¶ This word spirit is to be taken heere as it is set against that commaundement which is called carnall Heb. 7. 16. as the commaundement is considered in it selfe And so he speaketh of truth not as we set it against a lye but as we take it in respect of the outward ceremonies of the lawe which did onely shadow that which Christ performed in déede Beza ¶ God being of a spirituall nature requireth a spirituall seruice and agreeable to the nature Geneua How the spirit of God maketh intercession for vs. But the spirit maketh great intercession for vs c. ¶ The right forme affection of praier commeth by the holy Ghost who maketh intercession for vs not that he prayeth mourneth but that he so stirreth our heartes that we lift them vp to heauen earnestly and seruently which is the true praier The Bible note Who is of else spirit of truth and who is not Euen the spirit of truth c. ¶ The spirit which Christ did promise shal teach onely these things which Christ had taught before whosoeuer therfore doth teach any other doctrine besides Christs doctrine he is not of the spirit of truth but of the spirit of leasing Sir I. Cheeke Of the spirit that Christ promised to send The spirit saith hâ— which I will 〈…〉 from my father shall lead you into all truth but howâ— Because saith he he shal put you in minde of all those things that I haue told you Ther he giueth warning that there is nothing more to be looked for of his spirit but that he should enlighten our minds to perceiue the truth of his doctrine Therfore Chrisostome Sermo de sanc adon spi. Iohn 12. 〈…〉 10. saith excellently wel Many saith he do boast of the holy spirit but they which speak their owne do falsely pretend that they haue him As Christ testified that he spake not of himselfe because he spake out of the lawe the Prophets So if any thing beside the Gospell be thrust in vnder the title of the spirit let vs not beléeue it because as Christ is the fulfilling of the lâ—we and Prophets so is yâ— spirit of the Gospell Câ—â— in his Inst. 4. b. cap. 8. Sect. 13. Why the holy Ghost is called the spirit of truth Who is the spirit of truth He is called the spirit of truth not onely because he is true but because he maketh the men in to whom he entereth true whereas all that they doe without the spirit is none other thing but lyes Tindale So called because he worketh in vs the truth Geneua Of the spirit of southsaieng A certeine damosell possessed with the spirit of southsaieng met vs. Which could tell things past gesse at things to come which knowledge in many things God permitteth to the diuell to this end as Austen writeth that he might thâ— more mightely deceiue those that woulde beleeue him The Bible note Of the spirit of the Prophets For the spirits of the Prophets are in the power of yâ— Prophets Héere he speaketh not of the holy Ghost in whose power all men ought to be but of the seuerall gifts of the spirit which are now in the power of them that haue them that they may alwaies without contention vse them to yâ— odifieng of the Church of Christ. Sir I. Cheke Spirits of the Prophets yâ— is the doctrine that they doe bring as being put in minde by the spirit of God The Bible note Or learning which Gods spirit moueth them to vtter Ge. Of the spirits in prison And preached vnto the spirits in prison ¶ It is vnknowne to vs where this prison was for the holy Scripture speaketh nothing of it In the Gospell it is called the bosome of Abraham It is sufficient for vs to know and beléeue that all the soules of the Saintes or faythfull which dyed since the beginning of the world are saued by the bloud of Christ howbeit the Gospell was sundrie wayes preached vnto the dead For vnto the holy Patriarkes deliueraunce and saluation vnto the vnfaythfull deserued dampnation was preached Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Christ being from the beginning head and gouernour of his Church came in the dayes of Noe not in the bodye which he then had not but in the spirit and preached by the mouth of Noe for the space of an hundred and twentie yeares to the disobedient which would not repent and therfore are now in prison reserued to the last iudgement Geneua How to serue God in the spirit To serue God in the spirit is to honour God with a true â—ffection procéeding from a pure and cleane heart and not by Images or other visible and corruptible things or else by shewes and outward ceremonies Pet. Viret SPIRITVALL Who they be that be spirituall ALL be spirituall men which are lead by Gods spirit hée who hath more abundaunce of Gods spirit is more spirituall Of a lyke manner S. Paule speaking to the married sorte in Rome as wel as to the rest said Vos non estis in carne sed in spiritu You be not in the flesh but in the spirit And Saint Iohn in his first Chapter nameth all to be spirituall that beléeue in Christ for flesh and bloud is not able to bring foorth such a child And if the outward admission were able to make a man spirituall then should Iudas and such lyke who had the outward election yet inwardly folowed the spirit of the flesh of the Diuell be worthely called spirituall But our Sauiour Christ reasoning with Nichodemus maketh a plaine proofe by euident demonstration that onely such as be endued with Gods spirit be worthy of the name spirituall and that such as bée not borne of Gods spirit bée not spirituall but carnall And in the same place the Lord hath giuen a generall resolution that no man can enter into the kingdome of heauen vnles he become a spirituall man and be borne a newe not onely of water but also of the holy Ghost Ponet fol. 34. For the spirituall iudgeth all things ¶ Who is that spirituall Not such as we now call men of holy Church but all that haue the true interpretation of the law in their hearts The right faith of Christ the true inteÌ„t of works which God biddeth vs to worke He is spirituall and iudgeth all things is iudged of no man Tindale The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God c. but he that is spirituall discusseth all things ¶ Paule doth call him spirituall which is renued by the spirit of God and béeing gouerned by the same spirit doth examine and trye all things with the true touchstone of Gods word which is set forth vnto vs by the inspiration of the same spirit that hée is inclined withall but he himself that is to say the spirit is iudged of no man Héere also the naturall man is taken for him which being without
sanctifie their spirits which doth set their trust onlie in the redemption promised theÌ„ in Christs blessed bloud this church by Christ is made without spot or wrinkle D. Barnes fol. 313. The Church saith Lyra doth not stand by reason of spirituall power or secular dignitie for many Princes many Popes other inferiour persons haue swarued from the faith wherfore the church doth stand in those persons in whom is the true knowledge and confession of faith and veritie Lyra in Math. Chap. The holie church are we saith Augustine but I do not say are we as who should say we that be héere alonelie that heare me now but as manie as bee héere faithfull christen men in this church the is to say in this citie as manie as be in this regigion as many as be beyonde the sea as manie as be in all the whole world for from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same is the name of God praised So is the church our mother August sermo 99. de tempore Saint Paule calleth the church the spouse of Christ for that she ought in all things to giue eare to the voice of the Bridegrome Likewise he calleth the church the piller of the truth for that that she â—aieth hir selfe onlie by the word of God without which word the church were it neuer so beautifull should bée nâ— church The holie church is all they that haue bene and that nowe are and alwaies to the end of the world shall bée a people the which shall endeuour them to know to kéepe the commandements of God dreading ouer all things to offend God and louing and séeking most to please him c. Booke of Mar. 632. The church saith Lambart I doe take for to be all those that GOD hath chosen or predestinate to be inheritours of eternall blisse and saluation whether they be temporall or spirituall king or subiect bishop or deacoâ— father or childe Grecian or Romaine c. Booke of Mar. fol. 1276. Of whom the Church began When Adam and Eue his wife had taken comfort of Gods promises which was that Christ should come of the womans séede to redeeme the world from sinne death and hell then they beléeuing the same stedfastlie in their heartes were the beginning of the true Church Lanquet Whie the Church is holie and Catholike On this consideration saith Saint Austen the Church is holy and Catholike not because it dependeth on Rome or anie other place nor of anie multitude obedient to Rome both which are donatistical but Quia recte credit in Deum because it beléeueth rightly in God I. Bridges fol. 543. The Fathers began to call this true and right teaching the Church of Christ the catholike Church which is as much to saie as vniuersall Augustine to his cosin Seuerinus This is saith he the catholike Church wherevpon it is also called Catholice in Gréeke because it is spred throughout al the world Isichius vpon Leuiticus For the vniuersal Church saith he is Hierusalem the citie of the liuing God which conteineth the Church of the first begotten written in heauen And Gelasius vnto Anastatius the Emperour The same is called saith he the Catholike Church which is by a pure cleane and vndefiled fellowship sequestred from all the vnfaithfull and their successours and companions otherwise there should not be a difference giuen of God but a miserable mingle mangle c. Musculus fol. 258. Cipriane the Bishop and Martyr in his booke De simplicitate Clericorum saith The Church is one which is spread further and further abrode by fertile increase euen as there are manie heames of the Sunne and but one light and manie boughes of a tree yet but one Oke grounded vpon a stedfast roote And where as manie brookes issue out of one spring though the number séeme to be increased by the abundaunce of store yet it is but one at the head Plucke a beame of the Sun from the Gloabe that one once separated is voide of light Breake a bough from the Tree it can bring foorth no fruite Cutte a Brooke from the Springe and béeing cutte of it drieth vp Guen so the Church lightened with Gods light which is spread euerie where neither is the vnitie of the bodie seperated she extendeth hot braunches with plenteous increase throughout all the earth she sendeth out her plentifull riuers all abrode Yet is there but one head and one spring and one mother plentifull with fertile successâ—â— c. Bullinger fol. 841. How the Church is made cleane by Christ. If the feare of God haue deliuered you then are yée trulie deliuered You are washed you are sanctified you are iustified in the name of Iesus Christ and in the spirit of God Of Christ is the Church made faire first she was filthie in sinnes afterward by pardon and grace was she made faire D. Barnes 253. How the Church hath spots and wrinkles in her The whole Church praieth Lorde forgiue vs our sinnes wherefore she hath spottes and wrinkles but by knowing of them her wrinkles are stretched out knowledging her spots be washed awaie The Church continueth in praier that shée might be cleansed by knowledging of her sinnes and as long as we héere liue so standeth it And when euerie man departeth out of this bodie all such sinnes are forgiuen him which ought to be forgiuen him For they be forgiuen by dailie praier and he goeth hence cleansed And the Church of God is laide vp in the treasure of God for golde and by this meanes the Church of God is the treasure of our Lord without spotte or wrinkle Sequitur Let vs praie that God maie forgiue vs and that we maie forgiue our debters séeing it is said And it shall be forgiuen vnto you Wee saie this dailie and dailye we doe this and this thing is done dailie in vs. We are not héere without sinne but we shall depart without sinne D. B. fol. 254. How it is said aright that the Church cannot erre The Church is the pillor and foundation of the truth how then can it erre Wée aunswere brieflie saith Musculus wée doe knowe right well that the Church is the onelie and welbeloued spouse of Christ the kingdome of heauen the it is ruled by the masterie and leading of the holie spirit and that wée bée alwaies taught by his anoninting and that it is the piller and foundation of the truth But these saiengs do perteine not vnto all particuler Churches but vnto that onelie vpright and catholike church which is the communion of the Saints and elect throughout all the worlde which doth beléeue in Christ their Lord and spouse in all ages And touching this ther is no variaunce there is none of vs that saie that the catholike church hath erred in the faith of Christ. For how can it erre when it followeth Christ and walketh not in darknesse but hath the light of
repentaunce sought of them but onely that they must beléeue Arbitramur hominem iustificari absque operibus legis We béeing taught of Christ thinke saith Thomas according to the truth of the Apostle that euery man whether he be Ieâ— or Gentile is iustified by faith Act. 15. 19. By faith purifieng theyr hearts and that without the workes of the lawe And that not onely without the Ceremoniall workes which did not giue grace but also without the workes of the Morall commandements according to that saieng of Titus 3. ver 5. Not of the workes of the righteousnesse that we haue wrought The reason is presumed that we are saued for our merites the which he excludeth when he saith Not of the workes of the righteousnesse which we haue done but the true reason is the onely mercie of God There is not therefore in them the hope of iustifitation Sed in sola fide but in faith onely Workes are not the cause that any body is iust before God but they are rather the executions and the ministring of righteousnesse In this point though he swarue from the truth in many other points he speaketh right I. Bridges fol. 143. Our Aduersaries when they doe teach that the iustifieng of vs doth not consist in faith onely but in workes also what doe they els but obscure the glory of Gods grace and extoll the merite of our workes They doe not waye that it is necessarye that our iustifieng doe consist in faith onely for as much as it is bestowed freely If they cannot abide the word onely or alone let him leaue it and vse this word fréely For in case we be iustified fréely by faith as the Apostle doeth testifie it must néedes followe that we be not iustified by faith works but by faith onely If it be not by faith onely but by workes withall then is it not freely but of duetie If it be of dutie and not fréely then there is no glory of Gods grace at all Musculus fol. 229. ONE Of one Mediatour ¶ Looke Mediatour What the Prophet Ose doth meane by one head THen shall the Children of Iuda and the Children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselues one head ¶ To wit after the captiuitie of Babilon when the Iewes wer restored but chiefe this is referred to the time of Christ who should be the head both of the Iewes and Gentiles Geneua ¶ The number of the Children of Israel shall be as the sande of the Sea shore that cannot be numbred And it shall come to passe in the place where it was sayde vnto them Ye are no people of mine there shall it be sayd vnto them ye are the children of the lyuing God And the Children of Iuda the Children of Israel shall assemble together and shall appoint to themselues one head Upon which words S. Hierom writeth thus All these things shall come to passe because it is the great daye of the séed of God which séede is expounded not the Pope but Christ. There shall assemble together the Children of Iuda that is to say the Apostles the Children of Israel that is to say the Heathen conuerted together that is to say in one Church and shall appoynt vnto themselues one head that is to say not one Pope but one Christ. Iewel fol. 101. ¶ Let vs remember saith Augustine the corner stone that is Christ and not the Pope and the two walls the one of the Iewes and the other of the Heathen Iewel fol. 101. Of one Sheepefold And there shall be one Shéepefold ¶ When the Gentiles haue receiued the Euangelicall faith they shal be associate and ioyned to the faithfull people of the Iewes and so of them both there shall be one folde that is of the Iewes Gentiles there shall be one Church One God saith Paule one Faith and one Baptime Therefore we must be one euen as wée are called into one hope c. They which gather vpon this place that there shall be a mutual consent and agréement among men in the whole world insomuch as none shall remaine as Inâ—â—dell or vngodly doe erre and know not the Scriptures neither doe consider what is the state and drift of this place Againe ther are some which gather of this place that after the last day of Iudgment all both good and bad shall be gathered into one place of eternall life But the opinion of those men is most foolish For then shall the Shéepe be seperated from the Goates the iudgement of the Shéepe shal be one the iudgement of the Goates another as the Scripture plainly testifieth Marâ— vpon Iohn fol. 374. Of one Spirit He that cleaneth vnto God is one spirite with him ¶ Nico. Lyra vpon this place saith Vâ—us non secundum rem c. One spirit with God not one in déede but one in loue or according to affection So that we are vnited vnto God by faith and loue and none otherwise ORACLE What an Oracle is AN Oracle is properly the minde and aunswere of God by some diuine Interpreter declared as by some Prophet Priest or otherwise by man ORIGENIANI Of whom these Heretikes bare their name ORigeniani were Heretikes called after aâ—e Origen not he that was the great Cleark of Alexandria they condemned marriage yet liued they beastly their manner was to haue among them religious women like Nunnes whom they deâ—â—led yet vsed meanes to kéepe them from swelling Epiph. haer 63. Of the Heretikes that sprang of the learned Origen Origeniani againe were Heretikes which so called themselues of Origen Adamantius the great Clearke of Alexandria they taught as Epiphan saith haeres 64. that there was no resurrection that Christ was a creature the Holy ghost a like that the soules were first in heauen came downe into the bodies as it wer into prison that in the end the diuels should be saued Epiphanius as I read in Socrates Eccl. hist. li. 6. ca. 11. was become the enimy of Origen through the spite malice of Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria The diuell bare Origen a displesure he procured heretikes to father vpon him lewd opinions He complaineth himselfe in a certaine Epistle how that Heretikes corrupted his works Pamphilus Martir the great friend and familiar of Eusebius wrote an Apologie in his behalfe Eusebius li. 6. ca. 3. 18. 20. 26. reporteth of the famous men that fauored Origen Socrates Eccle. histor lib. 6. cap. 12. writeth in his commendation Athanasius gaue of him a notable testimonie Chrisostome would in no wise bée brought to condemne either Origen or his works Socrates li. 6. cap. 11. 12. 13. ORIGINALL SINNE That no man is without originall sinne THe death of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God is a mightie remedie against the wound of originall sin wherewith the nature of all men is in Adam corrupt and slaine and from whence the infection of all concupiscence hath sprong Augustine in the Articles falsely
froward man saith S. Austen so long as hee hath all things after his owne will pleasure so long he â—audeth and praiseth God But if he be a little pinched with pouertie aduersitie then he raileth curseth then he banneth and blasphemeth God his most righteous works but the righteous vpright men they euermore laud praise God as wel in aduersitie as in prosperitie euen as Iob did therefore saith thâ— Prophet to you that be righteous that is men truly penitent sorie for your offences trusting through Gods mercie all your sins to be couered not imputed nor neuer to be layd to your charge to you I say Exultate iusti in Domino O ye righteous reioyce ye in the Lord. The prooues Christ allowed the praise and confession of Peter when hée sayd Tu es Christus filius Dei viui Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God And dispraised the man possessed with the Legion of Diuells who confessed as much as Peter did when he ran to Iesus and fell downe vpon his knées and worshipped saieng Quid mihi tibi Iesu filij Dei altissimi O Iesu the sonne of God the most highest what haue I to doe with thée When Symon Magus had fained him to beleeue in Christ wold haue bought the gift of the holy ghost for mony Peter said vnto him thy mony perish w e thee because thou wéenest the the gift of God may be obtained with money Thou hast neither parte nor fellowship in his businesse for thy heart is not right in the sight of God c. The wicked may with their mouth crye Domine Domine but note what I set by their praise saith Christ I shall saye vnto them Ego non noui vos I know you not I allow you not nor it was no pleasure to me to heare you praye or preach It was but blasphemy Non erat collaudatio it was no true praise it was but such as Symon Magus did giue vnto God or such as Bariesu would fayne haue giuen vnto God whom Saint Paule rebuked saieng O thou full of guile and of deceipt the sonne of the Diuell the enimie vnto all goodnesse thou ceasest not to subuerte the right wayes of the Lord. Richard Turnar RIGHTEOVSNESSE What righteousnesse is RIghteousnesse is the méere gifte of God without the workes of the lawe and is not paid as a due debt but bestowed on the beleeuers as a grace Beza The name of righteousnesse is not restrained to anye one man but betokeneth all the worshipers of God without exception Howbeit the Scripture calleth those men righteous not which are accounted such for desert of their workes but such as doe long after righteousnesse because that after the Lord hath imbraced them with his fauour in not â—aieng their sinnes to their charge he accepteth their rightfull indeuour for ful perfection of righteousnesse Cal. vpon the. 5. Psa. ve 13. The Christian righteousnesse Although saith the Christian I am a sinner by the lawe vnder the condition of the law yet I dispaire not yet I dye not because Christ lyueth which is both my righteousnesse and euerlasting lyfe in that righteousnesse and lyfe I haue no sinne no feare no stinge of conscience no care of death I am in déede a sinner as touching this present lyfe and the righteousnesse thereof and the childe of Adam where the lawe accuseth me death raigneth ouer me and at length will deuoure me But I haue another righteousnesse of lyfe aboue this lyfe which is Christ the sonne of GOD who knoweth no Sinne nor Death but is righteous and lyfe eternall by whom this body being dead brought into dust shall be raised again deliuered from the bondage of the law and sinne and shall be sanctified together with the spirit Luther vpon the Gâ—l â—ol 6. Of the righteousnesse which commeth by faith But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart c. ¶ That is to say he that is iustified through fayth is not curious he doubteth of nothing that perteineth to his saluation butâ— is perswaded that in Christ he hath the full redemption He asketh not for signes from heauen where he knoweth his Sauiour and mediatour is he goeth not about to learne the truth by the dead for he beleeueth that Christ being risen from death did teach all truth Read the 13. chapter of Deut. Sir I. Cheeke Say not c. ¶ Because we cannot performe the lawe it maketh vs to doubt who shall goe to heauen and to saye who shall goe downe to the déepe to deliuer vs thence But faith teacheth vs that Christ is ascended vp to take vs vp with him and had descended into the deapth of death to destroy death deliuer vs. Geneua And he receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse ¶ This is the righteousnesse of fayth whereof mention is made heere and in many other places if through faith we doe take hold vpon the mercie of God declared vnto vs in our Sauiour Iesus Christ. We are through the same faith counted as righteous before God as if we had fulfilled the law to the vttermost Sir I. Cheeke Saint Austen saith thus in one place The righteousnesse of the Saints in this world standeth rather in the forgiuenesse of sinnes then in perfection of vertues wherewith agrée the notable sentences of Barnard Not to sinne is the righteousnesse of God but the righteousnesse of man is the mercifull kindnesse of God he had before affirmed that Christ is to vs righteousnes in absolution and therefore that they only are righteous that haue obteined pardon and mercye Cal. in his Inst. 3. b. chap. 11. Sect. 12. How by the righteousnesse of Christ we obteine to be iustified By the onely meane of Christs righteousnesse we obteine to be iustified before c. Saint Ambrose hath excellently well shewed how there is an example of this righteousnesse in the blessing of Iacob For as Iacob hauing not deserued the preheminence of the first begotten sonne hidde himselfe in the apparell of his brother beeing clothed with his brothers coate that fauoured of a swéete smell hée crept into the fauour of his father and receiued the blessing to his own commoditie vnder the person of an other So we doe lye hidden vnder the precious purenesse of Christ our elder brother that we may gette a testimonie of righteousnesse in the sight of God The words of Ambrose be these Whereas Isaac smelt the sauour of the garmentes peraduenture this is meant thereby that we are not iustified by works but by faith because fleshly weaknesse hindereth workes but the brightnesse of faith which meriteth forgiuenesse of sinnes ouershaddoweth the errour of déedes And truely so it is that we maye appeare before the faith of God vnto saluation it is necessary for vs to smel swéetly with his odour and to haue our faultes couered and buryed with his
reason with reason August contra Maxi. li. 3. chap. 14. More weightie is the doctrine of the Scripture and the Prophets then of such as be raised from the dead doe report any thing or if an Angell descend from heauen As for the things they talke they be but seruants that speake them but whatsoeuer the Scripture vttereth the Lord hath spoken it The Lord therfore doth teach vs that we should thinke credit shuld be rather giuen vnto the Scriptures then to all other things Chrisost. de Lazaro concione 4. No man will giue héede to the Scriptures for if we did consider them we shuld not onely not fall into â—rrours our selues but also thereof deliuer other that are deceiued and put them from perill Chrisost. in Epist. ad Heb. Homil. 8. Let vs not bring deceitfull ballances wherein we may weigh whatsoeuer we lust at our owne discretion saieng this is heauie this is light but let vs bring the heauenly ballance of the holy Scripture as from the treasure of the Lord therin let vs weigh what is of more weight Hierome causa 24. quest chap. 1. non adfera How Christ ouercommeth Satan with Scriptures Iesus sayd vnto him it is written againe ¶ Christ woulde not ouercome Satan by his diuine and almightie power but with the Scriptures and word of God to teach vs by his own example to fight against Satan with the holy sacred Scripture which are our heauenly armour the word of the spirit Beza How this place following is to be vnderstood Among the which some things are hard to be vnderstoode c. ¶ That is to say among the which things for he disputeth not héere whether Paules Epistles be plaine or darke but saith that amongest those things which Paule hath written off in his Epistles and Peter himselfe in these two of his owne there are some things which cannot be so easily vnderstood and therfore are of some drawne to their owne destruction that hée saith to make vs more attentiue and dilligent and not to remoue vs from reading of holy things For to what end should they haue written vaine speculations Beza ¶ As no man condempneth the brightnesse of the Sunne because his eyes is not able to susteine the cleerenesse thereof so the hardnesse which we cannot somtime compasse or perfectly vnderstand in the Scriptures ought not to take away from vs the vse of the Scriptures Geneua Of them which say that Scripture hangeth vpon the iudgement of the Church I know saith Caluine that they haue commonly the saieng of Augustine where he sayth he would not beléeue the Gospel saue that the â—uthoritie of the Church moued him therevnto But â—ow vntrue and cauillously it is alleaged for such a meaning by the whole tenour of his writing it is easie to perceiue He had to doe with the Maniches which desired to be beleeued without gaine saieng when they vaunted that they had yâ— truth on their side but proued it not Now Augustine asketh them what they would doe if they did light vpon a man that would not beleeue the Gospell it selfe with what manner of perswasion they wold drawe him to their opinion Afterward he saith I myselfe would not beleeue the Gospel c. saue yâ— the authoritie of the church moued me therto meaning yâ— he himselfe when hée was a straunger from the faith could none otherwise be brought to embrace the gospell for the assured truth of God but by this the he was ouercome by the authoritie of the Church And what meruaile is it if a man not yet knowing Christ haue regard to men Augustine therfore doth not there teach yâ— the faith of the godly is grounded vpon the authoritie of the Church nor meaneth that the certeintie of the gospel hangeth theron but simply onely that there should be no assurednesse of the gospell to the Infidels wherby they might be won to Christ vnles yâ— consent of the church did driue them vnto it And the same meaning a little before he doth plainly confirme in this saieng When I shal praise yâ— which I beléeue scorne the which thou beléeuest what thinkest thou méet for vs to iudge or do but the we forsake such men as first call vs to come know certeine truths after commaunded vs to beléeue things vncerteine And that we follow them that require vs first to beléeue that which we are not yet able to sée that being made strong by beléeuing we may attainâ— to vnderstand the thing that we beléeue not men now but God himselfe inwardly strengthening giuing light to our minds These are the very words of Saint Austen Caluin 1. booke chap. 7. Sect. 3. The Papists say it must be vnderstood after the interpretation of the Church of Rome which is false When the Apostles bad vs trie the spirits whether they be of God or no meant he trow ye we shuld trie them according to the testimony of the Church of Rome When the men of Thessalonica tried the Apostles doctrine whether it wer true or no Asked they yâ— iudgement of the Church of Rome c. Deering Obiection How is the word of God and the Scriptures knowne but by the Church Aunswere The Church was and is a meane to bring a man more spéedely to know the scriptures and the word of God as was the woman of Samaria a meane that the Samaritanes knew Christ but as when they had heard him speake they sayde Now we know that he is Christ not because of thy words but because we our selues haue heard him So after we came to the hearing and reading the Scriptures shewed vnto vs and discerned by the Church we doe beleeue them and know them as Christs shéepe not because the Church sayth they are the Scriptures but because they be so being assured therof by the same spirit which wrote and spake them Bradford in the booke of Mar. fol. 1794. When the Scriptures was in English ¶ Looke Bible Of the burning of Scriptures ¶ Looke Herode SEA Of the diuerse names giuen to this Sea OUer the sea of Galile ¶ This is a lake which is called in the Scripture the sea or lake of Ginnereth which some interpret the sweete sea is called of the Gréeks Genezar or Genazareth Of this Iosephus maketh mention in his third booke of the war of the Iewes 18. chapter S. Iohn calleth it the sea of Tiberias because the citie of Tiberias so called of Herode the Tetrach for the honour of Tiberius Caesar bounded vpon the East part of the same Wherefore by this portion the Euangelist doth more plainly describe the place whither Christ went For the whole lake was not called the sea of Tiberias but onely that part which lay more to the shore vpon the which Tiberias was scituate Marl. fo 188. What the Sea of Glasse signifieth As it were a Sea of Glasse ¶ The Hebrues betoken all manner of
Both for their wicked marriages vnnaturall copulations Idolatry of spirituall whoredome with Moloch and such lyke abhominations Geneua What is called spirituall whoredome Offering to diuells after whom they haue gone a whoring ¶ Idolatry is spirituall whoredome because faith toward God is broken Geneua Soothsaiers to goe a whoring after them ¶ To estéeme sorcerers or coniurers is spirituall whoredome or Idolatry Gen. VVICKED What it is to be wicked I And my people are wicked ¶ The wicked confesse their sinnes to their condemnation but they cannot beléeue to obtaine remission Geneua ¶ To be wicked is to be without the knowledge and féeling of the goodnesse of God and without hope to receiue any goodnesse at his hand so that we cannot patiently heare any of his truths nor beléeue theÌ„ neither suffer them to be taught to other as it appeareth in all Psalmes and in Esay 57. Tindale The wicked are lyke the raging Sea yâ— cannot rest Their euill conscience doth euer torment them and therefore they can neuer haue rest Geneua Ther is no peace saith the Lord vnto the wicked ¶ Thus he speaketh that the wicked hypocrites should not abuse Gods name in whom was neither faith nor repentaunce Geneua How the wicked are punished for dooing wrong to the wicked As I haue done saith Adonibesech so God hath done to me againe ¶ Heere note that the Gentiles had the knowledge of God as saith Paule Rom. 1. and that they knew the law righteousnesse naturall of which Moses Deut. 19. d. and Exo. 21. c. But in the punishment of Adonibesech is this chiefely to bée obserued that God not onely auengeth the wrong that the wicked doe to the good but also that which the wicked doe to the wicked The 70. Kings whose thumbes and great toes hée cut off were wicked men yet he is punished for the iniurie and crueltie done vnto them Such an example haue ye also Amos. 2. What punishment shall they haue then that cruelly slaye the good Not small be ye sure T. M. How the wicked eate not Christs body He that eateth Christs body hath euerlasting life Ergo then the wicked eate not Christs body He that eateth Christs flesh and drinketh his bloud abideth in Christ and Christ in him but the wicked abideth not in Christ nor Christ in them Ergo the wicked eate not his flesh nor drinke his bloud I. Frith VVIDOVVES Obiection of the Papists PAule say they blameth the widowes which after the olde Iewes manner chosen to serue yâ— Congregation when they were found of the common pursse had list afterward to marry Aunswere This place saith Melanctâ—â—on many of the Papistike votaries wrast it for their vowes because that there they are said to reiect their first faith which faith some of them interpret it of the breaking of their vowe But I will aunswere theretâ— simply and plainly That which they call their first faith in that place ought not to be vnderstood of such vowes but of their first and principall faith in Christ as a little before he saith If any man careth not for his owne and chiefly for his owne houshold he denieth to be a faithfull and is worse then an infidell For Paule blameth those women which so long as they wer néedie they would be sad and modest seruing them faithfully but afterward when they wer found of yâ— common charge they began to waxe wanton and light and to neglect their office For these euill manners saith he that they reiected their chiefe faith or principall promise to God casting off their faith whereby they should haue pleased God For their very faith is reiected when their conscience is defiled Beside this if they contend to be spoken of vowes then are their owne selues condempned with the same text commaunding them to put back young persons from such vowes to receiue none before 60. yeares old and why then call they it a lawfull vowe at 21. yeares Also if there had bene in those daies any such common vowes surely they had bene made without any superstition Wherefore these new found vowes of Monkes and Priests are tangled with full many wicked perswasions c. ¶ Looke Vowe First VVIFE What a commoditie she is to hir husband ANtipater an Heathen writer In sermone de Nuptijs hath these words Whosoeuer saith he hath not had triall of a wife and children he is vtterly ignoraunt of true mutuall good will Loue in wedlocke is mutually shewed when man and wife do not communicate wealth children and hearts alone as friends are wont â—o doe but haue their bodies in common also which friends cannot doe And therefore Euripides saieng aâ—â—de the deadly hate he bare vnto women writ these verses in commendation of marriage The wife that gads not giglot wise with euery flirting gill But honestly doth keepe at home not set to gossip still Is to hir husband in his cares a passing sweete delight She heales his sicknesse all and cals againe his dieng sprite By fawning on his angry lookes she turnes them intâ— smiles And keepes hir husbands secrets close when friend worke wâ—ly guilâ—s Bullinger fol. 224. How this place following is vnderstood Come not at your wiues That is when ye will serue the Lord you shall put from you all lust and fleshlye concupiscense giuing your selues wholly to prayer and abstinence as Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 7. 29. That they that had wiues shoulde bée as though they had none T. M. But giue your selues to praier and abstinence that you may at that time attende onely vppon the Lord. 1. Cor. 7 5. Geneua The difference betweene a Wife and a Concubine Looke Concubine VVILDE BEASTS What is signified heere by wilde beasts THe wilde beasts shall worship me Under the name of the beasts signifieth he also the heathen which were wilde rude and beastly concerning godly knowledge these saith he that hee will tame by the preaching of the Gospell which thing he signifieth by waters and streames so that they shall not héereafter doe hurt in the Church but shall put their shoulders vnder the yoke of faith and be ruled with the law of charitie T. M. They shall haue such abundaunce of all things as they returne home euen in the drye and barraine place that the verie beasts shall feele my benefits shall acknowledge them much more men ought to be thankfull for the same Geneua VVILL OF GOD. How all things come to passe by Gods will THese be the great and most exquisite workes of God that whereas the nature of man and Angell had sinned that is to say had done not that he would but that it would euen by the same will of the creature whereby that was done that the creator would not he fulfilled that he would vsing wel euen euill things as good himselfe in the highest degree to the damnation of them whom he iustly fore-ordeined to punishment and to the saluation of them whom he mercifully
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
perfect faith Of the spirituall sacrifice that the Christians doe dailie offer vnto God Looke Rom. 12. 1. Phi. 4. 18. 1. Pet. 2â—5 Ric. Turnar Sée more in the word Sacrifice CAINE How and by what meanes Caine was slaine IN the beginning of the world most people went naked sauing that they were partlie couered with skinnes of some beast at that time they had no dwelling house to defende them neither from the colde neither yet from heate but after their owne phantasies they made with pretie boughs and twigs of trées such little pretie lodgings as we call Cabens or Boothes And it so chaunced that Caine béeing verie olde and also wearie happened one daie to laie him downe to rest in a bush that was enclosed with gréene boughs as aforesaid And Lamech one of yâ— kinred of Caine in the fift degrée who by reason of his greate age had lost his sight and yet at a time was disposed to go abrode to kill some wilde beast And taking his Bowe and Arrowes he toke also a little boie to leade and direct him where hee might haue a good shoote And when he drew somewhat néere vnto the bush where Caine laie the little boie espieng the bush to wagge séeing as it were a great thing in the midst therof he imagined that there laie some wilde beast and the boye béeing afraide thereof gaue knowledge to olde Father Lamech that in a bush standing right before him not farre off there laie a great and terrible beast And Lamech vppon the report of the childe stretched out his arme drew a straight draught toward the bush where he slew his cosin Caine that laie in the same after he had liued 730. yeares as saith Philo Graftonan his Chro. fol. 7. ¶ Lyra saith that when Lamech perceiued he had slaine Caine whom the Lord had forbidden him in paine of greate punishment he fell vpon his owne seruant beat him so that he died Of a certeine sect called Caini Caini were heretiks which honoured Caine and tooke him for their father They highlie estéemed of Esau Chore Dathan Abiram with the Sodomits They called Iudas the traitour their cosin honouring him for betraieng of Christ affirming yâ— he foresawe how great a benefit it would become vnto maÌ„kinde They reade a certeine Gospell written as they saie by Iudas they reuiled the lawe and denied the resurrection Epiphani haeres 38. August de haeres CAIPHAS How he was the mouth of God and the mouth of the diuell all at one time HE was the mouth of God in as much as God made him to saie that his people could not be saued but onely by the death of his sonne Iesus Christ but he was the mouth of the diuell according to his intent after the which he so spake for he did not speak according to the meaning of the holie Ghost but as a murtherer an enimie of truth pretending the death of Iesus Christ because of the hatred which he bare towardes him ¶ God made him to speake neither could his impietie let Gods purpose who caused this wicked man euen as he did Balaam to be an instrument of the holie Ghost Geneua ¶ The spirit of prophesie doe manie times speake by the mouth of an vngodly man for the vngodlie are so excecated and blinded that they do oftentimes speak against theirown selues vnwittinglie and that to their vtter vndoing and destruction â— Sir I. Cheeke CALL What it is to call vpon the name of the Lord. IN that time beganne men to call vppon the name of the Lord. ¶ To call vpon the name of the Lord is to require all things of him and to trust in him giuing him the honour and worship that belongeth vnto him as in Gen. 12. 8. T. M. ¶ In these daies God began to moue the heartes of the godly to restore religion which a long time by the wicked had ben supprest Geneua Of three mnner of callings Manie are called c. ¶ Christ speaketh of the externall calling by the preaching of the Gospell of yâ— which there are three degrées All men are called yea euen they which heare not these which are dumme and are deafe minded are also called The second sort enter in and promise that they will serue God neuertheles their consciences condemneth them because they haue not the true root As Symon Magus which did faine himselfe to beléeue of the faithful being conuicted in his conscience by the truth of the Gospell professed the same but he had no roote as Peter casteth him in the téeth Such are they trulie to whom the Lord sendeth his holie spirit and whome for a time he illuminateth but at the length by the iust desert of their ingratitude he forsaketh them and striketh them with great blindnesse The third calling is speciall of great efficacie by the which God doth verie much aduance the elect faithfull onelie when that by the inward lightening of the spirit he bringeth to passe that the word preached abideth in their hearts To these testimonie is giuen by the same spirit that they are the adopted sonnes of God We cannot iudge who are the elect and who are the reprobate for we ought to leaue this iudgement vnto God Notwithstanding by signes there maie be some coniecture had but we must alwaies beware of rash iudgement Euerie man that is elected and chosen of God is fullie certified in himselfe of his calling The which thing we maie dailie beholde For manie are brought into the Church which afterward fall awaie from the same either béeing terrified by persecution or els béeing ouercome with some other temptation Such trulie are of the number of them that are called but are not elected for héereby our election is proued if we perseuer vnto the last end Mar. fol. 51. ¶ First all men be generallie called euen those that doth not heare the word for vnto them both heauen and earth and and the creatures comprehended therein doth not cease to preach the almightie power of God and also his goodnesse and mercie so that all men as the Apostle saith are vnexcusable before the maiestie of God And with them maie be comprehended those that heare the word who though they be called be so deafe in their hearts and mindes that they will neither giue care nor héede to the calling The second sort that be called doe professe the Christian religion receiue the word but it hath no true root in them as Symon Magus being conuinced in his heart yâ— the gospel was true did for a time professe but because it had no root in him he did soone fall awaie from it Such are them to whom yâ— Lord doth giue his holy spirit illuminating theÌ„ for a time but after ward he doth forsake them because of their ingratitude and vnthankfulnesse doth strike them with great blindnesse The third manner of calling is both particular and also most effectuall For by it the Lord
we are chosen WE are not chosen of God to breake his commaundements but for to liue in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lyfe How God hath chosen vs and we not him You haue not chosen me saith Christ but I haue chosen you ¶ Who hearing this saieng of our Lord dare bee so bolds as to saie that men are chosen through beliefe whereas rather they are chosen that they maie beléeue least y◠they should bée found to haue chosen Christ first contrarie to the sentence of the truth vnto whom Christ saith you haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you Pet. Viret Obiection We were chosen do some saie before the foundations of the world were made because that God did foresee that we shoulde be good and not that he himselfe should make vs good Aunswere God saith ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you for if he had therefore chosen vs because he had foreséene that we shoulde bée good he should also haue knowne before that we should haue chosen him Veron How God is said not to haue chosen manie wise men Paule saith that God hath not chosen manie wise men after the flesh nor manie men of power nor manie noble men borne And yet the same man saith God will haue all men saued how then doth he nor choose God is said not to haue chosen them not because he would not haue them saued but for the sequele of it that is to saie because the wisedome of this world power nobilitie of birth do like baits entice and withdrawe manie from the obedience of the Gospell Dauid was rich and puissant and so was Nero. But Dauid was not entised by the riches and power to fall from the Gospell as Nero was to his owne destruction And so foorth of other like Hemmyng Of Marie Magdalens good choosing Marie hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken from hir ¶ She hath chosen the hearing of the word of God which euer endureth is the onelie waie to euerlasting life Tindale ¶ The good part that is the hearing of the word of God from the which it was not méete that she should bée drawne hauing not alwaies opportunitie to heare the same The Bible note How God chooseth two manner of waies I haue chosen you twelue saith the Lord and one of you is the diuell ¶ It is to bee vnderstood that there is two manner of choosing The one whereby the Apostles were chosen to that most worthie office of Apostleshippe that they were in and the other wherby they wer chosen into life euerlasting Therfore when Christ saith that Iudas was chosen with the other Apostles that same must be vnderstood of the office wherevnto he was called and chosen with the other For when he speketh of the election that doth perteine to life euerlasting hée doth altogether exclude him from the number of the chosen I doe not saith he speake of you all I know whom I haue chosen I. Veron ¶ Looke Iudas Calling Election Predestination Of the choosing of Ministers Looke Ministers CHRISOLITE The nature of this stone and what it betokeneth The seauenth a Chrisolite ¶ This stone glittereth like gold and casteth out burning sparkes Wherby are ment those that vnderstand the diuine Scriptures both in word worke doe vtter that vnto others which they themselues vnderstand Marl. fol. 300. ¶ The seauenth foundation is of a Chrisolite or Turcas which shineth as golde and séemeth as it shoulde send foorth sparkes vnder this are they comprehended which hauing the wisdome of the spirit inflameth other with it prouoking them thereby to the loue of God and their neighbour This did Moses Esau Barnabas and Paule in whom the glorie of the Lord appeared plenteouslie Bale CHRISOTRACE The description of this stone and what it betokeneth THe 〈…〉 a Chrisoprade ¶ This is of a greene colour intermedled with golde and it betokeneth such as resembleth the freshnesse of the euerlasting countrie by charitable intercommuning one with an other Mirl vpon the Apoc. fol. 300. ¶ The tenth was a Chrisoprace whose condition is to shine like golde and yet he is greene in sight Such are they which hauing godlie wisdome vttereth it according to the talent giuen them of the Lord thereby renuing the dull spirits of other vnto heauenlie things Among this sort maie 〈…〉 be numbred which sawe manie wonderfull visions And so maie Simeon and Anna in the Gospell Bale CHRIST How Christ was first promised to Adam WHen the first man Adam through the craft and subtiltie of the Serpent whom the diuell had set for his minister to deceiue him had lost the felicitie of Paradise and made himselfe and all his posteritie for euer subiect to death and all other calamities and nuseries of this world where afore it was in his power alwaies to haue liued Then almightie God for the saluation of mankinde promised that of the séed of the woman Christ should come and destroie the power of Satan and deliuer vs frée from sinne and death Lanquet How Christ grew in age and wisdome Christ as touching his Godhead did not grow in age wisdome and fauour but in respect of his manhood in that he was verie man whose example would God we could follow that as we grow in yeares so we might grow in wisdome and fauour with God and men Hemming How Christ is called Dauids sonne If Dauid call him Lord how is he then his sonne ¶ Christ in that he is a verie naturall man is Dauids sonne but in that he is a true and a naturall God equall with the Father he is also his Lord. Sir I. Cheeke How Christ had moneie Looke Moneie Whie Christ became man As through a naturall man we were banished out of Paradise made the children of dampnation so it pleased the almightie trinitie neither by an Angell nor Archangell but by a naturall man to restore vs againe and made vs heires of saluation as Paule witnesseth By a man came death and by a man commeth the resurrection of the dead for as by Adam all die euen so by Christ all be made aliue R. Hutchynson Whie Christ fasted Like as it pleased God to giue power vnto Moses xl daies twice in the mountaine not for the auoiding of temptation but for to set foorth the glorious lawe and will of the Father then to be published And Elias béeing sent to anoint a king ouer Siria a king and a Prophet ouer Israel by whom both these kingdomes should be cleane altered and chaunged did fast fortie daies from all maner meates for the declaring of the power of God in his works So did it please Christ of his owne power to fast fortie daies that the Iewes shoulde haue none occasion to thinke him inferiour to those tw◠their great Prophets in the publishing of his Gospell and gladde tidings vnto the world and his renuing of all things not to the
seconde Chapter to the Hebrewes doth alleadge this vearse of the Prophet to this purpose and intent to proue that Christ tooke the same nature of man vpon him that we haue This is a verie truth that I doe now teach saith Saint Paule Qui sanctificat qui sanctificabitur ex vno omnes that is both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one Christus sanctificat purgat abluat emundat nos nos vero mortales sanctificamor illum per Christum And this Christ which by the morites of his bitter passion doth sanctifie vs and wée which are sanctified be all of one what is that to saie we come all of Adam concerning the nature and vertue of flesh and bloud Christ came of Adam as well as we and that is the cause why S. Luke describeth the pedegrâ—e of Christ after the flesh he beginneth at Ioseph qui putabat illius pater which Ioseph saith Saint Luke was thought to be Christs Father This Ioseph was the sonne of Hely Hely was the sonne of Mathat which was the sanne of Leâ—â— And so he descendeth in order vntill he come to Adam signifieng thereby that Christ concerning yâ— flesh came of Adam as wel as we And that is the thing which S. Paul saith Qui sanctificat et qui saÌ„ctificatur ex vno omnes so they yâ— sanctifie they yâ— be sanctified by Christ come all of one nempe Adamo that is to wit of Adam Propter quam causam Christus non confidetur vocare nos Fratics For the which cause Christ is not ashamed saith S. Paule notwithstanding we be sinners to call vs his brethren according as it is written Narrabo nomen tuum fratribus meis I will set out spread thy name among my bretheren not bretheren only by affection as when Christ saith Mater mea fratres mei hij sunt qui verbum Dei audiunt faciunt but my bretheren because they be made of the same kinde of flesh and bloud that I am my bretheren because they come of Adam as I doe Ric. Turnar ¶ We cannot haue God to be our father vnlesse we acknowledge Christ to be our brother c. Saint Ambrose saith Hée is our Mouth by the which wée speake to the Father our Eie by the which wée sée the Father our right hande by which wée offer vs vnto the Father The lieng of Christ in the Stall expounded Chrisostome saith As Christ was in the Stall so is he now vpon the Altar And as he was sometimes in the womans armes so is he now in the Priests hands ¶ Erue it is that Christ was there Christ is héere but not in one or like manner of being For he was in the stall by bodilie presence vpon the holie Table he is by waie of a Sacrament The woman in hir armes helde him reallie the Priest in his hands holdeth him in a mysterie So saith Saint Paule Christ dwelleth in our hearts and no doubt the same Christ that laie in the Stall It is one and the same Christ but the difference standdeth in the manner of his beeing there For in the stall he laie by presence of his bodie in our hearts he heth by presence of faith Chrisostome saith that Christ heth vpon the Altar as the Seraphins with their tonges touch our lips with the coales of the Altar in heauen which is an Hiperboricall loquution of which Chrisostome is full Bradford in the booke of Martirs How Christ is called the Rocke ¶ Looke Rocke What it is to put on Christ according to the Gospell The putting on of Christ according to the Gospell consisteth not in Imitation but in a new Birth and a new Creation That is to saie in putting on of Christs innorenâ—ie his righteousnesse his wisedome his power his saâ—ing health his life and his spirit We are clothed with the leather coate of Adam which is a 〈…〉 garment and a garment of Sinne that is to saie We are all subiect to Sinne all solde vnder Sinne. There is in vs horible blindnesse ignoraunce contempt and hatred of God moreouer euill concupiscense vncleannesse couetousnesse c. This garment that is to saie this corrupt and sinfull nature we receiued from Adam which Saint Paule is wont to call the olde man This olde man must wée put off with all his workes Ephe. 4. 22. That of the Children of Adam wée maie bée made the Children of GOD. This is not done by chaunging of a garment or by anie lawes or workes but by a new birth by the renuing of the inward man which is done in Baptime as Paule saith All ye that are baptised haue put on Christ. Also according to his mercie hath he saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and the renuing of the holie Ghost Tit. 3 5. Besides that they which are baptised are regenerate renued by the holie Ghost to a heauenly righteousnesse and to eternall life there riseth in them also a new light and a new flame there rise in them new and holie affections as the feare of God true faith assured hope c. There beginneth also in them a new will And this is to put on Christ according to the Gospell Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 167. How Christ first loued vs and not we him Who loued me and gaue himselfe for me ¶ Paule saith héere that first he began and not we He euen he saith Paule loued me and gaue himselfe for me as if he had said he found in me no good will or right vnderstanding but this good Lord had mercie vpon me He sawe me to be nothing els but wicked going astraie contemning God and flieng from him more and more yea rebelling against God taken led and caried awaie captiue of the Diuell Thus of his méere mercie preuenting my reason my will and my vnderstanding he loued me so loued me that he gaue himselfe for me to the ende that I might be free from the Law Sin the Diuell and Death c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 82. How Christs corporall presence is hurtfull I tell you truth it is expedient for you that I goe awaie ¶ The corporall presence of Christ is hurtfull vnto men and that through their owne fault For why they are too much addicted vnto it Therefore his flesh must be taken awaie from vs that we maie waxe and increase in the spirite therefore they are farre out of the waie that dreame in the mysticall bread and wine a bodilie presence Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The absence of Christ according to the flesh is profitable to the Church that we maie wholie depend vpon the spirituall power Camerarius How Christ is God by these prooues following First almightie God said let vs make man in our owne Image and after our likenesse Which words no doubt doe signifie vnto vs the Triplicitie of the persons in the Godhead which are thrée distinct in name
no robberie to bée equall with God neuerthelesse he made himselfe of no reputation taking on him the shape of a seruant and was found in his apparel as a man c. Héere we sée that forasmuch as he was in the shape of God he was equall with God and inasmuch as he was in the shape of man he was lesse then the father for he made himself of no reputation Thus ye doe sée the sentence they bring foorth is verie true and yet maketh nothing for that purpose they alleadge it But if they list to cauill about this word shape or likenesse of God therefore he was not God for it is one thing to be in the shape and likenesse of GOD and another to bée GOD. To that I aunswere that as he saith he was in the shape of GOD so he saith also that he tooke on him the shape of a seruant and was found as a man And if they will prooue him heereby not to bée God so on the other side I will proue him not to be man because he tooke on him the shape of a seruant and was found as a man and the one is euen as true as the other which if it shuld bée graunted the whole work of our saluation should be of none effect Thus do you sée of what force this argument of theirs is Obiection Christ saith all power is giuen vnto me in heauen earth And againe the Father loueth the sonne hath giuen al things into his hand Thus sée we the Father giueth and the sonne receiueth and greater is he that giueth then he that receiueth wherefore it cannot be that he should be equall and all one God with the Father Aunswere This obiection maie be answered like as the other the Christ was equall with his Father as touching his diuinitie lesse then the Father as concerning his humanitie In the which humanitie he receiued all things of his Father but as touching his diuinitie he created and made all thinges and giueth the selfe same gifts to men that the Father giueth For Saint Iohn saith the world was made by him and as manie as receiued him to them gaue he power to bée the sonnes of God Thus sée we the Scripture which they alleadge serueth nothing for their purpose Obiection S. Paule 1. Cor. 15. 25. saith Then commeth the end when Christ hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God the Father whē he hath put downe all rule all authoritie and power For hée must reigne vntill he put all his enimies vnder his feet For as much then as Christ shall deliuer vp his kingdome to God the Father and shall reigne vntill he put all his enimies vnder his feete néeds it must be graunted that his kingdome shall haue an end whereby it is euident that he is not God Aunswere The kingdome of Christ doth consist in conquering our auncient enimie the diuell vnder whom we were a long time in bondage in that he should die to redeeme the people and so together in one and so to ascend vp on high and to leade awaie captiuitie captiue to sit on the right hand of God to make intercession for vs and last of all to sit in iudgement on all flesh whereof part is alreadie done and the other part is a dooing part to be done For first y◠redemption of man is alreadie done and wrought by his death and passion Againe euen vnto this daie he fighteth in his members against Satan the enimie of God and reigneth as a king in the heartes of them that be his beside this he continuallie maketh intercession for vs. And the last daie he shall as a righteous Iudge reward them that be his with eternall lyfe but the vngodlie with death euerlasting All the which béeing done this kingdome of his shall cease For he shall deliuer it vp vnto his Father so haue an end For it shal be no longer néedfull forasmuch as the saluation of man shall there vs altogether finished and made perfect But doth it nowe followe that although this kingdome of his shall haue an end that then he shall cease to reigne and haue no kingdome By the selfe same reason maie it bée proned that God the Father was without a kingdome all the while y◠this kingdōe of Christ hath continued for Christ saith All power is giuen me of my Father Héere ye sée that the Father gaue all power and authoritie vnto Christ Ergo the Father was without power and authoritie for the time that Christ had it The which I am well assured that no man that is in his right minde will bée content to graunt And beside all this we haue the plaine testimonie of Scripture that the kingdome of Christ is euerlasting For the Angell said Of his Kingdome there shall bée no ende Thus if the Scripture be well weied it maketh nothing at all for their purpose What Christ hath done for vs. Christ is the Sauiour of the world Iohn 4. 42. Christ is the Sauiour Luke 2. 11. Christ died for vs. Rom. 5. 6. Christ died for our sins Rom. 4. 25. Christ bought vs with his bloud 1. Pe. 1. 17. Christ washt vs with his bloud Apo. 1. 5. Christ offered himselfe for vs. Gal. 1. 4. Christ bare our sinnes vpon his back Esay 53. 11. Christ came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1. 15. Christ came into this world to take awaie our sins 1. Iohn 3. 5. Christ was the price that was giuen for vs and our sins 1. Timo. 2. 6. Christ hath paied our debt for he died for vs. Coll. 2. 14. Christ is our sanctification 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is our redemption 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is our peace Coll. 2. verse 14. Christ hath pacified the Father of heauen for vs. Rom. 5. 1. Christ is ours and all his 1. Cor. 3. 22. Christ hath deliuered vs from the lawe from the diuel and from hell Coll. 2. 14 The Father of heauen hath forgiuen vs our sinnes for Christs sake or anie other like the same which declare vnto vs the mercie of God ◠Iohn 1. 7. In the booke of Mar. fol. 1110 CHRISTIAN The definition of a Christian. SEE that will expresse the name of a Christian must bée such a man as excelleth through the knowledge of Christ and his doctrine in modestie righteousnesse of minde in constancie of life in vertuous fortitude and in confessing of sincere pietie toward the one and the onely vniuersall God Eusebius fol. 8 The right Christen man consenteth to the lawe that it is righteous and iustifieth God in the lawe For he affirmeth that God is righteous and iust which is the author of the law He beléeueth the promises of God and iustifieth God iudgeing him true and beleeuing that he will fulfill his promises With the lawe he condemneth himselfe and all his déedes and giueth all the praise to God He beléeueth the promises and ascribeth all truth vnto God thus euerie where
sinke into it It made Balaam which knewe all the trueth of GOD to hate it and to giue most pestilent counsell against it It taught the false prophets in the olde Testament to interpret the Law of God falslie c. It kept Iudas in vnbeliefe c. And compelled him to sell Christ vnto the Scribes and Pharesies for couetousnesse is a thing mercilesse Couetousnesse made the Pharisies to lye on Christ to persecute and falselie to accuse him It made Pilate though he found him an Innocent yet to slaie him It caused Herode to persecute Christ in his cradle It maketh hypocrites to persecute the truth against their owne conscience c. Finallie Couetousnes maketh manie whom the truth pleaseth at the beginning to cast it vp againe and to be afterwarde the most cruell enimies thereof after the ensample of Symon Magus Act. 8. Tindale fol. 230. Through Couetousnesse shall they with fained words make marchandise of you c. ¶ False Prophets must néedes be among vs and also preuaile and that because we haue no loue vnto the truth And Couetousnesse is the father of them and their preaching confidence in workes is the denieng of Christ. Tindale ¶ This is euidentlie séene in the Pope and his Priests which by lies and flatteries sel mens soules so that it is certaine that he is not the successour of Symon Peter but of Symon Magus Geneua COVNCELS Of a Councell a little before that Christ reuealed himselfe THere was a Councell gathered together at Hierusalem a little before yâ— Christ reueled himselfe to chuse a Priest in the roome of one that was deceased Looke how manie letters there are in the Hebrue tongue so manie Priests there were in the Temple to wit 22. The manner was to register in a certaine â—ooke reserued in the Temple the daie of the election the name of the elected the name of his father of his mother and of his Tribe Whilest that they thought some on one man some on another ther stepped forth a Priest one of the multitude said My wil is that Iesus the sonne of Ioseph the carpenter be elected Priest who though he be young in yeares yet passeth he in vtteraunce wisedome and manners I thinke trulie there was neuer séene in Hierusalem such a one both for eloquence life and manners the which I am sure all that inhabite Hierusalem doe knowe as well as I. The which was no sooner spoken but was allowed of and the partie I meane Iesus chosen to be a Priest They doubt of his Tribe againe they wer therin resolued They call for his parents to register their names The Priest that sauoured Iesus made aunswere that Ioseph his father was dead yet Mary his mother was a liue She was brought before them she affirmed that she was his mother and that Iesus was hir sonne But she said moreouer that hée had no father on earth that she was a Uirgin and the holie Ghost had ouershadowed hir They sent for the Midwiues and also for such as had bene present at the birth she was found to be a virgin In the ende they concluded with one voice that hée should be registred Iesus the Sonne of God and of Mary the virgin We remember moreouer Iosephus to haue said that Iesus sacrificed in the Temple together with the Priests Héerevpon also it fell out that as Iesus entered into the Synagogue of the Iewes the booke was deliuered vnto him where he read of the Prophet Esay whereby we gather that if Iesus had not bene Priest among the Iewes the bóoke would not haue bene deliuered vnto him Neither is it permitted amongst vs Christians for anie to read holie Scripture in the open assemblie vnlesse he be of the Cleargie So farre Suidas as he learned of a Iewe. A Councell of the Scribes and Pharisies The Scribes and the Pharisies gathered a Councel at Hierusalem and sent from them Scribes Pharisies and Leuites vnto Iohn Baptist to know who and what he was Ioh. 1. 19. A Councell of the high Priests and Pharisies The high Priestes and Pharisies gathered a Councell in the hall of the high Priest to aduise them what was best to be done touching the doings of Christ. If they let him alone then feared they least the Romanes came and tooke their place Nation They decréed therein that whosoeuer knewe the place of his abode he should enforme them thereof they decréed also that whosoeuer confessed Christ shuld be excommunicated they consulted how they might put Lazaâ—us to death and how they might take Iesus by subtiltie and kill him Then Iudas went in to them and said what will ye giue me I will deliuer him into your hands and they appointed him 30. péeces of siluer Iohn 12. 12. Mat. 26. 3. A Councell of the Scribes Pharisies and Elders The Scribes Pharisies Elders hearing that Christ was risen from the dead gathered a Councell for to suppresse the rumor thereof and concluded that a péece of moneie should be giuen to the souldiers for saieng that his disciples stole him away by night Mat. 28. 12. Councells helde of the Apostles The Apostles immediatelie after the Ascension of our Sauiour returned from Mount Oliuet to Hierusalem and ther assembled together for the election of one to succéede in the roome of Iudas the traitor where they chose Mathias A Councell is summoned of the Apostles and disciples of Christ at Hierusalem for the remouing of the tumult risen betwéene the Grecians and the Hebrwes about the contemning of their widowes wherein they chose 7. Deacons The Apostles Elders and Bretheren gathered a Councell at Hierusalem Anno. 4. Claudij to determine what was to be done touching the doctrine sowed by certaine bretheren of the Pharisies which came from Iudaea affirming that Circumcision was necessarie the obseruation of the Lawe This newes Paule Barnabas and Titus brought vnto them Gal. 2. Where they decréed that the faithfull should abstaine from things offered to Idolls from bloud from that that is strangled and from fornication the which they published by their letters vnto the Church of Antioch Syria and Cilicia with Silas and Iudas which accompanied Paule and Barnabas Beda Lyra. Iames Bishop of Hierusalem Paule and the Elders summoned a Councell at Hierusalem for the remouing of the slaunder bruted by the Iewes of Paule that he was no obseruer of the Lawe that he spake against Moses wherefore for the remouing of this suspition and for the winning of the bretheren the Councell decréed that Paule should cleare him and purisie himselfe according vnto the Lawe yéelding a little for a time vnto the Ceremonies of the Lawe Of certaine generall Councells At Nicena was called a generall Councell in yâ— which the Emperour Constantine was present with 318. Bishops by whome was determined against Arrius that the Sonne was equall with the Father Which decrée was confirmed by the Emperour and Arrius with 6. Bishops banished This Councell willing to reforme the
swoord from shedding of bloud ¶ The Hebrues exround this of the Chalâ—ees that they should haste to destroie the whole kingdome of the Moabites as though the text should meane thus much Cursed bée hee that negligently performeth the vengeance of the Lord that spareth these most wicked Moabites and that with-holdeth his swoord from shedding of their bloud T. M. ¶ Hee sheweth that God would punish the Chaldeans if they did not destroie the Aegyptians and that with a courage and calleth this executing of his vengeaunce against his enimies his worke though the Chaldeans sought an other end Geneua What Gods curse is ¶ Looke God CVSTOME A definition of custome CUstome saith Ostiensis is an vse agréeing with reason allowed by the common institution of them that vse it whose beginning is time out of minde or which is by a iust time prescribed and confirmed so that it is by no contrarie act interrupted but allowed with contradictorie iudgement This is as he thinketh a full definition But in that hee saith that that vse ought to bée agréeing with reason it is not sufficient But first it is to be said that it ought to agrée with the word of God for that is to be counted for the chiefe reason Afterward it must be allowed by the institution of the people and of whose beginning there is no mention or that it is prescribed by a iust time and appointed by the laws neither is interrupted by anie contrarie action For if a Iudge or Prince shall giue iudgement against it the custome is broken As it also happeneth in prescription is cast out of his possession or the matter is called into lawe the matter is in plead the prescriptioÌ„ is broken Also the allowing of the contradictorie iudgement ought to be had that is wheÌ„ one part alleadgeth the custome and an other part denieth it If it be pronounced on the custome side that doth confirme it But all these things as I haue before saide must be reckoned vnto the rule of Gods word Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 190. Of vicious customes and what difference is betweene a lawe and a custome In the countrie of Taurus there was a custome to kill straungers and guestes The Persians had a custome neuer to deliberate of waightie matters but in feastes and when they were dronke Among the Sauromates there was a custome that when they were drinking they solde their daughters These prescribe not when they are manifestly vicious and ill But that custome prescribeth which is neither against the worde of God nor the lawe of nature nor the common lawe For the right of custome commeth by the approbation and secret consent of the people Otherwise whie are we bounde vnto lawes But because they were made the people consenting and agréeing vnto them For this is the difference betwéene a custome and a lawe because in the one is a secrete assent but in the other an open assent Wherefore such customes cannot bée reckoned without daunger Aristotle in Polîticis admonisheth that men which haue learned to doe sinister things ought not to bée compelled to doe thinges dextere Wherefore in thinges indifferent and of no great value custome is to be retained It is an olde Prouerbe Lawe and Countrie for euerie region hath certeine customes of their owne which cannot easilie bée chaunged But it is sayd when they are against the word of God or against nature or the common lawe they are not prescribe For then are they not onelie customes but beastlie cruelties Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 189. How custome must yeeld to the word of God and to truth It is chieflie to be considered howe the Apostle layeth the Oracle of God against an olde receiued custome We are taught by this example that such is the authoritie of Gods worde that vnto it all thinges which were instituted of men of a godlie zeale and holye intent ought to giue place as soone as they séeme anie waies to make against the will of God Therefore their obstinacie is verie péeuish and pernicious that goe about to reteine these Ceremonies in the church which it appeareth haue béene deuised by foolish men for the confirmation of superstition and are verie derogatorie to the merites of Christ. They thinke it a daungerous matter to alter or chaunge anie thing But it is much more daungerous to sticke to the obseruation of olde errours with the losse of saluation And wée ought to remember that the obedience of faith is the ende of true christianitie which requireth of vs to denie our selues and to resigne and yeelde vp all our thoughts and iudgementes vnto the will and power of God Gualter vpon the words of Saint Peter to Cornelius men vz. But God hath shewed me that I should not call anie thing common or vncleane c. After the truth is once found out let custome giue place vnto the truth let no man set custome before the truth and reason for reason and truth putte euermore custome to silence If you laye custome for your selfe ye must remember that Christ sayth I am the waie the truth and the life he saith not I am custome and doubtlesse anie custome bée it neuer so auncient neuer so common yet must it néedes yéelde vnto truth If onelie Christ must be heard we maie not weigh what anie man hath thought good to doe that hath bene before vs but what Christ hath first done which is before all for wée maie not followe the custome of man but the truth of God Speciallie for that God saith by the Prophet Esaie they worshippe me in vaine teaching the commaundements and doctrines of men CVSTOMES What customes are CUstomes are these which are paide of Merchaundises and of those things which are either carried out or brought in Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 263. CVT OF What is meant by this cutting of And will cut him of ¶ To wit from the rest or will cutte him into two parts which was a most cruell kinde of punishment Wherewith as lustine Martir witnesseth Esay the Prophet was executed by the Iewes The like kinde of punishment we reade of 1. Reg. 15. 33. and Dani. 3. 29. Beza DAIE How the daies were first called and after chaunged â— The Iewes did call the whole wéeke Sabbatum As we reade in the Gospell where the Pharesie boasted himselfe of his fasting saieng Ieiuno bis in Sabbato I fast twice euerie wéeke And like as the Iewes did call the whole wéeke Sabbatum so did they call the feast and the chiefe daie of the wéeke Sabbatum the Sabboth daie And the next daie they called Prima Sabbati As we maie perceiue by the wordes of the Euangelist Saint Mathewe saieng Vespere autem sabbati quae lucessit in prima sabbati venit Maria Magdalena altera Maria videre sepnlchrum Upon the Sabboth daie at night which dawneth vpon the first of the sabbots came Marie Magdalene and an other Marie to behold the Sepulchre and that same daie that
the tyrant Antiochus Read the 2. chapter of the second booke of Machabees Notwithstanding there are some which referre this daie of dedication to that first daie when the people returned from Babilon of which mention is made in the sixt Chapter of the first booke of Esdras Reade Iosephus in his 22. booke and 14. chapter But it maketh no great matter of which dedication or renouation you saye that this was the seast daie whether of the first or of the last Marl. vpon Iohn fo 381. Feast of pasâ—e-ouer wherefore it was instituted The feast of pase ouer◠〈…〉 〈…〉 was instituted in the 〈…〉 from their bondage in 〈…〉 Feast of Penticost wherefore it was instituted The feast of Penticost was in remembraunce of the lawe that was giuen 〈…〉 ount 〈…〉 Of the feast of Tabernacles The feast of tabernacles was 〈…〉 of the dwelling of the Israelites fortie yeares in tents Hemmyng The Iewes feast of tabernacles was at hand ¶ Ey this feast of tabernacles we are aâ—monished yâ— we are but pilgrimes straungers as long as we liue in this naturall bodie that we haue no permanent citie heere therfore ought we earnestlie to desire that we maie enter into the lande of promission which is the land of the liuing Of this feast read Leuit. 23. ver 34. Sir I. Cheeke ¶ At this feast they dwelled 7. daies in the tents which put them in remembrance that they had no citie heere permanent but that they must seeke one to come Geneua This feast of tabernacles or tents was so called because the children of Israel abode in their tents 7. daies for a remeÌ„brance that God made their fathers dwell in tents when he brought them out of the land of Aegypt This feast is celebrated from the fiâ—téenth daie of the seauenth moneth which we call October vnto the. 21. daie of the same As is to be séene in Leuiticus Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 242. Of the omitting of the feast of Tabernacles For since the time of Iosua yâ— sonne of Nun vnto this daie had not the children of Israel done so c. ¶ The mening is not yâ— the feast of tabernacles was not celebrated from yâ— time of Iosua the son of Nun vnto that daye which was almost a thousand yeares but yâ— it was not celebrated in that manner yâ— is with such solemnitie so great 〈…〉 gladnes as the vâ—rie words themselues declare both in the Hebrue text in the best translations And so doth 〈…〉 expound that place who saith yâ— those words since the time of Iosua the sonne of Nun c. be spoken in the respect of greatnesse of the ioie which there happened vnto the peopleâ— Lyra also expoundâ—th the same place much after the same sort and presupposeth nothing lesse then that the feast were omitted all this time for he affirmeth yâ— they were much more solempnlie with greater cost celebrated in the time of Dauid Salomon Therefore saith he the comparison is Secundum quid propertionaliter For I vse his words because in all this time sithence Iosua it is not read yâ— the people wer so gathered together in Hierusalem as we read in the beginning of this chapter that they were at this time And againe he saith yâ— it was more for the people newlie returned from captiuitie to celebrate such a feast with that solempnitie then it was to mightie kings and people béeing in prosperitie and setteled in a kingdome to celebrate the same daie with much more cost and solempnitie D. Whitgaâ—t fo 9. FESTVS How he ascribed madnesse to Saint Paule FEstus said with a loude voice Paule thou art beside thy selfe much learning hath made thee mad ¶ Festus béeing much troubled with Paules declaration and hauing nothing to saye against it yet wold not yeeld vnto it but â—â—amorouslie condemned it as wicked superstitious For worldlings are loth to be combred with godlie matters and count all such as foolish that trouble themselues therewith The Bible note FEET OF GOD. ¶ Looke Foot FIRE How euerie mans worke is tried by the fire IN the fire it shall be shewed ¶ If anie mans worke that he hath builded doe abide this fire yâ— is if the word yâ— a man hath preached doe abide all assalts temptations it is a token that they are surelie grounded on the Scripture of God then shall the preacher receiue his reward If anie mans worke be burnt that is the preachers word will not abide the triall and light but vanish away then it is a token that they are not wel grounded on Scripture and so shall he suffer hurt for it shal be a great crosse and vexation to the preacher that he hath béene so deceiued himselfe and also hath lead other into his errour Notwithstanding he shall be saued because of his faith in the foundation which is Christ and his ignoraunce shall bee pardonedâ— sith heeâ—erred not of a malitious purpose but of a good zeale But yet shall it bée as it were a fire vnto him for it shall gréeue his heart to sée that he had laboured â—n vaine and that hée must destroie the same which he before through ignoraunce preached This is the processe and pure vnderstanding of the text I. Frith fo 44. ¶ By fire Saint Paule doth vnderstand persecution and trouble By golde siluer and precious stones he vnderstandeth them that in the middest of persecution doe abide stedfastlie in the word By timber haie and stubble are meant such as in the time of persecution doe fall awaie from the truth If they then which beléeue doe in the time of persecution stand stedfastlie in the truth the builder shall receiue a reward the worke shall be preserued and saued But if so be that they swarne goe backe when persecution ariseth he shall suffer losse that is to saie the builder shall loose his labour and cost But yet the builder I meane the preacher of the word shall be saued if he béeing tried by persecution doe abide fast in the faith Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The meaning of Saint Paule when he wrote this to the Corinthians was to aduise the ministers of the Gospell that wheÌ„ as he had laide Iesus Christ as the foundatioÌ„ of our health they should build nothing vpon it but onlie heauenly doctrine which is like to golde siluer precious stones For if anie man would build vpon it mans doctrine which is not grounded vppon the word of God but is like to timber haie and stubble euerie mans doctrine shall bee examined and tried by the fire that is the holie Ghost And that doctrine which is altogether agréeable to the foundation shall stand still And that doctrine which is not fullie agréeable and yet hath kept the foundation whole shall be consumed by the fire of the holie Ghost who worketh by his grace that such ministers as doth repent them of those errours which they haue committed in their doctrine vnagreeble vnto
the loue of all worldlie things can be no scholer of Christ to learne his doctrine Tindale What it is to forsake the Lord. And forsooke the Lord God of their Fathers c. To forsake the Lord God of their fathers is to despise and forsake the word of God not so beléeue his promises nor to walke in his commaundements but to imagine another seruice of him then hee himselfe hath assigned in his word T. M. FORTVNE How nothing ought to be ascribed to fortune TO be had in fauour it helpeth not to be cunning but that all lieth in Time and Fortune ¶ Thus the worldlings say to proue that all things are lawfull for them and attribute that to Chaunce and Fortune which is done by the prouidence of God Geneua ¶ Thus the wicked worldlings are deceiued attributing to Fortune that which is ordered by the secret prouidence of God The Bible note Augustine in his booke against the Academites saithe It doth displease me that I haue so often named Fortune albeit my meaning was not to haue anie Goddesse ment thereby but onelie a chaungeable happening in outward things either good or euill Of which word Fortune are deriued these words which no Religion forbiddeth vs to vse Forte forsan forsitan fortasse fortuito y◠is Perhaps peraduenture by fortune by chaunce which yet must al be applied to y◠prouidence of God And that did I not leaue vnspoken when I said For peraduenture that which is commonlie called Fortune is also ruled by sercet order and we call chaunce in things but that whereof the reason and cause is vnknowen I said this indéed but it repenteth me that I did there so name Fortune Forasmuch as I sée that men haue a verie euill custome that whereas they ought to say It pleased God they saie It pleased Fortune Cal. in his inst 1. b. chap. 16. sect 8. ¶ Fortune and aduenture are the words of Panim◠the signification whereof ought in no wise to enter into the heart of the faithful For if all prosperitie be the benediction of God and all aduersitie his malediction there remaineth no place to Fortune in such things as come to men Basil. retract li. 1. ca. 2. FOOTE What the foote doth signifie in scripture My foote standeth right Foote in the scripture is taken for the affection desire or will of the heart As in the Psa. 36. 11. O let not the foote of pride ouertake me T. M. The meaning of this place following At the féete of Gamaliel ¶ That is his dailie hearer The reason of this speach is this for that they which teach sit commonlie in the higher place speaking to their scholers which sit vpon fourmes beneath and therefore he saith At the féete of Gamaliel Beza What the feete of God signifieth As his head signifieth his diuinitie so his féete signifieth his humanitie the which is subiect to Gods deitie as our féete are vnto our heads Psal. 8. 6. Thou shalt put all things in subiection vnder his féete In some places the Preachers of Gods word be meant by the féete as in Deut. 33. 3. They that drawe nigh his féete shall taste of his doctrine FOOTE-STOOLE What this Foote-stoole was ANd a foote-stoole for our God The foote-stoole c. was the mercie seate at which and on which God had promised the Hebrewes to heare them and speake vnto them which was vpon the Arke as it appeareth Exo. 25. T. M. And fall downe before his foote-stoole c. ¶ That is before his Temple or Arke where he promised to heare when they worshipped him as now he promiseth his spirituall presence wheresoeuer his Church is assembled Geneua And remembred not his foote-stoole ¶ Alluding to the Temple or to the Arke of the Couenaunt which was called the foot-stoole of the Lord because they should not set their mindes so low but to lift vp their hearts toward the heauens Geneua Untill I 〈…〉 thy foot-stoole ¶ Christ is the only◠redéemer vnto whom all power are subiect must obay Gene. FOVRE Of the foure Angels ¶ Looke Angels Of the fourth Watch. ¶ Looke Watch. ANd intreate them euill foure hundred yeares ¶ That is not to be vnderstood that they stould be euill intreated the whole foure hundred yeares but by excesse of speach called Hyperbole is signified that they should be euill intreated within the space of 400. yeares The Bible note FOVRTEENE GENERATIONS Vnder whom the fourteene Generations were ruled THe first fourtéene generations from Abraham to Dauid was vnder the rule of Iudges from Dauid vnto the captiuitie of Babilon vnder Kings from captiuitie of Babilon vnder high Priests And the last fourtéene generations from the captiuitie of Babilon ended in Christ. Marl. fol. n. FORME OF GOD. What it is to be in the forme of God Athanasius saith Nature substaunnce kinde and forme be all one thing Leo saith What is it to be in the forme of God He aunswereth it is to be in the nature of God Chrisostome saith The forme of God is the nature of God S. Austen saith As concerning the forme of God Christ himselfe saith of himselfe I and my Father are both one againe he saith The forme is one because the Godhead is one Iewel fol. 88. ¶ Looke Shape of God What it is to take the forme of a seruaunt Leo saith What is it to take the forme of a seruant He answereth doubtlesse it is to take the perfection of nature state of man Chrisostome saith The forme of a seruaunt verelie is the nature of a seruaunt Saint Augustine saith When thou thinkest of the forme of a seruaunt in Christ thinke of the shape of a man if there bée anie faith in thée Againe Wée must beléeue and confesse saith hée that Christ according to his humanitie is visible hath the substaunce and propertie of a bodie is conteined in place forme of a seruant that is to saie in verie truth he tooke man And tooke on him the forme of a seruaunt ¶ If Christ being verie God equall with the Father laide aside his glorie being Lord became a seruaunt and willinglie submitted himselfe to most shamefull death shall we which are nothing but vile slaues through arrogancie tread downe our bretheren and preserue our selues Geneua How this vocable Forme signifieth verie bread wine in the Sacrament S. Paule speaking of Christs incarnation saith that he béeing in the forme of God did humble himselfe taking vpon him the forme of a man By which words S. Paule ment not that Christ was like vnto God and not God indéede nor yet was like vnto man and not verie man indéed but that he was and is verie God and verie man hauing two substances one of his godhead and the other of his manhood vnited together in one person And the auncient Doctors writing of this Sacrament when they speake of the formes of bread and wine do vse this vocable Forme as
accordinge as it is said in the Psalme Lord in thée is the fountaine of life and in thy light shal we be lightened Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 228. IMPATIENCIE What Impatiencie is IMpatiencie is not simply a griefe conceiued of the miâ—â—iking of our aduersities when we be weary of them but it is an excessiue hart-burning against them when we cannot submit our selues simply vnto God to dispose of vs at his pleasure Wherefore if our passions be so vnrulely as we cannot kéepe any measure in our aduersities then doth inpatiencie ouer master vs and if we haue no holde nor stay of our selues we must néedes conclude that we are no better then frantike folke against God yea and vtterly out of our wits c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 314. According to the nature of contraries looke what good things be attributed to Patience the contrarie thereof may aright be ascribed vnto Impatiencie Patience is a vertue whereby all aduersities be borne for godlinesse and honestie sake Therefore Impatiencie is the vice wherby there is no aduersitie suffered for godlinesse and honestie sake Musculus fol. 528. IMPOSITION OF HANDS ¶ Looke Laieng on of hands IMPOSSIBILITIE AS it is impossible for a Camell or Cable that is a great rope of a ship remaining in the own quantitie to go through a néedles eye remaining in his owne straightnesse so is it like impossible for a rich man remaining in his own naturall pride couetousnes and corruption to enter into the kingdome of God And therefore when those which heard were offended as king And who may then enter into saluation Christ aunswered Things that are impossible before men are possible with God Marke wel that Christ calleth the humiliation of the rich man impossible to man but possible with God Knox. As the man of Inde may chaunge his skinne and the Cat of the Mountaine hir spots so may ye that be exercised in euill doe good ¶ Upon these two things to Nature impossible did the Prophet conclude that no more could the Citizens of Ierusalem being exercised in al iniquitie leaue the same and so was it impossible Impossible I say to themselues and to their own power For what the spirite of God worketh in the conuersion of sinners ought not to be attributed to mans power Knox. For it is impossible that they which were once lightened c. This is Paules meaning They that doe beléeue truely and vnfainedly doe continue or abide stedfast in the knowen truth If any therefore fall away from Christ it is a plaine token that they were dissembling hypocrites and that they neuer beléeued truly as Iudas Symon Magus Demas Hymeneus and Philetus were which all fell away from the knowen veritie made a mocke of Christ which Paule doth call heere to crucifie Christ a newe because that they turning to their olde vomite againe do most blasphemously tread the benefite of Christs passion vnder their féete They that are such can in no wise be renued by repentaunce for they are not of the number of the Elect as S. Iohn doth say They went from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they would haue remained with vs vnto the ende If such men doe repent their repeâ—tance is as Iudas and Cains repentaunce was ¶ This text denieth no possiblitie of mercie in God but the impossibilitie of repentaunce in such men as malitiously forsake the trueh blaspheame Christ and take parte against the Holy Ghost For the truth is that with the Lord there is mercie plenteous redemption Psal. 130. 7. So that whosoeuer calleth vpon his name shall be saued Ioel. 2. 32. and Rom. 10. 13. Now they that forsake the truth blaspheming Christ and taking part against the Holy Ghost cannot repent For if sinners woulde conuert and call vpon God they should be sure of remission Tindale ¶ They which are Apostates and sinne against the Holy Ghost hate Christ crucifie and mocke him but to their owne destruction and therefore fall into desperation and cannot repent Heb. 6. 6. Geneua IMPVTATION What Imputation is IMputation is that benefit of God the Father whereby hée vouchsafeth to account Christs obedience as ours in as ample manner as we our selues had fulfilled the law and made satisfaction for our sinnes T. Beza INCEST What Incest is THey call Incest an vnlawfull medling of a man with a woman against the honor of bloud affinitie For Cestus signifieth the mariage girdle which the Bride did weare to shew that the mariage was iust lawful We Germanes saith Bullinger call this sin by yâ— name of Bloutschand wherby we signifie yâ— sin committed in corrupting or defiling our owne bloud or kinred In Leuiticus after the degrées and bloud in which we are forbidden to marrie the Lord doth presently adde In all these be ye not defiled for in all these things are the Nations defiled which I cast out before you And héereby the lande is defiled I haue visited the iniquitie thereof vpon it and the lande hath spued out the inhabitaunts thereof Ye shall therefore keepe my statutes and mine ordinaunces and shall not doe anye of all these abhominations For whosoeuer shal doe so he shall be cut off from among his people And in the 20. Chapter of Leuiticus he hath appointed death to be the punishment of Incest which is not changed in the Ciuill lawes or Imperiall constitutions Bullinger fol. 236. INFANTS How Infants ought not to be pertakers of the Lords Supper AS touching Infants the institution of Christ doeth seclude them from the Supper because they cannot yet proue examine themselues neither yet celebrate the remembraunce of Christs death the which thing the Apostle Paule teacheth to be necessary for all those which come to the Communion of the Supper Marl. vpon Iohn 226. INFIDELITIE How Infidelitie is the cause of all euill LEt there not be in any an euill heart of Infidelitie ¶ Infidelitie is it which maketh thine heart abound in euill and if by any meanes it can get roome to lodge within thée thy hart is taken and imagineth from hence-foorth all mischiefe When our Sauiour Christ so many times reprooueth sundry sortes of men he maketh this a generall fault of all that they are vnfaithfull and flow to beleeue When Saint Paule condemneth them as reprobate men which doe neuer sée the light of the Gospell he maketh this the cause of their sinne that the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of their vnbeléeuing harts c. Deering IN OMNEM TERRAM c. ¶ Looke for the exposition of this in the word Sound INSTRVMENTS How they serued in the olde lawe SIng vnto him with Uiole and instrument of ten strings ¶ To sing of Instruments was a part of the Ceremonial seruice of the Temple which doth no more appertaine vnto vs then the Sacrifices Censings and lights Geneua Whereof these Instruments were made in King Salomons time Praise the Lord vppon
scholers say that these keyes be nothing els but an authoritie giuen to the Priests whereby they giue sentence that heauen must be opened to this man and shut vnto the other so that heauen is opened shut at the sentence of the Priest Saint Hierome is against Dunce whose words be these I shall giue thée the keyes of heauen c. This place saith Saint Hierome the Bishops Priests not vnderstanding haue vsurped vnto themselues somewhat of the Pharesies pride so that they thinke they may condemne innocents and loose them that be guiltie when afore God not the sentence of the priest but the life of the guiltie is regarded c. ¶ Héere you haue plainly that the sentence of the Priest is not looked vpon nor able to loose a sinner afore God Marke also that S. Hierom saith You vnderstand not this place D. Bar. fol. 257. How the Priests be but the key bearers The keye saith Chrisostome vpon Math. chapter 23. is the word of the knowledge of the Scriptures by which the gate of truth is opened vnto men And the key bearers are the priests to whome is committed the worde of teaching and interpreting the Scriptures Bullinger Of the keye of Dauid or keyes of the Church Which hath the keye of Dauid ¶ That is to say full power ouer the throne of Dauid that is to wit ouer the Church For the Metaphore of keyes not onely in the Scripture but also by the custome of men betokeneth the ful authoritie and ordering of a kingdome or a citie or a house Such as loseph had in the Realme of Pharao King of Aegypt and Eliakim in the house of the King of Iuda according as it is sayd I will laye the Keye of Dauids house vppon his shoulder hée shall open and no man shall shutte and hée shall shutte and no man shall open Esay 22. 22. Euen so CHRIST our Lorde béeing of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh hath all power in the kingdome of the heauenly father For looke whom the father hath foreordeined vnto saluation them receiueth Christ into his â—locke that is to say into his Church and thrusteth the rest out of the dores he openeth yâ— vnderstanding of his seruants yâ— they may be inlightened vnderstand the scriptures the rest he blindeth by his secret howbeit rightful Iustice. Whervpon he saith All things are deliuered me by my father Math. 11. 27. And againe All power is giuen vnto me both in Heauen and in Earth Math. 28. 18. And the Angell saide to Maâ—y The Lord will giue him the â—eate of his father Dauid and he shal reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his reigne there shall be no ende Luke 1. 32. To him alone therefore doeth it pertaine to rule the Church whereof he is head which thing he doth euen now by the seruice of his ministers to whom hee hath therefore promised the Keyes of the heauenly Kingdome to the intent they should set open the way for the godly vnto heauen and shut the vnbeléeuers out of heauen by the preaching of the Gospel Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 60. To whom the Keye of the Bottomelesse Pit was giuen And vnto him was giuen the keye of the bottomelesse Pit ¶ A keye is a token of power or authoritie and publike administration receiued Iohn therefore meaneth that God in his wrath hath giuen power to Heretikes and deceiuers to thrust their diuelish opinions into the Church Thou séest openly héere lyke as in many other places of the Scripture how it happeneth not but by Gods prouidence that errours and vntruths are brought in to deceiue men withall wherevnto also hée giueth such force effectuall working that they go for good payment as I said a little before Therefore we sée héere how power is giuen to deceiuers and heretikes to set their errours openly abroad and to seduce fonde men by vaine Philosophie the doctrine of whom is rightly lykened to a bottomelesse pitte For looke as no man is able to gage the ground of a bottomelesse pit euen so the more a man followeth the doctrine of heretikes so much the lesse substauncialnesse and proofe shall hée finde And in this place wee sée the Bishop of Romes Keyes which he boasteth off so greatly Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 126. How the Popish Prelates haue not the keyes of heauen but of hell As touching the authoritie of the keyes censours no Christian man ought to estéeme Satan whom men call the Pope and his vniust censours more then the hissing of a Serpent or the blast of Lucifer Also that no man ought to trust or put confidence in the false Indulgences of couetous Priests which Indulgences doe draw away the hope which men ought to repose in God to a sort of sinfull men and doe robbe the poore of such almes as is giuen to them such Priests be manifest betrayers of Christ and of his whole Church and be Satans owne stewards to be guilâ— Christian soules by their hypocrisie and fained pardons Also forsomuch as those Prelates and Cleargie men liue so execrable a life contrarie to the Gospell of Christ and example of his Apostles and teach not truly the Gospell but onely lyes and the traditions of wicked and sinfull men It appeareth most manifestly that they haue not the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen but rather the keyes of hell And they may bée right well assured that God neuer gaue vnto them authoritie to make and establish so many ceremonies traditions which be contrary to the libertie of the Gospell and are blockes in Christian mens wayes that they can neither know nor obserue the same his Gospell in libertie of conscience and so attaine a ready way vnto heauen Booke of Mart. fol. 651. KEEPE What it is to keepe the saiengs of Christ. HE that loueth not me kéepeth not my saiengs ¶ To kéepe the saiengs of Christ is nothing els but to beléeue that the same is true and wholesome and also to cleaâ—e vnto the same with our whole heart euen as we may gather by the Scripture Heare O Israel the Ordinaunces and the Lawes which I propose vnto you this day that ye may learne them and take heede to obserue them If by kéeping the Commaundements of God ye vnderstand the fulfilling of them no man shall keepe them but iâ— yâ— vnderstand for seeking to fulfill them then all the godly kéepe them For he cannot choose but giue himselfe to the keeping of the Commaundements of God which truly knoweth the same to be of God Contrary not to kéepe the Lordes saiengs is to reiect the doctrine of Christ and to contemne his commaundements which all the wicked are wont to doe Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 495. How this place following is vnderstood I haue sinned what shall I doe vnto thée O thou kéeper of men ¶ Some men expound this as though lob should dispute against God saieng I can doe none other but
therefore she doth willingly submit her self to them in all things for God For she knoweth verie well that God would that euerie man should be subiect vnto them in all things which are of their charge And that they which doe resist the same resist the ordinance of God and do set vp themselues against him Ro. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. Pet. Viret How the Ecclesiasticall person is subiect to the ciuill Magistrate It perteineth to ecclesiasticall persons to iudge in spirituall causes but if anie of them swarue from the right rule of iustice he is subiect to the correction and punishment of the ciuill magistrate As Aaron had his authoritie of iudgement in spiritual causes yet was he reproued by Moses And the high Priest was deposed by Salomon and Sadoc set in his place And so shuld Ahas if he had ben a goodly prince haue deposed Vriah for making the prophane Altar How Magistrates that doe not perswade the people to Gods worde are not to be obeied in cause of conscience The. xxi Princes that were sent to explorate and search the priuitie and conditions of the land of Canaan two of them perswaded the people to beleeue Gods promises and not to feare the people that dwell in the lande Unto these godlye Princes was no faith nor eredence giuen of the people The Princes that perswaded the thing contrarie vnto God were beleeued of the people and their counsell admitted By this we learne that such Magistrates as perswade the people to Gods word should be beléeued and obeied the other not in cause of conscience ther must God onely be heard Act. 5 29. Math. 10. 28. Or els people shall faile of a right faith For he that knoweth not what his duetie is to God and his lawes will beléeue rather a lye with his fore-fathers then the truth with yâ— worde of God And this man is no méet auditor nor disciple of the word of God 1. North. MAGNIFIE What it is to Magnifie THis day will I begin to magnifie thée ¶ To magnifie properly is to aduaunce and set forth excéedingly and to bring him in estimation as it is sayde Gen. 12. and often in the Psalmes T. M. MAHOMET Of the rising vp of this false Prophet MAhomet of Arabia as most men saye of the mother side descended from Abraham by the linage of Ismael his son which he had by Agar his seruaunt which was a Iew béeing fatherlesse and motherlesse He was by the Scenites solde to a great rich Merchaunt who loued him so greatly for his fauour and wit that he made him ruler of all his merchaundise and businesse and was verie diligent in his maisters affayres and gained much by occupieng with the Iewes Christians and in vsing their company learned many things both of the one lawe and of the other His Maister chaunced to dye without heyre leauing his wise verie rich who being about the age of 50. yeares liked the younge man Mahomet so well that shée tooke him to husband and made him of a poore man very rich At the same time it chaunced a Monke named Sergius a man of verie euill nature and verie subtile who fled Constantinople for heresie to fall into familiaritie with Mahomet by whose instruction he increased so in Magicall arte that by his counsell and aide hée tooke vppon him to make the people beléeue that he was a Prophet and shewing some points of Magike he first perswaded his wife and his householde He had also an infirmitie called the falling sicknesse And when his wife being sore afraide thereof would aske him what it was hée made her beléeue that it was the Angell of God which came oftentimes to speake vnto him and forasmuch as he coulde not abide as man the diuine presence he fell into such agonie and alteration of spirit After this his wife died and left him meruailous riches who then what for the riches yâ— constaÌ„t report that went on Mahomet the Prophet he became in greate reputation amonge the Gentiles And so by the counsell of Sergius he called himselfe the greate Prophet of God and shortly after when his name was published and of great authoritie he deuised a lawe or kinde of religion called Alcaron In the which he toke some part well neere of all the heresies that had ben before his time With the Sabellians he diuided the trinitie with yâ— Maniches he affirmed to be but two persoÌ„s in the deitie he denied the equalitie of the father the son with Eâ—nonius and sayd with Macedone the holy Ghost was a creature and approued the multitude of wiues with yâ— Nicholaâ—tes he borrowed of the Iewes circumcision and of the Gentiles much superstition and somewhat he toke of the Christian veritie beside many diuelish fantasies inuented of his own braine Those that obeied his lawes be called Saraseâ—s When he had liued fortie yeares he died of the falling sicknesse which he had of long time saieng that when he was taken therewith yâ— the Angell Gabriel appeared vnto him whose brightnesse he could not behold He was buried at Medina thrée daies iourney from the red sea an hundred miles from Mecha where is now the chiefe temple of his law He was after yâ— incarnation of Christ 600. yeares Of the faire shew of holynesse in the kingdome of Mahomet In outward pretence of religion euen the common sorte of their people excell the Popish Monksâ— Yeaâ— euen they that are best reformed For not onely their Clergie Monks but also their communaltie say the coÌ„mon praiers together fiue times euerie day Namely at the Sun rising at noone at after noone at the Sun setting and after supper when they goe to bed At which time or they go to pray they wash themselues they make themselues bare foote they knéele downe vpon the ground and the noble men and commons intermedling themselues altogether with the King accomplish their ordinarye praiers with certeine bowing and falling flatte downe without some lawfull let no man may neglect the ordinary praiers vnpunished They keepe their ordinarie holydayes and fasting daies with great deuotion and reuerence They make often exhortation to holynesse of lyfe to the people-ward To dealing of doles To making of pilgrimages in remembraunce of their Saints and specially of the Prophet Mahomet They haue many Hospitals as well in their high waies as in their cities for the receiuing and succouring of poore folke Pilgrimes They haue Monkes of such spare and staied behauiour as neuer was heard of both in diet in apparell in forsaking of al things and in withdrawing themselues from the company of the common multitude So as they maye seeme to resemble rather Iohn Baptist yea or the very Apostles for the straitnesse of their lyfe Some of them haue visions rauishments traunces and some of them are renowmed for myracles as well in their life as after their death Moreouer ther is wonderfull honestie and behauiour among them
foorth the truth Ridley Teaching you vaine speculations as worshipping of Angells of blinde ceremonies and beggerlye traditions for nowe they haue no vse séeing that Christ is come Geneua PHISICKE By whom it was first inuented AESculapius the sonne of Apollo was the first inuenter and practiser of Phisick who for that science the antiquitie honoured as a God And such as recouered from anye disease did sacrifice vnto Aesculapius a liue Cock But the Poets do fable that he was slaine with lightening of Iupiter because he had with cunning of Phisick restored Hippolitus the sonne of Theseus to lyfe Vdal Of the woman that had spent all her goods in Phisicke Had suffered many things of many Phisitions and had spent al that she had ¶ Heere the woman is not blamed because shée had spent and bestowed much substaunce vpon Phisitions but rather we doe learne that Phisicke ministred without God is vnprofitable Let vs not then despise Phisicke which the highest did create from the earth but let vs resigne put our whole wil into the hands of God whether he wil heale vs by phisick or bring vs to our graue Sir I. Cheeke How God must be sought before the Phisition He sought not the Lord but Phisitions ¶ He sheweth that it is in vain to séeke to phisitions except first we séeke to God to purge our sinnes which are the chiefe cause of all our diseases and after vse the helpe of the Phisition as a meane by whom God worketh Geneua PHOTINVS Of his heresie PHotinus Bishoppe of Sirmium mainteined the heresie of Sabellius Paulus Samosatenus that Christ was not God before Marie bare him He said the worde was at the beginning with the Father but not the Sonne Socrates li. 2. cap. 24. Epiphan heraes 71. PIETIE What Pietie is PIetie is a true worshipping of God a soundnesse of doctrine and a pure lyâ—e which things follow hope and fayth Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 279. Lactantius calleth it iustice and deuout worshipping and knowledge of God godlinesse godly affection naturall loue towards the parents and kinsfolke naturalnesse naturall zeale or affection PILATE Of the Acts and death of this man THis man being ordeined President of Iudea at his first entrie to flatter Tiberius caused the Image of Caesar to be brought into the Temple of Hierusalem whereby rose a great sedition forsomuch as the Iewes being therewith grieuously offended offred themselues rather to the death theÌ„ they wold suffer any Image in yâ— temple Pilate in like manner vsed the treasure called Corbona contrarie to the custome and lawe of the Iewes and because diuerse of the Iewes shewed themselues to be gréeued therewith he beate and slew a great number of them And after the death of Christ as witnesseth Tertulian Pilate wrote to Tiberius the Emperour of the death vertue and miracles of Christ who after he had published the same in the Senate would haue had Christ to be ascribed and numbred among the Gods of the Romanes but the Senatours woulde not consent thereto in anye wise because that Pilate wrote to the Emperour and not to them But Tiberius continued in his sentence defeÌ„ded on pain of death that no man should persecute the christen people Pilate at the last was commanded by Vitellius prouost of Surrey to goe to Rome there to aunswere to certeine complaints which should be layde to his charge by the Iewes for which accusations hée was after deposed and banished to Lions in Fraunce where as Eusebius saith he slew himselfe ¶ Of Pilate Iosephus writeth hée succéeded Valerius Graccus vnder Tiberius and was deputie of Iudea ten yeares About the eight yeare of his gouernment he crucified Christ. And two yeares after that being expired he was put out of his office by Vitellius deputie of Siria for the innocent Samaritanes that were slaine an other béeing put in his place and he constrained to go to Rome to purge himselfe in the iudgement of Caesar against the accusation of the Samaritanes But before he came to Rome Tiberius was dead and Gaius appointed in his roome Under this Gaius as Eusebius maketh mention in his ecclesticall historie Pilate slew himselfe Marl. vpon Math. fol. 685. Of Pilates wife His wyfe sent to him sayeng Haue thou nothing to doe with this iust man for I haue suffered manye thinges this daie in my sléepe because of him ¶ Onely Mathew maketh mention of this thing concerning the wife of Pilate which was done when Pilate was sitting downe on his Tribunall seate to giue iudgement of death against the Lorde Haue nothing to doe with that iust man As touching the Gréeke text it is sayde Thou hast nothing to doe with that iust man But the Hebrew text hath Haue thou nothing to doe with that iust man Beholde and note héere how the innocency of Christ deserued testimonie of euery one namely of Iudas of Pilate of Pilates wife of Anna of the false witnesse of the wise men of the Cananites of the Samaritanes of the Centurion and lastlye of the theese hanging on the Crosse. For I haue suffered manie thinges although the meditation and studie in the daye time might be occasion of this dreame yet notwithstanding it is without al doubt that the wife of Pilate suffered those torments not naturally as many doe at this daie oftentimes but rather by singular instinct and motion of God Many haue thought that the Diuell suborned this woman and craftely couloured the matter in her that hée might staye the redemption of mankinde the which is verye vnlikely in all pointes when as by the motion prouocation of the Diuell the chiefe Priests and Scribes did so greatly séeke and desire to destroye Christ. Therefore we must this rather thinke of it that the innocencie of Christ was proued by manye meanes of God the Father to the end that it might appeare that he died not for his owne but for others sakes And for that cause he thought good to be absolued so oftentimes by the mouth of Pilate before hée was condempned that in his innocent dampnation there might appeare a lawfull satisfaction for our sinnes But Mathew very expresly and plainely setteth forth the matter least any man shoulde meruayle why Pilate was so carefull and diligent to defend and contende in the tumult of the people for the lyfe of a contemned man And truely God constrained him by the terrour of the dreame which his wife suffered to defend the innocencie of his sonne not that he might deliuer him from death but onely to declare that he was punished for other mens faultes c. Mar. fol. 702. Why the priests deliuered Iesus to Pilate And deliuered him to Pilate ¶ It was not lawfull for them to put anye man to death For all causes of lyfe and death were taken awaye from them first by Herode the great and afterward by the Romanes about fortie yeares before the destruction of the temple and therefore they deliuered Iesus to Pilate Theo.
ende that they might be read with diligence and with a minde desirous to finde out those things which belong to true knowledge and true godlinesse The readers of the Scriptures must be searchers and not corrupters wresters dreamers or supersticious murmurers And the scriptures do not require any searching but that which is godly hūble and desirous to know and imbrace one truth onely otherwise a man may finde some which read the Scriptures but not to search out Gods truth but rather to hinder the same Euen so Herode inquired out the truth out of the Scriptures concerning the place where Christ shoulde be borne not to the ende he might worship him but rather to destroy him Also y◠Pharesies said to Nichodemus Search the Scriptures and sée how that a prophet commeth not out of Galile They said not sée what is written in the Scriptures concerning Christ. So lykewise wicked and vngodly men doe search the Scriptures to corrupt them to their owne destruction By this word Scripture is vnderstood the olde Testament For Christ did not first of all begin to be manifest in the Gospell but hauing testimonie out of the Lawe and Prophets he onely exhibited himselfe in the Gospell Therefore that which Christ saith heere agreeth with that which he spake to his Disciples after his resurrection saieng These are the words which I spake vnto you when I was with you that all must néeds be fulfilled which was written of me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes c. Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 179. Though that miracles bare record vnto his doctrine yet desired he no faith to be giuen either to his doctrine or to his miracles without record of the Scriptures When Paule preached Act. 17. 11. the other searched the Scriptures dayly whether they were as he iudged them Why shall not I likewise sée whether it be the Scripture that thou alledgest yea why shal not I sée the christure and the circumstannces and what goeth before and after that I may know whether thine interpretation be the right sense or whether thou iugglest and drawest the Scripture violently vnto thy carnall and fleshly purpose or whether thou be about to teach me or to deceiue me Tindale And searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so ¶ In this place are all Christians taught what they ought to doe to trye the Preachers and other that came vnder colour to set foorth true religion vnto vs according to the saieng of Saint Paule Trye all things and choose out that which is good 1. Iohn 4. 1. Learne héere that the word is the touchstone Sir I. Cheeke ¶ This was not onely to trye if those things which they had heard wer true but also to confirme themselues in the same to increase their faith Geneua SERPENT What Serpent doe signifie Looke Leuiathan Wherefore the Serpent was called Nehustan Looke Nehustan What it is to sucke the Serpents head He shall sucke the Serpents head ¶ That is he shall be subiect to all cursednesse and suffer all manner sorrowes It is such a manner of speach as is before in the. 15. 16. of drinking wickednesse T. M. ¶ He compareth euill gotten goods to the venyme of Aspes which Serpent is most daungerous noting that Iobs great riches were not truly come by and therefore God did plague him iustly for the same Geneua SERVICE What the true seruice of God is WE cannot know wherewith we shall serue the Lord till we come thether ¶ This was an outward seruice but the true and right seruice of God is to feare him as a Father to loue him and kéepe his commaundements and to commit a mans selfe onely vnto him trusting in his mercie onely setting all thought and care vpon him and when we haue offended to repent to be sorie and knowledge our offences beléeue that he wil forgiue it vs for his truth sake as 1. Pe. 5. Psa. 37. 3. T. M. How the seruice ought to be ministred in a knowen tongue Obiection Paule went ouer many countries as Pamphilia Cappadocia Phrigia c. But he spake not to euery man in diuers tongues therefore some were spoken too in an vnknowen tongue which was not their owne Aunswere Fredericus Furius a Spaniard which dedicated his booke to Cardinall Burgensis a Spaniard telleth a quite contrary tale for saith he Andrew Peters brother preached vnto the Scythi Segdiani Sacri in their tongue Barthelmew to the Indians in their tongue Iacob to the twelue Tribes in their tongue Thomas to the Parthians in their tongue to the Medes in theyr tongue to the Persi Hercani and Bracchi in their tongue But put case Fredericus Furius were a tonguelesse man had now yet said nothing I wéene that place of the Acts of the Apostles wil easely choke D. Saunders and all those barkers Lonanians The people there saye then Non omnes qui loquuntur linguis Galilei sunt c. Are not all these y◠speak héere men of Galile is it not much that euery one of vs doth heare his owne vulgar ◠mother tongue We Parthians Medes Elamites of Mesopotamia of Iewry Cappadocia Pontus of Asia Phrigia Pamphilia and Aegypt of Lybia Rome Crete Arabia where these men speake y◠noblenes of matters diuine in our own tongue T. D. Obiection The Catholikes affirme that the Protestants cannot proue that in the Primitiue Church the publique seruice was in the Siriacall or Arabicke or Aegyptian or any other barbarous tongue Aunswere S. Hierom describing the pompe of Paulas funeral hath these words At hir funeral all y◠multitude of the citie of Palestine met together The Psalmes wer song in order in y◠Hebrue Gréeke Latine and Syrian tongue Héere in one Citie foure seuerall Nations in their common seruice vsed foure seuerall tongues Again S. Austen willing y◠Priests to apply their study to correct the errors of their latin speach addeth therto this reson y◠the people vnto the things they plainely vnderstand may say Amen Which sētēce of S. Au. semeth to be spokē generaly of al tōgues SEATE OF GOD. What the seate of God is GOds seat is the euerlasting state of his power y◠rainbow signifieth his mercie patient suffering y◠24. seates the. 24. Elders doe signifie y◠most highest iustice of God that y◠most special friends of God both of the old new Testament are incorporate vnto the kingdome of God The sea of glasse may signifie vnto vs the aduersities of this life which serue to the glorye of God and the profit of the faithfull Sir I. Cheeke SETHIANI What manner of heretikes these were SEthiani wer heretiks deriuing their pedegrée of Seth the son of Adam whom they honored called Christ. They affirmed also y◠Iesus in y◠beginning of the world was called Seth but in the latter daies Christ Iesus Epipha haer 39. saith that he disputeth with some of them in Aegypt
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
be degraded from all their degrées of Ecclesiasticall office and made irriguler because they haue sought to liue by filthie gaine contrary to the expresse word of God Pope Martin in the Councell he called saith If a man forgetting the feare of God the holy scriptures which do say Hée that hath not giuen his money to vsury shal enter into the Tabernacle of God do after knowledge had of this generall councel commit vsury or take Centesimam vsuram which is twelue in the hundred or by any filthy trade doth make his gaine taking for diuers sorts of things for either wine or corne or any other thing els by buying and selling more then he hath layed out shall be put out of the Clergie for euer Pope Leo doth also forbid the same in the laitie being very sory yâ— any christian man shuld be an vsurer saieng that yâ— Clergie ought to be the more sharply punished for such offence because all others should be the more afraid to offend when the Clergie is not spared The decree saith further that no almes ought to be giuen of euill gotten good which cannot be worse gotten then by vsury A statute made against vsurie by a Christian Emperour called Leo. Although saith this godly Emperour many of our auncestors haue thought that lending for vsury might be admitted onely for that the creditours were so hard as men loth els to lend yet we haue thought it most vnworthy among the Christians to be vtterly abhorred eschewed as a thing forbidden by the law of God Therefore our Maiestie doth commaunde that it be not lawfull for any man to take vsury for any cause least whiles we go about to keepe the lawes statutes of men we do transgresse thereby the law of God But whatsoeuer any man doth take the same shall be receiued into the principall Places of scripture against vsurie If thou lend mony to any of my people that is poore by thée thou shalt not be an vsurer vnto him neither shalt thou oppresse him with vsurie If thy brother be waxen poore fallen into decay with thée receiue him as a stranger or a soiourner let him liue by thee thou shalt take no vsury of him nor yet vantage but shalt feare thy God that thy brother may liue with thée thou shalt not lend him thy money vpon vsury or lend him of thy foode to haue an aduantage by it for I am yâ— Lord your God which brought you out of the land of Aegypt to giue you the land of Canaan and to be your God Lord who shall enter into thy Tabernacle he aunswereth He that giueth not his mony vpon vsury and taketh no reward against the innocent The soule yâ— sinneth shall dye If a man be godly doe that is equall right yâ— taketh not other mens goods by violence yâ— parteth his meate to the hungry that clotheth the naked that lendeth nothing vpon vsury yâ— taketh nothing ouer this is a righteous man he shall surely liue saith the Lord but he that gréeueth the poore néedie yâ— robbeth spoileth that giueth not the debter his pledge again yâ— lendeth vpon vsury taketh more ouer shal this man liue no he shal not liue seing he hath done al these abhominations he shall dye and his bloud shall be vpon him Of whom a man may take vsury Unto a straunger thou maist lend vpon vsury c. ¶ This was permitted for a time for the hardnesse of their hearts Aske vsury of him onely whom thou desirest worthely to hurt and with whom thou maist lawfully wage battaile for of him thou maist lawfully demaund vsury and be bold to bite him therewith because thou maist kil him without offence He fighteth without weapon that taketh vsurye yea hée doth reuenge himselfe of his enemie without any swoord that doth exaxt vsurie of his enimie And truely there is no cunninger way to vndoe a man then by vsurye for vnder the coulour of pleasuring him he is vndone before he be aware D. Wilson fol. 23. Lend one to another hoping for nothing ouer and aboue that you did lend whereby not onely all contracts and vsuries vpon lone in respect of time are forbidden but the verye hope also to looke for a good turne againe or any thing else ouer and aboue the principall is vtterly barred and cleane taken awaye Neither is your exposition sound Maister Ciuilian in this behalfe that would haue Christs meaning to be that men should neuer looke for their principall againe for then Christ might haue said giue freelyâ— whereby is included a cléere renouncing to aske backe a gift giuen wheras in â—â—nding it was neuer so meant in common reason that a man should neuer hope to haue his own againe Neither will men loose their principall except some great matter moue them as the extreame pouertie of the party or some other lyke thing c. VVAY What it is to prepare the way and path of the Lord. PRepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight ¶ To prepare the waye of the Lord is to receiue gladly his grace béeing offered vnto vs and with repentaunce and amendement of lyfe to passe awaye those things that may offend the eyes of his diuine maiestie To make his paths straight is to interpret or expound his holy law after the spirit to seeke Iesus in the spirit For they yâ— do yet sticke to the letter of the lawe and séeke to be iustified by their owne works knowing not the righteousnesse of God which consisteth in the spirit faith and truth doe walke in crooked paths Sir I. Cheeke Prepare ye the way of the Lord. ¶ Meaning Cyrus Darius which should deliuer Gods people out of captiuitie and make them a readie way to Hierusalem And this was fully accomplished when Iohn the Baptist brought tidings of Iesus Christs comming who was the true deliuerer of his Church from sinne and Satan Math. 3. 3. Geneua What the way of sinners is That abideth not in the way of sinners c. ¶ The way of sinners is their manner and ordinaunces in which they walke as it were in a way Way in the Scripture is taken for whatsoeuer we do or goe about be it good or bad as in the last verse of this Psalme T. M. What the way of truth is I haue chosen the way of truth ¶ The way of truth is the life that is ordered after the word of truth which is conteined in the Scripture Therein saith Dauid that he hath walked not in feined traditions and holynesse imagined by himselfe or by any mortall man In yâ— same significatioÌ„ vseth S. Peter this word 2. Pet. 2. 1. and 2. There shall be false teachers c. by which the way of truth shall be euill spoken of T. M. Take from me the way of lieng ¶ Instruct me in thy word whereby my minde may be purged
from vanitie and taught to obey thy will Geneua VVALKE What it is to walke with God TO walke with God is to liue godly and to walke in his commaundements Enoch walked with God and was no more séene he liued godly and dyed God tooke him away that is hidde his body as he did Moses and Aaron least haply they should haue made an Idoll of him for he was a great preacher and an holy man Tindale This walking with God importeth that a man so giueth himselfe to the seruice of God as he thinketh continually to giue an account acknowledgeth in himselfe after this manner he that hath created formed gouerneth guideth me I cannot shun his hand nor scape his iudgemeÌ„t therfore I must be present before his eyes so as he shall sée not onely all my works but also my thoughts lo what it is to walk with God c. It is said that Enoch walked with God why Because he was not peruerted and although the whole worlde was at that time as corrupt as might be yet notwithstanding Enoch continued vncorrupted wherof came that Because he gathered his wits to him and gaue not himselfe the bridle to deale disorderly but although iniquity was a waterflud vpon the earth yet he knew that it behoued him to walke as in the presence of God Caluine vpon Iob. How God is sayd to walke God is said to goe and walke not by chaunging of places for he filleth all places but by occupieng the minds of the faithfull as in the Prophet I will dwell among them and walke among them and be their God where dwelling walking and to be their God meane one thing VVALL What this wall was HAth broken downe the wall that was a stop betwéene vs. ¶ Moses lawe that was the wall cause of hate betwéene the Iewes and Gentiles is taken away in whose stéed is loue come to loue one another as Christ loued vs. Tindale Broken downe the wall c. ¶ That is the cause of diuision that was betwéene the Iewes and the Gentiles Geneua VVARRES What manner of warres is iust SUch a warre is counted iust which is taken in hand at the commaâ—ndement of the magistrate either to demaund things again or els to put away iniuries or to reueng theÌ„ as it is had in the 23. quest the 2. chap. iustum they are the words of Isidorus For first we must beware yâ— war be not taken in hand by the authoritie of a priuate maÌ„ But the causes wherfore war may iustly be made are these To require things taken away or else to repulse iniurie wherevnto is agréeable that which Augustine writeth in the same place in the chapter Dominus Iust warre is that which is taken to reuenge iniuryes After this manner warres is proclaimed against Cities when they will not either render things taken away or amend those things which of theirs was vniustly done For if they will not punish the guiltie it is lawfull for other to make warre against them So all Israel tooke warre against the Beniamites that a most wicked crime should not remaine vnpunished But Augustine addeth that those warres also do especially séeme iust which are taken in hand by the commandement of God as are many which are done in the olde Testament For if God once commaund to make warre we maye not seeke any other cause of iustice for God knoweth very wel what is best to be rendered to euery man For then both Captaine and souldiers are not so much to be counted authours of the warre as ministers of God and of his lawe And therefore when the people are after this manner called to warre they ought not neglect the commaundement Wherefore the same Augustin in his 205. Epistle to Bonifacius the Earle a man of war which at that time gouerned Affrick vnder Caesar. Thou oughtest not saith he to thinke yâ— they which with weapons serue the publik wealth cannot please God This was his propositioÌ„ wherof afterward he bringeth resons For Dauid saith he mode many wars yet was he dearely beloued of God Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 186. What things are to be taken heed of in iust warres In making of iust warres saith Augustine many things are to be taken héed of For it is not sufficient that the war be iust except also the world be iustly handled wherefore he admonisheth his Earle when saith he thou puttest on thine armour remember that thy strength is the gift of God and determine with thy selfe not to abuse that gift against God yea rather doe this fight for his lawes and name let promises be kept euen with enimies but much more with friends for whome thou makest warre by which wordes he reprehendeth those souldiers which are more grieuous in Cities then the very enimies Of which we sée in our daies a greate many moe then we wold which when they are in their places where they winter it is wonderfull to see how they handle the citizens and the men of the country it is horrible to sée what filthy and abhominable things they commit He addeth also the third Cantion Thinke with thy selfe that warre must not bée made but for necessitie wherefore let thy minde alwaye be enclined vnto peace Make warre because thou canst not otherwise doe but if thou canst make peace refuse it not Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 187. The Anabaptists reasons against warre These be their reasons Mine is the vengeaunce and I will requite thée the Lord. Christs kingdome say they is like the waters of Siloh which waters doe runne quietly and without hurly burly Their speares shall bée turned to shares and swoords into Mattocks If a man giue thée a blow on the right side turne thou thy left side He that smiteth with the sworde shall perish with the swoorde Let not the Cockle be pulled out till the haruest time Our weapons are not carnall but spirituall Who that will reade S. Austen to Marcellinus in the first Epistle and to Faustus Manichaeus the 22 booke in Chrisostome vpon these words Do not resist the euill shall haue all these places answered Reasons for warre A time of warre a time of peace Eccles. 3. 8. Dauid saith in 144. Psalme Blessed is God which teacheth my hands to fight and my fingers to battell Dauids fingers were fighting fingers yet Dauids fingers were holy fingers In the booke of Kings Dauid saith thus to Saule Thou fightest the Lordes battailes And Abigal sayth to Dauid Thou fightest the Lords battailes If some warres be Gods warres then all warres are not forbidden The Baptist doth séeme to allow of Souldiers for he giueth them rules of life as that they should hurt no man and that they should be content with their owne wages Paule wold haue himselfe lead to Caesaria by strength of souldiers Our Sauiour doth say giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars That which was giuen to Caesar was tribute