted like an olde man in a graie beard They were about the yeare of our Lord. 380. The Antropomorphites perswaded themselues that God might be known by the senses as men which did attribute vnto God a humane bodie but their opinion is vtterlie reiected for the holie scripture testifieth that God is a spirit and it also putteth a manifest difference betwéene a spirit a bodie when our Sauiour saith Féele and sée because a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones And there is none which vnderstandeth not that a humaine bodie and his members cannot consist without flesh and bones Further their foolishnesse héereby appeareth because there is not a bodie found which is euerie way pure and simple for let it be as equall as thou wilt at the least way it hath parts whereof it is composed and that all composition is against the nature of God euen the Ethnicke Philosophers perceiued c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 118. APPARICIONS OF SOVLES ¶ Looke Soule APELLES What his heresie was APelles was a Marcionite he said that Prophecies were of a contrarie spirit he was guided by one Philumena a woman He thought it was not for men to reason of religion but euerie one to continue as he beléeued Eusebius li. 5. cap. 12. How Tertulian confuteth his heresies Apelles the Heretike being in manner ouercome with the foresaid reasons of Tertulian graunteth that Christ had indéed true flesh but he denied that he was borne but brought from heauen and he obiected that the bodies which were taken by Angels were true bodies but they were not borne such a bodie saith he had Christ. Tertulian aunswereth héerevnto They saith he which set forth y◠flesh of Christ after the example of the Angels saieng that it was not born namely a fleshly substance I would haue them compare the causes also as well of Christ as of the Angels for which they came into the flesh No Angel did at any time therefore descend to be crucified to suffer death and to rise againe from death If there were neuer anie such cause why Angels should be incorporate then hast thou a cause why they tooke flesh and yet were not borne They came not to die therefore they cannot be borne But Christ being sent to die it was necessarie that he should be borne that he might die for none is woont to die but he which is borne c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 210. APOLINARIS Of the heresies he fell into THis man was Bishop of Laodicia Who notwithstanding he had written 30. bookes of our faith against Porphirius fell into heresie saieng that Christ receiued no flesh of the Uirgin Mary but that in the act of his incarnation◠some part of the word was conuerted into flesh He said that Christs soule was not of that part that was rationall but onlie of that part which kept the bodie liuing And therfore in his incarnation he tooke onelie the bodie and not the
soule Cooper APOSTLE What an Apostle is APostle is an Ambassadour a Messenger or one sent And after this manner Christ is our Apostle sent of his Father Tindale Who were Apostles Apostles are those chosen sorte which were sent by Christ himselfe to preach the Gospell ouer all the world confirming the same with miracles and bearing witnesse of Christs resurrection of which sort were the twelue Mat. 10. 1. into whose state Paule was called afterward These béeing bound to no certein abiding went from countrie to countrie preaching Christ and trauailed as ambassadours to sundrie nations planting Churches and setting vp Christs kingdome wheresoeuer they came Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 259. How the Apostles were not called the heads of the Church Augustine in his third booke writing against the letters of Petulian denieth that the Apostle Paule could be the head of the whom he had planted in the faith of Christ saieng O what a rashnesse and pride is this of man Why doest thou not rather suffer that Christ should alwaies giue faith and to make thée a Christian in the giuing of it Why doest thou not suffer that Christ should be euer the beginning of the Christian man and that the Christian man should fasten his roote in Christ that Christ be the head of the Christian man For what time 〈…〉 the spirituall grace is bestowed vnto the beléeuers by the holie and faithfull ministers the Minister himselfe doth not iustifie but he onelie of whom it is said that he doth iustifie the wicked For the Apostle Paule was not the head and beginning of them whom he planted nor Apollo the roote of them whom he watered but he which gaue them increase as he himselfe saith in the third chapter in the first Epistle to the Corinthians I haue planted Apollo hath watered but God hath giuen increase So that not be which planteth is anie thing nor he which watereth but God hath giuen increase nor he was not the roote of them but he rather which said I am the Uine and you be the braunches And how could he be their head when he said wée being manie are one bodie in Christ And when he doth report most plainlie in manie places that Christ himselfe is the head of the whole bodie This saith Augustine Musculus fol. 261. How the Apostles were equall with Peter Saint Cipriane saith Non erant vtique caeteri Apostoli c. The rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was all endewed with one fellowship both of honour of power Yet the beginning is taken of one to shewe that the Church is one Cipri de simplicita Prçlatorum Iewel fol. 109. Saint Hierom saith Dices super Petrum fundatur Ecclesia c. Ye will say the Church is founded vppon Peter Notwithstanding in another place the same thing is done vppon all the Apostles and all receiue the keies of the kingdome of heauen and the strength of the Church is founded equallie vppon them all Hierom aduers. Iouinia li. 1. Iewel fol. 107. Origen saith Quod si super vnum illū Petrum tantum c. If thou thinke the whole Church was builded vpon Peter what wilt thou then say of Iohn the sonne of thunder and of euerie of the Apostles Origen in Math. tract 1. Iewel fol. 107. S. Chrisostome of Peter saith thus Duplex crimen erat c. Peter was in double fault both for that he withstood Christ and also for that he fell himselfe before the rest Chrisost. in Math. hom 83. S. Austen saith Inter se concorditer c. Peter and his fellowes liued agréeable together August Epist. 86. Againe he saith Christus sine personarum c. Christ without anie choice of persons gaue the same authoritie to Paule to minister among the Heathen that he gaue to Peter among the Iewes The ordinarie glose saith thus of Saint Paule Non didici c. I learned not of Peter and others as of my betters but I had conference with them as with equalls and friends Glos. Gal. 2. Iewel fol. 107. Paule himselfe saith Iames Peter and Iohn that séemed to be pillers gaue vnto me and Barnabas the right hands of the fellowship which the glose expoundeth thus Societatis c. O◠fellowship that is of equalitie Iewel fol. 107. How the Apostles had wiues Haue we not power to lead about a wife being a sister as well as other Apostles and as the Bretheren of the Lord and Ceyphas ¶ This text cléerelie proueth that Peter and other Apostles had wiues and wherefore then should it be vnlawfull for Priests to marrie they are no better nor no holier then the Apostles were But héere will some say that the Apostles had wiues before that Christ did choose them but afterward they forsooke their wiues followed Christ which thing is not true that they forsooke their wiues for that had bene plainly against the doctrine of their master Christ which taught thē not to forsake their wiues but in any wise to kéepe them sauing onelie for fornication And this place of S. Paule Haue we not power c. doth proue how S. Peter after his Apostleship and also other disciples of Christ carried their wiues about with them when they went a preaching wherefore it is a false lie that they had forsaken them D. Barnes Eusebius in the third booke of the Ecclesiasticall storie in the 27. chapter reporteth Clements wordes thus Clement whose words we haue héere marked writing against them which despise mariage saith these words Do they also disallow the Apostles for Peter Philip had wiues and gaue their daughters to be maried vnto men And also Paule the Apostle is not ashamed to make mention in a certeine Epistle of his owne make and companion and to greete her whom he said that he led not about with him that he might be the more readie and comberlesse to preach the Gospell I doe not backbite th◠other blessed men which were coupled in matrimonie of whom I made mention now For I wish that being worthie of God I may be found in his kingdome at their feete as Abraham Isaac Iacob as Ioseph Esay other Prophets were As Peter and Paule and the other Apostles which were coupled in mariage which had wiues not to fulfill the 〈…〉 s of the flesh but to haue issue and posteritie 〈…〉 Ignatius in Epist. ad Philadel Erasmus in his annotations vpon the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Philipians reporteth the witnesse of Ignatius on this wise The holie Martir Ignatius in an Epistle to the Philedelphians doth plainlie graunt that not onelie Peter but also Paule and other of the Apostles had wiues And that they had them in no lesse reputation therefore because Patriarchs and Prophets were married not for lusts sake but for childrens sake Chrisostome graunteth that there were some which reckoned that Paule did speake vnto his wife but dissenteth shewing no