thy kingdome come Therefore Eucherius vppon the kings doth figuratiuely drawe the kingdome of Saul vnto Christ in that they of Israel lost the kingdome and gouernement by his reprobation and it shoulde be recouered againe vnder the Messtas by free gift Lactantius giueth a spiritual heauēly kingdome vnto Christ for that he was obedient and fatthfull to his father and fulfilled all thinges euen to the death of the crosse therefore he hath giuen him a kingdome and honour and rule Also Epiphanius maketh a comparison betwixt the house of Israel and Ierusalem from whome the scepter and kingdome was some times taken away but saith he for euer shall our glorie last which we shal haue in the throne of the Lorde And his kingdome it is not on yearth for so he testified vnder that testimonie hee gaue vnto Pontius Pilate Therefore Cyprian Christ may be called the kingdome of God whome we looke for dayly and in our prayers desire he woulde come spéedily for in so much as he is our resurrection our glorie our crowne therefore shall we rise be made like vnto him and raigne with him most gloriously It is true and certeine as there is a dominion and sceptar on earth so there is and shal bee a kingdome in heauen so that at such time as wee pray and desire to be with Christe we desire to bee with him in his kingdome which in the ende hee will giue vnto vs in heauen Then as the power of Sathan is great and as he hath his pollicie and ingins readie prepared to snare vs so hath the Lord God his ordinarie meanes to bring vs to his kingdome and hee layeth vp in store for those that bee his against the day of his comming First of all the kingdom of God was knowen and opened inlarged verie aboundantly by his worde which he gaue vs so that they which were snared intangled by Sathan had to runne vnto that eternal decree and heauenly Oracle that was deliuered by the Lorde The séede of the woman shall tread down the head of the Serpent with this as with spirituall foode were our fathers fedd and liued in the hope which they had in one Christ for they hoped for an heritage and for a kingdome and for their redemption which they knewe shoulde bee fulfilled in their season Secondly the amplification and increase of the kingdō of God was shewed to man in that when the appointed houre was come he sent his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that beeing made man of the virgin Marie he might take our weakenesse vppon him and beare our infirmities that our nakednesse might be no more open before God his father but we might be clothed and couered in his peace First he washed away our sinnes and nayled them vnto the Crosse and adopted vs into the libertie of the children of God That we might falter no more and slide from him he lefte a defence and shielde for vs which is our faith that albeit we haue sinne and iniquitie ranging in our mortal bodies yet by a liuely hope in his bloud we might stande stedfast against the enimie and haue our sinnes no more imputed to vs but be counted able to stande before his tribunal in the merite and death of his sonne and such an assurance is giuen vnto vs of life in that kingdom that Paule bursteth out into a verie vehement speeche and wondereth at the Lord that hath brought to passe so much for vs For who can lay ought to our charge that be the children of God It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christe that is dead nay rather which is risen againe that sitteth at the right hande of his father and is an intercessor and mediator for vs Wherefore séeing the sonne of God hath made a satisfaction for our sinnes and hath by his resurrection vanquished hell death the diuell and condemnation it doth followe that he hath made vs a frée passage to his kingdome and hath set in good order the perfection that was wanting to make vs obedient children in this life and to giue vs his rewarde at the length euen a crowne of immortalitie and glorie And here commeth in the thirde thing that establisheth and giueth vs full certeintie of our kingdom in Christe whereby he squareth vs as fit stones hewen out in good time for so excellent a building and it is the earnest of the spirite procéeding from his father to direct sanctifie and gouerne vs against all the assaultes and temptations of Sathan And here it commeth to passe that where as by nature and offence of the first man we are vnreadie and vnméete to do that which is acceptable pleasant in his sight nowe by his spirite woorkinge in our mindes and consciences and daily striuing with the fleshe wee finde aptnes in our selues and a more readinesse to obey the Lorde This comforter as he was moste plentifully in great terrour and astonishement manifested to his Apostles at the firste enlarging of the kingdome of God so hath he not forsaken vs thoughe visibly he appeare not vnto vs but doth purge and wipe away our infirmities and lighteneth vs by a perfect calling and secreate operation through the obedience of his name that we may knowe what the holy and perfect and readie will of God is And as Saul a verie wicked and vngodly man was founde prophesying among the Prophets and Amos from the Mulberie trées and from the plough was taken into the temple and Sinagog of Hierusalem and as some of the Apostles from the net and the fishers hooke were altered and chaunged vnto other maner of men so is it with vs made and fashioned againe that were before filthie and wicked we are purged renued clensed and renouated by a more liuelye quickening wee stande boldly before his throne of grace and heare knowe the glad tidings of peace for the spirite maketh intercession with groninges for those that be the Lordes and worketh mightily in our heartes vnto saluation Fourthly and lastly this kingdome of God is increased and inlarged by the preaching of the Gospel a verie ordinarie way that God hath left vnto vs to bring vs to heauen euen to beléeue the worde and obey the Lord God and to attaine to the ful measure and depth thereof which is the eternall decree purpose and determination of his death the ende wherof is our life the cause thereof his onely loue good wil and fauour that he bare to man openly knowen and apparant by the Gospell It is therefore called the Gospell of Iesus Christe the sonne of god Mar. 1. It is called the word of Christe Collos 3. It is called the worde of the Lorde Act. 6. It is called the doctrine of Christ or the teaching of the Lorde Act. 13. And it is called the teaching of him that saueth Tit. 2. It is called the preaching of the Lorde Rom. 16. all which titles epithites giuen vnto the
Gospell that is preached haue this ende To knowe that Firste it came from God then it is deliuered vnto man next we must beléeue it and herchy it is wée are saued for this cause it is called in Math. 13. the good séede By this Gospell health and life is shewed to him that beléeueth for which cause Paul said I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God to all them that beléeue It is also called the worde of life Verbum est viâ—â—â— that containeth or layeth vp a crowne of glorie for him that is stedfast in faith It is called the worde of reconciliation for it declareth the agréement betwixt God man in our Lorde Iesus Christ and so finde we it 2. Cor. 5. All thinges are of the Lord vnto whome we are reconciled in Christ hath giueÌ„ vnto vs the ministerie of reconciliatioÌ„ And this Gospell it is called the Gospell of the glorie of Christ 2. Cor. 4. The God of this world hath blinded the eyes of the vnbeléeuers that the brightnes of the glorious Gospell of God cannot shine amoÌ„g them which is the expresse image of his father therefore in Tim. be calleth it the Gospel of the eternall blessed Lord for this is he that God hath giuen vnto vs a verie pawne pledge full satisfaction for man This is the cause that it is called by the name of good tidings to be the Gospel of the kingdome of God the word of the kingdome Mark. 1. Math. 13. For it bringeth vs from the dominion of the diuell placeth vs againe in the kingdom of the Lord which kingdom as Mat. recordeth hath béene prooided for the godly from the verie beginning of the world but as concerning this kingdom we haue it not in this life present with vs neither attaine we the perfection thereof for there is a kingdome of fauour and of grace a kingdome of glorie this grace then it is in vs because this glorie may bee with vs therefore is it that the kinge of this world is taken from vs that the spirite of God may rest by vs Then in briefe this is the summe of our prayers that for asmuch as Sathan hath his ministers to help assist him to suppresse the worde and beate down the kingdom of Christ of the gospel to set vp fashod vntrueth We humblie craue of the Lord that the enemie of mankind may be snafled and tyed vp his empire rased out and his force abated and that the kingdome of God may onely be among vs Thus much for the second peticion that we make vnto the Lorde wherein is set downe that we ought to pray and vnto God vnto none that is enimie vnto vs but to him that loueth vs and is our father Not to any among the sonnes of men but to one that ruleth them all that sitteth aboue that wee looke for â— kingdome and from the Lord that it is giuen not to vs onely but to all that are his elect not for suche as be earthly but for them that thirst verie gredely and séeke after God that it is not for a time but it is for euer That this kingdome is with vs and we haue a good assuraunce thereof by the worde of God giuen vnto man partely to instruct him partly to strenghen him partly to comfort him that the king and ruler of the ayre may be driuen from him and the kingdom of God and of Christ knowen vnto him whiche kingdome he graunt vnto vs all that hath redéemed all Iesus Christ the righteous to whom with the father and the holy ghost thrée personnes one euerlasting trewe onely and eternall God be all honour and glorie and power and dominion nowe and for euer Amen Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen CHrist our sauior instructing his disciples to pray gaue them firste in charge to sanctifie the name of the Lorde and directe their actiones and vooinges to him that is aboue the father of light For it is the foundation and verie piller of our faith that all thinges be done to the aduansement and setting out of the glorie of our God and his name before wee presume to serch and séeke for our owne commoditie And for that this cannot be done vntill the heade of the serpent and his force be beaten downe We pray that he and his kingdome may be abolished and that the Lord his sonne Christ the kingdome of saluation his gospel may be set vp yet because God cannot reigne so in vs and dwell among vs as either we looke for or we wishe for We make our continual prayer that his will may be done in earth among vs as it is in heauen Whereby wee giue our selues aswell in bodie as in soule to obey him Where our onely demaunde and peticion is vnto the Lorde that his kingdome may come among vs his name knowen of vs hee woulde take vs into his protection and guidance to obey his will to remember his lawes to fulfill his heasts to vowe our bodies and soules asâ—â—uch as in vs lyeth continully to serue him M. Gualter in his question wherefere wee pray not for our selues and that our will may be done as for the Lorde and for his Seing that is against reason we shoulde make request for an other and leaue the commoditie which is our owne Hée aunswereth thus for that Christ hath giuen an exaÌ„ple of praying and set downe that which is is porfitable for vs he could not say that our will shoulde be fulfilled which is vngodly euill malicious and dayly requiring that doth hurte vs But he leaueth it to God as knowing what it is that is more néedefull for vs. Cyprian discoursing hereof giueth a good reason that because the deuill desireth and striueth with vs therefore pray we for resistance that God woulde comfort vs For the deuill willeth and we will But the will of God breaketh both So that neither wil I neither nill I but that God woulde This place it wipeth away all that the Pelagianes can or may say herein for if the will of man be ruled by the will of the Lord and our works and our wits and our saying and our doing be all framed by the will of god What is there left behinde for vs to reason of Thy hands if they laboure thy wisedome in foretelling thy bodie in thy indeuour thy minde and soule what euer it be that it reckeneth yet it is guided by the Lorde And to the man that hath reason what can bee more vnreasonable then when the Angles doe there messags at his wil the heauens obey him at his beck The ayre flickereth fleeteth away when hee bideth it The waters roll and plounce forth and consumeth the inheritannce that dwell vnder the sunne And at his pleasure returneth to his place when the earth remoueth at his wrath the
giuen to the Conney Or what yeres doth he permit to the wilde Colte Howe gardeth he the Lyon What harbour hath he giuen to the sauage beastes And to saye a trueth what ende hath hee allotted vnto man I saye all the woorkes of the Lorde are wonderfull But his secreat wisedome wherein he hath prouided and laide vp in his mercie for the sonnes of Adam great and most singular benefites They are not to be attained vnto For his doings are incomprehensible his iudgements are secreat His wayes vnknowen his counsell hidden his loue and his fauour farre outreaching vs that wee may well make our prayer vnto the Lorde to haue his will fulfilled his commaundements obeyed in earth because no man is able eyther by wishing eyther by desiring eyther yet by willing it to come to heauen Thus much for these two kindes of men the are in our dayes whereof I am sure there is a greate number For partly by their déedes for they be outragious partely by their courage they be so quarellous the common sort of men must needes knowe them But to that which followeth Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Cyprian géeueth a verie good reason hereof Voluntate Dei id est Dei protectione egeamus The will of God that is the ayde and helpe of God is that wée néede For without his will we haue nought And no man is of any force if he in his fauour and his mercie help them not for who hath resisted him and hath not dyed for it Then we haue to searche what it is that is the wil of the Lord to be done And this is said by the fathers the same I find in the Scriptures to be of two sortes First his will it is holy pure perfect eternall euerlasting from all beginning without power of man according to the which he ruleth all he gouerneth all he guideth and protecteth all wherein all things be as they are And he hath created fashioned all whatsoeuer that is on the earth from the foundation original of the same And this is alwayes fulfilled No man hindereth it no man stoppeth it For the Lorde hath his decrée aboue all the inhabitants of the earth of the Sea and they be obedient Of this is written in Esay I am God the Lorde which speake it my counsell is firme or indureth euer Whatsoeuer I will that I do Dauid also prophesied hereof For our God he is in heauen he hath done all things whatsoeuer pleaseth him For the counsell of the Lord remaineth for euer Againe in Esay If the Lord of hoasts decrée any thing who is the shall resist him But of this the eternall purpose of the Lord I speake not of for it conteineth the secret and hiddē mysterie ef our election of our predestination of his prouidence of his gouernement of his regiment in the earth And here we do as Iob did Wee lay our hands vppon our mouth wee staye the course of our lippes we falter in our spéech before the Lorde And therefore for that hee ruleth all let vs commit our selues into his hand that guydeth vs and not curiously serch that hath in his secret determination ruled the wayes the steppes and the hearts mindes of all fleshe We therefore handle this point reuerendly and stay on him that assuredly worketh for al those that be his Onely let man and the sonne of man giue him selfe into his handes leaue to serch out by any curious meane what it is he hath purposed The next and the moste perfect will of God is reuealed by the Gospell without which knowledge we are in death This he hath moste fully opened in Iesus Christ his sonne the redeemer onely sauiour of the worlde whome hee hath appointed the onely true right instructour of those that dwell in earth according to the Oracle receiued from heauen This is my beloued sonne heare him verie nighe to the saying that is in Iohn No man hath séene God at any time The sonne which is in the bosome of his father he hath reuealed him For he is the true interpreter of his father And therefore Christe of him selfe saith All that I haue had of my father I haue shewen vnto you Not that Christ was not knowen before for he is openly desiphered out in the Prophete But in especiall at his incarnation when hee tooke our flesh vpon him was made man it was fulfilled that euery one shall tell his neighbour from the greatest to the least euen babes little ones shoulde prophesie of the workes of the Lord tel abrode his name Therfore Peter the Prophets and men of God spoke by the Spirite suffered persecution death were serchers out of the mysteries of our redemption And this is the will of God spoken of in this prayer that we séeke not after any other knowledge but onely bent and giuen vnto his word we meditate to serue him day and night whereof this is the end that God woulde direct vs in his pathes and lead vs a right to follow his lawes That we may delight and be practised therein all our life Nowe to know this will of God the better this is the swéetnesse and perfect comfort that we get to vnderstand and learne 3. thinges giuen vnto vs by his wil. First it is the wil of God that we should be saued by his sonne Iesus Christe for in him we are chosen from all beginning to be heires of eternall life Of this our sauiour speaketh in Iohn This is the will of him that sent me that all which séeth the sonne and knoweth him and beléeueth in him should haue eternall life Then this is our peticion that aboue all it woulde please the Lorde to illuminate and lighten euery man with the trueth that his will by our incredulitie and others their continancie bee not hindered Here appeareth that whereof I made mention before namely that faith is the gift of God giuen vnto vs in his mercie by his grace not gotten of our selues of our might by our strength To fulfill that of Christ so often spoken in Iohn No man knoweth the sonne but the father and he to whome the father will shewe him And verefied yet againe no man commeth vnto me vnlesse that my father drawe him to me For all this hidden Secrete of the death of Christ of his bloude that was shed and giuen for man it is foolishnes vnto the fleshly man if he be not drawen and brought therevnto by god Then from aboue it is we are lightened that his will may bee done in vs that are wilfull Secondly it is the will of God that those whiche are redéemed in I. sus Christe and doe atteine him willingly by faith shewe them selues obedient and deutifull vnto the Lorde and walke in his commaundements he hath taught them Nature teacheth those be his to owe obeyzance and homage
to the hope that Paul had receiued by faith in one Christ Or teacheth his younge scholer to be setled grounded in the lor◠For without controuersie it is the mistery of Godlynesse which is God is manifested in the flesh iustified in spirite séene of Angels preached vnto the gentiles Beleeued on in the world receiued vp in glorie Al which of the remission of our sinnes of our redemption wrought of our iustification finished of our glorie to be reuealed what assurance can we haue in this life where withall can wee be made certeine bowe can we comprehende the height the depth and breadth here of but only by faith in the same Christ For as Chrisostom in his sermon Of Faith Hope Charitie So determeine I in this place of the same Faith is the beginning of reighteousnes the head of our sanctification the entraunce or path way to our deuotion the foundation also of our religion Haec excludit dubia tenet certa promissa consignat hanc qui tenet foelix est Augustine de vera innocentia Cap. 352. Hath laide a perfecte platforme of our faith in my iudgment It is faith in Christ for so he saith to beléeue in him that iustifieth the wicked to beléeue in the Mediator without whom no man is reconciled to God. To beeleeue in the Sauiour which came to seke to saue that was lost To beleeue in him which sayd without mée yée can doo nothing Theodoret nameth this faith in his first booke De fide an assured agréement a consent or certenty or affiaunce that we haue of inuisible thinges which are yet to come The meaning whereof is expressed by Thalassius that calleth Christ our sauiour nameth him God in whome we are iustified that hee might quicken vs make vs aliue in him therfore also he hath giuen vnto vs faith to attaine life In his Hecatondate 4. Isychius though paraduenture it sauour a little of the law the Prophets calleth Christ a sacrifice For no man saith he can atteyn the sacrifice of our Lorde that is his death but by the spirite of god * In the. 5. vpon Liuiticus And I take this to be more necessarie to be knowen as I doe finde it most expedient for man For as without water there is no plāting or as without the son there is no prospering or as without wisedome there is no cunning No more is there life without doctrin or saluation without teaching or hope without trust or Christe without the worde or the worde without God or they al with out faith Paulinus vppon the death of Celsus hath a proper verse Nam veluti rupto patuere sacraria velo sic reserat nobis legis operta fides But ouerlonge I suppose in this and some what tedious and truely I confesse it for the libertie that I haue in Christ and the fréedome I haue gotten by his death hath swallowed me vp That euen nowe had I not bene admonished the you be already weary I shoulde haue forgotten my selfe in this my tarying It may be the late speach hereof soundeth in your eares that tossing it to and fro in my former reading requireth at this time I would not handle it so roughly And I am content to stay this course onely take of me this watchword he the beléeueth not he is a sinner and he that hath not remission in the death of Christe shat man cannot be saued The next is as we forgiue them that offende against vs Guen all those that trespasse or commit offence or endamage or hurt vs or seeke our life or goods or such like the reason whereof I take to bee this God hath promised to be kindly good to Israel to be a father and a Lorde vnto them to comfort them and helpe them as it is euery where then euen for our owne sake to liue thereafter to feare him We haue example in Christ to for giue others as he forgiueth vs for be you mercifull because I am mercifull And if that the Lorde hath pardoned vs that deserued eternall death and condempnation is it much for vs to forgiue our poore Brother that hath but offended in transitorie things hereon earth The example of Christ may mooue vs that when he was smitten did not smite againe and when hee was reuiled reuiled not And when he hanged on the Crosse and they rayled on him desired his father that hee woulde not lay their sinne vnto their charge Our praying here that hee would forgiue vs as we forgiue others is not therefore put in that wee by forgéuing shall receiue rewarde and that because we remit other their offences Therefore wee also shall haue pardone at the handes of God that were beastly in vs to thinke so For then it were by desert then were it of merite that we shoulde haue eternall life But euen here is our protestation the badge seen of our Christianitie in that we conforme and make our selues like vnto Christ that forgaue all Therefore Cyprian adiunxit legem certa nos lege sponsione cōstringēs sic nobis dimitti debita postulamus secundum quod ipsi Debitoribus nostris dimittimus For true it is that is in Math. With what measure we meat with the same shall wee be measured againe And if we play as that same vnfaithfull seruaunt did that when all was forgiuen him yet went and tooke the lawe of his fellowe seruaunt It is in a hazarde that he binde vs and cast vs not in the gayle and fetter vs till we haue paide our whole debt If thou be at the altar and then remember thou hast any thing against thy brother lay downe thy gift saith one of the Euaungelists by Christ and after recencilation made come and offer at the aultar It is an assured and most certein signe of our faith if we be such as our maister was It beateth and treadeth downe the pride and hautinesse of man that as he is most stately is often times bent to crueltie and as he is puffed vp reuengeth most as he is most guilty and greatest offender so he spareth none For as wee be rauished till we sée the bloode of him we loue not so here we are clipped of from this liberty That natural heate most commonly bubling within vs by our first birth is extinguished by the méekenes and humblenesse of spirite that we haue from the Lorde As I am not here of the opinion of that Stoycke to set fire on the house of him I hate to weare my drawen swoorde to wounde him I meete nexte that I hate most so permit I also a libertie to the christian a reuenge to the godly man that he appeale from priuate iniuries to open maiestracie And this daggar is able to wound the proudest Anabaptist of them all the I knowe this day whose priuate affection could neuer abide the any should sit in Moses seat But these hissing serpens
to charge them with that throng in vpon vs with their superstitious glosing very desirous to know what conscience there is and how reuerently it may bee doone that hauinge so goodly so great so famous and excellent guiftes they shall for all that leaue the people of God vnfed see the poore flocke of the Lorde sterue before their faces the lame man and simple soule dye for foode they hide themselues and lurke in priuate corners gadding a broad like men of occupations attired like prentesies rather then Preachers teaching in schooles then speaking in Pulpets and all for the vanyty and immagination of our harts or for the vnrulines or for the blindnes or for the vnskilfulnes of ignoraunt men Furthermore there is no cause that they whose doctrine and life manners and knowledge is comparable almost with those the best that beare the cheefeste places in the common welth should disguisedly transforme them selues to all fashions that they bée readier to runne a hoyting and raunginge abroad thorow euery petty and bye holes in England preaching and teaching in priuate houses ministring and seruing in priuate places disswading not perswading once to good orders disfiguring their calling and laying aside their function where vnto they are chosen and seeking to be plausable among the ruder sorte seruing their affections and yelding to their desires as common Chapemen to buy and sell and to lay abrode whatsoeuer disorders shall be brought into the common welth so that after this my last peticion and request vnto you all in the Church of the Lorde specially to you at this present gathered together to shewe your duetie and readinesse and your good affection that you beare to the Lord God reioysing so much the more as I sée so goodly a companie assembled and met in one to ioyne and knit handes to the finishing and reising vp of the spirituall Hierusalem I say vnto you all I power forth with a wandering minde and verie vnwilling heart these my hindermost and last wordes And they be that none of you doe come as the sonnes of Ely did to them of Iuda bringing with you a thrée forked fleshooke to plucke out the meate that is in the pottes if any one denie it you Or that you presume to take this charge for the loue of money and gréedinesse vnto gaine as some haue done or that you be a dishoner vnto the famely o◠〈◊〉 Lorde traunsported and borne about from place 〈◊〉 place like masterlesse men Hauing no aboode no not a hole to lay your heades in too vnseemely in these our dayes where a number doe sit in the heigh wayes and in the gates of other men wayting for a péece of breade and for almes at their handes when it were fitter that they were kepers of hospitalitie them selues Againe I require and pray you earnestly a seruaunt of the LORDE and fellowe labourer with you To scatter your selues thorowe euery angle and quarter of this Realme in seuerall congregations that all countries may heare your voice and euerie parte thereof may glorifie the Lorde Followe not the custome of our Presice men verie daintie and coye so nice as may be if they sée a Surplesse or a Coope Yet they will thrust them of their accorde into others mens charge and take vpon them gouernement in the iurisdiction of others and spreade abrod the infirmities of weake brethren and dispence a yeare some times moneths if they thinke good and often many wéekes to satisfie the vnsatiable demaundes of their confederates yet cannot find in their heart to bestowe them in any other foraine and straunge place where the worde of God hath not béene heard to doe good there And to conclude let there be one agréement one brotherhoode one voice and one sounde in all your preaching speake not contrarie thinges a verie common thing in these dayes men haue learned to dissemble so gloriously Also I desire you nay I charge you in the Lord Christ that you be not of diuers mindes but that you teach one GOD and one Christe whome he hath sent sowing abroade no newe and phantasticall opinions or scattering diuelish and olde heresies or inuenting straunge and fonde nouelties thrusting vppon the simple soules inuocations and fables whiche apperteine not to edification All whiche are brought in at this day by the Scismatickes of our time and now trouble the common wealth that the same sworde whiche appertained at the first all alone to the Magistrate to the rooting out of vice and hewing off of the Papistes is nowe also faine to bee drawne foorth to cut off them Well the Lorde graunte if so it bee his will peace to Hierusalem and long life to the daughter of Syon and ioy and tranquilitie to vs of his Church that shee may bee brought to knowe the will of the LORDE and wee ruled by him in all our exercises that the worde may haue frée passage his name onely glorified his will knowen his commaundementes kept and the gospel truely and sincearely taught to the maintenance and furthering of Religion and the beating and suppressing downe of sinne thorowe Iesus Christe our Lorde Amen FINIS Luke 11 Exo. 5.16 Zach. 3.2 Gen. 14.16 2. Kings 22.35 Luk. 1â— Math. 6. What prayer is thought to be among the learned In. Lucam In coÌ„ment in psalm 135. Lactan. lib. 6. cap. 13. In concion de octo beau citud Lib. 1. Tom. 1. haeres 66. In coÌ„ment in Esay cap. 62. In fragmen de errore prophanar relig De oratione Lib. 2. De oratione Lib. 4. ca. 86 Lib. 4. ca. 35. Lib. 3. ca 49 Two things that be wayters vpoÌ„ him that prayeth Colos 4.2 Philip. 4.6 Our order and manner in praying Ioh. 17. 1. Tim. 2. Precise men oftenâ—imes â—nvvise men Ioh. 4. Vpstart and fond heresies budding vp in our churches 2. Sam. â— 4 2. Sam. 15. Exod. 33. Ier. 8. The state of our dissernbling profesâ— sors at this daye Actes 7. Basill Eusebius These conditions are seldome kepte though much talked of amonge our vaine glorious men Such striuing small obayinge hath bin seldome seen in Ingland Eusebius Pamph. Freedome is made seruiâ—nde obedience disobedience to them that vse it not The last â—â—use to pray Sectes diâ—itioÌ„s about orders in the church He that falleth willingly as these did tempteth God prayeth not shall haue that portion they had The thirde thing to be considered in prayer the partes thereof The antiqui tie of coÌ„mon prayer Gen. 4. People vsed not so open playne administration of the Sacraments in this age as in the lavv and after the Lavv and a fevv huÌ„dred yeeres before the Lavv. Gen. 19. Gen. 20. Exod. 19. Exod. 28. Iosh 5. Iosh 18. Much seuerâ— inge litle inclining to the worde brought in by Scrsmatickes The state vnder Diocletian Templeâ— called Dâ—minica and Oratoâ—ia Basilâ— Error in the mistaking of examples Common customes do bring great matters to passe and the vse of that is euill doth make it good though
munera poscis Munera quae longós sunt habitura dies Ex hoc fonte fluent auidae solamina menti Sola fuos famulos quae sine fine beant Scriptores alij lucri fallacis amore Diuulgant animi damna pudenda sui Applausum plebis multorum scripta requirunt Mobile iudicium mobile vulgus habet Multorum Italicis turgescit pagina fumis Nomen habet libri non habet artis opus Hos Venus eneruat Venerisque obscaena libido Plena est deliris impia Musa iocis Aspice quam multas vendit vernacula nugas Lingua quibus species nulla pudoris inest Incumbit lassis infoelix sarcina praelis Equibus exitij dira venena fluunt At tu Keltrigi diuerso tramite curris Scribis at in scriptis stat Deus ipse tuis Et legis ast ea quae Christi dictata legebas Antè fidem mores dogmata sana preces Enarras at quae te iussit spiritus ergo Mactè agè virtutem quaelibet ansamouet Gloria sit Christi populi sit fructus at ista Laudis ingenij sint monumenta tui FINIS The exposition and Readynges of John Keltridge vpon these woordes of our Sauiour Christe that bee written in the .xj. of Luke ¶ The texte 1. ¶ And it fortuned as he was praying in a certayne place when he had ceased one of his Disciples sayd vnto him Lorde teache vs to pray as Iohn also taught his disciples And he sayd vnto them when you pray say 2. O our Father which art in Heauen 3. Halowed bee thy name 4. Thy Kingdome come 5. Thy wyll be fulfilled euen in Earth also as it is in Heauen 6. Our dayly bread giue vs this day 7. And forgiue vs our sinnes for euen we forgiue euery man that offendeth vs 8. And leade vs not into temptation 9. But deliuer vs from euill THe Church and societie of the faythfull it hath bin from the beginning as from the first moulde wheron wée were fashioned so till the last houre when the Lorde wil call vs vnto a reckning hée will daily foster and maintaine such as feare his name For which cause the family of the Lorde and of those that beléeue and call on him faythfully haue in espetiall receyued two manner of ordinaunces giuen directly from God since the first creation The first is the knowledge of him and of his word The second the māner of prayer and of callinge on the Lorde wherin I doo exempte and seuar from the Church all fond and counterfet illusions crept in by the vanity and superstition of men For as hee that made and created all was partner with no man in that singular worke of his So is it not to bée permitted that any one shoulde haue that glory which is due onely to his Maiesty Therfore hee hath sealed vp as proper to his seueral vse all manner of adoration all inuocation and ernest affection of the spirite neyther hath hée giuen liberty to the Sonnes of men to vse it any otherwise then in his name the certaynty whereof is knowne in this for that our Sauiour Christ hath giuen by his comminge vnto man 〈◊〉 thinges as keyes to open and shut the Gates of Heauen His Gospell wherin the euerlastinge God is knowne and Iesus Christ whom hée hath sent togeather with our duety and feruency and the vse therof as the vniting of vs all in both the sacramentes So that of these as of a swéete sauor doo the odours cum vp out of that golden Censar which offer and present them selues before his Throne the prayers of his Sainctes Wherfore I haue aboue all other as one albeit in the gréenenes of my dayes peraduenture also rawnes of time far vnméete to discerne so great a matter Yet made choyse especially of this that a playne and perfect way may be knowen wherin to walke For that euery one is ready to come vnto the Alter and many in these dayes thinke them selues discharged come they to the Temple to heare Elyas And this vayle it is taken away more easely as wee bee readier to serue God sinsearly But if any man thinke I haue donne him iniury in decidinge this I appeale to the Booke of God to trye it In whose name I require all such as feare his Maiesty and loue the truth to giue mée liberty to vse my speeche oue houre or two Then shall hee seeme very Christianly bente when hee examineth all things by the worde of the Lorde or liueth so all the dayes of his life that prayinge deuoutly hee pray vnfaynedly or crauinge needely hee doo it neighbourly or askinge earnestly it bee done brotherly in all his dealings The occasion of these words of our Sauiour Christ was taken of a question mooued of his Disciples namely how and after what manner it was expedient to pray And this it was drawne from the custome and ordinance of the disciples of Iohn so that these few lines haue two things in generall therin contayned First a demaund or request of his disciples Next an aunswere or replye to the peticion of his sayd scholers Both which giue mee occasion to deuide or make distribution of the same wordes for in the demaunde or requeste of his disciples is contayned an entraunce or pathway vnto prayer which you shall finde to be onely handled in this first péece of this worke and as for the answere of Christ that it is now too long to stand vpon for a bréefe exposition with the meaning therof it is to bée looked for in the seconde part of this Booke The knowledge how to praye with the demaunde or question hath théese foure péeces seuerally deuided by themselues 1. Whether we haue neede of praier or not 2. What prayer is 3. What kindes or māner of prayer there be 4. How to prepare our selues to prayer ¶ Causes that wee haue neede of Prayer are these FIrst the expres word of God that commaundeth vs to pray The question is when and it must be alwayes as Mat. 7.7 Luk. 18.1 Rom. 12.12 Eph. 6.18 Colos 4.2 1. Tim. 2.8 Pro. 18.23 1. Thes 5.17 Psal. 50. The seconde cause that wée haue néede of prayer is showen in the examples of our forfathers in the Law and before the Law accordinge to the will of God that ought to mooue vs of Abell Gen. 4.4 of Seth. Gen. 4.26 of Noe. Gen. 6.6 and Gen. 8.22 In this age menne are not sayd to haue so full knowledge of God onely to haue sacrifised and called on God and not by the word praying Albeit it was not without intercession But in the dayes of Abram afterwarde called Abraham the way and manner of calling on the name of God is most liuely expressed as Gen. 22.8 Gen. 13.4 Therfore also had Abraham the commendation of the Lord in the training and bringing vp of his youth and housholde as Gen. 18.19 So Abraham his seruaunt praied when hée went to get his Maisters Sonne a Wife from Caran of Mesopotamia of the house of Nicor Gen.
others That same Ephraem hath yet gonne farther in this hée searcheth out more narrowly the dealinges of the world and preuenteth that same glorious pompe in our professors that lay open their thoughts and ripp vp their cogitacions to bée séen of men with which kynde of people I professe my selfe mutch to haue delt withall and glad I am it pleased God to let mée haue sight of sutch in these my younge dayes for that I may beeware the better in ryper yéeres But his councell it is not to praye for our selues but for all euen sutch as bée Christians and of the Lorde and not for our fréends but euen for those that hate vs I thinke hée hath sufficiently glaunced at our Anabaptists that beside their error in mislyking our manner of prayer holdinge with none but sutch as is framed and ordered by them intertayne but litle order in the Church but careles in life and suspected in their dealing make the Gospell a couering and the word a cloake to dissemble with regard sutch as fauor them presume to appoincte the elect of the Lord at their seuerall iudgments pray for sutch as bée of their Church kéepe secret the dealinges of vngodly men least their profession and calling bee dishonested as though Dauid could not offend or Abraham transgresse the will of God bee it reuerently spoken and with feare but the Churche of God should suffer Shipwracke for it I speake as one mooued and sory I am that I am at holme And this sore it is so festred writhed already into the harts of men that an Iron to seare it is better thē a plaister to mollefy it with And if God doo not giue an other spirit or dalyaunce bée deferred as yet it is I haue at this tyme but looked at them if God permit and leysure serue and these outragious enemyties stil continue I am not purposed to leaue them so rawly But ouerslipping my self I haue plunged vnaduisedly to come so neere vs truly so it may bee For better a great deale is it to kéepe him that is abroad and strike the enemye then to rushe vpon our fréendes that bée at holme And yet not so nor so wisely neyther if wee consider all For it is wisdome to cut of him in thy owne Campe first if so thy liberty permitteth thee and then to wrestle with the forraner but content I am and I striue not nowe I will arme my selfe agaynst some other time Only let them take heede they come not nearer for if they doo though now they bée without reatch yet Pen Inke and Paper shall neuer spare them wel to leaue this of our disordered and crooked dealing let vs approtche to that which is more pleasaunt and frutefull then is this and if thou wilt pray and pray aright pray thus First in spirite Ephe. 6.8 Iude. 20. and in many other places the reason hereof is For that the man alwayes occupyed in his traficke is not able to vse the body the ioynctes the lymmes the outward gesture as other doth whose leysure suffereth them to praye at all times but euen this is required in him as in all other to lifte vp himself to erecte and reare him vp in soule in spirit in hart vnto the Lord that the affayres and dealings in this world ouercome thée not Secondly in fayth Math. 2.12 Mark. 11.23 Ioh. 15.7 Iam. 1.6 and the 5.15 Ephe. 3.12 Ephe. 2.8 and els wheare For as God hath left vnto vs all manner of instrumentes to woorke by as hee hath giuen vs a meane and way on earth to labour by as man hath his seuerall manner to inritch him with So for the spirituall affayres for thy woorke for thy waye for thy labour for thy custome to attaine thy honor with all is theare of vs all as common vnto all one onely instrument which is sayth Thirdly it must bée donne in the name of Christ alone wher in is secluded all manner worship and inuocation eyther of Saincts eyther of men eyther of creature on the earth That prayer vsed of them in Aegipt to Isis so named of the glory which they saw in the Moone Also they of Athens that worshipped the vnknowne god Actes 20. As they which were at Rome that serued Minerua Pallas Iuno Hereules with the rest diuersly inuented by the Ethnickes All els whatsoeuer they bee condempned by this for it ought to be in the name of Christ the reason is that wée take it not as a charactar or fondly for the repeating therof as that there should be any forse vertue in it But théese bee the causes for which wée are charged and inioyned to thinke that wée haue saluation in the name of Christ ¶ The first cause for which wee pray in the name of Christ For that hée onely forgiueth sinnes Math. 9.2 Actes 10.43 Rom. 8.4 1. Cor. 5.18 Ephe. 1.7 and the fourth the thirtéenth verse otherwise wée might pray to the Blocke and to the stone and to the thinge that créepeth and profiteth vs not For what aduauntage had wée in sorrowing all the dayes of our life and in the ende when the wrinckels in our sace appeareth and the messenger doth his duty and citeth vs before the Lorde then wee bée still in death and life is kepte from vs then this is the ende bereof Namely that our transgressiōs may be hid and our sinnes couered and that wée may haue remission of the same and life eternall which is the first cause we pray in the name of Iesus Christ The second for that hee is the way the truth and the life Ioh. 14.5 and 26. Ioh. 11.2 Ioh. 14 6. Actes 3.15.1 Ioh. 1.2.1 Ioh. 5.11 Colos 3.4 By this wee are secluded from all licentious liberty of the Gentilles from all inuention of man from all fonde and phanatical illutions For if wee séeke for lyse wee haue it in Christe that dyed for vs to bringe vs out of death If for a guide wee haue the spirit that will conducte vs in the right way and leade vs to his Father if the truth there was no blemish found on his lippes nor deceypt in his tongue and hée brought in the truth the Gospell of his Father and the woord of lyfe kept secret from the beginning of the world and reuealed in these latter daies vnto the sonnes of men wherfore wee néede to séeke no farther wée haue all things wrought in Christ The thirde for that hée is the accomplishment and ende of the law This may seeme litle to apperfayn to vs but whē we cōsider the by the law came in death and by the fulfillinge of the lawe came deliueraunce from death it may appeare what a glorious God hée was and moste victorious that hath ouercome the sharpenes thereof and vanquished the power of the Deuill that kepte this as a handwrighting agaynste man that of himself was neuer able to fulfil it wherfore wée pray in the name of Christ for that hée hath abolished the strength and force of sinne
lay not thy infirmities abrode and vncouer not thy nakednes before the Lord God when thou enterest into his seate and iudgest presumptuously in thine owne eyes then looke about and beware For of a trueth he hath the lawe and the Scepter and he hath the sworde to destroy thée Remember Dauid his supplication vnto the Lord. O thinke vpon thy tender mercie and louing kindnesse for they haue béene for euer Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellions but according to thy kindnesse remember thou mée for thy goodnes sake O Lorde I thinke Dauid indifferently smyteth vs vnto the quicke and he that shall turne him selfe to sée the manners of our time will thinke there is scarce a God vppon the earth to sée what glorie he suffereth in the vngodly men and to sée howe the head of the iust is couered with reproches But as the beautie of the Sunne till the cloude ouershadowe it and as is the Palme trée till the frost nippeth it as the blossome of the Peache till the winde alter it so is the beautie of the wicked til the Lord cōsumeth him For if God enter into iudgement what flesh shall bee iustefied in his sight For euen this confessed Daniel in that hee and other of the Church presented not their supplications before God for their owne rightuousnes but for his owne mercy sake foreseeing that wee of Adam are by nature the Children of death to what ende shall wee striue with God whose spirite hath not alwayes striued with vs For he knew that wee were but flesh and that vayne were the cogitacions and thoughtes of man from his youth Then let this bee our first way to prepare our selues to goe to prayer that wee take vnto vs humilite and debase our selues before the Lorde The second kinde of seruice or duety wee owe and rightly to come vnto prayer is this that wee bee not gilty of that in Esay This people confesseth mee with their lippes but their hartes are far from mee Hee that is offender herein is not fitte to come vnto the Lorde namely to haue thy body at the Temple and thy presence at the Alter and thy harte at holme Can the Aethiopian be made white or the sōmer chaunge his course Can you gather Grapes of Thistles and Figges of Thornes wilt thou fetch Honye out of the Rocke and the Sunne beames from the duskishnes of the night or the Cristolet or the Saphir out of all quarters of the earth No more will hée his glorye from the wicked nor his loue and fauour from the vngodly nor ioy and Heauen from the dissembler nor his Christ and his owne presence will hee shew for euer vnto the Hypocrite I remember I spake hereof before yet it is necessary to touch it now that the iust measure of the man of God may appeare The third thinge or the preparation and pathway that wée may haue more assured entrance into praier is to bée of a faythfull and vpright conuersation and to bée steady in fayth If wee come vnto a Senate or before graue and auncient councellors wee repose some assuraunce of that wee come for in their hands and I knowe if it bée the price of Monye there is no man but speketh very cōstātly Then if we haue any thing to craue for of the Lord it behooueth vs to tread our steps aright to lay the forme of our wordes duelye and the manner of our speeche that wée lispe not and thy thoughtes and cogitacions that thou wauer not before his Maiesty For if thy minde be not setled and thy dealings dispised and thou thy selfe strengthned that thou shiuer not it is in hazard but that thy whole request perisheth And to say the truth how can wee call on him on whom wée beleeue not Goe wée vnto the Mariner and the Seafaring man and to no ende or thinke wée then to bée drowned Doo wée run vnto the Phisition or wayte wée for poyson will the Lawier take his fee for nothinge or can wée bow our selues before our God as if wee were at Beersheba or at Dan or at the Idolles of Samaria to retourne agayne without aunswer then vnhappy truely were our case but euen for this doo we come before the Lord to wipe away the teares from our eyes and the burthen from our shoulders and that hee would accepte our fayth For hee that beléeueth in him hee shall not perishe but haue life And vnto this ende are we called that we might bee heires of eternall saluation accordinge to hope Titus 3. Therfore Ieames hee that prayeth let him pray in fayth not doubtinge for hee that wauereth is like vnto the leapinges of the Sea that is turned and walowed in the winde and let not that man thinke that he shall haue any thing from the Lorde that asketh not stedfastly It was well sayde of the Apostle Lorde increase our sayth and agayne helpe or vnbeleefe for it is very hard for flesh and blood to aske so faythfully but that he wil be still in a mammoringe To the end then that wee may appeare before him clothed with rightuousnes and our garmēts bee spanged with sinseritie and truth that we may know to pray faythfully to obey steadely to trust in him obediently I will drawe out the Image of a perfecte and vpright Christian and lay open the tokens and signes of an Infidell There is for so I sinde in the writers fiue kindes or maner of fayth which I doo professe that I haue red also in the booke of God. 1. An Historicall or Ethnicke like 2. A deade fayth that is good for nought 3. A fayth of miracles cōmon to the wicked 4. A temporall fayth which is but for a time 5. A iustifiyng fayth which remayneth euer AN Historical faith such a one as is of the Ethnick when there shal be no difference made of the Heauenly and the Eternall God than is of the Infidell to an Idoll of a Panime to his counterfet and halowed Saincte or the Gentil to his Saturne or the Turke to his Mahomet And this manner of Religion it is in all those that be on the face of the earth for the Heauens declare the glory of God the Firmament his handy worke and very nature shewed to the Heathen that there was one that satte aboue that spred abroad the face of the Heauens as a coueringe and called the Sunne at his pleasure and renued the course of the yéeres Cleanthe◠in Seneca cryed out Duc me summe pater altique dominator poli that excellent verse in Peter Martirre borowed of the Poet Homer can testefie the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristotle had Ens entium in his lips as for any thing els hee knew not It is a common thing among the nations to confesse a God as for ought els they know not Otherwise as I finde it in Arnobius the Persians would neuer ioyne themselues with their Mothers Nor
they are saide to be that which they neuer were In like maner say I these to be faithful meÌ„ because they seeme to haue faith yet to be dead in that for a truth they neuer knew as yet to liue Theoderet bishop of cyrus bringeth in in his long discourse of heresies one Stromatius Clemens as a witnesse against Prodycus whose profession life was in those dayes muche talked of did onely in name bare wordes shewe it to the church who permitted that which 〈◊〉 of Chremes in Terence the doting father Adolesceâ—â—ulum Scortari he thought it a thing indifferent to vse other mennes wiues as his owne which â—or â—ble grosse heresie I reherse for that when men are dead in sinne stande in their own conceits to be reputed as faithfull it often times falleth out the they be erronious For what is it for a maÌ„ to say he doth beleue to professe Christianitie to be a furtherer of religion as he supposeth yet he walketh in darknes liueth verie wickedly Beléeue mee it is a common beleefe in the world I can testifie the same in too great a number that can tithe minte Comyn let other great waightier matters alone wil strain full hardly at a gnat yet will they swallow vp the huge monstrous Camyll at their pleasure Of truth such dealing is not seemely for the professors of trueth and better it were they neuer knewe the Gospell then to abuse the Gospel thus Well til thy manners be altered thy wayes clensed thy life purged euil dealings mended thy faith wher in thou holdest will not saue thee it is not aliue it is dead This faith it shewed it selfe in Achan the sonne of Caran that in so pure perfect state of the common wealth wherein he was dyed to the flesh that he might liue vnto the Lorde he was an example to his posteritie for euer Hophni Phynees that dyed both in one day surrendred but a small account of their true faith that iustified them selues before Israel yet abused the wemen that came vp to Hierusalem to the purifying what zeale was that vnto religioÌ„ that was in Ahab or in Iezabell his wife that strumpet that made so glorious a shewe vnto Ierusalem of their workes did they escape the hands of god FroÌ„ whence came that when Ieroboam stretched out his hands against the Prophet to haue smitten him his hand withered vp yet that faith he professed may be red of openly The like zeale is seene this daye in many content to striue debate for trifleâ— but sticke not to oppresse hinder their brother not reformable to any order the waight whereof if they way it it is but a shadowe vnto the rest of their wickednesse The Lord will looke downe I am in doubte vppon the sonnes of men And if he doo were it not for Abraham his seruaunt and for Lot whome yet wée haue abiding with vs for whose sake hée spareth vs should not water be powred downe agayne on the face of the earth or should not fier come downe from Heauen The Lorde bee mercifull vnto vs I say no more But to folde vp this leafe with the rest let vs be assured the though the Pharisey goe by the Leuite suffer the poore man that fell into the handes of theeues to ly wounded The poore Samaritan whose fayth thou doubtest of shall be more faythfull more accepted for the peny and the Oyle that he gaue him then thou the hast great riches stuffed tresuries for I say the fayth without workes is deade Iam. 2.7 thy works declare thy fayth Gal. 5.6.1 Tim. 1.22 Ph. 2.5 Heare commeth in an other fellow that will claime some prerogatiue and title to fayth as wel as hée that went beefore and this is one that hath a miraculous fayth You may marueyle that seeing there is none now and the vse also of miracles ceaseth what ende there is I should make of this doctrine Not to bee scrupulous and inquisitiue heare neyther to searche farther then becommeth mee two causes I set downe that I handle this The first is that the holdes and fortresses wheron the Papist groundeth his superstition may more easely be battered The second agaynst the Anabaptistes that runne to outwarde and exterior signes to wonders and reuelatioÌ„s and leaue the right way which is by fayth For the wicked and vngodly men doo miracles as well as those that be iust and vpright men of this fayth there is mention made in the first to the Corinth To one is giuen the spirite of wisdome to an other knowledge by thesame spirite To an other the giftes of healing to an other powre to doo great things to an other Prophesy by the same spirite Of this doth Crisostom and Theophilact make mention in the 13. of the first to the Cor. Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angelles and haue not loue I am as sounding Brasse or as a tinkling Cimball and though I had the gyfte of Prophesy and knew all secrets and all knowledge yea if I had all fayth so that I coulde remooue Mountaynes and yet had no loue I were nothing Of this same there is sumthing spokeÌ„ by Christ in Math. 7.22 Many will say to mee in that day Lord haue wee not by thy name Prophesied and by thy name cast out Deuilles and by thy name doone many great workes then will I protest I neuer knew them depart from mee you that worke iniquity In the Lawe it was sayde that God would sende false Prophettes to try them And I doubt not but it was an argument of the truth vnto Israell if signes and wonders weare wrought by them The which thing I take in hand for that a number haue faitered in this of late And it is an argumeÌ„t of the Anabaptists to alow their diuellish pretences by signes and reuellations This presumption of truth weare it to bee grounded heare it would iustesie that Traytor Iudas for I doubt not but the hée also was among the twelue that Christ sent out to preache abroad Also Cayephas might claime some Priueledge of Prophesing if it would saue him for hée knew that it was expedient one Man should dye for the people And Balaam was sent for vnto Balack whose euill pretence is noted after that béecause hée layde stumbling Blockes before Israell and caused them to sinne and hee both did Prophesie and wrought many miracles but this is nothing for God hath promised death vnto the false Prophet Deut. 18.20 and 13.1 which argueth that such shall both cum to try vs next though they doo wonders yet they shall not escape his fearse wrath but perishe for it No doubt these bée the latter dayes wherin shall arise false Christes and false Prophets and shal shew great signes and woonders so that if it weare possible it should deceyue the very
fayth that it wauer not This sure and stedfast hope I put it in the forefront of this battayle because it leadeth vs by hand as it were vnto the Lord and maketh vs certeyne that hee can and will fight for vs. And this hope it was in the blinde man that cryed out Iesus thou Sunne of Dauid haue mercy on mee I cut not in péeces these too fayth and hope if they bée in the godly yet I seauer the one from the other after a forte for I know that hee which hopeth is in a good entraunce vnto fayth For the certenty of the seconde it is the establishinge of the first and thoughe they bee called as beeinge one fayth Luk. 18.24 yet it is in a diuers respecte For the hope that is in man it is the Page and Seruetar and the very wayter vpon fayth giuinge attendaunce theron Fayth it is Lady and gouernesse to the other it spinneth vp the Thrid and so much as it wanteth it addeth vnto it It becommeth all of vs to say Lord wee beleeue helpe our vnbeleefe For I can determine no otherwise of that in Naman the Syrian when hee went away angry from the Prophet Is there no waters in Damascus Abanar and Parpar as good as those that bee about Samaria Yet with what manner of hope hee washed him in Iordayne I leaue to others To discourse at large hereof it is fitter for him that will guide a great Nauy in the wide Ocean Sea then for a man that is contente to rule a small Galley in the Riuar such therfore as looke for larger discourses I refer them to sutch as take in hand greater volumes I giue but shorte lessons and haue consideration of the memoryes of them I spake vnto but it foloweth To the fayth which iustefieth there goeth hope to this hope I haue annexed assuraunce and the spirite of God knitteth them togeather what is it if a man cry Lorde Lorde and then he doth heare him when hée hath that hee looked for and enioyeth that hée wished for hee shall then reuolte and repente him of the truth hee stoode in These Weathercocks they are good for nothinge but to stand in the ayre for if a tempest do come and a showre fall it tottereth againe and houereth as at the first whose picture I remēber I once saw in the discription of Bifrons Ianus which stoode in the Temple of Rome and had two faces for both eares and these men they haue two tongues for bothe times God weede out sutch vnprofitable Nettels if so it please him for they can tingle nowe and then and peraduenture blistar the hands of a few refreshe as yet the simple soule they will not Well these haue the rewarde and because they are luke warme neyther whot nor colde God hath promised to spue them forth This man that I seeke for that hath learned to know the Lorde Christe and seasoned his spéech with salte and wayted for the Bridegroms comming Hée is of another manner of harte and of an an other Spirite and vexations and troubles and anguishe of minde and care and the worlde and the assaultes of Sathan they can neuer remooue him Dauid stayeth not Ionathas sléepeth not Daniell trifeleth not Esdras is not dismayde Iudith discomforted Mardochaeus altered but they stand in the Lorde corragiously The Martirdome of Antonius mooued him not the death of Sabinas turned him not the slaughter of Germanus withdrewe him not Wée must bee whipped and drowned with Theodotia content to suffer and dig in minde pittes with Siluanus to be burned with Domininus to haue our sides launched with sharpe Rasars as Pamphylus For our life it is as the life of Latimar our faith as the faith of Ridley our ende as the end of Cranmar our wayes as the wayes of Death for the Lordes sake for blessed is that man continueth to the ende and hée it is that shal bee saued The thirde and last helpe wherto wée trust that holdeth vs that raiseth vs that renueth vs the strength neth vs it is the spirite This is he that finisheth and endeth all hast thou wisdome hast thou knowledge hast thou giftes of Prophesie of tongues of discerning of béeléeuing of fayth It is not thyne the spirite of God is hée that gaue it This is a harde thinge for man to disgest who when hée inioyeth and possesseth all whē hée is the ruler and Maister vpon earth when hée biddeth hee commaundeth hée buildeth hée altereth hee gathereth hee inritcheth yet all that hee hath it is layed in the dust and caryed with him to the Graue hee himselfe also at the will of the Lorde This I speake to suppresse the insolency of man that beeinge heare in life doth liue in death and can not come to dwell with Christe vnleast the spirite of God directe him Then in that fayth wherby we be fully iustefied our hope it is made perfect our perfection remaineth to the ende our ende is directed by the spirite so that this is the some of all that I haue spoken that we staye and bee reared vp and dye and liue and in the Lorde The way and the meane I haue set downe the order to come vnto it the rules and ordinaunces wee should keepe in it It remayneth lastly to praye vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ the Sunne of God to inflame and guide vs by his spirite that wee fall not For I acknowledge my selfe a professed enemye agaynst that of the Papistes and the exclamation they make of good workes Other wise Moses could haue come to the Lorde and haue knowne the God of Iacob by him selfe God needed not to haue called but as one mightely preserued by the daughter of Pharoath that founde him wrapped in swaddling cloures in a basket of flagges sheweth vnto mee that God had some greate message for him to doe that kepte him so mightily in the time of death It is said I think that God had respect vnto Abell and that he cared not for the offering of Cain good woorkes are left out here we must rifle somewhat farther from them Abraham beléeued and it was counted vnto him for rightuousnes to whome appertaineth the gifte of beléefe but vnto God to whome are wee comptable who is it that layeth not sinne vnto our charge who accepteth of our life conuersation but God who onely is righteous who onely iust who onely pure who onely faithfull but onely one Lorde Then who giueth the same grace the same life the same giftes but the same Christ Nowe finde out the merites and woorkes in man I might be long in this discourse of the Patriarkes of the prophets of all the elect of the Lorde in due time called and brought home to serue him But there is no wrestling and strife nowe then when wee ioyne hande to hande and cupple our selues to the barre to trye it then shal be séene who it is that hath this priuiledge Onely remaineth that whereas I haue set
there is one God that it is the gift of the Lorde and that it commeth by hearing the worde and by preaching Thus when thou arte armed knowe that thy redemption is wrought thy full satisfaction is ended thou thy selfe art made a newe creature and taken into the sheepfolde of the Lorde and incourage thée the more in thy harde and wearisome iourney take with thee the commeditie and fruite whiche thou reapest and gather it vp as the clusters of grapes in the haruest or as the Oliue and the Sinamand in the Summer for the sweate of thy browes and the labour of thy handes and the ende of thy tranaile and of thy paine shall bee this Firste thy sinnes are forgiuen thée for hée that beleeueth shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Matthew 9.2 Luke 7.50 Actes 10.43 I suppose it to be spoken of Christe to this ende That man borne of a woman and hauing but a short time to liue being full of miserie might knowe him selfe to bée worse then the creatures that perish if he had not a meane and waye to saue him so that by faith wee are no more dead so the fleshe but quiekened to the Lorde Christ and thy sinnes be washed My â—â—rruption purified thy vncleannesse cleansed thy darknesse lightened thou thy selfe by fayth saued The second benefite that commeth to you my Children by this doctrine I haue taught you is that wee are the Children of god Iohn 1.12 Galat. 3.26 The greatest glory in this lyfe that the prowde and stately man doth thinke vpon is honor heare on earth and superiority with the highest and heire to him that is greatest and familiaritie with stately Lordes and Lorolike states but the Children of obedyence they leaue the transitorye worlde they mount vp into the Skye they pearce the Heauen and dwell with the Lorde of Lordes and bee heires and Sunnes vnto him The thirde commodity you shall finde hereby is this that Christe dwelleth in vs Eph. 3.12 and that you be made Temples of God habitations of the holy Ghost whom wee haue receyued from the Lorde Iohn 14.17 Rom. 5.5 and 8.9.2 Cor. 1.22 and 5.5 and 6.16 Galâ— 3.2 Ephe. 2.22 This also taketh away the righteousnes of such as walke not after the the spirite but after the flesh that quenche the graces giuen vnto them and blinded with the spirite of error remayne still in darkenes it iustefieth those that bée Goddes and it is our singular comforte that hee dwelleth and remayneth amonge vs so that all filthynes must bee layde aparte dressinge and trimminge our bodyes as fit places to receyue the holy Choste walking not in wantonnes and banquetting neither in ryot and gluttony after the manner of this world but frame fashion our earthly members the the man of God may appeare and the loue of the father which is spred abroad in our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. The fourth and excellent dignity that you my litle ones and all other that profes vnfainedly shal receine is this You bée iustefied purefied regenerated and sanctefied and by fayth Actes 13.39 and 15.9 and 26.18 Rom. 3.24 and 4.5 and 5.1 and 9.30 and 10 10. Philip. 39. Colos 1 23. From him it commeth that you haue lyfe who when you weare culpaple béefore the Lorde wrought a meane to strike out the hande wrighting written in the Table of stone and hath opened vs a Doore to enter in at that weare depriued of the Glory of God hath ingrauen his commaundements in our hartes that more fréely by his grace wee might sée our redemption wrought in Christ Iesus by whom in fayth wee are adopted and Circumcised not in a Circumcision made with handes but in cuttinge away our carnall affections by the force of the spirite and as beeing enemyes wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sunne so now beeinge reconciled wée shal be saued by his life For to such as walke in the steppes of our Father Abraham hath hee giuen eternall saluatioÌ„ according to promise that was not called by the will of man and the wil of fleshe but by the will of God So that blessed bee our Lorde Iesus Christ that setteth out his loue towarde vs and hath giuen vs the ernest of his Spirit and in a more heanenly washinge purified vs and that not by water but by the holy Ghoste is it that hee hath renewed vs And with a better blessinge then the which was of Moses that lasted for a season and is abolished newly sanctefied vs and by a fayth that maketh not ashamed strengthned vs that wee might come and dwell with Christe whose prayse is not of men but of God. The fifth and the last preâ—eminence that you my Children for the long frauaile and tediousnes wherin you haue wearied your selues shall purchase and get vnto you is that you shall obtayne life euerlasting Ioh. 3.15 and 5.24 and 6.40 and 11.25 and 20.29 Actes 16.3 Rom. 1.12 Iohn 5.13 This is the greatest and the worthyest crowne of glory that can bee giuen vnto man for that trouble which I know lyeth vpon you for the Gospell it is not to bee compared vnto the life to come and the persecution which befalleth to the godly and that sinne which now hath dominion ouer you that ruleth them which are not fully called in Christe wil be an occasion that hereafter your obedyence shall burst out into rightuousnes your righteousnes to perfectnes your perfectnes to holynesse your holynes to redynes your redynes to steadynes your steadynes vnto eternall life And the God of glory will directe you by his spirit the spirit shall leade you vnto Christ hee will make a consummation of your sorrowes and crowne you with his Glory and bring you to his HabitacioÌ„ where he hath dweit euer Whose ritches are vnsearcheable whose wisdome is without depth whose ioyes are not to bee opened of such as feare his name which hée hath prouided and layde vp and hidden in his secrete treasuries till his day of appearing which hee will bestow vpon the iust and vpon the Sainctes that call vpon him by true faith For of him and through him for him ar all thinges to whom bee Glorye for euer and auer Amen FINIS The second part of the Readings of John Keltridge NOw therfore hauinge instructed you how to enter vnto the Lorde and the Hedge beeing broken to come more readely vnto his dwellinge you may freely and with a good courage draw neare to his Temple and there in his sight with reuerence and feare powre out your prayers before him For this cause as a pawne and pledge of the care that I haue and as one in due time ordayned of the Lorde to set forth his worde I haue this day discharged my conscience beefore the Lord and his annoynted and beefore you all To you of the younger sorte I sende greetinge I wish knowledge and wisdome to the rest To the aged and gray headed Fathers health
For the they of Christ be not babblers as the Ethnickes bée excludeth the long and tedious reading at the Churche and men busied at their bookes when the Congregation is otherwise to bee edified it leaueth thee a small roome to put thy rewarde in The firste it perisheth by this for that God knoweth what wée haue néede of before wée aske wherein the errour of the Gentiles is shut out that kneeled so deuoutly before their Idols when happely they were abrode and busied in some other place and coulde not so presently heare them vnlesse they tarryed till they returned But it is with the Lorde as is with a cunning and expert Physition that can iudge by the sight of him hée seeth what disease it is whereof he sickeneth And our Lorde he knoweth whereof wée stand in néede and searcheth the sorrowe of our soules and wée néede not to tire our selues houres and dayes and nightes and wéekes as the Papistes doe Againe that superstitious custome of old time to praye at certeine houres and at no other I condempne it for Christe all night and in the morning and at noone tyde prayde I am ashamed to stande draining to searche out their beastly customs I therefore leaue them to suche as wil bee blinded in their foolishnesse The Epicure and the Athist haue reasoned verye subtilly agaynst prayer If hée knew before what wee should neede why pray wee hee coulde giue it vs if hee did not know what it was wee needed why hee is not God wherfore then praye wee If hee giueth not it is because hée loueth not if hée loueth not it is because hee-careth not if hée careth not it is because hee will not then wherfore is it that wee praye But let them dye in their carlesnesse and consume in the filthinesse of their thoughtes for wee are assured of his loue and fauour in that hée commaundeth vs to pray and in the name of Christe It were enoughe for vs in that God doth bidde vs yet other causes there bée al which I haue set downe in my former Treatise Notwithstandinge doo the Chickens begge at the handes of her that hatched them and doo the Lyons Whelpes craue for their pray doth the Beare the Sauedge beast féede hir younglings whē they cry and wil the Tigar returne vnto her cowtch to helpe them shee left behinde her and will not God looke vpon vs whom hee hath created But wherfore hath Christe willed vs to aske and taught vs to praye truely for that wee neede many thinges and bée as naked so ashamed of our selues if hée helpe not For of our selues wee haue nothing and in him wee haue aboundaunce and plentye of all thinges If wee looke for the giftes of the spirite wée finde them all in Christe for hee was annointed If for strength it is in his powre and in his gouernment If for puritée and for corruption that it may bee wiped away wee haue it in his conception If for loue wée haue it in that hée was made like vnto vs and hée came into the world to saue vs If for redemption wée haue it in his passion If for absolution we haue it in his submission If to take awaye the curse from vs Why hee hunge vpon the Crosse for vs If for satisfaction hee was our Sacrifise If for clensing of our sinnes wee haue it in his blood if for reconciliatiō we haue it in his descending to Hell If for mortification of the fleshe it is showen in his Buriall who was as touchinge the body layd in Graue that wee as touchinge the body might bee buryed to sinne if for newnes of lyfe wée haue it in his resurrection if for immortallity hee rose and ascended and dwelleth with his Father to make vs perfecte and immortall and Kinges and Préestes for euer If wee praye to bee heires of Heauen his ascending and magnefiynge aboue the Aungels hath giuen it If for securitée for treasure for ritches they bee layd vp for vs in his kingdome If to haue him mercifull and to spare vs in his iudgement why hée is iudge him selfe he will not cast away and condempne his owne fleshe So that out of season came this question wherfore pray wee for wee must and wee ought to pray that the greater encomberaunces ouertake vs not And for a truth if our vesselles did not taste of this lycour and wée our selues ouerthrowen in our vnaduised behauiour the prayers of those which so often times come vnto the Temple would haue bin heard of the Lorde God ere this But the commers they come in sutch disguised and maskinge manner eyther hauing their minde at whom in their Cofars or thinkinge on the pryde and brauery they bee in or cōming sluggishly or returning wawardly or requiring reuenge greedely or askinge coldly or wishinge that which is vnseemely or despisinge thy neighbour vnchristianly That it is no marueyle if the Lorde God thrust thee away and heare thee not the soules of such a number of men cry out agaynst thee But to returne and to leaue the Epicure and the Ethnicke and the other rable whatsoeuer Let vs vnderstand that God hath debased him selfe for vs and tempered his talke and applyed his speech vnto our capacities and hee hath taught vs very breefely to call vpon him The reason hereof is for that wee are weake and very feeble in our dooings in our life in our conuersation and at death in extremity in peril in ieoperdy in calamity at the fier or when wee be at the Block and the Sworde ready to bee layed to our necke wee oftentimes forget our selues Therfore to mollesy their stony mindes and to inamour them as it were to make men haue a lykinge of the Lorde to shewe that hee beholdeth three wordes aduisedly and wisely spoken rather then a number of Aue Marias and a bedroale of Credoes in deum heaped vp without discretion hee hath included in fewe wordes such good and pleasaunt lessons as if they be duely consithered contayne in them a pure and perfecte platforme of prayer first wee praye to whom to our Father Wherfore hee is our God but where not on earth Hee is aboue hee is not heare hee is in Heauen That late and worthy man of God M. Gualter as it seemeth to mee in his Treatise of the prayer of the Lorde hath iusteled with some one or other about the force and vertue and strength which is thought to bee in this prayer I finde also that the Rabbines of the Iewes boasted much of the words that were written in the forhead of Aaron and the Magicians of their exorcismes and the Papistes of this prayer all which they thinke to bee of great force if they hanged about the necke of any man His talke is agaynst them and so is mine at this presente that thinke there is saluation or life or health in that they repeate the wordes of Christe And therfore the enchauntresse to dissemble hir wickednes
writeteth in the yeare of Christe 415. Or as Marianus reckoneth 414. In the time of Honorius and Theodotius that spreade abrode his heresies throughout all the East And hee with a greate number more infected the whole countrie And it is complained by Augustus that it blazed and bruted foorth throughout all Palestine And the same is author that it was knowen in Affrica and then carried to Constantinople into Italy into Scilitia into Fraunce into Englande as Prosper recordeth So that I wounder not at all if the reliques thereof remaine still For Melanchton though otherwise a good man and a verie notable member in the Churche of God of late yeares in Germanie was ouerthrowne in this And Erasmus that Semipelagian verie vnsteadie I must needes saye and one that durst not stande longe vnto the trueth stumbled in this As for Osorius his swéete woordes hath so rauished our young wittes that it is to be feared they taste a little of his rankenesse of spéeche Therefore to confounde him with others that Hyerarkye I referre you to that man of late memorie the light and glorie of Germanie Martine Luther that I knowe bothe can and will take my parte against them all For I stande not here by waye of confutation to set my selfe an aduersarie against all but to giue vnto you a notice of some for bothe I others may well touche it seeing it hath had so great defenders of late and so néere vs. Nowe then I speake not of the state of Adam and his sâ—yding from the Lorde what hee was in Paradice It is another question I talke of such as wée be now I touche not what wée are in ciuil matters or what our will is in common affaires eating and drinking in cloth in apparell in suche of that sorte These pertaine to the earth Wée dispute of that that leadeth vs to heauen Wee take not in hande what there is in that man that is regenerated by the spirite where there is a minde and a will to the Lorde by the Lorde But wée speake of him that is in sinne howe he commeth to god And I meddle not with destenie with prouidence with necessitie they are not depending hereon For there should then be no ende of our contreuersie Neither with the ministerie of the woorde and of the Sacramentes as meanes to bring vs Wée shoulde then bee too long Nor yet whether wée haue any light or not any force and might or no any wil any mouing any care any desire For it is easily knowen without God we haue nothing This is it which I touche briefely at this time and it is my question That in the conuersion of the wicked and vngodly man vnto the Lorde Whereby hée is throughly greeued for his sinne whereby hée séeth in a liuely faith the frée mercie of God and the benefite of his Mediatour whereby hee is instified before the Lorde whereby hee is renued whereby he is lightened whether or not there be a minde and readinesse in him whether his will his soule and his vnderstanding is raised or stirred vp of him selfe of his owne libertie at his pleasure for to knowe Séeke the Lorde and his Christe Or whether his whole conuersioÌ„ his alteration his regeneration is to be referred to the Spirite of the Lorde and the woorking of God and his minde moued and settled by the Holy Ghost or whether it commeth and proréede of him selfe This therefore to bee shorte it commeth and procéedeth all from God. For first I shewe that from the toppe of the heade to the soule of the foote wee are full of botches and blaines there is no whole parte within vs as the leprocie the bodie so doth Sathanas infecte the soule as the botches and byles the skinne and fleshe So the deuill the minde and heart of man For wee are vnder bondage seruitude and in the slauerie of this world Secondly the spirite of God onely doth drawe vs and doth renew vs doth make vs newe creatures The minde and heart of man is ruled and obayeth of our selues wee can doe nothing no not thinke a good thought this is more plainely seene by the forme of this prayer that I haue in hande For the caller is the Lorde it is done by his will to saue them that bée on earth to fulfill the petition that it may be with vs as it is in heauen The next cause hereof is Christe First for that he became man Nexte to saue men his bloud was shedde and hee died to get vs life Thirdly he rose from death and went vp to heauen that wee might haue our dwelling and mansion with him who is aboue To haue an assuraunce hereof we haue the spirite that continually worketh in the mindes of those that be his whome he hath seuered from the beginning of the world to dwel with him That he hath predistinated vnto life and made the heires of his glorie For whome hee hath elected those he calleth whome hee calleth those hee iustifieth whome hee iustifieth those hee glorifieth And where is nowe the will of man But to vnderstand more plainely the way and order of his elect whome he hath appointed in this life to dwell with him First I giue them this note that it is by regeneration of the spirit which they shall féele working in theÌ„ in that being ouerwhelmed in sinne and loden with iniquitie they shall haue tast of their owne transgressions and a hatred of themselus as touching the flesh And they doe rise out of darkenesse and the lustes of this life and reforme them as newe creatures vnto God and his Christ making shipwrecke of their bodies for the testimonie of his trueth And therefore conuertion or repentaunce is in the regenerate man in whome there is an alteration and chaunge from this wicked and vngodly life His soule it sorroweth for the sinne past Contrition and repentaunce is so setled within him that the feare of the iudgementes and wrath of GOD hangeth ouer him But hee knoweth that he is saued and kept from it in Christe For this cause we haue a lather to climbe withal into heaueÌ„ by steps degrées as it were to come to God. The first is our conuertion from sinne vnto holinesse and good conuersation The second is our quickning or our renewing according to the image of God that is in man The third is our gouernement or direction in the whole course of our whole life The fourth is the perfection of righteousnes according to the gifte of perseuerance continuing to th end of our race Truth it is that God hath left vs a meane in earth and a way to atteine to this and it is by hearing his word wherein the lawe and the gospell is verie plentifully set out vnto vs And therfore the counsailes of Christ may be sufficieÌ„t that vpon the excelleÌ„cie of his message sheweth our duetie For hee witnesseth that he spake not of
his beames runneth to the heapes of snowe and abideth in chillie frost and is benommed with the blastes of the winde and houereth ouer a fewe chippes at the end of his labour And féedeth chearely on browne breade Yet euen this fame poore creature dandeleth his little one in his armes and hauing so grosse a father and so homely a Nurse this fame little babe it looketh as pertely in face as comely and sheweth it selfe I waraunt you in gesture so neatly as if it had neuer knowen so base a parentage Yet that which is more strippe it of the poore ragges he weareth and apparell him with purple and fine silke set him at thy table and pamper him vp with thine own delicacies he wil leaue al thy meate thy table thy bed he wil bluther til the death and pine away in sorowe he will acknowledge his father he will call and run to the poore herdwoman he will not exchaunge that same thatcht house for the gorgiousnesse brauerie of the court This is a blessing of God the prospereth-him that tilleth in the fielde and increaseth the labour of his handes aswell as that man that is of the city or in the pauilion or in the houses of great men And it is euen the same thing that I vnderstande here when as we pray giue vs this day our dayly bread Euen that God would blesse vs and protect vs and giue vs of his benifites and inlarge our stoore and permit vs to enioy the welth he lendeth vs And sanctifie himselfe in our actions and féede vs in his mercie helpe vs in extréemitie nourishe vs by his creatures guide vs in our labouring in our going in in our going out in the field in the house in our sitting downe in our rising vp at meate at table at borde at bed euen at all times his grace woulde be with vs to defende vs. It is well knowen that man consisteth of soule bodie we shoulde doe iniurie to our selues and detract from the power of God If in our prayer wee vnderstoode those things onely that bee transitorie and apperteine to this life and left the care and foresight of thinges to come that may last and remaine with vs foreuer in heauen Then let the same be in vs the is in the skilfull Mariner and let vs repose no lesse trust in our selues then the Chirurga doth that in daunger or in perill or in rest or in quietnesse omitteth no one thing that is appertinent It is my wishe also in those that are the Lordes to regard this life as though they liued not and to enioy these terrestical benifits as though they had theÌ„ not for their dealings in this life to deale as though they knewe them not For the life to come to be launchers and fearers of such corrupt and putrified members as shall hinder them And to bee phisitions in there dyet and sparing in their life that the cares of this worlde chooke them not But aswell to seeke for the breade that came down from heauen and the spiritual Manna As they be readie to enquire and serch out for there pelfe in this life For as the bodie is fed to encrease it so hath also the spirite of man his preseruatiues to kéepe it And the nourishement hereof is the worde of God euen Iesus Christe the expresse image and liuelines of his father that came downe from heauen and dyed for vs that suffered on the crosse and by his merits and bloude sheading redemed vs our soules bodies and hath made vs inheritors with him in the kingdome of his father Whereunto Paul alludeth Where hee calleth him the spirituall foode that oure fathers fedde on and that selfe same rocke that they stande on and maketh them to bee baptised with the same baptisme that wee are All which I could liuely set forth to haue bene accomplished vnder the ceremonyes in the lawe But that the houre warneth me to make hast And to this interpretation maister Gualter hath alluded in Luke Whose saying I cannot but reuerence that wrote so learnedly Cum homo duabus partibus conslet anima corpore duplici cibo opus est quo totus ali atque conseruari possit Therefore it is our petion that we may haue the knowledge of his sonne Christ reuealed the only salnation of our soules the we may enioy the merites of his death be led confirmed by the working of his spirite very well and truely vnderstoode in this Giue vs this day our dayly breade And here for the acknowledging and full vnderstanding of this verse I haue at this present alluded vnto our temporall benifits and that the force and eâ—â—casie may appeare collected a certeine simile or congruence which I finde mistically to bee comprised in that it is said our dayly bread He that feedeth vs is Christ Our breade is his bodie Our drinke is his bloud Our vessell from whence we drawe it is the Lorde Our feeding is in spirite The corne or graine it is glad tidings of the Gospel The mill or he that grindeth and fashioneth it is god the father and the spirite The bag or vessell it is put into is our bodies The workemen it is deliuered vnto bee his ministers They that eate and feede hereof be his faithfull and olect in Christ This bread is deliuered by preaching It is receiued by hearing We enioy it or feede thereon by following The manner or condition of this breade is sutch It is pure and perfect wheate the sauour whereof is to life It is vnleuened for it is wrought like sweete cakes with holinesse and puritie It is not rawe like dough but seasoned in the fire the furnace of the spirite It is not Mislin It is without blemishe vnspotted kned with sinceritie It is pleasaunt in taste and operation for it saueth vs. It is of many graines made one bodie to knit vs together in one Christe It is not for a season to our bodies it is for euer to our soules in heauen Last of all wee chawe it and consume it by faith This breade hée that tasteth of and vomiteth it vp no more is sure to receiue the right vse thereof And hee may speake boldly with Paul That hée hath a crowne of glorie layde vp for him Hée néede not repent him of his labour or bee forrowfull for his payne taken on the earth For his commendation shal be with the Prophets that are gone before and with the good men of God that are translated from this earthly mantion and sit aboue with GOD in glorie The Spirituall foode I haue touched and made serche for our heauenly meate Let vs nowe procéede to ransacke out that whiche is the bread of our bodye For in this woorde Bread taken alone for corporall and bodyly sustenaunce I comprehende all kynde of foode of the greate and sumptuous Table aswell as the base and homely banquet Thy clothe thy garment thy
abyvvord that those that be not as they are they be vvithout therfore they may svveare though falsly if it be for the safetie of their companion others are thought to be but Aegyptians that are not as they be Arbitrarii A subtile and craftie reason taken from the impotencie that is in man the more by his â—railtie and vveikenesse to stirre vp man. Ieromagainst Bryto Marke the state of vvickednes for as euery thing is most phantasticall so commonly iâ— is beleeued Sooner is the trueth abolished then filshod rooted out and for this reade the state of the kings of israel Osorius I thinke as odiosus to the church of God. Martyn Luther Many things to be vvayed in the handeling of free vvill In God are vve made redie to doe good in our selues vvee Iose all euen our ovvne selues The calling of the finner and the alteration in this life of the vngodly man is the onely vvorke of God. With our conception commeth in sin vviped avvay in the blood of Christ The manner and order of our saluatioÌ„ If man had life of him selfe then no man vvoulde die but this is salse then no doubt eternall life commeth from God. Sorites or rather gradatio So longe as there is life so long raigneth sin in our mortall bodies yet by our imputation in Christ it is vviped avvay Foure seueral things required in the regenerate man This meane is much contempned preachinge despised if the man bee misliked therfore is there open to kens of infidelitie Enthusiastike very heretikes Heare the vvorde refuse it not rebell not against the spirite God is saide to do it the sonne to bring it the holy ghost to finish it if it be good that is man and this vvorke is but one Proofe that all our good actions come of God. god electeth Christe saueth the spirite vvorketh and all this is but one vvork in one God. Nazianzne Ierom. The verie chosen and elect vessels of God haue their faultes some more and some lesse Augustine The labor of man is in vaine if God helpe not then much lesse is our saluation in our povvre being sinfull Iudgementeâ— and vvorks in God are secret Cyprian The Pathers are very daungerous to vvade in vvithout great aduisement and ernest prayer for euery one hath his fall the young vvits are casely choked vvith them The consideration of the creatures conuersant vvith vs doth amaz and dim our sight then much more God. If vvee could but immagine the state of the blessed vvee shoulde be rauished O Lord hovv straungly Contentious Scismatickes become if God stay not grosse Heretickes Cypriâ—â— The vvill of God is of tvvo sortes God as hee is can not bee comprehended but as hee shevveth him selfe vnto vs and hath reuealed him selfe in the vvorkâ— of his hands so not els can vvee knovv him The minde of God is said to be knovven for that he gaue vs his Worde and his Gospell vvherin vvee savve the vvil of his father In Christ are vve partakers of the heauenly nature The prophets and the fathers receiued the same spirite vvhich vve do novve yet it is more apparant speketh more familiarly vnto vs then in olde time Three things considered in the vvill of God. All good things commeth from aboue the father of light then papistes haue no place manthinkeâ—h gift of God. The earthly manthinketh vpon those things that are earthly he that is heauenly layeth his cogitations vpoÌ„ those things that are aâ— Our redemptioÌ„ vvrought and bought in Christ Iesus freely The Church of God is knovven in that they Ioue one another All bee not alike but as is the measure of grace so do vve liue in this vvorld To keepe vs from fin it is the token of the man of God. Loue bindeth vp all sores healeth all vvoundes Mortefiynge of our fleshly members is rising vp vnto God. Persecution coÌ„mon trials of the faythfull As sheepe are vve slayne for the Lord sake All creatures obedient to the vvill of God. Euery houre are vvee put in minde of our seruice to the Lorde by his creatures This blessednes shal bee seene in the nevve Ierusalem vvhen the Sainctes and the Aungels and the heauens and earth vvill make one consente and one voyce in seruing God no not the Diuelles shall rebel any more against him but stande to his â—udgemente As God by his vvill did that he could so by that ought vve be vvilling to that hee vvilleth vs least vvee striue against the vvill of God. The vnhappy and pittifull fall of man is seene in that all things stand serue and obay God vve only left that first state and fell from that happines vvherin vvee vvere The earth be coÌ„meth Iron and the beauens be as brasse the trees denie their seruice vnto man if God be angrie vvith him Firste seeke the kingdom of God then all things shal be ministred vn to thee The good gifts of the Lorde are common to all for the Sun shineth and the raine droppeth vppon the vnrighteous as on the righteous man. He that needeth prayeth to haue it he that hath it prayeth to keepe it but happie is that man vvhich doth his duitie and prayeth as commaunded of God that hee falleth not The singular operation vvorking gouernemeÌ„t of the Lorde against nature The singuler operation vvorking and gouernment of the Lorde against nature Our English Athists neuer haue enough till their mouthes bee stopped vvith clay their bodies couered vvith the earth All things are giueÌ„ for maÌ„ man onely is created to glorifie the Lorde Anthropophagâ— Of so homly a mould as vvee came of how bevvtifull a Tabernacle did God erect Al cretâ—rs do knovv their bringing vp and the verye â—outch is more vvelcoÌ„â—chim that is acquainted thervvith theÌ„ sumptuous furniture Giue vs our daily bread this day In the Scriptures bread is taken for the foode of the soule often times ther fore Christ is called the true breade came dovvne sâ—om Heauen to feede vs. Carelesnes iâ— impiety but greedmes with couetousnes is irreligiousnes Wee fell by man vvee are all redeemed againe in the man Christ 1. Cor. 10. One God in the lavve and the same Christ in the lavve vvith one oblation saned vs both before after the lavveâ— for he vvas slaine from al beginning A temporall comparison vvith heauen ly thinges Better is hee that knevv not the vvord and heard not of it theÌ„ hee that hath it folovveth it not the first is of ignorance to reprobation this is of foly to greater coÌ„dempâ—ation that by Diuelishnes this of peeâ—ishnes haue one revvarde eternall death What is vnderstoode by bread God often times tryeth his Sainctes and vvhen all hope is past as appeareth to man then commeth his sauing health soudenly The doctors and the fathers are as good instruments vvhet and prepared for the vse of Gods church Our bread is asked for that it is not common vnto one but to vs all and because God vvould haue vs remember