hée doth giue power and strength vnto his in the vertue and power of his woord to roote out breake off destroy and make wast to build vp and plant as he promised in Ieremy and afterward confirmed by the mouth of his sonne sending his Apostles through out the whole world Then let all those bée confounded and put to shame which doe thincke to abolish the true christian religion by force of armes or with a great companie of people or by threateninges For as an auncient author hath very wel written that it is no religion to constraine the religiō the which men ought to receiue with a willing heart our religion cannot be forced and constrayned by force of armes but by woordes As for vs bicause that the Gospell hath bene preached throughout the whole worlde amonge the horrible persecutions of the martyres and that the bloode of them hath bene the séede of the Church yea that the Church is come to her perfection and greatnesse by those persecutions and hath ben crowned by the punishments and witnesses of the true faythfull christians we do make it no doubt to mainteine and defende our religion by the same meanes by the which she hath bene established I doe meane by patience and gentlenesse in such sort that although that our enimies doe yet murmure yet we are assured that the gates of hell shall not ouercome vs forasmuch as the church is the house of God the pyller and ground of truth We doe beléeue also that the persecutions which we do suffer doe not serue for any other thing then to witnesse the tyrannie and crueltie of our enimies and to assure more and more the veritie of our doctrine in our constantnesse and patience Euen as the persecution of Lot did figure none other thing but the vtter subuersion of the Citie of Sodome The affliction of the Israelites did declare and teach none other thing but the wast and destruction of the people of Aegypt to be nigh at hand To conclude the blood of the prophets did demonstrate declare the vengeaunce of God vpon that citie of Ierusalem so goodly and excelent According to that which is saide in Iesus the sonne of Siraach that bicause of vnrighteous dealing wrong blasphemies and diuers deceites a realme shal be translated from one people to an other And sainct Paule doth shewe and declare that the thinges which haue happened vnto him are tourned to the great furthering of the Gospell So that his bands in Christ were famous through out all the iudgement hall and in al other places Insomuch that many of the brethren in the Lord were boldened through his bands and dare more franckly speake the word I do speake vnto those which doe thincke to abolysh the true christian religion by the bloode of the faithfull as some which are so madde and senselesse willing to quench the fire doe put into it oyle For the Lord is come to sende fire on the earth And what desireth he more but that it be kindled If he himselfe hath embraced it in the heartes of the faithful who shall quench it Finally who shall seperate them from the loue of Christ shal tribulation or anguish or persecution either hunger either nakednesse either perill either swoord God forbid for in the same they are more thē vanquished by him which hath loued them Wherefore those are to much deceiued which doe thinck by some meanes whatsoeuer it bée to put out and quench in vs that lyght knowledg of Christ and celestiall veritie and doe not consider that sure loue is mightie as the death and gelousie as the hell her coales are of fire and a very flame of the Lord so that many waters are not able to quench loue neither may the streames drowne it Héere some will saye vnto me that the dooing of the religion ought to mainteine it selfe not by force of armes but by patience and méekenesse who haue moued and stirred vp those of the reformed religion to put themselues with force armes against the tyrannie of their enimies I doe aunswere that as it was lawefull by the olde lawe for the people of God to take weapons against the Philistians Moabites Madianites and other nations contrarie vnto the people of the Iewes then for that they were forced and constrained of them in their religion personnes or goodes Also it hath not bene lesse lawfull vnto those of the reformed religion hauing expresse commaundement of the king to kéepe defend by weapons that which hath bene concluded and determined so holily by the priuie counsayle for the dooing of the religion and the ecclesiasticall pollicie Inasmuch as all was confirmable and agreeing to gods lawe and expresse commaundement of the king who dyd aduowe them to doe the same by many letters and writings Euen as Dauid did take the weapons against Goliath forcing and troubling the people of God. And Gedeon did rise vp against the Madianites for to deliuer his people Iudith against Holophernes willing altogether to destroy and exterminate the Iewes Furthermore if the warre bée lawefull as it appeareth that the LORD did alowe so many warres of the Israelites And our LORD Iesus Christ dyd not despise the estate of the souldiers and of the Centurian In the Gospell chiefly and principally in two thinges weapons may be lawefull As king Alphonsus doth very well declare that is to say for the lawe and for the flocke I doe meane for the religion and the tuition of his person and of hys subiectes and for that the consciences the bodyes and the goodes haue bene forced and compelled euery where and that there was no more redyer helpe for to remedy that disease then to take weapons Not without cause then wée following the expresse commaundement of the king the aduise of the best reformed Churches together wyth the counsell of the most learned straungers of the realme haue taken the weapons for to withstand such iniuries and violences pretending none other thinge but the honoure of GOD the aduauncement of his kingdome and the health of his with the preseruation of the scepter of our king Which if the Painim or Heathen man hath wrytten that men ought to take weapons to the ende that without wrong they maye liue in peace In such sorte that the intente of those whyche doe carie them is none other thing but to séeke peace Who shall bée so shamelesse or madde that dare say that it is euill done to haue vpholden and mainteined by weapons the assaultes and force of our enimies for to liue in rest both of our goodes and of our consciences Furthermore if those children of the Machabeans are praised to haue constantly suffred death for to mainteine the lawes of their countrey shal it be compted vnto vs dishonoure shame to haue bestowed our life and our goodes for to mainteine the lawefull christian lawes of the king Without the
he was not dicomforted but blessed the name of GOD which gaue him grace to suffer for him Let vs leaue off then al such excuses when it is a question to obey the commaundement of the LORD for when the will is readie the powre is lacking Forasmuch as wée doe staye all in the strength of him which hath loued vs bicause that he which is in vs is greater then he that is in the worlde Let vs haue for example that liitle Dauyd who going to fight with that great Goliah measured not his strengthes but the power of him in whose name hée did fight Let vs remember that the Apostles hauing expresse cōmaundement of the Lord to go into a towne that lieth ouer against thē to the ende to vnlose an Asse and hir colte did not consider the difficultnes of the cōmaundement but staying themselues vpon the authoritie of him which commaunded them did execute incontinently their charge When Iesus Christ did send his Apostles thorow out the whole worlde for to preach declare his gospell they regarded not the daungers that might haue happened vnto them by the way the force and puissaunce of the enemies of the crosse of Christe Furthermore they excused not themselues of their ignoraunce but fortefying themselus in this word I wil giue vnto thée a mouth and wisedome to the which your enemies cannot resist did execute incontinently the commaundement of the Lorde Let vs then take example of those whom Iesus Christ hath sometime called for to followe him whereof the one excused himselfe saying suffer me first to burye my father the other sayde suffer me firste to bidde them farewell which are at home at my house Vnto whome the LORD aunswered no man that putteth his hande to the ploughe and loketh backe is apte to the kingdome of god Wherefore when the LORDE doth commaunde vs any thinge or when he doth call vs let vs doe as that good Samuel did who as often times as hée was called of the Lord as often times aunswered I am here for thou diddest call me Or as sainct Paule who sodeinly at the voice of the LORD aunswered What wilt thou haue me doe To conclude let vs kepe simplie that which is commaunded vs for to doe without putting too or taking from the word Dooing not that which seemeth good in our eies but that which God hath ordeined For the Lord doth protest by his Angell vnto euery man that heareth the wordes of the prophesie of this booke that if any man shall adde vnto these thinges GOD shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall minish of the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take awaie his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy Citie and from those thinges which are written in this booke Deuteronomium 30. c. The commaundement which I commaund thee this day is not separated from thee neither farre off It is not in heauen that thou needest to say who shall go vp for vs to heauen and fet it vs that we may heare it and doe it Romaines 10. b. The word is nigh thee euen in thy mouth and in thine heart This is that worde of faith which we preach A Prayer O Lorde which hast made fast for euer and euer all thy commaundements in all truth and equitie and which puttest in man both the will and the desire to fulfill them Teach vs the way of thy statutes and shed and poure into our hearts thy loue through thy holy spirite by the which thou doest helpe our infirmities that we distrusting in our strengthes and despising the assaultes of the flesh the world and the diuel we may stay altogether vpon the loue of him which was once offered vp for vs for to accomplish thy will. And hast made vs more then vanquishers through the victorie which doth surmount the worlde that is to say our faith thy welbeloued sonne our LORD Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer Amen ¶ A BRIEFE DEMONSTRATION vnto those which doe make profession of the true christian Religion and neuerthelesse doe refuse the ecclesiastical discipline wherein is described somewhat the vse fruite thereoff Cap. 15. Psalme 32. d. ¶ I will knowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine vnrighteousnesse haue I not hid And I saide I will confesse my sinnes vnto the Lord and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne 2. Timothe 4. a. ¶ Preach the worde be feruent in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine 2. Corinth d. ¶ So write I nowe beeing absent to them which in times past haue sinned and to all others that if 〈◊〉 come againe I will not spare THe Prophet Ioel did complaine of his people calling them to repentaunce saying Tourne you vnto the Lord with al your hearts with fasting wéeping and mourning rent your heartes and not your clothes and tourne vnto the LORD your God for he is gracious and mercifull long suffering and of greate compassion and readie to pardon wickednesse Then no doubt he also shall tourne and forgiue and after his chastening he shall let your encrease remaine for meate and drincke offerings vnto the Lorde your God blowe out with the trumpet in Sion proclaime a fasting call the congregation and gather the people together warne the congregation gather the elders bring the children sucklings together Let the bridegrome goe foorth of his chamber and the bride out of hir closet Let the priestes serue the Lord betwixt the porch and the aulter wéeping and saying bée fauorable O Lord be fauorable vnto thy people let not thine heritage be brought to such confusion least the heathen be Lords thereof Wherefore should they say amonge the heathen Where is now their God Nowe goe to sayth the Lorde we will talke together It is not so though your sinnes be as redde as scarlet shall they not be whiter then snowe And though they were like purple shal they not be like white woll The Lorde standeth waiting that he may haue mercy vppon you and lifteth himselfe vp that he may receiue you to grace Be conuerted and tourne you cleane from all your wickednesse so shall there no sinne doe you harme Cast away from you al your vngodlinesse that ye haue done make you newe heartes and a newe spirite Wherefore will yee die O ye house of Israel séeing I haue no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lorde God. Tourne you then and ye shall liue Forasmuch then as the voice of the Lorde is commune to all as that of his sonne Iesus Christ hath bene commune who hath sayd Come vnto me all yée that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Take my yoke on you and learne of me that I am méeke and lowly in heart and that God is not parciall But in all people he that feareth him
because they haue not sought after the which was lost but churlishly cruelly haue they ruled ouer theÌ„ And al you which are strong ought to beare the frailnes of the weake him that is weake in the faith take vnto you but not to enter into doutfull disputacions of controuersies againe if any man be falne by occasion into any faulte yée which are spirituall helpe to amende him in the spirite of méekenes considering thy selfe least thou be also tempted Beare ye one an others burthen so fulfill the law of Christ Which if any man obeye not the lawe of Christ send vs word of him by a letter and haue no company with him that he may be ashamed Yet count him not as an enemie but warne him as a brother desiring no other thing then the helth of euery man Euen as Sainct Paul did deliuer the man who committed fornication with his fathers wife vnto Sathan for the destruction of the fleshe that the spirite maye be saued in the daye of the Lorde Iesus In lyke maner Hymmenaeus and Alexander that they do learne no more to blaspheme For I aduise you or let you knowe that he which conuerted the sinner from going astraye out of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hyde the multitude of sinnes To no purpose some menne héere doe alleadge that Iesus Christ and the Apostles haue not alwaies vsed suche modestie and gentlenesse As when Iesus Christ said wo be vnto thée Chorasin wo be vnto thée Bethsaida For if the miracles which were shewed in you had bene done in Tyre and Sydon They had repenâ—ed long agone in sackcloth and asshes Such are the words of S. Iohn towardes the Scribes and Pharises crying against â—hem O generation of vipers who hath taught you to flée from the vengeance to come Bringe foorth therefore the fruites belonging to repentaunce Euen so said S. Paule writing to the Galathians O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not beléeue the truth To whoÌ„ Iesus Christ was described before your eies among you crucified Now we will aunswere briefly that wheÌ„ Iesus Christ or his Disciples or Apostles do rebuke chide and exhort by any seueritie or rigorousnesse of wordes That is not that they do not teach in all gentlenesse of spirite and of doctrine applying themselues to the simpliâ—itie rudenesse or malice of the hearers Wherin is to much manifested the impudencie of those who without any discretion doe laye the heauie burthens and which are not able to be borne vpon mens shoulders and regard not that the Lorde hath regard or respect to him which is of an humble spirite and a broken a contrite heart And that he dwelleth hie aboue and in the sanctuarie and with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirite that hée may heale a troubled minde and a contrite heart these are they which doe let passe the commaundement of God by their ordinaunces and consider not that the commaundements of God are easie and gentle for the righteousnesse which coÌ„meth of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart who shall ascende into heauen that is nothing els then to fetch Christ downe Either who shall descende into the déepe that is nothing els but to fetch vp Christ from death But what saith the scripture the worde is nigh thée euen in thy mouth and in thine heart This worde is the worde of faith which we preach For if thou shalt knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord and shalt beléeue with thine heart that GOD raised him vp from death thou shalt be safe Wherefore let vs lift vp our heartes with our handes vnto the Lord that is in heauen and confesse boldly that we haue bene rebelles and let vs séeke him and let vs retourne vnto â—he Lorde and he will not cast vs awaye â—or euer which if he doe giue vnto vs anguish then he will haue compassion of vs according to his great goodnesse for he doth â—ot punish and afflict willingly the sonnes â—f men Let vs not be ashamed to entreat â—im in fastings praiers sackloth ashes â—ea in the open assemblie of the Sainctes to confesse that vnto him belongeth iustice and to vs vtter confusion inasmuch as we haue sinned against him Finally let â—s walke worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called in all humilitie of minde and meaknesse and long suffering forbearing one an other through loue So be it 1. Thessa. 5. c. ¶ We beseech you that ye knowe them which laboure amonge you and haue the ouersight of you in the Lorde and giue you exhortation that ye haue them the more in loue for their workes sake A prayer O Lorde God most mightie and heaueÌ„ly father thou I say which desirest not the death of a sinner But wilt haue all men saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth Giue vs grace in the middest of these troubles and enimies that we despise not the meanes which thou hast ordeined for vs to obtaine eternall life but that we emploie and endeuoure our selues with such feare trembling to our saluation that when we shall be iudged wée may acknowledge that we bée taught by thée that we be not iudged with the world and that willingly we may receaue the correction of the ministers dispensers of thy lawe confessing both with heart mouth that power is giuen vnto them to edification and not to destruction to ouerthrowe all such presumption as exalteth it self against thée to subdue all misdéedes to the obedience of thy sonne Christ so the by that means doing althings without murmuring and reasoning our obedience may appeare to all men and that we may be faultlesse and pure and the sonnes of GOD without rebuke in the middest of a croked and peruerse nation And finally that we may be fellowheairs with our Lorde Iesus Christ which through his obedience hath bene exalted aboue the heauens vnto whom be glorie for euer and euer So be it ¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTISment vpon the commaundement to loue god Cap. 16. Deuterono 6. b. ¶ Heare Israel the Lord thy God is Lòrd onely and thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy might THe Lorde saide in Sainct Iohn he that hath my commaundements and kéepeth them the same is he that loueth mée and he that loueth mée shall be loued of my father and I will loue him and will shewe mine owne selfe to him manifestly If a man loue me he will kéepe my sayings and my father will loue him we will come vnto him and will dwell with him Where Iesus Christ doth testifie vnto vs that the loue which we do owe vnto the lord consisteth in the obseruing of his preceptes and commaundents And herein is to be noted the some obey the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts of the lord as seruaunts
fearing the paine of sinne the vengeauÌ„ce of our heauenly father For the Lord doth giue vnto euery one accoring to his works that is to say vnto those which with patience to do well seâ—ke praise honoure and mortalitie eternall life But vnto them that are contentious and disobey the trueth and followe iniquitie shal be rendred indignation wrath tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill Forasmuch as the seruaunt that knewe his masters wil and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shal be beaten with many stripes Others obey the commaundementes of the Lorde bicause of the gaine profit And in that they resemble the hired seruaunts which serue their master but for the hire or reward Of those Dauid speaketh off when he said the iudgements of the Lord are true righteous altogether more to be desired are they then golde yea then much fine golde swéeter also then the honie and the honie combe Moreouer by them is thy seruaunt taught and in kéeping of them there is great rewarde For the eie hath not séene and the eare hath not heard neither haue entred into any mans minde the things that God hath prepared for them the loue him Finally some loue the Lord obey him through beneuolence and christian amitie béeing stirred forwarde of a vertuous loue the which moueth them to loue him who hath giuen vnto them the lawe which hath the wordes of eternall life let vs acknowledge him in whoÌ„ we liue moue and haue our béeing and doe loue him as the true children doe loue their fathers For as saith the same Lorde by his Prophet the sonne doth honour his father a seruaunt his master if I be then a father where is mine honour if I be the Lorde where am I feared where we conclude that in these two things chiefly one may know those which do loue God that is to say when they beare a singuler affection to the holy worde of the Lord and that they do kéepe the commaundementes conteined in that worde As to the first Dauyd saith my delight shall be in thy statutes and I will not forget thy wordes O what loue haue I to thy lawe all the day long is my studie in it O how swéete are thy wordes vnto my throt yea swéeter then honie vnto my mouth He that is of GOD sayth Iesus Christ heareth Gods wordes As touching the second saith the same Lorde if any man doth loue me he doth kéepe my word That is the cause wherefore it is written in the lawe Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God And these words which I commaund thée this day shal be in thine heart and thou shalt recite them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou art at home in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt bind them for a signe vpon thine hand And they shal be papers of remeÌ„braunce betwéen thine eies and shalt write them vppon the postes of thine house vpon thy Gates Euen so the LORD commaunded Iosua that he kéepe and doe according to all the lawe which Moses his seruaunt commaunded him that he do not turne there â—rom neither to the right hande nor to the lefte that he may haue vnderstanding in all he taketh in hande let not the booke of this lawe depart out of his mouth but that he studie therein day and night that he may be circumspect to doe according to all that is written therein Yea the law would expresly that when the king is set vppon the seate of his kingdome he shall write him out this second lawe in a booke taking a copie of the priestes the Leuites And it shal be with him and he shall reade therein all dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lorde his God for to kéepe all the words of this lawe and these ordinaunces for to doe them â–ª In that same Dauid delighted when he sung I haue as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all manner of riches I will exercise my selfe in thy commaundementes and haue respect vnto thy foote pathes my delight shal be in thy statutes I will not forget thy wordes I will speake of thy testimonies euen before kings and will not be ashamed my delight shal be in thy commaundementes whiche I loue And they must not here excuse themselues vpon the difficultnes hardnesse of the commaundements For as saith Saint Iohn his coÌ„maundements are not gréeuous That is the cause wherefore Sainct Paul saide as Moses Say not in thine heart who shall ascende into heauen either who shall descende into the déepe that is nothing els but to fetch vp Christ from death But what saith the scripture The word is nie thée euen in thy mouth and in thine heart This worde is the worde of faith which we preach For if thou shalt knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord shalt beléeue with thine heart that GOD raised him vp from death thou shalt be safe Here some men wil say vnto me and howe can the commaundements of the Lord be easie forsomuch as the Lord commaundeth to enter in at the straite gate shewing to his people that wide is the gate and brode is the way that leadeth to destruction Where we wil briefly conclude that if they haue regarde onely to the calamities of those which suffer for the name of Iesus Christ truely the way is rude gréeuous For the lawe is certeine which saith that we must enter into the kingdome of heauen thorowe many oppressions griefes Euen as the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe saide to some of his disciples the Christ ought to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glorie But if they haue regarde to the frée wil of those which suffer persecution all things are easie and gentle vnto them and in all those thinges they are more then conquerours through him that loued them Euen so the Apostles departed from the counsell reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesus Christ And verie well hath Saincte Augustine declared that all thinges are easie and gentle to charitie to the which onely the charge of the Lord is light easie Some other will say here that if to loue God be to kéepe his commauÌ„demeÌ„ts The philosophers hauing not the law writteÌ„ doing neuertheles naturally the things which are of the law haue loued god for they haue obserued the law natural which wil that whatsoeuer ye would the men should do vnto you euen so do ye vnto theÌ„ for this is the law the prophets To this purpose we may recite the senteÌ„ce of Socrates when he said I do not knowe whether the Lorde will allowe our workes although it be that we haue taken paine to please him
it is saide when thou art come into the lande which the LORD thy GOD giueth thée sée that thou learne not to do after the abhominations of these nations Let there not be founde among you that maketh his sonne or daughter to go thorowe the fire or that vseth Witchcrafte or a chooser out of dayes or that regardeth the flying of foules or a Sorcerer or a charmer or that councelleth with spirites or a prophecier or that asketh the aduise of the deade The which also the Prophet Esay confirmeth by the like wordes saying and therefore if they say vnto you aske counsell of the Southsayers Witches Charmers ▪ and Coniurers then make them this aunswere Is there a people any where that asketh not counsell at his GOD whether it be concerning the deade or the liuing If any man want light let him looke vpon the lawe and the testimonie whether they speake not after this meaning Also the Prophet Ieremie saith in this manner And therefore followe not your Prophetes Southsayers Expounders of dreames Charmers and Witches which say vnto you Ye shall not serue the king of Babilon For as righteousnesse hath no felowshippe with vnrighteousnesse neither light with darkenesse or Christe agréeth not with Belial or the faithfull hath no part with the infidell or the temple of GOD agréeth not with idols and no man can serue two maisters for either hee shall hate the one and loue the other or els he shall leane to the one and dispise the other Such people doe euidently declare that they loue not God perfectly That is the cause wherefore the LORDE rebuked his people bicause they haue plaied the harlotte ▪ with many louers And in the Prophet Oseas the Lorde threatneth the same people that he will discouer their foolishnesse euen in the sight of her louers These thinges are so muche more dampnable of our time that the sonne of God manifested him selfe to vs for to declare vnto vs the eternall lawe of his father For as saith the Apostle writing vnto the Hebrewes If the worde whiche was spoken by Angels was stedfast and euerie transgression disobedience receiued a iust recompence of rewarde How shal we escape if we dispise so greate saluation asmuch will we say of those whiche giue their bodies to an other kinde of vngodlinesse and of sinne For as long as they giue themselues to vices so long doe they drawe themselues from the loue and obedience that they owe vnto the lord These are the wordes of the prophet Esaie when he saith your misdéeds haue seperated you from your God and your sinnes hide his face from you that he heareth you not Forasmuch then as our members are the temple of god yet truely in consecrating them both to the one the other we make them members and temples of an other then of god And consequently forsaking the LORDE for our true spouse we doe altogether so as harlottes who committe fornication with all sortes of men That is the sentence of Saint Paul writing vnto the Corinthians know ye not saith he that your bodies are the members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christe and make them the members of an harlotte GOD forbid the bodie is not for the harlotte but for the Lorde and the LORDE for the bodie ye are dearely bought for a price therefore glorifie GOD in your bodie and in your spirite for they are Gods. Knowe ye not saith the same Apostle that to whome soeuer ye commit your selues as seruauntes to obey his seruaunts ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse Euen so Iesus Christ séeing that the Iewes aduaunced themselues saying we are of Abrahams séede and were neuer bounde to any man aunswered them that whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne For as the same Apostle witnesseth for to bee the séede of Abraham they are not therefore all children but in Isaac shall the séede be called that is to say those which are children of the flesh are not therefore children of God but those which are children of promise are reputed and taken for children and in vaine doe they promise libertie which are themselues the bonde seruauntes of corruption for of whomsoeuer a man is ouercome vnto the same he is in bondage Let not sinne reigne therefore in your mortall bodie that we shoulde obey sinne in the lustes of the bodie neither giue we our members as weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne but giue our selues vnto God as béeing dead béeing made aliue and let vs giue our members as weapons of righteousnesse vnto god Let vs here conclude that as the Lord is perfect he desireth also of vs a perfect loue and a whole and sounde heart I meane not fayned nor dissmbled In such sort that those which thincke to loue God and the worlde together those I say abuse themselues greatly For as saith saint Iohn if any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him Knowe yée not saith Sainct Iames that the friendship of the worlde is enmitie to God ward Whosoeuer therefore will bée a friende of the world is made the enimie of god Beholde that which moued S. Paul to confesse that if he studied to please men he should not bée the seruaunt of Christ The which is also figured in the olde lawe where it was commaunded not to offer vnto the Lord no oxe or shéepe wherein is any deformitie And cursed be the dissembler which hath in his flock one that is male and when he maketh a vowe offereth a spotted one vnto the Lord. As also the same lawe woulde that we should not haue in our bagge two manner of weightes that is to say a great and a small But that we must haue a perfect a iust measure For that cause was Ananias greatly punished as we doe reade in the Actes of the Apostles who hauing solde a possession and kept away parte of the price his wife also being of counsell and brought a certeine part and laide it downe at the Apostles féete Then said Peter Ananias Howe is it that Sathan hath filled thine heart that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy Ghost and kéepe away part of the price of the possession Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto god When Ananias heard these wordes he fell downe and gaue vp the ghost The like happened vnto his wife The same doth sufficiently declare vnto vs that we ought not to offer vnto GOD a heart that is vicious and full of dissimulation As the lawe doth not permitte that wée shoulde offer vnto GOD a foule thing and vncleane And as it desireth and commaundeth that wée shoulde haue a iust measure and weight so the LORDE woulde that man shoulde kéepe towarde his neighboure all fidelitie and equalnesse following the saying of the Apostle Sainct Paul writinge vnto the Thessalonians
to take his alliaunce or promise in vaine In like manner what temeritie and rashnesse it is to take the childrens breade and to cast it to dogges to declare the holy thinges vnto brute beastes and to giue the pearles vnto swyne Forasmuch as wysdome shall not enter into a frowarde soule nor dwell in the body that is subdued vnto sinne For the holy Ghost abhorreth fayned nourture and withdraweth himselfe from the thoughts that are without vnderstanding and where wickednesse hath the vpper hand hée flyeth from thence I do say the same to the ende that euery one haue a regarde to apply the holy scripture to his proper vse for all Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improue and to instruct in ryghtuousnesse Also that we through patience and comfort of the scripture might haue hope may apply it to the in which it is dedicated without prophaning it or wresting it to any wicked purpose or vnlawefull thinges For as hée that hath dimme eyes can not well easely behold looke vpon the sunne so he which is wicked and corrupt in his soule can not rightly consider and knowe the meruailes conteined in the holy scripture And euen as we ought not to put into a vessell that is mustie or infected any precious licor so we ought not to giue vnto a malycious and frowarde heart one so riche and precious talent For the Lorde hath regarde of him which is afflicted and of a lowly spirite and which standeth in awe of his words the holy spirit is he which doth open the senses for to vnerstand the scripturs To conclude the scripture came neuer by the wil of man but by the holy men of God being moued by the holy Ghost did speake it To that end doth Iob write I say saith he that it becommeth olde men to speake and the aged to teach wisdome euery man no doubt hath a minde but it is the inspiration of the almightie that giueth vnderstanding wherefore we doe conclude here that thrée thynges are greatly necessarie vnto those which wyll cause that precious talent and inestymable treasure of the holy Scripture to profit First of all to watche dayly vnto praiers and supplycations to the end that the Lord do open their vnderstanding for to comprehend the secretes of hys Lawe As Dauid doth say Teach me O Lorde the way of thy statutes and I shall kéepe it vnto the ende O giue mée vnderstanding and I shall kéepe thy law yea I shall kéepe it with my whole harte Open myne eyes that I may consider the meruelles of thy Lawe Euen so I say doth Solomon his sonne witnesse that he hath desired and vnderstanding was giuen him hée called and the spirite of wisdome came into hym That is the cause wherefore saynct Paule doeth exhorte so often hys to pray for hym that vtteraunce might be giuen vnto him that hee might open his mouth boldly to vtter the secretes of the Gospell And also doth admonyshe and warne the Thessalonians to pray for him that the word of god may haue frée passage and to gloryfie the Lorde And saynct Hierome sayth that the reading ought to succéede and followe prayer and prayer vnto the reading Besides that I doe desire a pleasant hearte gratious and gentle I do vnderstande and meane him which doth humble himselfe vnder the law of the lord for to beléeue and obey willingly his commandements and ordinaunces For Iesus Christ doeth protest before God his Father that he hath hid these thinges from the wise prudent and hath opened them vnto Babes And the Lorde did by his Prophete checke the Scribes Doctors of the lawe that they may not vaunt themselues that they are wyse in the Lawe and that the lawe of the Lorde is with them that it is in vayne that there are Scribes and that the wyse shall be confounded and that they shall be afrayde and taken as it is written that God hath giuen vnto them a sléeping spirit and eyes that they should not sée and eares that they shoulde not heare euen vnto thys present day And sainct Paule speaking of the Philosophers sayth that they hauing knowen God did not gloryfie him as God neyther were thankefull but waxed full of vanities in their owne imaginations and their foolish hartes were blinded To cōclude as saith Lactantius Firmianus Although we estéeme the Philosophers to be wyse yet truely they haue erred in their owne knowledge here there as in a déepe sea For they haue regarded neyther the way nor the leader all their doctrine is without a head bicause that they doe not knowe God which is the heade of all veritie and doctrine Finally I do desire a long studie and meditation of the holy letters vnto the which Iesus Christ doth sende vs saying Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke yee haue eternall lyfe And Sainct Paul doth admonishe Timothe to giue attendaunce to reading to exhortacion to doctryne So was Moses learned in al manner wisdome of the Egyptians was mightie in déedes in wordes And sainct Paul was brought vp at the féete of Gamaliel informed diligently in the Law of the fathers And Timothe did know the holy Scriptures of a childe And truely we do not make any difficulte that the studie and dayly laboure is not necessary to the knowledge of holy letters as it is required of other disciplines chiefly to the true ministers of god Forasmuch as Sainct Paul doth desire that they would embrace the true worde of doctrine that they maye be able to exhorte with holesome learninge and to improue them that say against it To conclude the holy Apostle doth witnesse that strong meats belongeth to them that are perfect which thorough custome haue their wits exercysed to iudge both good euil Furthermore Sainct Peter doth aduertise vs that there are many thinges harde to be vnderstanded in the Epistles of S. Paul. For that same cause the Ebrwes did not accustome to all age all kynde of doctrine fearing that the dull and folyshe people woulde be offended with the hardnesse of the same Insomuch that the things which do containe a simple plaine hystorie were proposed and set forth vnto the common people the secrets vnto those the which with their age do bring a iudgement more whole and sound Wherfore as sainct Ambrose doth witnes he which will aduaunce himselfe in the scriptures that he do take that which is necessarie for him he which doth desire things more easie common that he do refreshe his spirite in the valle as the litle ones he that doth feare the floud that he do drinke of the Riuer he which doth feare the déepe water that he doe swim by the shore side Wherin we are taught that the holy Scripture doth apply and giue it selfe vnto al
A Prayer LOrde God heauenly father and altogether mightie which hast drawen away and saued thy faithfull seruants Lot and Daniel from the flaming fire Moyses from the middest of the waters one Ioas from amonge them that were slaine and hast reserued in the persecution of Achab and of Iesabel so many thousand men which haue not bowed their knées vnto Baal yea hast lefte alwayes vnto thy people some prophets and true ministers of thy law in the captiuitie of Babilon Giue vnto vs thy grace in this ciuill warre and persecution of our owne countrey men yea our domesticall seruantes to acknowledge that thy hande is not so shortned that it cannot saue or helpe neither is thine eare so stopped that it cannot heare But that our iniquites haue made the diuision betwéene thée and vs and that our sinnes haue hid thy face frō vs To the end that we staying on thy mercy may not be altogether desolate Giue O Lord such feare vnto our enimies that they may haue cause to inuocate and call vpon thy name in such sort that we all with one spirite and will may confesse that thou art the ayde of the humble and little ones the helper of the weake and féeble the protectour of them that are forsaken the sauiour of the abiectes yea thou art the Lord of hoastes which doest reserue alwaies for vs a fewe aliue to the ende that we shoulde not be made like vnto Sodome and like vnto Gomorra and not to fal in dispaire with the vnbeléeuing And therefore wée praye thée in the fauoure or for the loue of him which hath cried with a loude voice that the Foxes haue holes and the byrdes of the ayre haue neastes but the sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head he I say which deliuered himselfe vnto death for to assure vs of our dwelling in the heauenly kingdome our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen ¶ THAT THE CHRISTIAN Religion cannot be tied or bound to any limittes and bounds Cap. 3. 2. TIM 2. b. The worde of God is not bounde IF it be written that the king being sette vpon the seate of his kingdome shal write the Law and shall reade therin al the daies of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord his God and for to kéepe all the woordes of his lawe and his ordinaunces for to doe them and the same LORD doth promise vnto his Church that kings shal be her noursing Fathers and Quéenes shal be her norishing mothers It is certeine that as righteousnesse and truth are the estabishing of the throne or feate of the Lord so doth he preserue and keepe the kinges and doth mainteine their scepter by godlinesse and trueth I doe saie further if the Egiptians haue in such recommendation and praise the practise of their religion aboue all things as saith Plato that they will not create and make a king except that he were promoted and consecrated a priest yea greatly occupied or exercised in the dooings of the priestes And the Persians will not alowe or admitte for their prince but him which hath the knowledge of the science and discipline of the magiciens which doth conteine the true vse of their religiō Insomuch as vnto the young Princes of the countrey were ordeined foure schole maisters of whō the first did teach them the magicke of Orcastrus the sonne of Oroniasus which did conteine the dooings of the religion Truely we ought not to doubt but that the estate duetie of a christian Prince is first of al to establish mainteine the dooing of the religion and to acknowledge that he is the minister of God for the health of al men to the ende that the goods which the Lord hath giuē vnto him he should kéepe part of thē distribute part of thē that he do manifest delare him self by works as Aristotle doth write vnto Alexander that the kingdome is giuen vnto him to the end to doo wel vnto man kinde To the end also that vnder his obedience the good may be defended from iniuries and oppressions of the wicked leading a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie loking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Forasmuch then as it is nothing to professe to knowe God and with the déedes to denie him to haue a similitude of godly liuing but haue denied the power thereof that is not also much to mainteine a religion for certeine and true and in the meane time do depriue themselues from the exercise of the same for as the woorks do declare our faith so the exercise of the religion doth assure vs that we be no more as children wauering and caried with euery winde of doctrine but that we following trueth with loue we may growe and increase altogether in him which is the head that is to say Iesus Christ To conclude that the Lorde would be knowen chiefly in the assembly of the true christians as Dauyd sayth I will praise thée in the great congregation and performe my vowes in the sight of all them that feare thée and in another place he sayth Sing vnto the Lorde a newe songe let the congregation of the Sainctes prayse him and in an other place he sayth giue thanckes O Israel vnto God the LORD in the congregations from the grounde of the heart And Iesus Chryst hath promised his that where there shall bée two or thrée gathered together in his name that he will be in the midst of them Furthermore if the Prophet Dauid hath written that the woorde of God is a lanterne vnto our féete and a light vnto our pathes Iesus Christ would not that that lyght shoulde bée hid vnder a bushell but that it be set vpon a candlesticke that it may gyue light vnto all them that are in the house Therefore he woulde that our lyght should so shine before men that they may sée our good workes and glorifie our heauenly father which is in heauen Otherwise he that would limit and bind the dooing and exercise of the true christian religion in a certeine place as did of late certeine of the Iewes at the temple of Ierusalem and the other at the Mountaine of Garizen that should be to giue occasion of sclaunder not onely vnto the Christians estraungers and others but also vnto the auncient enymies of our Relygion to blame the name of the LORD For as the LORD hath no regarde vnto the appearaunce of men But in all people hée that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him So his worde ought not to be limitted in certeine places or persons inasmuch as by his word wée haue knowledge of him for vnto the end he hath sent vs by his welbeloued disciple saying search the scriptures for in them ye thincke ye haue
eternall life they are they which do testifie of mée And for that cause chiefly the Lord will that the dispensatioÌ„ of his word of his sacraments be open manifest vnto all the worlde to the ende that we may seperate the church and congregation of the true chrystians from so many sectes and companies of heritickes whych doe boast themselues to haue the Churche with them according as Lactancius doth write There would be also daunger or it is to be feared that ceasing the exercise of the religion ther would happen that which is written in the booke of Iudges that is to saye that euery man doe not that which séemed right in his owne eies or that which we doe reade in the time of king Asa that ther was no peace to them that go out and in But great vexation of the inhabiters of all lands for one nation shall destroye an other and one citie another for GOD will trounce them with all aduersitie as oftentimes it happeneth that the Lord being not knowen of his as he ought to be did take from his vnderstanding and wisdome and did fill them with blindnesse or darkenesse did giue vnto them a sléeping spirite eyes that they cannot sée eares that they cannot heare doth tourne their table into a snare that for their rewarde Beholde what doth force constraine me to say that it is in the great cities in the which we ought to establish first the exercise of the true christiaÌ„ religion bicause that oftentimes in the great cities are committed the greatest wickednesse extorcions tyrannies as the Lord so many times hath rebuked by his prophets the inhabiters of Ierusalem that according to the benefites that he hath done vnto them they did multiply increase their iniquities offences And by his prophet Daniel that the iniquitie hath begun of the auncients and doctors of the lawe although that the law was come out of Sion and the word of God from Ierusalem Not without cause the Lorde hath established his temple ordeined his ceremonies in Ierusalem the chiefe citie of Iuda for to reprâ—sse the sinnes of his people and to holde and kéepe them in the obedience of his holy precepts coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts bicause that his word is like a fire like a hammer that breaketh the hard stone quicke mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged swoord and entreth through euen vnto the diuiding a sunder the soule and the spirite wherein the scripture doth teach vs that there is no meanes more greater to same and to bridle the heartes affections of men then the woord of God. The which ought to serue for an example vnto all true Princes for to establish mainteine the exercise of religion I doe meane that in the which the woord of the Lord doth sound daily and is purely and rightly administred for in that point doth consist their power aucthoritie and greatnesse I doe remember for this matter that Licurgus the writer of the lawes of the Lacedemonians could find no time more fitter for to cause the citie of Sparta to florish then to accustome the inhabitaunts of the same to obey the lawes bicause saith hée that the lawes doe teach two things that is to say to commaund and to obey to the commaundement adding ouer and besides the same that the obedience doth consist and lye in the exhortation wherein we are learned taught that the exercise of the true christian religion is so much more necessarie for to mainteine and kéepe the rightes of Princes and Lordes the which by the word of God we doe learne to obey him as our Prince and soueraigne Lord to giue vnto all our superiours that which is due vnto them Tribute to whoÌ„ tribute belongeth Custom to whoÌ„ custome is due Feare to whom feare belongeth Honour to whoÌ„ honour perteyneth not onely for the anger but also for the conscience And although that this onely argument be sufficient for to proue that we haue nothing attempted agaynst the person of a Prince his lawes and preheminences yet truely our enimies haue thought by the meanes to make vs odious hatefull not onely vnto those of the countrey but also vnto straungers But as it happened of late amonge the disciples of the Lord the dooing of the religion béeing troubled for certeine differences or controuersies which were among theÌ„ at that time there the Apostles did assemble themselues together and hauing ordred the dooing of the religyon Notwithstanding that they could not do so much but that they were forced afterward both in their persons and in their religion and declared to bée rebels and seditious throughout all the Sinagogges Euen so is it happened of our time For though that by meere deliberation and aduise of the counsaile learned men and of good consciences haue agréed vnto some differences for to mainteine the vnitie of the kinges subiectes yet truely so many people haue risen against vs from all places that in the end haue declared vs to be rebels seditious to conclude we haue bene forced in our persons goodes conscienses In so much that we may bewaile lament that which S. Peter in his time did deplore lament after the saying of the prophet Dauid Why do the heathen rage together why do the people imagine vaine things the Kings of the earth stande vp and the rulers take counsaile together against the Lord and against his annoynted And we must not héere excuse our selues vnder colour of some yea of the most greatest part of the people speaking against the Edict and statute of the king for the gift to interprete the scriptures or to sée perceiue the differences which are done in the church is a light and knoweledge which the Lorde hath printed and imbraced in the heartes of the true and faythfull Christians and of those whiche of redie courage and frée will do beléeue the word of god And it is not bounde or tied to the number of personnes aucthoritie or greatnesse According to that which Iesus Christ did promise his Apostels in Saint Iohn that the holy Ghost shall teach them all things and that they shal be all taught of God. The whiche Sainct Peter doth declare more at large shewing that the scripture came neuer by the will of man but holy men of God speake as they were moued by the holy Ghost It is not then in the number of persons that we must way the dooing of the Religion but to the aucthoritie of the scripture and to the aduise of those which with a good conscience doe bring an eminent and ouerpassing knowledge Euen so the auncients in the primitiue Church do condempne Samosetanus and Arrius do take none other iudges for to discerne perceiue the differences then the word of God with the consenting of those which haue béene Disciples or successours of the
example of all infirmities vices and imperfections What is the cause that we are not ashamed to confesse that ther are in vs companies of the immitators folowers of Peter aduowing themselues faithfull seruants of the Lord and yet neuerthelesse do disauow and denie it at the voice of a simple maide I doe meane for a light and small occasion Yea of Pilates consenting vnto the death of the iust against their owne consciences for the feare that they haue to lose their estates dignities and promotions And wée will not denie that one can not méet with the Nicodemians the secrete disciples of Iesus Christ And if it wer néedeful to require so néere they should ther finde of Iudasses which do marchaundise and sell the innocent bloode and doe betray the iust for money What shall I saye more there lacked not a souldyer for to pearce the side of the iuste I doe meane which doe speake euill of him through false reportes iniuries and wronges And besides this so many wicked people which doe wagge their heades with the Iewes and doe mocke the iust hanged on the crosse saying that we doe promise many things but that we do execute nothing rightly And to make an ende of this matter one may there sée a thiefe hanged on the crosse for his wickednesse and faultes and yet accusing the iust hauing him in dysdaine But euen as Iesus Christ béeing deliuered to death by the Iewes and forsaken of his Apostles and disciples was knowen to be the sonne of God by the things mute and without vnderstanding For the elements forsaking their right course haue sufficiently declared his greatnesse the stones which did rent break asunder haue openly declared what his puissaūce was aswel in heuē as in earth the graues which did open and the bodies that did rise haue declared that he had power ouer the liuing the dead Also if al the men of this world did violence vnto Iesus Christ and hys woorde the stones and dome thinges shall declare his praise and shal publish shew foorth hys lawe According as he did rebuke sometime the Scribes and Pharyses that if the little ones do hold their peace sodeinly the stones would cry out for God can of these stones raise vp children vnto Abraham As of late the LORD did stirre vp a dome Asse speaking in a mans voice for to rebuke the madnesse of the prophet Let vs then conclude with Dauid that the worde of the Lord endureth for euer in heauen And that his trueth also remayneth from one generation to another The Lord bringeth the counsayle of the heathen to naught and maketh the deuises of the people to be of none effect and casteth out the counsailes of Princes But the counsaile of the Lord shall endure for euer and the thoughts of his heart from generatiō to generation For he hath builded his witnesses for euer Heauē earth shall passe but his words shall not passe In this matter those of the Romish church taknig occasion of that place wil say the one ought not to forsake their religion for the abuses which one doth se ther daily chiefly in their prelates But they ought to know that there is two marks amonge other which doe seperate the true church from the false that is to say the true vsage of the word and of the administration of the sacraments ordeined of God pure whole forasmuch then as in the Romish church there is nothing of al this forasmuch as in it the commaundements of God are forsaken for the traditions of men the sacraments prophaned and applied vnto a hyre ordinarie traficke It is not without cause if we doe disalow or denie that church for although that their foundation as they say be Iesus Christ and him crucified yet truely they do build vpon the foundation so many vaine and vnprofitable things that one can scant know in their church any marke or signe of true religion And as we do read in Esay that Iesus Christ was so despised of the Iewes that euery one did hide their faces frō him insomuch as he had neither beauty nor fauour in him So we séeing daily so many kindes of wrongs by those of the Romish church that is to say in his word in his person his members that one can skantly knowe that he doth reigne in the middest of those which doe call themselues Christians and our enemies ought not to ground or build themselues vpon that that the bishoppes haue succeded the Apostles for the discipline and christian rule being chaunged by the abuse of them their estate and charge hath bene altogether chaunged and adnulled I do not meane to blame the bishops which haue followed the Apostles in their life and doctrine Furthermore one may the better know that the marks of the true christians are those whereof our Lord speaketh of in Esay saying Lay the witnesses together seale the lawe with my disciples And Iesus Christ in his Gospell saith my shéepe do heare my voice Forasmuch then as those of the Romish church do forsake the word of Iesus Christ our true shepheard and do harken vnto the voice of straungers turning their eares frō the veritie doe giue themselues vnto fables to conclude giuing héed vnto spirites of errour diuelish doctrine of thē which speak false through hipocrisie it is to plaine that we ought not to séeke the church in their companie And they do deceiue themselues greatly if they do thincke that for their euill conuersations onely we do abandon their religon for although that for such things the name of the Lord is blamed not among the christians onely but also among the Gentiles Yet truely we haue not so much regard vnto their maners as to their doctrine by the which the men are enclined vnto idolatrie meruailous superstition And therfore the scripture doth exhort vs to depart frō the citie of Babilon least we be partakers of hir sins to holde him accursed which doth preach vnto vs any other gospel then that which we haue receiued we will follow those which are marked with this marke Thau vpon their foreheades I do meane those which haue in a singuler recōmendatiō the law of the Lord for as saith the scripture whersoeuer the dead carkas is thither wil the Eagles resort wherein Iesus Christ doth teach vs that nothing shal hinder or let that the christians be not vnited knit vnto their head Wherfore as it is said it shal be to no purpose to say that ther are amōg vs so many false brethren inasmuch as Iesus Christ doth likē his church vnto a net cast in the sea gathereth of al kinds of fishes For the true mark of the Church of God doth consist in the lawe and in witnesse vnto the which the Lord doth sende vs by his prophet whē he sayth Is there a people any where that
exhortinge them that no man defraude and oppresse his brother in any matter Wherfore if wée bée double hearted as sayth Sainct Iames let vs cleanse our hearts Forasmuch I saye as GOD is righteous let vs loue him with an entire and perfect heart that our heart may blesse the LORD and all that is within vs may praise his holy name and forget not all his benefites Let vs poure out our hearts like water before the Lorde and let vs lifte vp our handes vnto him and hee will beholde vs with pittie in the fauoure of his welbeloued sonne our LORD Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer and euer So bée it Ecclesiastes 12. d. 13. ¶ Feare God and keepe his commaundementes for that toucheth all men 1. Iohn 2. d. ¶ The world passeth awaie and the lustes thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer A Prayer O Lord which hast taught vs by the mouth of Salomon the sonne of Dauyd that loue is mightie as the death and gelousie as the hell hir coales are of fire and a verie flame of the LORD So embrace our heartes in thine heauenly loue chiefly by thy holy spirite that wée knowing that thou hast loued vs first hauing sent thy sonne to make agréement for our sinnes that so of our part we may loue thée againe and shewe by our conuersation that we loue thée not in worde neither in tongue onely but in déede in trueth Honouring thée as our celestiall and heauenly father and fearing thée as our souereigne LORD all the dayes of our life In such sorte that neither death neither life neither Angels nor principialities neither powers neither thinges preseâ—â— neither thinges to come neither heigth neither depth neither any other creature shall be able to departe vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christe Iesus our LORD To the ende that when thou shalt appeare we may be bolde and not ashamed before thée at thy comming nor by the maiestie of him who béeing in the worlde loued his vnto the ende our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer So bée it ¶ A CHRISTIAN ADVERtisment vpon the commaundement to loue a mans neighbour Cap. 17. Deuterono 15. b. ¶ The land shall neuer be without poore wherefore I commaunde thee saying open thine hande vnto thy brother that is needie and poore in the lande Prouerbes 3. b. ¶ Honour the Lord with thy substaunce and with the firstlings of al thine encrease so shall thy barnes be filled with plenteousnesse and thy presses shall flowe ouer with sweete wine Iob 1. c. ¶ When the poore desireth any thing at me haue I denied it them haue I caused the widdow to stand waiting for me in vayne haue I eaten my portion alone that the fatherlesse hath had no parte with me For mercy grew vp with me fro my youth and compassion fro my mothers wombe haue I seene any man perish through nakednesse and want of clothing or any poore man for lacke of raiment whose â—ides thancked me not bicause he was warmed with the woll of my sheepe did I euer lift vp my hande to hurt the fatherlesse yea in the gate where I sawe my selfe to be in authoritie then let mine arme fall from my sholder and mine armeholes be broken from the ioyntes Iob. 29. c. ¶ I haue deliuered the poore when hee cryed and the fatherlesse that wanted helpe He that should haue bene lost gaue me a good worde and the widdowes heart praised me And why I put vppon me righteousnesse which couered me as a garment and equitie was my crowne I was an eye vnto the blinde and a foote to the lame I was a father vnto the poore and when I knewe not their cause I sought it out diligently I brake the chayers of the vnrighteous and pluckt the spoile out of their teeth ¶ An exhortation to loue towardes ones neighbour THE Apostle Sainct Paul â—peaking of the excellencie of loue sayth Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and haue not loue I am euen as lounding braue or as a tinckling cymball And though I coulde prophecie and vnderstand all secretes and all knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I coulde moue mountaines out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothing And though I bestowe all my goodes to to feede the poore and though I giue my bodie that I be burned and yet haue not loue it profiteth me nothing Loue lustereth long is courteous loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe swelleth not disdaineth nothing as vnbeseeming seeketh not hir owne things is not prouoked to anger thincketh not euill reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth suffereth all thinges beléeueth al things hopeth al thinges endureth all thinges Loue doth neuer fall away though that all prophecyings shall be abolished And in the end of the said chapter he concludeth now abideth faith hope loue euen these three but the chiefest of these is loue And forasmuch then as the life is more worth theÌ„ meate the bodie more of value then raiment And also that Iesus Christe doth commaunde vs to séeke first the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereoff notwithout cause if wee mainteine that loue consisteth chiefly to helpe our neighbour in that whiche is necessarie for him for his life Insomuch that if the Lorde hath giuen vnto vs any talent I meane any grace perfection or vertue we ought not to hide it in the earth as vnprofitable seruaunts but ought to bestowe it to the profite of euerie man For the manifestation is giuen to euery one for to profit to the ende that as euerie man hath receiued the gifte so admister the same one to another as good ministers of the manifold graces of god And euen as in geuing some little part of our goods we do multiplie that which the Lord hath giuen vnto vs also in administring the spirituall things to our neighbour we augment in vs the fruites of pietie Iustice These are the wordes of Sainct Paul when he tolde the Corinthians that he that findeth séede to the sower will minister likewise breade for foode and multiplie their séede and increase the fruites of their beneuolence that on all partes they may be made ritch in all singlenesse And as we be not maisters nor owners of our goods Inasmuch as we enioy and possesse them of the hande of the LORDE so we are not but ministers of the giftes of the holy Spirite whiche worketh in vs all things Euen so saith Sainct Paul writing to the Corinthians Let a man so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christe and disposers of the secretes of GOD. This declareth vnto vs what was gods prouidence in the dispensation bestowing of his giftes who woulde not that they shoulde abounde altogether in one man alone to the end that by them helping one an other euery one may
and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Truely the vse of the worde which consisteth chiefly in the conuersion of a sinner ought to be referred to all those which haue hope of the eternall life And we ought no more to thincke straunge that the ecclesiasticall discipline be publike for iust occasioÌ„s then we shoulde thinke straunge that the word be publicke Forasmuche as the ecclesiasticall discipline and correction is as a sinewe corde for to preserue and keâ—pe the worde in his aucthoritie puissaunce greatenesse To the end that euen as by our transgressions faultes we haue giuen occasion vnto many to doe euill yea that the name of God is euil spoken off by the enimies of our religion euen so let the Lordes name be magnified and exalted in our conuersion and the sinnes a feare to all thorowe our repentance and contrition Furthermore we ought not to thinke it straunge to manifest our sins openly if the case so require with true repentauÌ„ce contrition inasmuch as in him we haue takeÌ„ pleasure in the company of many for although that the Christian Church doth not pray generally for all poore sinners chiefly for those which are of his bodie Yet the Lorde will not that we be vnprofitable seruauntes despising the meanes so plesaunt and gratious the which he doth propounde vnto vs for to obteine his grace and mercy If thou hast regarde to thy dignitie excellencie and greatnesse that thou doe remember that Sainct Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ a chosen vessell was not ashamed to manifest vnto the congregations and before his verie enimies what he was before his conuersion in the Iewish lawes and how he persecuted the church of god by wrong If the puissance and aucthoritie the which thou hast in the worlde doth make thée to be a shamed put before thée Dauid which was both a king and a Prophet crying with a loude voice I acknowledge my faultes and my sinne is euer before me Against thée onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight Forget not Manasses who confessed before God and men that he hath sinned aboue the number of the sands of the sea reputed not himselfe worthy to looke vp towards heâ—uen Also one Theodosius an Emperour and wonderfull riche being excluded from the company of the Christians And afterwards making open repentaunce If thou arte ashamed bicause thou arte young consider the children of the Machabees who confessed in the middest of their torments and before all that they haue suffered for iuste occasion bicause that they haue offended the maiestie of god If the fragilitie of thy kinde doth make thée weake and féeble assure thy self vpon that poore sinful woman who was not ashamed to bewaile hir sins and to wash with hir tears the féete of Iesus Christ our Lord as he sate at meate in the Pharises house yea in the presence of all those that were with him If olde age doth kéepe théee backe with the greatnesse of thy faults S. Peter the head most auncient of all the apostles will giue thée boldenesse weping bitterly for that he denied his master Iesus Christ Learn then that the lord will haue mercy not sacrifice and that he came not for to call the righteous but the sinners to repentauÌ„ce And be ye assured that ther shal be more ioye in heaueÌ„ ouer one sinner that repenteth more then ouer nintie and nine iuste persons which néede not repentaunce Despise not the chastening of the Lord neither fainte when thou arte rebuked of him for although no manner of chastesing for present time séemeth to be ioyous but gréeuous but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercysed Consider king Achab despysing the correction of the prophet Micheas was begyled by the false prophets afterward was slayne in battayle Also king Ioas who was slayne by his owne seruaunts and all the princes of his people destroyed bicause they obeyed not the word of Zacharye the sonne of Ioiada the priest admonishing theÌ„ to retourne vnto the lord Finally king Asa king of Iuda who was grieuously punished bicause he toke not in good parte the holy demonstrations and admonitions of Hanany the prophete And take héede that the Lorde laugh not in your destruction and mocke you when the thing that ye feare commeth vpon you bicause that thou hast despised his counsel set his correction at naught For God complayneth sometyme in the person of Dauyd saying Why doest thou preach my lawes take my couenant in thy mouth whereas thou hatest to be reformed These thinges doe serue not to make you sorie or wearie but for to bring you vnto true and Godly repentance to the end that ye be nothing hurt by vs for godly sorrowe causeth amendement vnto saluation not to be repented off but the sorrowe of this worlde causeth deathe Of our part we do admonishe you as the father doth his children and we do desire you to comforte the féeble minded and to forbeare the weake to the end that you do admonishe those who are vnruly and be patient towards all men to the end that he which is of a contrite and humble spirite be not ouercome thorowe too much heauinesse What I say to the weake I became as weake to winne the weake to be made all things to all men to saue at the least some and this I doe for the gospels sake that I might haue my part thereof Vnto you also O ye true ministers of our Lord Iesus Christ they do addresse these wordes to the end ye may féede the flocke of God which dependeth vpon you caring for it not as though ye were compelled therto but willingly not for the desire of filthy lucre but of a good minde not as though ye were lords ouer Gods heritage but the ye be ensamples to the flocke For the seruant of the Lord must not striue but must be peaceable vnto al men apt to teach one that can suffer the euill men patiently And can informe theÌ„ that are coÌ„trary minded prouing if God at any time wil giue them grace that being conuerted they may knowe the truth And béeing deliuered out of the snare of the diuell may come to ameÌ„dement performe his will. Then rebuke checke exhort in al gentlenesse of spirite of doctrine For the weapoÌ„s of our warfare are not carnall things but strong by the power of God to cast downe holds wherw t we ouer throw imaginations euery hie thing that is exalted against the knowledg of god bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ The Lord by his Prophet doth coÌ„plain of the shepherds of Israel bicause they haue not holdeÌ„ vp the weake the sicke they haue not healed they haue not bouÌ„d together the broken because they haue not brought againe the outcastes