blessed theÌ„ he departed from them and was caryed vp into heauen I go to prepare a place for you And if I goe to prepare a place for you I wil come agayne and receiue you euen vnto my selfe that where I am there ye may be also If ye loued me ye would reioyce because I sayd I go vnto the Father Now I go my way to him that sente me and none of you asketh me whether I goe But because I haue saide suche thinges vnto you your hartes are ful of sorrow Neuertheles I tell you y â— truth it is expedient for you that I go away For if I go not away that coÌ„forter will not come vnto you But if I departe I wil. send him vnto you I went out from the Father came into the world Againe I leaue y e world and go to the Father It is Christe whiche dyed ye rather which is risen againe whiche is also on the right hand of God So ofte as ye shall eat of this breade and drinck of the cup ye shall xemeÌ„ber the Lords death til he come God the father raised Christe froÌ„ the dead and set him on his right hand in heauenly things aboue al rule power might dominioÌ„ and aboue all names that are named not in this world only but also in the world to come Christ is gone vpoÌ„ highe hath led cap tiuitie captiue and hathe geuen giftes vnto men That he ascended what meaneth it but that he also descended first into the lowest parts of the earth He that descended is euen the same also that ascended vp â–ª euen aboue all heauens to fulfil al thinges God hath exalted Christ on high geuen him a name whiche is aboue all names that in the name of Iesus euery knee should bowe bothe in heauen and thinges in earth and things vnder the earth If ye be risen againe with Christe seeke those thinges whiche are aboue where Christe sitteth on the right hande of God Whensoeuer Christe whiche is oure life shall shew him self then shall we al so appeare with him in glory The Lord him selfe shall come downe from Heauen with a shoute and the voice of the archaungell and trompe of God c. Christe the Sonne of God being the brightnes of his fathers glory and the very image of his substaunce ruling all thinges with the woorde of his power hath by his own person purged our sins and sitteth on the right hand of the maiesty on hye This man Christ after hee had offered one sacrifice for sins sitteth downe for euer on the right hand of God and from hence forth tarieth till his foes be made his fotestoole Let vs runne with pacience vnto the battayl that is set before vs lokyng vn to Iesus the captain and finisher of our fayth which for the ioy that was set before him abode the crosse and dispised the shame and is set down on the right haÌ„d of the throne of god Iesus Christe is on the right hande of God and is gone into heauen Angels powers aud might subdued vnto him Examples out of the newe Testament When Iesus had spoke these things whyle the Disciples beheld him he was taken vp on hye and a cloud receyued him vp out of their sight And while they loked vp stedfastly to ward heauen as he went behold two men stode by them in whyte aparell whiche also sayde ye men of Galyle why stande ye gasyng vp to heauen This same Iesus which is taken from you into heauen shall so come euen as ye haue sene him go into heauen Stephen beyng full of the holy ghost loked vp stedfastly with his eies into heauen and sawe the glorye of god and Iesus standynge on the ryghte hande of God and sayd Beholde I see the heauens open the sonne of man standing on the right hand of God When Saule iornyed it fortuned that as he was come nye to Damasco sodenly there shyned rounde about him a lyght from heauen and he fell to the earth and heard a voyce saying to him Saule Saule why persecutest thou me And he sayde what art thou Lord and the Lord said I am Iesus whom thou persecutest c. Against the plucking away of thy trust and confidence from Christ and his merites to put it in the merites of other creatures or in thine owne good workes or in the intercession of saints or the sacrifice of the Popish Masse IF Sathan by this subtile and crafty suggestion seking thy daÌ„nation go about to pluck thy faith confidence and truste from Christe his bloud and his merites to repose it in the merites of men or in thine own good dedes works and merites or in the intercession of saintes or in the sacrifice of the Popishe masse so that thy whole saluation shall not hang on Christ â–ª his deseruiÌ„gs only but rather on some other stranÌ„g meanes leane not to his temptations but manfully resist them stedfastly abiding in this persâ—…asion that Christ alone is thy righteousnesse and that all thy saluation dependeth on him alone and on none other thinge neither in heauen nor in earth And that thou may est be confirmed in this faith let these scriptures whiche are vnâ—…ubted verities euer be before thine eyes suffer not thy self neither by y â— crafty assaults of sathan nor by the subtle and fleshly reasons of any man to be plucked from them ☞ Sentences out of the old Testament Christ is that seede which did tread down Sathans head Christ is that seede in whom al nations of the worlde shal be blessed Christ is the ruler duke and captain whome al nations haue so long looked for whiche also defendeth his people from the power of Sathan Christ is that Sonne of God whom wee are commaunded to kisse and embrace least wee pearish from the ryghte way Christ is our vpholder our glory our strong shield Christ is the Lord from whoÌ„ al helth and saluation commeth and hee it is y e blesseth his people Christ is the Lorde that neuer forsaketh them that truste in him and seeke after him Christ is our strength our sure rock our bulwarke our refuge our defence our buckeler and oure mighty sauinge helth and our sanctuary Christ is he that saueth vs because it is his pleasure Christe saueth the poore oppressed and layeth full lowe the highe lookes of the proude Christ is the Lord in whome alone our fathers trusted they trusted I say in him and he deliuered them They cryed vnto him and they were made safe they trusted in him and they were neuer confounded Christ is that Lord whose waies v niuersall are mercy and truthe to them that seke after his Testament and ordinaunces He it is that will be mercifull to our sinnes euen for his owne names sake be they neuer so great Christ is our light our sauing helth whoÌ„ theÌ„ shall we fear Christ
this my poore gifte in good part And I shall moste humbly beseeche the Lorde our God to preserue my Lords grace and my Ladyes grace your honourable parentes in good health longe life and encrease of honoure and to geue my Lordes youre Brothers and my Ladies youre Sisters and you also grace to go forth in your godly enterprises and Christen studies that ye may tru ly know the Lord your God the saluation whiche ye haue by his soÌ„ne Iesus our alone Sauiour who euer preserue your good Ladyship in coÌ„tinuall helth and prosperous felicitie Amen THE GOVERNANCE of Vertue ¶ How a man should behaue him selfe in the morning when he riseth When thou risest in the morning looke that thou with all humblenesse of mynde knelest downe and lifting vp thy harte thy handes and thine eyes into heauen vnto God the father almighty pray on this maner ¶ A prayer for the morning O Lord God my heaueÌ„ly father I most humbly thanke thee y â— thou of thy fatherly goodnes hast vouchsafed to defend me this night from all euil I most entyrely beseche thee to preserue me also this day both from suffring and doyng any euill and to geue me grace so to walke in the lyght of thy holy woorde that I may bring forth y e frutes of y â— same vnto the glorye of thy blessed name and the profite of my neighbour Amen ¶ After thou hast prayed on this maner seing we be al sinners it shall be expedient if thou hast conuenient leasure to confesse thy selfe to God on this maner ¶ A confession of our sinnes vnto God the father MOst greuouslye haue I wretched sinner offeÌ„ded thee my Lord God and heauenly father both in thought word and dede in so much that in my selfe I uÌ„nde such vnworthines that if I did not behold thine exceding great mercies set forth in thy dearely beloued sonne our Lord and sauiour Iesu Christ I could not but dispayre and wholy geue my selfe into the hands of Satan that olde enemy of mankynd But when thorow thy grace and holy workyng I loke vpon thy mercies offered frely to all faythfull peniteÌ„t sinners in thy son Christ Iesus for whose sake thou art well pleased with man and of thy own good will forgeuest vs al our sinnes wheÌ„ soeuer we flee vnto thee in his name I cease to dispayre beginne to conceiue an earneste faithe and an vndoubted hope of obtaynyng forgeuenesse of al my sins in Christes bloud for thy louing and fatherly promise sake I therfore poore and wretched sinner most humbly beseche thee for Christes sake to forgeue me al my sinnes where with from the day of my byrth vnto this present tyme I haue most greuously offended thy fatherly goodnesse and to geue me grace so to resiste the deuill the world the flesh â–ª and so to order my lyfe accordyng to thy blessed will that thou mayest delight in me as a father in his sonne de fend me froÌ„ all euill and worke in me all good thinges vnto the glory of thy holy name ☞ After the confession say the Lordes prayer called the Pater noster and so commendyng thy selfe vnto God faule in hand with some honest and vertuous exercise accordyng to thy callyng But whatsoeuer thou doest do it with purenesse of hart singlenes of eye â–ª yea so do it as though God wer present and looke vpon thee as vndoubtedly he doth Of Dinner ☞ WheÌ„ the time coÌ„meth that thou shouldest refresh thy wery and hongry body approch vnto the table with reuerence and when thou art set lyft vp thy hart thy hands and thy eyes vnto heauen and pray vnto God on this maner A prayer before dinner O Most gentill God and louyng father whiche mercifully â—…edest al ly uing creatures we beseche thee blesse vs and all these thy giftes whiche we at this present shall receyue of thy beuÌ„ teous hande for the refreshyng of our hungry bodies and geue vs grace to doo all thynges vnto the glorye of thy name thorowe Iesu Christ our Lord. Amen Of the behauiour at the table in Diner tyme. ☞ WheÌ„ thou hast thus prayed vnto god eate thy meate soberly and christenly esche wyng all superfluitie surfeting and drouckenship Consider that thy meate and thy drinck are the giftes of God are reuerently thanke fully to bee receyued â–ª Remember that in the tyme of thy repast thy behauiour be honest comely in all thinges Let thy communica tion as the Apostle sayth ve well sauoured and powdred with â—…t that is to say seasoned with godly wisedome that thou mayest know how to answere euery man Let no fil thy talke procede out of thy mouth but that whiche is good to edifie when neede is that it may haue fauor with the hearers remem bring that thou shalte geue accountes at the day of iudgement for euery idle worde that thou speakest Eschewe all dissolute and vncomely laughyng least thou be therby counted wilde waâ—…ton foolishe without good maners Let thy couÌ„tenauÌ„ce he graue sober modest gentle and â—…ouyng towarde al that be at the table and so fashion thy selfe in gesture worde and deede as though God and his aungels weâ—… visibly present at the table And when Dinner is done geue thankes to God for his benefites on this maner A thankes geuyng after Dinner WE thanke thee O heauenly father for this our foode which being saÌ„ctifâ—…ed by thy worde thou hast vouchesafe at this present to geue vs wee beseche thee that thou wilt also fede our soules w t the liuely bread of the word which commeth out of thy mouth that we receauyng at thy mercâ—…full hande meate both for our bodyes and soules â–ª may lyue and growe in all godlynesse vnto the glory of thy blessed name tho row Iesu Christ our Lord. Amen VVhat is to be done after dynner ☞ After thou hast geuen thankes vnto God for thy repast â–ª returne vnto thy labour vertuously exercise thy self accordyng to thy voca tion and callyng Employ earnest diligence about thy businesse and alway in thy minde desire God to blesse to prosper and to bryng to passe all thy counsels deuises trauailes labours and enterprises Do not thy worke negligently and deceitfully but so laboure as thoughe God were present and beheld thee as vnfaynedly he doth Cursed be he sayth Hiere mye that doth the Lordes worke deceitfully Saint Paule also exhorteth that what soeuer we doo we should do it hartly as though we did in vnto the Lorde and not vnto men for as much sayth he â–ª as ye know that of the Lord ye shall receyue the rewarde of inheritaunce for ye serue the Lord Christ. Yea verely so many as labour or trauayle in any vertuous enterprise they serue God and of God shal they receiue their rewarde Therfore in thy calling labour earnestly and diligently what soeuer thou be sekyng not onely thyne owne lucre â—…uaunt age but much more the glory of God and the profite of thy neighbour as the
Apostlesayth do all thyngs vnto the glory of God Agayne let euery man looke not for his owne profite but for the profite of other Charitie seketh not her owne Of Supper ☞ When the tyme is come â–ª that thou shalte leaue of thy worke and prepare thy selfe vnto supper eueÌ„ with the same reuerence that thou camest vnto the table at dinner come agayne nowe but before thou doest taste any meate pray on this maner A prayer before Supper THe eyes of all thynges looke vnto thee O Lorde and thou geuest theÌ„ meate in due tyme thou openest thy hand and fillest euery liuyng creature with the blessing vouchesafe O heaueÌ„ ly father for Christes sake mercifully to loke vpon vs louingly to blesse vs liberally to geue vs grace so to taste of these thy creatures that our bodyes beyng satisfied with the moderate vse of them we may bee the more able to serue thee our Lord God and to profit our neighbour thorow Iesu Christ our Lord. Amen Of the behauiour at the table in Supper tyme. ☞ After thou hast thus prayed vnto GOD â–ª eate thy meate with a chearefull and thankefull mynde vsing the same modesty and honest behauiour that thou diddest vse at dinner And wheÌ„ thou hast supped geue thankes vnto god for his benefites on this wise A thankesgeuing after Supper FOr these thy benefites wherewith thou hast refreshed our hungry bodyes we thanke thee most merciful fa ther desiring thee that thou wilt also feede our soules with y â— lyuely faith in the bloud of thy sonne Iesu Christ our Lord that we beleuyng stedfastly and working diligently thy holy wil may obtayne thy glorious kyngdome thorowe the same Iesu Christ our Lorde Amen VVhat to be done after Supper ☞ When thou hast on this wise geue thaÌ„kes vnto God thou mayest do what thou wilt so it be godly and honest â–ª vntill thou goest to bed â–ª If thou canst rede rede thou thy selfe or els here some other rede parte of the holy scriptures that may be to the comfort of thy self and of so many as be with thee or passe the tyme by frendly and honest talke with some of thy loâ—…yng and trusty familiares or els debate with thy selfe how thou mayest most conueniently bryng that to passe that thou hast to doo the next day folowyng Of goyng to bed ☞ And wheÌ„ the time coÌ„meth that thou must go to bed thou beyng in thy chamber to cal remeÌ„brauÌ„ce how thou hast spent the day past If thou perceiuest that y u hast offeÌ„ded God in any thyng at all confesse thy fault vnto him with a repentaunt and sorowfull heart â–ª and desire hym of hys great mercye for Christes sake to forgeue thee and promise that vnto the vttermost of thy power hys grace woorkyng with thee thou wilt amende that wherin thou hast offended and walke more diligently in the rules of thy profession Cry with the Publicane O God be mercifull to me a sinner Cry with that lost sonne Father I haue synned against heauen and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Pray with Dauid for thy names sake O Lorde for geue me my sinne for it is excedyng much Thus with a faythfull hart beleuyng that thy sinnes are for geuen thee content thy selfe and quiet thy conscience If thou perceyuest that thou hast that day committed no notable crime â–ª then geue to God right harty thankes whiche by his holy spirite hath wrought the same in thee and desire him to encrease his giftes in thee that hys glory may be shewed in all thy actes dedes This done prepare thy selfe to bedward and when thou art ready to lye down lift vp thou hart thy eyes and thy handes vnto heauen pray to God on this maner A prayer to be sayd when we go to bed I ThaÌ„ke thee O heauenly father by thy dearelye beloued Sonne Iesu Christ our Lord and Sauiour that of thy free mercy thou hast preserued me this day from all hurtes and dauÌ„gers Uouchesafe also I most humbly besech thee to kepe me this night and to saue me ftom all myne enemyes both bodely and ghostlye Gyue to my body quietnesse and fleepe but let my mind continually watche vnto thee thinke on thee and on thy holy law that wheÌ„ the cherefull light of y â— day shal spryng and appeare I being whole both in bo dy and mynde may ioyfull ryse again be thanckefull vnto thee and diligent ly walke in my vocation vnto the glo ry of thy blessed name and the commo ditie of my neighbour thorowe Iesus Christ thy sonne Amen ☞ When thou hast thus prayed lye down in thy bed and say on this maner The Prayer O Lorde God and my heauenly Father I commende my bodye and soule into thy handes that in Christe whiche is our life and resurrectioÌ„ thou mayest defende me from euerlastyng death and giue me that blessed and ioy full lyfe of immortalitie and that he which is the true light may poure out the brightenesse of hys grace into my hart preserne me both bodye soule vnto that day of the glorious resurrection where the faythfull with ioyfull harts shall see thee face to face and for euer reygne with thee in glory Amen ☞ Remedyes agaynst all kyndes of temptations Against Idolatry ☞ If that olde enemy Satan goeth about to persuade thee that there be â—…o gods then one resiste him with these Scriptures ☞ Sentences out of the olde Testament I am the Lord thy God Thou shalâ—… haue none other gods in my sight Understand and marke wel that the Lord he is God in heauen aboue and vpon the earth beneath neither is ther any other God besides him Here Israel the Lord our god is one Lord. Se howe that I yea that I am the Lord and that there is no god but I. Heare O my people I will charge thee O Israell that if thou wilt herâ—…en vnto me there shall no straunge god be in thee neither shalt thou worship any other god For I am the Lord thy God I am the lord there is none other I am the Lord there is els none It is I that created light and darknes I make peace and trouble yea euen I the Lord do all these thynges Am not I the Lord is there any god but I A god that is righteous such one as saueth ther is none besides me Turne vnto me all ye coastes of the worlde and ye shal be saued for I am God and there is els none Haue we not all one Father hath not one god made vs ☞ An example out of the old Testament AbrahaÌ„ saw three worshipped one ☞ Sentences out of the newe Testament Thou shalte worshyp the Lord thy god and him onely shalt thou serue We haue but one god whiche is the Father of whom are all thinges and â—…e in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are al thinges we in him
heauen Except ye beleue that I am the son of god ye shall dye in your synnes I and my father are one I beleue that y u art Christ the son of god which should come into the word Doest thou not beleue that I am in the father and the father is in me This is euerlastyng lyfe euen to knowe thee the alone true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. O father thou louedst me before the worlde was made These thinges are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of god and that in beleuyng ye lyfe thorough his name Iesus Christ was declared to be the son of god with power of y ◠holy ghost Christ is the image of the inuisible god first begotten of al creatures For by him were all things created things that are in heauen and things that are on earth things visible and things inuisible whether they be maiesty or lord ship either rule or power All thynges are created by him and in him and he is before all thinges and in hym all things haue their being We looke for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great god our sauiour Iesu Christ. God in tyme past diuersly and many wayes spake vnto the Fathers by the Prophetes but in these last dayes he hath spoken vnto vs by his Sonne who he hath made heyre of all things by whome also hee made the worlde Whiche Sonne beyng the brightnes of hys glorye and very image of hys substaunce bearyng vp all thynges wyth the worde of his power hathe in his own person purged our sinnes is sitting on the ryght hand of the maiestye on hie and is more excellent then the aungels in as much as he hathe by inheritaunce obtained a more excellēt name then they haue For vnto which of the aungels sayde be at anye tyme. Thou art my sonne this day begate I thee And agayne I will be his father and he shall be my sonne And agayne when he bringeth in the first begotten sonne into y ◠world he sayth all the aungels of god shall worshippe him And of the aungels he sayth he maketh his aungels sprites his ministers flames of fyre But vnto the sonne he sayth God thy seate shal be for euer and euer The scepter of thy kingdome is a ryght scepter Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same cōtinueth for euer Who is a lier but he that denieth that Iesus is Christe The same is the Antichrist that denieth the father the son who so euer denyeth the sonne y ◠same hath not the father Let therfore abide in you that same which ye heard from the beginning If that which ye hearde from the beginning shall remayne in you ye also shall continue in the sonne and in the father and this is the promise that he hath promised vs euen euerlastyng lyfe For this purpose appeared y ◠sonne of god to lose the workes of the deuil This is gods commaundemēt that we beleue on the name of his sonne Ie sus Christ. In this appeared the loue of god towards vs because y ◠god sent his onely begotten sonne into the world that we might lyue thorow hym Who is it that ouercommeth the world but he which beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of god God hathe geuen vnto vs eternall lyfe and this life is in hys son He that hath the sonne hathe lyfe and he that hath not the son of god hath not lyfe We know that the sonne of god is come and hathe geuen vs a mynde to know him whiche is true and we are in hym that is true euen in hys son Ie sus Christ. The same is verye god and eternall lyfe Examples out of the new Testament God the Father proclaymed Iesu Christ both when he was baptised and transfigured hys onely begotten naturall and welbeloued sonne saying this is my dearely beloued son in whō I haue great pleasure Two men possessed w t deuils called Iesu the son of god saying O Iesu the son of god what haue we to do w t thee The men which were in the ship se yng that the winde ceased so soone as Christ was come into the ship said vnto him truly thou art the son of god When Christ demaunded ōf hys dis ciples whom they thought him to be Peter in the name of all the disciples aunswered and sayd thou art Christe the sonne of the liuyng god When bishop Cayphas sayde vnto Christ I charge thee in the name of y e liuing god that thou tell vs whether thou be Christ the sonne of god Christ answered thou hast sayd Neuertheles I saye vnto you hereafter shall ye see the sonne of man sitting on the righte hand of power and come in the clouds of the sky Whē the Centurion and they that were with him watching Iesus sawe the earthquake those thinges which happened they feared greatly saying Of a surety this was the son of god They brought to Christ a mā sicke of the palsie lying in his bed whē Iesus saw the faith of them he said to the sick of the palsey son be of good chere Thy sinnes be forgeuen thee And behold certain of the Scribes sayd in thēselues this man blasphemeth And when Iesus sawe their thoughtes he sayde wherfore thynke ye euill in your hartes Here Christ proueth himselfe god agaynst all his enemies two maner of wayes Fyrst in that he forgeueth sinnes For no man can forgeue sinne but god alone Secondly in that be knoweth the verye hidde and secret thoughtes of men For who searcheth the hartes and raines of men but god onely When a certayne man possessed w t an vnclean spirit saw christ a far of he came runnyng and worshipped hym and cried with a loude voyce saying What haue I to do with thee O Iesu thou sonne of the most hyest god The high priest asked Iesu◅ and said vnto him art thou Christ the sonne of the blessed He aunswered I am And ye shall see the sonne of man sitting on the right hand of power and comming in the cloudes of heauen Christ sayde vnto Nathanaell Before that Philip called thee whē thou wast vnder the ◅ygtree I saw thee Na thanaell answered and sayd vnto him Rabby thou art euen the verye sonne of god thou art the king of Israel Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto him Bicause I sayd vnto thee I saw thee vnder the figtree thou beleuest thou shalt see greater thinges then these And he said vnto them verely verely I say vn to you hereafter shall ye see heauen open and the aungels of god ascēdyng and descendyng ouer the sonne of mā The miracle which Christ wrought at the mariage in Cana by turnyng water into wyne proueth hym manifestly to be god After the sermon that Christ made of the eating of his fleshe and the drinking of
his bloud manye of his Disciples vnderstandyng his wordes grosely as the papistes doo vnderstande the wordes of the Lordes Supper wente backe and forsoke him and walked no more with him Then said Iesus to y â— twelue will ye also goe away Then Simon Peter aunswered him Lord to whome shall we goe Thou haste the wordes of eternall lyfe and we beleue and are sure that thou art Christe the sonne of the liuyng god Iesus heard that the Iewes had excommunicate the blinde man whome he had made to see and when he had found him he said vnto him doest thou beleue on the sonne of god He answered and said who is it Lord y â— I myght beleue on him And Iesus sayde vnto him thou hast sene him and he it is y â— taketh with thee And he sayd lorde I beleue and he worshipped him Martha said vnto Christ I beleue y â— thou art Christ the sonne of god which should come into the world Iesus sayde to Thomas bring thy finger hether and see my handes and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be no more faithles but beleuing Thomas answered and said vnto him My Lord and my god Iesus said vnto hym Thomas because thou hast seene me thou hast beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued The Enuche sayd vnto Phillip see here is water what doth let me to bee baptised Phillip said vnto him If thou beleue with all thine heart thou maiest And he aunswered and said I beleue y â— Iesus Christ is the sonne of god The restoryng of y â— blind to their sight the raysing vp of the dead vnto life the cleÌ„sing of the leapers the healyng of theÌ„ that were diseased with the palsey the restoring of men possessed with deuils vncleane spirites to their whole minde the makyng of the deafe to heare and the dumme to speake with the other mi racles that Christ wrought do euidently proue Christ to be the natural sonne of god yea and god himselfe Against the heresie of them vvhich hold that Iesus Christ the sonne of God toke no fleshe of Mary hys mother ☞ I feyther Sathan wyth hys subtle suggesti ons or anye of hys decetifull worke men wyth theyr crafty reasons and falsifiyng the holy scrip tures goe about to perswade thee that Iesus Christ the sonne of God tooke no fleshe of that blessed virgine Mary hys mother but brought hys body wyth hym from heauen enarme thy selâ—…e wyth these authorities of gods worde against theyr pestilent and damnable dartes Sentences out of the olde Testament I will set enmitie betwene thee and the woman betwene thy seede and her seede The verye selfe same seede shall treade downe thy head and thou shalte tread vpon his hele In thee all kynreds of the earth shal be blessed In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed The scepter shall not departe from Iuda and a lawe geuer from betwene his fete vntil Sâ—…lo come and vnto him shall the gathering of the people be He shall bynde his fole vnto the vine hys Asses colte vnto the braunche He washed his garment in wyne and his man till in the bloud of grapes His eyes are redder then wine and his teethe whiter then mylke There shall come a star of Iacob and raise a Scepter of Israel Out of Iacob shall he come that shall haue dominion I will raise them vp a Prophet from among their brethreb lyke vn to thee wil put my wordes in hys mouth he shal speake vnto them all that I shal coÌ„mauÌ„d him and whosoeuer wil not har ken vnto the wordes whiche hee shall speake in my name I wyll require it of hym I wil set vp thy sede after thee which shall be of thy sonnes and will stablish his kingdoÌ„ He shall build me an house and I will stablish his seate for euer I will bee his father and he shall bee my sonne and I wil not put away my mercy from him as I did from him y â— was before thee but I will set him in my house and in my kingdome for euer his seate shall be sure for euer I haue sworne once by my holines y â— I will not fayle Dauid Hys seede shall endure for euer and his seate also like as the sunne before me He shall stande for euer more as the moone and as the faithfull witnes in heauen The Lord hath made a faithful othe vnto Dauid and he shall not shrink froÌ„ it out of the fruite of thy body shal I set vpon thy seat Behold a Uirgine shall conceaue beare a sonne and shall call hys name Emanuell Unto vs a child shal be borne vnto vs a child shal be geuen vpoÌ„ his shoulder shall the kingdome lye he shall be called with his owne name the wonde rous geuer of councell the mighty god the euerlasting father y e prince of peacer he shall make no ende to encrease the kingdome and peace and shall sit vpon the seate of Dauid and in his kingdom to set vp the same to establish it with equitie and rightousnes from henceforth for euer more This shall the gelousy of the Lord of hostes bring to passe There shal come a rod forth of the kin dred of Iesse a blossoÌ„ out of his roote The spirit of the Lord shall light vppon it the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirite of councel streÌ„gth the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of god c. Behold the tyme commeth sayth the Lord that I will raise vp the righteous braunche of Dauid which shall beare rule and discusse matters with wisdoÌ„ and set vp equitie and righteousnesse agayne in earth In his tyme shall Iuda be saued and Israell shal dwel without feare And this is the name y t they shall cal him eueÌ„ y e lord our rightous maker Behold the time commeth sayth the lord that I wil performe the good thing which I haue promised vnto the house of Israell and to the house of Iuda In those dayes and at the same time I wil bryng forth vnto Dauid the braunch of righteousnesse and he shall doe equitye and righteousnes in the lande In those dayes shal Iuda be helped and Ierusalem shal dwel safe and he that shal call her is euen god our righteous maker For thus the Lord god promiseth Dauid shal neuer want one to sit vpon the stole of the house of Israel I will rayse vp vnto them one onely shepeheard euen my seruant Dauid he shall feede them and he shall be theyr shepeheard I the Lorde will bee theyr god and my seruaunte Dauid shall be their prince Euen I the Lorde hathe spoken it Understand this and marke it well that from the tyme it shall be concluded to go and to repayre Ierusalem againe vnto Christ there shal be seuen wekes Then shal the stretes
and made bounde vnto the lawe to redeme them which were vnder the law that we thorow election myght receiue the inheritaunce that beloÌ„geth vnto the naturall sonne Christ beyng in the shape of GOD and thynkyng it no robbery to equall with God neuerthelesse made him selfe of no reputaâ—…ion toke on hym y â— shape of a seruaunt became like vnto men was found in his apparell as a man Without doubt great is thys mystery of godlynesse God was shewed in the fleshe was iustified in the spirite was sene of aungels was preached vnto the gentils was beleued on in earth and receyued vp in glory Remember that Iesus Christ beyng of the seede of Dauid rose agayne from death accordyng to my gospell He that sanctifieth and they whiche are sanctified are all of one For whiche causes sake he is not ashamed to cal theÌ„ brethreÌ„ saying I wil declare thy name to my brethreÌ„ and in the myddes of the congregation wil I prayse thee And againe I will put my trust in hym And againe behold here am I the children which god hath geueÌ„ me For as much then as the children were partakers of flesh bloud he also hym selfe likewise tooke part with them for to put downe thorowe death hym that had Lorshyp ouer death that is to say the deuill and that he myght deliuer them which thorowe feare of death were all their lyfe time in dauÌ„ger of boÌ„dage For he in no condicion taketh on him the auÌ„gels but the sede of Abraham taketh he on hym Wherfore in all thinges it became him to be made like vnto his brethreÌ„ that he myght be mercifull and a faithfull hys priest in thinges concerning god for to purge y â— peoples sinnes For that it fortuned him selfe to be teÌ„pted he is hable to succour them also that are tempted Dearely beloued beleue not euery spi rit but proue the spirites whether they are of God or not For many false Pro phetes are gone out into the worlde Hereby shall ye know the spirit of god Euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in y â— flesh is of god And euery spirit which coÌ„fesseth not y â— Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of god And this is the spirite of Antichrist of whoÌ„ ye haue hard how y â— â—…e shuld come euen now already is he in the world Many deceyuers are entred into the world whiche confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh This is a deceiuer and an Antichrist ☞ Examples out of the new Testament WHen the tyme was come y â— the blessed promised sede should be borne God sent his messenger Gabriell vntâ—… that holy Uirgine Marye whiche was of the house of Dauid which among ma ny other thinges sayd vnto her feare not mary For thou hast founde grace with God Behold thou shalt conceyue in thy wombe and beare a Sonne c. ☞ Note that the aungell sayth thou shalt conceyue He sayth not heauen shall conceyue And the aungell like as the Prophet vsed this word conceiue to declare that the flesh whiche Christ had was truly and naturally taken of the substaunce of his mother Mary the virgine For to conceiue is none other thyng than a woman to be a very true naturall mother by ministryng parte of her corporall substaunce to her childe wherof also the child is formed and made Now on this maner by the workyng of the holy ghost without the sede of man did this blessed virgine conceyue Christ it therfore truly foloweth that Christe brought not hys body with hym from heauen but receyued it of the naturall substaunce of his mother Mary And because we should not doubt of this thyng the aungell calleth Iesus Maries sonne If Christ had not ta ken his humanitie of the blessed Uirgine of her nature and substaunce and so be made very true and perfect man the aungell had not sayd truth when he called Christ her sonne For neyther should Mary haue bene Christes mother nor Christ Maries sonne And so should the aungell haue brought a false and a lying message from God whiche is the selfe truth But let God be true and all heretikes lyers ☞ The godly and vertuous womaÌ„ Elizabeth wife to â—…acharie the priest said to Mary her Co sen beyng newly conceiued with childe thorow the operacion of the holy ghost blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe And whence happeneth thys vnto me y â— the mother of my lord shoulde come vnto me what soeuer thys holy woman sayth here it muste nedes bee beleued as an infallible truth For she speaketh not of her owne head but as she was filled w t the holy ghost In this her salutacion she calleth Christe the fruite of Maries wombe If Christe bee the fruite of Maryes wombe as vndobutedlye hee is then is Christ made of the substaunce of Mary and is her true and naturall sonne or els were it a manifest lye to call Christ the fruite of her wombe Who is so madde to call a thyng the fruite of a tree that neuer had the nature of a tree Were it not double madnes to call a peare the fruite of a chery tree so greate a fondnes and a greater lye had it bene to call Christ the fruite of Maries wombe if he had brought his body with hym from heauen or from any other place But as it is truly sayd thys peare is the fruite of a peare tree because it had hys beyng and naturall substaunce of the nature and substaunce of a peare tree so likewise is it truly said Christ is the fruite of Maries wombe because he had hys beyng and naturall substaunce as concernyng hys humanitie of the nature and substaÌ„ce of Mary Let God therefore be true and all heretikes lyers IEsus sayth Luke grew in wisedome and age thys also declareth Christ to to be true man seyng he grew in age and strength of bodye yea and also in wisedome after the maner of other children all though in the gyftes of the mynde he farre excelled all other men as the Scriptures testifie God sayth Dauid euen thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes S. Ihon Baptist also spea keth of Christ on this manner God geueth not the spirit by me sure vnto him ☞ If Christ had brought hys body with hym â—…oÌ„ heauen so could not Christes body haue ben a naturall body nor haue growen after the man ner of other chyldren but should haue bene as bygge when it came from heauen into the Uirgines wombe as it was on the same day that it was put to death But the holy Scriptures teache vs that Christ is the fruite of Maryes wombe that he is her sonne that he was borne a litle childe and grewe in age after the manner of other children vntill he became a perfect man It therefore truly followeth that he brought not his body with him
of Abraham that is to say was made and became ve ry true and naturall man of the kinrede of Abra hā accordyng to Gods promise So that all that euer he had concerning his humanitie he had it of the blessed Uirgine which came of y ◠stocke of Abraham ☞ Agayne he saith in all things it became hym to be made lyke vnto hys bretherne Here saint Paule confesseth that Christ was made like vn to vs in all thynges which thyng by no meanes could be true yf he had not taken vpon him our nature and substaunce If he belyke vnto vs in all thynges sinne alone excepte so followeth it that he is of the same nature of the same fleshe and bloud that we are or els could not he be like vnto vs in all thynges And so should thys holy apostle and al other godly writers and teachers haue brought vs in errour But let god be true and all heretikes lyers ☞ Now haue we learned both truly and fullye of the holy scriptures which are infallible verities that Christ was cōceiued by the holy ghost and borne of the Uirgine Mary By the which worde of we beleue that he toke his humanity of her substaunce and had none other begynnyng as touching his humanity than in her and of her by the operation of the holy ghost so that we may truely conclude that as Christ is very God of God the father wythout a mother so is he very man of Mary his mother wythout any Father Therfore may hys God head be as iustly denied as hys manhode and flesh takyng of the blessed virgine Mary But Christ abydeth very god and very man whatsoeuer the wicked hiretikes hable Cursed therefore bee Cerdo Marcian and Manes which taught that christ appeared as man and yet had no parte of true manhoode in hym but onelye had a fantasticall bodye ☞ Cursed be Cerinthus which taught that Iesus was begotten of Ioseph and Mary after y ◠maner of other men and that Christ came down from aboue vnto Iesus ▪ Cursed bee the Ebionites the Theodosians the Antimonians and the Photinians which affirmed that Christe was borne of the virgine onely man not God Cursed be Appelles which taught that Christ had his body of the elements in the ayre Cursed be Ualentinus which sayd that Christ brought his body wyth him from heauen and tooke no fleshe of the Uirgine Mary but passed through her as water through the pype Cursed be hys Apes the Anabaptistes ▪ which in these our dais haue raysed vp that most detestable and horryble heresie Cursed and confounded be all they which wyth theyr hartes do not beleue wyth their mouthes vnfainedly confesse that Iesus Christ is both God and man to whom be glory for euer Amen Against the grosse and fantasticall opinion of the papistes which affirme that Christes naturall body and bloud is carnally eaten and dronken in the lordes supper IF the deuill or the pope or any of their impes go about with sophisticall reasons to persuade thee that Christ is naturall in the sacramentall bread and wyne or that the bread and wine is turned vnto the reall and naturall body bloud of Christ euen as he receaued it of the blessed Uirgine suffer not thy selfe to bee beguiled and mocked but valiauntly resiste them wyth these sentences and histories of Gods moste holye worde ☞ Sentences out of the olde Testament THe Lord is in his holye temple the Lordes seat is in heauen The Lord lord looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstād and seeke after god God is gone vp wyth a mery noyse and the Lorde wyth the sounde of the trompet God sitteth vpon his holy seate Thou art gone vpon hie O Christ thou hast led captiuitie captiue receiued giftes for men Syng vnto God O ye kingdomes of the earth O sing praises vnto the lord which sitteth in the heauens ouer all He looked downe from his sanctuarye euen out of heauen did the Lord behold the earth that he might heare the mourninges of such as be in captiuitie and deliuer the children appointed vnto death The Lord hath prepared hys seat in heauē and his kingdom ruleth ouer al. O Lord my god thou art become excedyng glorious thou art clothed wyth maiesty and honor thou deckest thy self with light as it were with a garment and spreadest oute the heauens lyke a curtayne Thou layest the beames of thy chambers in the waters makest the cloudes thy charets and walkest vpon the winges of the winde The Lorde sayd vnto my Lorde sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thyne enemies thy footestole The Lorde is hie aboue all heathen and his glory aboue the heauens Who is like vnto the lord our God that hath his dwellyng so hie and yet humbleth himselfe to behold the things that are in heauen and earth Wherefore shall the heathen saye where is now their god As for our god he is in heauen he hath done what so euer pleased hym Unto thee O Lord lift I vp my eies which dwellest in the heauens Whither shal I go from thy spirit or whether shal I flee from thy presēce If I clime vp into heauē thou art there c Wil god dwel on the earth Behold the heauens and heauens of all heauēs are not able to contayne thee And how should then this house do it that I haue builded The house which I build shal be great for great is our god aboue al gods But who is able to build hym an house whē that heauen and heauen aboue all heauens is not hable to receiue him God is hyer then heauen what arte thou able to do Deper then hell howe wilt thou then know hym His length excedeth the length of the earth and hys breadth the breadth of the sea Thus saith the Lord heauen is my seate and the earthe is my footestoole where shall now the house stand that ye will build vnto me And where shall be the place that I will dwell in Sentences out of the new Testament IF any man say vnto you Loe here is Christe or there is Christe beleue it not For there shall arise false annoynted and false teachers and shall shewe greate myracles and wonders in so muche that yf it were possible the verye electe should be deceaued Beholde I haue tolde you afore Wherfore if thei say vnto you behold he is in the desert goe not ye forth behold he is in y ◠secret places beleue it not For as the lightnyng commeth out of the east and appeareth into the West so shall the commyng of the sonne of man be Ye haue the power alwayes w t you but me shall ye not haue alwayes And when the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receiued into heauen and is set downe on the right hand of god It came to passe as Christ
is the defeÌ„ der 〈◊〉 our life of whome then shall we â—…e afrayed Christe is the strength of his people and the defender of the health of his annointed Christ is our refuge in all tribulatioÌ„s that assaile vs. Christes eyes are vpon them that fear hym and vpon them that trust in hys mercy he may deliuer their souls from deathe â–ª norishe them in the time of hunger Christ is gentle blessed is that man that trusteth in him Christ beholdeth the righteous and heareth their prayer Christ is at hand for them that are troubled in hart he shall saue the hum ble and meke spirited Christe geueth saluation to the righte ous and he is the defeÌ„der in the tyme of trouble He helpeth theÌ„ and deliuereth them and maketh them free from finners and saueth them because they trust in hym Christ pardoneth all our iniquities and healeth all our dyseases he delyuereth our lyues from destruction and crowneth vs in iuercye and louynge kindnes Christ is righte mylde and mercyfull flow vnto wrath but ready to forgenenes He chydeth not euer neither is he angrye alwayes he dealeth not with vs after our sinnes nor rewardeth vs accordyng to our wickednesse The height of the heauens is not so present ouer the earth as is his merciable goodnes ouer them that worship him He setteth our sinnes as far from vs as is the East froÌ„ the West Neuer was there any father so tender vnto his chyldren as is the Lorde vnto them that worshippe hym For it is he that knoweth our making he remembreth that we are but of dust That the age of man mortall is lyke grasse that he florisheth lyke a flowre of the fielde Whiche as soone as anye sharp wind toucheth it it is gone being no more founde in hys place But the merciable goodnes of the Lord is for euer and euer preseruyng hys worshippers and the form of his rightwise mâ—… kyng is presente with theyr chylders chyldren so long as they kepe his couenaunt and hold his commaundementes inmynd to do them Christ is the Lorde with whome there is both infinite mercy plenteous redeÌ„tion For he it is that redeemeth Israel from al their sinnes Christ is that Lord yea Christ is that Lord in deede which putteth awaye our iniquities for his owne sake and will remember them no more Neither haue we anye thyng wherby we may be iusti fied in his sight Christ alone is that sauiour in whom Israel is saued with an euerlasting health Christ can no more forget vs then a mother can forgette the chylde of her wombe And thoughe she forgetteth her childe yet cannot he forget vs For he hath written vp vs in his hands so that we are alway in his sight Christ hath taken vpon him our dyseases and borne awaye oure sorowes Christ was wounded for our iniquities and brused for our sinnes Christ was offerd for vs because it was his pleasure Christe alone hath troden downe the vynepresse neither was there any at al that helped him Examples out of the old Testament When God determined to slea all the first borne in the land of Egipt bothe of man and beaste hee commaunded his people euery man in hys house to slea a Lambe of a yere olde and without spot and with the bloud therof to annoynte the vpper doore post and the two syde postes that whan the Aungell whiche smote the land of Egipt should see the bloud he mighte passe ouer them not destroy them This pascal Lambe of the Iewes is a figure of the true Pascall lambe Iesus Christ the Lorde whiche is the pure and vndefiled lambe of God whiche offered him selfe a sweete smellynge sacryfice vnto God for vs which neuer committed synne and in hys mouth no gyle was founde For as the bloude of the Lambe sprynckled on the doore postes of the Israelites dydde dryue awaye the auenger and kepte harmles the fyrst begotten of the Israelites so lykewyse the bloude of Christ sprinckeled in the heartes of men by â—…aythe dryueth Sathan synne death desperation and hell from them puryfieth their consciences maketh their hear tes merye setteth them at one wyth God and bringeth ouerlastyng lyfe as Sainct Iohn saith Behold that lambe of god which taketh away the sinne of the world Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paule christ our passeouer is offred vp for vs. Christ was figured by Manna which God gaue from heauen vnto the Israelites to eate in the desart For as that breade was very plesaunte and good of taste and had in it the sauour of all sweete and deintye meates so that they whiche dyd eate of that neded none other meate Euen so lykewyse is Christ the moste sweete and pleasaunte breade that came downe from heauen He that eateth of thys bread shal lyue for euer neyther nedeth he to folow ani other straung repast For in Christe the soule of a christen man through fayth findeth enough to fede vpon The rock out of the whiche plenty of swete waters gushed out for the coÌ„fort of the thirstye Israelites in the wildernes signifyed Christe also as Sainte Paule dothe declare For as that rocke gaue out abdundance of swete and plea sant waters to the great comfort of the peple of Israel which otherwise should haue pearished so likewise is Christe y â— rock out of the which floweth plenty of heauenlye waters comfortable for the thirsty soule whiche otherwise can not be succoured but muste needes pearish And he that drinketh of those heauenly waters whiche come out of the rocke Christ shall not nede to seeke after the â—…inking dirtie puddles of other For in this Christe he shall finde plentye of waters to drinke yea and that vnto the vttermost for his soules helth as Christ him self sayeth Whosoeuer shall drink of the water that I shall geue him shall neuer more be a thirste but the water that I shall geue him shall be in him a wel of water springing vp into euerlasting life The brasen serpent in the olde lawe was a figure also of Christ. For as those whiche were striken of y â— fyry serpentes were made whole wheÌ„ they loked vppon the brasen Serpent for their faithes sake which they had in the promise of god annexed vnto the ser pent so likewise they that are wounded with the firie darts of Sathan are made whole when so euer they beholde with the eyes of the inward man by fayth Iesus Christe whiche was crucified for our synne as Christ himselfe testifieth sayinge As Moises lyfted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse euen so must the Son of man be lyfted vp that none that beleueth in him peryshe but haue euer â—…astyng life Sentences out of the newe Testament Christ is so called a Sauiour for hee it is that saueth hys people from theire synnes Christe came not to call the iusticiaries but sinners to repentaunce Christ calleth al them that labour and
Lorde our God is one Lord onely And thou shalte loue the Lord thy God with all thy harte with al thy soule with all thy might And these woordes which I commaunde thee thys day shalt thou take to harte and shalt rehearse them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou sittest in thyne house and whē thou walkest by the way when thou lyest downe and when thou rysest vp And thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand and they shall bee a token of remembrance before thine eies thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house and vpon the gates If ye harken vnto my commaundemēts which I commaund you this day that ye loue the Lorde your God and serue hym with all your hart wyth all your soule then will I geue rayne vnto your lande in due season earlye and late that thou mayest gather in thy corne thy wine and thine oyle and I wyll geue grasse vppon thy fielde for thy cattell that ye maye eate and be fylled But beware that your harte bee not deceyued that ye goe aside and serue other gods and worship them and then the wrathe of the Lorde waxe whote vppon you and he shutte vppe the heauen that there come no rayne and the earth geue not her encrease and ye perish shortly from the good land which the lord hath geuen you Put vp therefore these my woordes in your hartes and in your soules and binde them for a signe vpon your handes that they bee a token of remembraunce before your eyes and teache them your childrē so that thou talke of them when thou sittest in thine house or walkest by the way when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp and write them vpon the postes of thine house and vpon the gates that thou and thy children may liue long in y e land which the Lord sware vnto thy fathers to geue them as long as the dayes of heauen endure vpon earth Let my doctrine encrease as rayne and my speach flow as doth the dew Euen as the rayne vppon the grasse and the drops vpon the herbe Take to heart all the wordes which I testifie vnto you this day that ye cōmaūd your children to obserue and do all these woordes of this lawe For it is no vayne worde to you but it is your lyfe and this worde shall prolong your life Be strong and verye bolde that thou mayest keepe and doe euery thing according to the lawe that Moses my seruaunt commaunded thee Turne not aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left that thou maiest deale wisely whether soeuer thou goest And let not the booke of this lawe depart out of thy mouthe but exercise thy selfe therin day and nighte that thou mayest keepe and doe euery thing according to it that is written therin Then shalt thou prosper in thy wayes and deale wisely Lo I haue commaunded thee to be strong and bolde Fear not and be not afrayde for the Lord thy God is with thee whersoeuer thou goest Blessed is the man that deliteth in the law of the Lord and exerciseth himself in his law both day and night Lay hand on the learning lest the Lord be angry so ye perish frō the right way The law of the Lord is pure it turneth soules The witnesse of the Lord is faith full it geueth wisdom euen vnto babes The statutes of the Lord are right they reioyce the hart the commaundement of the Lord is bright and lighteneth the eyes The feare of the Lord is holy it endureth for euer the iudgements of the Lorde are true and righteous altogether they are more pleasaunt and worthy more to be desired then golde and precious stone yea they be sweter then the hony and the hony combe The Lord shall tell in the Scriptures of the people and of those Princes that were in her Blessed is the man whom thou hast nur tered O lord and taught him thy lawe He hath sent his word healed them deliuered them from their destructions Blessed are thei y e search his testimonies seeke after him with their whole harte Thou hast geuen strait charge that thy commaundements should be kept Oh that my wayes were stablished to kepe thy statutes then should not I be cō founded while I haue respect vnto all thy commaundements Where with all shall a younge man clenfe his way Uerely by ruling himselfe according to thy worde With my whole hart haue I sought thee oh let me not goe wrong out of thy commaundements Thy wordes haue I hid within my hart that I should not sinne against thee Thou rebukest y e proud cursed are they that depart from thy commaundements In thy testimonies is my delite yea thy statutes are my counsellers Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall kepe it vnto the ende Oh geue me vnderstanding and I shall kepe thy law yea I shall kepe it with my whole harte Leade me in the path of thy commaundements for that is my desire Enclyne my hart vnto thy testimonies and not vn to couetousnes The law of thy mouthe is better vnto me then thousandes of gold and siluer The wicked mē haue told me tales but nothing agreable to thy law For all thy commaundements are true yet haue the vngodly persecuted me If my delite wer not in thy law I shuld perish in my trouble Oh how swete are thy wordes vnto my throte yea more then honye is vnto my mouth Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathe It is hie time for thee O Lord to laye to thyne hand For they haue destroyed thy lawe For I loue thy commaundementes aboue golde and precious stone The preachinge of the worde geueth sighte yea and bringeth forth vnderstanding euen vnto the very babes Helthe is far from the vngodlye for they regard not thy statutes But great is the peace that they haue which loue thy lawe and they are not offended at it My Sonne if thou wilte receiue my wordes and kepe my commaundementes by thee that thine eare may harken vnto wisedome apply thine hart then to vnder standing For if thou criest after wisdome and callest for knowledg if thou sekest after her as after mony diggest for her as for treasure then shalt thou vnderstande the fear of the lord and find the knowlege of God For it is the Lorde that geeueth wisdome out of his mouthe commeth knowledge and vnderstandinge He preserueth the welfare of the righteous and de◅ēdeth them that walk innosētly he kepeth thē in the right path and preserueth the way of the saintes Then shalt thou not vnder stand rightuousnesse iudgement and equi tie yea and euery good path If wisedome enter into thine harte and thy soule delite in knowledge then shall councel preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee That thou maiest be deliuered frō the euill waye and from the
deuise thinges which be to harde to be kept through which the poore are oppressed on euerye side and the innocentes of my people are therewith robbed of iudgement Wo be to those shriÌ„kiÌ„g childreÌ„ saith y â— lord which seke counsel but not at me whiche take a web in haÌ„d but not after my will y â— they may heap one sinne vpon an other Thus saith the Lorde my thoughtes are not your thoughtes and your wayes are not my wayes but as farre as the heaueÌ„s are higher then the earth so far do my wayes exceade youres and my thoughtes your thoughtes Your lippes speake leasinges and your tong setteth out wickednes No man regardeth righteousnesse and no man iudgeth truly Euery man hopeth in vaine things and imagineth disceite conceiueth wickednes and bringeth forth euil They breede Cockatrices egs weaue the spiders web Whosoeuer eâ—…eth of their egs dieth but if one tread vpon them their commeth vp a serpent Their webbe maketh no cloth and they maye not couer them with their laboures Their deedes are the deedes of wickednesse and the worke of robbery is in their handes their feete runne to euill and they make haste to shed innocent bloude Theyr councels are wicked councels hate and destruction is in their wayes but y â— way of peace they know not In their goings is no equitie their waies are so crooked y â— who so goeth therin knoweth nothing of peace My people haue committed two greate euils They haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters and digged them pits pits I say that are broken and can hold no water Take bâ—…de saithe the Lord ye truste in coâ—…sels that begile you do you no good Heare not the wordes of the Prophets that preach their owne dreames Heare O ye house of Israel saith the lord Is not my way right or ar not your waies rather wicked The children of thy people saye tushe the way of the Lord is not right where as their way is rather vnright Examples out of the olde Testament Ieroboam kynge of Israel contrary to gods word made two calues of gold and set them vp to be worshipped of people as their goddes but both he and his posteritie were greuously punished for it How greuously god punished al such as brought in strauÌ„ge worshippings of god or any matters concerning Idolatrye or ought els contrary to y â— word of God although y â— authors of theÌ„ made the simple people to beleeue y â— they were verities although vnwritteÌ„ as the Papistes do now adaies y â— holy scriptures in diuers places do euideÌ„tly shew namely in the bokes of the kinges and of the chronicles ☞ Sentences out of the new Testament Except your righteousnesse dooth excede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Phariseis ye can not enter into the kingdome of heauen Beware of false Prophets which câ—…me vnto you in sheepes clothing and inward ly are rauening wolues Why do ye transgresse the commaundenâ—…ent of God for your tradicions Euery plant y â— my heaueÌ„ly father hath not planted shal be plucked vp by y e rotes This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am wel pleased heare ye him Teache them to kepe all thinges that I haue commaunded you Ye leaue the commaundemeÌ„t of god and maintaine your owne constitutions Well ye do caste aside the commaundemeÌ„t of god to kepe your own tradicions If ye abide in my worde ye are my disciples in deede and ye shall knowe the truthe and the truthe shall make you fre He that is of god heareth the wordes of God My sheepe heare my voice I knowe them and they followe mee neither shall they at any time pearishe nor yet shall any man pluck them out of my hand He that hathe my commaundementes and kepeth them he it is that loueth mee If any man loueth me he will keepe my wordes If ye keepe my commaundementes ye shall abide in my law Ye are my frends if ye doe those things that I commaund you Euery one that is of the truthe heareth my voyce I dare not speak of any of these things that Christ hath not wrought by me I beseeche you brethern marke them that make deuision and geue occasions of euil contrarye to the doctrine y â— ye haue learned and auoid them For they that are such serue not the Lord Iesu Christe but their own bellies with swete preachiÌ„gs and flattering words deceiue the harts of the simple Though we our selues or an Angel froÌ„ Heauen preache any other Gospel to you then that whiche we haue preached vnto you holde him accursed As I saide before so say I now againe if any man preach any other thing vnto you then that ye haue receiued holde him accursed Thoughe it be but a mans testament yet no maÌ„ despiseth it or addeth any thing therto when it is once alowed How much more ought nothing to be added to the tes tament of the moste highe God nor yet be taken from it Be no more children from heÌ„ceforth wandring and caried with euerye winde of doctrine by the wilines of men crafts whereby they lay awaite for vs to deceiuâ—… vs but let vs follow the truth in loue and in all thinges growe in him whiche is thy head that is to say Christ. Caste away vngodlye olde wiues fables exercise thy self vnto godlines If any man teache otherwise is not content with the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christe and with the doctrine of godlines He is pufte vp knoweth no thing but wasteth his brains about questioÌ„s strife of wordes wherof spring enuye strife rayling euill surmisinges and vaine disputations of menne of corrupte mindes and destitute of the truth whiche thinke that lucre is godlynes From suche seperate thy self If any man speake let him speake as though it came of gods owne mouth Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not god He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ hath bothe the Father and the Sonne If there come any vnto you and bring not this lerning him receiue not to house neither bid him god spede For he that bid deth him god spede is partaker of his euil deedes Be not caried about with diuers and straunge learninges If any man addeth to these thinges god shall adde vnto hym the plages that are written in this booke And if any maÌ„ shall minish of the wordes of this boke of this Prophecy god shal take away hys parte oute of the booke of life and out of the holye citie and from those thynges which are written in this booke Examples out of the newe Testament Christ rebuketh the pharises for bringing their traditions into the churche of God by that meanes defacyng the glory of Gods most holy worde Blessed Sainct Paule reproueth them which be dead with Christ from the commaundements
their wicked liuing and exhorted them vn to repentaunce Amos at the commaundement of kinge Amassas for his preching was cruelly beaâ—…en and greuously formented At the laste Ochozias sonne of Amasias caused him to be thurste into the temples with a great nayle and being half deade he was caryed into his own countrye where he sone after died Micheas was buffeted emprisoned and fed with bread and water Examples out of the olde Testament BLessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are ye when men reuile you perseâ—…ute you and 〈◊〉 speak all euâ—…l sayings against you for my sake Reioyce and be mery for great is your rewarde in heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets before you The scoler is not aboue the maister nor the seruant aboue his Lorde If they haue called the Father of the housholde Belzebub how much more shall they so cal them that are of his houshold Be not afrayed of them that â—…il the body but rather feare him whiche is able to destroy both body and soule in hel fire Euery one that shall confesse me before men I shall confesse him also before my fa ther whiche is in heauen But whosoeuer shal deny me before men I shall also deny him befyre my Father that is in heauen Ye shal be hated of all men for my sake Whosoeuer wil follow me let him forsake him self and take vp hys crosse and folow me For whosoeuer wil saue hislife shall lose it But whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake and the gospelles the same shall saue it For what shall it profite a man if he winne all the world and lose his owne soule or what shall a man geue to redeÌ„ his soul w tal agaiÌ„ whosoeuer fore shal be ashamed of me and my wordes in this whorish and sinful generation of him also shall the son of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his Father with the holy angels The seruaunt is not greater theÌ„ his Lord. If they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you If the world hate you know ye that it hated me before you If ye were of the world the world wold loue that is his But forasmuch as ye are not of the world but I haue choseÌ„ you out of the world therfore doth the world hate you The tyme shall come that who so euer killeth you wyll thinke that he doth God seruice Ye shal lameÌ„t and wepe but the world shal reioyce In the world ye shal haue trouble but be on a good comfort I haue ouercom the world If we suffer with Christ we shall also be glorifyed together with him I suppose that the afflictions of thys life are not worthy of the glorye whiche shal be shewed vpon vs. Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which is the father of 〈◊〉 and the God of al comfort which comforteth vs in all our tribulations As the afflictions of Christ are plenteous in vs euen so is our consolation pleuteous by Christ. We are not weried but though our out ward man perishe yet the in ward man is renued day by day For our trouble which is shorte and lighte prepareth an exceding and an eternall waight of glorye vnto vs while we loke not on the things which are sene but on the things which are not sene For thinges whiche are seene are temporal but things which ar not sene are euerlasting We know that if our earthly mansion of this dwelling were destroyed we haue a building of God an habitatioÌ„ not made with handes but euerlasting in heauen Unto you it is geuen not only to beleeue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Suffer affliction as a good souldiour of Christ. If we dy wyth Christ we shal liue with him If we suffer w e him we also shalreigâ—… with him if we deny him he will also dny vs. All that wil liue godly in Christe Iesu shall suffer persecutions This is thanke woorthyâ—… if a man for conscience toward god endure grefe and suffer wrong vndescrued If when ye do wel ye suffer wrong and take it patientlye then is there thankes with God For here vnto verely were ye called Blessed are ye if any trouble happen vn to you for righteousnes sake Dearly beloued maruel not that ye are proued by fire which thing is to trye you as though some straung thing hapned vnto you but reioyce in as muche as ye are partakers of Christes passion that when his glorye appereth ye may be merye and glad If ye be railed vpon for the name of Christ happy are ye For the glory and the spirite of God resteth vpon you On theyr parte he was euill spoken of but on your parte he is glorified If any man suffer as a christian man let him not be ashamed but let him glorify god in this behalfe Let them that be trooubled according to he wil of god commit their saules to him with wel doyng as vnto a faithfull creatour Iesus to saÌ„ctify the people with his own bloud suffered without the gate Let vs go forth therfore out of the tentes and suf fer rebuk wyth him For here haue we no continuyng city but we seke on to come By many trybulations must we enter into the kingdome of heauen The holy ghost witnesseth in euery city saying that bandes and trouble abide me But none of these things moue me neyther is my lyfe dear vnto my selfe that I mighte fulfill my course with ioy and the ministration of the word whith I haue receiued of the Lord Iesu to testify the Gospell of the grace of God I am ready not to be bounde only but also to dy for the name of the Lord Iesu. Blessed are the deade that dye in the Lorde euen so sayth the spirite that from henceforth they reaste from their labours But theyr worke folow them Examples out of the new Testamen IOhn Baptist for truth telling to kinge Herod was cast into prisoÌ„ beheaded Iesus Christ our Lord and sauiour after many blasphemies rebukes slaunders and bitter tormentes suffered the moste spitefull deathe of the crosse and so entred into glory The holy marter S. Stephen was stoned vnto death Iames y â— brother of Iohn was beheded What kindnes Peter and Paule wyth the apostles found at the handes of them whose saluatioÌ„ they most diligeÌ„tly sought the histories make mencion Neither I heare speak of those blessed Marters which sence their dayes haue dyed for the confession of gods truthe so that the gospell is not without a cause called of blessed Paul the word of the crosse For all that wil liue godly in Christ Ie su saith he shall suffer persecution I saw saith Sainct Iohn vnder the altar the soules of them that were killed for the woord of god and for the testimonyâ—… whiche they
bee vnto their soules for they haue rewarded 〈◊〉 vnto theÌ„selues Byd the righteous do wel for they shal enioy y â— fruites of their study But wo be vnto thâ—… vngodly and vnrigheeous for thei shal be rewarded after their workes Thou shalt not praye for thys people thou shalte neyther geue thankes nor byd prayer for them Thou shalte make no in tercession to me for them for in no wise will I heare thee Readâ—… fourth This said the lord vnto me thou shalt not praye to do this people good for thoughâ—… they fast I will not heare their prayers Though they offer burnt offrings and sacrifices yet will not I accepte them For I wil destroy them with the sworde and hunger and pestilence ☞ Examples out of the olde Testament THe seruauntes and all the army of the proude Senacherib were destroyed for their blasphemy agaynst god Holoâ—…rnes blasphemed God when he sayde that there was none other god of the earth but Gabuchodonosor and therfore was he afterwarde slayne euen of a woman Nabugodonosor blasphemed god wheÌ„ he sayde to the three chyldren who is the God that caÌ„ delyuer you out of my hands The children of Isarell blasphemed god therfore perished when they sayd to the Prophet Ieremy As for the wordes that thou haste spoken vnto vs in the name of the lorde we will in no wise heare them But whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth that will we doo We will do sacrifice and offer oblations vnto the quene of heauen lyke as we and our forefathers our kyngs and our rulers haue done in the cityes of Iuda and in the streates and fieldes of Ierusalem For then had wee plenteousnesse of vitails then were we in prosperytye and no mysfortune came vpon vs. But sence we lefte to offer and to sacrifice vnto the quene of heauen wee haue had scarsnesse of all thynges and perish with sworde and honger Those Iewes blasphemed God which saide let vs goe and make a couenaunte with the Heathen that are rounde aboute vs. For since we departed from them we haue had sorowe inough Nicanor blasphemed god when he saide Is their a mighty one in heauen that commaunded the Saboth daye to be kept It was aunswered yea euen the liuing god the mighty Lorde in heauen commaunded the. vii daye to be kepte Then sayde be and I am myghty vpon earth to commaunde them for to arme themselues and to performe the kinges busines Sentences out of the newe Testament He that is not with me is again me saith Christe And be that gathereth not with me scatereth abrode Therfore I say vnto you all manner of sinne and blasphemy shal be forgeuen vnto men but the blasphe mye agaynste the spirite shall not be forgeuen vnto men And whosoeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgeuen him But whosoeuer speaketh against the holy ghost it shal not be forgeuen him neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come If any men see his brother sinne not vnto death let him aske and he shal geue him life for theÌ„ that sin not vnto deth Ther is a sin vnto death for which I say that a maÌ„ should not pray It maye not be that they whiche were once lightened and haue tasted of the heauâ—…nly gifte and were become partakers of the holy ghost and haue tasted of the good word of god and the powers of the world to come If they fall awaye ' that they should againe be renewed by repentaunce which in them selues do crucify the sonne of God making a mock of him If we sinne wilfully after that we haue receiued the knowledge of truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a feareful loking for iudgement and violent fire whiche shall deuoure the aduersarie He that despiseth Moyses lawe dyeth without mercye vnder two or three wytnesses How muche sorer suppose ye shall he be punished which treadeth vnder foote the Sonne of God and counteth the bloud of the Testament wherewith he was saÌ„ctified as an vnholy thing and dishonoure to the sprite of grace Examples out of the new Testament The Iewes spake blasphemie against the holy ghoste when they said of Christ by the power of Belzebub doth he cast out Deuils They were blasphemers whiche sayde to Christe hanginge on the cros thou that destroyedst the Temple of GOD and buildest it againe in three dayes saue thy selfe If thou be the sonne of God come down from the crosse They also spake blasphemy against the holy ghost which now adaies of a pretensed malice condemne the worde of God as herey and persecute the preachers therof as heretickes and sedicious persons Against the despising of Gods word of the plagues that follow the same IF the deuil go about to pluck downe thy minde from the loue of gods worde and to moue thee to despise the doctrine of thy saluation so that thou shouldest no more delight in the moste comfortable gospel of Christe which is the power of god to saue so many as beleue but rather in thinges of vanitie â—…ake hede that thou leanest not to his subtile suggestions but standing in awe of gods iudgementes â–ª and fearing his plagues valeauntly resist Sathan with these holy scriptures following ☞ Sentences out of the olde Testament IF ye wil not harken vnto me saieth the Lord nor kepe my commaundementes but despise them c. then wil I doo this againe vnto you I will set my face against you and ye shall fal before your enemies and they that hate you shall raigne ouer you I will make the heauen ouer you as hardyron and your land as hard as bras I will sende my wilde beastes vpon you whiche shall rob you of your children and destroy your cattel I wil send a sword vp on you that shall auenge my Testament with you I wil send the pestilence among you Reade the Chapiter to thend If thou wilt not harken to the voice of the Lord thy God to kepe and to do all his commaundements and ordinaunces then all these curses shall come vpon thee ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the Towne and cursed in the Fielde cursed shall thine almayrye be and thy store Cur sed shall the fruite of thine bodye and the fruite of thy lande be and the fruite of thy oxen and the flock of thy shepe The Lord shall make the pestilence cleane to thee vn til he haue consumed thee from the lande The Lord shall smite thee with madnesse blindnes and dasing of hart because thou seruedst not the Lord thy god with ioyfulnes and with a good hart for the abouÌ„daÌ„cs of all thinges wherefore thou shalt serue thine enemie which the Lord shal send oâ—… thee in hunger and thirste in nakednes in neede of all thinges And he shall put a yoke of iron vpon thy necke vntil be haue brought the to nought Read this Chapiter diligeÌ„tly from the beginning to
there may ye be also Father I wyl that they which thou hast geuen me be with me where I am that they maye see my glory whiche thou hast geuen me We knowe that if our earthy mansâ—…on of this dwelling were destroyed we haue a building of God an habitation nâ—…t made with handes but euerlasting in heauen Reade forth the Chapter When soeuer Christe our lyfe shall appeare then shall you also appeare with him in glory The lorde hymselfe shall come downe from heauen wyth a shoote and the voyce of the Archaungel and tromp of God And the dead in Christ shall arise first then we whiche shall lyue euen we which shall remayne shal be caught vppe with them also in the clouds to mete y e Lord in the ayre so shal we euer be with the lorde Therefore comfort your selues one another with these wordes The spirite or soule is before God a precious thinge and much set by Christ was killed as pertaning to the flesh but was quickened in the spirit In which spirite he also went and preached vnto the spirites that were in prison c. Here it is manifest that the spirites or soules of men are immortal and liue either in glory or in payne after they be losoned from the body Examples out of the new Testament WHen the Sadâ—…ces denied the resurrec tion of the body and the immortaliti of the soule Christe aunswered theÌ„ saying haue ye not reade what is wrytten I am the God of AbrahaÌ„ the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob He is not the God of the dead but of the liuing By this testimony of the holy scripture Christ declareth that though Abraham Isaac Iacob and al other of the faithful be dead as concerning theyr bodyes yet their soules liue with God and are immortall The history of the pore maÌ„ Lazarus of the rich vnmercifull gloton proueth euidentlye that the soules dye not with the body nor yet slepe vntil the day of iudgement as the vngodly Anabaptists dream nether are they cast into purgatory as the papistes teach but that the soules of the faythfull goe immediatly after their departure from the body vnto eternal glory and the soules of the vnfaythfull vnto euerlasting damnation so that the soules of al men are immortall and liue for euer either in heauen or in hel in glory or in payne The parable of the vnrighteous steward setteth forthe also the immortality of the soule as these words of Christ do declare Make you frends sayth he of the wicked Mammon that when ye shal depart hence they may receiue you into euerlastig dwel ling places The soule came agayne to the widowes son to the rulers doughter to Lazarus to them that after Christes resurrection came out of their graues to Dorâ—…s to Eu tichus c. Which thing declareth maâ—…festlye that the soule dyeth not with the bo dy but stil liued and remayned immortall The thiefe that hanged one the crosse with Christ sayde vnto him Lord remember me when thou shalte come into thy kingdome Christe aunswered verelye I saye vnto thee this daye shalt thou be with me in paradise The body of the thiefe dyed shortly after and was committed to the earth The soule of the thiefe was in paradise with Christ. The soule therfore liueth and remaineth immortall or els muste Christ be a liar But let God be true and all heretikes liars Sainct Stephen being at the pointe of death prayed saying lorde Iesu take my spirite Sainct Paule wisshed to be losoned out of his bodye and to bee with Christ. I saw vnder the aulter saith Sainct Iohn the souls of them that wer killed for the word of God and for the testimony whiche they had and they cried with a loude voyce saiing howe long tariest thou O lord bolye and true to iudg and to auenge our bloud on them that dwel on the earth and longe white garmentes were geuen vnto euery one of them And it was sayde vnto them that they should rest for a little season vntyll the number of their felowes and brethren and of them that should be killed as they were were fulfilled ¶ Of the glory of heauen and of euerlasting lyfe IF Sathan go forth to tempt thee that thou mightest lose the inheritance of the kingdome of god and say vnto thee that thou art a sinner an abhominable liuer and therfore thy faith is frustrate and thy hope vain in loking for the glory of heauen for God is a righteous Iudge and rewardeth euery man according to his deedes and merites let all these his craftyâ—… assaultes nothinge moue or abashe thee but call to thy remembraunce and beleeue stedfastlye that the heauenlye kingdome is not geuen thee for thy merites and desartes for so shouldest thou receiue nothing but eternal dampnation but for the promises which god the father hath made thee in Christes bloud if thou repent beleue Therfore cast away that rightousnes which the hypocrites chalenge by their good works and lay handes on that which commeth by faith of Iesus Christe so canst thou not be deceiued so can sathan win nothyng at thy hande so can it not but come to pas that thou shalt enioy the glory of heauen thorowe Christe Iesu. And that thou mayest doubt nothinge in this behalfe imprint these sentences and examples of the holy â—… scripture diligeÌ„tly and earnestly in thy minde ☞ Examples out of the olde Testament THe Lord hath saued me because it was his pleasure Prayse the Lorde O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy name Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefites which forgeueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities which saueth thy life from destructioÌ„ and crowneth the with mercy and louing kindnesse They that put their trust in me shall inherite the land and possesse my holy hil Thy damnation O Israel came of thy selfe but thy saluation commeth of me Examples out of the olde Testament That princelye Prophet Dauid being thorowly perswaded that the inheritance of the glory of heauen and the possession of euerlasting life is the free gift of god thorow Iesus Christe and is denied to none although neuer so sinful and wretched if they repent being nothing appalled with his former sinful liuig as though y â— shuld pluck him from the inheritaunce of the heuenly kingdome knew what blessed felicitie and ioyful quietnes the soules of the faithful do enioy after their departure froÌ„ the bodyes lamented he caried so longe in this vale of misery and no lesse feruently desired to come and appeare before the face of god than the thirstye harte desireth to come to the water brookes The godly auncient Tobye knowinge gods exceeding great liberalitie in the gift of euerlastinge quietnes after the humble submission of him self vnto the Lorde hys god wyshed rather to dy than to lyue and beseched god that hys spyryte might be receiued in