fol. 8. a. lin 22. make a full poynt at him 10. a. li. 14. for his put in Gods. 10. b. lin 17. for the put in these lin 21. put this poynt at murther and remoue that part of the parenthesis to life in rhe next line 11. a. li. 5. and 6. thus point it to god he c sinne yet c 15. a. 15. poynt it thus adoption 15. b. poynt it thus li. 9. Iewes lin 11. estimation lin 13. insuing Fo. 16. a. for world point it worlde 17. a. in the title for the holy Ghost put the Sonne for 19 put 17. 18. a. for fo 20. put fo 18. li. last for them put them 18. b. lin 21. put our after touching 19. a for 17. put 19. and in the margent agaynst the sixte line thou must put a note that that treatice which lasteth till th end of the thirde page comprehendeth the whole discourse of the sconde booke 19. b. li 1 for of the Sonne put of God the father the Sonne lin 11. for man on the. c. put man all other creatures in heauen earth and hell on the one side and al fantasies of oure owne brayne on the other c. 20. a. for 18. put 20. 21. a. lin 12. put worketh it in them lin 18. for inwarde put inwarde 22 b in the margent for cases put causes 24 b lin 8. put of yll lin 12. nothing 25. a. put them when 26 a lin 21. you may put this note in the margent Fol 19 a b 20 a. But afterwarde more largely in the seconde booke in the Tree of lyfe b. agaynst the fourth line you maye set this note in the margent Which also are more largely set foorth in the next booke in the Tree of Death lin 15. for put by man c. say put by eyther the creatures of God or so much as their own fancies that so c. 27 a. lin 2 for selues or other put selues or others b. lin 20. for setting put setling 29. for 31. put 29. b. The text of Scripture apperteineth not to that only place but to the whole booke and shoulde haue bene set last of all In the second booke 30. after the text of scripture in suche bookes as bookes as haue not the place quoted put in Eccle. 13. d. 12. 13. 31. for 29 put 31. b lin 21 for Region put Religion 33 lin 9 for selues poynt it selues b lin 7 spring 34 a lin 10 at It req beginne a new section 20. Saintes 21 selues 34 b in the title The fyrste Commaundemente Which falt thou muste amende once more in that commaun and twise in the seconde 35 b lin 1 for mankinde on c. put in mankind and all other creatures on the one side and all conceites of our owne on the other We geue c. In the margente reade mankinde and all other creatures on the one side that others c. 39 b lin 6 for lawe put lawe 40 a li 8 for as put and. blast line for Eercises put Exercises 43 b in the 12 line of the note put sense 44 b lin 6 put out in 46 b in the note lin 24. reade thus nor to them neither 47 b. lin 2. done 49 a lin for put lin 15 these lin 16 this lin 23 for ben put bent 51 b for rest put rest 52 a lin 15 for put 53 b in the margent lin 29 for both in c put in the Braunches of both the Trees that bet c. 55 a li 4 for put li 5 for the seconde put 56 a lin 20 for put 62 b lin 24 for L put l. 64 b in the title for sixt put seuenth A SHORT SVMME of Christian Religion vnder the consideration of the three persons in the Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Isa. 44. d. 24. Mat. 28. c. 19. I the Lorde doo all thinges mee selfe alone Goe ye therefore and teache all Nations baptizyng them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost A short Summe of Christian Religion vnder the consideration of the three persons in the Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost AS it is verye true that God onely is the Lorde and the only doer or worker of al so may the whole body of Christian Religion be geuen forth in suche a methode or forme as that the whole glory of all may well be gathered only to him In so muche that as there are three distinct Persons in the Godhead so likewise may the effect or summe of all Religion be distributed into three such principall partes as may very fitly bee sorted to euery of them and so the whole glory of all left only to god And those principall parres of Religion which we meane to attribute one to the Father an other to the Sonne the thirde vnto the holy Ghost are First the secrete purpose of God or what he should meane in ordering this world and all things therein in such sorte as he hath secondarily the bringing forth of that his purpose or the manifestation of it thirdly by the working of the same in others directing or framing all thinges to the due accomplishment therof The Person of the Father VNto the Person of the Father I attribute the secrete counsaile or intent or purpose of the Godhead as touching his ordering this worlde and all thinges therein in such sort as it hath pleased him to ordeine them Which purpose of his was as the sequele therof and many places of scripture declare to make knowne not man or other creatures but only him selfe As touching which knowledge or making of him selfe knowne there are threee principall thinges to be considered First what maner of knowledge of him it is that he would geue forth of him self Secondarily in whome he woulde be knowne Thirdly and last of all by what degrees he woulde haue this knowledge of him to be in man. As touching the firste and principall of â—hese three we haue to consider that it is not that absolute or most full and perfect knowledge of him which can be in none â—ut onely in him selfe but a certaine meâ—iocritie or suche as might come vnder â—ur capacitie For that he ment not to geue forth that absolute knowledge of â—im in the workemanship of this world â—t may sufficiently appeare for that neiâ—her is the workemanshippe of this world a sufficient demonstratioÌ„ of it neiâ—her are we of that creation or nature â—hat we are able so muche as to conceaue â—t That I deny the workemanshippe of â—his world to be a sufficient demonstraâ—ion of it the reason is this because it is â—f so small continuaunce that it can not â—herin expresse the eternitie of the Godâ—ead and of so small compasse that it can â—ot therin expresse his Vbiquitie or vnâ—easurablenes That I deny vs to be of that capacity thaâ— we are able to conceiue it the reason is because we can in no wise be able cytheâ— in the shortnes of our
dayes to measure his eternitie or in the narrownes of our vnderstanding to comprehende him tha◠is Infinite The mediocritie of this knowledge tha◠I speake of or such as may come vnde◠our capacitie may for a further playnenes sake be distributed into these three parts the first of such thinges as most properly concerne the person of the Godhead th◠seconde of certayne other excellencies which are somewhat further of from the substaunce of his person the thirde o◠suche thinges as concerne his will and pleasure Of the first sort are these First that there is a god Secondarily that there is no other but He alone Thirdly that he is not of any set compasse bodely shape o◠earthly nature but Infinite Spirituall and Inuisible Fourthly that in the Godhead there bee three distincte Persons wherof the first is of the Father vnder which we consider the Godhead as he is in his owne nature not yet beeing made manifest or declaring him selfe The seconde of the Sonne vnder whiche Person we consider the selfe same Godhead made manifest or opening him selfe to be knowen of others who therfore is called the Speache the Image and the Sonne of the Father The thirde of the holy Ghost vnder whiche we consider the selfe same God but working in others that the Father may be knowen in hys Sonne or whiche is the same that the Godheade may be seene in his Image Fiftely that these three Persons are but one and the selfe same God for that there is none that can expresse the Godhead or bring to passe that he be knowē in others which are the properties of the Sonne and the holy Ghost but onely God and the selfesame which in other respect is the Father Sixthly or last of all that the Godhead is Eternal or Euerlasting that is hath euer bene without beginning can neuer haue any ending neither yet any chaunge or alteration Of the seconde sorte that is of those other excellencies that are euer somewhat farther of from the substaunce of his person and yet can neuer be seperated from the Godhead are very many but yet are suche as may very well come vnder one cheefe and generall title which is of his most excellent maiestie or incomparable glorie and this inestimable glorie of his appeareth two maner of wayes Firste because him selfe is incomprehensible then because he is of vnspeakable goodnes Incomprehensible he is found to be for that he is not of bodily shape earthly nature or set compasse but inuisible spirituall and infinite Good also he is two maner of wayes firste in him selfe then towardes others In the former respecte he is sounde to be good for that he is full of all perfection most holy moste mightie most riche and euer-lasting His holinesse is suche as that neither is therein him selfe any steyne or possibilitie to fall thereinto neither can he lyke of any sinne in others neither in the worse not in the better As touching his power there be two thinges to be considered howe greate or large it is and what are the braunches thereof The largenesse of his power appeareth in these foure poyntes that he made mayneteyneth and guydeth what so euer creatures there are in heauen on earth or in hell hath all thinges euer before hys eyes whether paste present or yet to come whether open or hidde hath all powers subiecte vnto him in heauen earth and hell and him selfe is almightie or so fully able to doe what soeuer standeth with his good pleasure that worthely he may be termed as in deede he is and none but he the onely Lorde or Master of all The braunches of his power are these two his vnsearcheable wisedome in diuising and ordering of all thinges and his inuincible strength in bringing to passe that euery thinge falleth out as his wysedome before ordeyned His Riches or treasures are most inestimable for that him selfe alone hath all good thinges in his owne handes whether Bodily or Ghostly momentaine or eternall Eternall or euer-lastinge needes muste hee be for that hee neuer hadde anye Beginning neuer can haue any ending neither yet is subiect to any chaunge or alteration As touching his goodnes in the other respect that is as it issueth foorth towards others there be two principall braunches thereof his iustice and mercy Vnto his iustice it doth apperteyne that he is Ielous on his owne behalfe Righteous towards others that is true in his sayings vpright in his iudgemēts in his vengeaunce seuere with cōuenient moderation Vnto his mercy doo apperteyne these three his patience or suffering when the offence is eyther great or els deserueth speedy vengeaunce his free pardoning and all other his fauourable dealing His fauourable dealing stretcheth to all but by diuers degrees very much to all inferior creatures much more to all mankinde but most of al to his chosen people Of the thirde and laste sorte are suche thinges as apperteine to his will or pleasure which will of his hath a double consideration First what it is in it selfe which is for the most part vnknowen vnto vs but yet is the rule of absolute equitie Then what it is towards others that he woulde ordeyne to guide according therevnto whiche also is declared to vs two maner of wayes First Summarily or briefly then more at large or more particularly Summarily his will is set foorth vnto vs in the Ten-Commaundementes and in other abridgementes or short summes Whiche kinde of teaching he sometimes vseth both that it may the better appeare what is the effect of particulars and better remayne in freshe remembraunce More at large he instructeth vs in the same throughout all the Scripture besides and that to this ende that we may the better vnderstande those short summes and knowe howe muche matter there is in them if they be rightly vnderstoode As touching the second that is in whō he would be knowne we haue to consider that this glorious knowledge of him can neuer go out of him selfe vntill he haue made wherein it shall shine and him selfe cast thither or therevpon or thereinto rather the beames of his glory And we finde that his purpose was to haue two sortes of creatures in whom this knowlege of him should be Some there should be that should haue it but printed on thē and so should be in steede of bookes vnto others as all other creatures are besides man whether they be Celestial Terrestrial or Infernall Others there should be that should not only haue this knowledge imprinted on them but also should haue the same in suche sorte inuested or grounded within them that they should haue power both in them selues and in others to beholde the Godhead Of this sort keping within the bounds of the workmanship of this world we find none but mankinde alone But as he would haue this knowlege in man so it is therwithal to be knowne that in some to whome it should be to lesse vse whō we terme Reprobates he would haue it but in very
together as behoueth As we are his choyce-flocke he bestoweth on vs an excellent worke For seeing that we are ordeyned or chosen to be an holy people a peculiar inheritaunce a kingdome of priestes and citizens of the kingdome of God therfore doth he frame vs to be suche as may become so holy a calling And yet in such sorte that first as touching naturall corruption he leaueth the same wholly vnto vs wherein notwithstanding is to be considered that as by the force of it we both euer are geuen vnto sinne and also muche and often offend so on the other side doth he so mightely bridle the same that it doth not reigne in vs or is not so strong against vs that it preuaileth to our destruction Then as touching the spirituall working of his grace that we may be decked with conuenient beauty and such excellencies as our selues haue not he doth both lay as it were the foundation thereof and also rayseth vp a goodly building vppon the same The foundation that hee layeth is that he doth effectually call vs or begette vs againe or renue our mindes which cōsisteth in two principall pointes firste that he doth notably translate vs from the barreine and corrupte moulde where before we griewe the original corruption of our nature and that not againste or without our willes but with hartie misliking of our former reprobate wayes Then that he planteth vs in Iesus Christ or graffeth vs into him or into his fleshe or manhood by mistical vnion The building that is layd vpō this foundation cōsisteth of many notable vertues wherof some are Capitall or more generall others more speciall or suche as arise out of those others The general vertues are these first a good a soūd knowledge of the Sonne the holy ghost then a setled a cōfirmed iudgemēt in such things as concerne our saluation forth-with arising out of this knowledge thirdly a feruent a singular loue of God for that we fynd him to be such as he is fourthly to settle our selues wholly in him both for the whole worke of our redemption and for whatsoeuer els we nede last of all such obedience humilitie or pliablenes of mind as that puting by both man one the one side and all other creatures in heauē or earth on the other side we doe a kinde of spirituall Homage or soueraigne seruice to God geuing ouer our selues wholly to him to do whatsoeuer we shall finde that he requireth Those other vertues that are more speciall or goe more directly to some point of our dutie are of two sortes or companies suche as doe concerne that parte of our dutie that the spirite of God in vs worketh forth to Gods owne person and such as it worketh forth towards the common societie wherein we lyue Of the firste sorte there are three Fyrste that we worshippe him not as our selues or others thinke good but onely as him selfe hath appoynted The seconde that the same manner of our worshipping be not counterfet or dissembled but syncere or inwardely suche as outwardely we doo pretende The thirde that to the ende we may attaine therevnto we be not eyther altogether carelesse of the same or but after a common maner bent vnto it but that we be so earnestly set therevppon as that we do very diligētly vse such things as lead therevnto Of the other sort there are lykewise other three whiche are inwardly to beare suche a loue or affection to all and to euery one as that firste we vnite or knitte our selues together to all and to euery one in suche sorte as God shall appoint whether they be Strangers vnworthy or our enemies Secondarily that we studie the preseruation of all and of euery one and that not onely Generally that in all thinges it be well with them but also more specially in these three pointes his wedlocke Substaunce and good Name last of al that we so content oure selues with oure owne estate whatsoeuer it be that we neuer couet to steppe into any others As touching the second poynt that is how farre he worketh in them these most excellent graces we haue to cōsider these two thinges First that in the person of Christ all these thinges be moste absolutely wrought not one iote of them all wanting so that as we are in him we haue moste perfect righteousnes wrought yf not in vs yet for vs and on our behalfe Then that as we consider our selues aparte and yet as we are in Christ it pleaseth God to worke in vs not all those thinges aboue rehearsed nor any greate perfection that commeth neere therevnto but only a certaine mediocritie that is very farre distant in euery poynt euen in those wherevnto we come nerest of all from the perfectiō that here is described and this in some more in some lesse and for the moste part maruelous litle when he worketh these things more abundantly it is to shew forth how litle the corruptiō of our nature is able to preuaile against the power of his grace whēsoeuer he is disposed effectually to worke therby whē he worketh these things so sparingly it is that the glory of his free gift be lesse darkned by the goodnes that he should worke in vs. Concerning the third poynt that is by what degrees he worketh these things in the chosen or faithfull so far as it pleaseth him to work them we haue to vnderstād First of all that he geueth the motion or bringeth to minde that which he is disposed to worke in them Secondarily that he kindleth in them a liking of the same Thirdly that he trameth in their willes a consent and readines to do it Lastly that he worketh in them or bringeth foorth that motion liking and readines to doo it to the deede it selfe As touching the fourth poynt that is by what power he worketh the same we haue to consider that there are a couple of kindes thereof the one inwarde the other outwarde That which is inwarde is the principall and is that mercifull power of God which also is called the grace of Iesus Christ which hauing in vs mystically the like function office or nature as the blood hath with the body or the sappe with the tree doth so make vs fruitfull in such things as are acceptable and welcome to god That whiche is outwarde is the same that he putteth foorth in those Meanes and Helpes whereby he worketh Concerning the meanes that I speake of wee haue to consider these two thinges firste what the meanes are then howe it pleaseth the holy Ghost to worke by them The meanes are foure the worde the Sacramentes the Churche and Gouernement Vnder the worde is to be vnderstoode principally the holy Scriptures that is the Olde and the Newe Testamentes then also whatsoeuer other instruction agreeth therwithall whether it bee Publique or Priuate Publique instruction is that which is geuen in open audience or by publique authoritie as ordinarie Seruice Homilies Sermons Priuate is that whiche passeth in mutuall
only excepted by speciall prerogatiue are yet in the bowels of the earth not able to doe the functions of a body but subiect to rottennes and to corruption laste of all their soules must needes be eyther at rest and blessed and then exempted from the sence knowledge of our miserie heere or in paynes and miserable and so not at leysure nor able to geue any blessednesse to vs If they be such as yet are on earth in this present worlde eyther they are vtterly feuered from vs by distaunce of place and then can they doe vs neither good nor hurte or els they are heere among vs and then are affected towards vs eyther well and Christianlyke and then it is the worke of Gods spirite in them or euill and wickedly and then is the power of the Diuell and their owne naughtinesse coupled together but then as they are vnwilling to do vs good so are they vnable to doo vs hurt or indifferently then neither are they of any desertes towards vs neither are they in dignitie but our equals or of the same mould with vs So that whether they be saintes in heauē or damned soules in hel or men liuing on earth as they are not able to helpe or hurt vs so are they neither Lords nor Ladies to vs in this accompt Concerning other Creatures nedes must they be eyther Angels of heauen or wicked spirites and diuels of hell or others of these corruptible creatures yf they be Angels in heauen then are they ordeined to serue vs as God from time to time shal imploy them are but fellow seruants with vs and haue neither authoritie ouer vs nor any power against vs or with vs yf they be of those diuels or wicked spirites then can they not haue but an yl wil towards vs and yet haue they at all no power against vs yf they be of other corruptible creatures either in the firmamēt or elements aboue or els on the earth or in the waters beneath thē are they in dede the good creatures of god ordeined to our vse but yet all our inferiors made to doe their seruice to vs otherwise in their owne nature but weake and able to doe vs no pleasure at all but when it pleaseth God to worke by them So that these also are neither Lords nor Ladies to vs. The seconde Commaundement THe seconde Commaundement doth shewe what kinde of worshippe it muste needes be as touching the substaunce or mater of it wherewithall God muste be serued of vs so long as we lyue here in this present worlde that is To worshippe him as he hath appointed and none otherwise But of that pece of scripture that goeth vnder the name of the second commaundemēt there be two principall partes the former is the Commaundemēt it selfe the other is the Reason added in the ende to styrre vs vp to kepe this commaundement In the Commaundement it selfe we haue likewise to search out firste what it forbiddeth then what it requireth It forbiddeth first as touching images a couple of Braunches then also the Roote of them and whatsoeuer other Braunches come out of the same The former of the two Braunches that by name are forbidden is to make to our selues or to our vse anie grauen image or the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue on earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth and yet not altogether as namely when they are but historicall ciuile but when they are made to some superstitious ende as eyther to expresse the Godheade or by that meanes to bring him somewhat nerer to vs or to our vse or to stirre vp or kindle in vs any kinde of deuotion or as we commonly say to put vs in a good mynde The other is if it happen we haue made any suche or otherwise light on them to bowe downe vnto them or to worshippe them which may be done eyther for their owne sakes which is the grosser error or for others whome they are made to represent which also is badde ynough And we may bowe downe vnto them or worshippe them two maner of wayes eyther by giuing some actuall reuerence vnto them as geuing a crosse the right hand or yf in fancie we make any accompt of them or haue them in anye estimation The Roote is a principall parte of infidelitie or of the increase that commeth of it which we may call a desperate or a carelesse mind not so soundly resting in the workes of Gods wisedome but that we feare the diuell will runne away with all or at least very much doubt how the matter will go vnlesse we adde somewhat more thervnto or els haue so litle care of his directiō that very easely we go before it The other Braunches that are in like sorte forbidden are many and diuers but suche as may all be reduced to a couple of sortes For whereas our worshippe muste needes be eyther Internall or els Externall howsoeuer we shal happē to worship amisse it must neds apperteyne to one of these kyndes But wheras our Internal or inward or spiritual worshippe hath lykewise a couple of Braunches the one of Honoure the other of Seruice we haue here to take so much more heede how we sort together those Braunches that belonge therevnto Braunches that goe againste his Honour are when we do eyther conceaue any such fancies or opinions as are contrary therevnto or hauing ones conceiued any suche beginne to haue an estimation or a lyking of them As for example To thinke otherwise of God in any point then he hath opened him selfe vnto vs to haue other opinions in pointes of Religion then are set forth in his worde to haue other wayes to helpe our selues eyther in the worke of our Redemption in the whole or in part or in other things that we nede to imagin that things come by happe or chaunce or that some others beare a sway in them and doo not attribute al vnto god to sweare by any other or such lyke Braunches that go againste the Seruice that we owe vnto him are lykewise of two sortes first when we are not in a redines to doo him seruice then when we misse in the deede it selfe Out of a redines may we put our selues yf eyther we hamper our selues vnaduisedly by Vowes Mariage Bondes or Seruice or yf we doo impayre our selues in Minde Bodie or Goodes As touching the deede it selfe that also is double first that whiche belongeth to our Common Calling as we are Christians then that which belongeth to our seuerall Trades or kindes of lyfe In the former of these we offende when we eyther entre into a wrong profession as both the Iewes Turkes doo or when as hauing entred well and taken vpon vs the right profession we doe suche thinges as we are not charged with all as Superstitious or Pope-holy persons vse to do when they do their owne or other folkes workes Coniurours Exorcistes Witches Charmers and suche like when they go about without any