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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	believe_v	faith_n	love_n	1,510	5	5.7755	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03284	The confession of faith contending how the troubled man should seeke refuge at his God, thereto led by faith: with the declaratio[n] of the article of iustification at length. ... Compiled by M. Henry Balnaues of Halhill, & one of the Lords of session, and Counsell of Scotland, being as prisoner within the old pallaice of Roane: in the yeare of our Lord. 1548. Direct to his faithfull brethren, being in like trouble or more ...	Balnaves, Henry, Sir, d. 1579.; Knox, John, ca. 1514-1572.	1584 (1584)	STC 1340; ESTC S100771	112,936	310

But beleeued in one god and that the same god had promised a Saueour to redeame the world So god looking vpon the faithfull hūble and simple hart of Cornelius and the feruent desire of his prayers which desire doubtles was conforme to the sayinges of the Proph. Esay O if thou wouldest break a sunder the heauens that thou might come doune would not haue him deceaued to looke for him which was already come Therefore he caused him send for Peter to instruct him in the present faith And to certifie him that Christ was come whome he looked for so ardentlie Yee may read the text thē shall yee perceaue the sermon Peter made vnto him which was only of the opening of the Scripturs testifieing the comming of Christ in the fleshe and fulfilling of all the promises and Prophets sayings spoken of him before and that he was risen from deathe and had giuen Peter and the rest of his Disciples Apostles cōmād to preache repentance and remission of sinnes to all which would beleeue in his name c. To the which words and preaching of S. Peter Cornelius his whole housholde gaue firme faith and receaued by a visible signe the holy spirit The which is no other thing but this article of iustification For hee beleeued the word of god and by faith in Christ through the mercy of God receaued the holy spirit without all working of any deede of the lawe of Moyses but onely being vnder the Law of nature and so was baptised c. Therefore yee can not proue by this authority of scripture that either the works preceeding or following the gift of the holie spirite was the cause of his iustification or yet any parte thereof But first being iust through the faith which the fathers had who had also the holy spirit truely worshipped god and feared him of loue so he was iust And in that righteousnes wrought the fruites of faith in prayers and almes deeds And secondly being taught by Peter beleeued that Christ was comme the sure Sauiour of the world and had fulfilled all which was spoken of him by the prophetes By this faith was hee by the mercy of God made iust and receaued the holy spirite visiblie without all works or deseruings And then in the kingdome of Christ and righteousnesse wrought the fruites of faith vnto life as all perfite Christians should doo They alledge another text Galath the 5. Chap. Faith which worketh by loue c. by these wordes they would inferre of their corrupted maner that faith onely iustifieth not before god but faith which worketh by loue By this maner of vnderstanding they not only make the Apost false but also cast all downe destroye the same thing which hee hath builded for in the fourth Chap. of the same Epist. preceeding with great laboures and inuincible arguments hee setteth forth the article of iustification prouing faith only to iustifie without all deedes or workes of the law And then in the 5. chap. he beginneth to set foorth the fruites of faith saying ye are abolished frō christ which would be made iust by the lawe Ye haue left grace for we by thee spirite of faith beholde or looke for the hope of righteousnes for into Christ Iesus neither is circumcision nor vncircumcision any thing worth but faith which worketh by loue In these words shortly in briefe termes the Apost excludeth all workes and lawes sacrifices worshippings both of Iew and gentill to haue any mixtiō with Christ in the iustificatiō of a christian for if there had bene any more excellēt work or greater in estimation among the Iewes which were the chosen people of god thē circūcisiō no doubt but the Ap. would haue excluded the same so the principall work cōmanded by god and giuē by him as the seale of his promis couenāt made to Abrahā being excluded forth of of this article how can any other worke of lesse or equall estimation haue parte thereinto Therfore the Apost cōcluding shortly cōprehēding the whole estate of a Christian mā saith neither is circumcision nor vncircūcision any thing worth in christ but faith which worketh by loue he saith not loue which worketh by faith but faith whiche worketh by loue that is faith inwardly maketh a mā iust before God who hath no neede of our workes for the whole worlde and all that is therein is his and loue outwardly testifieth of thy inwarde faith towarde thy neighbour who hath need of thy works for whose vtilitie and profite thou art cōmanded to do good workes To whome thy faith auaileth nothing And so this text impungeth not the article of iustification but fortifieth the same Ye read loue greatly extolled by S.P. the 1. to the Corinth the 13. chap. as it is worthy but ye find neuer iustificatiō before god attribute to loue for that is not the office therof But loue followeth faith in the third degree whose office the Ap. setteth forth in the said ch Specially how that loue suffereth all thinges beleeueth all thinges hopeth all thinges and endureth all thinges Yea verily some thinges which faith may not suffer nor wil on no wayes suffer as a light superstitiō repūgning to the word of god loue will or may suffer the same to be in it for the weakenes of the infirme brother But faith may in no maner suffer the same because it may be preiudiciall to the article of iustificatiō and induce the mixtion of works Also Faith Hope and Charitie being reakoned the Apost exalteth Charity to be the most excellent of the thre but giueth her none of their offices But if ye wil vnderstand the text well ye shall know the Apostles mind by the cōclusion saying now we see through a glas darkly but thē we shall see face to face Now I know in part but then shall I knowe euen as I am knowen and nowe abydeth Faith Hope and Charitie but the chiefest of these is Charitie as he would say Now we ar imperfite but then we shalbe perfite Faith and Hope shall both perish and vanishe awaye but Charitie shall remaine in her perfection for then she is in her perfectiō when the other two haue takē effect and are vanished away for in the heauē there is neither faith nor hope but Charitie is in her most excellēt degree there which neuer hath an ende The cause wherefore the Apo. extolleth Charitie yee shall consider in the first to the Corinth the 12. ch the which I pray you reade For in that whole Epist. there is no question of the Article of iustification nor of the office of faith but an instruction how the Christian man should liue reprouing hatred enuy dissentions and opinions amōgst the Corinth which became not to be amōgst christiās therefore he exhorted them aboue all thinges to Charitie which is the band of peace the most excellēt vertue to be had euer kept among the Christians for by that

rewarde is not impute according to grace or mercy but according to debt But to him which worketh not that is confideth not in his own merites but beleeueth in him which iustifieth the wicked his faith is compted to him for righteousnesse according to the purpose of the mercy of God And that without workes For the probation and sure vnderstanding of this assertion yee shall reade the whole 4. Chap. Rom. the 15. of Gene. the 2.3 and 4. Galath and 2. to the Ephe. which wordes shalbe showen in this subsequent Chapter THE XVIII CHAP. 1 The cause wherefore God loueth vs. 2 Whereby commeth the heritage 3 The constance of Abraham in faith and his obedience 4 Iesus Christ payeth for vs that which the law requireth 5 Who spoileth Christ of his office BY grace yee are made safe by faith and not of your selues It is the gift of God not of workes that no man reioyse we are his handywork created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes the which god hath prepared that we should walke in them Verily these wordes are worthy to be written in letters of golde and euer imprented in the hart of man because they cōteine the whole somme of the Euāgell of Christ. And also exclude all the vaine sophisticall argumentes made contrarie this article of iustification because in this Epistle there is no question of the law as in the Epist to the Rom. and Galath But it is written to the gentiles being confirmed in the faith And also perseuering thereunto whome the Apostle certifieth of their iustificatiō in the first thre Chap. And then setteth forth to the end of the Epist. the workes of righteousnes in the which true Christians should liue according to their vocation vpon the which wordes I will make some short declaration according to the scriptures By grace ye are made safe That is by the grace mercy of God and aboundant loue he hath to mankinde because hee hath made vs hee would not wee should perishe For hee loueth his owne worke Hee saith I will not the death of a Sinner but that hee conuert and liue hee made vs that hee should loue vs for no mā hateth or inuyeth his own worke This grace we get by faith in Iesus christ the which is not our worke but the gift of God For wee are not of our selues able or sufficient as of our selues to thinke a good thought but all our abilitie is of god as the Apostle saith the seconde Epistle to the Corinth the thirde Chapter and Galath the third Chapter if the heritage bee of the lawe then it is not of the promisse but by the promisse god gaue it to Abraham Ismaell and Esaw which were the eldest Sonnes who succeeded not to the heritage but Isaac and Iacob whiche were heires of the promisse succeeded Wee are not made safe through workes that none should glorie because god will not haue vs reioysing in our selues in any parte of his giftes as the Apostle saith What hast thou that thou hast not receaued And if thou hast receaued it why reioysest thou more then thou haddest not receaued it Ye see works excluded forth of this Article that man hath no matter to glorie but to referre all the glorie vnto god as is before rehearsed And that man hath nothing to glorie into but in the crosse of Iesu Christ by whome wee should crucifie the worlde to vs. That is wee should esteeme all that is in the worlde wicked as the Apostle sayth to the Galathians the sixt Chapter Yee shall not meruell that our saluatioun is ascribed and attribute to the mercy of God through faith excluding all workes because the reasoun is here showen by the Apostle in these wordes For we are the handyworke of God created in Iesus Christ vnto good workes That is forsomuch as we liue haue life and vnderstanding and beleeue it is of God and not of our selues because hee is our maker Creator why should the earthen or clay pot extoll the self against the potter of whom it hath all which it hath or the branche against the tree of which it hath all the substāce to bring forth the fruite as Christ giueth the parable in the Euangell of Saint Iohn the 15. chapter the which yee shall reade that yee may vnderstande the wordes of Christ and similitude in the whiche the Father is declared to bee the Husbandman or the Labourer and Christ the wine tree vs christians to be the branches or the Bearers for the branche hath two offices the one is if it remaine with the tree fresh and greene it bringeth forth good fruite of the substance of the tree and not of thee self The other is if it wither bring forth no fruite it must be cut of brint Therfore if thou wilbe a christian and remaine in Christ by faith euer ioyned to him thou shalt bring forth good fruite of his substance and not of thyne of the which the glory perteineth to him and not to thee And if thou will be the withered branche that is wicked bring furth no fruite thou art prepared for the fire there to serue with the Deuill and his Angels And this is sure if thou wilt either glorie in thy works or yet that thou art thy own Sauiour or any part thereof as concerning this article of iustification But to remaine in Christ by faith and suffer him to worke in thee which thou doest whē thou workest the workes commanded in the Scriptures of God and attributs them to Christ to be his workes working in thee Then shall he make thy imperfection perfite that nether the deuil nor the law dare accuse them because they are the workes of Christ and for his sake receaued of the father by faith So their is heir no thing to the to glory of but to say with the Ap. He that wil glorie let him glorie in the lord c. This glory of works is excluded by the law of faith of the which law the Apost maketh mention saying The law of the spirite of life in Christ Iesu hath delyuered me frō the law of sinne death That is the mercy of god the gift of the holy spirit remission of sinnes euerlasting life purchased to vs through faith in Christ by the which we liue in ryghteousnes free frō sinne death so it is caled the law of faith which excludeth all glory of works because we receaue and giue no thing but glory and honour vnto god which is the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing In this we should liue in righteousnes worke the workes of god not become thrall again to sin death frō the which we ar freed freely without our merits or deseruings through faith in the bloud of Christ our Sauiour and aduocate Therefore let vs cōclud with the Apost establish for an infallible cōclusion mā to be made iust by faith without

thereby the strentgh of the flesh somewhat is dantoned and ceaseth to rebell against the spirite And beginneth to seeke god who is a peculiar Father to the faithfull deliuering them from all tribulations Not for their worthynesse but for his own mercie Worldly tribulations are the signe and token of gods loue albeit the wicked and vnfaithfull iudge otherwise which in tyme of tribulation runne from God seeking help at man which is but vaine whereof they being frustrate and deceaued fall in desperation The sommary of the fourth Chapter THe faithfull thanke god in tribulation and albeit our wicked nature teacheth vs to flye from God as did our first parent Adam after his transgression Yet faith in Iesus Christ leadeth vs to the throne of our Fathers grace where we finde goodnes mercy iustice giuen to vs freely by Iesus Christ as they were giuen to Adam Who albeit fled from god yet he moued of loue toward his own handywork followed him and albeit Adam at the voice of god repented not but obstinately excused his sinne yet god made to him the promisse of saluation before hee pronounced his wrath cōtrary sinne which of his righteous iudgement hee must punish And so Adam wrought nothing which might moue god to make this promisse more then hee wrought that of dust and clay hee should be made a liuing Creature to the Image and similitude of god And to Abraham being an Idolater was made the promisse hee should be the father of many nations which hee merite not to whiche promisse Abraham giuing credite was reakoned iust by the which it is plaine that the mercy of god and not our workes is the cause that hee calleth vs by his worde whereto wee giuing credite are reakoned iust all our deseruinges or merites being excluded The Sommarie of the 5. Chapter ADam expelled forth of paradise had no consolation except in the blessed seede promissed By whom hee beleeued him to stande in gods fauour for all bodily consolation which hee had of his two Sonnes was turned in dolour when Cain killed Abell In the which dolour Adam many yeares remained will God hauing compassion vpō him gaue him another sonne named Seth of whome descended the blessed seede For this sonne Adam gaue thankes vnto god taking all afflictions in patience knowing him worthie of greater punishmēt by whose example we should patiently with thankesgiuing vnto god suffer all tribulatiō For none descending of Adā by naturall propagatiō are iuster then hee was after his fall which all his life suffered trouble hauing no confort but that he should ouercome all worldly calamitie yea and also the slightes of Sathan which had deceaued him by the blessed seede promissed And this same should be our confort in all tribulations The sommarie of the 6. Chap. BY bodily afflictions our faith is tryed as gold by the fire They are also a communion with the passions of Iesus Christ. And therefore in them haue we matter and cause to reioyce considering we suffer without cause committed contrarie man Notwithstāding the wicked persecute the faithfull in all ages as if they had beene mischieuous or euill doers as may be seene in the persecution of the prophets Apost of Iesus Christ him self The cause hereof is the neglecting of gods word and taking from faith her due office whereof riseth all dishouring of god for none may or can honour god except the iustified man And albeit in diuerse men there be diuerse opinions of iustification yet they alone in whome the holy spirit worketh true faith which neuer wanteth good workes are iust before god The substance of iustification is to cleaue fast vnto god by Iesus christ and not by our selfe nor yet by our workes And this Article of iustification should be holden in recent memorie because without the knowledge thereof no workes are pleasant before God The sommarie of the seuinth Chap. AS by perswasion of Sathan Adam and Eue seeking wisedome contrarie Gods commandemēt were deceaued and fell in extreame miserie So they seeking iustification otherwise then teach the Scriptures remaine vnder the wrath of god for faith alone reconciliateth man to god which the Lawe whose office is onely to vtter sinne and trouble the conscience as it did to Adam after his transgression may not doe Therefore who list to resist Sathan let him cleaue to faith for it is the onely shield which his dartes may not pearse The sommary of the eight chapter CAin a wicked hipocrit killed his brother Abell For no other cause but that his brothers sacrifice pleased god because it was offered into faith And the posteritie of Cain pursued perpetually them which depēded vpon the blessed seede while god was compelled to drown the whole world 8. persons being reserued amongst whom yet was keept the seed of Sathan in the third sonne of Noe Cham. From the dayes of Noe to Abraham this article of iustification altogether was obscured Idolatry spredding ouer all The cause thereof was they followed the external works of the holy fathers in sacrifice but had no respect to faith without the which all sacrifices ar Idolatrie The sommarie of the ninth Chapter GOd of his mercy prouiding that his Church should not perish altogether renewed to Abraham the promisse of the blessed seede made to Adam whereto Abraham giuing credit is without his workes reakoned iust But shortly after begā sathā newly to pursue the iust by his mēbers stirring vp Ismaell against Isaac Esau against Iacob but the iust at the end shall preuaile as hath done Iesus Christ whose brethrē we ar by reason he is very man of the seed of Adam And also because in him wee are adopted and made the sonnes of god The fleshly mā is euer deceaued iudging the wicked to bee the chosen as Abraham beleeued Ismaell And Isaac beleeued Esau to haue beene their heires But faith iudged righteously which caused Rebecca to labour with diligence that Iacob the youngest sonne should be blessed by his father The sommary of the 10. Chap. THe Iewes hauing a carnall opiniō of the seede promissed that their Messias should rule temporally as did Dauid refused Iesus Christ appearing simple poore But the cause which moued Sathā to stirre vp his members against Christ was that hee plainly taught that by faith without all workes man is reakoned iust For the wicked thinking to make their foolishe workes a part of their iustificatiō may neuer suffer them to bee damned And the true Preacher can neuer but exclude them from the iustification of man as did the prophetes Iesus Christ him selfe and his Apostles for which they suffered death leauing to vs a sure testimonie for confirmation of this article which after Christs death was plainly preached The sommarie of the 11. Chapter SAthan perceauing his crafts wherewith hee deceaued mankinde discouered and his head troden downe by the death of Christ cled him in a new arrayement And finding them whiche should haue truely preached idle perswaded man to inuent new

The firme weake shall find strēght and confort The rude and simple true knowledge and erudition The learned and godly humble reioycing by the omnipotēt spirite of Iesus Christ to whome bee glorie before his congregation Amen This worke following cōteineth three principall parts The first parte how mā being in trouble should seek refuge at God alone And that naturally all men is subiect to trouble and howe profitable the same is to the godly Last of the cruell persecution of Sathan and his members against the chosen of God The secōd part cōteineth how mā is released of his trouble by faith and hope in the promisses of god therefore declareth the article of Iustification prouing that faith onely iustifieth before God without all deseruing or merite of our workes either preceeding or following faith with a solutiō to certaine cōtrarie argumēts made by the aduersaries of faith this article With the true vnderstāding of such scriptures as they alledge for thē The third and last part conteineth the fruites of faith whiche are good workes which euery man should worke according to their owne vocation in euery estate All this plainely may be perceaued in the life of our first parent ADAM which by transgression of Gods commandement fell in great trouble and affliction From which hee should neuer haue beene released without the goodnesse of God had first called him And secondly made vnto him the promisse of his saluation The which ADAM beleeuing before euer hee wrought good workes was reputed iust After during all his life hee continued in good workes striuing contrarie Sathan the worlde and his owne flesh ¶ THE AVTHOR VNTO THE FAITHFVLL Readers THE loue fauour mercy grace and peace of God the Father God the Sonne with the illumination of God the holy Ghost bee with you all my welbeloued brethrē which thirste after the knowledge of the word of God And most feruently desire the same to the augmentation increasing of the church of Christ dayly to flourish in godly wisedome and vnderstanding through faith vnfained euer working by loue Amen THE I. CHAPTER 1 What should be the study of man And vvhat man should do in time of tribulation AS desirous as the wild hart is in the most burning heat and vehement drouth to seeke the could fontaine or riuer of water to refresh his thirst So desirous should we be O lord God to seeke vnto thee our Creator Maker in all our troubles and afflictions and say with the Proph. Dauid Wherefore art thou sad or sorowfull O thou my soule or sprit why troubles thou me beleeue and hope surely in God that is Confide in his mercy call to remembrance the tyme by past how mercyfull helply propiciāt he hath bene to the fathers and deliuered them of their troubles Euen so shall hee do to thee if thou beleeuest vnfainedly in him seek hym in his worde not inquiring his name what they call him nor what similitude forme or shape he is of for that is forbidden thee in his lawe hee is that he is the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and the God of the Fathers to whome he made the promis of our redemptiō He would show his name no other waye to Moys Exo. 3. chap. but cōmanded him to passe to the people of Israel and say vnto them he which is hath send me to you that is my name frō the beginning that is my memorial frō one generatiō to another THE II. CHAP. 1 How mā comes to the knowledge of god 2 Where shold man seeke God and how he should receaue him 3 And by whome we should offer our petitions BY faith are wee taught to knowe god the father maker and creator of al Heauen Earth and all creatures whom we should beleeue to be almightie of infinite power mercy iustice and goodnes that he created in the beginning all thing of nought as the scripture teacheth vs Gen. 1. Chap. And that by the word which is the sone of god he made all thing which is made who is equall to the father in deuine nature and substance without beginning in the bosome of the father which was with god in the beginning and was also god And at the prefined and preordinate time by god the father was send into the world and made man taking our manly nature and cloathing him with the same and dwelled among vs. And after long time conuersing amongst vs teaching and preaching the realm of heauē being exercised in al trobles and calamities in the which this our mortall body is subiect except sin only finaly for our sakes suffered the most vile death for our redemption And rose from the same the 3. day for our iustification And after 40. daies ascended to the heauens and sites at the right hand of the father our aduocat as testifies the holy scriptures of him And thereafter send the holie spirit to instruct his Disciples of all veritie as hee had promised of before who proceeding from the Father and the Sonne the third person of the Trinitie descended vpon the Disciples in a visible signe of fyrie tounges by whome all Creatures is viuificat and hath life is gouerned ruled sustained and cōforted without the which all creatures would turne to nought Of this maner knowe thy God three Persons distinct in one substance of godhead Confound not the personnes nor deuide not the godhead But beleeue fearmly indoubtedly as thou art teached in the Symbole of the Apostles and of the holy man Athanasius confessed in the holy church of Christ. Ascend no higher in the speculatiō of the Trinitie thā thou art teached in the scriptures of God If thou wilt haue knowledge of the father seek him at the Sone If thou wilt know the Son seek him at the Father For none knoweth the Sone but the father none may com to the knowledge of the father but by the Sonne And also Christ being desired of Phillip one of his Apostles to show them the Father answeared this long time I am with you and ye haue not knowen me Phillip he who hath seene me hath sene the Father beleeuest thou not that I am in the father and the father in me Therefore whath euer thou desirest which good is seeke the same at the son for the Father hath giuen all thing in his power for that cause christ cōmāded vs all to come vnto him seeing he hath al things giuē to him and also cōmandeth vs all to come to him great fooles we are which seeke any other way of the which we are incertaine either in Heauen or in Earth as concerning our saluation wee are sure he loueth vs will heare vs according to his promise Greater loue thā this cā no man showe but that he put his life for his frendes Yea verily we being his Enemies he willingly gaue him selfe to the death to get vs

sight of man and also done by him of a good intent and for a good cause hee offered sacrifice for feare that the people should not passe from him hee being then prepared for battell against the ennemies of god He did show the deede of mercy in sauing of the life of an aged and impotent King And for the loue hee had to the worshipping of god assented to the people and keept the fattest bestiall most pretious cloathing and iewels of gold siluer to offer the same to god in a sacrifice Was this not a goodzeale and intention but ye may read the great punishment which god laide vpon him which shal remaine for an example in all ages to come THE XXVI CHAP. 1 The office of a bishop 2 Bishoppes should not mixt them with worldly matters 3 If the flocke perish their bloud shalbe required of the bishop 4 Bishops should exhort their flock to frequent the reading of the scripture 5 Bishoppes can doe no good workes without they preach the word of God 6 The punishement of bishops which leaue that vndone which God cōmādeth and attende vpon their owne superstitions IF thou bee called to the office of a bishop or minister of the worde of god preach the pure and syncere worde to the flocke committed to thy charge Counsell and confort the weake and feeble Minister the sacramentes in their due forme according to the word of god Exceede not the boundes of thy vocation but walke thereinto conforme to the ordinance of the holy spirite taught thee in the two Epistles of Saint Paull written to the first bishop that he made called Timotheus And to another called Titus There thou shalt finde the workes which thou art bound to doe and what is thy office specially in the first to Tim. the 3. Chapter and to Titus the 1. Chap. There is nothing left vnexpressed that is necessary to thee to work in the scripturs of god Thou art commanded to be a mirrour or example to thy flocke in teaching of the word in good life and honest conuersation in loue and charitie in faith and chastitie euer exercising thy selfe in reading exhorting and teaching the which if thou doe thou shall saue thy selfe and others Thou should not meddle thee with secular affares or busines for that is not thy vocation follow the example of the Apostles in all ryghteousnesse and godly liuing in faith loue pacience meeknes sweetnes as thou art taught If yee wil remember dayly vpon the office yee are called to which are bishops yee shal find you to haue a great charge and worke to doe and not a great dignitie or Lordeshippe But alace now yee take thought of the lordshippe dignitie rent and profite and looke neuer to the worke yee should doe the cause thereof is the neglecting of your vocation The which if yee will vnderstand perfitely yee would not omit the charge and comandement giuen to you by god and inuent vaine superstitious workes not commanded The principall work yee should doe is to preach teach which yee neuer doe because ye can not and to excuse you ye haue as yee say others to whom yee commit the cause and charge Yee are blinde know no thing They to whom yee commit the charge know as litle or lesse So perish the poore people in ignorance for yee are blinde and leaders of the blinde and therefore both fall in the myre Neuerthelesse the bloud of thē shalbe required at your hands as the Prophete Ieremie sayeth the 23 chapter And Ezech. the 34 chapter the which I pray you reade for there yee shall see clearely your deeds laid before you with sore threatnings Yee should not onely your selues cōtinuallie reade and teache the scripturs but also yee should cōmād the flocke in your charge to seeke their spiritual food in the same This was the order in the church of Christ in the beginning The minister of the worde to teache and preache and the auditors to reade That therby they might take the teaching the better as the Thessalonians did at the preching of the Apost as ye may reade and cōsider in the Actes of the Apost the 17. chapter And Christ teacheth vs to search the scriptures for they beare witnesse of him And S. P. sayeth All thinges which are written they ar written to our learning that through patience and consolation of Scriptures we may haue hope that is of eternall life The which is the marke whereat shoote al the faithfull for in the Scriptures of God all things are conteined necessarie for our saluation Alace thinke yee not shame which ar bound oblished vnder the paine of eternall damnation to teache your flocke this maner of doctrine to inhibit and forbid them to looke vpon the scripture either to heare or reade them This is farre differēt from the order of the apost yea and of the holy fathers of the church lōg time after as appeareth clearly by the teaching of Chrisost. writting vpō the 1. chap. of S. Math. the 2. 5. hom where he with a great lamētatiō reproueth the secular mē housholders which alledged the reading teaching of scripturs perteined not to thē Exhorting them to giue attēdance to the scripturs that they might instruct there families and household how they should liue according to the order of the scripture as becōmeth christians but by the cōtrarie yee would that none of your flocke or auditors should know thē lest your misdeeds wer espyed The feeding of your flocke the attēdāce and care yee should take therevpon is so necessary that without the doing thereof yee can doe no good works at all according to your vocation which can please god because in neglecting of this yee neglect faith out of the which all good workes should spring So should all your good workes follow faith And this principal point of your vocatiō is the cause that S. P. departing from Ephe. to Ieru called befor him the ministers of the word in the cōgregatiō certifieing thē he would not returne againe in bodily presence and therefore hee left to them this legacie saying Attend and take heede vnto your selues and to the whole flock in the which the holy spirit hath put you bishoppes to guide and rule the Church of god the which he hath redeamed with his bloud For I knowe after my departing there shall enter in amongst you rauening wolues which shall not spare the flocke And of your selues there shall rise men speaking wickednes that they may leade disciples to follow them Therefore bee diligent and vigilant keeping in memorie that by the space of thre years I ceased not day and night with teares and weeping warning and admonishing euery one of you c. If the Apostle had knowen any better work or more excellent to haue bene left in memorie or legacie to the ministers of the word he would no doubt haue expressed the same And euē so S. P. in his