his wife And why Moses that spake vnto the Lorde face to face had not the power nor wisedome at that instant to sanctifie the Lorde at the waters of Merebath I could not a long time disgest that same of Saul that though he had grace most plentifull yet fell be from it Nor of Achitophell that was so often times in the tabernacle of the Lord and in the ende strangled him selfe so villenously with a halter Or why Iudas that was among the twelue and I doubt not but he did myracles preached to yet fell so strangely in the end And hardly was I satisūed when I found a doubt of a number in the booke of God whose dealinges were somtimes commended whose liues at length so altered whose endes were feared and despised of many The first sorte were good and are saide to haue pleased the Lorde God and I knowe and I am assured that they had the spirite of the Lorde aboundantly yet did they fall verie grossely The seconde forte that I reckoned vp had the Spirite of the Lorde for a season and it was taken away from them for it was abused by them and they had their portion whiche was condemnation The thirde sort that I finde are such as fell and did rise and yet in the ende howe they ended and dyed for that they are not condemned we haue lefte it to the Lorde Three sortes of men I synde and three sortes of workinge and thrée manners of operations by the Spirite The first from death vnto life and saued dayly by renouation The second from life vnto death that fell continually by reprobation The thirde betwixt them bothe that lined sinned and offended and were strengthened I doubt not but saued but by imputation by grace through Christe The Creature cannot bee as is the Creator neyther Adam as was God that made him But hee that hath the fulnesse of the Spirite of the holye Ghoste in ample and full measure dwelling in him remaining in deitie in godhead in diuinitie hath that which is proper to God and Christo Then neyther man neither creature neyther any thing on earth can haue this propertie to winde the Spirite as he listeth for it is proper onely to the Lorde Elias prayed for rayne God heard him When he fled from Iezabell he was nourished by the Angell of god Elias deuideth the waters and is taken vp into heauen in a flerie Charriot If hée prayed he had it not of himselfe he acknowleged the gift there of from God. If the Angell was sent from God he did not commaunde it nor trust in his owne might he confessed one that sent him He deuided the waters for the spirite of God did moue him yet stayed he his time for the spirite of God did leade him And he was taken vp not of himselfe but at the commaundement and will of God that called him Are they better then Elyas I neuer sawe it yet Are they stronger then Moses that made Aegypt to quake Then shewe me thy myracles and commaund the waters the Sea the ayre the heauens to obey thée Yet shalt thou be but a man and be ruled by the Lorde Are they more perfect and vpright then Samuel Hardly is it to be credited And yet worke what thou canst worke it is not of thy selfe The spirite it is not thine Thy déedes and dealings be not thine owne Thy cogitations and thoughts if they be good I say with Paul and with the prophets They be the giftes of God. Will the Sunne and the Moone rule the heauens or be they not ruled of the Lord Can the clouds scatter their droppes abroade Or the horie frostes lie on the grasse Or the caterpiller eate vp the hearbes Or drought consume them on the earth Or the pestilence ransake the kinges Pallaces Or death do his mesage in aresting thée If the Lore send them not No more canst thou doe any good if he guide thée not The gould is digged in the earth the cloddes be broken the drosse is purged the fine mettaile is laid vp for store And so is man by the Lorde altered renewed strengthened and clensed and kept against the day of righteousnesse Can the potte pleade with his maister Be it of brasse or clay of Copper or Siluer or of Gould Or the plante that is set in the earth be it peare or aple or what fruite else soeuer may it reason with him that graffed it for that it might haue ben made one of a better tast Why then shoulde we murmur at the Lorde that ruleth vs and giueth a boundaunce of his spirite and vprightnesse of life according to his will and secrete purpose Not as man thinketh at his owne pleasure to vse or abuse as him listeth It is very true that the holy ghost appeared visiblie by signes on the apostles like clouen tongues and is saide to come in fyre But it is no argument God sheweth his powre visiblie by his spirite Ergo God is in vs really in spirite For I knowe that the Apostles were not deisted in that place made so perfect that they could not sinne For Paul resisted Peter to his face in the Gallathians For that when he was in Antiochia before certeine came from Iames he eate with the Gentiles But when they were come he withdrewe him and seperated himselfe fearing them whiche were of the Circumcision In like manner Barnabas So that it is no argument They receiued the holy ghost Ergo they sinned not But euen God in his elect wil be glorified in that they falling downe rise againe so gloriously In déede the Persians doe reason here that therfore the fire is God because the holy ghost appeered as fire And these heritickes that they be as God because God is saide to dwell in them Truth it is that the spirite of God is the earnest of our inheritaunce and that we are the temples of the holy ghost yet but by a way of comparison For wee finde it in the lawe get you out from among them O my people And seperate your selues from them saith the Lorde And touch not him that is vncleane the one expresseth the other As the Temple is kepte and consecrated to god so ought our bodies and soules to be hallowed sanctified and kept cleane vnto the Lorde As touching the beasty and lasciuious life wherevnto they be giuen no heart can suffer it and my pen it shaketh to report it But if that be true that is in Paul. Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies to obey the lustes thereof If that be so in the Galathians Fornicatours idolaters adulterers wantones buggerers théeues dronkerds extortioners raylers shall nót inherite the kingdome of God If it be true to the Corinthians to avoide Fornication let euery man haue his wife let euery woman haue her owne husbande If vnto the Ephesians beware of fornication vncleanesse coueteousnesse let it not be
there is one God that it is the gift of the Lorde and that it commeth by hearing the worde and by preaching Thus when thou arte armed knowe that thy redemption is wrought thy full satisfaction is ended thou thy selfe art made a newe creature and taken into the sheepfolde of the Lorde and incourage thée the more in thy harde and wearisome iourney take with thee the commeditie and fruite whiche thou reapest and gather it vp as the clusters of grapes in the haruest or as the Oliue and the Sinamand in the Summer for the sweate of thy browes and the labour of thy handes and the ende of thy tranaile and of thy paine shall bee this Firste thy sinnes are forgiuen thée for hée that beleeueth shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Matthew 9.2 Luke 7.50 Actes 10.43 I suppose it to be spoken of Christe to this ende That man borne of a woman and hauing but a short time to liue being full of miserie might knowe him selfe to bée worse then the creatures that perish if he had not a meane and waye to saue him so that by faith wee are no more dead so the fleshe but quiekened to the Lorde Christ and thy sinnes be washed My â—â—rruption purified thy vncleannesse cleansed thy darknesse lightened thou thy selfe by fayth saued The second benefite that commeth to you my Children by this doctrine I haue taught you is that wee are the Children of god Iohn 1.12 Galat. 3.26 The greatest glory in this lyfe that the prowde and stately man doth thinke vpon is honor heare on earth and superiority with the highest and heire to him that is greatest and familiaritie with stately Lordes and Lorolike states but the Children of obedyence they leaue the transitorye worlde they mount vp into the Skye they pearce the Heauen and dwell with the Lorde of Lordes and bee heires and Sunnes vnto him The thirde commodity you shall finde hereby is this that Christe dwelleth in vs Eph. 3.12 and that you be made Temples of God habitations of the holy Ghost whom wee haue receyued from the Lorde Iohn 14.17 Rom. 5.5 and 8.9.2 Cor. 1.22 and 5.5 and 6.16 Galâ— 3.2 Ephe. 2.22 This also taketh away the righteousnes of such as walke not after the the spirite but after the flesh that quenche the graces giuen vnto them and blinded with the spirite of error remayne still in darkenes it iustefieth those that bée Goddes and it is our singular comforte that hee dwelleth and remayneth amonge vs so that all filthynes must bee layde aparte dressinge and trimminge our bodyes as fit places to receyue the holy Choste walking not in wantonnes and banquetting neither in ryot and gluttony after the manner of this world but frame fashion our earthly members the the man of God may appeare and the loue of the father which is spred abroad in our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. The fourth and excellent dignity that you my litle ones and all other that profes vnfainedly shal receine is this You bée iustefied purefied regenerated and sanctefied and by fayth Actes 13.39 and 15.9 and 26.18 Rom. 3.24 and 4.5 and 5.1 and 9.30 and 10 10. Philip. 39. Colos 1 23. From him it commeth that you haue lyfe who when you weare culpaple béefore the Lorde wrought a meane to strike out the hande wrighting written in the Table of stone and hath opened vs a Doore to enter in at that weare depriued of the Glory of God hath ingrauen his commaundements in our hartes that more fréely by his grace wee might sée our redemption wrought in Christ Iesus by whom in fayth wee are adopted and Circumcised not in a Circumcision made with handes but in cuttinge away our carnall affections by the force of the spirite and as beeing enemyes wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sunne so now beeinge reconciled wée shal be saued by his life For to such as walke in the steppes of our Father Abraham hath hee giuen eternall saluatioÌ„ according to promise that was not called by the will of man and the wil of fleshe but by the will of God So that blessed bee our Lorde Iesus Christ that setteth out his loue towarde vs and hath giuen vs the ernest of his Spirit and in a more heanenly washinge purified vs and that not by water but by the holy Ghoste is it that hee hath renewed vs And with a better blessinge then the which was of Moses that lasted for a season and is abolished newly sanctefied vs and by a fayth that maketh not ashamed strengthned vs that wee might come and dwell with Christe whose prayse is not of men but of God. The fifth and the last preâ—eminence that you my Children for the long frauaile and tediousnes wherin you haue wearied your selues shall purchase and get vnto you is that you shall obtayne life euerlasting Ioh. 3.15 and 5.24 and 6.40 and 11.25 and 20.29 Actes 16.3 Rom. 1.12 Iohn 5.13 This is the greatest and the worthyest crowne of glory that can bee giuen vnto man for that trouble which I know lyeth vpon you for the Gospell it is not to bee compared vnto the life to come and the persecution which befalleth to the godly and that sinne which now hath dominion ouer you that ruleth them which are not fully called in Christe wil be an occasion that hereafter your obedyence shall burst out into rightuousnes your righteousnes to perfectnes your perfectnes to holynesse your holynes to redynes your redynes to steadynes your steadynes vnto eternall life And the God of glory will directe you by his spirit the spirit shall leade you vnto Christ hee will make a consummation of your sorrowes and crowne you with his Glory and bring you to his HabitacioÌ„ where he hath dweit euer Whose ritches are vnsearcheable whose wisdome is without depth whose ioyes are not to bee opened of such as feare his name which hée hath prouided and layde vp and hidden in his secrete treasuries till his day of appearing which hee will bestow vpon the iust and vpon the Sainctes that call vpon him by true faith For of him and through him for him ar all thinges to whom bee Glorye for euer and auer Amen FINIS The second part of the Readings of John Keltridge NOw therfore hauinge instructed you how to enter vnto the Lorde and the Hedge beeing broken to come more readely vnto his dwellinge you may freely and with a good courage draw neare to his Temple and there in his sight with reuerence and feare powre out your prayers before him For this cause as a pawne and pledge of the care that I haue and as one in due time ordayned of the Lorde to set forth his worde I haue this day discharged my conscience beefore the Lord and his annoynted and beefore you all To you of the younger sorte I sende greetinge I wish knowledge and wisdome to the rest To the aged and gray headed Fathers health
that créepe so slyly and serch so narrowely the hearts of poore brethren wil one day I trust take more holde of the trewe light of the Lord whose priuate conscience if it were aswell knowen abroade as it is practised in corners they would haue bene cut off long ere this And it is no meruail they busze so much in the cares of men for the liberty the God hath giuen Dauid can snaffle such an accursed Semei if he dissēble not As for the Anabaptist reason if hée giue thée a blow on the right eare turne vnto him the other It abideth not the heat the Sun doth wyther it for if it may bée to winne thy brother to get a soule to God Take two on each eare rather then reuenge it If god bee not dishonored therby giue him thy Cloake to if hée will and leaue all But if the word be defamed and the Gospel sclaundered I say agayne turne vnto him smite agayne spare him not I giue no priuate man to iudge the case let the seniors in Israel heare the matter iudge therof But if thou bée set vpon be betrayed all alone or with others turne thy face again take vp stones to hurte at him reuēge thy cause it is the Lords I aske but a questiō here why did Christes disciples wear swords This is of a truth if it had not béen lawful hée would neuer haue permitted them as Moses when hée saw one fighting with his Brother slew the Aegiptian Such is our case no other Their what may be said vnto the prayer of Sampson for it is his request vnto God the he may be reuēged vpō his enimies the Philistines for the they put out both his eyes Peter Martir is of this opinion the if hée did it with an euill malitious stomacke in anger that then it cannot be vpholden and borne withall for sayth hée Non potuisset magis deo probari quam si expresse dixisset quaeso Domine bene fortunes vel furcum vel adulteriū meum Augustine is of this opinion with diuers other writes to That hée did it by the singuler instinction or mouing of the holie ghost and the pricking forward of the spirite And so it is not a misse to take it For that whiche to man as it is in man from man is nought So by the styring vp of the spirit if we haue an assured certeine token thereof many things may be permitted which is not lawful for vs otherwise to do Commeth now into my minde in what a desperate state they bée that for euery trifle and vpon so slight occasion as nowe is common in our English rufflers spill Innocent blood Oh that it pleased the Lorde to lighten the hartes of men To sée with what price wée are bought in Christe The hande of Caine would not bée so readye at the throte of Abell as it is But now Romulus is drawinge the Sworde and it bée with Remus for the Kingdome Esau and Iacob agrée not Ismaell and Isaak will not dwell togeather Ioseph is ready to bee solde for mony Saull séeketh after Dauid The Samaritan lyeth wounded no man helpeth him What shall I say more The great man curseth the poore man the poore man complayneth of the riche The godly man hée sayth hee hateth him for hee is euell The euill hee flyeth him that is pure in harte hée is not for his purpose Thus euery one hath his seuerall maner eche person hath his reasons no man loueth one another I aske once agayne another question how canste thou pray Forgiue vs our debts when of a certeinty thou thy selfe forgiuest none The makebate he pleadeth for himself his gentlemanlike qualities his stocke and parentage from whence hee came His Hercules hart hee hath can not bee plucked downe for it is not Courtier like Surely more curteous and lesse Courtiars were good for England Shall I speake my minde I would of truth but I feare you of the court Yet must I correcte my selfe I goe awrye for a noble harte is alwayes séene by a valiant courage And Theseus neuer presed to brawle But the field and the Forte to goe to the Baryars not priuate corners to séeke to wrestle in is Gentleman-like And such as séeke this to them I speake To this vnhappy worlde now all thwackt and pestered with graceles men to you all I say the truth I will leaue of my Gowne and set apart my profession for a time and I will reason with you and prepare aswell as you can take your Armor vnto you for of truth if you be not wel fenced I will not spare you This onely I craue that your weapons mine may bee alike For you bée merciles men I know it well enough you would ouerreache mee And my quarrell that I striue for is to you that be Fathers That suffer your Children to spend so long a time in Idlenes and ryot that permit them to bee Courtyars for a yéere or two and when their substance is spent suffer them to be beggers al there life In Rome learning was so muche esteemed and in Aegipt so much reuerenced that Kings were called priests And Senators were Philosophers and Consules were Prophetides their honorable men were lerned men But now adayes the Innes of the Court and London hath consumed so many that fewe are lefte to write or to read or to know almost what God meaneth Is there not a gray headed man to beare mée witnes that whereas they had neuer a Beggar amonge them of Israell wee haue now many thousandes with vs in England But wil no man speake for mée Shall I fight all alone with these Maisterlesse men or dare no man vtter that which hée hath séene That within 60 yeres sithence these Gentlemanlike qualities budded vp two Runnagates for one true man two quarelers for such as accustomeably were woont to bée at quiet are now of late spronge vp with vs of England If no man dare aduenture with mee the brunte hereof such blowes as my youth can afforde sutch doo I offer you and warde it as well as yee can and speake the truth Is not euery Plowman become a Gentleman doth not many a Marriner sende his sonne forth to bée a Courtiar do not men of occupations trayne vp their Children to know fashions Is not the kytchin Boye waxed prowde is hee not nowe beecome a waytinge Boye is not all thinges so chaunged with your disorder that if a Ruffian peecpe out of the thresholde he must haue a Page with him Then truely looke vnto it for there is vtterly a fault amonge you And it is that for which I striue nowe and it is common with you in the Citie Where men do swimme so deepe in blood as they doo No forgiuing no forgetting All reuenging no reuealing their debts come rowling home in their bosome that owe any The daye hath béene that quietnes was so much set by
shoulde worke in him and corrupt Adam by his owne falte For in that the sinne and infirmitie whiche lurketh in an other is bewrayed and brought to light marke the prouidence and gouernement of the Lorde which bringeth that to passe whereby his owne wisedome righteousnesse and mercy may appeare If he did worke and cause an adulterous minde in a man whose minde was pure and innocent before and then moued him to vtter the same in act and déede somewhat what it were that we had to say vnto the Lord But if he worke not that adulterous minde but findeth it corrupt and defiled by Sathan and by the person him selfe and then ordeineth that shal be fall causeth the same wickednesse in that same man to tende to his glorie Let vs try out the vnsearchable riches and wisedome of the Lorde that causeth the same thing which of it selfe is euill to turne be chaunged vnto that which shal be good Then if these men vnderstande by his will that God delighted not in Adames sinne there is no strife I say so and so we fight with the ayre But if there by is ment It was not Gods decrée and ordinaunce that Adam shoulde finne but all onely for his fall and in respect of sinne they my bee Anathamatized and that iustely For they plucke God out of his throne they haue no consideration but measure the Lorde as man To this tendeth both the rest for nowe I must be short and I doubt not but GOD will permitte that I may one day make longer discourse hereof Christ is saide to die and for our redemption for his resurrection is our iustification Nowe it was Gods will this should be why then shall not the Iewes be excused O wretched man that I am that shoulde thus reason against the goodnesse of God and abuse his long sufferaunce that bringeth vs to eternall life I answere that same filthy Papist that scholler of so vile a maister and that sought his death and mine and séeth it not Pyggyus Often times God wicked men I speake according to our weakenesse and in reuerence are said to thinke one thing For Adam woulde sinne and Gods will was he should sinne but Adam would be like and equall to God he woulde bée perfect knowing good and euill Gods will was that Adam through his owne faulte shoulde sinne to turns Adames sinne to good and to bring good out of euill so that out of his perdition he brought saluation out of his fall strength and life Out of his thoughts and cogitation blessednesse and perfection vnto man. The Iewes will was to put Christe to death And Gods will was his sonne should die But to the Iews it was in malice and crueltie But of God in goodnesse and clemēcie For hee raunsomed vs that were prisoners captiues in the slauerie of the deuill Hes gaue vs life that were before in death and offered vs saluation that were before in condempnation wherfore this argument is nought God willeth it and we will it Ergo our willes is one It is a causa non sufficiente He the taught this may go to schoole againe set him downe for ought that I can sée for if he turne not ouer a newe leafe it is not this can euer honest him Take the reason God hath a Consideration in his will and purpose more then man hath for an vnthriftie childe willeth the death of his father God also will haue him die But it is in another maner The vnthriftie sonne doth it to enioy his fathers goodes God doth it to make an exchaunge to conueigh him out of miserie to life if he bee his for hee ordeined it before all beginninge Or to translate him from vs vnto death if hee hath not chosen him in Christe for it is his lot and hee decréede it before the worlde And heere I staye For if Paul can not Satisfte thée in his discourse to the Romanes neither do I looke to perswade thée herein That if thou like not me and my wordes as the Orator did of Plato and Isocrates when he spake of Theusidides so say I of Caluin of Zwinglius let me go astray with the m. Nowe to conclude all Leade vs not into temptation The verie meaning and true exposition is this Let O Lorde thy spirite bée with vs directe vs in our dooinges gouerne vs in that wée goe about suffer vs not to bée tempted beyonde that wée are able to beare For the Diuell and Sathanas seketh to molest inueigle away the Children of god And it is our duety to pray vnto the Lorde that wee be not ouercome in our temptation For they of God they study not to do well and to win Heauen by their merrits but they praye to stand stedfastly that they may bée saued and haue redemption in his death They study not by good workes to obtaine Saluation but because they are already saued for they be assured therof they will bee thankefull and obediente to the Lord because in his free election he hath saued them The like may bée sayd of the last words Deliuer vs from Euill For to this ende is our life our dealings our conuersation our vprightnes beefore the Lorde That wée haue an assured testimony of his good will that hée will kepe vs from death The rest of this Prayer For thine is the kingdome thy powre and thy glory for euer and euer Because our Luke hath pretermitted it therfore will not I at this time touch it In this my short Treatise if I haue done any good I am glad therof The poore substance that I haue and that litle God hath giuen mée that I haue offered to you all when God shall enritch mée with greater store and my Barnes better filled then now they bée So good corne as our Barren soyle bringeth forth of that I willingly will giue you choyse Onely at this time take my presente farewell as a grayne or two left behinde to fill vp your measure for I would haue no man to suspecte mee for my waight And let not my doctrine bee an offence to any this was only the the true meaninge that I had to teach one Lorde and Iesus Christe whom bee sente the redéemer of the world that I worship in the Spirite And this I commit vnto the whole Churche of God whose building and workemanship if it bée any other then this let it bée accursed 1. The foundation or corner Stone Christ 2. The builders his Ministers 3. The Morter to temper it is Veritie 4. The Lyme to season it is Skilfulnesse 5. The Sande to strengthen it is Wisdome and scattered thorough euery parte parcell of this buildinge 6. The Instruments to worke withall be the guiftes of the holy Ghoste 7. The Pillers Confidence and Trust 8. The Walles the two Sacramentes 9. The ground or Pauement our Profession 10. The Roofe or couering Perseuerance 11. The Windowes and light the working and lightning wee haue from the Spirit 12.
abyvvord that those that be not as they are they be vvithout therfore they may svveare though falsly if it be for the safetie of their companion others are thought to be but Aegyptians that are not as they be Arbitrarii A subtile and craftie reason taken from the impotencie that is in man the more by his â—railtie and vveikenesse to stirre vp man. Ieromagainst Bryto Marke the state of vvickednes for as euery thing is most phantasticall so commonly iâ— is beleeued Sooner is the trueth abolished then filshod rooted out and for this reade the state of the kings of israel Osorius I thinke as odiosus to the church of God. Martyn Luther Many things to be vvayed in the handeling of free vvill In God are vve made redie to doe good in our selues vvee Iose all euen our ovvne selues The calling of the finner and the alteration in this life of the vngodly man is the onely vvorke of God. With our conception commeth in sin vviped avvay in the blood of Christ The manner and order of our saluatioÌ„ If man had life of him selfe then no man vvoulde die but this is salse then no doubt eternall life commeth from God. Sorites or rather gradatio So longe as there is life so long raigneth sin in our mortall bodies yet by our imputation in Christ it is vviped avvay Foure seueral things required in the regenerate man This meane is much contempned preachinge despised if the man bee misliked therfore is there open to kens of infidelitie Enthusiastike very heretikes Heare the vvorde refuse it not rebell not against the spirite God is saide to do it the sonne to bring it the holy ghost to finish it if it be good that is man and this vvorke is but one Proofe that all our good actions come of God. god electeth Christe saueth the spirite vvorketh and all this is but one vvork in one God. Nazianzne Ierom. The verie chosen and elect vessels of God haue their faultes some more and some lesse Augustine The labor of man is in vaine if God helpe not then much lesse is our saluation in our povvre being sinfull Iudgementeâ— and vvorks in God are secret Cyprian The Pathers are very daungerous to vvade in vvithout great aduisement and ernest prayer for euery one hath his fall the young vvits are casely choked vvith them The consideration of the creatures conuersant vvith vs doth amaz and dim our sight then much more God. If vvee could but immagine the state of the blessed vvee shoulde be rauished O Lord hovv straungly Contentious Scismatickes become if God stay not grosse Heretickes Cypriâ—â— The vvill of God is of tvvo sortes God as hee is can not bee comprehended but as hee shevveth him selfe vnto vs and hath reuealed him selfe in the vvorkâ— of his hands so not els can vvee knovv him The minde of God is said to be knovven for that he gaue vs his Worde and his Gospell vvherin vvee savve the vvil of his father In Christ are vve partakers of the heauenly nature The prophets and the fathers receiued the same spirite vvhich vve do novve yet it is more apparant speketh more familiarly vnto vs then in olde time Three things considered in the vvill of God. All good things commeth from aboue the father of light then papistes haue no place manthinkeâ—h gift of God. The earthly manthinketh vpon those things that are earthly he that is heauenly layeth his cogitations vpoÌ„ those things that are aâ— Our redemptioÌ„ vvrought and bought in Christ Iesus freely The Church of God is knovven in that they Ioue one another All bee not alike but as is the measure of grace so do vve liue in this vvorld To keepe vs from fin it is the token of the man of God. Loue bindeth vp all sores healeth all vvoundes Mortefiynge of our fleshly members is rising vp vnto God. Persecution coÌ„mon trials of the faythfull As sheepe are vve slayne for the Lord sake All creatures obedient to the vvill of God. Euery houre are vvee put in minde of our seruice to the Lorde by his creatures This blessednes shal bee seene in the nevve Ierusalem vvhen the Sainctes and the Aungels and the heauens and earth vvill make one consente and one voyce in seruing God no not the Diuelles shall rebel any more against him but stande to his â—udgemente As God by his vvill did that he could so by that ought vve be vvilling to that hee vvilleth vs least vvee striue against the vvill of God. The vnhappy and pittifull fall of man is seene in that all things stand serue and obay God vve only left that first state and fell from that happines vvherin vvee vvere The earth be coÌ„meth Iron and the beauens be as brasse the trees denie their seruice vnto man if God be angrie vvith him Firste seeke the kingdom of God then all things shal be ministred vn to thee The good gifts of the Lorde are common to all for the Sun shineth and the raine droppeth vppon the vnrighteous as on the righteous man. He that needeth prayeth to haue it he that hath it prayeth to keepe it but happie is that man vvhich doth his duitie and prayeth as commaunded of God that hee falleth not The singular operation vvorking gouernemeÌ„t of the Lorde against nature The singuler operation vvorking and gouernment of the Lorde against nature Our English Athists neuer haue enough till their mouthes bee stopped vvith clay their bodies couered vvith the earth All things are giueÌ„ for maÌ„ man onely is created to glorifie the Lorde Anthropophagâ— Of so homly a mould as vvee came of how bevvtifull a Tabernacle did God erect Al cretâ—rs do knovv their bringing vp and the verye â—outch is more vvelcoÌ„â—chim that is acquainted thervvith theÌ„ sumptuous furniture Giue vs our daily bread this day In the Scriptures bread is taken for the foode of the soule often times ther fore Christ is called the true breade came dovvne sâ—om Heauen to feede vs. Carelesnes iâ— impiety but greedmes with couetousnes is irreligiousnes Wee fell by man vvee are all redeemed againe in the man Christ 1. Cor. 10. One God in the lavve and the same Christ in the lavve vvith one oblation saned vs both before after the lavveâ— for he vvas slaine from al beginning A temporall comparison vvith heauen ly thinges Better is hee that knevv not the vvord and heard not of it theÌ„ hee that hath it folovveth it not the first is of ignorance to reprobation this is of foly to greater coÌ„dempâ—ation that by Diuelishnes this of peeâ—ishnes haue one revvarde eternall death What is vnderstoode by bread God often times tryeth his Sainctes and vvhen all hope is past as appeareth to man then commeth his sauing health soudenly The doctors and the fathers are as good instruments vvhet and prepared for the vse of Gods church Our bread is asked for that it is not common vnto one but to vs all and because God vvould haue vs remember
thrones their dominions their Empires or sought their owne glorie made an entraunce ready gate to set vp and establish the sincerity puritie of religion Therefore Christe of him selfe testifieth I séeke not mine one name but my fathers that seÌ„t mée â–ª I haue glorified thee among men and I will glorifie thee againe For if he be our father where is our honor Will the childe acknowledge his parents the wild and sauage beast giue place to them that nourish her succeadeth the fire the heauens in his place and the fire the ayre and she ayre the water and the water the earth and the earth vs shall not we acknowledge and reuerence the Lorde of Hostes who dwelleth betwixt the Cherubynnes and ought to be worshipped of all nations vnder heauen Cyprian hath giuen as touching this firste point hallowed be thy name in mine opinion a verie good reason For saith he wée craue not that God should be sanctified in our prayers who is alwayes holye but that his name sanctified in vs wée might be made perfecte and holy in him Thus I also finde it in the booke of God in that place Be thou holie because I am holy Then our prayer is that being sanctified cleansed made perfect in the Lorde we may be holie and good perseuere therein For this cause Paulinus in the fifth age of the Churche when he liued called our Baptisteries places of restoring againe of man meaning thereby as I do gesse that we ought to rise froÌ„ sinne and liue to life mortifying and beating downe the lustes of the fleshe and as wee shoulde sanctifie the name of the Lorde so we ought in our conuersation and in our walking before him to bee againe sanctified that is walke as holy before him For as the water in the fifth of Iohn did neuer clense make perfect but when the Angell moued it No more is man renued and altered but when the Spirite sanctifieth him And as Sara was not by nature but by promise made a mother and bare a childe So are we holy not of our selues but of the Lorde Therefore we neede daily sanctifiyng and seeing that wee sinne and fall so often wee must rise and be reared vp in Christ in renouation and sanctification of the spirit For this is our sanctification in Paule that we be no fornicatours no worshipers of Idols no adulterers no light persons no folowers of wemen not théeues not deceiuers not haters not drunkardes and these sometime we were but we are washed but wee are iustified but wee are sanctified in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe Master Gualter vppon this place hath an especiall note as touching this hallowed or sanctified be thy name neyther wil I blame him here in consideration the superstition of the world is so great who begyled in the vanitie of their thoughts are not able or else will not iudge aright of the will of the Lorde He findeth greate faulte for that men take an occasion from the name of God as though the bare rehersall thereof had vertue in it to doe wounders signes and miracles in the earth And of truth that wherewith M. Gualter found fault is so common in the worlde that as euery one is holyest and wil be counted godlyest so is hée in this life peruersist I wish that of Cyris were setled in the mindes of men that beefore they iudge of any thinge in the Booke of God they would consider thrée things the time the person and the matter that is handled which if they were duely wayed it would bee a cause good enough that men should not stray as they do in the iudging of the Scriptures For as out of this place is grounded this error that if wée recken vp the bare name of the Lord it is sufficient for vs if we say sanctified be his name it is enough vnto saluation therfore the commoÌ„ sorte of people repeate and vtter these wordes of Christe but they consider no more and so think that by saying of the same they haue discharged their duetie but this it is grosse and pernitious it sauoureth of the flesh alone that is sluggishe and heauie tired if it take any paines in searching out the wil of God For not euery one the saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but be that knoweth the will of my father doeth it This is the onely cause that the heretikes haue erred so grossely heretofore â— haue taken the bare wordes not the meaning of the spirit Therefore to take away all occasion of falshoâ— which is gathered froÌ„ the name of God I save this The name of God in Scriptures doth signify euery thing which is proper vnto him wherby his heaueÌ„ly diuine nature or his works glory appeareth As in Dauid thy name O Lord thy praise endureth for euer it extendeth and reacheth to the ends coastes of the world and againe praise him al you people blesse you the name of the Lorde Iunilius writting against heretickes reckeneth according to the Hebrewes computation eight especiall names giuen vnto God which bee these first God then Lorde also Lorde and God together or else almightie or sufficient or omnipotent or our piller and stay or God of hosts or a iudge and searcher The He rew I haue lefte out for I thinke it not coÌ„uenient the rehersall nowe these onely significations be they that are presented vnto vs and by these names is he called in the scriptures especially by Abraham when he apeared vnto him and then when he spake to Moses Exod. 3.6 Exod. 15. Psalme 86. And the Grecians call him a secret sercher or pearser of all thinges and a sister of our thoughts Wher vnto Peter Martyr Musculus haue in diuers places alluded and maister Gualter semeth to touch the verie same vpon the exposition of the name of god Here vnto I adioyn put those same glorious titles giueÌ„ vnto him by Moses when he desired he might see and looke vppon the Lord god Exod. 34. For then when he passed by in the cloude when Moses was put into a clifte of the rocke and God had put â—â—s hand before him and Moses sawe his backe parts alone he cried out lord God mercifull and liberall â—â—ntle and pitiful of infinite goodnesse and trueth keeping thy goodnesse for thousanâ—s forgiuing iniquitie and transgressioÌ„s and sinnes leauing not vngodlines vnpunished but visiting the sinnes of their fathers in 〈◊〉 sonnes and sonnes sonnes vppon such as feare not him and kéepe not his commaundements This other such like places of scripture do open and shew vnto vs the incomprehencible Godhead of the Lorde which onely is seene in his workes his creation and his creatures and by the same commaunded in this place to exalte magnifie and blesse his name The wicked take occasion as I shewed you before to call on his name verie often and thinke they doe
not finde any difference in the primatius Churche from ours but in the name alone for they bad Bishoppes and they also whome they called Elders and wee haue Ministers whiche they called Docters wee haue Instructours whiche they called Teachers we haue Rulers whom they called Seniors we haue Presbiters that were Pastours we haue other Dignities which they called Offices so the we haue as they had onely they suffer vs not to be as they were For that argument of Archaepoumenos It is not so pithy nor so strongly wrested as once I thought neither yet that of one head of one bodie for many Kings yet one King as haue béen many Bishops yet one Bishop as is Not many Kings as many heades to deuide one bodie but one heade to kéepe the kingdome of that same bodie Not many Bishops as subuerting them But one Bishop ouer Bishops to protect them Not diuers heades of one bodie to deuide them but one heade of diuers members to vpholde them so then our Bishops and their Bishops and in Iesus Christe one Bishop let vs nowe approach vnto his calling Two kind of wayes are wee called By the Lord by men ordinarely mediately strangely by the Lord God inwardly As Moses by the hand of the Lord by the flaming bush Leuy his Famely by the forecounsell of God Aaron seuered frō the congregation Elyas from among the residue of the Prophets Samuel from among the children of Ely Gad Nathan from the children of their Tribes with others A mong the nations also called he very straungely a great number Melchisedeck out of Aegypt from Mesopotamia Balaam from out of the mountaines and from the East Iob in the lande of Hus. Scibillae mutch spoken of among writers Ioseph in Aegypt Ionas in Niniui Daniel in Babilon Nehemias and Esdras among the Pertians all which were straungly and some of them extraordinarelie called by the Lord and this kinde of calling ceaseth and we take an other into our Church The second order of calling Ministers it is ordinarie 1 It is therefore put to the secreat workinge of the Spirite of the Lorde in the mindes of men 2 And to that which Paull saith here he that desireth a Bishoppricke desireth a good worke 3 And to the wisedome and discretion of him that chooseth them As when that the twelue called the brethren together charged them to choose out seuen men of honest report Act. 6. Like as Paul when he came to Derbe and had herde of Timotheus that had a good report of the brethren that were at Listra and Iconium Act. 16. That it may be verested of vs spokē of the Lord by Paul Barnabas that he had put them a part chosen them vnto a good worke Act. 13. where I finde no popular consent nor any acclamatiōs of the people as in Rome when they choosed Censors Dictators Tribunals Pretors and such like neither cast they as it were lotts or els gaue it vnto election of the multitude or els tyed to the congregation a lone but the likaunce was giuen to one Elder the choyse to him that was wise in the Church and hee that was chosen continued as their Ruler for euer That al things may be fully don their is adioyned the putting on of hands I take it that this custome came from the Hebrewes who as any thing was holy consecrated to the Lorde so they vsed to lay their hands thereon signifying that that thing they gaue they willingly gaue it vnto the lord So Iacob blessing Ephraim and Manasses laide his handes vppon their beads so did Christ lay his handes on the little babes that were brought vnto him In the same signification layed they handes on their sacrifices Therefore when they made choise of Docters Pastors Teachers Deacons they layed handes vpō them to shew◠that wee are not ours but the Lordes giuen and dedicated to the vse of his Church thus nowe haue we brought Dauid from the sheepefolde Ewes Amos hath no more to doe among his cattle Moses is called from Madian The Apostles haue not to deale with the Angle and the hooke and wee haue giuen Tymothe the first steppe into the ministerie his aucthoritie he hath to execute indgement power he hath to tel righteousnesse to the house of Iacob to bring Syon the hill of our God to knowe his ordinaunce He may now bouldly enter into the Sainctuarie called he is handes are laid vpon him and hee hath wished a good worke and let vs nowe knowe how he may performe it The 4. first as proppes and stayes to hold him vp that hanged vpon his calling are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blamelesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Husband of one wife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 watchiug 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sober 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among the wonders of the world this is one that in so long time so many yéeres so great space I haue neither read of neither hard of neither found out that Sonne of man that was blamelesse For there is none that do good no not one None can say that of Christe which you can accuse mée of sinne Very few can say that our Sauiour reported of Zacheus a perfecte Israelite in whom there is no guile Not many can say as Paull sayd when hée sente from Miletum for the Sages and Elders of Ephesus that hée was giltlesse of the blood of all Nor reporte with Samuell whose Oxe or whose Asse haue I pluckte from you Not now so great heapes of those that wish to bée wiped out of the Booke of life to saue Israel Nor with Paul to bée accursed as touching the flesh that hée might saue some at the day of the Lord few there be that offer vp as Iob did for their Sonnes or their daughters or redéeme if peraduenture they might the transgressions of their children who hath the commendation that Abraham had of God that he can saye he is an vpright man and will teache his children the wayes of the Lorde what man goeth nowe into the fieldes to praye with Isaak or remembreth with Israel the benefites he hath receiued or careth not for the wayes of Balaam or séeketh not the promotion of Aegypt and the substaunce of the Isles about him Who hath béene found of late worthie to be taken from of the earth to dwell with God Or thought méete to haue the Angels waite vppon them with their fiery Chariots Haue wée béene fed with Angels foode Hath the rocke béene broken in péeces to yelde vs water Haue wée tried the drought in the wildernesse the frostes in the fieldes the strength of the mightie the perill and ieopardy of red Seas who is there in time of néede aduentureth his life with Iudith That if Nathan speake repente him of his faulte that hardoneth not his harte with Ahab That striueth not with the Préestes of God Then as yet I knowe not or finde not that man that is blamelesse Who playeth not that