theirs and the writings of others that we should so read them credite them as they agréed with the worde of God Hoc genus literarum non cum credendi necessitate sed cum iudicandi libertate legendum est This kinde of writings is to bee read not with a necessitie of beleeuing them but with a libertie to iudge of thē S. Paul saith though that we or an Angel from heauen preach vnto you otherwise than that which we haue preached vnto you let him bee accursed Out of which place S. Augustine speaketh thus Siue de Christo siue de eius Ecclesia siue de re quacunque alta quae pertinet ad fidem vitamque nostram non dicam si nos sed si Angelus de caelo nobis annuntiauerit praeter quam quod in Scripturis legaltbus Euangelicis accepistis anathema sit Whether it be of Christ or of his Church or of any thing else whatsoeuer perteining either to our life or to our faith I will not say if I my selfe but if an Angel from heauen shall teach vs otherwise than ye haue receiued in the bookes of the lawe and in the Gospels hold him accursed Now to conclude this matter y e same father saith Ecclesiastici iudices vt homines plerumque falluntur The iudges or Doctours of the Church as men are often deceiued They are learned they haue preheminence in the Church they are Iudges they haue the giftes of wisedome and vnderstanding yet they are often deceiued They are our fathers but not fathers vnto God they are stars faire and beautifull and bright yet they are not the Sunne they beare witnesse of the light they are not the light Christ is the Sunne of righteousnesse Christ is the light which lighteneth euery man that commeth into this worlde His word is the word of truth He is the day-spring which hath visited vs from an high he came downe from the bosome of his father he shal guide our féete into the way of peace Of him God the father spake This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him He is the Lambe without spot out of his mouth goeth a two edged sworde This is he in whom all the endes of the world shalbe blessed heare him giue héed to his saying embrace his gospel beleue his worde Thus much touching the credite and authoritie which is to be giuen to the writings of auncient fathers S. Paul speaking of the worde of God saith The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse To teach the truth to improue falshoode to correct all vice to instruct in all vertue Again I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christe for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleueth S. Basil saith The Scripture of God is like an Apothecaries shoppe ful of medicines of sundrie sortes that euery man may there chuse a conuenient medicine for his desease There are salues and ointmentes to cure all maladies Whosoeuer can not be cured by the word of God his disease is growne desperate and past cure Many thinke the Apostles spéech is hardly true of the whole Scripture that all and euery part of the Scripture is profitable Much is spokē of genealogies and petidegrees of lepers of sacrificing goates and oxen c. these séeme to haue litle profit in them but to be vaine and idle If they shewe vaine in thine eyes yet hath not the Lord set them downe in vaine The wordes of the Lorde are pure wordes as the siluer tried in a fornace of earth fined seuen times There is no sentence no clause no worde no syllable no letter but it is written for thy instruction there is not one iote but it is sealed and signed with the bloude of the Lambe Our imaginations are idle our thoughts are vaine there is no idlenesse no vanitie in the worde of God Those Oxen and Goates which were sacrificed teach thée to kill and sacrifice the vncleannesse and filthinesse of thy hart they teach thée that thou art guiltie of death when thy life must be redéemed by the death of some beaste they leade thée to beléeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes by a more perfect sacrifice because it was not possible that the bloud of Bulles and Goates should take away sinnes That leprousie teacheth thée to know the vncleannesse leprousie of thy soule Those Genealogies and Petidegrees leade vs to the Birth of our Sauiour Christ. So that the whole worde of God is pure and holye No worde no letter no syllable no poynte or pricke thereof but is written and preserued for thy sake Art thou a King Reade the Scriptures thou shalt finde who hath stablished thyne estate and what dutie thou owest to God God there telleth thée By me Kings rule Princes decree iustice I haue giuen thée authority thou cariest my sworde I haue put a crowne vpon thy head thou art my seruant walke before me let thy heart bée perfecte in my sight Art thou a subiect Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée to knowe thy dutie There Paul biddeth thée giue tribute to whom tribute custom to whom custome feare to whome feare honour to whom honor is due Ye must be subiect not because of wrath onely but for conscience sake For he beareth not the sworde for naught for he is the Minister of God to take vengeaunce on him that doth euil Art thou a Minister Read the Scriptures they will teach thée thy duty The Prophet saith to thée Cry aloud spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their trāsgressions The Apostle sayth vnto thée Preach the word be instant in season and out of season Watch in all things doe the worke of an Euangelist make thy ministerye fully knowen Thou shalt giue an acompt for the soules of the people their bloud shal bée required at thy hands Art thou a Father hast thou children Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée if thou haue sonnes instruct them Againe Hee that teacheth his sonne grieueth the enemie and before his friends he shall reioyce of him Giue him no libertie in his youth and winke not at his folie Chastise thy childe and bee diligent therein least his shame grieue thee Ely the Prophet by sparing his wanton children cast away himselfe and his children They were slaine the Arke of God was taken and olde Ely fel downe and brake his necke Art thou a Child hast thou a Father Reade the Scriptures they wil teache thée Children obey your Parents in the Lorde for this is right Honour thy father mother whiche is the first commandement with promise that it may bee wel with thee and that thou maiest lyue long on earthe And agayne Chyldren obey youre Parentes in all thinges for it is wel-pleasing vnto the Lord. The wise man
Martyr certaine men fit for that purpose and haue sent them ouer the world to go about say there is a wicked heresie of the Christians sprung vp Euen so it liketh the Pope to speake of them which be in auctoritie among vs and calleth them Heretiques God forbid his mouth shoulde be a sclander all be Heretiques whom he so calleth Then as many as reprooue his errors and refuse to fall downe and worship him shall be Heretiques They spare not to say so Qui Romanae Ecclesiae Priuilegium auferre conatur hic procul dubio labitur in haresim He doubtlesse falleth into heresie which goeth aboute to take away the priuiledge of the Churche of Rome But Heresie is an other matter An Heretique is he which denyeth the Articles of our Christian faith We deny thē not no not any one article We hold the Créede of the Apostles and of the Nicene Councell and of Athanasius We holde all the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament We holde all the auntient Councelles We holde all the auntient Fathers Augustine Ambrose Chrysostome c. We condemne all Heresies which our Fathers condemned This is our profession and yet notwithstanding doeth the Pope lightly and rashly giue sentence against vs of Heresie But let him take héede least whiles he calleth others Heretiques and reconeth not the causes wherefore his Arrowe which he hath shot vp fall vpon his own head and he fall into the pit he hath digged for others Yet there remaineth one pretence more against hir Maiestie ad quam velut ad asylum omnium infestissimi perfugium inuenerunt Vnto whome all suche as are the worst of the people resort and are by hir receiued into safe protection Is it not lawfull for the Queene to receiue straungers without the Popes warrāt This he speaketh of the pore exiles of Flaunders and Fraunce and other Countries who either lost or left behind them all that they had goodes landes and houses not for adulterie or theft or treason but for the profession of the Gospell It pleased God here to caste them on land the Queene of hir gratious pitie hathe graunted them harbour Is it become so hainous a thing to shew mercie GOD willed the children of Israel to loue the stranger bicause they were straungers in the land of Egipt He that sheweth mercie shall find mercie If God shal turne his hand thou maist be in case of pouertie and banishment as wel as they I am not a Prophet nor the sonne of a Prophet but I doubte the time will come when men shall looke for the Pope at Rome and not finde him His seate shall be remoued he shall not be there Then shal he know what it is to be a stranger He whiche deuoureth shall be deuoured But what is the number of such who haue come in vnto vs Are they thrée or foure thousand Thanks be to God this Realme is able to receiue them if the number be greater You may remember what other straungers arriued within these parts not long sithence These are fewe they were many These are pore miserable they wer lofty proud These are naked they were armed These are spoiled by others they came to spoile vs These are driuen frō their country they came to driue vs from our coūtry These to saue their liues they came to haue our liues The difference is greate béetwéene these strangers If we were content to beare them then nowe let it not grieue vs to beare these It is the commaundement of God that wee loue the stranger yet a Prince that doth it shall abide the Popes controlment He himselfe is good to them and spareth the liberties of his Citie to some number and of worse condition For besides those which resorte thither oute of Englande Germanie Fraunce Spaine c. he giueth harbour to 6000. Iewes which liue by vsurie and pay him yearely pensions He alloweth in his Citie of Rom◠20000. Courteghians or common women This was the old reconing It may be the number is nowe improued All these liue by filthinesse and yéelds hym therefore a pension of 30000. Ducates If the Pope may maintaine so many thousand adultereres harlots Iewes and enimies of the crosse of Christ why may not Queene Elizabeth receiue a fewe afflicted members of Christ which are compelled to carie his crosse If it be no fault in him to receiue so many seruants of the Diuel why may not Queene Elizabeth receiue a fewe seruants of God Whome when he thought good to bring safely by the daungers of the sea and to set in at our hauens shoulde we cruelly haue driuen them back again or drowne them or hang them or sterue them Woulde the Uicar of Christ giue this counsel or if a King receiue such giue them succour must he therfore be depriued they are our brethren they liue not idlely If they haue houses of vs they pay rent for them They holde not our grounds but by making due recompēce They begge not in our streets nor craue any thing at our handes but to breath our aire and to sée our Sunne They labour truely they liue sparefully They are good examples of vertue trauel faith and patience The townes in which they abide are happy for God doth folow thē with his blessings Thus haue I opened 19. vntruthes all packed in this Bul. If I woulde haue béen curious or quarelous I might haue gathered twice so many But I haue no pleasure to passe farther in them God and man heauen and earth knowe they are vntrue I may say to Pope Pius thou sonne of man howe long wilt thou blaspheme the honour of God Why hast thou such pleasure in vanitie and séekest after leasing What opinion hath hee of our nation Doeth he thinke we are so simple to bee ledde in a masket with so vaine fables Doth he thinke wee haue neither eyes to sée nor heartes to iudge Doth he thinke his bare word wil go for Gospel Woulde he write thus if hée thought there were a God If he deceiue vs in these earthly thinges which we sée with our eyes no reason we credit him in heauenly things Christ is the trueth It becommeth not his Uicar to speake falsehood Now let vs examine how he wresteth corrupteth the Scriptures of God how he giueth vs a false interpretation corrupteth them In his whole Bul he hath one only place out of the Scripture only one place I say and no more the same he setteth downe to mainteine his owne authoritie to vphold his power wherby he setteth vp deposeth the Kings Princes and states of the worlde The words be y e first Chapter of Ieremie Behold this day haue I set thee ouer the nations and ouer the kingdomes to pluck vp and to roote out and to destroy and throw downe to build to plant If hée abuse this place of Scripture which hée hath aduisedly chosē sent ouer to make thereby some shew
numbred I owe you obedience I will not resiste your power for if I shoulde resiste I shoulde resiste the ordinaunce of God I am subiect to you for conscience sake I will forsake my countrey my goods my children and my selfe at your commaundement I will say to mine owne fleshe I knowe thée not onely I can not forsake my Lorde God Deare sir you fight â—ot against me Alas what am I What can I doe You fight against God against the moste holy against him which can commaunde your life to goe out of your body it is a hard thing for you to kicke againste the spur It is no hard matter for you to kill me for so mightie a Prince to kill so wretched a worme But this I declare to you that my bloud which you shed is innoceÌ„t shal be required at your haÌ„ds It maye please God to giue vnto you repentance and the knowledge of the truth If my bloud may be a mean therto if my bloud may open your eies if my bloud may soften your heart it coulde neuer be spent in a better cause Blessed be the name of God whiche hathe made me his instrument for youre so happye conuersion thys is the onelye thing wherein I can not yéelde The Lorde hath spoken vnto me I haue heard his voice my hart hath felt it my conscience knoweth it I can not denye it No sworde can cutte me from it no water can drowne it no fire can burne the loue I beare vnto it there is no creature in heauen or earth that can carrie me from that blessed hope I haue conceiued by his word So constant is he that hathe learned the worde of God hath set his delighte vppon it and is through it assured of the wil of God Heauen shal shake the earth shall tremble but the man of God shall stande vpright His foote shall not faile his heart shall not faint he shall not bée moued Such a ground such a foundation suche a rocke is the worde of God Blessed is the man whose hope is in the name of the Lorde He shal builde vppon a sure place he layeth his foundation vpon the corner stone He néedeth no armie to make him strong he néedeth no friendes to comforte him in aduersitie His strength is within the gates of hel shal not preuaile againste him His comfort is inwardly within his hearte He speaketh to God and God vnto hym His eyes beholde the kingdome and power and glorie of God But what say we of the Fathers Augustine Ambrose Hierom Cyprian c. What shall we thinke of them or what accompt may we make of them They be Interpretors of the worde of God They were learned men and learned Fathers the instruments of the mercie of God vesselles full of grace We despise them not we reade them we reuerence them and giue thankes vnto God for them They were witnesses vnto the truth they were worthie pillars and ornamentes in the Churche of God Yet may they not be coÌ„pared with the word of God We may not build vpon them we may not make them the foundation and warrant of our conscience we may not put our trust in them Our trust is in the name of the Lorde And thus are we taught to estéeme of the learned Fathers of the Churche by their owne iudgement by that whiche they haue written either for the credite of their owne doings or of the auctoritie whych they haue thought due to the writings of others S. Augustine said of the Doctours and Fathers in his time Neque quorumlibet aâ—sputationes quamuis Catholicorum laudatorum hominum velut Scripturas Canonicas habere debemus vt nobis non liceat salua honorificentia quae illis debetur aliquid in eorum scriptis improbare aut respuere si fortè inuenerimus quod aliter senserint quà e veritas habet Talis sum ego in scriptis aliorum tales esse volo intellectores meorum Neither weigh we the writings of all meÌ„ be they neuer so worthy and catholique as wee weigh the canonical Scriptures but that sauing the reuerence that is due vnto them we may mislike and refuse somewhat in their writings if wee finde that they haue thought otherwise than the truth may beare Suche am I in the writings of others and such would I wishe others to be in mine Some things I beléeue some things which they write I can not beléeue I weigh them not as the holy Canonicall Scriptures Cyprian was a Doctor of the Church yet he was deceiued Hierome was a Doctor of the Church yet he was deceiued Augustine was a Doctor of y e Church yet he wrote a Booke of Retractations he acknowledged that he was deceiued God did therfore giue to his Church many Doctors many learned men whych all shoulde search the truth and one reforme an other wherein they thought him deceyued S. Augustine saieth Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae procaedat in medium codex Dei audi Christum dicentem audi veritatem loquetem Take away from amongest vs any our owne Bookes lette the Booke of God come amongest vs heare what Christe saieth hearken what the truth speaketh He is the wisedome of his father he can not deceiue vs. Againe he saith Audi dicit dominus non dicit Donatus aut Rogatus aut Vincentius aut Hilarius aut Ambrosius aut Augustinus Heare this the Lorde saieth heare not this Donatus saith or Rogatus or Vincentius or Hilarius or Ambrose or Augustine saith Al these were learned most of them were holy yet saith Augustine we may not yéelde to that which is saide by learned men but we must yéelde our ful consente and beliefe to the worde of God Origen saith Necesse nobis est in testimonium vocare sanctas Scripturas Sensus quippe c. Wee muste needes call to witnesse the holy Scriptures for oure iudgementes and expositions without those witnesses carry no credite Marke wel our words and expositions constructions vnlesse they be warranted by the Scriptures are not ynough they cary not credite Augustine saith Nos nullam Cipriano facimus iniuriam cùm eius quaslibet literas c. Wee offer no wrong to S. Cyprian when wee seuer anye his Letters or Writings from the Canonical auctoritie of the holy Scriptures Thus speaketh Aug. a Doctor of the Church of Cyprian another Doctor also of y e Churche Cyprian was a bishop a lerned Father a holy man a Martire of Christe yet saith Augustine his worde is not the Gospell his worde is not the worde of God there is no wronge done to him though his writings cary not like credit as the holy Scripture I could shewe many the like spéeches of the auncient Fathers wherein they reuerence the holy Scriptures as to which onely they giue consent without gainsaying which can neither deceiue nor be deceiued In this sort did Origen and Augustine and other Doctours of the Church speake of themselues and of
these holy Apostles will reason this case with Pope Pius What warrant haddest thou to vse our names why doest thou make our Images and sette them before thy Bulles what doest thou like vnto vs or what did we like vnto that thou doest is this our Gospell did we preache thus is this that for which we loste our liues thou art not our successour thou doest vs wrong we knowe thée not We neuer discharged subiectes from their oath of obedience we did neuer stir vp one Prince againste an other thou haste no déed of ours for thine example thou hast no worde of ours for thy doings thou doest vs wrong wée disclaime thée wée know thée not Thus much of his Title and Armes Pius Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei ad futuram rei memortam Pius Bishop the seruant of Gods seruants to be kepte in remembrance for euer O how lowly humble this man semeth méeke words when he is contented to be a seruaunt yea a seruaunt vnto seruantes He hathe made his Stile so low that you woulde thinke he were putte to the worste and vilest seruice among his fellowâ—â— that he were the common drudge mainteined with cast apparell little accompted of and readie to runne and goe at euery bodies commandement But what seruice doth he either worldly or heauenly or bodily or ghostly Let Pope Pius tell his owne tale he saith hunc vnum super omnes gentes super omnia regna principem constituit Christ hathe appointed him onelye to bee the Prince ouer al nations and ouer al kingdomes Marke his wordes well and sée how they hang togither he sayth I am a Seruaunt and that is not all I am the Seruaunt of Seruaunts therefore I am no Prince But as though he were sory those words had escaped him he mendeth the matter I haue power ouer all nations and ouer all kingdomes therefore I am no seruant If he be a seruant so vile a seruant how is he a Prince or if he be a Prince and so mightie a Prince how is he a seruant what shift soeuer he vseth néeds he must be taken If he be true in the one he is false in the other It is well with him that he can not erre and that his words must bee taken as the worde of God that he maye iudge all men but all the worlde maye not iudge him and that hee maye not with M. Hardings liking be accused by Hicke Hob and Haunce and iudged by Iacke and Gill. Were it not that he hath giuen himself priuiledge thus to sitte as God in the Temple of God and to beare in hand that he is God Were it not that his props and vpholders might so scorne and disdaine the iudgement of the whole world it woulde be no harde matter to trippe him in his tale and take hym in manifest vntrueth For when this Seruant sitteth at table the Emperour may not sitte with him When hée sitteth in Councell the Emperour sitteth below at his féete Princes and Kings doe him seruice they holde his Styrrop leade his bridle carrie his traine and beare dishes to his Table he walketh not foorthe on foote but is caried on mens shoulders in gorgeous attire shining glittering w t golde and pretious stones It is worthye the noting whiche Albertus Krantzius who writeth the Historie of Germanie reporteth of Pope Boniface the eight Vtriusque penes se vnum gladij potestatem manere affirmabat quod ipso apparatu in eo qui tum agebatur in vrbe iubileo solenniter fertur ostentasse primo quidem solenni die in pontificalibus apparens populo apostolicam illis benedictionem impartitur postero autem die imperiali habitu insula nihilominus Cesarea insignis gladium ante se nudatuÌ„ iussit deferri sedens alta voce testatur Ecce duo gladij hic Boniface didde affirme that the power of bothe Swordes didde remaine in hym alone whiche thing they saye hee didde solemnely declare in his attyre at the Iubilee which was then kepte in the Citie For the first day of that solemnitie he shewed forth himselfe before the people in Bishop-like arraye and gaue them Apostolike blessing But the nexte daye he was clothed in Robes like an Emperour hauing the Imperiall Crowne vppon hys heade Hee commaunded a naked Sworde to bee carried before him and as hee sate spake out in a loude voice behold here are twoo Swordes Vides ô Petre sayeth Krantzius Successorem tuum tu salutifer Christe tuum cerne Vicarium Vide quò ascendit superbia serui seruorum tuoruÌ„ Thou seest thy successour o Peter and thou o Sauiour Christe looke vppon thy Vicar Beholde the pride of the seruaunte of thy seruants whether and to what it is come No doubt his Holinesse hath bestowed some studie about the matter and therefore would faine it shoulde be knowen neuer forgotten but registred Ad futuram rei memoriam to remaine and bee remembred hereafter Heare it therefore ye men and brethren yée Babes and children You are the sonnes of God you are the children of the holy fathers You shall sée that Babilon which hathe made drunken the Princes of the worlde with hir golden cup. You shall sée him that dothe sitte as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God And that you may take the better viewe of him I wil lay opeÌ„ before you the manifest vntruths of his Libel and so make you iudges of his vniust sentence First it is vntrue that hee is the seruant of seruants because he writeth him selfe in the same Sentence Prince ouer al nations and kingdomes Againe it is vntrue that he is Prince ouer al nations and kingdomes because he writeth himselfe seruus seruorum a seruant vnto seruants That also which foloweth is false Regnans in excelsis vni soli Petro Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam Apostolicam commist gubernandam He that ruleth in the Heauens hathe giuen to Peter alone the gouernement of the holy Catholike and Apostolike Churche For where didde Christe make this commission to Peter onely where be the words in what Scripture in what Gospell or Epistle where did Christ euer say to Peter I coÌ„mit the gouernement of the Church to thée alone if Pope Pius tale bée true why doth he not proue it if it be false how dare he write it it is not méete the Vicar of Christ should falsifie the words of Christe Christe spake to al the Apostles and not to Peter alone Goe to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel Christ saide to al the Apostles and not to Peter alone Goe and teache al nations baptising them in the name of the of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost Dauid the Prophet spake not of Peter alone but of al the Apostles Their sound is gone into the endes of the worlde Wherefore doth he then enclose that to Peter alone whiche is common vnto al
of his diuelish practises to worke rebellion treasons among vs we may well thinke hee dealeth the like with other places when he draweth them to serue his turne Hunc vnum super omnes gentes principem constituit qui euellat destruat c. He hath appointed him onely Peter and his Successour the Byshop of Rome Prince ouer all nations to plucke vp and to destroy to roote out and throw downe to build plant No doubt this cōmissiō is large There can be no greater authority giuen in matters of the world But this authority hath no man God kéepeth it to himselfe By me Kings raigne and Princes decree iustice They beare my name they drawe my sword they are my Ministers to take vengeance on him that doth euill their hearts are in my hands I turne them whether soeuer it pleaseth me I take the praiers supplications and intercession for Kinges and for all that are in authoritie that men may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honestie Daniel telleth King Nabuchodonosor that the most high beareth rule ouer the kingdomes of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer hee will Wherefore doth hée not giue this glorie vnto God Wherefore saith he I will goe vp and be like vnto the highest I wil exalt my selfe and shew my selfe that I am God I haue saith he a déede of gifte The wordes set downe by the Prophet Hieremie are my warrant to place and depose whom I will And he doth not onely say thus but as if it were too small and base a title to set the name of God or of our Sauiour Christ before the wordes of his priuiledge he kéepeth his feete from y e ground and raiseth alofte and ietteth in the ayre aboue as though he were one of the spirituall wickednesses which are in the hie places and saith Regnans in excelsis cui data est omnis in caelo in terra potestas c. Hee that ruleth in the heights to whom al power is giuen both in heauen in earth c. Let him not deceiue you with vaine wordes You shall witnesse against him that hée taketh the name of the Lorde his God in vaine For if any worde in that péece of Scripture be spoken either of Prince or remouing of Princes if y e whole sense of those words cary any greater authoritie to the Pope than to the Bishop of any other place or to the simplest Minister in the world let me be no more credited Marke therefore sée howe boldly and fondly Pope Pius séeketh to mocke the worlde First he sayth Deus constituit me vnum Principem super gentes God hath appoynted me alone to be Prince ouer the nations Here is a shamelesse falsifying of Gods words The Prophet saith I haue set thee ouer the nations The Pope thrusteth in thrée words more Me alone and Prince that so he and none but he may reuel and rule in all places Reade the place of the Prophet if you haue your bookes The wordes are I set thee ouer the nations They say nothing neither of the Pope nor of Peters Successour nor of one alone nor of Prince All these the Pope hath péeced of his owne deuise But Salomon warneth him Put nothing to his words least he reproue thee and thou be founde a lyar Also S. Iohn telleth him If any man shall adde vnto these thinges GOD shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this Booke Whose wordes or what euidence will hée not corrupt which dareth in such presumption to handle the worde of GOD deceitfullye and without shame sende it foorth so into the worlde As for Hieremie the Prophete vnto whom God spake the wordes which the Pope sendeth vs will Pius say that hée was a Prince and had auctoritie ouer nations and kingdomes will hee saye that Hieremie depriued Princes and thrust them from their royall seates Hieremie did no such thing But al contrarie he suffered persecution not onely of the Princes but of the wicked people Pashur smote him and put him in the stockes Hee was in derision dayly euery one mocked him Hée hearde the rayling of many and feare came on him on euery side All his familiars laye in waite for him y e so they might preuaile against him and execute their vengeance vpon him Hee moneth his case before God saying howe is it that I came forth of the wombe to see labour and sorowe that my dayes should be consumed with shame And in the sixe and twentith Chapter all the people were gathered against Hieremie in the house of y ◠Lord then the Priestes and the Prophets and all the people tooke him and saide thou shalt die the death Was al this done vnto him by rebellion as against their Prince was it because he had vsed him selfe proudely or cruelly in matters of temporal gouernement was it not rather because he stoode in the Courte of the Lords house where the Lorde had sent him to Prophecie and saide to all the people the wordes of the Lorde of Hostes. Was it not because hee prophecied in the name of the Lorde Woulde Pope Pius be thus set ouer nations add kingdomes would he bée smitten and put into the stockes rayled at woulde he haue his dayes consumed in shame woulde he be let downe with cords into the dungeon where was no water but mire and so sticke fast in the mire woulde he haue his friendes mone his case to the King and tell what euill hath bene done to him in that they haue cast him into the dungeon say he dyeth for hunger in the place where hée is would he I say thus be set ouer nations and kingdomes or wil he say that Hieremie suffering these reproches of the Rulers and the Priests and the people did enioy an earthly peace and possesse a worldly kingdome or will hee say that God mocked his Prophet whē he saide vnto him This day I set thee ouer nations The words therefore must néeds haue an other meaning and what that meaning is who is better able to declare than Hieremie him selfe The Lord stretched out his hād touched my mouth and the Lorde saide vnto me beholde I haue put my words in thy mouth I haue ordained thee to be a Prophet vnto the nations Thou shalt go to all that I shall sende thee and what soeuer I command thee thou shalt speake Be not afraide of their faces For I this daye haue made thee a defensed Citie and an iron piller and walles of brasse against the whole lande against the Kinges of Iuda and against the Princes thereof against the Priestes thereof and against the people of the lande For they shall fight against thee but shall not preuaile against thee For I am with thee sayeth the Lorde Such auctoritie had he ouer the nations to be their Prophet to speake what the Lorde commaunded to reproue them without feare In like auctoritie
the fruit therof appeare but reiect it and make it a reproch and cast it away from vs and therfore is it that the Lord doth cast vs away that we are vnwise that we please our selues with our own deuises and follow our owne imaginatiōs and perish because we haue not vnderstanding to heare y e instruction of the Lords word but like ignorant mē disallow it and cast it behinde the backe The consideration hereof moueth mée to say somewhat of the holy Scriptures whyche are the bright Sunne of God whiche bring light vnto our wayes and comforte to all parts of our life and saluation to our soules In whiche is made knowen vnto vs our estate and the mercie of God in Christe our Sauiour witnessed That we may the better sée the path whiche wée haue to walke in my meaning is truely and plainely and shortly to shewe you what Auctoritie and Maiestie the worde of God beareth then what Profite we maye reape by it also howe needeful it is that we be wel instructed in the holy Scriptures and what Pleasure and Delectation a Christian conscience may finde in them and lastle whether they be darke and doubtfull or plaine and easie for youre vnderstanding that when we know the Maiestie and Auctoritie of the worde and what comforte and profitte GOD giueth vs by it we depriue not our selues thereof by oure vnthankefulnesse nor close vp our eyes that we sée it not but heare it in reuerence and in feare that it may be fruitfull in vs and we receiue it not in vaine The Scriptures are the worde of God What title can ther be of greater value what may be said of them to make them of greater auctoritie thā to say The Lord hath spoken them That they came not by the wil of men but holie men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost At the worde or Proclamation of an earthly Prince we stand vppe and vaile our bonnets and giue good eare to it we are bounde so to doe it is oure duetie such honour belongeth to the powers that are placed to rule ouer vs for they are ordained of God And who soeuer resisteth them resssteth the ordinance of God If we shoulde haue a reuelation and heare an Angell speake vnto vs how carefull would we be to marke and remember and be able to declare the words of the Aungel yet is an Aungel but a glorious creature and not God And what is a King greate and mightie yet mortall and subiecte to death creature and not God And what is a King great and mightie yet mortall and subiecte to death His breath departeth and his name shal perishe Bothe he and his worde his power and his puissance shall haue an ende But the word of the Gospell is not as the worde of an earthly Prince It is of more Maiestie than the word of an Angel The Apostle sayeth If the worde spoken by Aungels was stedfaste and euerie transgression disobediēce receiued a iust recompence of rewarde how shall wee escape if wee neglecte so great saluation whiche at the firste beganne to bee preached by the Lorde and was confirmed vnto vs by them that hearde him God saith by the Prophet Esay My word shal accomplish that whiche I will and it shal prosper in the thing whereto I sent it And the same Prophet saith The worde of God shall stand for euer And It is more easie that Heauen and Earth passe awaie than that one title of the Lawe shoulde faile sayth our fauiour For it is the worde of the liuing and almightie God of the God of Hostes whyche hathe done whatsoeuer pleased him bothe in heauen and in earth By thys worde he maketh hys will knowen I haue not spoken of my selfe sayeth Christe but the Father whiche sente mee gaue mee a commaundemente what I shoulde saye and what I shoulde speake And againe If I hadde not come and spoken vnto them they shoulde not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne No man hath séene God at any time He is inuisible no eie can reach vnto him The onelye begotten sonne whyche is in the bosome of hys Father he hath declared him he hathe shewed vs the throne of grace that wée may seeke for mercie and finde grace in time of néede he hath disclosed vnto vs the will of his father He hath lefte vnto vs and ordained that we should heare his holy worde Thys word the Angelles and blessed spirits vsed when they came down from Heauen to speake vnto the people when they came to the blessed Uirgine and to Ioseph and to others they spake as it was written in the Prophetes and in the Scriptures of God they thought not their owne auctoritie sufficient but they tooke credite to theyr saying and auctoritie to their message oute of the worde of God This Worde the Prophetes vouched and alleadged to the people Albeit they were sanctified in their mothers wombe albeit God had endued them with his heauenly spirite although a Seraphin came vnto one of them and touched his mouth with a hote coale albeit he sawe the Lorde sitting vpon an high throne yet they woulde not speake as of themselues but onelye in the name of the Lord for thus they vsed to say The Lord hath spoken this is the worde of the Lorde Heare what the Lorde saith Sainct Paule albeit hée was taken vppe into the third Heauen and into Paradise and hearde wordes that are not lawefull for man to vtter yet he wrote not his owne words to the Churches of Rome of Corinth and Thessalonica and of other places but deliuered which had receiued and taught them according to the Scriptures This word is the true Manna it is the bread which came downe from Heauen it is the key of the kingdom of heauen it is the sauour of life vnto life it is the power of God vnto saluation In it God sheweth vnto vs hys mighte hys wisedome and his glorie By it he wil be knowen of vs. By it he will be honored of his creaturs Whatsoeuer truth is brought vnto vs contrarie to the word of God it is not truth but falsehoode and errour whatsoeuer honour done vnto God disagréeth from the honor required by his worde it is not honour vnto God but blasphemie As Christ saith In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrines mens precepts By Esay God saith Who required this at your hands And by Ieremie I spake not vnto your Fathers nor commaunded them when I brought them out of the lande of Aegipt concerning burnt offerings Sacrifices But this thing commaunded I them saying obey my voice and I will bee your God and yee shall be my people and walke yee in all the wayes whiche I haue commaunded you that it may bee well vnto you Againe What is the Chaffe to the Wheate saith the Lord What are your dreames to be weighed with the truth of God Search the
Scriptures In them yée shall learne to know me and howe you should worship me in them you shal finde euerlasting life the wordes of the Lord are pure words as the siluer tryed in the fornace ther is no filth nor drosse remaining in them They are the store-house of wisdome and of the knowledge of God In respect whereof all the wisedome of this world is but vaine foolish Numa Pompilius King of the Romanes Lycurgus King of Lacedemon and Minos King of Creta were wise men of great gouernment they deuised lawes to rule the people and bare them in hande that they were taught by reuelatioÌ„ that so their ordinances might win the more credite and be established for euer But where are they nowe Where is Numa Minos or Lycurgus where bée their Books What is become of their Laws They were vnwise and had no knowledge nor vnderstanding of God they and their Laws are dead their names forgotten But the lawe of God came from Heauen indéede GOD wrote it with his finger it is the fountaine of al wisedome and therefore shal it continue for euer and neuer haue an ende Here let vs beholde the great power and worke of God When Moses receyued the Law God hymselfe came down in person wyth thousande thousande of Aungels the Aire was darkened at hys presence the MouÌ„t stoode al couered with fire the earth shooke the heauens thundered the people stood a farre off and fled for feare and said vnto Moses talke thou with vs we wil heare but let not God talk with vs least we die This was the first proclayming publishing of y e law such force and credite God gaue to his word warraÌ„ted himselfe to be y â— Lord. Since that time so manye thousande yeares are already passed In the meane time y e people of Israel were oppressed by Tyrantes were spoiled and chased out of their Countrie Firste by Nabuchodonosor into Babilon after that by Antiochus into Syria and lastly were as vagabondes driuen from countrie to countrie Thyir Citie Ierusalem was sackte their houses ouerthrowne their Temple razed and not a stone lefte vppon a stone theyr Librarie destroyed theyr Bookes burnte the tabernacle loste the couenaunt broken No vision no reuelation no comforte for the people left nor prophet nor priest nor any to speake in the name of the Lorde In all those times of decayes of sackings of darkenesse of miserie what was done with the word of God It was wickedly burnt by Ioachim King of Iuda and Antiochus burnt the Bookes of the Lawe and cutte them in peecesâ— No man durste be knowen to haue them and auouche the hauing So thought they vtterly to deface the glorie of God and abolish al remembraunce of his Lawes Then came the Phariseis they drowned the worde of God with their traditions they tooke away the key of Knowledge and entred not in them selues but forbade them that came in After them came Heretiques they denyed some one parte and some an other parte of Scriptures They razed blotted corrupted and altered the word of God of the word of God they made it their own word or which is worse they made it the word of the Diuel By the space of so many thousaÌ„d yers the word of God passed by so many dangers of Tyrants of Phariseis of Heretiques of fire and of sworde and yet continueth and standeth vntill this day without altering or chaunging one letter This was a woÌ„derful work of God that hauing so many so greate enimes and passing thorough so many so greate daungers it yet continueth stil without adding or altering of any one sentence or worde or letter No creature was able to doe this it was Gods worke He preserued it that no Tyrant should consume it no Tradition choake it no Heretike malitiously should corrupt it For For his names sake and for the elects sake he would not suffer it to perish For in it God hathe ordained a blessing for his people and by it he maketh couenant with them for life euerlasting Tirants and Phariseis and Heretiques and the enimies of the Crosse of Christe haue an end but the worde of God hath no ende No force shall be able to decay it The gates of Hel shal not preuaile againstâ— it Cities shal fal Kingdoms shall come to nothing Empires shal fade away as the smoake but the trueth of the Lord shall continue for euer Burne it it will rise againe kill it it wil liue againe cut it downe by the roote it wil spring againe There is no wisedome neither vnderstaÌ„ding nor Counsel against the Lord. Let vs behold the nations kingdoms which somtimes professed Christ are now heathnish Iâ—â—yricum Epyrus Peloponnesus Macedonia others Againe let vs behold such kingdomes countries whiche wer in times past heathnish knew not God As England Ireland Rome Scotland diuers other They were al without y â— Gospel without Christe without God without hope of life They worshipped Idols euen y e work of their own hands To them they appointed Priests for their seruice dayes and places for the people to resort togither to worship theÌ„ Here in EnglaÌ„d Paules Church in LondoÌ„ was the Temple of Diana Peters Churche in Westminst was the Temple of Apollo In Rome they had y e Temple of the great God Iuppiter in Florence y e Temple of Mars and in other places they had Temples dedicated to other Idols Iupiter Mars Apollo Diana wer vncleane spirites filthie Diuels yet gaue they thanks to them for their peace and prosperitie prayed to them in war in miserie commended vnto them their wiues their children themselues y e safe keping and custody of their soules They built gorgeous Churches Chappels set vp images of siluer gold to theÌ„ prayed lifted vp their haÌ„ds did sacrifice offred vp their children to theÌ„ A horrible thing to say yet true it is y e darkenesse of those times were such that meÌ„ slew their own offered them vp to Idolles They saide greate is Iupiter greate is Apollo and greate is Diana of the Ephesians These are the Gods of our Fathers our Fathers trusted in them they made vs and haue defended vs and haue giuen vs victorie againste our enimies Whosoeuer denyed theÌ„ were thought worthy to die Thus were the Kings and the Princes and the people persuaded And so coÌ„tinued they by the space of some thousand yeares without controllment or contradiction They had greate proppes of Antiquitie Vniuersality and Consent Antiquitie of all times Uniuersalitie of al places consent of al the people So strongly and so mightily were they fouÌ„ded Who woulde thinke suche a religion so auntient so vniuersall and so defended by common consent should euer possibly be remoued But when the fulnesse of time came God sente forth his worde and al was changed Errour fell down truth stode vp meÌ„ forsooke their Idols and went to God The Kings and Priestes and
people were changed the Temples and Sacrifices and Praiers were chaunged mens eyes and heartes were chaunged They forsooke their Gods their Kings their Priests they forsooke their antiquity customes consent their Fathers and themselues What power was able to work these things What Emperour by force euer preuailed so much what strength could euer shake down so mightie idols from their seate What hand of man could subdue and coÌ„quer the whole world make such mighty nations confesse they had done amisse This did the Lord bring to passe by the power of his word and the breath of his mouth This was it y t lead captiuiâ—ie captiue threw downe euery high thing that lifted it self vp against the Lorde brought all powers vnder subiection vnto the Lord It is the image the power the arme y e sword and the glorie of God It is mightie of great force and vertue of authoritie and maiestie because it is the worde of God therefore the glorie thereof is great Now let vs stand a farre of and humble our selues and in reuerence and feare learne to take the fruite and comfort of the same for so is the wil of God that we may be partakers of his glorie But where shal we finde enterance into this matter And howe shall we bée able to come a land For this is the Sea and the depth of all the workes of the iudgementes and mercies of the kingdome of God This is a Sea that hath no shore a pit that hath no botome The holy Scriptures are the mercie seate the registry of the mysteries of God our Chartre for the life to come the holy place in which God sheweth him selfe to the people the Mount Ston where God hath appointed to dwel for euer The more comfort in theÌ„ so much the more gréedily let vs desire them the more heauenly and glorious they are with so much the more reuerence let vs come vnto them For consideration of this mater of the fruite comfort which God worketh by the worde what may we better call to minde than that is réecorded by S. Paul Whatsoeuer thinges are written aforetime are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope All that is writteÌ„ in the word of God is not writteÌ„ for Angels or Archangels or heauenly Spirites but for the sonnes of men for vs and for our instruction that by them we may receiue strength and comfort in all aduersities and haue hope of the life to come It is the word of God God openeth his mouth and speaketh to vs to guide vs into all truth to make vs full and readie in all good workes that we may be perfect men in Christ Iesus so rooted and grounded in him that we bee not tost to and fro with euery tempest The profite which the worde of God bringeth shal best apeare if we first take a viewe of our estate what we are in what place we stande what enemies make force against vs. We are y e sons of Adam stubborne children the children of vanitie and of wrath The châ—ldren of those fathers which forsooke God and haue erred in their hearts were deceiued God which created man breathed into him the breath of life saith The imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Such are we eueÌ„ by the iudgment of God and his iudgement faileth not What errour what idol what wickednes euer hath bene heard which hath not bene forged and wrought in the heart of man wée can neither doe nor speake nor thinke the thing that is good our vnderstanding is heauie our will froward our eyes blinde and our heart vncleane We go astray through this worlde as lost shéepe euery man after his owne way Euen as a leafe is caried vp and downe with a blast of winde so are we easily driueÌ„ into errour in our selues we finde no stay no succour nor helpe Such are we and so weake of our selues But where are we in the world And what is the world Some thinke it to be a place full of all delights and pleasures a goodly strong and gorgious palace and a paradise of ioy Let no man deceiue vs nay rather let vs not deceiue our selues the world is a shoppe of vanities it is a dungeon of darkenesse a potte full of poyson a shippe full of leakes a way full of snares It blindeth our eyes beguileth our senses and helpeth vs forwarde into all daungers We are blinde our selues and the place wherein we are is nothing els but darkenesse Wherunto may I resemble our case Ieremy the Prophet was cast into a duÌ„geon There he sate without light and without comfort His case was miserable and the place lothsome yet he knew where he was he knew what he lacked he cryed vnto the Lord and was deliuered Daniel was cast into the den of Lions there to bee torne in péeces and deuoured But he sawe his misery and the daunger in which he stoode he sawe the Lions the pawes which shoulde gripe him and the téeth which shoulde teare him His case was miserable yet is ours more miserable We are in the déepe dungeon of hel and think we are in safetie we are in the middest of darkenesse and thinke it to be light we are compassed with Lioâ—s with Dragons and Scorpions yet think not of our miserie Who hath not heard the story of Ionas Ionas was in a Whales belly The place was very darke the waues beat on euery side he was drowned yet touched no water he was swallowed vp yet not consumed he liued without any sense of life the fish was his death y â— sea was death the tempest was death yet he died not but liued in the mids of death he could not sée he could not heare he knew not to whom he might call for helpe hée was taken carried away he knew not whether Let vs marke well this storie it is a true pattern of our estate sheweth what our life is in this worlde We are beset w t like dangers we are driuen w t teÌ„pests we are drowned in like flouds we liue in y e middest of horrible darknes we are caried we know not whether The Philosopher telleth vs trueth falsehode are nigh neighbors and dwell one by the other the vtter porch of y e one is like the porch of the other yet their way is contrarie the one leadeth to life the other leadeth to death they differ little to the shew saue that oft times the dore of falshod is faire painted grauen and beautifully adorned but the dore or fore front of trueth is plaine and homely Therby it hapneth that men be deceiued they mistake the dore and goe into errors house wheÌ„ they séeke truth They call euill good falsehoode truth darkenesse light They forsake that is good deny the truth and loue not the light This moued S. Paul to say of his brethren the Iewes I beare them
Did not our hearts burne within vs while he talked with vs by the way and opened to vs the Scriptures His words did possesse all our senses this talk was not like common talk we felt it forcible in vs as the worde of Israel hearde Peter declare vnto them at Ierusalem by proofe of the Scriptures that Christ was come they were not able to resist the worde of God but were pricked in their heartes and saide vnto Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do we acknowledge our errour the words which you speake are most true they are the words of life teach vs and instruct vs what we shal do They felt the force of it and yéelded vnto it they did acknowledge it was the word of God S. Augustine after he had continued long in errour and withdrewe himselfe into a secret place where he might make his prayer and bewaile his ignorance hearde a voice say vnto him Tolle lege tolle lege Take vp and reade take vp and reade And hee foorthwith tooke vp the Epistles of Saint Paul and opened them and secretely read the Chapter which he first lighted on euen these words Not in gluttonie and drunkennesse neither in chambring and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuying but put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the fleshe to fulfill the lustes of the same Nec vltra volui legere saith he nec opus erat Statim quippe cum finâ— huiusce sententiâ—e quasi luce sâ—curit atis infusa cordi meo omnes dubitaâ—ionis tenebrae diffugerunt I woulde reade no farther for I needed not For when I had read to the ende of this sentence all the darkenesse of doubtfulnesse vanished away as if some cleare light of securitie were powred into my heart It was as if it had béene saide O man acknowledge thy miserie thou art naked couer thy filthinesse put vpon thée Iesus Christe And forthwith I felt a fire within me my heart was lightned the scales fell from mine eyes I was able to sée Thus was he comforted and staide by this the worde of God This profite of the worde S. Cyprian declareth Si ad diuinae tradiâ—ionis caput originem reuertamur cessat omnis error humanus If wee returne to the heade and the beginning of the Lordes traditions all errour of man must needs giue place Theophilactus writing vpon these wordes in the Gospell by Sainct Iohn Hee that entreth not in by the doore into the Sheepefolde but climbeth vp an other waye he is a theefe and a Robber sayth non ingreditur per ostium hoc est per Scripturas Non enim vtitur Scripturis testibus neque Prophetis Nam profecto scripturae ostium sunt per quas adducimur ad Deum illae lupos non permittunt intrare prohibent haereticos vt nos securi simus de omnibus rationem dant de quibus voluerimus Fur igitur est qui non ingreditur per scripturas in stabulum ouium ita per illas deprehenditur Sed ascendit aliundè hoc est aliam sibi viam insolitam parat Talis erit Antichristus He entreth not in by the doore that is by the Scriptures For he doth not vse the Scriptures nor the Prophets as witnesses For indede the Scriptures are the dore by which wee are brought to God and they suffer not the Woolues to come in they kepe of heretikes that wee may be in safetie they teach vs the reasoÌ„ of any thing wherein we woulde be instructed therfore he is a theef which entereth not into the shepefold by the Scriptures And by the Scriptures it apeareth he is a a theefe that climbeth vp an other way that is maketh himselfe an other waye a way which was not knowen nor beaten Such a one shall Antichrist bee What greater profite they bring vs to God teache vs the trueth and giue vs reason of all things they kéepe vs in safetie suffer not Wolues to deuour vs kepe off Heretiques bewray a théefe and make knowen who is Antichrist Therefore vppon the Gospell by Sainct Luke he expoundeth these words Let your lights bee burning that is haue not your being in the darkenesse and bee yee not voide of Iudgement but take vnto you the light of Gods word which wil teach you what things you shoulde doe and what things you ought not to doe And as the worde of God is the light to directe vs and to bewray errours so is it also the standerde and beame to trie the weightes of trueth and falsehoode Chrysostome writing vppon the foure and twentith of Sainct Mathew sheweth it were vnpossible for a maÌ„ to stay himselfe and finde out which is the true Church but by the worde of God For it could not be tried by working of myracles bicause the gift of working miracles is taken away and such false myracles as carrie some shewe are rather to be found among false Christians nor yet by their conuersation and life because Christians liue either as il or worse than Heretiques Nulla probatio potest esee verae Christianitatis neque refugium potest esse Christianorum aliud volentium cognoscere fideâ— veritatem nisi tantummodò per scripturas There can be no triall of true Christianitie and Christians which desire to know the trueth wherevpon they may builde their faith haue no other refuge but to trie and learn this by the Scriptures For sayth he Heretiques haue the counterfaite and likenesse of those things which are proper to Christ. They haue Churches they haue the Scriptures of GOD they haue Baptisme they haue the Lords Supper and al other things like the true Church yea they haue Christe himself He therefore that will knowe whiche is the true Churche of Christ howe maye he know it but by the Scriptures Therfore our Lord knowing that ther should be such confusion of things in the latter dayes commaundeth that Christians whiche liue in the profession of Christian faith and are desirous to settle them selues vppon a sure grounde of Faith shoulde goe to no other thing but to the Scriptures Otherwise if they had regard to other things they shoulde bee offended and perishe and not vnderstande whiche is the true Church The maister of the Ship when he is on the maine Sea casteth his eye alwayes vpon the Loade Starre and so directeth and guideth his wayes Euen so muste we which are passengers and straungers in this world euer settle our eyes to beholde the worde of God So shall no tempest ouerblowe vs so shall we be guided without danger so shal we safly arriue in the hauen of our rest The Prophet Dauid therefore saith Blessed are they that keepe his testimonies and seeke him with their whole heart Their faces shal not be ashamed they shal not bee confounded which haue respect vnto his commaundement Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord and in that lawe do the
exercise himselfe daye and night The Lawe of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lorde is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple This is the rule of our faith without this our faith is but a fantasie and no faith for faith is by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Therefore Christe saith Search the Scriptures they are they that testifie of me There shall ye finde testimonie of my doctrine there shal ye know what is the wil of my heauenlye Father and there shall you receiue the comforte for euerlasting life Againe He that followeth mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life If a man keepe my word he shal know the truth hee shall neuer see death Therefore Baruch saith O Israel wee are blessed for the things that are acceptable vnto God are declared vnto vs. This is thy blessednesse herein hath God shewed his fauour vnto thée he hathe reuealed the secreats of hys will vnto thée and hath put his worde in thy mouth He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israell hee hathe not dealte so with euerie nation neyther haue they knowen hys Iudgementes Therefore the Prophet Dauid teacheth vs to pray vnto God for the knowledge of his worde Shewe mee thy wayes O Lord and teache me thy pathes Take not thy holie spirite from mee and incline my hearte vnto thy testimonies Giue mee vnderstanding that I maye learne thy commaundementes open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Lawe And Lighten mine eies that I sleepe not in death that I maye discerne betwéene safetie and daunger that I may knowe truth to be the truth and error to be error Thus I haue declared parte of that profite which groweth to vs by the word of God but it doeth not onelye directe our iudgement in the triall of truth but dothe also graffe in vs a boldenesse and constancie in the defence of the truth Salomon saieth A foole chaungeth as the Moone He is alwayes vnstable and inconstant he knoweth not neither what to do nor what to beleue he is somtimes ful sometimes emptie turneth and changeth as the Moone He buildeth and layeth his foundation vppon the sande therfore his house falleth to the ground He halteth on both sides somtimes worshippeth God and sometimes worshippeth Baal he is neither hotte nor colde he ebbeth and floweth like the waues of the sea he doubteth and staggereth resteth in nothing He knoweth not the truth he knoweth not that the scripturs are the word of God so he wandereth in the darke and knoweth not the way in which he walketh He hath no féeling no hart no vnderstāding He is vnfaithful towards God and kepeth no faith towards man he is wauering in all hys wayes And why because he knoweth not the wil of God nor hath the light of his word to guide his féete But a wise man is one and stedfast as the sunne He buildeth his house vppon a rocke and that rocke is Iesus Christe the sonne of God Therefore his house is neuer shaken downe Be the storme or tempest neuer so rough yet it shall stand faste like Mount Sion because his truste is in the name of the Lord. He knoweth that his name is written in the Booke of Life he knoweth that he belongeth to the Lords Shéepefolde and that no man can take him away out of the Lordes hand In this boldenesse Dauid sayeth Thoughe I shoulde walke thorough the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou arte wyth mee thy rodde and thy staffe they comforte mee And againe the Lord is my light and my saluation whome shall I feare And againe Except thy lawes had bene my delight I should now haue perished in mine affliction when Ezechias heard y ◠proud message of Sennacherib sent to him his people by Rahshaketh that they should not obey Ezech. nor trust to him when he said The Lord wil deliuer you and let not thy GOD deceiue thee in whom thou trustest hee wente vp into the house of the Lord and prayed vnto the Lorde to saue hym and hys people out of their handes that al the kingdomes of the earth might know that hee is GOD alone Euen so the Apostle Whether wee liue or die wee are the Lordes And in this boldenesse our sauiour Christe setled himselfe to beare their reproches and to carry his Crosse Father if thou wilte take away this cup frō me neuerthelesse not my wil but thine bee done Thus they that are taught by the word of God to put their trust in the Lorde and are thereby rooted and setled in him can not be remoued by any practise of Sathan but stand fast and continue for euer Which shal more plainely appeare if we looke backe into the times of persecution and beholde the boldenesse of constancie of the Sainctes of God They were brought before Magistrates caste into prisōs spoiled of their goods cruelly murthered Some were hanged vppon gibbets some run through with swords some torn with wild horses some drowned in the water and some burnt in the fire They were hated of all men for the name of Christ. They were despised as the filth of the worlde and dung of the earth Yet continued they faithfull and constant They armed their heartes with the comforte of Gods worde therby wer they able to resist in the euil day They were faithfull vntil death therefore GOD gaue them a Crowne of glorie When they were called before Kings and Princes and others of auctoritie and commaunded to forsake the trueth they had learned and the comfort which they tooke in the truth they aunswered in this manner O my gratious Lorde I would faine do your commandement I am your subiect I haue done faithfull seruice with my body with my goods but I cannot serue you against God He is King of Kings Lord of Lords He is my Lord before whom I stande I haue put my life in his handes He hathe forbidden me to doe this thing whiche you commaunde I cannot therefore doe it Iudge vprightly whether it be méete to obey you rather than God My liuing my wife my children and my life are deare vnto me I am a man like others and haue mine affections Yet neither liuing nor wife nor children nor my life is so deare vnto me as the glorie of God I am but a pore worme yet am I the worke of his handes God hathe putte his worde in my mouth I may not deny it I may not beare false witnesse against the Lord. My life is not deare vnto me in respect of the trueth I knowe if I shoulde deny him to saue my life I shoulde lose it and if I lose my life for his sake I shall finde it That which your auctoritie shal lay vpon me is not done without his will All the haires of my head are
to the simple They are comfortable in peace in warre in heauinesse in ioy in health sicknesse in aboundance in pouertie in the day time in the night season in the towne in the wildernesse in companie and when thou art alone For they teach faith hope patience charitie sobrietie humilitie righteousnesse and all godlinesse They teach vs to liue and they teach vs to die Therefore hath Paule said well The whole Scripture is profitable It is full of great comforte It maketh the man of God absolute and perfect vnto al good workes Perfect in faith perfect in hope perfect in the loue of God of his neighbour perfect in his life and perfect in his death So great so large and ample and heauenly is the profite whyche we doe reape by the worde of God Nowe it followeth we consider howe necessarie and needefull it is for vs to be guided by the word of God in the whole trade of our life The worde of God is that vnto our soules whiche our soule is vnto our body As the body dyeth when the soule departeth so the soule of man dyeth when it hath not the knowledge of GOD. Man liueth not by breade onely but by euerie worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Beholde saith God I will sende a famine in the lande not a famine of breade nor a thirst of water but of hearing the word of the Lord. Their tongue shal wither their heart shall sterue they shal dye for hunger They shall wander from sea to sea and from the North vnto the East shall they runne to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord and shall not finde it They shall stumble at noone dayes as at the twilight they shall grope for the wall like the blind and truth shall fall in their streetes For howe shal they be saued vnlesse they call on the name of the Lord how shal they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Howe shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard how shall they heare without a Preacher howe shall they preach except they be sent Chrysostom therefore saith Neither can it be I say it can not be that any man shall attaine to saluation except he be alwayes occupied in spiritual reading The wise man faith Where there is no prophecie the people decay Where the Scriptures are not opened when there is none that can edifye and exhort and comfort the people by the word of God they must néeds perish for they knowe not the waye in whiche they shoulde walke they know not whome to honour nor vpon whose name they shoulde call they know neyther what to beléeue nor what to do Hel hath enlarged it selfe and hathe opened hys mouth without measure and they that are wilfull and ignorant and the children of darkenesse goe downe into it They become thrall and captiues vnto Sathan Their hearte is bounde vp they vnderstande nothing theyr eies are shutte vppe they can sée nothing their eares are stopte vppe they can heare nothing They are carried away as a pray into Hel because they haue not y â— knowledge of God So doth Christe tell the Sadduces Yee are deceiued because you know not the Scriptures nor the power of GOD. Thus he teacheth that error is the child of ignorance The cause why you are so deceiued is because you knowe not the Scriptures You haue hated the light and loued darkenesse You haue neyther knowen the Father nor mée Hée that knoweth not the truth of God knoweth not God Herein in this case there is no plea of ignorance Ignorance shall not excuse vs. Chrysostome saith Dices non legi non est haec excusatio sed crimen Thou wilt saye I haue not read the Scriptures this is no excuse but a sinne Againe he sayeth This is the working of the Diuels inspiration hee woulde not suffer vs to see the treasure leaste wee shoulde gette the riches Therefore hee counsaileth vs that it vtterly auaileth vs nothing to heare the Lawes of God least that vppon the hearing hee may see our doing folowe Gregorie saieth Qui eâ—quae sunt domini nesciunt à domino nesciununtur Who so know not the things that pertaine vnto the Lorde be not knowen of the Lorde Origen also giueth reason of this practise of Sathan Vnto the Diuels it is a torment aboue all kindes of torments and a paine aboue all paines if they see any man reading the worde of God and with feruent studie searching the knowledge of Gods Lawe and the mysteries and secretes of the Scriptures Herein standeth all the flame of the Deuils in this fire they are tormented for they are seased and possessed of all them that remaine in ignorance Carneades a Philosopher was wont to say of his Mayster and Reader Chrisippus if it hadde not bene for Chrisippus I neuer hadde béene any body He was my Maister and teacher he made mée learned whatsoeuer I haue I haue it of him How much better may we vse the like words of the Scripture and say vnlesse it were for the worde of God our wisedom were nothing our knowlege were nothing Whatsoeuer we haue we haue it by the worde Without it our prayer were no prayer without it our Sacramentes were no Sacramentes our Faith were no Faith our Conscience were no Conscience our Churche were no Church Take awaye the light of the Sunne and what remaineth but darkenesse Heauen and Earth are darkned No man can sée his way or discerne the things about him Euen so if y â— word of God be taken away what remaineth but miserable confusion and deadlye ignoraunce When the Philistines had shorne the haires of Sampson they fell vppon him tooke him bounde him and plucked oute his eyes they daunced aboute him and made scorne and games of him We are Samson the strength of our haires is the knowledge of the will of GOD It is laide vp in our heades in the highest and principal part of vs if that be shorne off if we be kept from hearing reading and vnderstanding of the worde of God then will error superstition and all wickednesse get the vpper hande and fall vpon vs and bind vs and plucke out our eies and make scorne of vs and vtterlye destroy vs. When the people of Ierusalem were besieged and wanted foode to eate they fedde on Rats and Mice and many vnwholesome and filthie things A woman was driuen for wante of meate to doe a cruel part vpon hir own child she tooke hir own babe which was the fruit of hir own bodie killed it cut it in péeces dressed it and fed vpon it a lothsome meat especially for a mother to eate hir owne childe But she was driuen to it by extremitie and hunger it was so cruell a thing to lacke wherewith life mighte be preserued Euen so fared it with vs and our Fathers after it pleased God to take away his Gospel to send a
famine of hearing the word of the Lord. We were driuen to eate those things whiche were loathsome and horrible to beholde we were driuen to féede vpon our owne children euen the phantasies and vanities of our owne heart There was no substance in them they coulde not féede vs. In this case were the children of Israel when they grewe wearie of the word of God and lefte the ordinaunces sette downe vnto them God had no pleasure in them their prayers and sacrifice were not accepted I can not suffer saieth the Lorde youre newe Moones nor Sabbaoths nor solemne dayes Who hathe required this of your handes In such case were the Scribes Phariseis when they forsooke to be guided by the word of God and tooke awaye the key of Knowledge they fedde vpon their own deuises they neglected the commaÌ„dements and will of God and followed their owne traditions Therefore Christ reprooued them O Hypocrites Esaiaâ— prophecied well of you saying Thys people draweth neare vnto mee wyth their mouth and honoureth mee wyth their lippes but their heart is far off from mee But in vaine they worshippe mee teaching doctrines mens precepts Therefore if wée séeke to knowe the Sacramentes of the Churche what they are if wée woulde bée instructed in the Sacrament of Baptisme or in the SacrameÌ„t of the body and bloud of Christe if wée woulde learne to knowe oure Creatour and to putte the difference betwéene the creatour and a creature if wée desire to knowe what this presente life is and what is that life whiche is to come if we woulde beléeue in God and call vpon the name of God and doe worshippe vnto God if we would be settled in perfect zeale and true knowledge if we woulde haue an vpright conscience towards God if we would know which is the true Church of God it is verye néedeful that we heare the word of God There is no other word that teacheth vs vnto saluation Now it remaineth we speake of the delectation and pleasure which the word of God giueth The worde of God is full of sadde and graue counsell full of the knowledge of God of examples of vertues and of correction of vices of the ende of this life and of the life to come These are the contentes of the worde of GOD. These things saye you are greate and weightie of themselues there is no vanitie or pleasure in them They are greate and waightie I grant and bicause they are so waightie they be the more worthie that we heare them But we muste take a delight and settle our fansie that it maye like of the weight and greatnesse They were vnto the Prophet Dauid more sweete than home and the honie combe If we taste them with suche an affection as hée did wée shall féele and sée the greate and weightie and heauenly pleasure whiche is in them Many are delighted in the stories of Iulius Caesar of Alexander the Greate of mightie and victorious Princes They haue pleasure to reade of their warres of their victories and of their triumphes And many take their pleasure in trauell to far countries to sée the diuerse fashions and behauiour of men If it were possible we mighte stande vpon such a Hill from which we might at once see al parts of the world the Citties and Townes and Mountaines and Forrests and Castels and gorgeous buildings and al the Kings and Princes of the world in their princely estate if we might sée the varietie of the whole worlde how some liue quietly in peace others are turmoyled in war some liue in wealth others in pouerty and miserie some rise others fall To sée and beholde so greate varietie of things it cannot be but it would delight vs. Such a Hill from whence wée maye take view of so great varietie such a story in which we may reade of noble princes of their warres and victories is the worde of God Upon this Hill you may at once behold al the works of his haÌ„ds howe he made Heauen and Earth the Sun and Moone the Sea Flouds the fishes in the water the fouls in the aire and the beastes in the fielde Upon this Hill you may stand and sée his Aungels and his Archangels and blessed spirites howe some of them fell and some continued in glorie howe God hath sent them in message howe they haue come downe from Heauen to serue the sonnes of men Here you may reade of the warres of the God of Hostes howe he hath pitched his tentes in the middest of hys people and hath gone before them and foughte for them How the Amorrheans and Canaanites were rooted out howe the Amalekites were ouerthrowen by the lifting vp of Moses hands in prayer howe the wall of Iericho fell downe flat at the sound of a Trumpet and the shooting of the people and howe 185. thousand Assirians were slaine in one night by the hande of one Aungel when God raughte out his hand from Heauen to giue victorie to his people Here may you sée howe God plagued ouercame his enimies how he drowned Pharao in the red sea and his horses and men and Chariots altogither Herâ— may you sée Nabuchodonosor a mightie Prince so bereft of his wittes that hée forsooke his Palaces and the companye and order of men and liued in the fieldes after the maner of beasts Here may you sée how God stroke King Antiochus and King Herod with filthy diseases caused lice to eate their fleshe Howe he sent downe fire and brimstone from Heauen and destroyed Sodome and Gomorrha for their sinnes Howe he made the earth open and swallowe vppe Dathan and Abâ—â—am howe King Ozias was stricken with Leprosie and carryed from the Temple and cut off from his kingdom What stories of any princes or people in any age can report vnto vs so strange battels so mightie conquests so woÌ„derfull deliuerance in extremities so dreadfull subduing of the enimies as the hand of God hath wrought and the storie of the Scriptures declareth vnto vs This worde also sheweth the goodnes and mercie of God towardes the people which put their truste in him Howe he made them terrible to their ennimies howe he made their enimies their footestoole how he ledde them safe thoroughe the red Sea how he sent his Aungell to go before them and guide them how he gaue them water out of a rocke and rained downe breade from Heauen howe hée brought them into a Lande that flowed with Milke and Hony and sware vnto them that hée woulde bée their GOD and they shoulde be his people In this worde are to be séene wonderfull and straunge workes of God such as are beyonde the course of nature and passe the reason of man That the Sea parted and stoode on both sides as a high wall that at the worde of Iosua the Sunne stoode still and went not on his course Ezechias spake the word and required it and the Sunne went backe tenne degrées At the word of Elias fire came
mercies of God Which way soeuer wée looke we sée the workes of his handes His workes of creation and preseruation of all things his workes of seuere iustice vppon the wicked and of gracious redemption to the beléeuer If we desire pleasant Musicke or excellent harmonie it speaketh vnto vs the wordes of the Father and the consent of the Sonne the excellent reportes of the Prophets Apostles Angles and Saintes of God who haue bene all taught by the holy Ghost If we woulde learne it is a schoole it giueth vnderstanding to the simple In it there is that may content the heart the eare the eye the taste and the smelling It is a sauer of life vnto life Oh taste ye and see howe gracious the Lord is saith the Prophet Dauid So manifold and marueilous are the pleasures which are giuen vs in the worde of God God hath made them and wrought them all for the Sonnes of men Thus haue I perfourmed promise and simply and homely opened those foure things which I tooke in hande I haue declared what weight and Maiestie the word beareth what huge haruest of profite we may reape by it howe needefull it is for vs trauailing thorough the wildernesse of this life and what repast and pleasure wee may finde in it But all this notwithstanding some take exception and say the Scriptures are darke and doubtfull the matters are déepe the words are hard fewe can vnderstand them One taketh them in this sence an other in a sence cleane contrarie The best learned can not agrée about them they are occasion of many great quarels Iohn seeth this booke sealed with seuen seales and an Angel preaching with a loude voice who is worthy to open the booke to loose the feales thereof No man caÌ„ open it no man can read it S. Peter saith among the Epistles of Paul some thinges are harde to be vnderstande which they that are vnlearned and vnstable peruert as they doe all other Scriptures vnto their own destruction And S. Paul saith God dwelleth in the light that none can attaine vnto whom neuer man saw neither can sée Therefore although the Maiestie bée neuer so weightie the profite the necessitie and the pleasure neuer so great yet it is not good for the people to reade theÌ„ Pearles must not be cast before swine nor the breade of the children vnto dogâ— Thus they say In déede the worde of God is pearles but the people are not swine They may not reade them say some they are not able to wéelde them the Scriptures are not for the people Hereof I wil say something and a word or two of the reuerence and feare with which we ought to come to the hearing of them They say the Scriptures are harde and aboue the reach of the people So saide the Pelagian Heretique Iulian whom S. Augustine therefore reproueth Exaggeras quà m sit difficilis pancisque conâ—â—niens eruditis sanctarum cognitio liâ—erarum Yee enlarge and lay out with many wordes how harde a matter the knowledge of the Scripture is and meete onely for a fewe learned men You say the Scriptures are harde who may open them There is no euidence or triall to be taken by them they are fit onely for a fewe learned men they are in no wise fit for the people Thus saide Iulian an Heretique But God himselfe and the auncient Fathers of y e Church said otherwise God saith in Deuteronomie this coÌ„maundement which I commande thee this day is not hid from thee neither is it farre of It is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who shall goe vp for vs to heauen and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that wee may doe it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall goe ouer the Sea for vs and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it But the worde is verie neare vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thy heart for to doe it Thou néedest not runne hither and thither nor wander ouer the Sea nor beate thy braines in searching what thou shouldest doe or by what meanes thou maist liue vprightlye the worde and commaundement of God will teach thée sufficientlye The Prophet Dauid saith The commaundement of the Lorde is pure and giueth light vnto the eyes And Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes Thy worde is not darke it is a lighte vnto my pathe it giueth lighte vnto the eyes What is cleare if the light be darke Or what can hée sée which can not sée the light Humaine knowledge is darke and vncertaine Philosophie is darke Astrologie is darke Geometrie is dark The Professours thereof oftentimes runne a masket they léese themselues and wander they knowe not whether They séeke the depthe and bottome of naturall causes the chaunge of the elements the impressions in the aire the causes of the rainebowe of blasing starres of thunder and lightning of the trembling and shaking of the earth the motions of the planets the proportions and the influence of the celestial bodies They measure the compasse of heauen and count the number of the starrs they goe downe and search the mynes in the bowels of the earth they rippe vp the secrets of the Sea The knowledge of these thinges is harde it is vncertaine Fewe are able to reache it It is not fit for euery man to vnderstand it But the holy spirit of God like a good teacher applieth himselfe to the dulnesse of our wittes He leadeth not vs by the vnknowen places of the earth nor by the ayre nor by the clouds he astonieth not our spirites with naturall vanities He writeth his lawe in our heartes hée teacheth vs to know him his Christ he teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlinesse and worldly lustes and that we shoulde liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present worlde hée teacheth vs to looke for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. This matter is good and it is plaine the wordes are plaine and the vtterance is plaine Chrysostome sayth proprere à Spiritus gratia dispensauit illa temper auitqúe quo Publicani piscatores c. Therfore hath the grace of the holy Spirit disposed and tempered them so that Publicanes and Fishers and Tente makers Shepeherdes and the Apostles and simple men and vnlearned might bee saued by these bookes that none of the simpler sort might make excuse by the hardenesse of them and that such things as are spoken might be easie for all men to looke on that the labouring man the seruant the widowe woman and whosoeuer is most vnlearned may take some good when they are read For they whome GOD euer from the beginning endewed with the grace of his spirite haue not gathered all these thinges for vaine glorie as the Heathen writers vse but for the saluation of the hearers Some
things in the Scriptures are harde I deny it not It is very expedient that somewhat shoulde be couered to make vs more diligent in reading more desirous to vnderstand more feruent in prayer more willing to aske the iudgement of others and to presume the lesse of our owne iudgement Gregorie sayth Magnae vtilitatis est ipsa obscuritas eloquiorum Dei. Facit enim c. The hardenesse whiche is in the worde of God is verie profitable For it causeth a man to take that profite by paines which hee coulde not take with negligence If the vnderstanding were open and manifest it woulde be litle set by Cyrillus saith Omnia plana recta sunt illis qui cognitionem inuenerunt fatuis verò etiam facilimaâ— ob secura videntur All thinges are plaine and straight to them that haue founde knowledge but to such as are fooles the most easiest places seeme harde And againe Eaequae perspicua sunt difficilia sunt haereticis Quomodo enim in maleuolam animam intrabit sapâ—entia Those thinges which are plaine are harde vnto Heretiques For howe can wisedome enter into a wicked heart It is true which S. Peter hath saide some thinges are hard to be vnderstande But it is also true that they which peruert them vnto their own destruction are vnlearned and vnstable that is they to whom they are hard haue not their eyes opened that they may sée the light of the worde or they be wicked and turne the truth of God into lies and abuse the Scriptures to their owne damnation The Howlet séeth not by the brightnesse of the Sunne not because the Sunne beames are dark but for that his eyes are weak and cannot abide so cleare light it is therfore but a pretence and a colour for their ignorance and a meanes to deceiue the people more boldly with their errours when they charge the worde of God wyth darkenesse and hardnesse For how many hundred places are there which be as cleare as noone day God saith I am the Lord thy God thou shalt haue none other gods before me Thou shalt make thee no graueÌ„ image neither any similitude of things that are in heauen aboue neither that are in the earth beneath nor that are in the waters vnder the earth thou shalt neither bow downe to them neither serue them Againe he saith that is cursed that is made with hands both it and he that made it hee because he made it and it because it was called God being a corruptible thing And againe Cursed be al they that worship carued images and delight in vaine Gods This is the word of God What darkenesse is in any of these sayings God saith If thou lend mony to my people to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer vnto him yee shall not oppresse him with vsurie Againe If a man hath not giuen forth vpon vsurie neither hath taken any encrease c. hee shall surely liue but hee that hath giuen forth vpoÌ„ vsurie or hath taken encrease shall he liue He shal not liue And the wages of sinne is death And the soule that sinneth it shall die And againe This yee knowe that no whoremongers neither vncleane person nor couetous person which is an Idolater hath any inheritaÌ„ce in the kingdome of Christ of God Let no man deceiue you with vaine wordes for for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the childreÌ„ of disobedience These are the words of God and what darkenesse is in them Saint Paul saith If it be possible as much as in you lieth haue peace with all men Abhorre that which is euill and cleaue to that which is good auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath Againe Let euerie soule bee subiect to the higher powers there is no power but of God He is the Minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doe euill feare for he beareth not the sworde for naught These bée the wordes of God what darkenesse is in them Saint Iohn saith Christ is the Lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the world And the bloud of Iesus Christ his son clenseth vs from al sinnes Saint Peter saith His owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree that wee being deliuered from sinne should liue in righteousnesse Christe saith Aske and it shall bee giuen you seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you And againe Come vnto me all ye that are weake and laden and I will ease you The Prophet saith Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shall bee saued These bée the words of God What darkenesse is in them What eye so simple but he may sée them The wayes of the Lorde are straight and his wordes plaine euen vnto the simple Câ—rysoft saieth Omnia clara plana sunt in scriptures diuinis quaecunque necessaria sunt manifest a sunt All things are cleare and plaine in the holy Scriptures Whatsoeuer things there is necessarie for vs is also manifest Some thinges are couered as men couer pretious stones and precious garmentes They are couered and yet we sée them Wée sée them and yet they are couered Yet all thinges that are necessarie are plaine and open Clemens saith Nullis caelatum est verbum lux est communis omnibus illucescit hominibus nullus est in verbo Cymmerius The worde of God is hid from no man It is a light common vnto all men there is no darkenesse in Gods worde Marke it is a common light and shineth to all men It is as bright and beautifull as the Sunne there is no dungeon or darknesse in it So sayth Irenaeus Scripturae in aperto sunt sine ambiguitate similitâ—r ab omnibus audiri possunt The Scriptures are plaine without doubtfulnesse and may be heard indifferently of all men All men may heare them euen all sortes of men without exception Where be they then which say it is not lawfull for the people to haue the worde of God and that the Scriptures are not méete for their reading they are breade they are drinke they nourish vnto euerlasting life great crueltie it is to sterue Gods people to death Are they vnfit to haue the Scriptures because they bée poore Christ sayth The poore receiue the gladde tidings of the Gospell And Blessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen They want riches and worldly glorie but God giueth his feare and grace to them as well as to the rich Are they vnfit to reade the Scriptures because they are not bred vp in other learning S. Paul saith I esteemed not to know any thing among you but Iesus Christ and him crucifyed The Prophet Dauid saith Blessed is the man ô Lord whom thou teachest in thy lawe And Christ saith Thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding
worlde but for a fewe The heauen was made but for a fewe The mercie and loue of God was but for a fewe But the mercie of God is ouer al and vpon al and for all Al haue right to heare the word of God al haue néede to know the word of God Al haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God Therefore Christe calleth all Venite ad me omnes c. Come vnto mee all yee that bee wearie and laden Yong men and olde men men and women rich and poore come to mée God is no accepter of persons It is not the wil of your Father which is in Heauen saith Christ that one of these little ones shold perish Who wil that al men shall be saued come to the knowledge of truth God wil loke to him that is pore of a contrite spirite and trembleth at hys wordes God wil regard such a one and make him a fitte vessell to receiue hys truth Upon him that is suche a one shall the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of God reste Not only vppon the rich the wise and the learned but vpon him that is pore and of a contrite heart and trembleth at his words Upon hym that humbleth himselfe vnder the mightie hand of God He is the temple and the Tabernacle of the holy Ghoste He that is humble in heart shall be saued God resisteth the proud but giueth grace to the lowly Therefore Christe saide I giue thee thankes O father Lorde of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstaÌ„ding and hast opened them vnto babes Euen to suche as haue no learning whych reioice in nothing but in thée The wise and learned of the worlde can not heare them can not sée them but they to whome it pleased thée to giue vnderstanding It is thy mercie Flesh and bloud cannot reach the knowledge of thy will The spirite of the Father hath reuealed it Christe saith My sheepe heare my voice and I knowe them and they followe mee They will not follow a stranger My people are simple as shéepe they are rude and knowe not what they doe Yet they knowe my voice and followe me they knowe their Shéepheard from a théefe they followe not the call and voice of a straunger So we sée that God chaceth no maÌ„ away from hearing his worde he loatheth not the pore because of his pouertie he refuseth him not for he is the God of the pore they be his creatures S Augustine saith Deus in Scripturis quasi amicus familiaris loquitur ad cor doctorum indoctorum Almightie God in the Scriptures speaketh as a familiar friend without dissimulation vnto the hearts both of the learned and of the vnlearned He abaseth hymselfe and speaketh to their capacitie for his will is that all shoulde come to the knowledge of the truth and be saued Nowe let vs consider with what fearâ— and reuerence we oughte to come to the hearing or reading of the worde of God The Aungel of the Lord appeared vnto Moses in a flame of fire out of the middest of a bushe When Moses turned aside to sée God said vnto him Come not hither Put thy shoes off thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holye ground Againe when God had appointed to speak vnto the people from Mount Sion he said to Moses Go vnto the people and sanctifie them to day and to morow and let them wash their clothes let them be readie on the. 3. day for the. 3. daye the Lorde will come downe in the sight of al the people vpon mount Sinai The worde of the Lorde is the Bush out of which issueth a flame of fire The Scriptures of God are the mount from which the Lord of Hostes doth shew him selfe In them God speaketh to vs. In them we heare the words of euerlasting life We muste be sanctified and washe out garmentes and be readie to heare the Lorde We muste strippe off all our affections we must fal do 〈…〉 with fear we must 〈…〉 speaketh Euen God 〈…〉 and Earth God 〈…〉 Lord Iesus Christe God 〈…〉 iudge the quicke and the dead 〈…〉 whome al flesh shal appeare His worde is holie Let vs take 〈◊〉 into what hearts we bestow it 〈◊〉 euer abuseth it shall be founde guilti 〈◊〉 high trespas against the Lord. We may not receiue it to blow vp our harts and waxe proude with our knowledge We may not use it to maintaine debate and coÌ„tentioÌ„ we may not vse it to vaunt our selues or to make shew of our cunning The word of God teacheth lowlinesse of minde it teacheth vs to knowe oure selues If we learne not humilitie wée learne nothing Although we séeme to knowe somewhat yet knowe we not in such sorte as we ought to know The Scriptures are the mysteries of God let vs not be curious lette vs not séeke to knowe more than God hath reuealed by theÌ„ They are y e sea of God let vs take 〈…〉 drowned in the. They 〈…〉 let vs take comfort by 〈…〉 take héed they burne 〈…〉 gaze ouer hardly vpon 〈…〉 blemish in their eye sight 〈…〉 the people of Israel sawe the 〈…〉 in the desart they said Man Hu◠〈…〉 this so they reasoned of it wheÌ„ 〈…〉 it vp in their handes and behelde it They asked one an other what good it woulde do The Scriptures are Mannaâ— giuen to vs from Heauen to séede vs in the desart of this worlde Let vs take them and behold them and reason of them and learne one of an other what profit may come to vs by theÌ„ lette vs knowe that they are written for our sake and for our learning that through patience comfort of the Scriptures we may haue hope They are giuen vs to instruct vs in faith to strength vs in hope to open our eies and to direct our going If we withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse if we know our Masters wil do it not if the name of God be ill-spoken of through vs the word of God shal be taken away from 〈…〉 nation which shal 〈…〉 thereof God shall send 〈…〉 on that we shall beléeue 〈…〉 heart shal condemne vs an 〈…〉 beaten with many stripes Therefore we ought 〈…〉 giue héede to those thinges 〈…〉 heare we must coÌ„sider of them 〈…〉 chew the cudde Euerie beast that 〈…〉 not the cudde is vncleane and noâ—â— for sacrifice Let vs be poore in spirit 〈◊〉 méeke in heart let vs be gentle as be commeth the Lambes of Christ and as his shéepe let vs heare his voyce and followe him Let vs be of a contrite spirit tremble at the words of God let vs when we know God glorifie him as God So shall God looke vpon vs so shal the spirit of wisdome vnderstanding and of couÌ„sel of knowledge and of the feare of God rest vpon vs so shall we be
recorde that they haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge they haue the care and feare of God they are zelous in their doings they haue deuotion they pretend conscience they think they do wel and that they please God When they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles They knew not what they did for if they had knowlege they wold neuer haue crucified the Lorde of glorie But they knowe not the trueth of God they know not God they are caried away in y ◠vanity of their own hart Their prayers are no prayers The truth they holde is falshoode their faith is no faith they are shéepe without a shephearde Thus we haue heard what we are and in what place Nowe let vs sée what enemies bende their force against vs. We fight against the gates of hell with the Diuell the prince of darkenesse the father of lies with the Diuel which hath power ouer the children of disobedience by whose malice death came into the world Euen that Diuel bendeth his force against vs which deceiued Adam in Paradise which hath deceiued the learned Philosophers and beguiled the Princes and wisemē and the worthies of the world Which doth abuse and entice our hands our eyes our learning our wit and our owne heart to deceiue vs. He rampeth as a Lion and raungeth ouer the worlde séeking whom he may deuour This is his delite and studie Hée hath bene a murtherer from the beginning If this were euer true at any time our times haue founde it most true We are they vpon whom y e ends of y e world are come Nowe is this Scripture fulfilled in our eares Now sée we the dayes whereof Christ warned his disciples so earnestly They shal say Loe here is Christ and there is Christ This is the truth that is the truth There shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall deceiue many they shal betray the truth Many shal be offended by them if it were possible the verie elect They whose names are written in y e booke of life shold be deceiued And except those dayes should bee shortned there should no flesh be saued but for the elects sake those dayes shal be shortned The sun shalbe darkned the moone shal not giue hir light The sun is the word of God the moone signifieth the Church The powers of heauē shal be moued all the kinreds of the earth shal mourn Abhomination of desolatiō shal stand in the holy place Let him that readeth consider it This is the mysterie of iniquitie of which S. Paul speaketh to the Thessalonians Which worketh among them that perish Thus are we forewarned God hath giuen vs his worde to aduise vs that we be not caste awaye vnawares They that walk in the darke know not whether they go if the blinde leade the blinde both fall into the ditch he that is ignorant shal not be knowen Christ shall say vnto him I knowe you not departe from mée yée curssed into euerlasting fire Their worme shall not die and their fire shal not be put out In this case what shal a godly disposed simple man do How shall he settle himselfe To which fide may he safelye ioine himselfe If he make reconing of learning there are learned men on both sides if he make reconing of vertue and godly life there be vertuous men and of godly life on both sides if he make reconing of zeale either side is zelous in y ◠religion they hold if he make reconing of y e name of y e Church they take it as wel to the one side as to the other if he make reconing of the multitude there are many on either side but neither side hath so many as hath the Turke Whether then may a man turne himselfe and to which side may he safely ioine In this case we find the comfort and profite of the word of God In this case S. Paule telleth vs whatsoeuer things are writtē aforetime are written for our learning to lighten our eyes to resolue our doubts and to guide our féete This lighte God hathe kindled in his mercie to lighten them that sit in darkenesse Except he had left vs a sparkle of this light we hadde perished becom like to Sodoma Gomorrha Dauid saith Thy word is a Lantern to my pathes and a light to my feete By it I may sée the way which is before me by it I can escape danger and by it I can kéepe the path wherein I ought to walk When Christ perceiued that the Capernaites the Iewes misliked his doctrine went back walked no more with him he said to y e xij Wil ye also go away You are my disciples whō I haue chosen out of this world wil you also go away Simō Peter answered him Maister to whō shal we go thou hast the word of eternal life If we forsake thée who shall instruct vs thy word is the word of eternall life With this word Christ cōfounded the Scribes and Phariseis and put them to silence Yee reiect saith hée the commaundement of God that yee may obserue your owne tradition For Moses said Honor thy father and thy mother whosoeuer shall curse father or mother let him die the death But ye say if a man say to father or mother Corbam that is by the gifte that is offered by mee thou maiest haue profite he shalbe free With this word he confounded them for misusing of the Temple by buying selling It is written mine house shall bee called the house of praier but yee haue made it a denne of theeues With this worde he put them to silence confounded their error in y ◠they thought it lawfull for a man to put away his wife for euerie fault From the beginning it was not so With this worde he confounded the Diuel and chased him from him It is written man shall not liue by breade onely but by euery word that procedeth out of the mouth of God And againe It is written thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God And againe It is written thou shalt worshippe the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue This word confounded the Arians all sects of heretiks What is become of Marcion of Nestorius of Valentinu◠of Menander of Sabellius of Eutyches and others they are blowen away as smoke before the winde the word of God hath confounded them and beat them away As Dagon fell and brake his hands and necke and coulde not stande in the presence of the Arke of the Lord euen so shall all falshode fall and hide it selfe in the presence of the truth of God As the Rod of Moses deuoured the Rods of the Charmers as the beames of the Sunne driue away and consume darknesse so shal the word of God chase away errors When the two Disciples walked by the way with Christ they said betwéene thēselues after their eyes were opened that they knew him