feare for feare hath painefulnesse and hee that feareth is not perfect in loue Let vs propose the example of Sainct Paul who beeing aduertised by the holy Ghost that bands and troubles abide him at Hierusalem aunswered that none of these things moued him neither is his life deare vnto himselfe so that hee might fulfill his course with ioy and the ministration whiche hee receiued of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the grace of God the whiche hée did not onely of mouth but also hee accomplished it by workes Let vs remember those good women I meane Marie Magdalen and Marie the mother of Iames and Salome who were not only assistent to Iesus Christ before his afflictions But also in his crosse and after his death bought sweete oyntementes of Aromatica for to embalme him yea they folowed him long time after his death I do speake vnto those who making profession of the true Christian religion and beeing drawen from the cares of the world thorow the knowledge of our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ for a smal occasion afterwards are fallen into them againe haue beene ouercome Insomuch that that is happened vnto them according to the true prouerbe The dogge is turned to his owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to hir wallowing in the mire Truely such people are like vnto the young man which told our Lord Iesus Christ that hee hath obserued al these coÌ„maundements from his youth but when Iesus saide vnto him that he must sell all that he had and giue it to the poore for to get a treasure in heauen hée went away mourning We must alâ—o note that there is an other regarde or â—espect to the amitie which we doe beare vnto GOD and to the amitie whih we doe beare vnto men for GOD ought â—o be loued for his regarde onely I doe meane bicause that of himselfe hée is altogether good perfect puissaunt and mercifull Man ought to bée loued for the respect that we haue vnto GOD that is to saye forasmuch as he is created to the image of GOD as wée endued with the giftes and graces of GOD aswell as wée and called to the ecclesiastical heritage as wée For he that wil consider man in himselfe he is nothing els but altogether vnrighteous ful of impietie and imperfection The Prophet Esaie shall be my witnesse when he saith we are all as an vncleane thing al our righteousnesse are as a stained cloth The which the roiall Prophet Dauyd doth speake off more at large in his verses saying The Lord looked downe froÌ„ heauen vpon the children of men to sée if ther were any that would vnderstand and séeke after god But they are all gone out of the way they are altogether become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one The like matter we do read off in Iob wheÌ„ hée confessed most cléerely that man cannot iustifie himselfe towardes god And how saith hée can hee bée cleane which is borne of a woman Behold the moone shineth nothing in comparison to him the starres are vncleane in his sight How much more then man that is but corruption and the sonne of man which is but a worme wherefore man of himselfe is not amiable but inasmuch as he is regenerate of God who through the merite of his welbeloued sonne doth couer hide wholy all those imperfections and impieties And in that respect wee haue greatly to consider the ingratitude and miscognisaunce of those which loue not the Lord but for their proper respect I do meane when the Lord doth sende them the thinges euen as they demaund and desire as great abundance of worldly goods a blessed life great prosperitie of the thinges which appertaine vnto them and also to their friendes kinsfolke and other pleasures of mans life of whom saith Dauid happie are the people that bée in such a case but when any affliction happeneth vnto them then they murmure against God and do demaund if there bée any prouidence in Heauen The whiche Salomon forbiddeth expressely when hée saith vse not thy mouth to cause thy flesh for to sinne that thou say not before the Angell my foolishnesse is in the faulte Such manner of people are like vnto those which séeke Iesus Christ not bicause they sawe his miracles but because they eate of his loaues were filled For he which is a friend as Salomon reciteth vnto vs alway loueth and in aduersitie a man shall know who is his brother Which if it bée so that loue ought to bée loued againe truely wée haue most greatest occasion to loue God and which is more wee cannot without the vice of ingratitude but that wee should loue him inasmuch as hee loued vs first And herein is loue not that wee loued God but that hee loued vs and sent his sonne to make agréement for our sinnes For God so loued the world that hee hath géeuen his onely begotten sonne that none that beeléeue in him shoulde perish but haue euerlasting life If a man demaund what is the goodnesse that hée hath done vnto vs at this present Saint Paul doth aunswer vnto the same saying that he spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall hee not with him géeue vs all things also In this matter what can wee render vntâ— the LORD which may bee equiualenâ— to the amitie that he hath borne vnto vs for the iniuries that his sonne our LORD Iesus Christe hath suffred in his flesh for the stripes that hée hath receiued on his bodie for the crosse for his death for his buriall woe bee vnto mée if I doe not saye it I dare well saye it Peter hath not rendered or restored neither Paul hath rendred or restored although he hath restored death for death but yet neuerthelesse he hath not altogether restored for he oweth a great deale Marke when he him selfe confesseth who hath giuen vnto him first and hee shall bee recompensed againe For of him and through him and for him are all things to him bee glorie for euer And although wee restore vnto him the crosse for the crosse and the graue for the graue that is to say whether wee restore vnto him that whiche wee haue receiued of him and through him no truely Wherefore the same Author concludeth let vs restore vnto him loue for loue for debte loue for the goodnesse that he hath doone vnto vs a géeuing of thanks for the price of his bloud I say moreouer that from our birth nature hath put in vs a certaine mouing and pricking forward to the end to incitate and stirre vs to loue our God. Forasmuche then as by the same saying of Plato beautie hath gained that aduauntage aboue all other things that of her selfe shée is very much amiable and for that cause wee desire verie much the faire things Yet truely the heauenly beawtie excelleth and passeth
of our soules our LORD Iesus Christ doth promise vs that whosoeuer shall doe the will of his father whiche is in heauen that he will be his brother sister and mother And that our heauenly father doth assure vs that he will gather vs vp yea when we shal be forsaken of all our parentes and friendes at the time of the restoring of all things when he shall bée all in all Amen Actes 9. a. ¶ It is to hard for thee to kicke against the pricke A Prayer to the same ende O Lord which art wonderfull in puissance and infinite in mercy which desirest not the death of a sinner but rather that hée repent Regard and beholde from thine heauenly throne the rage and furie of our enimies and of those which doe pursue thy name As thou hast of late enclined thy face vpon Balaam willing to force the people whom thou haddest chosen for thine heritage Shew mercy and bring to repentance those which of an indiscéerte zeale not according to knowledge do hinder daily the course and frée passage of thy woord To the ende that they béeing cast downe by the swoord of thy mouth after the example of that vessell of election may acknowledge thy Christ magnifie thy glorious name amonge the middest of the Nations yea that they doe confesse with heart mouth that it is eternall life then to acknowledge thée to be true God and not to varie or any thing decline from the commaūdement of him whō thou hast sent our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen ¶ A BRIEFE DEMONSTRAtion vnto those which haue susteined euen hetherto the dooing of the reformed religion for to confirme them more and more in their first will. Cap. 13. Psalme 73 d. ¶ They that forsake thee shall perish thou destroiest all them that commit fornication against thee THE Scripture doth witnesse that at the comming of the sonne of God many false Prophetes shall arise shall deceiue many And bicause iniquitie shal haue the vpper hande the loue of many shall abate But hée that endureth to the ende the same shall bée safe As it is written that hée whiche striueth for a mastrie is not crowned excepte hée striue lawefully And the husbandman must first by laboring receiue the fruites And what he is among you sayth the Lord that is disposed to builde a towre sitteth not downe before and counteth the cost whether he haue sufficient to performe it Least after he hath laide the foundation and is not able to performe it all that beholde it begin to mocke him saying this man began to build and was not able to make an ende I speake this my bretheren least ther be at any time in any of you an euill heart vnfaithfull to depart away frō the liuing god But exhort one another dailie while it is called to day least any of you waxe harde harted through the disceitfulnesse of sinne For we are made pertakers of Christ if we kéepe sure vnto the ende the beginning wherewith we are holden vp And we doe exhort you of this fearing that in forsaking him whiche hath called you by grace you doe transport your selues vnto an other gospell and séeing nowe ye know God yea rather taught of God you doe turne your selues backewarde vnto impotent and beggerlie ceremonies obseruing with the Iewes daies and monethes and times and yeares not for that I doe distrust of your good will. But to the ende that I may so assure you in the faith of the Lord that the course of this present life finished euery one of you may say with the Apostle Sainct Paule I haue fought a good fight and haue fulfilled my course and haue kept the faith From hencefoorth is laide vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lorde that is a righteous Iudge shal giue me at that day not to me onely but vnto all them also that loue his comming In like manner to the end that ye bée not as children caried about with euery winde of doctrine as cōmonly chaunseth vnto men But let vs followe the trueth in loue and in all thinges growe vp into him which is the head that is to say Christ The prophet doth complaine in the olde lawe that his people doe halt betwéene two opinions neither following the liuinge GOD nor Baal The Lorde did rebuke the Angell of the Laodicians bicause that hée was neither hot nor colde insomuch that therfore he will spew him out of his mouth On the other side hée doth promise to him that ouercommeth to sit with him in his throne as it is written no man can serue two masters for either he shall hate the one and loue the other or els he shall leane to the one and despise the other Righteousnesse hath no felowship with vnrighteousnesse neither light hath companie with darkenesse neither Christ accordeth with Belial If then ye haue receiued the word of God be ye not like vnto him which hath sowed his séed vpon stonie ground I do meane him which heareth the worde and anone with ioye receiueth it Yet hath he no rootes in himselfe and therefore dureth but a season for as soone as tribulation or persecutiō ariseth bicause of the word by and by he is offended Also be ye not followers of that foolish man which builded his house vpon the sande and the raine fell and the floudes came and the windes blewe and beat vpon the house and it fell and great was the fall thereof He that is not with me is against me saith the Lord And he that gathereth not with me scattereth That is the cause wherefore Sainct Iohn did complaine of some in his time which did beare office in the church and neuerthelesse did drawe themselues away from the same when hée saith they went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they would doubtlesse haue continued with vs But this cōmeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs The Apostle sainct Paule speaking of the Apostates saith that if we sinne willingly after that wée haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes For if we after we haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and of the sauiour Iesus Christ are yet tangled againe therein ouercome then is the latter ende worse with vs then the beginning for it had bene better for vs not to haue knowen the way of righteousnesse then after we haue knowen it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto vs according to the true prouerbe The dog is returned to his vomite againe and the sowe that was washed to hir wallowing in the mire Know then my bretheren that God hath nourtered you euen as the father nourtereth his children And beware that thou forget not the Lorde thy GOD in
and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Truely the vse of the worde which consisteth chiefly in the conuersion of a sinner ought to be referred to all those which haue hope of the eternall life And we ought no more to thincke straunge that the ecclesiasticall discipline be publike for iust occasioÌ„s then we shoulde thinke straunge that the word be publicke Forasmuche as the ecclesiasticall discipline and correction is as a sinewe corde for to preserue and keâ—pe the worde in his aucthoritie puissaunce greatenesse To the end that euen as by our transgressions faultes we haue giuen occasion vnto many to doe euill yea that the name of God is euil spoken off by the enimies of our religion euen so let the Lordes name be magnified and exalted in our conuersion and the sinnes a feare to all thorowe our repentance and contrition Furthermore we ought not to thinke it straunge to manifest our sins openly if the case so require with true repentauÌ„ce contrition inasmuch as in him we haue takeÌ„ pleasure in the company of many for although that the Christian Church doth not pray generally for all poore sinners chiefly for those which are of his bodie Yet the Lorde will not that we be vnprofitable seruauntes despising the meanes so plesaunt and gratious the which he doth propounde vnto vs for to obteine his grace and mercy If thou hast regarde to thy dignitie excellencie and greatnesse that thou doe remember that Sainct Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ a chosen vessell was not ashamed to manifest vnto the congregations and before his verie enimies what he was before his conuersion in the Iewish lawes and how he persecuted the church of god by wrong If the puissance and aucthoritie the which thou hast in the worlde doth make thée to be a shamed put before thée Dauid which was both a king and a Prophet crying with a loude voice I acknowledge my faultes and my sinne is euer before me Against thée onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight Forget not Manasses who confessed before God and men that he hath sinned aboue the number of the sands of the sea reputed not himselfe worthy to looke vp towards heâ—uen Also one Theodosius an Emperour and wonderfull riche being excluded from the company of the Christians And afterwards making open repentaunce If thou arte ashamed bicause thou arte young consider the children of the Machabees who confessed in the middest of their torments and before all that they haue suffered for iuste occasion bicause that they haue offended the maiestie of god If the fragilitie of thy kinde doth make thée weake and féeble assure thy self vpon that poore sinful woman who was not ashamed to bewaile hir sins and to wash with hir tears the féete of Iesus Christ our Lord as he sate at meate in the Pharises house yea in the presence of all those that were with him If olde age doth kéepe théee backe with the greatnesse of thy faults S. Peter the head most auncient of all the apostles will giue thée boldenesse weping bitterly for that he denied his master Iesus Christ Learn then that the lord will haue mercy not sacrifice and that he came not for to call the righteous but the sinners to repentauÌ„ce And be ye assured that ther shal be more ioye in heaueÌ„ ouer one sinner that repenteth more then ouer nintie and nine iuste persons which néede not repentaunce Despise not the chastening of the Lord neither fainte when thou arte rebuked of him for although no manner of chastesing for present time séemeth to be ioyous but gréeuous but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercysed Consider king Achab despysing the correction of the prophet Micheas was begyled by the false prophets afterward was slayne in battayle Also king Ioas who was slayne by his owne seruaunts and all the princes of his people destroyed bicause they obeyed not the word of Zacharye the sonne of Ioiada the priest admonishing theÌ„ to retourne vnto the lord Finally king Asa king of Iuda who was grieuously punished bicause he toke not in good parte the holy demonstrations and admonitions of Hanany the prophete And take héede that the Lorde laugh not in your destruction and mocke you when the thing that ye feare commeth vpon you bicause that thou hast despised his counsel set his correction at naught For God complayneth sometyme in the person of Dauyd saying Why doest thou preach my lawes take my couenant in thy mouth whereas thou hatest to be reformed These thinges doe serue not to make you sorie or wearie but for to bring you vnto true and Godly repentance to the end that ye be nothing hurt by vs for godly sorrowe causeth amendement vnto saluation not to be repented off but the sorrowe of this worlde causeth deathe Of our part we do admonishe you as the father doth his children and we do desire you to comforte the féeble minded and to forbeare the weake to the end that you do admonishe those who are vnruly and be patient towards all men to the end that he which is of a contrite and humble spirite be not ouercome thorowe too much heauinesse What I say to the weake I became as weake to winne the weake to be made all things to all men to saue at the least some and this I doe for the gospels sake that I might haue my part thereof Vnto you also O ye true ministers of our Lord Iesus Christ they do addresse these wordes to the end ye may féede the flocke of God which dependeth vpon you caring for it not as though ye were compelled therto but willingly not for the desire of filthy lucre but of a good minde not as though ye were lords ouer Gods heritage but the ye be ensamples to the flocke For the seruant of the Lord must not striue but must be peaceable vnto al men apt to teach one that can suffer the euill men patiently And can informe theÌ„ that are coÌ„trary minded prouing if God at any time wil giue them grace that being conuerted they may knowe the truth And béeing deliuered out of the snare of the diuell may come to ameÌ„dement performe his will. Then rebuke checke exhort in al gentlenesse of spirite of doctrine For the weapoÌ„s of our warfare are not carnall things but strong by the power of God to cast downe holds wherw t we ouer throw imaginations euery hie thing that is exalted against the knowledg of god bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ The Lord by his Prophet doth coÌ„plain of the shepherds of Israel bicause they haue not holdeÌ„ vp the weake the sicke they haue not healed they haue not bouÌ„d together the broken because they haue not brought againe the outcastes
because they haue not sought after the which was lost but churlishly cruelly haue they ruled ouer theÌ„ And al you which are strong ought to beare the frailnes of the weake him that is weake in the faith take vnto you but not to enter into doutfull disputacions of controuersies againe if any man be falne by occasion into any faulte yée which are spirituall helpe to amende him in the spirite of méekenes considering thy selfe least thou be also tempted Beare ye one an others burthen so fulfill the law of Christ Which if any man obeye not the lawe of Christ send vs word of him by a letter and haue no company with him that he may be ashamed Yet count him not as an enemie but warne him as a brother desiring no other thing then the helth of euery man Euen as Sainct Paul did deliuer the man who committed fornication with his fathers wife vnto Sathan for the destruction of the fleshe that the spirite maye be saued in the daye of the Lorde Iesus In lyke maner Hymmenaeus and Alexander that they do learne no more to blaspheme For I aduise you or let you knowe that he which conuerted the sinner from going astraye out of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hyde the multitude of sinnes To no purpose some menne héere doe alleadge that Iesus Christ and the Apostles haue not alwaies vsed suche modestie and gentlenesse As when Iesus Christ said wo be vnto thée Chorasin wo be vnto thée Bethsaida For if the miracles which were shewed in you had bene done in Tyre and Sydon They had repenâ—ed long agone in sackcloth and asshes Such are the words of S. Iohn towardes the Scribes and Pharises crying against â—hem O generation of vipers who hath taught you to flée from the vengeance to come Bringe foorth therefore the fruites belonging to repentaunce Euen so said S. Paule writing to the Galathians O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not beléeue the truth To whoÌ„ Iesus Christ was described before your eies among you crucified Now we will aunswere briefly that wheÌ„ Iesus Christ or his Disciples or Apostles do rebuke chide and exhort by any seueritie or rigorousnesse of wordes That is not that they do not teach in all gentlenesse of spirite and of doctrine applying themselues to the simpliâ—itie rudenesse or malice of the hearers Wherin is to much manifested the impudencie of those who without any discretion doe laye the heauie burthens and which are not able to be borne vpon mens shoulders and regard not that the Lorde hath regard or respect to him which is of an humble spirite and a broken a contrite heart And that he dwelleth hie aboue and in the sanctuarie and with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirite that hée may heale a troubled minde and a contrite heart these are they which doe let passe the commaundement of God by their ordinaunces and consider not that the commaundements of God are easie and gentle for the righteousnesse which coÌ„meth of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart who shall ascende into heauen that is nothing els then to fetch Christ downe Either who shall descende into the déepe that is nothing els but to fetch vp Christ from death But what saith the scripture the worde is nigh thée euen in thy mouth and in thine heart This worde is the worde of faith which we preach For if thou shalt knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord and shalt beléeue with thine heart that GOD raised him vp from death thou shalt be safe Wherefore let vs lift vp our heartes with our handes vnto the Lord that is in heauen and confesse boldly that we haue bene rebelles and let vs séeke him and let vs retourne vnto â—he Lorde and he will not cast vs awaye â—or euer which if he doe giue vnto vs anguish then he will haue compassion of vs according to his great goodnesse for he doth â—ot punish and afflict willingly the sonnes â—f men Let vs not be ashamed to entreat â—im in fastings praiers sackloth ashes â—ea in the open assemblie of the Sainctes to confesse that vnto him belongeth iustice and to vs vtter confusion inasmuch as we haue sinned against him Finally let â—s walke worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called in all humilitie of minde and meaknesse and long suffering forbearing one an other through loue So be it 1. Thessa. 5. c. ¶ We beseech you that ye knowe them which laboure amonge you and haue the ouersight of you in the Lorde and giue you exhortation that ye haue them the more in loue for their workes sake A prayer O Lorde God most mightie and heaueÌ„ly father thou I say which desirest not the death of a sinner But wilt haue all men saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth Giue vs grace in the middest of these troubles and enimies that we despise not the meanes which thou hast ordeined for vs to obtaine eternall life but that we emploie and endeuoure our selues with such feare trembling to our saluation that when we shall be iudged wée may acknowledge that we bée taught by thée that we be not iudged with the world and that willingly we may receaue the correction of the ministers dispensers of thy lawe confessing both with heart mouth that power is giuen vnto them to edification and not to destruction to ouerthrowe all such presumption as exalteth it self against thée to subdue all misdéedes to the obedience of thy sonne Christ so the by that means doing althings without murmuring and reasoning our obedience may appeare to all men and that we may be faultlesse and pure and the sonnes of GOD without rebuke in the middest of a croked and peruerse nation And finally that we may be fellowheairs with our Lorde Iesus Christ which through his obedience hath bene exalted aboue the heauens vnto whom be glorie for euer and euer So be it ¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTISment vpon the commaundement to loue god Cap. 16. Deuterono 6. b. ¶ Heare Israel the Lord thy God is Lòrd onely and thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy might THe Lorde saide in Sainct Iohn he that hath my commaundements and kéepeth them the same is he that loueth mée and he that loueth mée shall be loued of my father and I will loue him and will shewe mine owne selfe to him manifestly If a man loue me he will kéepe my sayings and my father will loue him we will come vnto him and will dwell with him Where Iesus Christ doth testifie vnto vs that the loue which we do owe vnto the lord consisteth in the obseruing of his preceptes and commaundents And herein is to be noted the some obey the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts of the lord as seruaunts
place of vnderstanding in the lande of those which do lyue easely and which haue great riches for the feare of the Lorde is the true wysdome and to retyre and drawe himselfe from euil is the vnderstanding We must not then be astonied or amazed if they do abuse the scripture after their owne sense forasmuch as they do not estéeme but their owne pleasure which is the enemie of reason It doth gréeue me verie much to speake of those which for to please the will and minde of their Auditors And least they should hurte or gréeue them do apply the Scripture I know not to what matters of iesting and laughter yea being set in Moses Chayre in which place especially and chiefly it ought to be intreated off withall reuerence and grauitie I do say furthermore that they are not ashamed to play by maskings and counterfaitlike that which ought to be taught with feare and al humilitie To conclude they do serue more willingly to the pleasures of other then to the honour of the Lord and to the edification of his congregation What shall I saye of those which will referre and attrybute vnto the holy scripture vnto the bookes writings of the heathen Phylosophers as if we had borowed the rule to lyue well of them and not they of vs I will not denie but that the Philosophers chiefly the Platonicians haue written many thinges verie néere vnto the christian rule and very much confirmable and agréeing vnto good manners But as Sainct Augustine saith bicause that they haue made it their owne the true Christiās ought to serue to a better vse in asking it again of thē as vniust vnlawful possessours euen so as the Israelites haue applied the treasures riches of the Aegyptians to the honour of the Lorde And as it was lawful for the people of Israel to take to wife an estraunger captiue so that she do shaue hir head pare hir nailes put the raiment that she was taken in from hir also it is not forbidden to apply the writings of the heathen men Panims to our religion so that we do cut off that which doth concern their idolatrie and supersticion and that we doe apply vnto the honour of the Lorde that which doth serue to the veritie of our doctrine That is the cause wherfore sainct Paul disputing in the citie of Athens against certeine Philosophers did not feare to recite the saiyng of a Poet for to proue the doing of our religion And the same Apostle in another place of his Epistles did not make it a doubt to alowe the saying of Epimenides against those of Crete for all that I will not taxe those which haue the charge in the Church But I desire that they may be so discrete and well aduised in their profession that they may trie proue all things but to kéepe that which is good after the example of the good chaungers which doe knowe verye well to separate the good money from that which is false and vnlawfull to the ende they do not bring any thing from other learninges which might defile the worde of God or marre the doing of the christian veritie in so much that the word of preaching be receiued of all men not as the worde of man but euen as it was in déede the word of God which worketh in you that beléeue to the aduauncement of the kingdome of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ to whom be glorie foreuer Amen COLOSS. 4. Let your speach be alwayes well sauoured and poudered with salte that ye may knowe howe to aunswere euery man. A prayer O Lord which dost giue the tongue to teach well to the ende that one may comfort them which are troubled yea and that in due season which giuest wisedome vnto the ignorant teachest thy seruants that which they ought to say giue vs thy grace to knowe that thy worde is pure euen as the siluer which from the earth is tried and purified seuen times in the fier to the end that we may receiue it not as the worde of man but euen as it was in déede the word of God which worketh in you that beléeue and that we doe not applie it to any euill vse or dissolute woorke but to the aduauncement of thy glorie and to the edifying of our neighbour In somuch that we may be faultlesse and pure without rebuke in the midst of a croked and peruerse nation among which sée that we shine as lightes in the worlde holding fast the worde of life Finally that we do declare by our works in this latter time that we haue not runne in vaine neither haue laboured in vaine But for the veritie of him which from the beginning of all thinges was the worde of life our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen THAT THE LORD IN THE middest of afflictiōs doth reserue alwayes certeine places of refuge for his and certeine true prophetes to his Church yea certeine valiant men for to withstande the tyrannie of the wicked ESAIE 49. ◠¶ The prisoners shall be taken from the Gyant the spoile deliuered from the violent for I will mainteine thy cause against thine aduersaries Saith the lord ESAIE 59. D. ¶ I will make this couenant with them saith the Lorde my spirite that is come vppon thee and the words which I haue put in thy mouth shall neuer goe out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy childrens children from this time foorth for euer more IF the Panim or Heathen man saith that the exile banishment is terrible fearefull vnto those which of a priuate singuler affection do prouide for themselues an habitation for to dwell euer not vnto those which haue the whole worlde for a Citie And the Poet Ouide hath written that euerie countrie or land is an habitation vnto a vertuous couragious man As the sea is a floudde for all kinde of fishes If I say the auncient Patriarkes Abraham Isaac and Iacob by faith did dwell in the promised lande as strangers in tentes looking for a citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God although that some of them had not but the light of nature for a rule and discipline the others had not so euident a witnesse as we haue of the reuelation to come of the children of God in the which our vile bodies shal be made like vnto the glorious bodie of the sonne of god Truely somuch the lesse our exile and banishment ought to be vnto vs gréeuous and feareful in asmuch as we are assured by the mouth of Iesus Christ of his Apostles that we haue not héere a continuing Citie but that our conuersation is in heauen Also as Sainct Paul writing vnto the Corinthians doth assure vs that if our earthlie mansion wherein wée nowe dwell were destroied that we haue a building ordeined of God
Apostles I doe meane Policarpus Ireneus and Denis Nereus For whosoeuer will haue regarde in that matter to the number of persons he must preferre the opinion of the Scribes and Pharisies vnto that of Marie Anna Simeon Elizabeth and Zacharie Bicause that the Scribes Pharisies were more in number then those which did holde of the part of Iesus Christ And our enimies do abuse themselues greatly to thinke to stay or kéepe backe the course or passage of the gospell or to winne vs to their Romish Church hindering the exercise of our religion For if our exile losse of our goods and so much shedding of bloud thorowe out all the Realme could not force or compell euen there the true Christians to make them cleaue or sticke to the Romish religion so much lesse shal it serue to depriue vs from the exercise of the religion which hath bene permitted vs with good deliberation aduise of counsell And when we shal be driuen or chased into straunge countries yet truely fréely we shal sing the songs of Syon and the Lords songs For euen as the course of a floud being stopped stayed doth shew it selfe to be more vehemēt and of greater force so the true faithfull people being letted constrained in the doing of the religion doe giue themselus more willingly and with a better will to the true seruice of God and to the meditation and studie of the holy scriptures And to the end not to dissemble and cloke that déede what is he that will binde that that the Lorde woulde shewe foorth euen to the vttermost endes of the earth Who shall stay or let that which hee hath shed abrode as a water floude and as a mightie flowing streame for the helth and saluation of his Who shall let that which he hath set vp and established for euer Or who shall binde that which he hath ordeined for euer The Lorde hath not bounde or tied his word shall man shut it fast in a certeine place Iesus Christ hath shewed and declared it openly shall man hide it in darkenesse He which hath receiued the talent of the Lord for to gaine or winne thereby shall he hide it in the earth he I say whiche is debter both to the Greekes and to them which are no Greekes vnto the learned and also vnto the vnlearned shall not hée preach the gospel I doo speake vnto those who following the Acts more then barbarous or Scithian of one Antiochus Epiphanus not being cōtēt to haue shed hether to the bloud of the faithfull without leaue aucthoritie of the magistrate haue procéeded to so great wickednesse that they haue burned holy bookes of the Lorde I doe meane those which doe make mention of the eternall alliance of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ thinking by that meanes more easely to establish kéep in their temples and Churches their idolles and God Marsin And yet neuerthelesse they coulde not do so much by their trauailes iourneis that the Lord hath not raised for vs of the Machabeans euen as he did vnto the Iewes from sixe yeares to seuen after the persecution of Antiochus for to giue some libertie vnto his people to repaire the ruinous places of his Temple to assure more and more the true faithfull people in their religion Vnto you O Christian Princes these matters are directed to the end that to day if you do heare the voice of the Lorde you harden not your heartes For if the father bée compted cruell whiche hauing manie children doth giue of his goods yea of those whiche GOD hath giuen him to some and not to other some which I say doth administer the corporall foode and other necessaries to some and denieth it to other some Truely the Christian prince cannot excuse him selfe of ingratitude to giue some Christian libertie and exercise of the Religion vnto some of his subiects and to denie it vnto other some Forasmuch as the materiall breade is not the proper meate of the bodie as the worde of God is the nourishing of the soule also that the princes as saith Socrates in his booke of Xenophon be towards their subiects as the shepherds are towards their flocke the fathers towardes their children that is the cause why Homere did call a prince gratious and louing shéepherd of the people And Agasicles king of the Lacedemonians being asked howe a king can commaunde without a bodie of defence and companie of people aunswered that he would commaunde his subiects as the father his children Nowe I woulde demaunde willingly what dishonour that shoulde be vnto a Christian Prince vnto whom doth apperteine to establish and to kéepe the doing of the religion to shewe him selfe so negligent and vnthankefull towards his that the little ones or young children should demaunde or aske of him the heauenly breade and there was no man that giueth it them I do meane that the young children should suffer not the hunger of breade nor the thrist of water as saith the Prophet Amos but an hunger to heare the worde of god Let vs consider in this matter what reproch Iesus Christ did make vnto the Scribes and Pharises when he said Woe be vnto you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites for ye shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men ye your selues goe not in neither suffer ye them that come to enter in the which words are applied not to the Scribes and Pharises onely but vnto all ministers ordeined of the Lord for to declare and mainteine his worde Shall I speake of those who hauing taken or snatched away that heauenly bread from the hand of the children of God deuowring also the children themselues not being content to suppresse by force and violence the exercise of the religion but doe condempne to a most slaunderous and cruell death the professours of the same they are those of whom the Lord speaketh off by his prophet Dauid which eate vp my people as it were breade I cannot here forget that which Plato doth write off that is to say that it shoulde be a thing verie gréeuous and vile to nourish doggs for for to kéepe the flocke and in the meane time thorow glouttonie impatience of hunger or any other custome the dogs do lifte themselues vp for to deuoure the flocke or for to hurt it in what sorte soeuer it be in such maner and sorte that the doggs were made like vnto the Wolues We must also as the same Author doth write take héede that they do not the like against the Citizens which are gouernours of the townes and in stéede to liue with them in amitie as familier and domesticall they do not rule ouer them in duritie and rigorousnesse I will not here blame the honour of some Magistrates or gouernours For it is written thou shalt not curse the ruler of the people Their conscience may bere them witnesse in that
example of all infirmities vices and imperfections What is the cause that we are not ashamed to confesse that ther are in vs companies of the immitators folowers of Peter aduowing themselues faithfull seruants of the Lord and yet neuerthelesse do disauow and denie it at the voice of a simple maide I doe meane for a light and small occasion Yea of Pilates consenting vnto the death of the iust against their owne consciences for the feare that they haue to lose their estates dignities and promotions And wée will not denie that one can not méet with the Nicodemians the secrete disciples of Iesus Christ And if it wer néedeful to require so néere they should ther finde of Iudasses which do marchaundise and sell the innocent bloode and doe betray the iust for money What shall I saye more there lacked not a souldyer for to pearce the side of the iuste I doe meane which doe speake euill of him through false reportes iniuries and wronges And besides this so many wicked people which doe wagge their heades with the Iewes and doe mocke the iust hanged on the crosse saying that we doe promise many things but that we do execute nothing rightly And to make an ende of this matter one may there sée a thiefe hanged on the crosse for his wickednesse and faultes and yet accusing the iust hauing him in dysdaine But euen as Iesus Christ béeing deliuered to death by the Iewes and forsaken of his Apostles and disciples was knowen to be the sonne of God by the things mute and without vnderstanding For the elements forsaking their right course haue sufficiently declared his greatnesse the stones which did rent break asunder haue openly declared what his puissaūce was aswel in heuē as in earth the graues which did open and the bodies that did rise haue declared that he had power ouer the liuing the dead Also if al the men of this world did violence vnto Iesus Christ and hys woorde the stones and dome thinges shall declare his praise and shal publish shew foorth hys lawe According as he did rebuke sometime the Scribes and Pharyses that if the little ones do hold their peace sodeinly the stones would cry out for God can of these stones raise vp children vnto Abraham As of late the LORD did stirre vp a dome Asse speaking in a mans voice for to rebuke the madnesse of the prophet Let vs then conclude with Dauid that the worde of the Lord endureth for euer in heauen And that his trueth also remayneth from one generation to another The Lord bringeth the counsayle of the heathen to naught and maketh the deuises of the people to be of none effect and casteth out the counsailes of Princes But the counsaile of the Lord shall endure for euer and the thoughts of his heart from generatiō to generation For he hath builded his witnesses for euer Heauē earth shall passe but his words shall not passe In this matter those of the Romish church taknig occasion of that place wil say the one ought not to forsake their religion for the abuses which one doth se ther daily chiefly in their prelates But they ought to know that there is two marks amonge other which doe seperate the true church from the false that is to say the true vsage of the word and of the administration of the sacraments ordeined of God pure whole forasmuch then as in the Romish church there is nothing of al this forasmuch as in it the commaundements of God are forsaken for the traditions of men the sacraments prophaned and applied vnto a hyre ordinarie traficke It is not without cause if we doe disalow or denie that church for although that their foundation as they say be Iesus Christ and him crucified yet truely they do build vpon the foundation so many vaine and vnprofitable things that one can scant know in their church any marke or signe of true religion And as we do read in Esay that Iesus Christ was so despised of the Iewes that euery one did hide their faces frō him insomuch as he had neither beauty nor fauour in him So we séeing daily so many kindes of wrongs by those of the Romish church that is to say in his word in his person his members that one can skantly knowe that he doth reigne in the middest of those which doe call themselues Christians and our enemies ought not to ground or build themselues vpon that that the bishoppes haue succeded the Apostles for the discipline and christian rule being chaunged by the abuse of them their estate and charge hath bene altogether chaunged and adnulled I do not meane to blame the bishops which haue followed the Apostles in their life and doctrine Furthermore one may the better know that the marks of the true christians are those whereof our Lord speaketh of in Esay saying Lay the witnesses together seale the lawe with my disciples And Iesus Christ in his Gospell saith my shéepe do heare my voice Forasmuch then as those of the Romish church do forsake the word of Iesus Christ our true shepheard and do harken vnto the voice of straungers turning their eares frō the veritie doe giue themselues vnto fables to conclude giuing héed vnto spirites of errour diuelish doctrine of thē which speak false through hipocrisie it is to plaine that we ought not to séeke the church in their companie And they do deceiue themselues greatly if they do thincke that for their euill conuersations onely we do abandon their religon for although that for such things the name of the Lord is blamed not among the christians onely but also among the Gentiles Yet truely we haue not so much regard vnto their maners as to their doctrine by the which the men are enclined vnto idolatrie meruailous superstition And therfore the scripture doth exhort vs to depart frō the citie of Babilon least we be partakers of hir sins to holde him accursed which doth preach vnto vs any other gospel then that which we haue receiued we will follow those which are marked with this marke Thau vpon their foreheades I do meane those which haue in a singuler recōmendatiō the law of the Lord for as saith the scripture whersoeuer the dead carkas is thither wil the Eagles resort wherein Iesus Christ doth teach vs that nothing shal hinder or let that the christians be not vnited knit vnto their head Wherfore as it is said it shal be to no purpose to say that ther are amōg vs so many false brethren inasmuch as Iesus Christ doth likē his church vnto a net cast in the sea gathereth of al kinds of fishes For the true mark of the Church of God doth consist in the lawe and in witnesse vnto the which the Lord doth sende vs by his prophet whē he sayth Is there a people any where that
peace Cap. 7. Philip. I. d. Continue in one spirite and in one mynd fighting altogether through the fayth of the gospell in nothing feare your aduersaries FOrasmuch as the Scripture doth teach vs that God is not the God of confusion but of peace And that the Gospell of the Christians is called by the Prophet the message of peace And the christian church the congregatioÌ„ of saincts which doe liue in the peace of god Insomuch that the propht Esaie speaking of the church of God saith that God will let peace into her as a water floud and the might of the heathen as a flowing streame And in Baruch the god shal name his church with this name that is to say the peace of righteousnesse and the honoure of gods feare Finally forasmuch as the Church of GOD is the piller and staye of gods truth truely they maye knowe plainely howe wee ought to bee all diligent to keepe the vnitie of the spirite through the bande of peace to the ende that wée all agréeing together may after the ensample of Iesus Christ with one mouth as saith Sainct Paule praise Gâ—D which is the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ And that we hence foorth be no more as chyldren wauering and caried about with euery winde of doctrine But let vs followe the truth with loue and in all things grow vp in to him which is the head that is to say Christ On the other side we are taught to auoide as much as we may possible the debates and contentions of the lawe and the parcialities touching the dooing of the religion According as Saint Paule did exhorte the Corinthians in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ that they all speake one thing and that there be no discentions among them But that they be knit together in one minde and in one iudgement that they doe continue of all one minde al fighting of one courage by faith And also hee dyd warne and admonish the Philippians that they bée lyke minded hauing the selfe same loue béeing of one accorde and of one iudgement that nothing be done through strife or vaine glorie but that in méekenesse of minde euery man estéeme other better then himselfe On the other side he writeth vnto Titus that he do suppresse foolishe questions and genelogies and brawling and strife about the lawe as vaine and superfluous Also the same Saint Paul doth complaine to the Philippians that some there are which preach Christ of enuie and strife and not purely Also in his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians he saith that hée and Siluianus haue preached vnto you Gods sonne Iesus Christ not in double worde yea and nay but in this worde which is true that is to say yea The same Apostle doth giue vnto vs the reason of this doctrine when he saith that questions and strife of wordes do ingender enuie strife railings euil furmising vain disputations of men with corrupt mindes And saith also in an other place that if there be enuyâ—ng strife sects among vs we do declare that we are carnall and walke after the manner of men For verily he that is contentious in the church especially touching the doing of the religion he sinneth many wayes First in that hee breaketh the vnitie of the Christian Church which ought to be vnited and ioyned together not onely by naturall coniunction and amitie but also by vnitie of doctrine For as Iesus Christ saith that by this shall al men knowe that we are his disciples if we haue loue one to an other Also saint Paul doth warne vs to beware of them which cause diuision and offences contrarie to the doctrine which they haue learned and auoide them Consequently he which is contencious in the church concerning the doctrine or doing of the religion First of all he sinneth against Iesus Christ which is the head of the Christian church and prince of peace as saith the prophet inasmuch as he hath reconciled all things vnto himselfe to set at peace through the bloude of his crosse both things in earth and things in heauen Secondly he doth giue occasion vnto the simple and foolish people to erre and go astray from the christian Church in the which doth lie and rest the piller of our saluation And that the same is greatly odious and hatefull vnto God Iesus Christ doth teach and declare it when he saith Wo be vnto him through whome offences come it were better for him that a great milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were cast into the sea then that he shoulde offende one of these little ones The which his Apostle doth confirme shewing vnto the Galathians that he that troubleth them shall beare his condemnation whosoeuer he be and desireth that they that trouble them may be cut off from them Finally he doth giue occasion vnto straungers and enimies of our religion to blame the name of God. According as the prophet did rebuke the gouernours priestes of the house of Israel that they haue caused the multitude to be offended at the lawe And Sainct Paul writing vnto the Romanes saith that the name of God is euil spokeÌ„ off among the Gentiles through them And by good right a certeine auncient authour did complaine that we many wayes in the church do teare and rent Gods coate through our contentions the which the Souldiours durst not deuide in his passion the whiche did moue sometime the Iewes as Clement Alexandrinus doth witnes to swell and rise vp euen there against the Christians to say that the Christian religion was not of God but some pernicious sect and false religion Because that the Christians had debates and contentions in the church For the same occasion that great heriticke Celsus and chiefest enimy of the christians did rebuke daily the christians of their diuisions and parcialities saying that it were not expedient that they shoulde growe and increase to any more greater number Bicause that being but a fewe in number they would be of one accorde and agrée well together but assone as they did multiplie and waxe many they woulde fall into diuersities of opinions Also Samosetanus in the ecclesiastical history doth witnesse that the Emperour Constantine did suffer verie impatiently the controuersies and contentions of the christians saying that by that means they do turne many men from the christian religion Vnto whome Themistus a christian Philosopher aunswered that the differences controuersies of the christians were nothing in respect of the confusion of the sect of the Gentiles Also the same authour saith moreouer that for certeine small contentions which do chaunce and happen to the churches the church must not therefore leaue and forsake the principall foundation of the true religion nor to be the true churches but that by that means the Lorde doth trie and proue the hearts of many doth declare make plaine the
not In so dooing we shall bée afrayde to condempne vnto death so lightly him for whoÌ„ Iesu Christ fréely hath shed his bloud In such sort that we leauing all disordinate desire of vengeaunce and carnall affection as spirituall men may discerne and discusse spirituall thinges Amen Apocalip 6. b. ¶ I sawe vnder the alter the soules of them that were killed for the word of God and for the testimonie which they had And they cryed with a loude voyce saying how long tariest thou Lord holy and trewe to iudge and to auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth A Prayer O Lord and father of our Lorde Iesus Christ which art meruailous in puissaunce and infinite in mercy Extende thy clemencie and fatherly goodnesse vppon those Who of an vndiscréete zeale and following the traditions of their fathers doe bandon theÌ„selues against thy sonne Christ â–ª and doe shed daylie the bloude of thy seruauntes Regarde their threateninges and giue vnto those which do adore and feare thée to declare thy word with al boldnesse breake the force strength of thine enimies by the sword of thy mouthe that they acknowleging thy maiesty may be wise as serpeÌ„ts innocent as doues To conclude that euery one may call vpon thée and magnifie thee in the middest of the nations séeing the chaunging of thy right hande And as thou hast foreshewed by thy Prophet that at the birth of thy welbeloued sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ the people shall breake their swoordes and speares to make sithes sickles and sawes herof that one people lift not vp weapon against an other But that thou wilt giue vnto them a newe heart and a newe spirite and that thou wilt take that stonie heart out of their bodies for to cause them to walke in thy commaundements to kéepe thy lawes Giue vnto vs grace in this meane libertie of religion and exercise of the same That the wicked béeing slaine with the breath of thy mouth the Wolfe may dwel with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lie downe by the Goate the Lyon and other cattell may keepe companie together so that a little childe may driue them foorth I doe meane that no man do any hurt vnto thy holy mountaine But that the earth be filled with thy knowledge as if the waters of the sea did couer all thinges Finally that we may all walke in the lyght of our LORD Iesus Christ to whom be glorie for euer Amen ¶ A BRIEFE DEMONSTRAtion vnto those which of a set purpose do turne themselues from the knowne veritie without any force and compulsion Hebrewes 10. e. Cap â–ª 2 ¶ If we sinne willingly after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the trueth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes FOrasmuch then as the lawe of the Lorde hath bene published with thunderinges and lighteninges and that the same Lorde did sometime manifest and shewe him selfe vnto the people in figure and shewe of a burning bush As also it appeareth that the holy Ghost descending vpon the Apostles there came a sound from heauen as it had bene the comming of a mightie winde Truely we cannot be ignoraunt what the troubles are to the manifestation of the lawe bicause of those which doe speake against the true religion as it is written that Iesus Christ shall be the fall and resurrection of many in Israel and a signe which shal be spoken against Also that the lawe doth ingender in vs trouble vnder consideration of the paine appointed for the transgressors of the same Forasmuch as it is an heauie thing that a mans owne conscience beareth record of his wickednesse and condemneth him Insomuch that there is no meanes to appease such differences but in the peace of him who hath reconciled all thinges vnto GOD his father and to set at peace by the bloud of his crosse both things in heauen and thinges in earth Euen as in the olde lawe there was no better remedy for the biting and stinging of the Serpent then by the beholding and looking vpon the brasen serpent lifted vp in the wildernesse According as Iesus Christ sayth in saint Iohn that as Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man bée lifted vp That none that beléeueth in him perish but haue eternall life And nothwithstanding that there was as wel in the law of Moses as in the christian lawe great troubles and contradictions yet truely there is great difference of the one and of the other For the one doth set before vs threatnings the other doth declare vnto vs peace the one doth represent a Moses terrible and fearefull the other doth represent vnto vs in persoÌ„ a gentle and gracious Iesus Christ The one doth rebuke our faultes transgressions the other doth bring vnto vs our grace and satisfaction Finally the one doth condempne vs of eternall death the other doth iustifie vs before God in the death of his onely welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ And euen as in the lawe that is written Moses is iustly condemned for that hée fayled towardes GOD at the waters of striefe And the children of Israel are rebuked bicause they murmured against the same Lord desiring the pleasures of the countrey of Aegipt Euen so in the lawe euangelicall Iesus Christ will not hold for vngiltie those which for common afflictions doe dâ—strust of his grace puissance and goodnesse For he hath said whosoeuer shall knowledge me before men him will I knowledge also before my father which is 〈◊〉 heauen But whosoeuer shall denie me before men him wil I also denie before my fatheâ— which is in heaueÌ„ That is the cause wherfore he requireth of vs that our lamps may bâ— alwaies burning burning I say of thaâ— heauenly fire whereof our Lord speaketâ— in this manner I am come to sende fire on earth and what is my desire but that it were all ready kindled and he would that we should not be betweene both or luke â–ª warme but that we should be hotte or colde and that we should cast our sorowes and afflictions vpon the loue of him which hath borne our paine and taketh away our infirmitie and hath bene wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse For in all those thinges we are more then vanquishers bicause that he hath first loued vs. Furthermore inasmuch as the same Lord doth admonish vs that he will be with vs alwaies euen vntill the ende of the worlde Truely in what kinde of affliction so euer it bée wee ought alwaies to assure our selues in that woorde and not to bee lyke vnto that disciple of Iesus Christ our Sauioure the whiche did feare the windes and outragiousnesse of the weather in the presence of him which hath the power not onelie to commaunde both the sea and the lande but by one breath of his mouth can at one moment bringe to naught and destroye all the
his faithfull seruaunt Moses amonge the middest of all his enimies In like manner the Lord did set vp Ioseph in the house of Pharao then though his brethren did sell him to the Ismaelites thincking thereby altogether to deface his memorie from the earth Furthermore did bring to naught all the deliberatioÌ„s of Haman conspiring the death of Mardocheus and of the Iewes Finally the same Lord did drawe from those that were slaine a little Ioas against the rage and fuerie of quéene Athalia his mother The same doth sufficiently teach vs that the meanes that our enimies doe take for to subuert the true christian religion the same meanes doe serue for to encrease and defend it against all the enimies of the crosse of Christ For euen as the good hearbe the more that it is pressed the more smelling it is Euen so the good men the more that they are afflicted of the world the more they do magnifie the religion of the lord The which the Apostle doth witnesse by his owne example when he doth write vnto the Phillippians that the thinges which haue happened vnto him are turned to the great furthering of the gospell So that his bandes in Christ are famous throughout all the iudgement hall and in all other places insomuch that many of his bretheren in the Lord are bouldned through his bandes and dare more franckly speake the word And truely God doth not measure his workes according to the thoughtes of men As it is written by the prophet Esaie that his thoughts are not our thoughtes nor our wayes are not his wayes but as farre as the heauens are hier then the earth so farre doe his waies excéede ours and his thoughtes ours Thou doest sée in Daniel that greate and meruailous Image yea of which the beholding of him was terrible and grimme broken by a little stone hewen out of the rocke without mannes hande Figuring that eternall kingdome of Iesus Christ which â—ought to bring to naught and breake all the monarches and kingdomes of the worlde and be established for euer Thou doest reade in the Scripture of one little Dauyd a figure of the true Disciples of the LORD all readie to fight against the great Philistian without swoord buckler or speare but in the name of the Lorde of hoastes the GOD of the hoast and him whom the sayd Goliah hath railed on and despised Within a little while after Dauyd hauing the victorie did bring the head of Goliah into the citie of Hierusalem and he put his armoure in his tent Furthermore the holy scripture doth teach thée that Iosua which was the leader of the people of God at the sound of the trumpets made the walles of the Citie of Iericho to fal downe yea that the Angell of the LORD at the praier of king Ezekiah did kill a hundreth foure score fiue thousand men of the campe of the Assirians To be short we may not bée ignorant that Iesus Christ béeing pursued to death and béeinge asked of the Scribes and Pharises if hée were Iesus of Nazareth at that simple worde I am he did so stonish and amase a bande of soldiers and officers sent by the high priestes by the Pharises that they went backwards fell to the ground Finally we may better knowe that the Apostles of Iesus Christe and those simple and idiotes haue brought to good order a number of people to the obedience of our Lorde Iesus Christ In such sort that by the preaching of the crosse hath bene destroyed the wisdome of the wise and hath cast awaye the vnderstanding of the prudent Forasmuch as the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men and the weaknes of God is stronger theÌ„ men Also that the Lord hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confounde the wise Assure your selues then of the promises of the Lord though that the world doe conspire men doe imagine mischiefe Fortifie strengthen your selues with a liuely fayth after the example of that good patriarke Abraham and father of all them that beléeue who besides hope did beléeue in hope doubted not in the promises which the Lord made vnto him through vnbeliefe but was made strong in the faith gaue honour vnto God full certified that what he had promised he was able to make good And beléeue that the worke which the Lord hath builded in you shall continue for euer if such and lyke admonitions will not suffice beholde what punishments haue followed those who distrusting of Gods promises haue forsaken the knowen veritie and the true seruice which was due vnto him It is written in the booke of Exodus that when the people sawe that it was long or Moses came downe out of the mountaine they gathered themselues together came vnto Aaron and sayd vnto him vp make vs a god to go before vs For of this Moses the fellowe that brought vs out of the land of Aegypt we wote not what is become of him And Aaron sayd vnto them plucâ— of the golden rings which are in the eares of your wyues your sonnes and of your daughters and of them to make a Calfe of molten metall made an aulter and worshipped it Then the Lord sayd vnto Moses go get the downe for the people which thou broughtest out of the lande of Aegypt haue marred all they are tourned at once out of the way which I commaunded them And the Lord sayd vnto Moses suffer me that my wrath may waxe hot vpon them and that I may consume them Moreouer the children of Israel did committe idolatry and whoredome with the daughters of Moab for that cause the LORDE was angry againste Israel and sayde vnto Moses take all the heades of the people and hang them vp vnto the Lord against the sunne that the wrathe of the Lorde maye tourne away from Israel The said children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and serued Baalim and forsoke the Lorde God of their fathers which broughte them out of the land of Aegypt followed straunge gods euen of the gods of the nations that were rounde about them and bowed themselues vnto them and angred the lord And so they forsooke the Lord and serued Baal and Astaroth Wherefore the Lord wared angry with Israel and deliuered them into the hands of raueners to spoyle them and solde them into the hands of their enemies rounde about them so that they had no power any longer to stande before their enemies But vnto whatsoeuer thinges they went the hande of the Lord was vpon them with euill lucke afterwarde the Lord raised vp Iudges which deliuered theÌ„ out of the hands of their opressours After the the Iudge was deade they tourned and did worse then theire fathers in followinge straunge gods in seruing them Wherfore the Lord waxed angry and sold them into the handes of Chusarim king of Mesopotamia Within a litle while after the chil
fearing the paine of sinne the vengeauÌ„ce of our heauenly father For the Lord doth giue vnto euery one accoring to his works that is to say vnto those which with patience to do well seâ—ke praise honoure and mortalitie eternall life But vnto them that are contentious and disobey the trueth and followe iniquitie shal be rendred indignation wrath tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill Forasmuch as the seruaunt that knewe his masters wil and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shal be beaten with many stripes Others obey the commaundementes of the Lorde bicause of the gaine profit And in that they resemble the hired seruaunts which serue their master but for the hire or reward Of those Dauid speaketh off when he said the iudgements of the Lord are true righteous altogether more to be desired are they then golde yea then much fine golde swéeter also then the honie and the honie combe Moreouer by them is thy seruaunt taught and in kéeping of them there is great rewarde For the eie hath not séene and the eare hath not heard neither haue entred into any mans minde the things that God hath prepared for them the loue him Finally some loue the Lord obey him through beneuolence and christian amitie béeing stirred forwarde of a vertuous loue the which moueth them to loue him who hath giuen vnto them the lawe which hath the wordes of eternall life let vs acknowledge him in whoÌ„ we liue moue and haue our béeing and doe loue him as the true children doe loue their fathers For as saith the same Lorde by his Prophet the sonne doth honour his father a seruaunt his master if I be then a father where is mine honour if I be the Lorde where am I feared where we conclude that in these two things chiefly one may know those which do loue God that is to say when they beare a singuler affection to the holy worde of the Lord and that they do kéepe the commaundementes conteined in that worde As to the first Dauyd saith my delight shall be in thy statutes and I will not forget thy wordes O what loue haue I to thy lawe all the day long is my studie in it O how swéete are thy wordes vnto my throt yea swéeter then honie vnto my mouth He that is of GOD sayth Iesus Christ heareth Gods wordes As touching the second saith the same Lorde if any man doth loue me he doth kéepe my word That is the cause wherefore it is written in the lawe Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God And these words which I commaund thée this day shal be in thine heart and thou shalt recite them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou art at home in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt bind them for a signe vpon thine hand And they shal be papers of remeÌ„braunce betwéen thine eies and shalt write them vppon the postes of thine house vpon thy Gates Euen so the LORD commaunded Iosua that he kéepe and doe according to all the lawe which Moses his seruaunt commaunded him that he do not turne there â—rom neither to the right hande nor to the lefte that he may haue vnderstanding in all he taketh in hande let not the booke of this lawe depart out of his mouth but that he studie therein day and night that he may be circumspect to doe according to all that is written therein Yea the law would expresly that when the king is set vppon the seate of his kingdome he shall write him out this second lawe in a booke taking a copie of the priestes the Leuites And it shal be with him and he shall reade therein all dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lorde his God for to kéepe all the words of this lawe and these ordinaunces for to doe them â–ª In that same Dauid delighted when he sung I haue as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all manner of riches I will exercise my selfe in thy commaundementes and haue respect vnto thy foote pathes my delight shal be in thy statutes I will not forget thy wordes I will speake of thy testimonies euen before kings and will not be ashamed my delight shal be in thy commaundementes whiche I loue And they must not here excuse themselues vpon the difficultnes hardnesse of the commaundements For as saith Saint Iohn his coÌ„maundements are not gréeuous That is the cause wherefore Sainct Paul saide as Moses Say not in thine heart who shall ascende into heauen either who shall descende into the déepe that is nothing els but to fetch vp Christ from death But what saith the scripture The word is nie thée euen in thy mouth and in thine heart This worde is the worde of faith which we preach For if thou shalt knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord shalt beléeue with thine heart that GOD raised him vp from death thou shalt be safe Here some men wil say vnto me and howe can the commaundements of the Lord be easie forsomuch as the Lord commaundeth to enter in at the straite gate shewing to his people that wide is the gate and brode is the way that leadeth to destruction Where we wil briefly conclude that if they haue regarde onely to the calamities of those which suffer for the name of Iesus Christ truely the way is rude gréeuous For the lawe is certeine which saith that we must enter into the kingdome of heauen thorowe many oppressions griefes Euen as the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe saide to some of his disciples the Christ ought to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glorie But if they haue regarde to the frée wil of those which suffer persecution all things are easie and gentle vnto them and in all those thinges they are more then conquerours through him that loued them Euen so the Apostles departed from the counsell reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesus Christ And verie well hath Saincte Augustine declared that all thinges are easie and gentle to charitie to the which onely the charge of the Lord is light easie Some other will say here that if to loue God be to kéepe his commauÌ„demeÌ„ts The philosophers hauing not the law writteÌ„ doing neuertheles naturally the things which are of the law haue loued god for they haue obserued the law natural which wil that whatsoeuer ye would the men should do vnto you euen so do ye vnto theÌ„ for this is the law the prophets To this purpose we may recite the senteÌ„ce of Socrates when he said I do not knowe whether the Lorde will allowe our workes although it be that we haue taken paine to please him
exhortinge them that no man defraude and oppresse his brother in any matter Wherfore if wée bée double hearted as sayth Sainct Iames let vs cleanse our hearts Forasmuch I saye as GOD is righteous let vs loue him with an entire and perfect heart that our heart may blesse the LORD and all that is within vs may praise his holy name and forget not all his benefites Let vs poure out our hearts like water before the Lorde and let vs lifte vp our handes vnto him and hee will beholde vs with pittie in the fauoure of his welbeloued sonne our LORD Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer and euer So bée it Ecclesiastes 12. d. 13. ¶ Feare God and keepe his commaundementes for that toucheth all men 1. Iohn 2. d. ¶ The world passeth awaie and the lustes thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer A Prayer O Lord which hast taught vs by the mouth of Salomon the sonne of Dauyd that loue is mightie as the death and gelousie as the hell hir coales are of fire and a verie flame of the LORD So embrace our heartes in thine heauenly loue chiefly by thy holy spirite that wée knowing that thou hast loued vs first hauing sent thy sonne to make agréement for our sinnes that so of our part we may loue thée againe and shewe by our conuersation that we loue thée not in worde neither in tongue onely but in déede in trueth Honouring thée as our celestiall and heauenly father and fearing thée as our souereigne LORD all the dayes of our life In such sorte that neither death neither life neither Angels nor principialities neither powers neither thinges preseâ—â— neither thinges to come neither heigth neither depth neither any other creature shall be able to departe vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christe Iesus our LORD To the ende that when thou shalt appeare we may be bolde and not ashamed before thée at thy comming nor by the maiestie of him who béeing in the worlde loued his vnto the ende our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer So bée it ¶ A CHRISTIAN ADVERtisment vpon the commaundement to loue a mans neighbour Cap. 17. Deuterono 15. b. ¶ The land shall neuer be without poore wherefore I commaunde thee saying open thine hande vnto thy brother that is needie and poore in the lande Prouerbes 3. b. ¶ Honour the Lord with thy substaunce and with the firstlings of al thine encrease so shall thy barnes be filled with plenteousnesse and thy presses shall flowe ouer with sweete wine Iob 1. c. ¶ When the poore desireth any thing at me haue I denied it them haue I caused the widdow to stand waiting for me in vayne haue I eaten my portion alone that the fatherlesse hath had no parte with me For mercy grew vp with me fro my youth and compassion fro my mothers wombe haue I seene any man perish through nakednesse and want of clothing or any poore man for lacke of raiment whose â—ides thancked me not bicause he was warmed with the woll of my sheepe did I euer lift vp my hande to hurt the fatherlesse yea in the gate where I sawe my selfe to be in authoritie then let mine arme fall from my sholder and mine armeholes be broken from the ioyntes Iob. 29. c. ¶ I haue deliuered the poore when hee cryed and the fatherlesse that wanted helpe He that should haue bene lost gaue me a good worde and the widdowes heart praised me And why I put vppon me righteousnesse which couered me as a garment and equitie was my crowne I was an eye vnto the blinde and a foote to the lame I was a father vnto the poore and when I knewe not their cause I sought it out diligently I brake the chayers of the vnrighteous and pluckt the spoile out of their teeth ¶ An exhortation to loue towardes ones neighbour THE Apostle Sainct Paul â—peaking of the excellencie of loue sayth Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and haue not loue I am euen as lounding braue or as a tinckling cymball And though I coulde prophecie and vnderstand all secretes and all knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I coulde moue mountaines out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothing And though I bestowe all my goodes to to feede the poore and though I giue my bodie that I be burned and yet haue not loue it profiteth me nothing Loue lustereth long is courteous loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe swelleth not disdaineth nothing as vnbeseeming seeketh not hir owne things is not prouoked to anger thincketh not euill reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth suffereth all thinges beléeueth al things hopeth al thinges endureth all thinges Loue doth neuer fall away though that all prophecyings shall be abolished And in the end of the said chapter he concludeth now abideth faith hope loue euen these three but the chiefest of these is loue And forasmuch then as the life is more worth theÌ„ meate the bodie more of value then raiment And also that Iesus Christe doth commaunde vs to séeke first the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereoff notwithout cause if wee mainteine that loue consisteth chiefly to helpe our neighbour in that whiche is necessarie for him for his life Insomuch that if the Lorde hath giuen vnto vs any talent I meane any grace perfection or vertue we ought not to hide it in the earth as vnprofitable seruaunts but ought to bestowe it to the profite of euerie man For the manifestation is giuen to euery one for to profit to the ende that as euerie man hath receiued the gifte so admister the same one to another as good ministers of the manifold graces of god And euen as in geuing some little part of our goods we do multiplie that which the Lord hath giuen vnto vs also in administring the spirituall things to our neighbour we augment in vs the fruites of pietie Iustice These are the wordes of Sainct Paul when he tolde the Corinthians that he that findeth séede to the sower will minister likewise breade for foode and multiplie their séede and increase the fruites of their beneuolence that on all partes they may be made ritch in all singlenesse And as we be not maisters nor owners of our goods Inasmuch as we enioy and possesse them of the hande of the LORDE so we are not but ministers of the giftes of the holy Spirite whiche worketh in vs all things Euen so saith Sainct Paul writing to the Corinthians Let a man so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christe and disposers of the secretes of GOD. This declareth vnto vs what was gods prouidence in the dispensation bestowing of his giftes who woulde not that they shoulde abounde altogether in one man alone to the end that by them helping one an other euery one may