and mightie Prince Edvvarde Duke of Somerset for the seeking and quiet establishing of peace and rightuousnesse in the Churche of Englande immediatly vpon the commotions sodainly raised vp in the VVest partes as also in Suffolke and Nâ—â—â—olke in the yeare of our Lord Christe 1549. 86 ¶ A Paraphrase vpon the Epistle of the holy Apostle S. Paule to the Romanes The first Chapter I Paul whom men heretofore haue called Saule that is to say one which is now become of a busie and troublesome felow or of a very tyrant and persecuter a well stayed peaceable and quiet man and was bound many yeres agone vnder the law of Moyses strayghtly to serue and obey him but now at this tyme â—n made frée from him set at libertie and prefâ—rred to the highe fréedome seruice and dignitie of the great God our Lorde Iesus Chryst yet notwithstanding I am not thereby falne into the corrupte state of Apostacie or a cleane forsaker of Moyses institutions but am called to be Chrystes true messanger and therefore now more highly aduaunced than when I was one of the stoute and mightie dâ—â—â—â—ders of the Pharisies secte against Moyses For the cause thereof was that béeing then not truely godly nor ledde by the spirite of truthe and although learned yet not rightly learned but a wanderer in darkenesse and error I missed very farre from the veritie and from the true vnderstanding of the holy law of god But now I may rightly be called a true Pharisie that is one which by grace am chosen separated and put aparte by the Lorde Iesus Chryst him selfe who hath endued me with the spirite of truth to preach and teache the Gospell of his eternall father which is not any new Gospell of lately inuented but the same that was promised long before by the holy Prophets vppon the sonne of man which at hys tyme appoynted was borne of the stocke of Dauid as touching the fleshe and was also declared of the holy Ghoste to bée the eternall Sonne of the euerlasting God as moste truely appeareth bycause after hys bodily death and buriall in the Sepulchre he triumphantly rose agayne euen with the same very flesh In which mightie and notable mysterie he dyd not only teache vs the resurrection also to come of our fleshe but also him selfe to be the beginner and onely author of the same By whom I am appoynted to the function and high office of an Apostle that like as the Gospell of God hath ben promulgate and taught among the nation of the Iewes so it might also by me be declared vnto the Gentiles Not to any suche intente that they should be burdened with the mightinesse and charges of the law but rather that they shoulde submitte them selues to the onely true fayth in Iesus Chryste and to be brought herevnto not by the vayne gloses of Philosophers of the which sort all you be that are Gentiles but by receiuing the name of Chryst in holy baptisme and so made the children of God by adoption to refrayne your selues from al vayne and fantasticall persuasions paynted and damnable opinions as be now and long hath ben amongst you inasmuche as the adoption it selfe is through grace in Chryst Iesus generally offered to all men Therfore I say to al you that be at Rome the faythfull louers of God and forsakers of your olde iniquities I wish the grace mercy and peace of God not such peace verily as the world giueth but the very true perfect and new peace which onely procéedeth from the father almightie God of heauen And first of all things I thanke the same father of heauen for you that it hath pleased him by his sonne Iesus Chryst to giue this inestimable benefite vnto you Which although you haue ben heretofore al infidels miscreants and idolaters deserued by Gods iustice to be eternally damned yet now he wil that your fayth and profession shuld in such sort be changed made 〈…〉 strong in him that it may most happily redounde to your â—â—â—noume and speciall commendation throughout all the whole world The which thing considering my deare tender loue towards you can not be but most ioyfull and comfortable to me for God the father is my recorde whom I now serue not in vayne and dead Ceremonies but in the powre of his spirite preaching the glad tidings of his deare sonne that always from time to time I haue you in my thought remembraunce praying continually to God that if it be possible I might once come vnto you and sée you at Rome for I thinke very long there to sée you and to be made ioyfull of your godly companies Not séeking therby mine owne profite or singuler aduauntage but most hartily desirous to bestow vpon you some healthsome frute of my Apostleship and to exhibite vnto you not the grosse seruice or dead Ceremonies of Moses but the very delectable yea most swete and spiritual good taste of the sauiour Iesus Christ and to speake vnto you after mine affection familiaritie togither to the ende that one of vs may comfort another in the onely true fayth which wée now haue in our Lord Iesus and to the confirmation establishing one another in the same heauenly gifte All whiche though they be not yet hitherto done as moste rightly behoueth surely for my parte I am in no faulte thereof for I haue most earnestly wished to haue ben among you but alas I haue had many impediments and lets to the contrary And for this cause specially I haue desired to sée you that it might bée my lotte and good happe aswell to profite you and to doo you good as I haue doone vnto other Nations For as God him selfe is an vniuersall God and Lorde of mercy to all men euen so by his mercy is the Gospell vniuersall and in time to be vttered to all nations Wherefore in déede I confesse it my duetie not onely to declare the holy Gospell to the Iew but also to the Gentile not onely to the wise and learned but also to the most barbarous rude vnlearned yea to euery man whatsoeuer he be without exception onlesse he most wickedly and with fixed will withstande and resist the same For which consideration in the zeale of my Lorde Chryst to do you good mine hart melteth within me vntil I preache the Gospell also vnto you that be at Rome And you shall vnderstande that as I feare not at all the state of your great mighty famouse and pompouse Empire so am I not ashamed of the humble and base state or appearaunce of Chrysts kingdome nor of the preaching of his holy Gospell in the simplicitie and plainenesse therof which although it bée to the vnfaythfull but a scoffe a mocke or scorne yet is the same to all the faythfull the moste high mightie and puissaunt vertue of GOD through which onely they bée brought to the hauen of felicitie and to eternall saluation The
meane time I say not but that it is good and also necessarie to binde and restraine the Pastoures and Curates to a certaine order and forme wrytten for to supplie the ignoraunce and simplenesse of some of them and for to shew the better conformitie and concorde with all Churches Thirdly for to bridle and ouerthrowe all vaine curiositie and newe inuentions of such as desireth nothing but to runne riotte the sayd Cathechisme as I haue before rehearsed shal serue and be a good bridell for suche folkes And also in suche sorte and order are the ministring of the holy Sacramentes to be giuen and in like manner the publike Prayers And in the meane season your grace muste take héede to auoide suche pollicies as may destroy the strength and vertue that oughte to be in the preaching of the Gospell and that you employ your laboure and diligence as muche as yée can possible that there be liuely and good Trumpettes whose sounde may enter into the déepenesse of their hartes For there is danger and great doutfulnesse that yée shall not sée great profit of such reformation howe great holy so euer it be vnlesse euen at once with it the power and vertue of good preaching be displayed and set foorthe togither It is not without cause which is saide that Iesus Christ shal strike the earth by the scepter of his mouthe and shall destroy the euill by the spirite of his lips It is Gods disposed good way wherby he will ouerthrowe vs in destroying all that which is againste him And for that cause the gospell is also called the power the raigne or kingdome of god And notwithstāding that the ordinances and statues of Princes be good helpes to aduance and maintaine the state of christianitie yet will God haue his soueraigne vertue declared in the spirituall swoorde of his woorde which is set foorthe by his appoynted pastoures And to the ende I will not long trouble your Lordship I wil come to the second point that I haue purposed to shewe vnto you Which is to abolishe and take cleane away the abuses and corruptions that Sathan héeretofore hath mingled with the ordinance of god We know that vnder the Pope there is a bastarde christianitie that God shall disalowe at the laste day for as muche as at this day he hath condemned it by his woorde If we desire to flée backe and retire from the worlde and from suche approued perdition there is nothing better than to folowe the example of S. Paule the which willing to correcte the euill that the Corrinthians had ioyned to the supper of the Lord said vnto them I haue receiued of the Lorde that which I haue giuen vnto you Of that we must al gather one generall instruction that is to returne to the righte and naturall commaundement of God if we will haue a good and an approued reformation of him For as many minglings as men hathe aduaunced of their owne wicked inuentions so many infections be there throughe the which we are turned from the holy vsage of that which God hathe giuen vnto vs for our sauing health Therfore to fall to cropping or cutting off but only half the branches of such rotten abuses it cannot bring again the good things into their perfect pure estate bicause that we shall then haue amongst vs a christianitie continually mixed and counterfayte I say thys bicause that some vnder the colour of moderation be of opinion to suffer many abuses in the Churche without taking them cleane away and they thinke that it is inough to haue taken oute the roote onely of the principall abuses But to the contrarie wée sée howe muche the lothesome séedes of Hypocrisie and lyes are fertile and that one grayne thereof is sufficient to fill and annoy all the worlde within thrée dayes as men bée aptely enclined and giuen thereunto Our Lorde God who is all goodnesse and truthe and vnto whom wée ought onely enclyne giueth vs other instruction For when Dauid speaketh of Idolles he saythe that their names shall not passe by hys mouthe to the entente to declare vnto vs in what detestation and contempte wée oughte alwayes to haue them And if in suche wyckednesse wée oughte to consider well howe greately wée haue offended GOD in the tyme of our ignoraunce howe muche rather oughte wée nowe to remember the eschewing of Sathans inuentions that hathe and dothe yet styll prouoke vs to committe suche euilles as are allurementes whiche serueth not but onely to seduce the poore simple soules On the other side wée sée that although men bée sufficiently warned of their faultes and erroures and bée aduertised of them as muche as is possible yet neuerthelesse they bée so hardened that no man can attayne to their good and perfect ende Then if there shall bée lefte vnto them some Reliques or fonde fantasies to remayne it shall bée a nourishemente in déede of muche more contempte and greater obstinacie and a couerture to darken and hyde all doctrine that may bée proponed vnto them I confesse that as it is conuenient to obserue some moderation and that too greate extremitie is not good nor profitable so likewise it is not vnséemely to vse the Ceremonies according to the time and grosnesse of the people but it may not be that any thing which is of Sathan and of Antechryst should once passe vnder any such colour For that cause the holy Scripture commendeth those good kinges which did destroy the Idolatries neuerthelesse in not plucking away altogither gaue yet vnto them a marke for that they had not destroyed the Chappels and places of vayne and foolish deuotion Wherefore my Lorde séeing that God hathe hitherto preserued you raysed you vp to honoure and hathe broughte you now so farre forwardes in his workes I pray you goe on and continue your dooing without any exception to the ende he may approue you his diligente ouerséer and setter foorth of his temple in suche wise that the time of the king your Nephew may be compared vnto the time of Iosias and that you shall put all things in such good estate as there shall remaine nothing to him but to maintaine the good established order which God shall haue prepared vnto him by your gracious meane I will alleage vnto you an example of suche dregges that may peraduenture reste to be a little leauen which in the ende will make the paaste sowre They vse in your Countrey of Englande some kinde of prayer for the dead when the Communion is receiued I know well that it is not to aduouch the Purgatorie of the Pope I know also that it may be alleaged by auncient custome to doo some remembraunce for the dead to the ende to ioyne togither all the members of the body But there is an apparentorie argumente to the contrarie that the Supper of Iesus Chryst is so holy a thing that it ought not to be defiled by no inuention of
religion yea verily yea verily it séemeth vnto me more agréeable vnto reason that of such godly parents shuld spring forth godly childreÌ„ bicause they naturally rather sauor of their beginnings than of reason to the contrary For if the leauen it selfe be holy and swéete it is necessary that al the whole dough besides be holy swéete which is seasoned with the same leauen Again if the roote of the trée be holy it muste néedes folowe that the braunches which come of the same trée be holy also The Iewes for their beginning and first stocke had the Patriarke Abraham whose faithe God did wonderfully allow and approue And what shuld then let but that his posteritie should also represent the faithe of theyr beginner Which if they do not they cease to be his nephewes euen as the braunch ceaseth to be nourished with the iuice of the trée being once broken off and cast aside Furthermore mark wel and consider if it be no maruell to sée that the braunches be broken off from their owne trée in which they had their naturall roote and beginning much lesse maruell shall it then be to sée the braunches broken and againe reiected that were grafted in a straunge stocke For which cause if we sée the Iewes cut off from the roote of their true and naturall Oliue as the natural braÌ„ches of the same for their vnbeléeâ—es sake so that now the roote doth nothing at all profit them It shal be then expedient for all you Gentiles which are but braÌ„ches of the wilde Oliue no naturall braunches of one natural roote and stocke but translated from an vnfrutefull stocke and emplanted into a stocke of muche frute and goodnesse to take diligent héede that you be not proude nor glory in your selues for your good luckie and happy chaunce and so despise the pore Iewes that were cut of from their natural stocke to the ende that you should be grafted in their places And if in consideration héereof it should fortune any of you to be proud and arrogant or that if you waxe insolent hautie and swel in your lustie courage then I woulde you shoulde take this lesson with you which is to haue effectually in your remembrance that you beare not the roote of the tree wherinto you are now emplanted but the roote beareth you Do not in this sort proudly boast among your selues railing vpon the Iewes say They are cut off from their stocke which were naturall braunches therof and are now whorled away from it that all we should be grafted into the same stocke and nourished euen with the same iuice and louely moisture For I say vnto you they wer not of purpose cutte off for your sakes notwithstanding it so pleased God that you shuld be plaÌ„ted in their places to drink to sucke vp and to féede frankely vppon the sweete licor of the same stocke And you do also say truely that they are cutte off which were the true and naturall branches but you must also further debate with your selues wherefore or for what cause they were so cutte off Verily euen for their vnbeleefes sake and so muste you truely be persuaded And for the same only cause doe they nowe lie and are scattered abrode as deade braunches from their roote and be héere and there spurned at without pitie and regarde And you for your faithes sake are planted into their naturall places and doe fructifie with grace in their stocke and roote I gladly wold that none of you shuld reioyce in the misfortunes of an other man but I rather wish with all mine hart that the mischaunces or euil haps of an other man may teach you true obedience softenesse and sobernesse and to learne by their knowne infelicities what alwayes you should dread and feare if you also commit suche like iniquitie For in as muche as all you doe well perceiue that God spared not his owne naturall braunches and that it doth nothing at all profite them to haue sprung of so good and faithfull stockes after they had once forsaken him then muche more you ought with all diligence beware and take héede to your selues that you also doe not offende God with your stubbornesse pride or vnkindenesse which are none of his naturall braunches least he also spare not you but cast you of in like manner as he did those gracelesse and vnhappie Iewes Therefore by their fall learne I say what you shoulde alwayes shunne and auoide For your felicitie and happie chaunce doth not giue occasion vnto you of pride and to be vainly glorious but it rather admonisheth you and putteth you in remembraunce of the great goodnesse and mercies of God towards you All you héereby haue good cause to take comfort vnto your selues that you be the electe children of God and to yéelde therefore vnto him condigne and most hartie thankes and not to mocke or raile vpon them which are now out of his grace and fauoure They were al woorthely cut of and cast from their stocke vpon iust and good occasion and you are emplanted thereinto without one iote of your deseruings Bothe which things I exhorte you to consider among your selues that is bothe the goodnesse of God towardes you and his seueritie and sharpenesse towardes the Iewes Of the which the first may teache you all to be louing and kinde to him againe and the seconde may instructe you to forsake all hautinesse pride and stubbornesse The sharpenesse of God is shewed agaynste the Iewes which sunke so deepe in their darkenesse and erroure that they made a mocke of our sauioure Christ who was promised vnto them so many hundreth yeares before And as for the goodnesse of God you your selues haue had thereof moste ioyfull and large experience In as muche as you are nowe called into the worthy felowship of so great and high felicity and that freely without your deseruings which were once of your selues a kinde of men bothe vtterly vngodly of no estimation with God and fell before him to the state of damnation Once in your liues you haue the sinnes of your former life pardoned and fréely forgiuen you of God And once also in your liues you are numbred amongst the children of God through his only fauoure and wonderfull loue towards you Howe be it you are in suche sorte numbred among his children that it commeth to you only of fauoure without desert neither stande you in your estate so sure but that throughe offence ye may fall from the same againe God will iustly take that from the gratelesse and vnkinde man which before he hath fréely giuen vnto him onlesse he will confesse and thankfully acknowledge the same or otherwise not vsing the goodnesse of God as he ought to doe your vnkindenesse shall destroy and bring that to naught in you which God of his owne goodnesse hath fréely giuen vnto you Your pride shal banishe that quite from you which your obedience hath broughte vnto you For which cause onlesse ye shall earnestly
to men yet God which knoweth all things and séeth all things in secreate shal giue his iudgement thereafter But this iudgement shall be done of God by his deare sonne which is now our Lord and moste rightuous sauioure and shall be at the iudgement day the iudge of al the worlde which thing is the true saying of the Gospell least it be taken of some for a fable or dreame whereof I now moste reuerently speake Therfore O thou Iew that standest so much in thine owne conceit and arte proud that arte called a Iewe making thy reckening vpon the priuiledge of the lawe which was giuen of God only vnto thée and doest vaunt and boaste God to be the author of thy religion whose minde and pleasure thou knowest by the Scriptures that came from him and arte brought vp and taught in the misteries of the lawe whereby thou doest not only knowe what things are to be auoided and what to be folowed and of all good things what be the best but also thinkest thy selfe able to be a guide vnto the blinde and to shine before them which be in darkenesse that is to be a teacher of them that be rude and to be an instructor of them which haue no knowledge all which things though God haue shewed them vnto thée in giuing the lawe only vnto thée shalt thou therefore thinke thy selfe better than the Gentile No verily but the lawe which God hath giuen thée for good maketh thy cause and matter woorse before the iudgement seat of God except thou directest thy life and conuersation according to the lawe in which thou doest so muche glorie and make thy boaste else the knowledge of the lawe whereof thou so greatly makest thine accompt shall be a very snare to take thée withall to thine vtter ouerthrowe and confusion Therfore O thou vaine man which bostest of the law why doest thou aduance thy selfe on this maner why teachest thou another and leauest thy selfe vntaught why doest thou preache that theft shoulde not be committed and yet thou thy self art a théefe why dost thou commaund other to forsake adultry and thou thy self art defiled therwith why dost thou banish idolatrie in another and art thy selfe polluted with worshipping of images And in conclusion why dost thou glory amongs men in that thou hast receiued the law at Gods haÌ„ds and in transgressing the fame doest dishonoure God For in that thou séekest praise and honoure of men by reason of the lawe thou arte become a vessell of muche dishonoure to God which should by thée only haue all the honor and glory And although no mannes iniquitie can in déede dishonor God yet thou doest as muche as in thée lieth to dishonor him Of the like sort of men the holy Prophets héertofore haue spoken as it is wrytten in Esay and Ezechiel The name of the Lord saye they is slaundered by you and hath through your fault an euill report among the nations that are inclined to idolatrie in as muche as you proudly glory in the only title of the law and yet among your selues do liue most sinnefully and wretchedly against the lawe Neither is it sufficient for thée to be a Jews borne or to be of the Jewes religion for then shall Circumcision only profite thée so farre foorth as thou performest the things for whose cause Circumcision was first giuen and also accomplishing suche things in thy life which thou professest in thy Ceremonies Otherwise if thou transgresse the lawe it shal no more profit thée to be Circumcised before the face of the iust God than though thou werte neuer Circumcised Wherefore like as Circumcision is turned to vncircumcision vnlesse thou also performe the other déedes of the law which appertaineth to good manners and vpright conuersation euen so vncircumcision shal not hurt the Gentile but shall be accepted for circumcision if be leaue and forsake the Ceremonies of the law and performe those things that be in déede the whole summe of the law which is a pure and a cleane life and shall also obey Christ which is the end of all lawes Therefore thou Jewe the Gentile shall be made equall with thée in this behalfe yea he shall be preferred before thée and be better taken than thou bicause he knoweth no Circumcision and his innocencie and cleane life shall make thine iniquitie more damnable bicause he not professing the lawe dothe yet declare the ende of the lawe in the actes of his good and godly life where thou glorying in the wordes and sillables of the lawe and professing Circumcision doest violate that which is the chéefe of the lawe God which iudgeth not after the outwarde appearance of the body but after the godlinesse of the spirite taketh no man for a Jewe except he performe in dede the profession of a iewe And him name not I a Jewe that hathe the manifest note marke of the Jewe neither is he Circumcised that hathe his priuie skin cutte but he is a very Jewe that is rightly a Jewe and circumcised in his hart which God only beholdeth and therafter iudgeth all men To conclude therfore he is Circumcised which rather hath his harte circumcised than he which hath his priuie membre circumcised which also dothe not reioyce in the markes and notes made with a stone as the circumcision of the Iewes was but reioyceth in the spirite and minde of the lawe for he that hath only his fleshe Circumcised may goe for a Iewe amongst men but him worthily God taketh for a Iewe whose hart is purged and clensed from the filthe of vice and sinne and is prest and readie to the loue of Iesus Christ of whome only to be allowed is the most high and chiefe felicitie The third Chapter ¶ Paule shevveth vvhat preferment the Ievves haue and that bothe the Ievves and Gentiles are vnder sinne and are only iustified by the grace of God in Christe BVt héere will some men say séeing the summe of the lawe dependeth vppon godlinesse and innocencie of life and vpon the only faithe in Iesus Christ what preheminence then hath the Iewe more than the Gentile Or what preuailed it the Iewe to be circumcised séeing that godlinesse and faithe maketh the vncircumcised as good with God as the circumcised â—ea and that also more is séeing the circumcision of a Iewe that offendeth maketh his cause worse yes verily the Iewe hath great preheminence First he may reioyce in that he is by nature called a Iewe to whome properly the woorde of God is committed or else bicause that only the lawe and the Prophets were caught to that nation either for this cause that God vouchsaued to be their instructor and teacher him selfe Surely it is an honourable thing to be of that nation which God so highly estéemed And further the Iewe hathe preheminence bicause the same by reason of the saide instructors goodnesse may be the readier to the true faith in Iesus Christe For as he is more neare
it selfe This is then to be considered in asmuche as the Lawe of Moyses was mortall as is the husbande to the wife it can be no wonder to the true christian man to heare that it is dead which so long as it was aliue had full strength and power ouer them that were in subiection to it How be it at thys tyme you Iewes you haue no matter to doo wyth the Lawe in as muche as it is nowe deade to you or at the least wyse you deade to it thoughe it were still aliue For after that Chryst which is the onely truthe came amongest vs all the Lawe of Moyses was abrogate frustrate and of none effecte as touchyng the Letter and Ceremonies thereof Considering therefore you bee all now incorporate into the body of Chryst and maried vnto him as a wife vnto hir husbande béeing set at libertie from hir olde husbande by the death of the lawe and further séeing your husbande now at these dayes is liuing and immortall bicause he dyed for your sakes and rose agayne from death to life and so euermore afterwards to continue aliue it shall be now your parte to compose and confourme your selues a louing and a continuall wife to suche an immortall husbande and neuer afterwards to caste any one tytle or iote of your loue to the remembraunce of your olde good man for so dooing it can not be chosen but offence must be committed to the great sorow and grefe of this your so louing Espouse But alwayes haue in your minds that like as heretofore you shewed your selues seruiseable vnto your firste husbande and to accomplish with good will al his commaundements euen so now you ought to enforce your selues to yéelde suche obedience and seruice at this time that it may be acceptable to God your father and pleasaunte to Chryst your moste deare and swéete spouse For so long as we were vnder the law as vnder our husbande it had gouernement ouer vs which by reason of the many requestes that it made euer charging vs with disobedience and lacke of good seruice was an occasion that we found our selues alwayes distressed alwayes in displeasure agaynst him and neuer to satisfie and fulfill his commaundement by occasion whereof our seruice was euer vnperfect gréeuous and subiect to correction and punishment Therefore now at this time béeing set at libertie from his iurisdiction vnder which bicause we liued alwayes in sinne and displeasure we dyd not liue but were rather all dead vnder the same vntill our time appoynted it shall therefore now well become vs to be no longer obedient to our olde husbande which was carnall and mortall but wholly vnto our new spouse which is heauenly and spirituall And from hencefoorth to yéelde our seruice not to the law in the letter and ceremonies but vnto Iesus Chryst in the spirite of God which spirite we haue receiued from the hande of our spouse for a wedding ring to put vs alwais in remēbrance of our hartie dutie good wil towards him But I stand in dout least some man héere will obiecte against me and say Séeing then that in seruing the lawe we were euer founde in sinne of the same and also subiecte to deathe it shall seeme to conclude that the lawe was sinne and broughte vs to deathe for as it is the propertie of rightuousnesse to bring men to life euen so is it the propertie of sinne to bring men to deathe Wherefore considering the law brought vs to death it may be called sinne or at the least wise ioyned patente to sinne But God forbid that any man shuld thinke so for verily the law is not the author of sinne but the Herauld messenger of sinne which was vnknowne to vs before the lawe was proclaimed at which time euery man folowing his owne sensualitie and lust thought that he might lawfully doe what so euer his hart corruptly desired and thought it also lawfull to desire that which séemed pleasant in his owne conceit For which cause pardoning and flatering my selfe in this behalfe I thoughte it none offence at all to couet that which did belong to another man if the law had not saide vnto me Thou shalt not lust And no man can denie but that the lawe was declared for the coercion and restraint of sinne though the thing it selfe hapned all contrarie vnto vs throughe oure owne vice and imperfection For at what time the lawe did open vnto vs our sinnes and gaue vs not thereto might and strength to resist them it came to passe that our luste to sinne was made the more quicke and readie to it bicause the nature of man is such that it most lusteth after that thing which is moste forbidden it How be it before the knowledge of the law came many of our sinnes we knew not and some of them we knewe after suche a sorte that we persuaded our selues they were not forbidden vs Throughe which reason all we had the lesse regarde to consider what was lust to sinne in as muche as all we by nature set small store by suche things as we thinke we may haue at our will and commaundement Wherefore after the lawe had once set forthe the multitude of sinnes to oure faces and did forbid them to vs then we were the more gréedie to spot and defile our selues with the committing of them By which occasion sinne toke to himself strength and encoragement in vs which before the comming of the lawe lay and slept was as dead At which time I my selfe when I knewe not the lawe I led my life like an outlawe and thoughte within my selfe that I might sinne withoute the committing of any offence to god But when I perceiued the law that did forbid me to sinne thē my sinne began to waxe stout and to aboūd in me and to take the bridle in his téethe Which faring thus foule with me wheras before I thought I liued I became in mine owne cōscience starke dead bicause by the law I perceiued my deadly wound and yet could not abstaine from sinning Whereby it came to passe that the thing which was prouided me of God for my helth was made to me an occasion of my death Which thing was not through any iniurie of the law but it was only through mine owne vice weakenesse imperfection For hauing in me a certain promptnesse and readinesse to sinne and my lust also taking some occasion by the lawe it selfe bicause as I said before men do most cōmonly lust after that which is forbidden them I was then euen full of all gréedinesse to sinne And thus the diuel vsing that wickedly which of it selfe was good enticed me vnto sinne by occasion of the law and by occasion of sinne vnto death to the end I should acknowledge my selfe guiltie therof and to be thrall vnto him for the same Therfore thus you sée then that there is no cause why any mā should contemne or depraue the lawe which as
it was giuen of God who is alwayes perfectely good of him selfe so it proponed and set foorthe vnto al men good and holesome ensignements For it cannot be chosen but that the thing must néedes be good and godly that hateth and forbiddeth sinne and naughtinesse And héer another will say vnto me then séeing the law which is good bringeth with him that which is also good why then shuld I say that it brought death vnto men which is very naught and hath alwais his beginning of sinne and wretchednesse Certesse a mā might safely say thus vnto me If in case the law should engender sinne but the truthe is not so for the law truly is not the author of death but the cause of our death is sinne which is in vs who of it selfe is so wicked that it turneth that thing which is very good into naughte destruction Yet notwithstanding that thing which is good and pure of his owne nature openeth vnto vs howe filthie and vnseemely a thing it is which is naught and vitious for that verily the law wrought declared vnto vs the abhomination of our sinnes and was not the author and cause of them for all men knowe that the lawe is spirituall and alwayes stirreth men to honest things and spirituall actions the which bicause the law dothe not bring to effect that which so much it desireth to do surely to speake of my self I am in the fault therof and not the law For in as much as I am carnal and prone to sinne and by occasion of the long continuance in it am made as bond therunto as a bond man vnto his master and am so blinde drouned in vice and filthinesse that I cannot tel what I ought to do for I doe not that thing which knowledge and reason declareth vnto me to be honest though I my self do couet the same but I rather commit that thing which is vnresonable dishonest the which though I hate detest it yet I do commit the same bicause the vice and power of concupiscence that is in me violently compelleth and draweth me therunto by which reason the offenders them selues will in no case that any fault shuld be imputed vnto the lawe but to our owne fragilitie weakenesse and great imperfection For in as muche as we in oure weakenesse being so compelled to doe that thing through concupiscence which knowledge and reason detesteth escheweth and damneth I do therfore consent to the law that it is holy good bicause it dothe of it selfe forbid the same thing which the inward and spiritual part of my body grudgeth at disaloweth and vtterly dāneth Wherefore the law which so straitly forbiddeth all things that be euill muste néedes be counted holy precious and good Which althoughe I commit suche euill in obeying the motions of my fraile and corrupted fleshe the outwarde parte and moste grose substaunce of man yet I wel perceiue them to be wicked and abhominable that also in mine inwarde man I hate and abhorre them Héere will one then say vnto me why dost thou not then obey to thy spirit and inward man which so consenteth to the law that is good and also stirreth thée to honestie and godly operations I answere For this same cause we must imagine to be in eache one of vs two men the one of them grose and carnall and the other more pure and of lesse corruption The first may be called the outward man and the seconde the inward man The first is procliue and ready to sinne the second hauing in him as it were certaine séedes of honesty is more appliant to embrace vertue And according to his possibilitie and power he gladly shunneth and striueth againste all corrupted motions and the filthie desires of sinne Howe be it that parte of vs is most properly called the man which of it selfe is moste pure and cleane and best inclined Therefore as often as mine inwarde man consenting to the goodnesse of the lawe is stirred and so consenteth to honestie and yet doth the contrarie it séemeth then that it is not I that doth it For what is he which doth the thing that he hateth and wanteth will to doe it But héere is adioyned to mine outwarde man a certaine promptnesse and readinesse to sinne by meanes wherof it chaunceth ofte that when I desire to doe the thing which is honest and good I am constrained to do that which is hurtfull naught In which grose part of me I confesse to be no goodnesse at al. For althoughe I desire to doe that thing which according to reason and knowledge is honest yet I finde in me no power or strength to worke that which I moste gladly estéeme and commend But in as much as this corrupted and carnal concupiscence is in me of much more strength and force to driue me to offend than is reason which calleth me to the estimation of vertue I am forcibly drawne from the good vse thereof which I most specially desire and do daily commit the sinne and iniquitie which I inwardly hate and moste iustly condemne Considering therfore that a man in doing euill dothe it not voluntarily or with glad consent but by enforcement and againste his will then when that thing is committed which mine inward man most gladly repugneth and striueth against it is not truely and properly said that I am the committer of the euill but rather more aptly to be applied to the grose desire promptnesse and readinesse of the outward man in whome alwayes sinne is resident and beareth most deadly sway Which promptnesse to euill the lawe cannot take away from me but so ofte as I yéelde and obay to euill then the lawe openeth and layeth plainely before me by the testimonie of my conscience the iust iudgement of God ouer me and perpetuall condemnation to my soule The good nature of reason and honestie throughe the grace of God in the inward man draweth me to the estimation of loue and vertue wherunto I am truely taught by the law but I finde also an other law in the mēbers of mine outward mā which is clene contrary to the lawe of my inward mā and violently stirreth me to the gréedie embracement of euill Therefore abiding thus alwayes in this case of conflict that reason draweth me one way and concupiscence an other way it commonly thus fortuneth that the woorse parte preuaileth and reason ouer mastred and laid on the ground For the promptnesse I say and readinesse to sinne so muche aboundeth in me as also the accustomed vse thereof through the vsual familiaritie great felowship which it euer hathe with my weake and fraile nature that I am still haled by constrainte like a bonde slaue or prisoner vnto filthinesse and sinne whether I will or will not O miserable wretche that I am which am thus in thraldome to suche filthie slauerie and moste bitter state of bondage who shall deliuer me and make me frée from this
fulfilling of this their euerlasting glory and ioy in his appoynted time Wherfore considering the matter goeth on this wise with vs what neede haue we then to disquiet our selues about the troubles miseries that dayly happeneth vnto Either why should we not take them with all pacience séeing that suche is the grace and fauour of God that he most mercifully mindeth our speedy deliueraunce from thence Surely God hath in so many things declared already his moste high loue and goodnesse towards vs that we may be well assured he wil stil stand vnto vs and be on our side a most stable piller agaynst al the assaults of our deadly aduersarie Which always béeing most true what cause haue we to care or what can his malice preuayle agaynst vs seeing the moste mightie God hym selfe taketh our parte Either why should we doubt at all of the fauour of God to be with vs which dyd not spare his onely deare sonne and his most high treasure of heauen but did as it were put him forwards to death for vs that were most wretched sinners agaynst him and altogither in his fathers indignation He did embase his owne and onely sonne and made him vile to the ende that thereby he would extoll and aduaunce vs he made him a sacrifice to deliuer vs from our offences he deliuered him to his death that by the meanes of it wee might haue life Wherfore séeing he thus gaue his own deare sonne for vs in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of al things shall it not then folowe that he will also helpe vs with all things as he doth his sonne In as muche as he hath made vs felow heires with him of the kingdome of his heauenly ioy what will God sticke to giue vnto vs what soeuer it bée whiche hath already fréely giuen that thing for vs which is much more preciouse than all the creatures in heauen and in earth And all we may be well assured that God will not chaunge his minde with vs but in the constancie of his mercy will at all times be our buckler our shielde and mightie defence agaynst the outrage and force of all our aduersaries What is he therefore that will or once dare take vppon him to bring any accusation or lay any condemnation agaynst the electe of God whom he hath now by hys moste high wisedome chosen and taken for his owne deare sonnes Thinke you that God will heare the aduersarie of our soule agaynst those whom his onely sonne hath so preciously redeemed and for his sake hath so frely pardoned and forgiuen their offences against him God that is the iudge of all creatures hath deliuered vs from the gyltinesse of our former life now accounteth vs righteous in his sight Therfore who dare be so bolde to condemne those that he pronounceth righteous But yet hereof we muste in any wise carefully take héede that we fal not againe into the lothsomnesse of our old sinnes wickednesse Christ him self hath euer had such an hart burning loue towards vs that for our redemption sake to saue vs frō damnation he willingly suffred gushing out of his side the flowing streames of his bloud which also after his death rose agayne only to foresée all things necessarie both for the reioycing of his louing brethren as also in al things to comfort strengthen them The same christ now being made our only aduocate iudge is ascended into the heuēs there sitteth with maiestie on the right hand of his heauenly father in al things equal with him and there daily with the open apparance of his bloudy wounds pledeth our cause with him craueth the continuāce of his gret mercy towards vs in this life to haue for vs after this life in ful reward of his most precious purchase euen euerlasting ioy felicitie For which consideration sith the father of heauen hath thus pronounced vs for the deathes sake of his dere sonne guiltlesse blessed and iust which procéedeth of the only tendernesse of his vnspeakeable loue what man is he thē that from henceforth wil feare the deuil dread tirants or any one that is his minister or else any slaunderer priuie conspirator curssed speaker or wicked cōdemner of him Therfore for as much as we be al so many wayes bound vnto God and his deare sonne Christe what thing is that what thing is it that is once able to withdraw vs from the loue of them both or else shall not suffer vs to loue them againe for their moste wonderfull great mercies towards vs Shal the tempestuous stormes and troubles of men withdrawe vs from them Shall the slipperie chaunges and chaunces of this wretched world plucke vs backe Shall anguishes shall persecutions shall hunger shall nakednesse shall perill either shall the sword All which the holy Prophet Dauid hathe prophecied to chance vnto the elect of God which speaketh in the spirit of God on this manner we are for thy sake O Lord daily deliuered vnto death and are estéemed as shéepe appointed to the slaughter These same things although they séeme to be importable greeuous to the weak flesh yet they are not able to pluck vs from the loue of God his dear sonne Christ Wel may they diuersly sundry wayes happen vnto vs but surely they cannot ouercome vs yea the more that they fortune vnto vs so muche the more doe they confirme the loue of vs towardes Christe and his loue also towards vs in as much as we alwayes depart from the same afflictions as liuely victorers and ouercommers of them Not throughe oure owne powers but through the protection and defence of him vnto whō we owe all things that we haue Neither will God that loueth vs so hartily suffer vs to be ouerthrowne neither can we hauing in remembrance his wōderful goodnesse towards vs cease to loue him againe for any kinde of miserie that cā happen in this wretched life vnto our earthie fraile bodies How he it al those things of the which I did euen now speake are but light and of small effecte to plucke our harts from the loue of God but I am wel assured that bisides al those neither death neither life neither the Angels of heauen neither might nor power neither things present though they bring al kindes of miserie with them neither things to come whether they shall bring good or bad vnto vs neither highe nor low neither visible nor inuisible neither any other creature shall at any time once be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which he hath shewed vnto all vs in giuing his only deare sonne our Lord Iesus Christ to be our redemption and to pay our ransome to his and our father for al such offences as we moste horribly committed dayly against him The ninth Chapter Paule complaineth vpon the hard hart of the Ievves that vvould not receiue Christ and hovve the heathen are chosen in their steade
amongest you that be Gentiles and in thys maner of exercise to offer a pure sacrifice vnto him of my faythfull and diligente labours And I thinke verily that this kinde of sacrifice shall be moste acceptable to him if I shall offer all you as a sacrifice worthy of him not suche as are pourged and clensed by carnall Ceremonies but by the spirite of God which is the onely author of perfecte sanctimonie and the furtherer of holy Religion The which thing inasmuche as I see it already come to passe in you I may of good righte bée gladde yet not in boasting my selfe therefore among men but to reioyce onely in God for the good and prosperous successe which I haue of my preaching and not imputing the same vnto mine owne industrie trauell but vnto the only goodnesse of Chryst Iesus whose only matter I now treate vpon and through whose strength and consolation I do with diligence execute my holy office And herein I dare not rehearse at all the actes of any other man least peraduenture I should séeme therin to apply to my selfe the cōmendation of their déedes I will therfore only rehearse those things that Chryst wrought by me in mine owne mynistery to the ende that the Gentiles which heretofore were miserably giuen to the most grosse sinne of idolatrie superstition may now obey to the time in truth and apply them selues to the holy gospell of Chryst whervnto they are well moued partly by my doctrine déedes of charitie and partly also through the might and power of God wrought by me in signes and wonders to confirme amongest them the fayth of my doctrine I say yet agayne that the same are not wrought through mine owne vertue and power but through the onely might and power of the holy Ghoste of whom I am through grace but onely and organe an instrumente and poore Minister And I in that I doo glory in the luckie procéeding of my preaching I doo if to declare therein the glory of my Lorde Chryst and not to set foorth myne owne glory And euen so verily I glorying in my preaching doo attribute the onely prayse and commendation thereof vnto almightie god Neither will I in this behalfe become inferiour to any other for I haue not preached the Gospell of Chryst as the common sorte vse to doo that is euer in one place but vntill this present houre I haue preached in those Regions moste specially where the name of Chryst was not before spoken of yea and for the furthering of Gods onely glory and prayse I haue desired helpe at hys holy hande that the foundation of the Christian Religion mighte be caste into a greater compasse and that the limites of his moste worthy renoume might more amply be spredde and stretched foorthe abroade vppon the whole earth For which cause as I thoughte it not beste to buylde vppon the foundation of the other Apostles bicause euen as it is a more difficill and harde thing first to appoynte and limitte the beginning of Religion than well to repayre and kéepe the same in safetie which is already begonne euen so I thought it muche better to make for the progression of the Gospell to preache the name of Chryst in suche places onely as none of the Apostles yet came vnto namely forasmuche as I perceiued the same thing to haue bene prophecied long before by the moste holy Prophet Esaias which saith They that of him had nothing declared vnto them they shal yet see and they that hard not yet of him shall also vnderstand And this same ardente desire within me to set foorth the christian fayth religion was the only cause that hath hitherto withholdē me from you though no man could more hartily haue wished to be with you than I my selfe haue done Therfore séeing I haue now in such sort ranged ouer all the whole countreis of Achaia Macedonia that I sée therein no place lefte which is destitute of the knowledge of Chryst or in which I haue not alredy laide the fundation of the christian faith and religion and forasmuche also as I haue wyshed most gladly many yeres since for a cōueniēt time to sée you I trust now shortely to haue occasion happily giuen vnto me to satisfie in this poynt my glad desire towards you Wherfore when I shall passe on my iourney towards the countrey of Spayne I will take you in my way and so remayne with you vntill suche time as I shall somewhat haue satisfied my minde amongest you in vsing moste ioyfully your christian and godly company Which thing I trust shal shortly come to passe if it be the good will of Chryst and that from thence I shall most gladly desire you to accompany me on my way and to guide me into Spayne But at this present I doo you to wit I am taking my iourney towards the Citie Ierusalem there to distribute vnto the necessitie of the christian Iewes disciples of Chryst the bountifull liberalitie of the Macedonians and Achaians which they haue committed vnto my charge to bée doone For to that ende and purpose it hathe so pleased their godly mindes to make a collection of money throughoute the whole Countreys declaring thereby the fruites of their change and perfection to the reioycing of the poore christian brethren at Ierusalem which although they haue not among them selues the vse of worldly sustentation or wante things sufficiente to relieue their poore and néedie bodies yet touching their riches and reliefe which they haue in Chryst through their perfection in Religion that is otherwise wonderfull large and inestimable In consideration whereof and bicause they firste receiued from them and by their testimonies their entraunce and beginning into chrystian Religion they thought them selues of duetie greatly bounde vnto them and to bestow fréely and without inforcement vpon them that which I doo most worthily allow which is their very bountifull and christian beneuolence Therefore considering I say that they which be now at Ierusalem did firste worke the meanes that the doctrine of Christ descended vnto the Gentiles It is now reason also that the Gentiles in like maner doo minister vnto them agayne some of their temporall and worldly goodes that they may yet at the least with that which is but earthly recompence that thing which is most preciouse and heauenly fréely and without all charge communicated vnto them the effecte and full summe of their whole health and saluation Wherfore as soone as I according to good order and duetie shall haue discharged mine handes of this their sayde christian beneuolence which without commoditie to my selfe I fréely receiued and will as fréely deliuer it them I will take my iourney into Spayne And although I hasten forwardes my selfe as muche as I possibly may vntill I bée in Spayne to preache therein the Gospell of Chryst yet for all that it repenteth mée not in this maner for a whyle to be stayed from thence And when soeuer
time the signe of this couenaunt that the Lorde would be their God and they should be his people We wil nowe passe ouer from the couenant or testament of Abraham to Christes couenant or Testament The couenant that was made with Abraham is so strong and not to be abrogated that on lesse a maÌ„ kéepe it perpetually he shall not be a Christian or faithfull man For except the Lord be thy God and thou the seruaunts of him only for thou shalt woorship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue there is no cause why thou shuldest boast thy selfe to be a christian man But he whom thou so worshippest and seruest is so thy God that is to say thy highest good that he giueth himself fréely to thée that he casteth away himself vnto deathe for thée that he might reconcile thée to him selfe He which hath performed it promised this grace long since wheÌ„ our father transgressed his lawe and after that he euer renued that promisse to the fathers There was none other cause why he promised it but bicause that blessednesse coulde not happen vnto vs although we endeuored and labored for it til we swet againe till the fall of oure first father were forgiuen and satisfied But when Christe being now offered for vs had pacified the diuine iustice in suche sorte that by him only a man might goe vnto god Nowe hath God made a newe couenaunt with mankinde Not so newe a couenant as though he had hardly or skarcely found this remedie at the laste but bicause that whereas he had long a goe prepared it he gaue it when the time was come This new couenant then or testament is the fré◠and vndeserued forgiuenesse of sinnes which God hath liberally giuen by his son They therfore the trust to God by Chryst doo bring their children to that trust and fayth for wée muste adde that withall as Abraham and his posteritie in old time was circumcised so are they circumcised but with the circumcision of Chryst which is baptisme Baptisme therefore tendeth euen to the same effect that Circumcision dyd in the olde tyme for it is the signe of the couenaunt that God hath made with vs by his sonne Baptisme then is the chéefe and principall signe of the new Testament or couenaunt Further how that Couenaunt is made perfect the celebration of the Lordes Supper bringeth vs in remembraunce thereof Not surely that the Supper is the Couenaunt but bicause the Couenaunt is brought to memorie in it and that thanks be giuen to the Lorde for so liberall a benefite What is then the new Couenaunt Frée remission of sinnes by the sonne of god Thereof it commeth that forasmuche as this frée remission of sinnes is obtayned by the death and shedding foorth of the bloud of Chryst the same death and bloud may peraduenture be called the Couenaunt Although if a man speake truely and properly Chryst is not the new Testament but the mediator of the newe Testamente As Paule speaketh for the very couenaunt is the remission of sinnes Notwithstanding wée will not these things to be spoken so farre foorth as though wée thought it a faulte if the death of Chryst or his bloud should be called the Couenaunt but for the intente louingly to stirre vp these rashe felowes that loue to striue with wordes to the cleare vnderstanding of these things Now let vs goe further Chryst would that the memorie of his benefite which he perfourmed with so bitter death should euer â—ée in full strength among vs Wherevppon he not without cause instituted the frequentation also of the remission of sinnes none otherwise then he did once institute the celebritie of the deliueraunce out of the Egyptiacall bondage Now séeing that the bloud of the Couenaunte may be called the Couenaunt and that we in this celebritie or assembly doo giue thanks for the bloud that is shed by the which the Couenaunt is finished vp and made perfect thereof it also commeth that we call it the bloud of Chryst By the which wée onely make commemoration that the bloud was and is shed for vs And then euen as wée haue called the bloud the Couenaunt so wée name the signe or token also of the bloud shed the Couenaunt Say all this to be but an olde wiues tale except the words of the Apostle proue it That the remission of sinnes is the very couenaunt Paule teacheth That this testament couenaunt or bargayne is obtayned by the bloud and death of Chryst Peter giueth warning And Paule to the Collos 1. Furthermore none of the Apostles calleth the death or bloud the couenant but the bloud of the couenaunt Notwithstanding wée leaue it to a mans libertie for instructions sake that they may be called the couenaunt Reherse the Apostles words and marke them wel If then the bloud it selfe which was shed is not called the couenaunt but the bloud of the couenaunt as by which the couenaunt of frée remission is obteined and confirmed how much more is this Cuppe of the bloud not the couenaunt but a signe and token of the bloud of the couenaunt The signe therfore hath receiued the name of the thing signified as it is aboue euidently shewed The Sacrament therfore of the couenaunt and testament if a man take Sacramente for the principall and externe signe of the couenaunt or promise is baptisme But of the passion of Chryst by which this couenaunt or testament is perfourmed this assembly is the signe in the which the bread and wine are deuided in commemoration of Chrystes death with thankes giuing of the faythfull béeing all of one accorde Héere we ought not to be so impotent to braule so stiffely about the name whylest one will haue this assembly of thankes giuing to be a Sacrament and another denieth it For when we vnderstande the thing it selfe clerely why striue we yet about what name we shall call it FINIS Of Vanitie by Martinus Cellarius Ecclesi 1. Vanitie of Vanities sayd the Preacher Vanitie of vanities and all things are vanitie IT IS A GENERAL proposition which coÌ„teineth the one parte of the state of this sermon namely that al things vnder the sunne are vayne But euen now a questioÌ„ is here offred at the entring of this matter of vanitie what thinges they be which here of Salomon are numbred amoÌ„g vaine thinges whether onely man with his cares and worldly desires or else whether he putteth other things also vnder vanitie as are the elements and things growen concrete of them The definition of this word vaine shal solue easily the question if a man shew what the scripture properly meneth by this word Habel that is vaine superfluous foolish Those men which hold only man to be here counted vaine with his counsels life they may allege two reasons for them selues One is considering that man as the head giueth the cause of vanitie to the rest of al things as shal hereafter more plainly appers The other reason
kéepe suche good order by reformation among the people that the slaunderous persons rebellions and séekers of disorder may not haue place through sufferaunce whereby the name of God shoulde be blasphemed And as touching the first I minde not to declare vnto you what doctrine ought to haue place but rather giuing thanks vnto almightie God for that he hath not onely giuen vnto you the lighte of his pure knowledge but that he hath also giuen vnto you good counsell and discretion to cause his pure veritie to be preached So that God bée thanked you bee not to teache what is the true fayth of Christian men and the doctrine which they ought to receiue seing that by your meanes the puritie and truth of the christen fayth is agayne restored that is that wée beléeue God to bée the only gouernour of our soules that wée kéepe his lawe for the onely rule and spirituall gouernaunce of our consciences not to serue him after the fantasticall and foolishe inuentions of men Also that according to his diuine nature he will bée accordingly serued in spirite and in all puritie of heart Of the other parte acknowledging that there is in vs nothing but all euill and wickednesse and that wee be in all our knowledge and affections in such wise corrupted that our soules béeing dispayred in our selues be lyke vnto a bottomlesse pitte or a world of all abhomination and iniquitie And all the presumption of our wisdome dignitie or power to do wel be taken away we may haue free recourse to the fountaine of all goodnesse which is Iesus Christ receiuing that which he giueth vnto vs that is to say the only merites of his death and passion to the end that by the same meane we may be reconciled vnto the Lorde our God that being washed with his bloud we shoulde not feare that our faultes shoulde impéeche vs but to finde grace before his celestiall throne that being assured our sinnes be fréely forgiuen vs and pardoned by the vertue of his moste blessed sacrifice we shall put therin our whole trust and assurance and not to dout at any time of our heauenly comfort and health and that we be sanctified by his spirite in giuing our selues to the obedience of the iustice of God that being fortified by his power and grace we shall be valyant conquerors of Sathan the world and the fleshe and finally that being members of his body we feare not but that God will take vs for his children and that we may haue confidence to call vnto him as vnto our father And that we be aduertised to bring to this ende all that is saide and done in the churche that is being retired from this sinnefull world and other our deadly aduersaries we may be lifted vp to heauen with Christ our head our Lord and sauioure Wherefore then séeing that God hath wrought in you and giuen you the grace to restore againe the knowledge of this moste sounde and holy doctrine which hath bene so long time buryed by curssed Antichriste I leaue to kéepe you with longer purpose and that which I haue touched of the manner of teaching is only for that the people may be rightly instructed and to féele that which the Apostle sayth that is that the woorde of God is a sworde cutting with two edges piercing the thoughts affections euen vnto the marowe of the bone I say this my Lord for that I thinke there is very few liuely preachings in the realme but rather that the moste part reciteth them as it were by lector I wel perceiue the necessitie that constraineth your Lordship therunto for â—â—rst yée haue not commonly as I thinke your Pastors so good and apte as you would lawfully wishe and desire wherfore it is néedefull for you to séeke diligently and to supplie that lacke Secondly there might chance to be many light spirites which would peraduenture leape beyonde their boundes sowing corrupted and foolishe fantasies as oftentimes they doe in newe things But all these considerations impéecheth not but that the ordinaunce of Iesus Christe ought to haue his course as in preaching the gospell Nowe this preaching oughte not to be deade but quicke and liuely bothe for to teache exhorte and to reprehende as S. Paule saith to Timothe in suche sorte as if any infidell do enter he may be wounded ouercome and taken as he saith in another place to giue glory and praise to god You knowe also my Lord how that he speaketh of the liuelynesse the ought to be in the mouthes of them which would approue them selues good and faithfull ministers of the Gospell of Christe that they ought not to haue or vse woordes of Rethoricke or muche curiositie entending therby to be in the greater estimation but that the spirite of God oughte to sounde in their voyces for to woorke in power and vertue All the daungers that are to be feared of men ought not with humaine policies so appeare at any time or in any place that thereby the spirite of God be impeached or let to haue his libertie and due course in them in whome he hath so plentifully distributed of his graces for the edifying of the church of god It is true that in the meane time nothing were better nor more expedient than to stoppe the lightnesse of fantasticall spirites which taketh ouer much licence Also to shutte and close fast the gates of all curiosities and newe wicked doctrines But the best and moste conuenient meane shall be such as God him selfe hath appoynted and shewed vnto vs that first bicause there be some resolute of the doctrine that all oughte to preache the which all Prelates and Curates should sweare to folow that none be receiued into any Ecclesiastical charge onlesse he promisse to obserue the same true concorde and vnion After that to haue a formall and common instruction for to instructe the yong children and the ignorante people which should make them acquainted with the true Doctrine in such wise that they may discerne it from lies and corruptions which else might be brought in To the contrary beléeue me my Lord that the Churche of God shall be neuer well conserued without Cathechisme For it is as the séede to be kept that the good graine perisheth not but that it may growe and encrease from age to age Wherefore if your grace desire to builde a woorke long to endure which shoulde not shortly be in decaie cause that the children in their yonge age be instructed with a good Cathechisme that may learne them bréefely and according to their small capacitie to knowe wherein consisteth the true christianitie or most perfect religion of Christe This Cathechisme shall serue for two purposes that is to say for an introduction to all people to profitte well in that which shall be preached vnto them and also the rather to descerne if the wicked shal at any time presumptuously set forth any vnsound or straunge kindes of Doctrine In the