shoulde worke in him and corrupt Adam by his owne falte For in that the sinne and infirmitie whiche lurketh in an other is bewrayed and brought to light marke the prouidence and gouernement of the Lorde which bringeth that to passe whereby his owne wisedome righteousnesse and mercy may appeare If he did worke and cause an adulterous minde in a man whose minde was pure and innocent before and then moued him to vtter the same in act and déede somewhat what it were that we had to say vnto the Lord But if he worke not that adulterous minde but findeth it corrupt and defiled by Sathan and by the person him selfe and then ordeineth that shal be fall causeth the same wickednesse in that same man to tende to his glorie Let vs try out the vnsearchable riches and wisedome of the Lorde that causeth the same thing which of it selfe is euill to turne be chaunged vnto that which shal be good Then if these men vnderstande by his will that God delighted not in Adames sinne there is no strife I say so and so we fight with the ayre But if there by is ment It was not Gods decrée and ordinaunce that Adam shoulde finne but all onely for his fall and in respect of sinne they my bee Anathamatized and that iustely For they plucke God out of his throne they haue no consideration but measure the Lorde as man To this tendeth both the rest for nowe I must be short and I doubt not but GOD will permitte that I may one day make longer discourse hereof Christ is saide to die and for our redemption for his resurrection is our iustification Nowe it was Gods will this should be why then shall not the Iewes be excused O wretched man that I am that shoulde thus reason against the goodnesse of God and abuse his long sufferaunce that bringeth vs to eternall life I answere that same filthy Papist that scholler of so vile a maister and that sought his death and mine and séeth it not Pyggyus Often times God wicked men I speake according to our weakenesse and in reuerence are said to thinke one thing For Adam woulde sinne and Gods will was he should sinne but Adam would be like and equall to God he woulde bée perfect knowing good and euill Gods will was that Adam through his owne faulte shoulde sinne to turns Adames sinne to good and to bring good out of euill so that out of his perdition he brought saluation out of his fall strength and life Out of his thoughts and cogitation blessednesse and perfection vnto man. The Iewes will was to put Christe to death And Gods will was his sonne should die But to the Iews it was in malice and crueltie But of God in goodnesse and clemēcie For hee raunsomed vs that were prisoners captiues in the slauerie of the deuill Hes gaue vs life that were before in death and offered vs saluation that were before in condempnation wherfore this argument is nought God willeth it and we will it Ergo our willes is one It is a causa non sufficiente He the taught this may go to schoole againe set him downe for ought that I can sée for if he turne not ouer a newe leafe it is not this can euer honest him Take the reason God hath a Consideration in his will and purpose more then man hath for an vnthriftie childe willeth the death of his father God also will haue him die But it is in another maner The vnthriftie sonne doth it to enioy his fathers goodes God doth it to make an exchaunge to conueigh him out of miserie to life if he bee his for hee ordeined it before all beginninge Or to translate him from vs vnto death if hee hath not chosen him in Christe for it is his lot and hee decréede it before the worlde And heere I staye For if Paul can not Satisfte thée in his discourse to the Romanes neither do I looke to perswade thée herein That if thou like not me and my wordes as the Orator did of Plato and Isocrates when he spake of Theusidides so say I of Caluin of Zwinglius let me go astray with the m. Nowe to conclude all Leade vs not into temptation The verie meaning and true exposition is this Let O Lorde thy spirite bée with vs directe vs in our dooinges gouerne vs in that wée goe about suffer vs not to bée tempted beyonde that wée are able to beare For the Diuell and Sathanas seketh to molest inueigle away the Children of god And it is our duety to pray vnto the Lorde that wee be not ouercome in our temptation For they of God they study not to do well and to win Heauen by their merrits but they praye to stand stedfastly that they may bée saued and haue redemption in his death They study not by good workes to obtaine Saluation but because they are already saued for they be assured therof they will bee thankefull and obediente to the Lord because in his free election he hath saued them The like may bée sayd of the last words Deliuer vs from Euill For to this ende is our life our dealings our conuersation our vprightnes beefore the Lorde That wée haue an assured testimony of his good will that hée will kepe vs from death The rest of this Prayer For thine is the kingdome thy powre and thy glory for euer and euer Because our Luke hath pretermitted it therfore will not I at this time touch it In this my short Treatise if I haue done any good I am glad therof The poore substance that I haue and that litle God hath giuen mée that I haue offered to you all when God shall enritch mée with greater store and my Barnes better filled then now they bée So good corne as our Barren soyle bringeth forth of that I willingly will giue you choyse Onely at this time take my presente farewell as a grayne or two left behinde to fill vp your measure for I would haue no man to suspecte mee for my waight And let not my doctrine bee an offence to any this was only the the true meaninge that I had to teach one Lorde and Iesus Christe whom bee sente the redéemer of the world that I worship in the Spirite And this I commit vnto the whole Churche of God whose building and workemanship if it bée any other then this let it bée accursed 1. The foundation or corner Stone Christ 2. The builders his Ministers 3. The Morter to temper it is Veritie 4. The Lyme to season it is Skilfulnesse 5. The Sande to strengthen it is Wisdome and scattered thorough euery parte parcell of this buildinge 6. The Instruments to worke withall be the guiftes of the holy Ghoste 7. The Pillers Confidence and Trust 8. The Walles the two Sacramentes 9. The ground or Pauement our Profession 10. The Roofe or couering Perseuerance 11. The Windowes and light the working and lightning wee
Short prayers if they be earnest are better then much babbling vvherin is no stedfastnes Abuse of meÌ„ if they mislike the man that precheth or if he vse common prayer Precise men haue noplace that pray at those times they like othervvise forget them selues the vvhole moneth and the vvhole yere 〈◊〉 Nature condempneth in the wicked that do as their kinde and manner is only they forget God. Christe alone vnspotted blameles maÌ„ of him selfe vvicked and shamelesse â–ª All our corruption is hidden and layed vp in Christe No maÌ„ hath hated his ovvne fleshe at any time then Christe can not cast of vs. This mishapen visage in a Christian is filtâ—y God thinketh vpon our imbecilleties in all he doth Papistes conuicted olde vviues fables haue no place presise and nise long prayers be cause that vvee slip so often Superstition crept in by ignorauce As murtherers Theues vse Kniues Svvordes togeather vvith good men so do the vvicked their praiers together vvith the fà ythfull yet to one they are life to the other death God permitteth the Diuel vvorketh and man sinneth vvilfully they proucke God The Sinner doth all hee doth to death hee vvanteth grace and light the godly they vvorke to life and vse the same thing vvell by the Spirite God hath notied vs to pray after one mannerâ— but this and others bee good for his vvill sake and the perfectnes therof vvee vse this God looketh not on man but on the minde All states can reason vvhy they need no praier but all must submit them selues and pray to God. As is the sapp the earth so is prayer and Inuocation to man As vvater confumeth all so God distroyeth all degrees if they call not vpon him As our life it aboue vvith the God of glory so must vvee be spiritually bent at prayer God named him our Father for that as a Father he giueeth all things that vvee his Children neede The Lorde is terrible yet in Christ is his loue and fauour opened in vvhoÌ„ only there is satisfaction God a Father in the cration and a Father in his blesing and a father to vs in giuing to vs but all alone is hee our father in the attonemente All thinges turne to our destruction if God helpe not If as vvee bee froÌ„ the eathe earthly so vvee vvere not also gouerned by the spirite then vvere vve in death Beeing in death in sâ—n it is requisite that vvee should haue a Mediator Vnmeasurable and vnsearchable is the loue of God that beeinge life gaue himselfe to death foâ— vs. Our Father Seeing our benefits are common to all it is reasoÌ„ that vve pray for alâ—â—and for that God is the author o life vve pray if it bee his vvill that all may liue The electe chosen of God none other come vnto him Why vvee pray to God. All things are not fit for all times For as mutch as God is vnsearchable incompreheÌ„sible it is good reason to submit our selues pray to him All Gods creatures are ready to fulfil his coÌ„maundements against his enemies We pray in the name of one for that the thâ—ee persons make but one God. The sainctes vvith god vve confesse they vvere good men but the honour due to the Lord is not to be giuen vnto them seeing all things be vvonderfull and straung hovv is he most glorious that made them In that perill vvhiche is greatest God is readiest If the heauens passe the creatures perish man also shall haue an end No maÌ„ hath feared God and remained helples Man commeÌ„deth maÌ„ much more man God. First seeke the glorie of God then thine ovvne glorie God honoureth those that honour him and in all thinges that are is he honored if man shuld holde his peace God needeth not man but man needetâ— God. All goodnes all perfectioÌ„ and all holinesse commeth of the spirite Not euery one that saith Lorde Lorde shal be saued but he onely that calleth on him and beleceuâ—th Plaine men begyled in time of poperie keepe the olde superstitioÌ„ still in much bab ling. God knovveÌ„ in all his vvorkes hath names giuen him to shevv the same Iunilius coÌ„tra haereticos Gen. 17. No fleshe shall die for others all flesh dieth or liueth to him selfe All flesh ought to seeke the glorie of god and then is the name of God hallovved God giâ—eth his glory vnto none and those that serue him those he helpeth Such vvere the holy thinges belonging to the teÌ„ple such also vvere the priâ—sts in the lavve such be the preachers novv that be kept as holy vnto god and seuered from the vvorld that they might â—â—lisse and sanctifie him Holy as like to god for that he is holy God most glorious and vvorthy all honour hath created al the treatures to seâ—ue for the vse of man man onely did he make to honour him These three are set dovvn for that his mercie and his loue appeareth most in them Theodoree Eucherius in Reg. Here is it knovven that vve loue God vvhen vve set out his name feare god increase the number of his Church These are vn searchable not to be attained of vs yet do they not and they cannot set out the full povver of God. God helpeth the good beatethdovvn the vvicked punisheth the sinner succoureth his faithfull in vvhich chiefely he is glorified Though Israel vvas as it vvere eaten vp of the vvie ked for a time and the tribe of Iuda extinguished and the root of Dauid forgotten and the temple forsaken yet soudeinly vvas all this renued and God glorified in his Christ This persecucion was greate yet vvas God honoured in the sight of men by the courage death of his saincts For all men vve pray for the good that God vvoulde strengthen them for the faithlull hee vvould deliuer them for the vveake he vvold incourage them for them vvithout that he vvould cal them and for the rebell and obstinat that he vvuld consume theÌ„ in all vvhiche God is magnified God is a consuming fier to the vvicked to them that feaâ—e him â—ee is a mercifull God. God trieth his people suffereth theÌ„ to fall that they may haâ—e a better risinge Sin raigning in our â—â—ortall bodyes vvee vvere câ—oked vp in the sanâ—e but thaâ— only vve are faued and liâ—ted vp in Christ Losenes of life in Christians is the cause of the dishonoring of God and maketh the infidelles the vvorse Scismes in our common vvelth be for our sinnes but the euill life in precise people certefieth vs that they haue an other ende in their dealing then all the vvorld knovveth If God vsed an order in praying then vve in our supplications and in our common vvealth must be also erdered first seeke the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnes therof then all things shall â— giuen you The â—aiâ—ctes holy men they pine avvay and take thought if any superstition do heare svvay rather theÌ„ the truth As the light is more excellent and better vvelcome vvhere
a King his Scepter and royal seate it would dismay vs if happely we forgate our homage went awrye the messenger of death is readie for vs If as to consuming fire what eye coulde abide him for if the beast that touched the burning mountaine was shott thorough what hope hath man to skape when a flaming fire must go before him and thousandes thousandes minister vnto him and ten thousande times ten thousande stande before him when the seates shal be set the bookes oponed and iudgement giuen what mercie then can wee looke for at Gods hande But if wee called on God as on him that is the fountaine of life howe coulde we call vpon him when we be in death And if you prayd vnto him as the ruler of the worlde then is man beaten downe that coulde neuer as yet among all the beastes thereof be tamed But sée howe louing a Lord God we haue that in our transgressions woundeth vs not in our sinnes striketh vs not in our disobedience remēbreth vs not in our euil wayes punisheth vs not that neuer thinketh on our iniquities but calleth vs as children to aske at his hands the more willingly to trayne vs vp in his feare hath for all our manifolde transgressions made himselfe a father to vs But from whence cometh this our father is Adam and he is dead and we be his children and howe can we liue To him he gaue a charge to sweat it out and to labour on earth what then can happen to vs but miserie Then which way so euer wee looke on our selues wee are in death and whence haue wée this therefore that wee call on God as on our father Pardone mée if being a man as you bée I am inquisitiue to search out what man is And say what you will yet will not I be satisfied til I knows more For as Crisostome is plentifull in the description of man So I thinke that as the shippe is in the Sea that tottereth or as the fether in the ayre that houereth or as the trée on earthe that shaketh euen like portion indge I to be allotted to man when he offendeth For wishe any thing that is good that can not man do without God wil neither willeth he that God wisheth without God please And that I will and that I may I do not if he permitteth not So wish I yet misse I if he directeth not Trewe it is that Isychius saide in man there is two natures or rather properties one is that wee carrie about with vs it is dust the other it is giuen vnto vs it is the spirite both these making but one man yet do wée not know on Christ Salonius writing vpō Ecclesiastes giueth wisedom vnderstanding vnto man aboue al others that haue life and in the same hée giueth vs free passage to know God but it is in Christe And Agustine in his Apognosticon agaynst the Palagian guieth vs liberty to Ploughe to Till to labor to Sowe to Spinne to Carde to drinke to eate to féede our cattell and our Beastes if so you will to vse the Arrowe and the Bowe and the Hearbes but to come vnto God and to haue any portion from him without Christe that hee permitteth not Sedulius vpon the Corrinthians giueth no liberty vnto vs but only to sinne and Primatius in his Treatise on the Romans is of the same iudgement so that in the ende when our deedes bee ransackt our thoughts sought out what is it that wee can clayme of the Lorde Then hereon wée stand Christ which alwayes hath bin with his Father the liuely and expresse Image of his godhead came into the world and was debased for vs and we béeing of his flesh and the same mould that hee was of beeinge perfecte man in all poynctes sinne onely accepted hée hath made vs one with him and taken vs into the same felowship of his kingdome and of his Sainctes and wee are made Sonnes with him vnto one Father Vnto this it was alluded by Dauid As the Father hath pitty on his Children so hath the Lorde on all such as call vpon him faithfully Esay touched this in his comparison that hee maketh with the Woman and hir Infant whom though shée could forget sucking at hir Brestes yet would not the Lorde forsake vs If I were not drawne into a narrow straight by the importunitée allotted to mee at this present I would see what that were which man so mutch braggeth of and if it were possible that frō top to toe hee had no one blemish to bee found within him Yet if a man might enter into his hart and search his Sinewes and his cogitations within how corrupte and vnfauorye should wee finde him well this is our comforte and it is the noate of Maister Gualter that hee is not onely a Father in gouerning the world and the whole trayne that waiteth theron but hee is our Father And as in Iob hee is called the Father of the Aungelles and of the Sainctes and holy men which loued him so that it is litle vnto vs and small prositte haue wee therby beeinge neyther Aungels or so holy as they if of his bounty mercy it were not sayd vnto vs here that hee is our Father toe but I consider yet an other thinge and why saye wee not O my Father as well as O our Father Ciprïan on the prayer of the Lord giueth this reason This prayer it is cōmon to vs all sayth hee for when we pray wee pray not for one but for all because all they we are one And he is sayd to be our Father euen of vs as many as be sanctified as be renewed as bee strengthned in his Spirit as for other they stande aloofe and wish they may to come vnto vs come at any time they shall not Thus you know hee is a Father and hee is our Father it is adioyned he is our God hée is aboue and it is in Heauen These three I ioyne togeather neyther will I seuer them For as hée is far aboue the reatch and capacitie of man so hath he no terrestriall Throne to sit in but a more bright and gloryous Seate is that of the Lorde our god And as was the Arke and mercy Seate within wherunto no mā durst presume to come and looke into it but sutch as God had chosen from the rest so to his kingdome and his Empire shall no man approtche but sutch as hee hath elected in his Christ It may seeme a vayne thing to aske this question why wee praye to God Yet sutch is the vanity and ignoraunce of man that hee knoweth not and such is his dulnes the he answereth not but the weakenes it is alike in vs all that searcheth not To say the truth this question is aboue that I can well attayne vnto and the reasons that may bee giuen they bee so innumerable I bare not enter now into them If God do
earth to heare vs And if wée cease not in praying how can he be flow in hearing His scholler Lactantius as Ierom recordeth trayned vp at Rome was not of so sounde a iudgement in this as was his maister That supposeth vs if wée aske any thyng of God to be tempted of God to know thereby if wée be thereof worthy Chromatius Bishop of Aquileia may well abide the toutchstone herein that bindeth Prayer to haue his only successe by fayth As for Epiphanius of Eleutherapolis in Palaestine his doynges they bee very pleasaunt and his writynges exquisite he hath also bin a witnes how wée should walke in prayer before the Lorde his iudgment is to call on God only one true and perfecte Lorde and on Christe the Sonne of God with the spirit procéeding from them both And that rare man of God then whom Stridon in the borders of Dalmatia and Pannonia saw neuer as yet a perfecter Ierom I meane so much alowed determineth of this very wisely whose admonition I would it were ingrafted in vs to the full or els I would that graue father liued now whose looke and countenance might withdrawe vs from our vanityes his milde and sugred speech is not vnlike to this Cease not to pray continually and giue not place vnto the Lord in season and out of season and bée importunate vpon him euen as that widow is to that same vniust steward that hard the stony iudge who oftentimes withdrew him selfe This Ierom is hee that so often if chaunce afordeth and I haue to deale with him rauisheth mee so sodenly that I hardly leaue him For this cause his neate and pleasaunt stile requireth mee to taste of one or two more of his sayings It foloweth in the same place not farre of If hee giueth to him that asketh if hee findeth that séeketh if hee openeth when one knocketh it appeareth hee will not bee slowe to him requireth And therfore hee promiseth a reward already for such as demaund and sayth Ierom This Gate wherin the iuste man doth enter is sutch a one wherin are hidden a number of pleasant and delicate things to him that seeketh them Diuers there be that of late and now also haue writte hereof how to â—â—me vnto Christe but in this place I take the fathers for they are sound and very strong in this and very good whose cumly age I must reuerence in that the younger forte and wee also euen in these last yeares are beighly bounden to them so that small cause there is for any to repent him of readinge them whose diligence hath brought to passe that we with lesse payne may teache ours Iulius Firmicus Maternus vnder the Emperour Constantine and his Sonnes an Astrologian at the first and so it séemeth still for hee clymeth vp very hie and mounteth to the Heauens neither looketh hee for any mans helpe in his prayers hée is raysed vpwarde to God hee suffereth no man to bée called on but the name only of Christ The manner also and condition of prayer is séene plentifully in that same borne at Africa a very worthy man of God Caius Marius Victorinus reckoned of Ierom among them of his number and Catalouge worthy and famous wrighters For beside that euer hée did on the Articles of fayth or els in the payne hée tooke agaynst Heretickes no where doth hee séeme to haue delte precisely and more warely then in his opinion of prayer acknowledging Christe to bée sufficient and the only true bread from Heauen to feede vs. There commeth now vnto my hand a man of truth scase worthy the naming among the Fathers for his so vile and euill dealinge and as you may know him a Cinnick fitter for the staffe and the shacky heare then to iudge of Religion borne at Alexandria at what time Gregorie Nazianzen taught at Constantinople hee was brought to Cristianitee by preachinge This Maximus Aegiptius by his wilye sleights hauing gotten many froÌ„ Byantius corrupted one Peter Bishop of Alexandria created this Aegiptius Bishop Yet this man otherwise a faythfull steward in the house of God whrot many good bookes I therfore take his well meaning minde of prayer euen especially agaynst the wicked the they may know that a wicked man hath taught them to praye often his readynes was séene in this for that hée instructed all flesh to pray continually hée adioyneth his reason in an other place The sedulyte and forwardnes of a man calling on the Lorde if it hée donne rightly is that which commendeth the soule of man spoken as I thinke to stir vp the sloth in vs to pighte vs a place in Heauen where the soule of man resteth The liuely exposition thereof is well noted in that hée debarreth vs from all manner contemplations in the earth hee leaueth no roome for the thoughtes of man in time of prayer no not so mutch as to thinke of him that hurt thee or of thy enemy but freely to lay aside all grudginges debates strifes enimyties to repose one only hope in god And I like his reason wel and it is alowed in the Booke of God for that our praying it is a quieting of our mindes so that it appeareth by all those that wente before that terror shoulde strike vs for we speake to God that the world must forsake vs for wee seeke heauen the body leaue vs for wee speake in spirit our wealth must not trouble vs our treasure is aboue nor our enemyes greue vs for wee are freends with Christ On this our prayer there is depending two things the first is calling vpon him The second is geuinge of thankes vnto him If thou aske to wholme it is it is to god If thorow wholme it is through Christ if the meane to him it is faith if wherin in is his bloodsheading and death Therfore Paull continue in prâ—ier and watch in the saine with thankes geuing prayinge for vs that God may open vnto vs the Doore of vtterance to speake the mistery of Christ For euen now doo wee see our full redemption if calling on the Lord wee repose our trust in the only mediator Iesus Christe the Sonne of God beeing nothing careful but that in al things wée let our requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing thankes For hee is the God of peace which doth kepe our mindes and hartes in Christe Iesus That wee must pray you haue harde what prayer is I haue set downe suffer mee though breefely but to know how wee must vse it and so wee shall discharge our dâ—tye more fully Ephraem a Sirian for so is hee called by Theoderet in an homely of prayer reckoned amonge theÌ„ of Caesarius hath giuen a very good light to this our question Let sayth hee thy calling on the Lord bee as that which was of Hanna Mother vnto Samuell that sat wéeping in spirit and groneing and that was meeke and milde in hart not seene of men not gased vpon of
in Israel there was scarce any weapons to fight withal Nowe our Swordes can not helpe vs our manlynes kéepe vs wee are affrayde of our shaddowes as wee goe in the streetes Your huffinge carrowfing is turned to bloodsheading our freendlynes and familiaritye is turned to enimity Our loue and our neighboring is turned to brawling Nay our Cuppes and our banqueting is turned to murthering I am perswaded before the Lorde that a nomber of Swashbucklers nay euen of vs Gospellers bee fitter to sporte it out with Dalila and daunce it out with Herodias then to come to the Temple to heare Moses God mende the state hereof and giue vs more of his peace and blesse vs with his rest if it bée his wil And send a strong Easterne winde to rid away these Catterpillers that wee dye not all But let them alone the common wealth will bee so weary that what with men for their Sonnes and Mothers for their Children and men Women and Children for their heapes of Carcases that lye scrawling in the streetes they wil be glad eare it bee long to spewe them out There is yet another kind of felowe that I marke and ment in these words of Christ for giue our debts and as the Adder is more sharpe and her force daungerous when she commeth vnlooked for then when wee may a voide her so be these I talke of that lye hidden in the thicket till they spie their opertunitie and then wreake their malice on their brother This enuious man little remembreth what our Sauiour Christe did that when he could haue slaine him yet saued him When death and distruction was limitted for his portion with hipocrites wrought a good worke and brought to passe a full satisfaction for his sinnes And for a certeintie if the wicked man knew from whence he fetcheth this same if once he sawe that vgly shape and monstrous visage of that deformed creature that brought this to the worlde I suppose that for the hatred they owe vnto the Deuill and Sathanas hee woulde from hence foorth neuer vse it And of these there is two sortes One is for his neighbours losse for the euill successe that happeneth to his brother this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ioy pleasure that is takē in other mens mishaps vnfoldeth the inwards cogitations of the heart Sheweth that we be not perfect and vpright before him and it is that the Lorde will require at our handes This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is next followe brother with him that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The seconde kinde of malyee secreatly wrapped within man. For he that is sorie for the good successe of any one though he be a wicked man hath little consideration that the sunne shineth aswel on the good as the hadde And how gorgeous a shew and what couering soeuer they haue to shadowe it with be they well assured the Lord will not suffer it Here it commeth that a fonde affection leadeth a number he hath this man he hateth that man his reason is not to seeke he is an enimie to the gospell This is but the shift of one that halteth and such idle excuces shall not excuse thée at the day of wrath I can giue testimonie of this and my conscience beame witnesse that I finde it true Whether I may accuse the dayes or no wherein I am I cannot tell Refuse the dealinge of some I may for good occasion whose consiences are sore troubled and they dismaied for a péece of breade and a cake and for an holy day That is happiest and counted wisest that maketh religion his warrant and his profession his Canape to dissemble gloriously That heapeth vp riches greedely robbeth his brother vncharitably that gloseth shamefully and walketh vnbrotherly yet will he bee a gospeller and deale precisely I say no more it goeth verie harde with vs when men of conscience in greate and weightie matters shall strayne their conscience as they doe and life and death shal be too little for others if they shall giue place but to trifles That swallowe vp Cammelles and be strangled with a small and tender knatte That lay great heauie burthens vppon other mens shoulders and beare not so much as the weight there of them selues Surely they shall not escape the vengeance that is to come nor eschew the firce wrath of the highest They shall pearishe in the vanitie of their thoughts and consume away at the looke of the Lorde of hostes For they haue not knowen the Lord their maker nor beléeued him in faith nor professed his power nor looked for iudgment neither make they an accompt of his comming in the Clowdes neither take they any héed to forgiue other men their debtes There is other kinde of men that I note héere I put them in the same Catalogue for as I vnderstand they be fellowe brethren and pitie it is to deuide them they be so friendly And these bee sutch as forgiue all but for aduantage will bee lye their neighbours and for their profit dissemble with many and for that they will not shame the gospell take an oth now and then to ridde their brethren out of thraldome and accuse them they fauour not And slaunder them they fansie not and raise vp reproches though they haue suffered the heat of many summers ratle forth their gun shot against the godly Yet forgiue they their debts as they woulde be forgiuen of god But I wishe them to remember not that in Virgilius Talia voce refert curis ingentibus aeger Spem vultu simulat premit altum corde dolorem Nor that which Plautus hath in Trinummo Sapiens quidem polipse fingit fortunam sibi A politike man the worlde nowe doth smile vppon him as to knowe from whence he came that hee is the Temple and glorious building of suche a one as will not suffer straunge merchaundise to be set at sale within his libertie For if the midwiues in that they saued the lyues of young children whose bloude Pharao gaped for were knowne by their infirmities to be but women in that they lyed in so good a cause out of doubte a litle corner is left to these men the are nothing so good as the midwiues were Neither saue they any ones life muche lesse in their beastly and malicious quarels allowed of God. If Abraham founde his reward and Sara his wife agast at Abimelech returned and had the shame for that she said she was his sister knowe first that neither Sara neither Abraham bee here neither is your case a like Thirdly that his weakenes shall not saue your rashenesse Though Rahab the harlot did saue the three men that came as spyes to Hierocuntia and had her reward Notwithstanding you haue erred and that grossely For both the commoditie of them in Israel and the whole lande is to be preferred beefore your priuate gaine and when you approue it by the word of God
downe the truth That wise men may know them and the simple flye them That only God may bee glorified in the ordinary meanes hée hath appoynted The beginninge wherof I can fetch it from none other then from that villanous secte of Enthusiastistes that was the beginning and Orriginall of beastly and filthy deuinacions and liued by inspiration as I finde in ▪ Theodoret of Cyrus whose beginner therof and Kingleader was sometimes Salbas ruler among very wicked and graceles men And Adelphius and Daodes and Simeones and Hermes with others And as Iudas for betraying Christe so were these for abusinge the Church very infamous and noted amonge the Fathers These fellow seruaunts and Copemates as it were with Nouatus that infected them of Phrigia and Paphlagonia with his precisenes exactnes of life permitted none that had sacrifised to Idols to come neare the church refused the maner of Baptisme the was vsed permitted none to come to the holy misteries Neyther yet referred him to the mercy of god Which how much it differeth frō them in our English Church wherof the Lorde bée merciful vnto vs there is a great nomber euery where sprong vp of late denying our order manner in baptisme thrusting such frō the Supper of the Lord as they like not take them selues onely for the pure perfect church refusing others with such like opinions a number as the like hath béen seldome séen in any age in any church since Christes comming in so short a space as is now I can compare them to no one state of any cōmon wealth so neare and so narrowly as I can vnto that wherof there is some mention made in Sleidons Commentaries in his tenth booke For vnto the same great and famous Cittie of Mounster the Metropolis of Westphalia there resorted certaine Anabaptistes whose beginning and Orriginal was taken from one Tho. Muncer that raised a tumult of the cōmunalty And these pretended certeine holynesse and puritie of life in so much that counted as Godly and zealous christians they were neuer espied they delt so closely and holilye in life vntill they began to spreade thorowe out Germanie and Luther almost al other learned men inueighed against them But after when this their childhoode began to reatch vnto it fresher bloude and gathered strength to creepe withall not farre from Mounster at a Church of S. Morris the yeare of our Lorde 1332. One Barnearde Rotman a preacher of the Gospell gathered together a great audience in that Citie and suppressed at the first by the Catholikes being sent away emptie without hope of that he came for he went aside to another countrey for a space Yet after that retourned backe being very popular he rauished the minds of the people he preached very sincerely hee liued vprightly and faught zealously But knowe all and iudge with me dissembling a long time what he was Commeth at length a certein Cobler to Mounster out of Holland to name Ihon Leidan A ranke Anabaptist hauing got acquaintance with the preachers assotiated kept company with them after familiaritie among thē being well knowne to the cōmons he inueighed openly against the state At which time one Herman Stapred as preuie to the drift of his fellowe Rotman linked him self at length with the rest it was that Stapred the was scholler to Henrick Rolly which a little before was executed at Vtreight for the opinion of Anabaptisme but it grew to so great inconueniēce here with them of the city that the senate banished al the pack of thē yet the subtiltie of these men preuented the intent of the wise Senate neither departed they but kept secretly in holes corners went priuely to the followers of their sect lurked there for a space taught in the night preached in priuat places vsed conuēticles gathered cōpanies the the nūber of thē in the end increased aboūdātly And then hauing gotten the vpper hande came in the diuilish deuice of running vp downe in the stréetes as though they had been inspired with a kinde of prophesie Then began one Kniperdoling with other lay mē to vse expoundings interpretations and diuinations Woemen were prophets and spake openly in congregations Good preachers were exiled and in their steede came vp the ofscowring of the Citie and then began ciuil warre and murther discention and confusion of the state For my owne part I iudge Christianly and the Lord God looke vpon me in the same yet this I think that the Lorde being angry hath somewhat care long to say vnto vs And for the thing it selfe he that hath but one eye may séewhat marke it is they shoote at for the state the lawes the common wealth if their request bee graunted cannot stande And as in the reigne of Emperour Charles the firste began moste bloodie broyles by auarice and herisie that sprange vp So in espetiall it was seene in that vnlucky Westphalia when heapes of deade men lay scattered in the stréetes and the bodies of their Emperours were vnburied when the Senate was expelled euery one that ought priuat grudge ware a dagger in his sleeue to cut his neighbours throte And all things were in common when this heresie was spreade in many places thorow out Germanie that if was lawful for euery one to kill his enimie That is flatte against that I haue in hand Forgiue vs our trespaces as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. For that same Iellowzie in Elyas That called to heauen and was heard of the Lorde and fire came downe and consumed those he cursed Is no sufficient argument to confirme that errour For when thou art a Prophet and canst tell what is to come when thou hast suche commaundement from the Lord and art assuredly mooued by the Spirite when thy life is sought and God wil bee reuenged on them that mocke thée when the prophets be despised and any seeke there death and thou also hast an assured warraunt from the LORD I will agrée with thée But if Christ when he was dispised of them in Samaria and could haue cast of the dust of his feete against thē reuenged not againe If he checked Iames Iohn that asked if fyre should come downe from heauen to distroy them when he went from Galilee to Ierusalem you may know e well it was an extraordinarie thing God would haue done he vsed not the naturall wayes on earth to fulfill his minde What if Peter destroyed Ananias and Saphira his wife and cursed them to death Are you Apostles as they were Did you euer sée Christe haue you commaundement to do signes and wounders and to heale and foretell or if you drinke poyson will it not hurt you if this commaundement was neuer giuen you your reason quayleth But if God will haue his indignation and furie to be shewen vppon the vesselles of wrath If he will not spare the hipocrite but vnlace his
Christ And so Paul prayed that the Tēpter which was giuen him that he shoulde not waxe proude after such time be was wrapte vp into the thirde heauens might be taken from him And Christ gaue vs an example hereof in Math. Father take away this Cuppe from me if it be thy will. In another place Therefore came I into the world that by my death I might saue some Or that I might drinke of this Cuppe And this he did for our example for of him selfe he was stroung enough and he knew what should happen but being man he tooke vpon him our in firmities and bare our greife and as for our aduersitie the first kind of temptation it can not be but profitable séeing that God will not suffer those that bee his to bee tempted aboue that they bee able to beare And Iames. 11. Thinke it a greate ioy my brethren so often as you fall into temptation seeing you know that the tryall of your faith bringeth patience and pacience maketh a full end or consummation of all And Dauid Happie is he that suffereth temptation for because when hee is tryed hee shall receiue a crowne of life which God hath promised to them that loue him There is also a temptation whiche is of Sathan Maister Gualter in Luke Pag. 286. Calleth the deuill a tempter he fetcheth it from out of the scriptures which in déede you shall finde in many places His reason is good Assidue varieque molitur vt nos a Deo abducat per incredulitatem aut peccandi licentiam male perdat 1 Continually doth the deuill goe about to seduce vs from the Lorde that by incredulitie and by licentious life he may destroy vs Therefore in this place it is well noted where hee is saide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tempter And here it is that wee call him Sathan which is the Hebrew and signifieth an enimie And so he is called in Zacharie 3. He shewed mee Iehosua the high preist standing before the Angell of the Lord to resist me And the Lord said to Sathan the Lord reprooued thée thou Sathan that is thou enemy to man And in Iob the children of God came stoode before God and Sathan was among them that is their enimie And so when the sonns of Seruia came vnto Dauid and would haue had execution done Dauid aunswered what haue I to doe with you you children of Seruia you are this day vnto me as Sathan an enimie For they thought to slea Semei to make it a bloudy day to Dauid And so is he called Diavolous a deuil that is an accusar and so it is in the Reuela 12. The old Serpent which is called the Deuil and Sathanas that is your accuser and enimie is cast forth Then wee pray here against temptations That is he woulde not let vs be snared or swallowed vp by the subtiltie and wilinesse of the deuil This is the end hereof That as Caluin Propiae infirmitatis nobis conscii dei presidio defendi nos sciamus That being guiltie of our owne weakenesse wee might be fostered or stayed by the helpe of the Lorde that we may stande assured against all engynes of of Sathan For therfore it is spoken that we may knowe all things happen by the prouidence of God that we were in extréeme miserie and ouercame by the wilinesse and subtiltie of this enimie of ours if hée reared vs not and lifted vs not vp in his Christe Aug. in his booke De Natura gratia Ca. 58. thinketh thus Vt resistamus diabolo precamur vt aufugiat Diabolus cum dicimus Ne nos inducas in temptacionem The Aucthor agaynst the two Epistles of Pelagius Lib. 4. Cap. 9. doth bring out of Cyprian this Exposition when it is sayde Lead vs not into temptation Wée are admonished of our imbecility weakenesse For it is sayd watch and pray that you enter not into temptation A reason is adioyned the Spirit is willing the flesh is weake and this is least wée shoulde be puffed vp insolently Cyprian vppon the Lordes Prayer gathereth a verygood lesson The author of vntrueth and our aduersarie the diuell can doo nothinge without Gods permission And therfore all our feare and our trembling is to be layde vpon the Lorde for that in all temptations the wicked man can do nought vnlesse hee haue powre from god Where I desire you to cōsither with mée two things First the disposition of the wicked for their reason is hée leadeth vs into Temptation hée is therfore the Aucthor of sinne The godly man hée sayth hée leadeth vs into temptation Sée first what a louing Father wée haue how good a God hée trieth vs and prooueth vs hee suffereth vs not to bée tempted aboue our strength For in his goodnes by his Scourges hée reclaymeth vs That which I giue to vnderstand is this The godly take all things to the best for their Saluation The wicked wrest and wreath all manner of Gods works all his dealings to their reprobation For this Heresye grounded out of this place God tempteth vs hee is therfore the Aucthor of sinne I will confute it bréefely Thrée kindes of men I finde here that peruerte and turne the meaninge of the Spirite of God. The first is detestable and derogating from the Maiesty of the Lord. And it is of the Libertines touched also before That hurle and thrust vpō the Lord all their offences al their wicked malitious deedes and make him the Author of sinne The second opinion is of learned and wise Fathers whom I reuerence for their skill and honor for their guiftes Yet holde I not with them in that they are faulty they thinke that God hardneth and stifneth the hartes of men And that hée is the cause of sinne yet so that the same which is malice in man raysed vp by God is perfectnes in him That hée punisheth sinne by sinne yet are they affrayd to graunt that hee worketh in all The third kinde is of them that interprete thorow the whole Volume and Booke of God thus Hée suffereth him to fall he permitteth him to offēd Hée letteth them goe astray and going so nicely to worke thinke they shall escape all hinderaunces thereby to detracte any thinge from the Maiesty of the Lorde Of these some one of them must they cannot all bée true It is an excellente Argumente that I finde in Augustine in his questions Deus non est aucthor vllius rei qua homo fit deterior c. God is not the Aucthor of any one thing in man for which hée is worse But by sin men are the worse then God is not the aucthor of sin Hée that is the punisher of offenders and a distroyer of those he malefactors and consumer of sutch as run in sinne hée cannot bée sinfull or the Aucthor of sin God punisheth offenders and destroyeth malefactors and is a flame of fier to the wicked then God is
not the Aucthor of sinne Hée that sendeth his Prophettes to reclayme them And his Preachers to winne them And his word to bring them And his Christ to serue them is not the Aucthor of sinne God it is that sent his Prophets to feede them And his Minysters to instructe them And his Gospell to renewe them And the life of his Sonne for the lyâ—â— of vs all to bring vs to eternall life Then God is not the Aucthor of sinne The Sun might turne him selfe and take his seate in Cancer And the Moone coulde pause and stay hir swifte Voiage which shée kéepeth beefore I shoulde faile in this I will not then beate so mutch on this Iron The Scripture teacheth vs reason leadeth vs Experience guideth vs Nature it selfe directeth man to this That hée whiche sitteth vpon the Cherubins and taketh the Heauens in his arme and stretcheth forth his legges towardes all the corners of the earth and looketh so fiersly vp on the Sonnes of men and iudgeth accordinge vnto equity and hath his Loynes girte with a Siluer Gyrdle and his legges of Brasse That commaundeth the Sunne the Moone and the Starres and theydare not resist him That sayth dooe this and they dooe it And so gloriouslye reygneth on the earth and sendeth his Ministers of flaminge fier to consume the wicked and hath his Habergions and instrumentes of Iron for the vngodly against the day of wrath It séemeth to mée very vnreasonable that any one man béeing neuer so mutch blinded should not sée his Maiesty his brightnes his perfection his guidance his gouernment his Aucthoritie his rule to bee perfecte to bée pure to bée vnspotted to bée glorious and excéeding comely euen in the créeping wormes Then let this suffise to stay vpon for the libertine and outlaw and denyer of the godhead of our Lorde That hee erreth hee is deceaued hee findeth it amisse That God either is or can bee the Aucthour of sinne The Maniches with the Martianistes that are dependant hereon haue small inheritaunce with the Lorde that haue deuided his kingeâ—ome and giuen a Regimente to a good God and an other to an euill God and cut him in péeces as it were and depriue him of his right that is due vnto him Agaynst whom it were a long disputation for his prouidence and his rule are depending hereon it is more requesite for him to handle that hath the Oares the Sea at liberty then for mée that runne in so narrowe a streame This I say as all things were made created by onely one true and eternall God to fulfill that in Genesis In the beginninge God created Heauen and earth And in Iohn In the beginning was the word the worde was with God and God was the worde all things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made And by him were all things bothe in heauen and in earth visible or inuisible Whether they be Maiesties or Lordships eyther rules or powers All thinges were created by him and for him he was before all thinges and in him all thinges consisteth It is therefore Sacriledge and breach of the powre of the Lord to giue any thinge vnto any other or make his powre equall with the works of his hands that framed and fashioned all at the beginning But now to the seconde opinion As for these wée leaue them to the Lord the at his comming in the Heauens will looke vppon them whom they shall wel know to bée maker and Creator of all when the Element shall melte with fier and the Heauens fold like a Scroll And all that is in heauen and in earth obay him For the bréefe instruction hereof I will aunswere two Argumentes in this second cause One is this Adams sinne was iniquitie God willeth none iniquitie Therefore God willed not Adam should sinne If he willed not sinne then he doth not wil it nowe for he is now as he was then And to this tendeth the next He that doth the wil of God pleaseth God. Adam in breaking the commaundement pleased not God. Therefore God willed not he should sinne And Pigghius a bastarde diuine The Iewes in crucefying Christ did that God would That God would deserueth not death That which deserueth not death is not sinne That is not sinne is not to be punished Then the Iewes in dooing that God woulde be not to be punished And nowe I require yee to giue me leaue a little and marke my spéech I doubt not but you wil sée and confesse with me the power of the Lords that out of that is euill can bring that is good to fulfill his will. Wherein I can not meruaile that Ierome stucke so stifely in the deniall of his prouidence and did not thinke that he was busied in small trifles or had to do with matters of little valewe And I note the blindenesse of our Papistes with whome Phillip Melancton bare was very frée and ernest in this and a man fearefull by nature gaue place vnto the papists in more things then this But for my owne part I teach thus this doctrin not in my owne name but in the Lords as hauing glened it by corne and corne from the most excellent best learned men vnder the Sunne of late days for God hath giuen vs more light then to them in former age in flourishing state among men Out of whose life I confesse my self to haue borowed much if ought the it be I possesse And Zwinglius and Oecolampadius the two lights very starres of their time are witnesse here Martinus Luther Martinus Bucer men of singuler learning and wisedome shall testifie the same and I call to witnesse in this behalfe Petrus Martyr and Iohannes Clauine of which two for sundry sciences for readines and liuelinesse in witte for eloquence and handsome handling of the scriptures no one can bee compared of late daies to them the LORD God did manifest him self so plainly to them I offer you there fore taken from these men my iudgement opinion to the thrée former argumentes To the first The will of any one is saide to bee of these sortes We are said to will a thing when we appoint and ordeine any thing to be done though we bee not partaker of the deede and delight not in the same The seconde Wee also are saide to will when we with or desire or delight or take pleasure or ordeine or constitute or ioy or thinke it good or estaeme it as comely or mainteine the same The third Wee are said to will a thing vppon the contraritie thereof For not forbidding it it commeth to passe we are often times said to be willing vnto it But as for the Lorde the God of hoastes he worketh by an other way and his iudgement is aboue the capacitie of man For God wrought not naughtines in Adames heart first But ordeined that sathan moued by his owne cankered and corrupt nature
euill before as vvith vs. Custome of theÌ„ in India to pray in Aegipt in Barbarie Errours of diuerse that like not our temples Argument taken from traditions Zenon of Gaza A temple built at Edessa to saint Thomas Question â—oued The Surplesse vvhich keepeth men fâ—â—â— church Great abuse littlevse vvheÌ„ men so vvillingly abuse the Lord. Disorders iâ— our church Reason to keepe the Church though the Surplesse bee vvorne No excuse for ceremonies that bee indifferent Our puplike prayer is to be referred in espetiall to the Sabboth Three causes of the celebration of the Sabboth by Gods appoyntment The straight nes that God vsed for sutch as brooke the Sabboth Controuersy that is about the day of the Sabboth The true vse of the Sacraments and hovv to bee esteemed Though vve neuer reccaue the Sacraments vvee may be saued yet for al thâ—g custome appoynted by God is to beâ— kepte The manner of priuate prayer In publique prayer agreement is to be made of necessitie Their euâ—ome and maner in the time of Baâ—ll Athanâ—sâ—uâ— record Praecise maners they be vn manerly novv Concilium Nicenum Much striuing small Christianitie in a number of these Hovve to prepare our selues to praye the last parte of this booke The 〈◊〉 thing in our preparacion to prayer it to be humble and lovvly in heart The manner of vvorlingâ— and of hypocrites Humilitie in all at comming to prayer Psal. 25. Dan. 9. Gen. 8. The state of such as dissemble The perfection of the man of God. Rom. 10. Luke 7. Mark. 9. For that the Infidest and the Panim the vngodly do thinke they haue fayth I haue therfore put in this diuisioÌ„ or disterence which is in fayth â–ª The Heruâ—â— the workâ— of his handes doo declare there is a God. Brutishnes in the â—â—ntâ—â—ies and sâ—ch as know not God. Esay 6. Diocletiam vvorshipped as a God The blindenes and hardnes of harte for their incredulite vpon the Gentilles The end of the election in man at his calling to be godly c. The Gospell bringeth in all trueth vvipeth avvay all idolatrie and all supeâ—stition all blindnesse errour and teacheth vs to knovve God. Gen. 4 Gen. 21. Gen. 37. Wicked men infidels stroken vvith feeling of Gods iudgemeÌ„ts though else they knovv him not therein shevv that they deserue death and condemnation A dead faith 1 King. 12. Theodoret of Cyrus Blindnes iâ— the heretikeâ— The order in double dealers Ioâ—h 7. 1. Sam. 2. 1. King. 16. 1. King. 13. This euill life maketh all the pomp and boasting of our common striuers to vanish avvay The very vvicked are preserued kepte for the good mans lake This kinde taketh avvay the hope that is in Anabap. in papistes in the inchauntresse in the vngodly Crisostom 〈◊〉 Theophilact vpon thiâ— Prophesing and miracles and signes a tryall oftentimes of his people Miracles theâ— be◠〈◊〉 signes they be no certâ—ya tokens of lyâ—e Simon magus estemed as God with the Samaritans A bufiue â—â—gument 〈◊〉 froÌ„ Ciprian The villany of the pope Hildebrand The peeuish nes of their reason appeareth Error is shevved by example Dregges of Popery in â—apistes Trifling bookes of sluggish idle priestes SaluatioÌ„ only in a liuely faith Faith vv â— is for a tiâ— The vn tovvard and vnfearned reason of a popish prelat The true fight of the faithful man To be faithful for a time to reuolt is a signe of reprobation how euer xvc cloak it Time trieth and persecution iudgeth of the good golde and then shall the drosse be knovven poperie thâ—â— vvas once iâ— England 1. King. 2 〈◊〉 2. King. 10. 2. King. 23. Iudg. 11. There is falshed and vvickednes euen in those that professe the Gospell Eph. 6. These vveapons shevve not thy man lynes but goâ—lynes Readines in praying steadines in perseuering and vvatchfulnes in thy dealings bee trevv tokens of iustefiyng fayth Thâ—e things to bee required in a iulcesting fayth A man hopeth that beleeuâ—th not but hee that hath fayth hath assured hope A sight and vevv efhope before vvee come to faith A true and infallable signe of sayth Starters from the truth Examples oâ— the true iustesiyng fayth by this from Christe The Spirit that is guide and leader of all such as feare the Lorde The spirite is only retayned by prayer Gen. 4. A reason thaâ— vve are not iustified by good vvorkâ— The profite and commo ditie that vve haue by faith Without grace vvithout the operation and vvorking of the Lorde vvee fall to the ground Our faith hath adioyned to the knovvlege therof three things A good token of a true Israelite to be a hearer of the vvorde and is also verie often a couering for the vvicked to cloak him vvithall Papistes runners abroade and greate seekers after Bulles and pardons no follovvers seekers of the vvorde of God Papiâ—es that looke for a day An exhortation to those yong schollars to vvhoÌ„ this same vvas vvriten As God hath made vs so vvill hee bee honored for vs Comlynes 〈◊〉 commended by Paull elâ— eucry man vvill haue his custome theÌ„ shall there be no order This dealing and dalying precisenes yet vvickednes in greater matters is abhorninable These and such like bee common with vs. More amendment and les iudgement of others is good All order contempned vvith vs. Obedience is superstition vvhere vvisdoÌ„ is vvantinge Signes are to kens no necessary assuraunces of our saluatioÌ„ Hee that forsaketh not the vvorks is the Seruaunt of the Diuell and hee hath no portion in Christe Wee are of the Church euery man is not the Church In speaking dissembling in brotherhood falsehood in thy actions nought else but factions they be tokens of impietie no Christiamtie The conâ—eÌ„pt of Magistracy is the only token of one that is carclesse Fâ—llinge so grosely and cauilling so dispightfully is a small token of Christiany tie If errors bee not taken in time they will neuer be Seared or weeded out will death Al iudgment is to bee deferred to the Lorde but no authority is giuen to mâ—â— A general repeticion of things contayned in this Booke All our traâ—aile in this life all our paine it is made ioy pleasure vnto vs in Christ The differeÌ„ce in the prayiÌ„ng of our forfathers the contrarie aic in ours They prayed as for one they looked for vve pray as thankfull vnto him in that vve haue receiued him God is our father in that he is the father to his sonne Christ and God to vs in that vve are his brethren God spake vnto our fathers but roughly to vs familiarly by the man Christe The heauens may passe avvay but the loue of God vvill neuer faile his children The death of Christe sealed our redemption fully and made accoÌ„plishment for our sinus The letters patents vvee can shevve or our â—nheitance The loue of God is seene in the vse of all his creatures the heauens the earth c. No excusâ— can be admitted for thy negligence in the seruice of the Lord.
there hath bin darkenes and ioy vvhere sorrovv and truth vvhete vvas ignoraÌ„ce so out of the kindome of Satan is the kingdome of Heauen made more glorious and better accepted among men The vvicked hee blindeth the godly hee stirreth vp by his temtations he doth make those that be the Lordes more vvarye God neâ—â—â— forsaketh hist but in desperate cases vseth mightily to restore hiâ— children God vvilhaâ—e his to mourn a season that they may be glad and reâ—oyce vvith great honor No trueth is in his lippes but falshod and lyes be the vveapons of the diuell Of euill Parents often times good children and of an euill stocke good branches yet onely the vvill of God that is tyed vnto no person God is not tyed to the greatest number but hee taketh vvhere he pleaseth and chooseth vvhere he listeth God seeth 〈◊〉 and in due time executeth his fierce vvrath Prayer refiss teth all troubles and if vve vvere at the dore of death yet are vve deliuered by it This serpent vvith many heads God vvill bring dovvne and you shall see him treden vnder foote The Pope vvil fall ere long and his time as it is but short so it is the easier to be borne as he is novve rent torne in peeces and his legges also and feete almost cut off The enimies backbite the vvorde and God and the Gospel if any fall neither knovve they hovv out of their fall ther commeth vp strength and abey the better armed Our strife is for trifles albeit great shevve be made of conscience all men may see hovv small â—â—nscience these haue vvhich leaue their vocatioÌ„ their calling the church the faithfull contemning brotherly felovvship absent them from preaching and hearing the vvorde and distike al but such as they vvould haue this is puritie vvith securatie Very subtil is Sathan seeketh by all meanes to suppresse religion euen by couler of Religion This diuisioâ— came in but of late yeares and Sathan mightely preuailed I knovv not vvhat this precise life meaneth this dealinge vvilleth but I knovv it is against the vvill of God. Flyinge from the Church ronninge froÌ„ preaching so small frequentinge of the Temple on the saboth vvil cause the Lord to take his Gospell from vs. It is filthy wheÌ„ priuate men become Preachers God taketh to him no man can take from him Gods loue vvas seen before the vvorld in electing vs at the creation in giuing to vs in the vvorld in calling vs then in Christ in redeeming vs and it vvilbee fully shevven in beâ—uen vvhen he crovvneth vs. All things do appertaing to the Lorde for he vvas made all in all for vs. Wee haue no glorie but in Christ nor kingdoÌ„ but in Christ noâ— honour but in Christ therefore are vve joyfull glad onely in Christ Faith finisheth and disposeth all things An instumeÌ„t to vvorke vvith all sharper then any svvord to deuide the vvorde of life Though god defer long yet hee vvill pay vs in the ende Man vveake of him selfe vngodlye he is perfited and chauÌ„ged by the Spirit of God. The time it is appointed vvhen vvee shal come to God beefore that vvee are as men in this vvorlde drovvned in sin and vvies kednesse If the conteÌ„pt of this be death vvhat shall become of them that do contempt it The ordinarie meane to come to God is by hering by this life by life God in him our heauen and our saluation and our life The loue of the father is the loue of his Christ that came for man dyed that out of death there might spring foorth life to all beleeuers No man is crowned if he haue not runne for it no man hath it if also hee win it not no man doth win it bntby strength no man is strong but in God so that wee must stay til God giue vs povver that we may haue the victorie Althings are giuen to knowe God but these are giuen to knowe God our neighbour our selues and his Christ in whome wee finishe and end all The ende of our prayer is that the king dome of God his Christe may shine darkenes and popery and dregs of superstition may bee abolished The kingdoÌ„e of God. Nothinge so accepted to the Lord as a vvillinge and ready minde to serue him M. Gualter Ciprian Pelagius con dempned heare The obedieÌ„ce of creatures to the Lorde doth continu ally checke vs that dâ—scbay him break his commauÌ„dements The life of man is for a time but he that feareth God liueth for euer The incomprehencible vvisedome of God and the vveakenes of man. Gods prouidence in guiding and prouiding for al. Two kindes of Heretickes bee condempned here the housholde of faith Free vvill men banished by this place MaÌ„ striuinge vvith God is as a beast but vvhen he fighteth vvith him he vanisheth as doth the dust Simon Magus the beginner of the houshold of faith some call it the family of loue The beastlinesse of man drovvned in sinne Carpocrates heresie Prodicus errour Donatistes their fall In time of peace men do occupie them selues vvith idle questioÌ„s and among those that thinke them selues purest are greatest â—eresies The house hold of faith brought in among the â—ermans A reason that vve all do sinne this man doth erre The sinneof the elect are not to death but falling they rise again by grace The imbecilitie and fall of the faithfull The godly are neuer cast off the vvicked vvhen they stande fall dovvn to hell The spirit of God is not tied to man but man is â—ied to the spirit Three kindes of operation and vvorking by the spirit Reason that man ruleth not the spirite of God. A comparisoÌ„ vvith the Fathers and our men that in all manner dealings crye out that it is the spirite of God. The dumbe creatures are a vvitnesse against vs that obay the Lord yet man doth not MaÌ„ on earth is a straunger but kept of the Lorde till the daye of iudgement Error and faulte of a false argument The fall of man is for tvvo endes to knovv his ovvne vveaknes to praye the more earnesty Heresy of the Persians Their false conclusion taken avvay Argumentes to proue that vve bee ful of sin and that hee vvhich continueth therin shall die the death The Famely of Loue condempned The doctrine of Balaam Nicolitans that make other mennes vviues coÌ„moÌ„ condempned Manlynes is beastlynes humanity is villany vvheÌ„ grace vvanteth Nazianzon Ambrose Epiphanus that doth alovve mariages Ierom. Basill Athanasius The revvarde of sin is death The abuse of our men that vsurpe the glorie of god and edifying and suffer all things and he accounted as vvicked that misti keth them This errour is common but as God loueth the good and the godly so he hateth the vvicked and the sinners they be not the Lordes In this age increased this grosle ignorance after Christ the fourth age Iudges take heede hovve you admitt othes for this herisie is commonly sprong vp it is