time as our bodies bee raised also at the last comming of Iesus Christ The historie of the resurrection is right diligently brought foorth by the Euangelistes Matth. 27. to shewe the follie of the Scribes and Pharisees who hauing rowled a great stone on the tombe thought to let this rising againe and moreouer to hide it afterwardes they gaue money that they should say how he was taken vp by his disciples THis was the cause wherefore hee was yet conuersant in the worlde 40. Christs appearinges daies after his resurrection and appeared vnto his diuerse times shewing them his hands feete and woundes S. Marke maketh mention that hee appeared three sundrie times and that the Angell declared his rising First he did appeare to Marie Magdalene the seconde time he did appeare vnto two that were in the way going into the fieldes the third◠time vnto the eleuen that were sitting at a table Likewise S. Iohn 20. Chapter S. Luke 24. doe make mention of three appearinges and S. Matthewe in the 28. of two appearings S. Paul in the 15. Chap. 1. Epistle to the Corinth reciteth many appearings how he was likewise seene to mo than 500. brethren But specially hee appeared vnto S. Peter that had denied him as we reade in the 24. of S. Luke and in the 15. of the first Epistle to the Corinthians The fruites and effectes of Iesus Christ his resurrection Out of the 2. Chap. of the Actes Psalm 16. Whom God hath raised vp and loosed the sorrowes of death because it was vnpossible that he should be holden of it for Dauid speaketh of him I haue set the Lorde alwaies before me for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide Wherefore my heart is glad and my tongue reioyceth my flesh also doeth rest in hope For thou wilt not leaue my soule in the graue neither wilt thou suffer thy holie one to see corruption Thou wilt shewe me the path of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy Men and brethren I may boldly speake vnto you of the patriarke Dauid that hee is both dead and buried and his sepulchre remaineth with vs vnto this day Therefore seeing he was a prophet and knew that God had sworne with an oth to him that of the fruit of his loines he should raise vp Christ concerning the flesh to set him vppon his throne He knowing this before spake this of the resurrection of Christ that his soule should not be left in graue neither his flesh to see corruption This Iesus hath God raised vp whereof we all are witnesses Out of the 5. Chap. of the Acts 30. vers The God of our fathers hath raised vp Iesus whom ye slewe and hanged on a tree Him hath God lift vp with his right hande to be a prince and a sauiour to giue repentaunce to Israell and forgiuenesse of sins And we are his witnesses concerning these thinges which wee say yea and the holy Ghost who God hath giuen to them that obey him Out of the 14. Chap. to the Romanes Whether wee liue wee liue vnto the Lorde or whether we die we die vnto the Lorde whether we liue or die wee are the Lordes For Christ therefore died and rose againe and reuiued that he might be Lorde both of the dead and the quicke Out of the 6. Chap. of the first Epistle to the Corinthians God hath also raised vp the Lorde and shall raise vs vp by his power Out of the 15. Chap. and the first Epistle to the Corinthians Now if it be preached that Christ is risen frō the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead For if there bee no resurrection of the dead then is Christ not risen And if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vaine and your faith is also vaine Out of the 4. Chap. of the 2. to the Corinthians We know that he which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs vp also by Iesus and shall set vs with you Out of the 1. Chap. to the Ephes The Lord giue vnto you the spirit of reuelation to vnderstand the exceeding greatnesse of his power which he wrought in Christ whē he raised him from the dead c. Out of the 3. Chap. to the Colossians If yee then be risen with Christ seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affectiōs on things which are aboue and not on thinges which are on the earth Out of the 2. Chap. of the Second to Timothie Remember that Iesus Christ made of the seede of Dauid was raised againe from the dead according to my Gospel wherein I suffer trouble as an euill dooer euen vnto bondes S. Peter in the 3. Chap. of his first Epistle saith that we haue witnessed with a good conscience before God by the resurrectiō of Iesus Christ He ascended into heauen CONSIDERATION HOwe is it that death should bee ouercome if we had not an other life or an other hope than in this vale of miserie And that we should heere daily crawle in this dwelling place of serpentes and dragons What is it to come forth of the graue if a man did not but enter into the worlde which is but a gulfe and bottomlesse pitte of all euils What had this beene if the children of Israel had gone out of Aegypt and if they had not beene guided into the promised lande flowing with milke and honnie To the ende therefore that our deliueraunce might not be vnperfect and maimed and that we may knowe whereat wee must aime or leuell aright to bee short that we may see that our heritage is out of the power of the prince of this world from all the children of the world this Iesus our Lorde would ascende into heauen and that in the sight of all his Apostles making his bodie to tryumphe that a litle before was crucified taking againe the full possession of that glorie which was not lost Iohn 17. but as it were hidden when as he did abase himselfe to present vnto God this clensing Sacrifice for our sins O Lord what are we that thou goest vp on high to prepare for vs a place Alas wee bee not worthy to liue on the earth Iohn 17. As our fathers in deede were driuen out of the gardein wherin thou haddest placed them so doest thou nowe giue vnto vs farre better than that garden of Edon out of the which was Adam Eue driuen when as in our name and with our nature thou takest possession of the most high heauens and of the manner house of thy glorie to inuest vs thy children therin to the end that where thou art they may bee there also Alas Lorde is this reason that thy seruauntes should be as well as their maisters But also good God thou hast doone vnto vs this honour to call vs thy friendes to whome thou hast communicated thy secretes to call vs O Lorde Iesus
thy brethren as we doe read in the 15. of S. Iohn I will say no more seruantes for the seruaunt knoweth not what his maister doeth But I haue called you friendes for all thinges that I haue heard of my father haue I made knowen to you And in the 20. of S. Iohn where it is sayde vnto Marie Magdalene Go vnto my brethren and tell them that I am gone vp vnto my father and vnto your father vnto my God and vnto your GOD. O Lord who shall comprehende sufficiently praise thy goodnesse For that truly which thou hast prepared to thine are thinges that the eie hath not seene 1. Corinth neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart Giue therefore vnto vs thy holy spirit the which soundeth all thinges to the ende that we may vnderstande and knowe those thinges that thou hast giuen vs and that in knowing them wee may account thereof to forsake the earth and aspire vnto heauen where our head is and where there is true fulnesse of ioie and comfort So be it The historie of Iesus Christ his ascending is described vnto vs in the 16. Chap. of S. Marke and 19. vers After that the Lorde had spoken vnto them hee was receiued into heauen and sate on the right hande of God In the 24. of S. Luke the 50. vers After he lead them out into Bethania and lift vp his hande and blessed them And it came to passe that as hee blessed them he departed from them and was caried vp into heauen And they worshipped him and returned to Ierusalem with great ioie In the first Chap. of the Acts ver 9. And when he had spoken these things while they behelde he was taken vp for a cloud tooke him vp out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly towarde heauen as he went beholde two men stoode by them in white apparel which also said Yee men of Galile why stande ye gasing into heauen This Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen so shall come as you haue seene him goe into heauen Out of the 3. of the Acts ver 21. Whom the heauen must containe vntill the time that all thinges must be restored which God had spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophetes Out of the 10. to the Romanes ver 6. That righteousnesse which is by faith speaketh thus Say not in thy heart who shal ascende into heauen that is to bring Christ from aboue or who shall descende into the deepe that is to bring Christ againe from the dead But what sayeth it The worde is neere thee euen in thy mouth and in thine heart this is the worde of faith which wee preach As if he sayde that all doubts are taken away by faith and that the faithfull are assured by Iesus Christ to goe vp into heauen and to enter into euerlasting life Out of the 4. Chap. to the Ephesians ver 7. Vnto euerie one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ wherefore he sayth when he ascended vp on high he lead captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes vnto men Nowe in that he is ascended what is it but that he had also descended first into the lowest parts of the earth He that descended is euen the same that ascended farre aboue all heauens that he might fill all thinges A Meditation vpon the saide Text. And although the benefites of our sauiour Iesus Christ shall truely be felt euen now againe in the life to come Yet so it is that from henceforth wee be alreadie quickened by faith and are as it were sette with him in heauenly places as it is saide in the 2. Chapter to the Ephesians vers 8. Moreouer I pray you howe great is this consolation that wee haue not onely our pleadge alreadie in heauen but also our high priest that maketh intercession without ceasing for vs euen as it is written in the 7. Chapter to the Hebrewes Furthermore S. Paule in this text out of the 4. Chap. to the Ephesians where in wee bee greatly comforted when he sayth that our enimies the worlde the flesh and the deuill were lead away in tryumphe when as Christ ascended vp into heauen Wherfore should we then feare them And this tryumph was figured by the tryumphes and victories wherofare spoken in the 68. Psalme But yet that we may not be depriued from the presence of our sauiour and that he is not retyred from vs in such sort as we should no more reioyce in him S. Paule declareth vnto vs howe it was expedient according as Christ had sayde in the 16. of S. Iohn that I goe away and no more bodilie to bee conuersant in the world Because he had obtained for vs manie graces wherof he storeth and decketh his Churches and is present with vs as it is declared afterwards by the ministers of his word Howe Christ is present with vs. both the vertue and efficacie that he therein giueth to be short he is present with vs according as his spirituall kingdom beareth him he being our head he doth gouerne and guide vs by his holy spirite drawing vs vnto him that wee forsaking more and more the worlde and the earth we may be made citizens in the kingdome of heauen where he is frō whence we do awaite for him to be our ful deliuerance S. Augustin therfore sayth very well in the 50. treatise o◠S. Iohn in the booke of faith vnto Peter the 2. Chapter If anie man aske howe I shall holde Christ now which is absent Sende vnto him saieth he thy faith and thou shalt holde him For our predecessours which were in his time haue seene him and layde holde of him in the flesh holde thou him in thine heart He truely hath set his bodie in heauen but he hath not withdrawen his maiestie from the worlde And hee woulde as touching his bodie be absent from vs to the ende that our faith might be edified which could not be truely faith if it did bodily see and holde Christ heere A prayer O Lorde our God vouchsafe through thy goodnesse and mercie to fill vs heere full of thy graces and ioyne vs together through faith with thy sonne Iesus vntill that we be partakers of the fulnesse of thy glory 1. Thes 4. when we shal be gathered together to be daily with the Lorde And sitteth on the right hande of God the Father almightie CONSIDERATION IN these Articles of our faith there is nothing superfluous For the article going before doth shewe vnto vs that hee was truely receiued into heauen which is the throne of God Matth. 5. and the abode of the blessed so that to ascende into heauen is not a vanishing away or as some doe interprete it by a figure to ascende into honour and high degree but Christ is in heauen from whence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead and there where the place is for all the elect Lib. de fide
Symbolo Insomuch as S. Augustine sayeth As it is a curiousnesse to aske how or in what sort Christ is in heauen so must we faithfullie beleeue that he is there But in the meane while he is not there simplie as Henoche who was lifted vppe or Helie that was ascended thither Gene 5. 2. Kinge 2. or as the other his faithfull members but he is there as Head and he is there as he that is set on the right hande of his father For Iesus Christ as the sonne of God hath had trulie alwayes all power in heauen and in earth And now this Iesus who hath taken humane nature this person that is true God and true man gouerneth all thinges and hath a glorie and empire aboue all creatures whereof it doth not followe as some railers thinke that this his humane nature is in al places and euerie where For although that the right hande of God and his mightinesse is infinite yet is it not said that he is made the right hande of God or that the bodie of Christ is become the right hande of God but that hee is set at his right hande Nowe to sit at the right hande of God is not to spreade his bodie throughout all but to gouerne all with the father And likewise that which is spoken of the whole person cannot be particularly and simplie vnderstoode of his humane nature which keepeth alwaies his properties Furthermore the scripture by this sitting at the right hande of God doth not conclude that the bodie of Christ is throughout all but that he is in heauen as it may appeare by the places following Out of the 26. of S. Matthew verse 64. Hereafter shal ye see the sonne of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God and come in the cloudes of heauen Out of the 16. of Marke Iesus was carried vp into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God Out of the 2. Chap. of the Actes verse 33. To wit as Christ and by his might For hee was laid in the graue awaiting the resurrection How Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Since then that hee by the right hand of God hath bin exalted and hath receiued of his father the promise of the holie Ghost hee hath shewed forth this which ye now see and heare For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but hee saith the Lord said vnto my Lord sit at my right hand vntil I make thine enemies thy footstoole Therefore let all the house of Israel know for a suretie that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this Iesus I say whom yee haue crucified Out of the 5. of the Actes verse 30.31 The God of our Fathers hath raised vp Iesus whome yee slew and hanged on a tree Him hath God lifte vp with his right hand to bee a Prince and a Lorde to giue repentaunce to Israel forgiuenesse of sinnes Out of the 7. of the Actes and 55. verse S. Steuen being full of the holie ghost looked stedfastlie into heauen and sawe the glorie of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God Out of the 8. Chap. to the Romans verse 34. Who shal condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. Out of the 1. Chap. to the Ephes verse 20. According to the woorking of his mighty power which is wrought in Christ when hee raised him vp from the dead set him at his right hand in the heauenlie places farre aboue all principalitie and power might and domination and euerie name that is named not in this world onelie but also in that that is to come And hath made all thinges subiect vnder his feete and hath appointed him ouer all thinges to be the head to the Church Out of the 3. Chap. to the Colos verse 1. Seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth aâ— the right hand of God Out of the first Chap. and the 3. verse to the Hebrewes The sonne hath by himselfe purged our sinnes and sitteth at the right hand of the maiestie in the highest places In the 13. verse Vnto which also of the Angels said hee at anie time sit at my right hand til I make thine enemies thy footestoole Out of the 8. Chap. to the Hebrewes verse 1. Wee haue such an high priest that sitteth at the right hand of the throne of the maiestie in heauen and is a Minister of the sanctuarie and of the true Tabernacle Out of the 10. to the Hebrewes verse 12. This man after hee had offered one sacrifice for sinnes sitteth for euer on the right hand of God And from henceforth tarieth till his enemies be made his footestoole Out of the 12. to the Hebrewes ver 2. Looking vnto Iesus the Author finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God Out of the 3. Chap. and first Epistle of S. Peter verse 22. Christ is at the right hand of God gone into heauen to whome the Angels and powers and might are subiect A prayer O Lorde my God giue me grace neuer to be ashamed of the Crosse of Christ seeing that he is exalted at thy right hand and that hee is the Lord of all creatures And seeing that thou hast so much honored our nature let me despise all rebukes for thy name and patientlie awaite the hower in the which all thy enemies shall be made thy footestoole From thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead MEDITATION OH the woonderfull counsell of God that hee who was wickedlie iudged vnder Ponce Pilate is established not onelie a mediatour and Sauiour but also iudge of the quicke and the dead O Iudge truelie to be feared of all vnbeleeuers Iohn 3. For hee that dooth not beleeue in thee is condemned and subiect alreadie to perdition Rom. 8. how proude and gallant soeuer he be But yet to bee desired and awaited of all the faithfull to whome there is no condemnation for so much as they are grafted in thee Oh that diuers and manie times do the faithfull lift vp their heades amongst these vniust and most tyrannous going forewardes of these wicked Iudges in so manie tormentes and persecutions dailie looking for such a Iudge who will iudge the causes of his little ones and those that the world treadeth vnder foote Psal 12. It is from heauen and not on the earth that wee must awaite for such a Iudge who shall bring the hidden thinges and shall doe this honor vnto his seruantes that they shall bee as his benchars counsellers and companions in iudgement as it is said in the 6. Chap. of the 1. vnto the Corinthians That the Saintes shall iudge the world and in the 19. of S. Matthew That the Apostles shall iudge the tribes of Israel insomuch
whereby the true Church of God is discerned from that false and bastard Church which wanteth both true faith Ephe. 3.14 true inuocatiō Now I bowe the knees of my soule to the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ to the end that according to the riches of his glorie The Pastors of the Church of Orlians that were preserued M. Gallars M. Anton. Chanorrier M. Robert Mason M. Pet. Baron Daniel Toussain he will graunt vs that wee may be strengthened by his spirit that Christ may dwell in you through faith through the which you may be rooted and grounded in all true knowledge of his will And as it hath pleased him in the middest of so manie floudes miraculouslie to keepe the Pastors of your Church whom God be praised he employed alwayes to his seruice that it will please him to shewe you this fauour raysing vp your estate as from death to haue strength to reioyce againe and that quicklie to the end that we may altogether as it were created anew sing vnto him a newe song to his honor vnder the protectiō of the shadow of his winges Frō S. Lābert within the coūtie Palatine this 20. of Iuly 1578. Daniel Toussain THE FOVNDATION and spring of all holy prayers and christian meditatiōs ought to be faith Behold where fore we shall set heere in the entrie the articles of our faith which some call the symbole of the Apostles as in deede they conteine a summarie of the Apostles doctrin as is to be sene of that which is written in the 15. Chap. of the 1. vnto the Cor. vers 3. elswhere it is to be seene by the writings of the elders as by the cathechisme of Cyrill and the treatise of S. Ambrose of Cayne and Abell and in the 8. Chap. of S. Augustines booke named Enchiridion that is to say Manuel that these Articles of the faith were holden amongest them as the true beginninges and foundation of Christian religion I Beleeue in God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onelie sonne our Lord. Which was conceiued by the Holie Ghost borne of the virgine Marie Suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead buried he descended into hell The thirde day he rose againe from the dead He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almightie From thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beleeue in the Holie Ghost The holie Catholike Church The communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the bodie And the life euerlasting Amen IN the yeare of our Lord 273. in the Synode of Antioch was condemned the heresie of Samosatenus who would not auowe Iesus Christ to be the worde subsisting but made thereof a sound or decree of God not a seconde person of his diuinity in such sort as against his errours was published a confession by George Neocoefariensis as is to be seene in the 3. booke of Eusebius IN the yeare of our Lord about 332. 1. Synode called vniuersall was vnder Constantine the Great assembled a Synode or Councel to the assisting whereof there were 328. Bishoppes at Nice a citie in Bythinia there where was chieflie condemned the heresie of Arrius who dinied the true sonne of God equall with the father and of the same substance In this Synode were made plaine and cleare against Arrius the Articles of faith which concerne Iesus Christ by a confession as followeth 1 I Beleeue in one God The Symbol of Nice the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth and of all things visible and inuisible 2 And in one Lorde Iesu Christ the onely begotten sonne of God begotten of his Father before all worldes 3 God of God light of light verie God of verie God begotten not made beeing of one substance with the Father by whome all thinges were made 4 Who for vs men and for our saluation came downe from heauen 5 And was incarnate by the Holie Ghost of the virgin Marie and was made man 6 And was crucified also for vs vnder Poncius Pilate he suffered and was buried 7 And the thirde day he arose againe according to the Scriptures and ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of the Father 8 And he shal come againe with glory to iudge both the quicke and the dead whose kingdome shall haue none ende 9 And I beleeue in the holie Ghost the Lorde and giuer of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne who with the Father and the Sonne together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets 10 And I beleeue one Catholike and Apostolike Church 11 I acknowledge one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes 12 And I looke for the resurrection of the dead the life of the world to come Amen IN the yeare of our Lorde 386. Seconde Councell there assembled at Constantinople the second Synode called vniuersall which confirmed and ratified the confession made at Nice adding onely that which followeth against the heretike Macedonius who denied the true diuinitie of the holie Ghost We beleeue in the holy Ghost Lorde and giuer of life proceeding from the father and the sonne who with the father the sonne together is worshipped and glorified HEere followeth the Symbole or confession of Athanasius Bishoppe of Alexandria being chosen fiue monthes after the Councell held at Niece who hath abiden great combats for the pure doctrine of the sonne of God against the Arrians WHosoeuer will be saued before all things it is necessarie that he holde the Catholike faith Which faith except euerie one doe keepe holy and vndefiled without doubt hee shall perish euerlastingly And the Catholike faith is this that we worship one God in Trinitie and Trinitie in vnitie Neither confounding the persons nor diuiding the substance For there is one person of the Father another of the Sonne and another of the Holie Ghost But the Godhead of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost is all one the glorie equall and the maiestie coeternall Such as the Father is such is the Sonne and such is the Holie Ghost The Father vncreate the Sonne vncreate and the Holie Ghost vncreate The Father incomprehensible the Sonne incomprehensible and the Holie Ghost incomprehensible The Father eternall the Sonne eternall and the Holie Ghost eternall And yet they are not three eternalles but one eternall As also there bee not three incomprehensibles nor three vncreated but one vncreated and one incomprehensible So likewise the Father is almightie the Sonne almightie and the holie Ghost almightie And yet they are not three almighties but one almightie So the Father is God the Sonne is God and the Holie Ghost is God And yet are they not three Gods but one God So likewise the Father is Lord the Sonne Lorde and the Holie Ghost Lorde And yet not three Lordes but one Lorde For like as wee be compelled by the Christian veritie to acknowledge
also saide in the 18. Chap. of S. Luke Those thinges that are vnpossible to men are possible yea and verie easie vnto our God For as Dauid sayth in the 33. Psalme That which he spake is and that which he commandeth is established he scattereth the counsell of the people Esay 2.22 his counsell remaineth fast and sure O then sayth he the people are blessed whose God is the Lorde and the people whome hee hath chosen for his heritage Cease therefore from man that is nothing neither let vs be affraide of them so much which are but a vapour and whose breath is in the nostrels in such sort as stop their nostrels and they die And let vs worshippe and reuerence that almightie God putting all our trust and confidence in him Maker of heauen and earth Of the creation and prouidence of God CONSIDERATION Amongest other titles that are attributed vnto the Lorde our God to knowe him and to discerne him from false Gods this is that he is the Creator as we see Esaie 40. Chapter WHo hath measured the waters in his fist and counted heauen with a spanne and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountaines in a weight and the hilles in a ballance Who hath instructed the spirite of the Lorde or was his counseller or taught him All nations before him are nothing To whom nowe will ye liken mee that I should be like him sayeth the holie one Lift vp your eies on hie and beholde who hath created these thinges and bringeth out their armies by number calleth them all by names By the greatnesse of his power and mightie strength nothing faileth Why sayest thou O Iacob and speakest thou O Israell My way is hid from the Lorde and my iudgement is passed ouer of my God Knowest thou not and hast thou not hard that the euerlasting GOD hath created the endes of the earth Hee neither fainteth nor is wearie there is no searching of his vnderstanding And in the 10. of Ieremie it is written in the Chaldie tongue that the superstitious Chaldies might vnderstande it Thus shal you say vnto them the Gods that haue not made the heauens and the earth shall perish from the earth from vnder these heauens This is he who hath made the earth by his power and established the worlde by his wisedome and hath stretched out the heauen by his discretion He giueth by his voice the multitude of waters in heauen causeth the cloudes to ascende from the endes of the earth he turneth lightninges to raine and bringeth foorth the winde out of his treasures Euerie man is a beast by his owne knowledge Euerie founder is confounded by the grauen Image for his melting is but falsehoode and there is no breath in him They are vanitie and workes of errors in the time of their visitation they shall perish The portion of Iacob is not like vnto them for he is the maker of all thinges To create This therefore is proper to our God to create that is to say to giue to all thinges beginning and to make to be that which was not and to bring foorth of nothing some thing Euen as S. Paule sayeth in the 4. Chap. to the Romanes Hee giueth life vnto the dead and calleth those thinges which be not as though they were And in the 11. of the same Epistle For of him through him and for him are all thinges to him be glorie for euer and euer Creation a worke of the Trinitie And because the creation is a worke of all the Trinitie as heere before it was alreadie declared it is saide in the 1. Chap. to the Colossi that in Christ all thinges were created to wit by him and for him For that which is called in the 15. vers the first borne of all creatures is not as if the euerlasting sonne of God had beginning and were numbred amongst the creatures For according as it is after sayd in the 17. vers he is before all thinges and through him all thinges consist But he is called first borne not as if we should say that he was created but to shewe his prerogatiue and domination howe he is the beginning and head of all thinges Nowe must we not heere giue place to the curious speculations of the flesh That the worlde hath had a beginning and of the Philosophers amongst whom some of them haue thought that the worlde was eternall as the * These Philosophers had the name of studying as they went about or walked Peripaticiens and others haue thought that it was made by chaunce or aduenture as the Epicurians the one sort disputing how it was possible that of nothing all thinges should haue beene made indeuouring to measure the infinite power of the deuinitie according to their idle discourse through wāt of knowing his force and the strength and vertue of his worde Therefore we must with faith beleeue that which the vnderstanding cannot comprehende as it is saide in the 21. Chap. of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Through faith we vnderstande that the worlde was ordained by the word of God so that the thinges which we see are not made of thinges which did appeare For wee haue verie plaine places of the creation in the scripture as also there is no historie so antient from the first beginning of all thinges as that which we haue in the first booke of Moses there say I doe wee reade in the first Chap. That in the beginning God created heauen and the earth Genes 1. the sea and all things that are in them He created by his word Of nothing The spreading out or firmamēt which he calleth the heauen the earth Of the earth The beastes and afterwardes man The waters Which hee maketh to bring forth fishes Out of mans bodie he tooke and created the woman It is likewise spoken in the 33. Psalme and in the 16. of the Prouerbs of the creation The Lorde hath made all thinges for himselfe yea the wicked for the day of calamitie not that God hath made the euill for as it is saide in the 1. of Genes All that he had made was verie good But hee would shewe the wisedome of the Lorde which turned the malice of the wicked vnto his glorie Also in the 89. Psalme O Lorde God of hostes who is like vnto thee which art a mightie Lorde and thy trueth is about thee Thou rulest the raging of the sea when the waues thereof arise thou stillest them The heauens are thine the earth is thine also thou hast laide the foundation of the worlde and all that therein is Thou hast created the north and the south And in the 45. of Esay I haue made the earth and created man vpon it I whose handes haue spread out the heauens and haue euen commaunded all their armies Also in the 1. Chap. of S. Paules Epistles vnto the Colossians By him were all thinges created which are in heauen
as their glorie shall bee the condemnation of the world who did oppresse them and persecute them O Lord come quicklie to iudgement that all eyes may see thee yea those who haue pearced thee Apoca. 1. and doe dailie make warres to thee in thy mēbers Witnesses out of the scripture concerning the iudgement In the 25. of S. Matthew verse 31. When the sonne of man commeth in his glorie and all the holie Angels with him then shall he sit vppon the throne of his glorie and before him shall be gathered all nations and hee shall separate them one from an other as a shepheard separateth the sheepe from the Goates And shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the Goates on the left Then shall the king say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world And vnto those that shall bee on the left hand Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Out of the 5. Chap. of S. Iohn verse 22. The Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement vnto the Sonne because that all men should honor the sonne as they honor the father As the Father hath life in himselfe so likewise hath hee giuen vnto his sonne to haue life in himselfe and hath giuen him power also to execute iudgement in that hee is the sonne of man As if hee should say although the father the sonne and the holie Ghost doe worke Iudge and gouerne together yet wil the Lord that wee should cast our eyes vppon the sonne of man by whom we are guided and through whome God hath declared himselfe Out of the 17. of the Actes verse 30. And the time of his ignorance God regarded not but now hee admonisheth all men euerie where to repent because hee hath appointed a day in the which he wil iudge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed whereof hee hath giuen an assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Out of the 5. Chap. 2. to the Corinth Wee couet that both dwelling at home and remouing from home wee may bee acceptable to him For wee must all appeare before the iudgemēt seate of Christ that euerie man may receaue the thinges which are doone in his bodie according vnto that hee hath doone whether it bee good or euill Out of the 4. Chap. and 1. Epistle to the Thessalonians For the Lorde himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shoute and with the voyce of the Archangell and with the Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall arise first then shall wee which liue and remaine bee caught vp with them also in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the Aire and so shall wee euer bee with the Lord. Wherefore comfort your selues one an other with these wordes Out of the 2. Epistle of S. Paul to the Thes the first Chapter For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shal shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that doe not know God and which obay not vnto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power When hee shall come to bee glorified in his Saintes and to bee made maruelous in all them that beleeue c. Out of the 3. Chap. 2. Epistle of to S. Peter Against scorners or mockers There shal come in the last dayes mockers which will walke after their lustes and say Where is the promise of his comming For since the Fathers died all thinges continue alike from the beginning of the creation For this they willinglie know not that the heauens were of old and the earth that was of the water and by the water by the word of God But the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night c. I beleeue in the holie Ghost CONSIDERATION AS it was said frō the beginning the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost are but one onelie true God and this onelie true God is in such sorte declared to the world that the Father is named maker the Sonne redeemer and the holie ghost our Doctor and sanctifier For albeit that this Trinitie worketh together yet notwithstanding for our great comfort it is in such manner manifested that we may acknowledge how all these three persons doe woorke together in all things that doe appertaine vnto our saluation Now as the sonne is euerlastinglie begotten of the Father so likewise dooth the holie Ghost proceede euerlastinglie from the Father and the Sonne So then beleeuing in the holie Ghost wee doe not beleeue that the holie Ghost is onelie some moouing or inspiration But chiefelie we doe beleeue against the Macedonians ancient Heritikes that he is verie true God of the same substance that the father and the sonne is see then wherefore we doe beleeue in him And wee bee also baptised in his name as of the father and of the sonne he is an eternall spirite as it is said in the 9. Chap. of the Hebrewes and from him also commeth grace and peace as it sayde in the 1. Chap. of the Hebrewes Beeing the temple of the holie Ghost it is sayde that we be the temple of God To be short the father the worde and the holy Ghost are all one as it is saide in the first Chapter of the first Epistle of S. Iohn Then doe we beleeue that for the loue and in the name of Iesus Christ the holy Ghost doth comfort wash and sanctifie vs and that by the inspiration of him the holie Prophetes and the Apostles haue spoken and it is called the gift of God and in the 2. of the Actes because that he who is but one in himselfe hath brought foorth diuerse operations in vs of the which it is spoken in the 12. Chap. of the 1. to the Corinthians And as S. Bernarde sayeth vppon the Canticles we were dead in sinne and as stinking creatures but Iesus did embawlme vs with his holie spirite and hath annointed vs therewith to the ende wee might knowe taste and feele his mercie This is the heate of the Sunne which warmeth vs. This is the goodly and faire water of the heauenly ryuers which doeth refresh and water vs. It is the Bawlme that embalmeth vs it is the Oyle which doeth strengthen and make vs glad Nowe what tongue is it that can expresse this goodnesse of God towardes vs of the Father that hath created vs vnto his image of the Worde who hath bought vs againe with his bloude of the Holie Ghost that hath sanctified vs by his power Therefore let vs giue place vnto this Holie Ghost Ephe. 4. and let vs not sorrowe for our
our soules and hast left vnto vs amongest others the sacrament of the supper that we should be assured howe his life doeth flowe into vs. O what a refreshing is this to vs in this our pilgrimage yea to them that feele and laie holde of such like graces By the presse men doe drawe foorth out of the grapes the lyquor of wine And thou O Lorde thou hast put thy sonne vpon the presse of the crosse to make vs drinke of this holy lyquor But nowe O Lorde my God to the ende that I doe not vnworthily present my selfe vnto this holie table and foode which is marueled at and honoured by the Angelles purifie and cleanse my heart by thy holie spirite Powre foorth thy loue through all the partes of my soule that I may take increase in all vertue and holinesse and that I may so continue in this blessed fellowshippe of the bodie of thy sonne that I may drawe out of him strength and life as the branch out of the vine stocke and that beeing knitte with thy sonne Iesus I may be one with thee that I may liue to thee vntill the time I doe come euen vnto thee So be it A giuing of thankes after the supper O Lord I giue thee thankes for thy inestimable loue for that not onely I haue this benefitte of my beeing and mouing in thee but chiefly in that it hath pleased thee to make mee to liue for euer in thy kingdome redeeming mee from euerlasting damnation which I had deserued through my sinnes But good God I beseech thee that this precious bloud be not shedde in vaine for me but daily nourish my soule by the partaking of the flesh of thy sonne Quicken mee in his bloud that I may be of the number of thy children and a member of the bodie of thy Church that I be not so vnhappie to abuse these sacred meates which haue cost so deere a price of thy deere beloued sonne Iesus to prepare them for vs that I be not also like vnto the dogges which returne vnto their vomittes and swine that goe backe againe vnto their puddle Alas Lorde make me that I neuer forsake thy holie couenaunt for any thing in the worlde For whither is it that I shoulde goe but vnto thee that hast the wordes of euerlasting life Let it not be a daie onely that the remembrance of thy sonnes passion bee before my eies But that I may for euermore honour this good sauiour which hath left vnto vs so faire an heritage by his testament and hath giuen vs thereof so goodly an earnest in the supper Now to thee O God my creator to thee Christ my redeemer to thee holie Ghost my comforter who worketh this holie coniunction of men with GOD and of earth with heauen vnto thee one alone true God be honour and glorie I poore creature doe recommende my selfe vnto thee glorious God being well determined through thy grace to goe in peace and in ioy to death when the houre shall come since that Christ is my life Auaunt from me all delightes and earthly meates which doe turne into doung syth that I haue a foode which turneth me to immortalitie the bread of Angelles the breade which wee shall eate without signes and sacramentes when as we shall inioye that felicitie beeing in heauen Prayers for the Church A Prayer against the aduersaries of the Church ALmightie God since that thou seest thine aduersaries so proud yea with a diuelish rage to force against thy Church cause that wee may feele how thou art the verie same whome all thy faithful haue prooued in times past in all ages to wit that thou hast the care of the saluation of those that call vppon thee with a pure heart yea and seeke thee in extreme distresse and necessitie that although thou stretchest forth thy hand at this day and repressest this rage which thou seest to be kindeled against all thy seruauntes and children to the end that last of all the reprobates may feele and vnderstand and that to their destruction how they haue not vndertaken warres against a miserable people corrupted stripped and naked of all ayd but against thine vnestimable vertue that being confounded albeit they haue no shame rore out the more against thee and against thy power yet they may serue notwithstanding for an example and bee for a manifest instruction that thou art not onelie faithfull in all thy promises But also furnished and garnished with such vertue that thou canst execute and fulfill all that which thou hast promised for the safe keeping of thy Church vntill such time as thou hast fullie deliuered vs out of our enemies hand An other prayer vppon the same matter ALmightie GOD forasmuch as thou seest how wee be at this day compassed about on all sides with so manie enemies who practise continuallie our ouerthrowe and that we are so weake and feeble make vs learne to looke vnto thee and that our faith may so rest vppon thee that into whatsoeuer daungers wee be put and howsoeuer our flesh saith wee may neuer doubt but that thou art stored with a mightie power to make all our enemies afraid that amongest the daungers of this life wee may liue in rest of spirit and that wee cease not from calling vppon thee as thou hast promised to be a faithfull protector of those that call on thee in Iesus Christ his name So be it A prayer to perseuere in the doctrine of the Gospel ALmightie God seeing we be so much inclined vnto corruption that with great hardnesse wee doe enter into the listes so lightlie wee retire our selues from the course being well instructed yet we fall off and doe easilie degenerate graunt that being by thy spirit furnished with constancie we may perseuere to the end in that same right way that thou hast shewed vnto vs by thy word Furthermore though that manie are cast into diuers errors yet that wee maie take pleasure to call and to withdrawe them backe againe yea if wee doe not profite anie whit therein yet at the least that wee be not allured after them but that wee may remaine constant in faithfull obedience vntill such time as hauing atchieued all our Combates we may be gathered together to that blessed rest which is kept for vs by our captaine and sauiour Iesus Christ in the heauens A Prayer to bee constant in Religion against all lettes or withstandinges Almightie God sith that Satan setteth before vs at these dayes manie feares and dreades which might altogether cast vs downe and make vs lose courage as in deed wee bee but feeble and weake graunt that wee hauing our eies lifted vp to heauen wee may consider this inuincible power wherewith thou art furnished to make vs ouercome all lettes Besides although nothing doe appeare in this world but that which is contemptible which may confirme or maintaine our faith yet notwithstanding graunt that wee may pearce by the eyes of our faith into this secret vertue and so
this strange doctrine of the vbiquitie or the Alpresence of Christes bodie Of the vbiquitie attributing a bodie vnto Christ which is through all and inuisible that is to say which is not a bodie Nowe many seeing these diuisions would blame the doctrine of the Gospel and take an occasion to mistast the same But hath not the Lorde foretolde it Were there not also diuisions amongst the Apostles Ought this to keepe vs from going forwarde No for our faith is not builded vpon men and further when a man looketh neere thereunto it is easie to trie the spirites and we must praise the Doctors of the Church which haue in them those guiftes and likewise acknowledge their imperfections and reade them with iudgement As Luther himselfe A warning by M. Luther in the preface of his first Tome of his Latine workes besought that men would reade his workes with pitie iudgement and discretion and that men should remember him to bee an inraged Papist heretofore and a poore Moonke which could not see and perfectlie comprehend forthwith all the pointes of religion Also when one seeth the Church of God so assaulted within by diuisions and heresies without with so cruell persecutions it were enough to shake him if he be not wel setled to make him thinke whether it were possible that this companie which we call the Church being so contemptible and so subiect to great offences be the Church of GOD or no or at least whether it bee possible that God dooth loue it laying it open to so manie euils These are in deede the violent assaultes which the faithfull dailie doe proue in this wretched world wherein one may see so manie contentions and affections boyling with ambition and pride and so manie heartes more than frosen in matter of zeale and charitie Wherefore if there be anie sentence now at this day to be considered this is it that he which shall continue to the end shall be saued For as Iesus Christ speaketh in the 11. of S. Matthew Those that suffer once and continue in their zeale shall carie away the kingdome of heauen Therefore let vs not be fleeting children and caried hither and thither by euerie puffe of doctrine through mans deceite but followers of the trueth with charitie growing in Christ with loue and aboue all other thinges holding sure our Catechisme and the Articles of our Faith Suffering afflictions patientlie 2. Timo. 2. seeing this word is certaine that if we doe suffer with Christ we shall raigne with him considering also that this world waxeth olde as dooth a garment 2. Pet. 3. and that the Elementes shall melt with heate and the earth shall be dissolued let vs aspire vnto the kingdome which cannot be shaken holding grace fast by the which we may serue God in reuerence feare and assured hope awaiting the great day of Christs comming Other godlie places speaking of Faith The 3. of S. Iohn GOd hath so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onelie Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And he that beleeueth in him shall not bee condemned but he that beleeueth not in him is condemned alreadie because he beleeued not in the name of the onelie sonne of God The faithfull ought not to seeke but the glorie of God The 5. of S. Iohn the 44. ver How can yee beleeue which receaue honor one of an other and seeke not the honor that commeth of God alone Places taken out of the Epistles of S. Paul out of the 1. Chap. of the Epistle to the Ephesians ver 13. YEe are in Christ hauing heard the word of trueth euen the Gospell of your saluation wherein also after that ye beleeued yee were sealed with the holie spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession purchased vnto the praise of his glorie Therefore also after that I heard of the faith which yee haue in the Lorde Iesus and loue towardes all the Saintes I cease not to giue thankes for you in my prayers The 1. of the Thessal 1. Chap. Wee giue GOD thankes alwayes for you all remembring your effectuall faith and diligent loue and of the patience of your hope in our Lord Iesus Christ in the sight of God our Father knowing beloued brethren that ye are elect of God For our Gospell was not vnto you in word onely but also in power and in the holy ghost and in much assurance The 2. to the Thessal 1. Chap. Wee pray alwayes for you that our God may make you woorthie of his calling and fulfill all the good pleasures of his goodnesse and the woorke of faith with power that the name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye to him according to the grace of our God and of our Lord Iesus Christ The 1. Epistle of S. Peter 1. Chap. You are kept by the power of GOD through faith vnto saluation which is prepared to be shewed in the last time wherein ye reioyce though now for a season if neede require ye are in heauinesse through manifold temptations that the triall of your faith being much more pretious than Gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found vnto your praise and honor and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ whome you haue not seene and yet loue him I beleeue in God Heere followe certaine Meditations and prayers of one onelie true God and of three persons in one substance or essence CONSIDERATION AS it is said in Athanasius Creede the generall faith is that wee worship one God in one Trinitie and one Trinitie in one vnitie Let vs not confound the persons nor diuide the substance For we must know God as he reuealeth himselfe otherwise we should but woorship a fantasie in place of knowing and woorshipping the true God Now the true God in whome we doe onelie beleeue Iohn 7. and that is mans soueraigne good for this is life eternall that we know him hath thus declared himselfe in his word and in his most excellent workes that is to say in that hee is one onelie true God in substance as it is said in the 6. Chap. of the 5. booke of Moses and in the 4. of the Ephesians but in this one substance wee do acknowledge three persons subsisting that is to say 1. Tim. 1. this onelie true God which is the king of worldes immortall inuisible wise onelie onelie good who manifesteth himselfe so as we doe see one God maker of heauen and earth And yet all this by his word which word is not a sound in the aire or a thing hauing beginning but was from the beginning with God and was God of whome is spoken in the 33. Psalme and also in the first Chap. of S. Iohn And afterward the holy spirit spread and mooued himselfe aboue the waters For the spirit cannot signifie in this place the aire or the winde that was not
substance the father that neuer was begotten the onely sonne of the father and the holy Ghost proceeding from both the holie inseparable trinitie one almightie God Thou Lorde hast made vs strong and mightie when as we were not and when wee were lost through our offence thou hast restored vs miraculously through thy goodnesse Therefore neuer suffer vs O Lorde that we shew our selues vnthankefull and to yeelde vs vnworthy of so many thy mercies graunt rather good GOD to increase in vs faith hope and charitie So by this thine accustomed grace make that we may be stedfast in faith apt to all good workes that by thee we may come vnto euerlasting life that one day Lord seeing thy glorie such as it is wee may worship thy maiestie singing vnto thee this song Glorie be to the father which hath created vs glorie bee to the sonne that hath redeemed vs glorie bee to the holy ghost that hath sanctified vs glorie be vnto the most high and inseparable Trinitie whose workes are inseparable and Empire euerlasting Here followeth to the Articles of the Faith The father almightie maker of heauen and earth Of Gods almightie power Of the making of all thinges and of his diuine prouidence Of Gods almightie power TO the end that the knowledge of our God bee not acknowledged in the aire and that we may see also that they are good tokens that wee should put our trust in him it is written in these Articles of our faith that in his word he is reuealed euen as well as by his workes that we might also so much the more discerne our selues from the people that doe not know him aright and truelie Thererefore this is the verie proper gift of the Church to know God such as he is to wit in substance and therewithall these three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And he who knoweth not the Father knoweth not the Sonne Iohn 14.11 and he that knoweth not the Sonne knoweth not the Father Now albeit that hee is also our Father as we doe call him in the Lordes prayer yet be wee not but the children of adoption receaued and adopted Psal ◠for the loue of his onelie sonne euerlasting and eternallie engendred of the Father in whome he taketh his good pleasure Behold how God is here called Father to shew vnto vs that our onelie faith is builded on God alone But this verie God whome the Church woorshippeth and in whome it beleeueth is the Father How God is manifested the sonne and the holie ghost the which God hath truelie shewed himselfe in the world by foure diuine workes most excellent aboue all by the creation by the redemption made of mankinde by the assemblie and conseruation of the Church and by the woonderfull giftes that God did partake vnto this Church giuing vnto her forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life in that she confessed the true God so as by the meanes of this knowledge Rom. 15. wee might say as S. Paul did in the 3. 1. Cor. 3. Chap. of the first Epistle to the Corinth that all thinges are ours because that we be vnto Christ as Christ is vnto God who is the father of our Lord Iesus Christ as S. Paul manie times calleth him Now is he called also Almightie and thus lifted vp aboue all creatures and aboue the Gods of the Gentiles and their Idols Psal 115. that haue handes and cannot touch Eyes and cannot see But our God that hath his throne in heauen dooth what him pleaseth And as concerning vs poore creatures we know not to make alas one slippe of grasse and there is none that with all his care industrie can adde one cubite vnto his stature or height Mat. 6. This is then for you to woorship and to feare the almightie that hath power ouer heauen ouer earth ouer bodies ouer soules goods children and ouer all that which is vnto vs Psal 149. ouer kinges ouer the prowdest princes yea to buind them in chaines when it shall please him to vse his iudgementes and to bring them to nothing Lift not vp your hornes on high saith Dauid in the 75. Psalme for it is GOD that is your Iudge who lifteth vp and setteth downe as it pleaseth him How was it that hee tamed Pharao How did he put downe Nabuchadonozer whome he made to feede with beastes for seuen yeeres space And this it is as Iob speaketh in the 21. Chap. Against the wicked shall griefe of minde and trouble be strengthened because hee hath stretched forth his hand against the Almightie Esai 33. And how should man helpe himselfe before his face that is as a consuming fire Who is he that would abide in continuall burninges See wee not the mountaines leape and tremble before him as it is said in the 19. of Exodus and in the 68. Psalme But what say I the mountaines Yea the verie diuels are constrained to tremble Iames. 2.19 knowing and feeling that there is a God Therefore what blockishnesse is this what hardnesse what mischiefe that man shall sometimes be so froward and presumptuous that hee as it were would spite the Lord Euen as men may see enough therein who despise his threatninges and doe sooner feare earthlie man that is with all his glorie but as a flower and grasse than the Almightie before whose face the fearce and foming Sea the hard rockes and the earth also doe quake and tremble as wee doe reade in the 114. Psalme Wherefore let vs remember euen all the daies of our life that which was spoken vnto Abraham in the 17. of Genesis I am the God almightie walke thou before mee And I pray you what better Maister could we finde than him who hath all abundance in himselfe and that may doe all that he will For his power is ioyned with trueth righteousnesse He can doe that which he will but hee will not anie thing sauing that which is agreeable to his trueth and righteousnesse Iohn 10. Wee ought to haue remembrance namelie in our afflictions of this Almightinesse of the Lord and that none can take away his hand frō vs When God nourisheth sustaineth and preserueth his not onelie by ordinarie meanes but also by woonderfull meanes when it pleaseth him as he shewed when he diuided the Sea to make his people to passe through conducting them with a clowdie Pillar yea a fierie Pillar giuing thē Manna and so manie other his woonderful benefites 1. Cor. 2. and singular woorkes as one may yet dailie marke Therefore blessed are we whose faith is not builded on the wisedome of man but on the power of GOD. But Owe thrise yea foure times vnhappie if wee doe not trust in the almighty but doubt in his promises For that which is harde before our eies shall it therefore bee harde before the eies of the euerlasting himselfe Like as he speaketh in the 8. Chap. of the prophet Zacharie and as it is
raging of the sea and the most greatest riuers to whom thou hast also giuen their boundes so shall it be as easie when it shall please thee to still and appease the stormes and tempestes that we do behold in these daies and to tame the furie of the enemies But graunt vs grace O heauenly father that among so many stormes wee may stay ourselues vpon thy holy and vndoubted witnesses that wee haue in thy worde that we may remaine constant in all thy seruices and in thy house vntill that thou hast drawen vs out of the waues of this worlde to guide vs vnto the blessed and happie life and vnto the hauen of saluation So be it A prayer grounded vpon Gods prouidence O Lorde our God thou God of vengeance and iudge of the earth if euer it were time that thou shouldest shewe thy selfe clearely displaying thy iudgementes vpon thine aduersaries and vpon thy people thy mercies nowe it is O Lorde that thy children of so long time haue beene and are oppressed by the conspirators of Antichrist yea massakers and murtherers yea with more horrible disloyaltie and crueltie than euer man sawe in such sort O Lorde as it maketh the wicked to lift vp themselues and waxe proude as if wee were vtterly vndone and as if there were no God in heauen that cared for his poore Church And moreouer O God the long time and the greatnesse of these afflictions would make vs a thousande thousande times lose courage were it not that wee should be more than brutish if we did not assure ourselues that thou seest our miseries and vnderstandest our sorowes and mourneful complaintes thou Lord which hast made the eye and planted the eare of man yea thou great God by whom wee liue and haue our mouing and being to be short thou which hast gouerned this whole worlde by thy so great wisedome from the beginning of the worlde chastice these people and make them know and see thy iudgementes It is the remembraunce of thy so great workes and of thy prouidence which comforteth vs and causeth vs to haue patience in our afflictions seeing that it is certaine that thou shuttest vp our teares in thy barrels keepest all our bones that not one of thē is broken Therefore O Lorde thou shalt be our defence for thy helping hande hath gathered vs together euer since we came forth of our mothers wombe and shalt be the rocke of our trust for euer more who knowest well to rewarde both in place and time vnto our enemies their outrage to destroy them through their owne malice A prayer taken out of the 26. of Esaie vpon the same matter concerning the prouidence of God TRust ye in the Lorde for euer more for the Lorde is strong for euer for he will bring downe them that dwell on high the high citie hee will abase euen vnto the grounde will he cast it downe and bring it vnto dust The foote shal tread it downe euen the feete of the poore and the steps of the needie The way of the iust is righteousnesse thou wilt make equall the righteous path of the iust Also wee O Lorde haue awaited for thee in the way of thy iudgementes the desire of our soule is in thy name and to the remembrance of thee with my soule haue I desired thee in the night and in my spirite within mee will I seeke thee in the morning for seeing thy iudgementes are in the earth the inhabitance of the worlde shall learne righteousnesse But yet let mercy bee shewed vnto the wicked and he will not learne righteousnesse in the lande of vprightnesse will he doe wickedly and will not beholde the maiestie of our Lorde O Lorde they will not consider thy hie hande but they shall see it and be confounded with the zeale of the people and the fire of thine enemies shall deuour them Lord vnto vs thou wilt ordaine Peace for thou also hast wrought all our workes for vs. Goodly warninges grounded vpon Gods prouidence that the mother made vnto her seuen sonnes executed by Antiochus taken out of the 2. Booke of the Machabees and the 7. Chap. THe mother did valiantly exhort euerie one of her seuen sonnes saying I can not tell howe you came into my wombe for I neither gaue you breath nor life It is not I that set in order the members of your bodie but doubtlesse the creator of the worlde which formed the birth of man and founde out the beginning of all thinges will also of his owne mercie giue you breath and life againe as ye nowe regarde not your owne selues for his name sake The Apostles prayer vpon the same matter out of the 4. Chap. of the Actes O Lorde thou art the God which hast made the heauen and the earth the sea and all thinges that are in them which by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid hast sayd why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine thinges The Kings of the earth assembled and the rulers came together against the Lorde and against his Christ For doubtlesse against thine holy sonne Iesus whom thou haddest annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israell gathered thē selues together to doe whatsoeuer thine hande and thy counsel had determined before to be done And nowe O Lorde beholde their threatninges and graunt vnto thy seruantes with all boldenes to speake thy worde Certaine goodly examples of Gods prouidence turning away the enterprises of the wicked helping his taken forth of Gene. the 50. Chap. IOseph being solde by his brethren and seeing thē to haue some remorse of conscience after his fathers death sayde thus vnto them Feare not for am not I vnder God whē ye thought euill against me God disposed it to good that hee might bring to passe as it is this day and saue much people aliue Behold how in one selfesame thing the worke of man is euill and that of Gods both good and holie the disloyaltie of Iosephes Brethren was euill and to bee reproued But as S. Augustine saith our God is so mightie and good that hee would neuer suffer euill to happen if he were not the almightie and that hee cannot turne it vnto good And let vs marke therefore what S. Augustine saith elsewhere of the same that is to wit that the iudgementes of God may well sometimes be hidden but the vniust neuer An other example taken out of the 1. Chap. of Exodus ANd Pharao said vnto his people Let vs worke wiselie against the children of Israel least they multiplie it come to passe that if there bee warre they ioyne themselues altogether vnto our enemies and fight against vs and get them out of the land A Prayer or Meditation O euerliuing and almightie God who is he therefore that shall feare mans enterprises Pharao wrought well and his people did agree with him They bestowed imploied all their wisdomes together And wherewith was it that they had so great a feare
paine the which also hee hath charged vppon him in short that to the end to haue pitie on vs Hebr. 2. he might partake with our flesh with our miseries to the end to make vs his brethren so to carrie into heauen our nature as the gage of our hope euen as hee hath giuen vnto vs a counterpledge that is to say the holie Ghost as Tertullian hath written verie well speaking of the resurrection and of the flesh of Christ When therefore we say that we doe beleeue in Iesus Christ it is not as if we had manie kindes of faith For there is but one God and one faith Ephe. 4. and the father and the sonne are one as it is said in 10. of S. Iohn To beleeue in Iesus Christ But this is that wee beleeue in God according as he hath shewed himselfe in the making of heauen and earth as also in his holie word that beareth record vnto vs how that the euerlasting Sonne of God Iesus Christ taking our nature in the fulnesse of time to bee the mediator of the couenant of our God the two natures diuine and humane being knitte together hee hath reconciled vs to God his father when by his merite and obedience and through his strength and incomprehensible goodnesse hee hath by his death and passion made satisfaction for our sinnes and by his resurrection ouercome death and hell and is ascended into heauē to make intercessiō for vs so as for the loue of him god loueth vs his righteousnes is imputed to vs as if it were our owne God holdeth vs for righteous so be we sure that neither the law hath power to condemne vs against which we doe set this perfect righteousnes of Iesus Christ neither death nor the diuel shall astonie vs for seeing the Christ for vs hath ouercome the world death all that which was feareful In summe we doe beleeue not onelie the historie of the birth passion death resurrection ascensiō of Iesus Christ But euerie faithful persō dooth apply all the benefits that he hath gotten for vs assuring comforting thēselues in his holie louelie promises doe lay hold vppon him as the true Iesus sauing blessing vs hauing prepared an euerlasting saluation and a most blessed life by his pretious blould For what we shall be dooth not yet appeare but we doe know that when he shal appeare V s e. 13. we shal be like vnto him shall see him as he is And whosoeuer hath this hope in him is purified as he is also pure This say I is the first Maxime first foundation that we doe set against the heretikes and others which know not Iesus Christ true God true man It is the wonderful coūsel of God which hath prouided for vs such a mediator and sauiour as did behooue vs to haue Secondlie we doe set against them the agreemēt of the old new Testamēt cōcerning Iesus Christ where wee see how that which the ceremonies of the law had figured was fulfilled in Christ as it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrewes 1. Iohn 3. for so dooth S. Paul witnesse proue how Christ was the end of the law Lastlie we doe set against thē the effects of this healthful knowledge which giueth peace rest of minde vnto the faithful So as manie haue suffered death with great ioy for the name of Iesus Now on the other part the issue of those who haue blasphemed as Cerinthus Manes Arrius and others were alwayes miserable And how soeuer it were that manie times the heresies of those which haue striuen either cōcerning the true diuine nature or cōcerning the veritie of Christs human nature were for a season maintained by violence impudēcie God in this giuing place vnto his iudgements prouing the constācie of his owne yet it is cleare by the Ecclesiasticall Histories how the Lord hath made his trueth dailie to triumph yea that manie times by weake Organes hath confounded the wise men of the world preseruing his trueth the Articles of our faith euen vnto our time whereof wee ought to thanke this good God without ceasing and to beseech him that he will likewise haue pitie also of our posteritie suffer them to inioy this wholesome treasure not suffering that for our vnthankfulnesse and by the damnable and ambitious contentions of certaine wicked members that at this day doe trouble the Churches the trueth should be darkened and this good Sauiour Iesus true GOD and true man should bee misknowne to the world Now to the end that euerie faithfull man might so much the better tast and learne what this sonne of God is and what foundation wee haue to beleeue in him and to hold him for our mediator the holie scripture dooth attribute two names chieflie vnto him Iesus Christ whereof the one is Iesus and the other is Christ to the end that wee may note and marke in the first what is the person of the sonne of God to witte that he is God the sauiour and the word of life manifested in the flesh In the second his Office because that Christ dooth signifie as much as Messias that is to say Annointed which was annointed for vs destined and ordained of the father and dwelling in him in all fulnesse that hee should bee our king our sacrificer and our Prophet and Doctor As concerning the first name which is Iesus it was giuen to the Lord not by aduenture but by a heauēlie Oracle declared by the Angel vnto Ioseph as wee doe reade in the 1. Chap. of S. Matthew Thou shalt call his name Iesus For hee shall saue his people from their sinnes The like was said vnto Marie euen as wee doe reade in the first Chap. of S. Luke Thou shalt beare a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus Hee shall be great and shall bee called the sonne of the most highest and the Lorde God shall giue vnto him the Throne of his father Dauid and the Angell speaking vnto the shepheardes in the 2. Chap. of S. Luke interpreting this word of Iesus said Behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shall be to all the people That is that vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Moreouer Irenaeus a right auncient Doctor in the second booke against the heresies of Valentinus witnesseth that the Greekes called him Soter that which the scripture called Iesus that is to say Sauiour The which Iesus Christ was in deed straightway declared himselfe so to bee healing the sicke and raising vp the dead Especiallie by this euerlasting saluation and that saluation of the soules which hee hath gotten for vs who is the true saluation of whome we ought to make reckenning of 8. Pet. 1.5 as S. Peter saith that he should be fullie reuealed in the latter dayes Now such a Sauiour was not Iosua how braue a Captaine soeuer hee
likewise the enuie of the Scribes and Pharisies as it is written in the 27. Chap. of S. Matthew and 18. verse There is the crueltie of the Iewes and the treason of Iudas as S. Steeuen reprocheth them in the 7. Chap. of the Actes that they were traitors and murtherers of the iust Notwithstanding these were our sinnes that caused this death as it is said in the 4. Chap. to the Romans For our sinnes was he deliuered to the death The fruites and effectes of the death and passion of Iesus Christ Out of the 12. Chap. of S. Iohn Iesus aunswered them saying the houre is come that the sonne of man must be glorified Verilie verilie I say vnto you except the wheate corne fall into the ground and die it bideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruite Out of the 3. Chap. to the Romans The righteousnesse of GOD is made manifest by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vppon all that doe beleeue For there is no difference for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God Iustification in the bloud of Iesus And are iustified freelie by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Out of the 6. Chap. to the Romans If we be grafted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall wee be to the similitude of his resurrection knowing this that our olde man is crucified with him To die vnto sinne that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth wee should not serue sinne For he that is dead is freed from sinne wherefore if wee be dead with Christ wee beleeue that wee shall liue also with him Out of the 8. Chap. to the Romans What shal we then say to these things if God be on our side who can bee against vs Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death How shall he not with him giue vs all thinges also Out of the first to the Corinthians 6. Chap. Yee are bought for a price therefore glorifie God in your bodie and in your spirit for they are Gods Out of the 2. to the Corinthians 5. Chap. God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them and hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation And he hath made him to bee sinne for vs which knew no sinne to witte because that our sinnes were imputed vnto him and for them was made a sacrifice that we should bee made the righteousnesse of God in him that which came also by imputation Out of the 2 Chap. of the Epistle to the Galathians For I through the lawe am dead to the lawe and that I might liue vnto GOD I am crucified with Iesus Christ Thus I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me And in that that I now liue in the flesh I liue in the faith by the sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for me Out of the 5. Chap. to the Galat. They that are Christes haue crucified the flesh with the affections the lustes Out of the 6. Chap. of the Galathians The crosse of Christ God forbid that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified vnto me Out of the 5. Chap. to the Ephesians Walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs to bee an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God Out of the 5. Chap. to the Ephesians verse 25. Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word that hee might make it to himselfe a glorious Church c. Out of the first Chap. of the Epistle to the Colos verse 19. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell And by him to reconcile all thinges vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his Crosse both the thinges in earth and the thinges in heauen And you which were in times past strangers enemies because your mindes were set on euill workes he hath now also reconciled in the bodie of his flesh through death to make you holie and vnblameable without fault in his sight if ye continue grounded and stablished in the faith Out of the 2. Chap. to the Colossians Hee hath quickened you together with him forgiuing you all your trespasses in putting out the handwriting of ordinances that were against vs hee euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vppon the crosse Wherefore if yee bee dead with Christ from the ordinances of the world why as though yee liued in the world are ye burdened with traditions As touch not taste not handle not Out of the first Epistle to the Thessalonians 2. Chap. Yee are become followers of the Churches of God which in Iudea are in Christ Iesus because ye haue also suffered the same thinges of your owne countriemen euen as they haue of the Iewes who haue likewise killed the Lord Iesus Out of the first of Timothie 6. Chap. I charge thee in the sight of God who quickeneth all thinges and before Iesus Christ which vnder Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keepe this commaundement without spot and vnrebukeable vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Out of the second of Timothie 2. Chap. This saying is true if wee bee dead with him we also shall liue with him If wee suffer we shall also reigne with him if we denie him hee also will denie vs. Out of the 9. Chap. of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Christ being come a high Priest of good thinges to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with handes that is not of this building neither by the bloud of Goates and Calues But by his owne bloud entered he in once vnto the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs. For if the bloud of Bulles of Goates and the ashes of an Heifer sprinckeling them that are vncleane sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot vnto God purge your consciences from dead woorkes to serue the liuing God And for this cause is he the mediatour of the new Testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions that were in the former Testament they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance And in the 24. verse Iesus is not entered into the holie places that are made with handes which are similitudes of the true sanctuarie But is entered into verie heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs not that hee should offer himselfe often as the high Priest entered into the holie place euerie yeare with other bloud for then must he haue often
our heartes bee as his temple O right blessed are they that thus doe eate the flesh of the Lorde hauing a desire to remaine with him and to obey him The bodie of Christ set foorth in his worde is our foode The meane and way to eate him is faith that doth stay vpon his promises and is ioyned vnto him On earth we do communicate with Christ by the helpe of his worde and sacramentes but on hie in heauen we shal eate this heauenly bread without anie outwarde helpe and shall drinke this holy drinke feeling effectually his presence the ioie of that glorious life O happy time so much desired in the which we shall eate with the holy Angels at the table of the Lorde in his kingdome O we now very happie blessed from hence forth seeing we sauour already the sweetenesse of the life to come in Christ O howe easily may we despise the rich mens tables and their iounket and delicate meates to partake the bloude of Christ in the Church of God Yea this bloud yea this is our victorie and glorie this is it that we ought to take chearefully in the supper and so to beare with Christ all afflictions in this life although the banket of the crosse seeme verie thinne and troublesome vnto the beastly ignorant worlde But they which do possesse Christ care not to possesse the world and they that haue drunke of the Lordes cup care not they are at a point to powre out their bloud for the name of Christ for their liues are most assured in their sauiour Reioyce thou thē flocke of the Lorde seeing thou hast so liberall a sheepeheard which feedeth thee with his bloud that thou maiest liue by his life For they that liue not but of the infected bloud of Adam and of the carnall and sensuall life are more wretched than the beastes To this feast are not onely bidden the sacrificers and priestes of Leui but all the Church But aboue all let vs take heede that this gift of God be vnto vs a wholesome gift and that we partake not therein to our condemnation Let vs therfore take on the wedding garment and make cleane our vessels to receiue so excellent a gift Let vs also beware of hauing therein any profanation in steede of deuotion Let vs keepe our selues from communicating in darkenesse when we doe come neere vnto this light And as S. Ierome sayeth writing vnto Theophilus When we drawe neere to Christ let vs not giue him a Iudas kisse Let vs knowe that these are the poore in spirite that shall finde comfort in that banquet These are not the worldlinges nor the high in degree neither the ouerweening and brablesome persons For if Christ declare that euerie oblation displeaseth GOD without reconciliation howe should he make an offering vnto vs of a thing so singular if wee haue not peaceable heartes And if we be not knit together with our brethren howe would we that he shoulde knit himselfe with vs A prayer concerning the holy supper O Lorde God the heauen of heauens cannot comprehende thee and yet thou doest vnto vs this honour to haue fellowshippe with vs. Alas who are wee that thou shouldest take pleasure to bee with vs yea in vs Neuerthelesse wee doe thanke thee in that through thy mercie thou makest vs able to receiue thy graces whereof Psalm 36. of our owne corrupt nature we were altogether vnwoorthie For in trueth they onely are blessed that doe not depart from thee and they that doe partake with the bodie of thy sonne on earth beginne alreadie to liue in heauen The Israelites haue eaten manna in the desert but the most part in the meane while are dead in the wildernesse without seeing the lande of promise But they that eate of this sacred foode are assured to come to the euerlasting heritage O what comfort is this vnto vs in this vale of miserie to bee refreshed with such a pasture O woonderfull pasture which seemeth to bee eaten with teeth in so much as the signes doe beare his name and yet in the meane space is neuer consumed but nourisheth the soule with great vertue That which Adam and Eue did eate in the earthly gardein by the temptation of Sathan caused them to die But O Lorde this meate that we do eate by thy appointment bringeth vnto vs life Now Lorde seeing it hath pleased thee to ioine the earthly with the heauenly by this sacrament the humane creatures with the celestiall graunt vs grace truely to consider these so hie mysteries and to vse them withal innocencie and reuerence For Lord Iob. 14. who is he that shall make cleane that which is vncleane O father who hast redeemed vs by the bloude of thy sonne thou canst only wash and sanctifie vs by thy spirite And as the fulnesse of ioie and gladnesse is to see thy face and to feele thy presence So let our soules feele effectually the sweetenesse of thy son Iesus let vs feele the increase of strength and of faith by the meanes of this holie sacrament and suffer vs not to followe the example of Esau who for a messe of pottage lost his birthright but rather that wee doe not forsake thee for any worldlie thing But that all our consolation may rest in thee Graunt vs O Lorde that thou keepe that assurance which thou hast promised likewise as thou wilt that wee keepe a remembraunce of thy sonne and of his death so haue thou daily remēbrance of vs and as he was giuen for vs so let vs yeelde ourselues louing vnto our neighbours through christian loue and that aboue all our heartes may be lifted vp where our head Iesus Christ is in thy glorie Further more for so much O Lord as we doe eate at thy table as thy children and familie of thy house let vs also walke in all goodnesse as it is becomming those which doe belong vnto such a Lorde And for so much O God as this sacred meate beseemeth not an irkesome and full stomacke Graunt vs grace that we may haue a true and a right hunger yea and a holie appetite vnto these graces that we may sauourly tast these meats of thine and well degest thē tasting how gratious sweete thou art also how bitter all the delights of the worlde are in comparison of the sweetenesse of Iesus Christ So be it Another prayer concerning the supper What tongue O Lorde can expresse and what heart can comprehend thy wonderfull loue towardes vs for that to redeeme a wretched creature thou wouldst that thy sonne should suffer so many labours and sorrowes euen to bee sacrificed on the crosse And howsoeuer it be that thou doest not content thy selfe with all these things that are alreadie done but to the end that the remembrance of thy loue should not be blotted-out of our heartes or that our faith should flite or be shaken syth that thy sonne is ascended vp to thy right hande thou leauest not yet to nourish
and to make doubtful this Article for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes to the ende to trouble our poore consciences Let vs holde I say this for an vndoubted article as it is saide in the 10. of the Actes that all the prophetes doe giue this testimonie of Iesus that through his name all that beleeue in him without exception of persons shall receiue remission of sinnes We haue indeede strongly to wrestle and we feele yet the lawe of our members which kicketh against the spirit Rom. 7.23 neither also doe we beleeue an vtter putting off of our sinnes but the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and therefore wee crie out with S. Paule Alas wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lorde who as it is saide in the 4. Chap. to the Romans is ordained an oblation for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Prayers and meditations to dispose a man to the acknowledgement of his sinnes A prayer of S. Augustine out of the 11. and 24. of his priuate meditation of the soule with God O Lorde I thy poore creature will yet haue hope in the shadowe of thy winges all sinnefull that I am hauing remembraunce of this thy goodnesse according to the which thou hast created mee Helpe therefore thy creature that thy goodnesse would frame and suffer not that he whoÌ„ thy mercie hath made be destroied through my malice For if I O Lord returne to dust whereto shall thy creature serue thee It was not my deseruinges neither the grace that was in me then when I was but dust which could leade thee to create me let then this clemencie which moued thee to create me let the same lead thee to keepe me Whereto shall it serue thee that I was made if thy right hande holde me not vp Alas my God I verie wel knowe that thy hande is not shortened that it cannot saue me neither is thy eare likewise stopped that it cannot heare But I truely feele that they are my sinnes which haue made the diuision betweene thee and mee betweene darkenesse and light betweene death and life betweene vanitie and veritie betweene this daylie life and the euerlasting life Notwithstanding O mightie God I that am the worke of thy handes I will call vppon thee yea I will crie vpon thy name O Lorde For it is not in my selfe neither in my strength that I haue set my hope It is thy arme that shall saue me it is the light of thy couenaunt that shall make me glad Otherwise alas if thou weart not my hope I shoulde despaire But thou art my maker which neuer leauest them that trust in thee Thou art a great God louing sweete pacient disposing all things with an vnmeasurable mildenesse True it is that we are as a withered leaâ—e or as a litle flower and all our life is but vanitie and a winde that passeth away For this cause wee beseech thee also that thou proceede not against vs in thy wrath yea seeing that we be thy litle children that thou hast made of the earth alas wouldest thou trie thy strength against a leafe or against strawe and stubble We haue hearde so much praise of thy mercie in that thou desirest not the death of vs poore sinners Therefore suffer not death whome thou hast not created to rule ouer thy creature I desire O Lorde to be saued but in hauing a will thereto I haue not the power thereof to be short I can doe nothing vnlesse thy power comfort me I doe not knowe to will and desire that I ought vnlesse thou graunt mee grace that thy will be doone in mee as it is in heauen Thou art the Lorde of the whole worlde and the prince of all fleshe That which doth like thee thou doest fulfill in heauen in earth and in the depthes Let then thy will be done in vs on whom thy name is called vpon and that thy creature whom thou hast created to thy likenesse perish not A prayer vpon the same matter O Lorde howe dare I name thee my father and esteeme my selfe thy childe seeing that in me there is no obedience How dare I lift vp my eies to heauen seeing I am vnworthie that the earth should beare me For death is the rewarde of sinners and my iniquities are before mee which set thine anger in my sight I haue alas so often offended and my sinnes haue fought against thy mercie Thou hast giuen mee vnderstanding to knowe thee and a heart to honour thee Thou hast giuen me eies to beholde thy workes and handes to stretch foorth to the comfort of my neighbour to be short thou hast fashioned mee to thy glorie But O God I haue turned backe my spirite doeth applie it selfe to iniquitie My heart hath serued this wretched bodie which is but a vessell of dung and must be a pray for wormes My soule hath not loued thee with all her strength neither hath meditated in thy worde My eies haue beene fixed on the grounde I haue stretched out my handes to doe sooner euill than good My feete haue walked in the way of the worlde and not in thy pathes And in such sort O Lorde as if thou shouldest goe forwardes against mee in thine anger I could not awaite for anie other thing at my departure out of this worlde than to make my abode in hell I cannot awaite but for thy iudgement and this horrible sentence that shall flash and lighten vpon the wicked when they shall be sent vnto euerlasting fire But O good God I haue yet my trust in thee for it is not the assurance of my workes whereon I rest it is in thy great mercie it is in thy sonne Iesus which is flesh of my flesh and bones of my bones according to his humanitie Beholde then his precious bloud which was shedde for me Forgiue thy sinfull seruant for thy innocent sonnes sake Wipe away that tract that Sathan hath made in me and graue in my heart thy commandementes Quench vice in mee and there kindle faith and true godlinesse Take from me a stony heart and giue me a heart apt to be taught which may loue thee honour thee and delight in thy worde and that so I may haue part in thy kingdome Another confession of sinnes O Lorde my God I haue sinned against thy maiestie I haue prouoked thy wrath against me and also my soule is in sorrow For it feeleth the condemnation that it hath deserued and hath no satisfaction that may content thee What then O Lord shall I perish in mine iniquitie must I in steede of breathing againe despaire in my selfe It had beene much better that I neuer had beene borne in the world than to be here without thy grace Whereto doth this life serue me if thou which art life dost not fauour me Alas my God by my sinne I haue lost thy fauour but thou neuer loosest thy goodnesse therefore looke not vpon me a sinner in thy righteousnesse
hath taught vs to pray When you pray sayth he say thus Our Father vvhich art in heauen halowed bee thy name thy kingdome come thy vvill be done in earth as it is in heauen giue vs this day our daily bread and forgiue vs our trespasses as vve forgiue them that trespasse against vs leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euil For thine is the kingdome the povver and the glorie for euer and euer Amen THe first thing which wee learne in the entrie of this prayer An exposition of the Lords prayer is that the Doctor of peace and the Maister of all true vnion and concord would not that our prayer should be particular for one alone See wherefore we doe not say My father which art in heauen giue me my dailie bread c. Thus it appeareth how this prayer is publike and common and wee pray not for one alone but for all because in deede all Gods people is but one bodie God would that one onelie making his prayer should pay for all the other euen as one onelie man hath saued manie and through one onelie spirit he gouerneth all his childrens heartes And to this doeth agree that which wee doe read of the Apostles Actes 1. who continued together in holie prayers so as there was but one heart amongest them all and of their holie companie Now my brethren it is an incredible thing how manie great secretes there bee here in this prayer of the Lorde that is so well trussed vp and short in wordes but of most great strength and right well furnished of all demaundes that are needefull and necessarie for vs. Yee shall say then Our Father Our Father which art c. Oh the happie and louing beginning of our prayer For marke yee howe the new regenerate man that is reconciled vnto God such a one calleth vppon God his father because that hee hath alreadie begunne to bee the childe of God To all those that haue receiued him Iohn 1. hee hath giuen vnto thē this priuiledge to bee made the children of God vnto those I say that doe beleeue in him In such sort as the beleeuing man to make an acknowledgement vnto the Lord of such a fauour Deut. 33.9 Not that he ought to despise his father but God ought to goe before and those places are not simply to this purpose both to strengthen his faith also to make witnesse to whome hee doeth belong ought to call vpon God as his father before all things to recken him for such In the 33. of Deut. he saith of his Father Mother I haue not knowen nor seene him such a one is praysed because he stayeth himselfe to keepe the statutes couenants of the Lord. To this hath our Lord respect in the 23. of S. Matthew saying Let vs not name the Father on the earth Mat. 23.9 because that we haue a father that is on high in heauen Matth. 8.22 And in S. Matthew he said vnto a yong man Leaue off from burying thy father which is dead which was to the ende that hee might studie to doe rather his duetie towardes the liuing and heauenlie Father Go to then behold God which is in heauen but see the consolation of Christians how he is ours and we are his in as much as he hath chosen and sanctified vs. The Iewes The wretched Iewes that haue mistooke Iesus Christ and cruelly haue put him to death cannot call God their father For as the sauiour reprooueth them to their great confusion Iohn 8. the deuill is your father seeing that you fulfill his desires God did then this honor to communicate himselfe with them But he saith by Esai Esay 1.2 I haue nourished and chosen children and they haue mistaken and disdained me that which the Oxe and the Asse haue not done who know the stable and crib of those which owe them Therefore my brethren let vs consider how God by the meane of our faith beginneth to be our father and for the Iewes vnbeliefe ceaseth to bee theirs are wee then giuen ouer to sinnne Wee bee no more children but seruauntes according vnto that our Lorde saith Whosoeuer sinneth is a seruant to sinne The sonne remaineth alwayes in his fathers house that which the seruant doeth not Let vs therefore my louing brethren acknowledge acknowledge againe what fauor it is for vs to dare be able to presēt our selues before God in the qualitie of Gods childrē Who durst haue beene so bold as to haue giuen himselfe such a title to haue vndertaken it if the true onelie euerlasting sonne of God had not giuen vs leaue and commaundement It is for vs to haue remembraunce that hauing God for our Father wee must behaue our selues according as it is becomming for the children of such a Lorde And if wee be well contented of such a father let vs also doe in like manner that hee may of his owne part in like case haue iust occasion not to bee mislyking of vs. Let vs not become bastardes but let vs become spirituall and giuen to all holie and praise woorthie thinges after the example of our father and that it may appeare how wee bee the children and temple of this great God Now what is the first demaund that we doe aske of our Father How the name of God is made holie Hallowed bee thy name Not that our prayers doe make the name of God holie but wee pray that his name may be made holie in vs. What is hee will some say that shall sanctifie the name of God Is it not hee which sanctifieth all thinges Wee are admonished in the 20. of Leuiticus Be ye holie as I am holie Therefore let vs pray him that hee will graunt vs grace to enter into the holinesse whereof we are aduertised in our baptisme to continue therein And so be we who aske to bee sanctified yea alwayes for so much as our sinnes doe dailie defile vs in such sort as the name of God his word are not made holie honored by vs vnlesse wee our selues be also sanctified Afterwardes hee saith Thy kingdome come Gods kingdome is euerlasting and was before that euer wee were But it is in the respect of vs that wee doe aske Let thy kingdome come That wee which haue serued in the world and to Sathan may haue from henceforward Christ raigning in vs. This kingdome is gotten vnto vs by the bloud of our Sauiour and shall bee truelie fulfilled when wee shall heare this sweete saying Come yee blessed of my father into the kingdome which is prepared for you c. Now wee doe well to require the kingdome of heauen For there is also an earthlie kingdome But hee that hath tasted the least thing in the world what the heauenlie things are doth despise the earthlie And it is a thing vnto the which wee ought diligentlie to watch with Prayers and supplications least that we be
bee founde a watching faithfull seruaunt And as the prince of this worlde comming towardes thy sonne Iesus Iohn 14. founde nothing what to bite vpon him so also the same enemie may not haue any thing against me seeing that I doe belong to thy sonne Iesus By faith O Lorde haue our fathers ouercome kingdomes and closed the mouthes of the Lyons Therefore O Lorde graunt me grace that I may also ouercome by faith all tentations vntill that this faith being ended I may enter into thy euerlasting â—est A prayer against the sorrowes of Death O Lorde GOD my father who weart willing that thy sonne Iesus should yeelde vppe his spirite to saue me graunt mee grace that I may beare in my heart the remembrance of his bitter sorrowes and passion and that I may forthwith remember the sweete tender affection that thou bearest vnto vs poore sinners sauing them with so pretious a price that of one part I may with a true sorrowe die vnto sinne and forsake all mine iniquities and of the other part the remembrance of thy grace may make my soule liue let thy mercie O good God be vnto me a lampe and light to lighten me in the darkenesse of death vntill that I come vnto thee O Lorde if thou weart vnto me so good a father in life be also the same vnto me in death Leaue me not then when as my strengthes shall faile me And euen then namely when my mouth shal be no more able to speake leaue not off Lord to heare my desires vnto the last breath of my life Comfort againe thy weake creature and receiue my soule into thy glorie who yeeldeth vp to thee Thou O Lorde hast saued mee into thy handes I recommende my spirit Grant me the last words of thy sonne Iesus in his voice vppon his crosse that they may be my last wordes in this life Behold the earthly abode of this bodie which dissolueth it to yeelde my selfe ioiful of this tabernacle most blessed which is not made with mans hands This great prophet Elias when hee was taken vp into heauen let fall his cloke so willingly would I also leaue this garment both earthly and corruptible to bee clothed with immortalitie Heeretofore I was a wayfarer nowe am I come into my true countrey Euen vntill this time was I in fight now go I to triumph with our head Iesus Christ I begin to see alreadie this hauen which I haue so long desired hulling amongst the tempests of the world To be short I ioyfullie passe out of darknesse into light from daungers of this world to a place of assurance out of a lamentable case into a blessed state from battaile to victorie from an earthlie to an euerlasting life Here am I blind and there shall I receiue light In this place was I hacked with manie woundes and there shall I receaue healing O wretched life O fraile and life vncertaine in this world howe deceitfull and yrksome art thou The more thou thinkest or beleeuest the more thou distrustest and misbeleeuest The more one goeth in this world the more is hee charged with faintnesse and miseries Blessed is hee which knoweth the vanitie of this world yet more blessed that dooth not set his affection therein and most blessed which is withdrawen from thence to bee with thee Oh my God and my sauiour A prayer vppon the same Argument Alas when shall I come before the face of my God and when shall I haue my abiding in his house How long shall I bee in this exile whereunto for sinne we were banished But how shall a sinner stand before this great God How shall this poore flesh get vp into euerlasting paradise But praised bee my God who hath giuen vnto vs so good an assurance in his holie word Blessed bee GOD which hath ordained for vs this good ladder by the which wee ascend vp into heauen to wit Iesus Christ so that which was vnto vs impossible is possible to the beleeuer Therefore looke not O Lord into the manifold sinnes that are within me But rather remember that I am thy creature and the worke of thy handes I am vnworthie to bee called thy childe but it hath pleased thee to bee my father Thy will was that thy sonne Iesus should come downe here below to vs to make vs ascend vp to thee I feare not then death seeing I haue life with me Thy son hath destroyed death for all those which doe beleeue in him And albeit that this bodie be gnawen with wormes yet the soul goeth forthwith into rest the body awaiteth the resurrection I do desire therfore to die to beholde thy face and willinglie leaue this life to be with Christ Oh my God if the simple sound of thy worde which I heare on earth doth cause my soule to liue alreadie what life what countenance shall I haue there on high wheÌ„ as I shall receiue it in my heart seeing thy glorie being in so blessed a companie Open vnto me then O Lorde the gate of thy kingdome Make mee to heare this sweete voice which was prepared for the poore thiefe on the crosse To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Alas Lorde I am vnworthy thereof yet thy mercie giueth me assurance Grant me also O father streÌ„gth to perseuere giue me daily this desire of the life to come for if we be so much affectioned to this earthly life that is but for a day ful of miseries with what wish ought I to desire that glorious life which thy sonne Iesus hath purchased for vs Other short praiers for certaine necessities of the Churches To demand perseuerance Almightie God seeing we be knit together by the guide and counsell of thy sonne to this bodie of the Church which was so often scatered and dispersed graunt that we may abide in this vnitie of faith and that wee may constantly fight against all temptation of this worlde and that wee may not turne away from a true and right intent though it come to passe that troubles vppon troubles doe happen offences vpon offences seeing our faith is not builded vpon the holinesse of man or vpon their persons but vppon thee O true and almightie God And whatsoeuer euilles or deathes that shal be offered vnto vs we may not be possessed with such feare as may plucke away our hope out of our heartes but that we may rather learne to lift vp our eies yea our vnderstanding all our wittes vnto this thy power by the which thou quicknest the dead raisest vp that which was of nothing that our spirites may alwaies aspire vnto euerlasting rest albeit it behooued vs daily to die vntill at the last thou shalt shewe how thou art the true fountaine of life granting vnto vs the immortalitie through thy sonne Iesus Christ A prayer to haue stedfastnesse and constancie EVerlasting and almightie God al good and mercifull seeing we be heere subiect to so great aduersities and of so many sortes
which lift themselues vp like suddaine tempestes graunt that wee hauing our heartes directed vp to heauen may neuerthelesse repose our selues vppon thy secret prouidence and what so euer troubles there be in our senses wee may rest assured in this principall and holde it as certaine that is that thou art he that will be our father and gouerne vs by thy wisedome to the ende that in all our troubles we may alwaies acknowledge thy hande and thy counsel full of righteousnesse and of great and singular wisdome and iustice that we may call euermore vpon thee and saue our selues at this hauen that is to wit that although we be driuen and tossed hither and thither yet thou holdest vs vp by thy hande vntill we be receiued into thy rest A prayer to obtaine victorie by Iesus Christ Almightie God forasmuch as wee be filled full of so many desires which might defile the pure and holy giftes of the spirite graunt that we may receiue in good woorth the chastisementes which thou doest sende vnto vs to tame the saide desires and that acknowledging thee for our sheepeheard we may suffer our selues to be gouerned by the hooke of thy sheepeheardes staffe daily profiting vnder thy corrections and tasting thy goodnesse in thy displeasure we may not lose courage but as walking through blame dishonor yea in the middest of death for thy names sake we may reioyce in thee esteeming all thinges losse in cōparison of the knowledge of thy sonne Let therfore that same spirit which hath sanctified vs strengthen vs also that being partakers of this annointing of the holy Ghost we may be likewise partakers of the victorie of thy sonne Iesus Christ A prayer paciently to abide pouerty when God shall sende it Lorde God and father since it hath pleased thee to abase thy selfe euen to take care ouer vs namely for the respect of this life to promise vs daily bread granting vs wherwith to passe on our way here beneath graunt that we may learne to rest our selues peaceably vpon thee who art our God and of our children hast had care of vs when as we were nothing that so resting vs vpon thy blessing we may behaue our selues not onely from all theftes and vnlawfull meanes to plucke away other mens goods but also from all couetousnesse and impatience as we O Lord may content our selues vnder thy feare and that we may learne so to beare pouertie on the earth that being satisfied with the riches which thou hast offered vnto vs by thy Gospell and whereof we be alreadie partakers through faith we may cherefully bende to the fulnesse thereof and vnto this perfect coniunction with thy sonne Iesus Christ in his kingdome A prayer for the morning O Lorde God and father I poore creature which am naturally swathed in darknesse durst not lift vp my eies vnto thee that dwellest in a light not able to be come vnto were it not that thy deere sonne Iesus Christ which is the brightnesse of thy glorie hath made me way vnto the throne of thy grace through the shedding of his most precious bloud So nowe my God I doe acknowledge howe that it is a great benefit that I which am vnworthy to liue vpon the earth and that haue deserued through my sins to be cast into vtter darknesse for euer more I haue this blessing to see the light of the day of the sunne and to beholde the workes of thy handes with the inioying of the earthly riches that thou hast stored vs with all And for so much as O God that thy sunne shineth as well vpon the wicked as on the good and that this outwarde light is not but to guide our bodies graunt O God to shine vpon vs the brightnes of thy face in blessing me and in lightning my vnderstanding begetting and sanctifying me a new that I may walke in the way of thy commaundements and that I may behaue my selfe in my calling in such sort as all my thoughtes wordes and deedes may be to thy honour and glorie and the edifying of my neighbours Thou hast O Lord withdrawen me from the darkenesse of ydolatrie and ignoraunce and thou hast taken from before mine eies the bende of superstition Thou hast also in our time made shine or as it were lightened againe the faire lampe of the preaching of thy Gospell But suffer me not that hauing eies I see no whit inlighten O Lord all the parts of my soule and cause all that is in me to be employed to render vnto thee all honour and obedience and that in my calling thy feare be before mine eies And because thou esteemest not to bee beloued of vs vnlesse we loue our neighbours imprint in me a faith working by charitie in such sort as with hope I may haue a good conscience not dooing to any but that I would to be doone vnto my selfe that I may haue a mercifull hart and louing that my entrailes be not shut vp in the behalfe of the poore and needie To be short that seeing how the figure of this worlde passeth I may vse the worlde as passing thorow it remēbring my selfe alwaies that heauen is the place of my corporation Grant me peace amongst my familie giue blessing to my labour contentment to my spirite rest and comfort to the poore afflicted and full deliuerance to thy Church by thy sonne Iesus Christ So be it A praier for the Euening O Lord God thy people Israell did present to thee the morning and euening sacrifices in token of confessing thee how that thou keepest vs both euening and morning But what more liking sacrifice can we offer nowe than our sorowefull heartes and our tongues that doe praise and blesse thee Wherefore O Lorde I present my selfe in all humilitie and reuerence before thy face beseeching thee that thou wouldest not enter into an account neither into iudgement with me thy poore creature For be it that thou looke into the first or the seconde table of thy commandementes thou shalt finde that I haue offended thee many waies Notwithstanding like as the childe hath alwaies his recourse vnto his father euen so haue I my refuge and my retire to thee O Lorde that art not lightly angry but of great mercie beseeching thee that by thy goodnes thou couer my faultes euen as all thinges are couered by the darkenesse spread forth ouer the earth Alas my God I knowe that sathan goeth about as a roaring lyon and I doe knowe that he is the gouernour of darkenesse and prince of this worlde but if thou be for me who shall be against me It is thou that hast thousandes of Angels which are incamped about vs it is thou that hast created the hotte sonne and the shattering cold moone it is thou that gouernest the whole world and doest neuer slumber Grant me therefore grace to rest this night in peace and not to sleepe in earthly thinges but more and more to acknowledge thy goodnesse vntill thou call me vnto