continually taught and soundly vnderstoode euen so also where that doth want the kingdome of Satan is dayly more and more increased Heare therefore I beseeche you what the Lord doth speake vnto vs He commaundeth that we should not let his Booke depart out of our mouthes but to meditate therein both day and nyght and hath also tolde vs that the very entraunce thereunto will shewe light and geue vnderstanding to the simple yea to the very simpliest sharpnes of witte and to the lytle childe euen such a one as Timmothy was knowledge and discretion yea and that a very wyse man shall increase in learnyng there and also a man of great vnderstanding shall attayne vnto wyser counsels So that you may see that wysedome doth not onely beseeche you to hearken vnto her as before I tolde you but also the Lorde doth straightly commaunde you yf you will obey him and doth also tell you if you will beleeue him How chat his word will geue you lyght and shew vnderstanding in greater measure vnto all sortes whereby the simpliest shoulde haue no cause at all of discouragement nor that the great wyse men should loath or ouerreach Therefore whereas S. Peter saith that the vnlearned do peruert the Scriptures you must learne to knowe who those vnlearned be not the simpliest Clarkes as you woulde thinke but euen suche as haue not had their wittes as yet exercised in the booke of God For be it that a man had all the learning in the worlde in humane artes yet if it be so that such a one be inexpert in the worde of God the holy Ghost doth count him as a Babe but that simple man which through long custome hath had his wittes exercised therein the holy Ghost doth count him to be of a most ripe age and to be suche a one as is able to discerne betwixt good and euyll Therefore who so euer that he be vntyll he make the worde of God his continuall meditation he may well be sayd to be vnlearned and vnstable also and no maruell is it though by such the Scriptures be peruerted euen to their owne destruction Yea but you wyll say agayne if the Lord haue thus bound vs by commaundement to reade the Scriptures we must needes then haue a Phillip to be a guyde vnto vs as the Eunuch had to him True it is that you must haue a guyde but then your Phillip must not be such a one as when you shall aske him what is ment of this place or that or what way Sir shal I take to finde this Christ of whom you speake that so I may beleeue that he is the Sonne of God and may haue my conscience comforted in him and also my fayth so surely setled as that if tryall come the very gates of Hell shall not preuayle against me I say he must not be such a one when as you shall aske him these thinges that shall appoynt you fyrst to reade this mans Booke and then that vpon such and such places of Scripture and when you haue read them then direct you to others as such and such great Uolumes I know not what but sure I am farre greater then the whole Bible and so intangle your head a thousande wayes yea and leade you to such intricate matter and great time spending that when you haue all done you shall be litle or nothing at all the wyser but rather the cōntrarie euen frayght with a thousande fonde opinions and blinde conceytes For I pray you what is the cause that there is such a quoile amongst vs now adayes as though there were no certaintie of the trueth but such kinde of dealing And I pray you further what is the cause that mens heades are filde so full of such fonde yea and also damnable opinions but the like For doth not our Sauiour say Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures but are intangled with the preceptes and doctrines of men Euen so is the worlde now for the Papist he is so perswaded of his Writers that he thinkes there is no other trueth but what they write and vpon them he onely buyldes his Fayth and leaues the Scripture altogether and in no case may the simplier sort therein looke or reade and we also like wyse men deale in a maner after the same sort For notwithstanding we make a great shew that we loue the Bible and onely buylde our fayth by it yet is there not one amongst ten thousande that doth geue him selfe to the reading thereof as he ought to do but rather to the contrarie euen to the readyng of the wrytinges of men although the Lorde haue geuen them no such commaundement and so delyght themselues a great deale more in them then in the worde of God which in deede shoulde be vnto them their onely ioy and pretious Pearle and so euery one is grounded vpon hym whose Bookes they are affected to reade or whose fonde conceytes by them are fed But your Phillip and Guyde must not be such a one For I pray you was Phillip the Eunuch his guyde such a one I trow not for he being demaunded a resolution by that gratious Scholler whose godly exercise was like to haue good successe began as the text sayth euen at that same Scripture where he was then readyng and preached vnto him IESVS And agayne did not the maister teacher himselfe euen our Sauiour Iesus deale in like sort with his two Schollers yes for sooth for whereas they being weake in fayth and greatly troubled in conscience at the thinges then happened and yet like good Christians conferring and talking together with a desire to knowe the trueth as all men ought to do I say our Sauiour dealt in like sort with them For S. Luke noteth that he began at Moses and at all the Prophetes and interpreted vnto them in all the Scriptures the thinges which were written of him with a great reprofe vnto them that they for their partes were so slowe and dull of hart as not to beleeue that Christe was to suffer all those thinges and so to enter into his glory seeing that al the Prophetes had of those thinges so plainely spoken And furthermore you see that euen that eloquent man Apollos who had taught diligently the thinges of the Lorde in a kinde not altogether vnprofitable yet was contented to be taught by a couple of meane persons to come to a more perfect way of teaching then before he had vsed And that was to proue and shewe mightily as he did by the Scriptures that IESVS was the CHRIST So that you see these Guydes did not sende their doubtfull Schollers to this or that mans booke to finde out Christ but they founde him out and taught him by the Scriptures Nay you see that Apollos did not teache the right way to finde him out vntyll he tooke that course to teach him by and then S. Luke telleth you that he mightily confuted all
gayne-sayers For so strong and mightie is the worde of God in operation that if it be rightly expounded or propounded it is sharper then any two edged sworde and entreth through euen to the deuiding a sunder of the very hart and soule of the hearers thereof as the Apostle sayth You see also by these former examples of Schollers and Guydes what is both your duetie and also theirs Yours how diligent you ought to be in reading of the holy Scriptures and also conferring of Christ and his kingdome And your Guydes what course they ought to take in teaching of you when as you shall demande to be resolued of your doubtes and that is to teache you Christ by the Scriptures and thyther to sende you to finde him out your selfe and not els where for no where els is he rightly to be found For searche the Scriptures sayth our Sauiour for they be they that testifie of me So that when you shall be thus instructed by your Guyde eyther priuatly at home or publikely abroade and that you haue perfourmed the one part of your duetie which is to heare them with all diligence and willingnes you must alwayes remember with the Noble men of Berea to performe the other part which is that hauyng heard the worde of God with all willingnes went and searched the Scriptures dayly them selues to see whether those thynges were so or no whereby you may learne that you are not onely to beleeue that this is Christ or that is Christ or he is here or there in the wildernes I know not where because such and such a man telleth you so Or yf he do tel you aright which is he you are not to beleeue him onely because he telleth you so for you see they of Berea went and searched the Scriptures them selues to see whether it were so or no Euen so must you for otherwyse you disobey that which our Sauiour Christ hath commaunded you to do for sayth he Search the Scriptures Yea but you wyll say he spake that to such as woulde not beleeue him but we beleeue them that tell vs. I thinke so in deede for a great many beleeue too much them that tell them vnles they tolde them a more trueth But although they were vnbeleeuers that our Sauiour commaunded to search the Scriptures doth he therefore commaunde you that you shall not search them Thinke not so in any wyse for doth not the holy Ghost pronounce a blessing on al those that reade the worde of God continually And doth not S. Peter wyll them whom he had taught that notwithstandyng they had knowledge and were established in the trueth yet to geue more heede vnto the Prophetes as vnto a most sure worde and as to a light that shineth in a darke place vntyl the day did dawne and the Daystarre shyne more cleere in their hartes And likewyse doth not S. Paule commende those whom he had taught vnto the worde of God as vnto a Schoolemaister which was able to buylde them further yes forsooth So that by these examples you may see that you are not onely bounde to heare the worde of God but you are also bound to search and read the Scriptures dayly your selfe for you see in geuing credite onely to the Teachers thereof many thousande soules goe to destruction as specially amongst the Papists they do Therefore yf you loue to keepe your selfe from destruction you were best to beare in minde that which our Sauiour hath geuen you in charge that is to take heede what you heare as also to take heede of false Prophetes and that you beleeue them not no although their comming wyll be with such signes woonders as that yf it were possible the very elect shoulde be deceyued thereby Yet notwithstanding I say he commaundeth you not to beleeue them but to search the Scriptures because in deede they are the true touchstone whereby you may easely trie the true Christ from the false as also the true Prophet from the false Prophet Now it may be that you wyll aske me here agayne whether you may read no other Booke but the Scriptures only The answere is that yf you wyll you may but yf it be for matters of saluation the Booke of God is the onely Apothecaries shoppe for you to resort vnto because there you may be sure to haue a most precious medicine for euery disease or curing salue for euery sore And surely the Prophet Dauid found it so to be for sayth he I had euen perished in the middest of mine afflictions had not the booke of God been my delyght and therefore made he that his only meditation both day and nyght So that when you haue bestowed long time with lyke delight and diligence therein as he did and that your wittes thereby are quickened so that you may be well able to discerne of Spirites that is betwixt good and euyll then you may if your leysure serue you reade other Bookes and catch no hurt Or yf it be so that you haue not as yet heard of the Booke of God you may also reade some bookes and take no harme for some Bookes there are which are good and tende to very good purpose because their dryft is as I suppose to draw you to the Booke of God euen to that fountayne of all ioy but otherwyse yf their drift be to draw your delight vnto them selues they can in no wyse be good For Iohn the Baptist being tolde that more Disciples followed Christ then followed him he taketh them selues to witnes that he had tolde them plainely that him selfe was not the Christ but that he was sent to shew them which was he and hauing once shewed him vnto them that he him selfe was then to ceasse and therfore when he heard that all men ran to Christ he sayth that then was his only ioy fulfilled because in deede that was his onely drift and purpose So that yf any man write to that ende as of late most learnedly one hath done in a lytle Booke called a Consent of Scripture you are to be thankefull vnto God for such a one and when he or any other haue by their wrytinges thus led you vnto Christ in saying Come and see the Booke of God for there we haue founde the Messias Then may you say also with the Samaritans when you haue so done Now we beleeue not onely for your sayinges but also muche more because of his owne worde for we haue heard him speake our selues now whom before you told vs of and we know now by his owne worde that this is in deede the very CHRIST the only Sauiour of the worlde Againe some Bookes there are which in respect of the holy stories conteined in the Booke of God we cal prophane Stories as the Macchabees Iosephus and the Roman stories the which prophane stories yf you reade you may learne thereby yf you know the Scriptures before how iust the Lord is in
worde vpon vs and we lyke most brutyshe beastes hauing as yet refused the same and taken no delyght at all therein let vs harken what he sayth vnto vs. Unto whom shall I speake and admonishe sayth the Lord that they may heare Beholde their cares are vncircumcised and they can not hearken beholde the worde of the Lorde is vnto them as a reproch and they haue no delight at all therein For the Pastores they are become as beasts and haue not sought the Lord therefore haue they none vnderstanding And the wise men of the worlde they are ashamed of the worde of God Lo saith the Lord. They haue reiected the worde of the Lord and therefore what wysedome can there be in them And the people lykewyse they are spoyled for lacke of knowledge and haue also refused it Therfore heare O earth sayth the Lord I wyll cause a Plague to come vpon this people euen the fruite of their owne imaginations and because they haue refused knowledge I wyll also refuse them and as they haue not taken heede vnto my worde but cast it off euen so wyll I cast off them Wherfore seeing that the Lord hath commaunded the earth to heare what a controuersie he hath therewith and euer more hath had and onely for the contempt and reiecting of his holy worde and we as full of impietie in that kinde as euer any Nation was My purpose is to bring to your remembraunce his iudgementes of olde and to lay them before your eyes as the Prophet sayth he did before his to the end that who so is wyse amongst you as sayth the same Prophet may obserue and vnderstand these thinges and also beholde with the Apostle both the louing kindnes and the seueritie of the Lord His louing kindnes towardes all those that haue delighted in his holy word and by faith imbraced his couenantes therein conteyned and with willingnes obeyed his commandementes and his seuerity against all those that haue rebelled against him and the same That so when you haue heard seene how seuere a Iudge the Lord is you may with all speede euen while it is called To day get you to the Booke of God that so you may heare his voyce and to plough vp the fallowe grounde of your hart that so that immortall seede of the worde of God may take such deepe roote therein as that it may beget you anew euen to the bringing foorth of fruite not only of thyrty or sixty folde but also euen of a full hundreth The which the Lord for his mercies sake graunt vnto vs euery one Amen The Iudgementes of God vpon the Angelles that sinned and likewyse vpon our fyrst Parentes and the rest of the olde worlde SO farre foorth as the Scripture speaketh of Angelles or of other creatures or of any other matter els whatsoeuer so farre may we be bolde to speake and not further For the hid thinges belonge vnto the Lorde but the reuealed thynges belonge vnto vs and our chyldren for euer sayth Moses First then for those Angels which through rebellion agaynst the Lorde beganne to exalt them selues not being contented with their first estate but grudging therat and also repining at the glorious estate of Mankinde and so leauing their owne habitation and calling them the Lord hath not spared but cast them downe euen into the bottomles pit of Hell and hath delyuered them into cheynes of darknes to be kept vnto damnation euen vnto the Iudgement of the great and terrible day of the Lorde Agayne our fyrst Parentes whom the Lorde had created in so glorious an estate euen after his owne image and lykenes and giuen them rule ouer the workes of his handes and dominion and Lordshyp ouer all his creatures yet full sone forgate they his precepts and cast off his commaundementes Wherefore he suffered not them to continue in this their fyrst honour but presently tooke he away euen all their glory and so they became lyke vnto the Beastes that peryshe And through that one offence of theirs sinne entred into the worlde and death by sinne which death went ouer all men for asmuch as all men haue sinned for by that one offence the fault came on all men to their vtter condemnation And Kain their eldest Sonne who was of the wicked euen that seede of the Serpent that should begin to bruse the heele of the seede of the woman hee I say made plaine their corruption for he continued in striuing against the Lord and despised the couenant of saluation pronounced to his father Adam in Paradise the which couâ—…nant he was taught as well as his brother Abell and yet would he not imbrace the same by faith as his brother did but made a mocke thereat and trode vnder foote the Sonne of God So that this his great wickednes by the euent appeared in that he murdered his owne brother whereby hee shewed himselfe to be of his Father the Deuill who as our Sauiour sayth was a murderer from the beginning that is to say from the very first day of Adam his creation for the which cause this Kaâ—…n had an open curse and was excommunicated from the presence of the Lorde euen as a vacabonde and a runnagate giuen ouer to his owne wayes His wicked posteritie as rotten braunches of an euill roâ—…te hold on in the lyke vngodly dealings and euill sayings Unto whom Henoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied saying Beholde you wicked ones the Lorde commeth with thousands of his Saincâ—…s to giue iudgement against al men and to rebuke all the vngodly amongst them of all their wicked deedes which they haue vngodlie committed and of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against the Lorde Now if you will know what they sayd the holy Ghost doth tell you how that they sayde vnto God Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes and lykewise they asked what the almightie colde do for them notwithstanding he had filled their houses with all good things Yea and moreouer though Noe were a Preacher of righteousnesse vnto these wicked ones by the space of sixe score yeares all which time he prepared himselfe to the making of the Arke through the which he condemned the whole worlde yet notwithstanding they made but a floute of the threatninges of the Lord saying Where is the promise of his comming for euer since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation And moreouer tush say they let vs eate and drinke and take our pleasure Let vs marrie and giue in marriage Let vs build our houses huge and high and so foorth And thus were these wicked wretches willingly ignorant euen vnto the very day that Noe went into the Arke and would not know how that the same word which in the begeinning caused the waters to vncouer the earth might
shalbe done according to the rule thereof we must learne to worshyp him according to the same in no case to go one foote farther For as Moses was not to do any thyng about the Tabernacle or for the geuing of lawes statutes ordinances rites ceremonies or whatsoeuer according to his owne wyl or fantasie but in all thinges to do according to the paterne and prescription shewed him in the Mount and elswhere by the Lord no more must we in the very smallest thing we take in hand concerning the worshyp of the Lorde but in all thinges therein must we also be directed by the most pure perfect worde of God For as the Cloude was a direction to their Iornies in the Wildernesse and they not to steppe one foote forwarde or backwarde farther then by it they were ledde Euen so the Lawes there geuen by the Lord are a most perfect rule for men to walke by whyle the worlde shall stande For wherewithall sayth the Prophet shall a young man clense his way The holy Ghost doth answere Euen in taking heede thereto according to the worde of God and therefore did the holy Prophetes and Apostles alwayes pray that it woulde please the Lord to direct their steps according to the same For in no case can the Lord abide any will worship seeme it neuer so holy but in all thynges wyll he be worshypped according to his holy wyll layde downe in his holy worde for otherwyse we worshyppe him in vayne as our Sauiour sayth If insteade of the doctrine of his holy worde we obserue the preceptes and foolysh traditions of men so that To obey his holy worde as the Prophet Samuel sayth is better then al kind of sacrifice and to hearken therunto is better then the fatte of Rams Therefore let vs pray with the holy Prophet that it woulde please the Lord to encline our hartes vnto his law not vnto couetousnesse and that we may esteeme al his preceptes most pure and iust hate al false wayes and abhor al vaine inuentions Seeing that euery man is but as a beast by his owne knowledge we must learne to be made wyse by the worde of God NOw that we know the Lord hath created vs to none other ende but to set foorth his prayse glory and seeing we know also that no prayse or worshyppe wyll please him but that which shalbe done accordyng to his holy worde let vs pray vnto him with the holy Prophet that euen as it hath pleased him to make vs and to fashion vs euen so it woulde please him therefore to geue vs vnderstandyng that we may learne his commaundementes and chuse the way of trueth And agayne seeing that euery man is but as a Beast by his owne knowledge as the Prophet Ieremie doth say and seeing also the Prophet Dauid confessed him selfe so to be vntyll he went into the house of the Lorde and so through his holy worde became wyse We ought therefore to pray vnto the Lorde to geue vs grace to leaue of from leaning any longer vnto our owne wysedome as the holy Ghost vs warneth and onely to hearken withall the holy Prophetes and Apostles what the Lorde wyll say vnto vs that so his holy worde may be a Lanterne to our feete and a lyght vnto our pathes and that by his counsell alone we may be guyded as the Prophet saith euen vnto righteousnes iudgement equitie and to euery good path which thing being done and preceptes kept it shalbe vnto the Lorde a sacrifice of a more sweete smelling sent then the fatte of thousandes of Rammes and Goates or riuers of Oyle Wherefore I beseeche al you that are as my selfe euen of the simpliest sort vnto whom onely I direct my speeches and such as feare the Lord that you woulde cause your eares to hearken vnto wysedome and incline your hartes to vnderstandyng But what am I that I shoulde so beseeche you since that Wysedome her selfe doth intreate you and dayly offereth her selfe vnto you And yet because the holy Ghost commaundes that we should one exhort another I can not chuse but with the holy Prophet euen desire you to taste and see how sweete the Lord is Now if you aske me what this wysedome is that you shoulde hearken so vnto her and this vnderstanding that you shoulde so incline your hartes thereto the Lord himselfe doth tell you Behold sayth he the feare of the Lord is wysedome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding And in an other place the Knowledge of holy thinges is vnderstanding and the only way for you to finde the feare of God which is to haue wysedome and to finde the knowledge of holy thinges which is to haue vnderstandyng is for to repayre vnto the worde of God for the Lorde onely geueth wysedome and out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding So that if you searche and seeke in the Booke of God you shall be sure to finde the knowledge of the Lord and then as he is knowen of you euen so shall you feare him and also by your continuall meditation therein you shall be sure to be made wyse vnto saluation for the worde of God is fully able so to do as sayth the Apostle and therefore in any wyse see that you alwayes pray vnto the Lorde that it woulde please him to geue you such a taste therein as that it may be more sweeter vnto your hart then the Hony or the Hony combe vnto your mouth yea and more desired for your necessitie then golde yea then much fine golde or treasures for your plentie The which the Lord for his mercies sake graunt vnto vs euery one whereby we may haue suche a feeling and knowledge therein as that the bryghtnesse of the glorious Gospel may shyne most cleerely in our mindes euen to the vtter abolishyng of our former and most damnable darkenesse Certayne Obiections vpon the former exhortation answered PEraduenture you wyl now say vnto me yf it be so that we can not attayne vnto Wisedome which is to vnderstande holy thynges and those holy thinges not to be founde vnlesse we read and meditate in the Booke of God alas that is so hard that we cannot attayne vnto the vnderstandyng thereof and agayne it is for great Clarkes and not for vs simple soules to meddle withall for many tymes the vnlearned peruert the Scriptures euen to their owne destruction and so I haue heard some say that S. Peter sayth they do so But I may say vnto you in the name of God Be not deceyued for it is the subtiltie of Satan that so perswadeth you and not you onely but almost all men generally throughout the whole world And wherfore trow you doth he so Surely to none other ende but that his owne kingdome may be the better thereby maynteyned for euen as the kingdome of God is dayly inlarged where his worde is
they do to haue their mindes renewed by sound knowledge that so the darkenes that is in them might be turned into lyght and that so they myght be able as the Apostle sayth euen to comprehende with any how exceeding great that heauenly misterie of our saluation is Therefore much lyke they are vnto those blinde zelous Scribes and Pharisees who as our Sauiour sayth made more accompt of tything tryfling toyes then they did of tything iudgement and weightier matters that is they made more accompt of foolyshe zeale in outwarde shewes and ceremonies of religion then they did to haue a sounde knowledge of Christe the Sonne of God Who was not onely a bare sonne desended of Dauid and no more as they thought him but also euen Dauids Lorde and God So that notwithstanding all this their blinde zeale yet missing of a sounde knowledge herein â—…yght most woofull wooes doth the Lorde our Sauiour pronounce agaynst them Therefore in the name of God what soeuer such ignoraunt Guydes do tell you take heede how you despise to encrease your knowledge of the Sonne of God least the lyke plague befall you that befell them and take heede also how you suffer such to beare rule ouer you as the Apostle commaundeth For whatsoeuer shewe of humilitie such blynde guydes woulde seeme to haue yet you shall finde in the ende that they are suche as the Apostle speaketh of to the Colossians whom in flatte wordes he tearmeth to be puft vp with a fleshly minde and also to aduaunce them selues in those thinges which they neuer saw whose fault as it seemeth by the Apostles exhortaion to the Colossians was much in the same kinde of theirs who woulde haue you to make no accompt of knowledge For the Apostle greatly vrgeth them especially to be increasing therein euen so farre as to be rooted and buylt and stablished and styll to be abounding in height vntyll they became as fitte Temples for Christe to dwell in Euen so in the name of God do you for you are so bounde as further you shall see a non and assure your selfe the more knowledge you haue in the worde of God the more shall you be humbled in your owne eyes for it is myghtie through God to cast downe all stroâ—…g holdes and to bryng into captiuitie euery high thought to the obedience of our Sauiour Christ. Now whereas they tell you that of necessitie you must learne to mortifie your selfe and also that you must endeuour to do good workes it is meete you shoulde so do in deede For mortifie your earthly members saith the Apostle Paule And agayne Abstayne from the lustes of the fleshe which fight agaynst the soule sayth the Apostle Peter And againe let your workes so shyne before men that they seeing may glorifie your Father which is in heauen sayth our Sauiour and reason good you shoulde so do for to that ende tendeth all your knowledge For yf you haue learned Christ sayth the Apostle and haue heard him and haue been taught by hym as the trueth is in him then you must of necessitie cast off the conuersation in tymes past for otherwyse your knowledge is in vayne and you remayne as yet the seruantes vnto sinne whereunto you were bounde euen as slaues geuing your members as seruantes to fulfill the wyll thereof Wherefore yf you wyll be freed by Christe and be seruantes vnto God you must also geue your members as seruantes vnto righteousnesse in obeying his wyll vnto whom you now stande bounde And for this cause the Apostle sayth cast off the olde man which is corrupt through the deceiueable lustes and be renewed in the spirite of your minde sayth he and then put on the new man which after God is created in righteouâ—…nes and true holines So that you see true mortification consisteth in castyng off the olde Adam and putting on the new which is Christ. Now yf one should aske you what this olde Adam is the which we are so often commanded to cast off how can it be answered I pray you but by the booke of God For by no write els in all the worlde can you describe him aright vnles it be so as that they haue learned thence but there you may beholde him as in a glasse most cleere euen to his very thoughtes and intentes of the hart for the worde of God is a searcher and tryer thereof If then you can not discerne throughly what this olde man is which you are to cast off but by the worde of God How much les then are you able to discerne what this new man is which you are to put on which after God is created in righteousnes and true holynes but by the same For if we be not able in this our corruption to iudge and discerne throughly of our corruption but that the Law came shewed it that so it myght appeare playnely to abounde How is it possible then being altogether blinde in iudgement that we shoulde discerne that exceeding righteousnes of Christe which we are to put on but that the same hath also shewed it And therefore the Apostle telleth you that you must be renewed in the spirit of your minde before he bidde you put on the newe man For howe can you put on Christe vnles you knowe him and how can you knowe him but by the booke of God where he only is described So that the first steppe you are to make to true mortification is to mortifie your follie and that can not be done but by the quickening of your wysedome neyther can that be done but by the worde of God For by thy Statutes haue I been quickened sayth the Prophet therefore as the Apostle sayth Let the worde of Christe dwell in you most plenteously euen in al wisedome wherby you may be so changed by the renewing of your mindes as that you may be able to proue what is the goodwyll of God and acceptable and perfect and when you haue so done then in any wyse geue vp your bodies as liuing sacrifices holy and acceptable vnto God by your obedience in seeking to fulfill the same alwayes prouided that the knowledge thereof must first goe before for so much may you also wel perceiue by the Apostle Peter his speeches which are these I wyll not be negligent sayth he to put you alwayes in remembrance of these thinges though that you haue knowledge Wherby you may learne that the Apostles did euer plant the knowledge of Christe in mens brestes before they woulde commaunde them to walke because that otherwyse their mortification or walking had been in vaine For yf an vnbeleeuing Iew or a Turke or a Papist or any other what so euer that knoweth not Christ aright should do all the good workes in the worlde or mortifie the fleshe neuer so much yet shoulde none of all these thinges profite him any thing at all vnles he knew
and often strike vpon your thygh with sorowe of hart as the Prophet Ieremie also speaketh Now it may be you wyll say agayne Euery one can not reade neyther hath euery one leysure to get suche great and perfect knowledge as you speake of And moreouer many dye before they come to yeeres of discretion as also many in their mothers wombe How then shall all these do shall none be saued but those that vnderstande the whole Bible Yes forsooth for yf they do in steadfast fayth but touch the hemme of Christ his garment they shalbe saued for aswell doth he accept the poore Wydowes myte as the Riche mans great gyft especially yf it come with such willingnes of hart that yf they had or coulde get more more they woulde geue But seeing that fayth is the gyft of God and seeing also that the ordinarie meanes that he hath appoynted to come thereby is the hearing and reading of his holy worde we must euery one of vs desire the sincere Milke thereof as the Apostle Peter sayth that so we may growe thereby both in fayth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ. And most meete and necessarie it is that so we shoulde do for seeing that Satan goeth about lyke a roaring Lion continually seeking whom he may deuoure How muche more needefull therefore is it that we should continually be as carefull to get such skill in the handling of the sworde of the spirite which is the worde of God as that we may be able not onely to resist him but also to wounde him most deadly therewithall for otherwyse yf we shall be founde ignoraunt in the vse of our weapon we shall be sure to receiue most deadly woundes our selues because that ignoraunce therein shall not excuse any man Therefore whether a man can read or no that shall not excuse him for yf he can not he must haue the more care to be taught by others that in any wyse he may get some knowledge in this spirituall weapon offered for his helpe least when he shoulde geue the woundes he receiue them most deadly him selfe And as for Chyldren which die in their mothers wombe or before they come to be of discretion to vse y â— ordinarie meanes we must commende them vnto the Lord who is able without the meanes to saue whom pleaseth him being elected in Christ before the worlde was made the which Babes elected it pleaseth the Lorde to inlighten their mindes by the working of his holy spirite euen in their mothers wombes as well you may perceiue by Iohn y e Baptist who when he heard but onely the voyce of the mother of our Lord sprang for ioy as also by the Prophet Ieremie of whom the Lord sayth before thou camest out of the wombe I sanctified thee and so foorth Now as it pleaseth the Lorde to inlighten such Infantes as are elected by such secrete meanes as pleaseth him so is he able to do the lyke vnto all others of greater yeeres But since that he hath appoynted an ordinarie meanes for such to come by the knowledge of his Sonne we must looke to that and desire of the Lord that it woulde please him to inlighten our mindes thereby And whereas you say that all men haue not tyme and leysure to attayne vnto skill and knowledge in the booke of God That is not so for yf they woulde bestowe but that one day of seauen which the Lord hath commaunded them eyther in hearing the worde or reading therein themselues they myght attaine vnto very great knowledge yea so great as that they might be able at the least to geue a sound reason of their fayth yea and to auoyde the deadly blowes of Satan although not able to cast off al especially if that one day were bestowed with like delyght and desire of the atteyning thereunto as they woulde do yf it were a worldly commoditie or vayne desire they shoulde seeke after How much more knowledge trow you myght then be attayned vnto yf men woulde bestow all the houres therein the which they bestow in vayne delights as huntyng hauking tabling dicing carding bouling shooting or any such lyke no doubt but to a woonderful great knowledge euen to so great as that they shoulde be able then to bryng foorth as the Lorde speaketh euen their most strong reasons wherby they myght so foyle Satan and his ministers as that they woulde be ashamed and afrayde to offer combate with them any more So that if men woulde consider with them selues how short the tyme of their abode is here and also how vncertaine and so learne with Moses to pray vnto the Lord that it woulde please him to teach them to number these their few dayes aright that so they myght apply their hartes vnto wysedome No doubt but they shoulde attayne vnto plenty thereof For the Lorde hath so promised But the Deuyll hath so bewitched men and so blinded them and beareth such sway with them that they had rather spende a whole yeere yea all their lyfe tyme in those vayne thinges which tende to none other ende then to draw them vnto him who seeketh for them which is the Deuyll then they woulde bestow one houre yea one minute of an houre in those thinges that shoulde tende to their saluation and to the pleasing of their maister and Sauiour Christ so that in them is fulfilled the saying of the Apostle For in the last dayes sayth he Men shall be louers of pleasures more then louers of God And notwithstanding our Sauiour doth dayly call and seeke for them euen to shroude them as the Henne woulde do her Chickens yet wyll they not come vnder the couert of his winges for ought that he can do but thinke it is enough yf they can say as commonly they do I beleeue in Christe and hope to be saued by hym as well as you although I take no such paynes to get this great knowledge for what neede I so to do For is it not sayd He that beleeueth in him shall neuer perishe but haue eternall lyfe Which is true in deede yf they knewe what they spake but they must well know it is not enough to speake the bare wordes for so much one myght make a Parrat to do but their beliefe must be setled vpon him accordyng to the testimonie which Moses and the Prophetes haue geuen of hym that so they may say with Peter We beleeue and also know that thou art the Christ the Sonne of the lyuing God therefore this speech of theirs doth import nothing els but euen to contemne Christ so for men to content them selues with slothfulnes And therefore the holy Ghost doth geue vnto such a maruellous great reproofe saying O you foolyshe how long will you loue foolyshnes and you skornefull how long wyl you hate knowledge So that by this their hating of knowledge it may well appeare they are none of Christes
confessed that they were strangers and pilgrimes on earth for they that say such thinges declare plainly that they seeke a country not hereupon earth but the desire a better that is an heauenly wherefore God is not ashamed of them to be called theyr God and hath prepared for them an heauenly eitie Now then seeing that fayth is the ground of thinges hoped for and the euidence of thinges whiche are not seene Let vs in any wise vse the meanes that God hath appoynted to come therby And seeing we are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses Let vs also cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth on so fast and let vs runne the race with patience that is set before vs still looking vnto our Lord and Souiour Iesus Christ who is the author and finisher of our fayth And let vs aboue all thinges take heede that we despise not him that speaketh For if all these whiche before I spake of and manie more escaped not which refused those that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from heauen And seeing we know that the iudgementes of God are according to truth agaynst all them that haue so lyghtly regarded to heare and knowe and haue counted them worthy of death which haue done so let vs not thinke if we doe the same that we shall escape the iudgementes of God but that the like famine will befall vs and our nation that hath befallen others I do not meane a famine of bread as made of corne but of that heauenly bread the worde of God Therfore seeing his word is no vaine word as Moses saith concerning men but is euen their very life Let vs as y ◠Apostle sayth as new borne babes desire the sincere milke therof that so we may grow thereby both in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ especially forasmuche as that in the knowledge of him standeth our eternal life no where els is he to be found but in the holy scriptures for so he hymselfe hath sayd in these words Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life so you shal for they are they that testifie of me by whō you haue your life breath being and that eternally but you will not come vnto me sayth hee that ye might haue life Therefore hath the holy Ghost sayd in another place hee that obeyeth not the sonne of God shall neuer see life but the wrath of God abideth on hym Seeing therefore that the sonne hath giuen commandement to search the Scriptures and the father that we should not let them depart out of our mouthes and the holy Ghost hath pronounced a blessing onely on them whiche doe therein delight Let vs in anye wise take vnto vs as the Apostle commandeth euen the whole armour thereof and with the holy Prophet make it our onely meditation continually then shall we be sure to prosper and to haue good successe for so the Lord himselfe hath tolde vs yea then shall we be like a tree that florisheth beeing planted by the riuer side which bringeth forth her fruit in due season yea then shall our prosperitie be as a floud and our righteousnesse as the waues of the sea for then will the sonne of righteousnesse hymselfe ouershadow vs vnder whose winges we shall be sure to finde euerlasting health and safetie whereas otherwise we see that God is a consuming fire and hath troden downe the wicked that would not delight herein as wee haue seene in all ages Therfore most heartily I beseech you yea and beseech you agayne and agayne that you will alwayes remember that great commandement of the Lord our God whiche is this Euen to remember the law of Moses his seruant the which he hath commanded with al his statutes and iudgementes and also that most sure word of the holy prophetes with the commandementes of the apostles of our Lord and sauiour and to labour therein both day and night that so you may remayne no longer as children without vnderstanding but to bee of a most ripe age therin and that so it may be sayde of you This people is onely wise and of an vnderstanding heart For they haue knowne the holy scriptures from their childhood which are onely able to make them so to be Come therefore I beseeche you and let vs with the holy prophet confesse before all men say Oh how loue we the law of the Lord It is our onely meditation continually we haue had as great delight in the way of his testimonies as in all maner of riches Therefore shall our eyes preuent the night watches to meditate in hys word because the law of hys mouth is better vnto vs then thousandes of gold siluer yea we hys seruants wil continually meditate in hys statutes and hys testimonies shall be our delight and our onely councellors And because that by hys preceptes hee hath quickened vs wee will neuer forget his word but wee will still hearken vnto hys voyce that so wee may learne to feare it and diligently to obey it all the dayes of our life And we wil also set vp the Lord this day to be our God we wil walke in his wayes and keepe his ordinances hys commaundementes and his lawes for euer and his voice alone will we obey And so doing the Lord our God will set vp vs to be a pretious people vnto himselfe as he hath promised yea so shall wee be set on high aboue all nations of the earth in prayse in name and in glory yea so shall we be counted an holy people vnto the Lord whiche in time past were not a people so shall our enemies that dayly rise agaynst vs fall before our faces yea where as they come out one way agaynst vs they shall flie before vs seuen wayes yea so shall fiue of vs chase an hundreth of them and an hundreth of vs put ten thousand of them to flight as in good part of late we haue seene yea so will the Lord open vnto vs his heauenly treasure and giue vs rayne in due season whereby our land shall yeeld her increase and the trees of the field shall yeeld their fruit yea so shall our thressing reach vnto the vintage the vintage shall reache vnto sowing time yea so shall wee eate our bread in great plenteousnesse and dwell in our land in safetie yea so shall wee haue peace in our land and our sleepe be in quiet and none shall make vs afrayd yea so shall all the blessinges contained in the whole booke of God come vpon vs and ouertake vs if we shall hearken vnto the voyce of the Lord our God and obey it and delight in hys holy worde as in the chiefest
first yeere Dan. 1. 2. ‡ This is it Dan. 9. 4. to 20 His whole prayer wylbe no small ornament to my Booke and lyght to my Discourse Marke wel that Daniel confesseth here that the cause of all these plagues that befel them was for that they vnderstoode not the trueth the word of God Leuit. 26. 40. to the ende and 1. King 8. 46. to 54. Dani. 9. 21. 22. 23. 24. Gen. 12. 3. and 17. 7. to 〈◊〉 Esai 56. â—… 1â—… Rom. 4. 〈◊〉 12. 16. 17. 23. 2â—… Math. 26. 28. Dan. 9. 27. Hebr. 10. Dan. 1. 8. to end 6. 1. to ende The summe of Mosâ—…s doctrine was to shew that Christe was to suâ—…fer and being risen from the dead should gene lyfe to the people and to the Gentiles as you may see in Actes 26. 22. 23. Zacha. 9. 11. â—…ere 16. 14. 15 Psal. 126. Nehe. 13. 15. to 22. Ezâ—…a 10 10. to endâ—… Hagg. 1. 2. chapters Hagg. 2. 15. Hag. 1. 6. to 12 Zacha. 7. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Mala. 3. 13. 14. 15. Mala. 4. 4. Mala. 1. 1. According to Dâ—…n 2. 31. to 46. 7. 1. to the ende 8. 1 to the ende 11. 1. to the ende 12. Esaâ—… 42. 19. 20 21. Gen. 1. Iohn 1. Iohn 1. 11. Luke 1. 78. Iohn 1. 9. Iohn 3. 19. Iere. 30. 9. 10. Ezek. 37. 22 24. 25. Iere. 23. 5. 6. Psal. 132. 11. to the ende Luk. 1 68. to the ende Hose 13. 14 Iohn 1. 49. Hebre. 5. 16. 26 Hebr. 9. 9. 10. 11. 12. 24. Math. 27. 28. to 32. Mark 6. 3. according to Isai. 53. Math. 2. 7. 23. 33. Math. 27. Mark 15. Luk. 23. Iohn 18. 19 Actes 3. 13. 14. 15. Mar. 10. 33. 34. Luk. 23. Act. 4. 25. to 30. Luk. 23. 4. 13. 14. 15. Iohn 19 14. 15. 21. Mark 1. 24. 3. 11. 5. 2. to 18. Luke 4. 34. Luke 23. 21. Math. 23. 13. to the ende 1. Thess. 2. 16. Math. 24. 34. Math. 24. 15. Dan. 9. 27. Luke 21. 20. Rom. 11. 22. Iohn 8. 39. Gene. 12. 3. 15. 6. Iohn 8. 40. 56. Math. 13. 17. Luk. 10. 24. Mark 15. 43. Luk. 23. 51. Luk. 2. 25. 38. Dan. 9. 21. to ende Math. 11. 13. 14. 0 20. and Actes 3. 24. Hebr. 1. 1. Gen. 2. 16. 17. 3. 1. to end and Rom. 5. 12 to end Gen. 3. 15. Reuel 12. 7. to 11. Iohn 16 33. Rom. 16 20. Colo. 2. 15 Hebr. 2. 14. 15. 12. 31. Gen. 9. 26. and Rom. 9. 5. Gen. 12. 3. and 26. 4. 28. 14. Actes 3. 25. Luk. 19. 9. Gen. 49. 10. Reue. 5. 5. and Maâ—…h 5. 1. and Iohn 6. 5. 10. Iob. 19. 25. 26. 27. 1. Cor. 15. 12. to end Exod. 23. 20. Heb. 8. 6. 13. 20. Num. 24. 17. Math. 2. 2. Deu. 18. 15. 18 19. Actes 3. 22. 23. Iohn 12. 47. 48. and Math. 17. 5. 2. 2. Sa. 7. 13. 14. Luk. 1. 32. 33. Heb. 1. 5. Psalm 2. 7. Heb. 1. 5. Actes 13. 32. 33. Psal. 40. 6. 7. 8. to 12. Hebr. 10. 5. to 10. Psal. 22. 22. Hebr. 2. 12. and Iohn 17. 26. Psal. 2. Actes 4. 25. Reuel 2. 27. and Luk 23. 6. to 13. Actes 4. 25. to 29. Psal. 22. 6. 7. 8. 12. 16. â—…8 and Math. 27. 9. 24. and 26. 66. 67 68. Mar. 15. and. Luke 22. and 23. Math. 12. 14. and Mark 11. 18. and. 14. 1. Iohn 19. 34. Exo. 12. 46. Zach. 12. 10. Luk. 23. 34. 36 and. Iohn 19. 23. 24. Psal. 2. 6. 8. 12 and 18. 43 and Reue. 14. 1. Psal. 2. 8. Psa. 72. 10. 11. Math. 2. 1. 2. 10 Psal. â—… 8. 44. Math. 8. 5. to 14. and. 9. 18. * Psa. 2. 12 But not with an hipocriticall kisse as Iudas Mark 14. 44. but with such a one as was Maries in Luke 7. 45. and Iohn II. 2. Psal. 45. 7. Psal. 69. 9. Math. 21. 12. 13. Marke 11. 15. 16. 17. Psal. 45. 7. and Iohn 3. 34. Psal. 45. 17. 17. 18. 19. Psalm 91. 11. 12. Math. 4. 6. Psal. 118. 22. Actes 4. 10. 11 Psal. 16. 10. Actes 2. 22. to 37. 13. 35. to 40. Psal. 8. Hebr. 2. 6. to end Psal. 68. 18. Ephe. 4. 8. and Actes 1. 9. 10. 11. and 2. 34. 35. 36. Psal. 110. 1. Math 22. 42. to end Luk. 22 69. 70. Actes 7. 56. Psal. 110. 4. Heb. 5. 6. and. 6 20. and. 7. 1. to ende and. 10. 12. 13. Cant. 1. 6. Cant. 1. 3. Cant. 3. 11. Esai 11. 1. 2. Rom. 15. 12. Esai 7. 14. and Math. 1. 22. 23 Esai 9. 6. and Luk. 1. 31. to 34. Esai 1. 21. Esai 9. 7. and Luk. 1. 32. 33. Esai 40. 3. 5. Math. 3. 1. 2. 3. Mark 1. 3. Luk. 3. 4. Esai 42. 1. and 61. 1. 2. 3. and Iohn 1. 33. Math. 3. 16. 17 Mark 1. 10. 11. and Act. 10 38. Math. 9. 35. 11. 1. Mark 1. 38. 39. Esai 35. 5. Math. 15. 30. 31. Esai 61. 1. 2. 3. and Luk. 4. 17. to 24. Esai 25. 6. 7. Math. 26. 26. to 31. Mark 14 22. to 27. and Luk. 22. 14. to 22. Math. 22 2. to 15. and Reue. 19. 9. Esai 9. 2 and Math. 4. 13. to 18. Esai 42. 6. and 49 6. 8. Luk. 2. 32. Esai 53. 6. Esai â—…3 and â—… Pet. 2. 24. 25. Actes 8. 26. to 40. Esai 50. 6. 7. 8. and Math. 26. 66. 67. and Mark 15. 18. 19. Esai 53. and Math. 8. 17. and Mar. 9. 12. * A farre greater more greeuous burden to be 〈◊〉 then euer bare the scape Goate in Leuâ—…t the. 16. 21. 〈◊〉 Esai 53. 12. Mark 15. 28. and Luke 22. 37. * But who so euer stumbleth thereat as they did it grindeth him to pouder as you may see in Luk. 20. 18. Act. 4. 10. 11. 12. Esai 11. 10. to ende Mark 6. 3. Esai 8. 14. Esai 56. 8. Esai â—…1 1. to ende Math. 2. 1. â—… 10. 11. and 8. 10. 11. Mark 11. 17. Esai 25. 8. 9. and Reue. 7. 17 and Luke 2. 26. to 33. Esai 22. 2o to end and Râ—…ue 3. 7. Esai 16. 3. Esai 42. â—… 4. and Math. 1â—… 17. to 22. Esai 40. 5 6. and Actes 1â—… 46. 47. Esai 6. Iohn 12. 41. Esai 62. 11. Esai 60. 1. Mich. 5. â—… and Math 2 5 6. Iohn 7 41. 42. Hose 3. 5. Hose 11. 1. Math. 2. 14. 15 Iere. 30. 21. Iere. 23. 5. and 3â—… 14. 15. and Rom. 1. 3. 4. Luke 2. 68. to 76. * He cam not only to feede their bodies but also their soules with the true bread of lyfe which was him selfe Ioh. 6. Ezek. 21. 26. 27 Dan. 12. 1. Ezech. 34. 23. 24. 29. and Mark 6. 34. to 45. Dan.