Hither may the ten commodities of persecution and afflictions bée referred And to the minor I aunswer Wée Christians are in déede most full of miseries but it is but the turning of a hand bycause sinne sticketh still in vs which must bee doone away by affliction and death Howbeit in the meane while euen in the very afflictions wée finde Gods presence and help and wonderful deliueraunces and wee are strengthened by the holy Ghost so as wée may assure our selues that no afflictions can plucke vs away from Gods louingnesse wherewith he loueth vs for his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christes sake according to this saying Iohn x. No man shall pull my shéepe out of myhandes Hither to I haue shewed the state of the Epistle and set out the argumentes after the order of Logicke And I dare auouche that there is no one part of the sermons of the Prophetes Apostles that in so few woords conteyneth larger wisedome me places of Christian doctrine more effectuall comfort in sorowes and calamities more vehement motions more force of persuasion perâ—ing into mens mindes and more notable figures and ornamentes of Rhetoricke than dooth this Epistle which is wont to bée read in the Church as this day And therefore I will bréefly picke out the rest of the places of doctrine whereof there bée testimonies in this Epistle j. Of the causes why the Church before the rest of mankind should bée vnder the crosse and of true comforts too béé set ageynst it ij Of Gods predestination which is Gods eternall purpose or decrée of chosing his Church out of al mankind of such as are called into that company by mercy for his sonnes sake and so of euery one seuerally that shall continue in the fayth to their departing out of this lyfe iij. Of the Churche and of the wonderfull gathering preseruation gouernement and Glorification of the Churche iiij This saying Whom he hath chosen them also hath he called conteyneth a moste swéete and comfortable doctrine namely that there is no where any election too euerlasting Saluation but in the companie of them that bée called that is too say whiche héere Chrystes Gospell And that GOD in déede worketh effectually in the visible congregation of this called church imparting rightuousnesse and glorie euerlasting vnto men Therfore let vs not séeke for Gods chosen or for his churche among Turks Hethenfolks and others that are ignorant of the gospell v. Of the benefits of the Son of God which was giuen for vs. vj. Of mans iustification before God which is the absolution of the sinfull man from the accusation of the lawe and from endlesse damnation and the imputation of rightuousnesse wherthrough for Chryst the mediators sake who dyed and is rysen ageyn and maketh intercession for vs he is accepted for rightuouse by the frée mercy of god and receiued to lyfe and glorie euerlasting vij Of the kingdom of Chryst sitting at the right hand of God or reygning in equall power with the eternall Father viij Of the préesthoode of Chryste pacifying the Father with his sacrifise and intercession ix Of the stedfastnesse of election and of the certeyntie of fayth that leaneth vnto Gods louingnesse to vs wards and beleeueth that both the whole church is preserued by God ageinst the furiousnesse of féends and vngodly folke and also that euery godly person that continueth in faith shall be saued Concerning these nyne places let the full exposition bée taken out of the writings that conteyn the sum of the doctrine Moreouer let the studious consider eche seueral woord the vehemencies the phrases and the notable ornaments of figures as first the Gradation of four steps 2. the Homaeoteleuts 3. the Homoioptots 4. the rife interrogations 5. the subiections 6. the often Antithesies 7. the streynes beginning all with one woorde 9. the heaping vp of things 10. the Iscolies and similitudes c. Vpon the feast day os S. Mathew the apostle and euangilist ¶ The Epistle Ephes iiij VNto euery one of vs is giuen grace accordyng to the measure of the gift of Chryst VVherfore he sayth He is gone vp an hye and hath ledde captiuitie captiue and hath giuen giftes vnto meÌ„ That he ascended what meaneth it but that he also desceÌ„ded first into the lowest partes of the earth He that descended is euen the same also that asceÌ„ded vp euen aboue al heuens to fulfil al things And the very same made some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some Shepeherdes and some teachers that the Saincts might haue al things necessary to worke and minister withal to the edifying of the body of Chryst til we euery one in the vnitie of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of God growe vp vnto a perfect man after the measure of age of the fulnesse of Chryst The disposement IT is of that kynd that is instructiue For it is a doctrine of the ministerie of the Gospell and of the teachers or ministers of the Gospel The chéef partes thereof are thrée applyed to places of Instruction j. The efficient cause from whence springeth the ministerie of the Gospel and by which it is preserued is the sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christe who is ascenddd intoo heauen and reigneth at the right hand of the father that he may giue gifts too men ij The speciall or particular kyndes or degrées of ministers of the Gospell 1. Apostles 2. prophets 3. Euangelists 4. Shepherds 5. Teachers or instructers of yong beginners iij. The finall cause for which the ministerie of the gospell is ordeined and for whiche it is maynteyned is that the true knowledge of God and the true and vncorrupte doctrine of the gospell might bée continued and spred abrode among men And that ther may from time to tyme be gathered a church that rightly acknowledgeth woorshippeth and glorifieth God euerlastingly And these are the chéefe benefits of this epistle And héere withall let other of the notabler places be obserued j. Of the diuersitie of gifts in the church which Chryst distributeth to eche seuerall person according as he thinketh good that they may be employed to further the common profite of the whole church ij A description of the triumph of Chryste the conquerour leading prisoner the prisonership of sin death and the diuell and ascending into heauen and reigning at the right hand of the father iij. A witnesse of the two natures in Chryste cuppled by personall vnion to be set ageinst Arius Nestorius and Eutyches iii. j A witnesse of the almightinesse and euery where being of Chryst v. Of the ministration of the gospel and of the sending of teachers and renuers of the doctrine I wil at an other tyme speake more at large of the other parts of the Epistle which conteyn most ample doctrine But at this tyme I will bréefly ouerrun onely one place concerning the ministerie of the Gospell which peculiarly perteyneth to the storie of this dayes feast God created men to the intent he may gather himselfe
possiblenesse For whereas in troubles miseries mēs harts tremble through thoughtfulnesse for their deliuerance getting out agein for other things y may befal them afterward are tormented with fearfulnes sorow It is a very hard thing to be humbled vnder the mighty hand of God with a peaceable quiet mynd to obey gods wil without grudging or repining Peter therfore willeth vs to cast out of our mynds this thoughtfulnesse trēbling of hart distrusting in God with stedfast assurāce of hart to settle our selues vpon gods mercifulnesse fauor without trembling or fearfulnes in perils to lean vnto the sound rock Christ with a quiet gladsom hart not to step aside frō gods cōmādemēt the néedful duties of our calling for vncerten hope or fear of the falling out of things like as Moises stāding at the red sea Daniel when he shold be cast to the lions the Apostles preaching the gospel Luther in the time of the assembly at Auspurge and in the whole course of his cause did cast their care vppon the Lord and went manfully through with the works of their vocatiō Thesame thing doth Christ cōmand Math. vj. First seke y kingdom of God and be not thoughtful for to morow sufficiēt for the day is the trauel therof Of present things haue thou regarde Let God alone with afterward The second parte of the Epistle YOur aduersary the diuel goth about like a roring lion seeking whō he may deuour whom resist you sound in faith The diuel kepeth cōtinual vnproclaimed vnrecōcilable war ageinst the church euery godly persō whose destructiō he practiseth both of body soul by most traytrous crafts and vnmeasurable crueltie lyke a hungerstaruen Lyon. Therfore euery godly mā must like a good souldier stand continually in battell ray armed with the complet harnesse of God the descriptiō wherof must be borowed out of the sixth chapter of the Ephesians to set out this place of Peter There are fiue special kindes of policie wherwith Satan goeth about to assault men vnwares and too driue them intoo sinne and fallyngs and intoo eternall destruction and so too deuoure them First he puts intoo their mynds vngodly thoughts as Epicurish or Academicall doutes concerning the prouidence the certeintie of the doctrine and the soothfastnesse of the promises or threatnings of God or else he stirreth false opinions and errors in conceit wherby men are driuen to medle with vnnecessary or vnryghtuous matters in which they perysh Like as into the head of Iulian the renegate and of many other worldly wise men he dropped in Epicurishe doutes and contempt of religion And he prompted Samosetanns Arius and Fotinus with colourable and false opinions concerning the Sonne of God. Secondly in mens willes and harts he nourisheth and confirmeth the sinfull inclinations and affections of corrupted nature as carelesnesse and neglecting of Gods wrath and iudgement distrust in God pryde enuyousnesse lewd loue hatred slouthfulnesse c. Like as in Cain and Saule he encreased spytefulnesse and malice In Iudas couetousnesse In Paris the heats of lecherie In Tyberius dissimulation and cruelnesse In a scholer loytering and lazynesse c. Thirdly he trumpeth in theyr ways with enticementes occasions of fallings that is too wit agréeablenesse of persons and fitnesse of tymes and places which stirre vp the sinfull inclinations of Nature and minister easy and speedy way too offende as vnto scholers he offereth lewde company whereby they are often led away from applying continuing theyr studies into vitteling houses too feastes games gaddings too froo a nightes and other foule disorders When Dauid was ydle he set before him Bethsabée washing hirselfe And he egged ambitious Absolon foreward with hope of obteyning his Fathers kingdome Fourthly he endéeuereth to quench the fayth of most men by aduersities as by pouertie contempt diffamacions diseases banishmentes tormentes of body and all the persecutions that Tyrauntes and the worlde can deuise Of these kindes of policies chéefly doth Peter make mencion in this place he comforteth the godly both by the example of all the brotherhood in the world or of all the Church and the godly and also with the shorte continuaunce of theyr troubles specially with the helpe of God who vndershoreth hartneth strengthneth mens minds that they should not faint as it is sayd j. Cor. x. God is faithfull who suffereth vs not too bée tempted aboue our power but with the temptacion maketh a way out that wée may endure it Fifthly the Diuell weakeneth and ouerthroweth many mo with prosperitie fauour of Noble men wealthynesse proinotion ydlenesse pleasures c. For in prosperitie by little and little the regard of Gods displeasure and the feare of his iudgement ware faint and are quenched Wherefore when the feare of God whiche is as it were the kéeper of all the other vertues is remoued mennes mindes doo easly giue bridle too their sinful lustes and yeld to the Diuell who plyeth them with occasions of fallings as Dauid Salomon others without nūber haue falne in ydlenesse and prosperitie And these sayinges are well knowen prosperitie weakeneth the mindes euen of the wise Also ydlenesse bréedeth sinne Moreouer The sinne of sloth hath many a snare to snarle in those that carelesse are And ageyne When men bee voyd of greef and set vppon the mery pin Theyr harts opē the feend with plesant crafts creepesin Hitherto wée haue spoken of the maners of the temptacions or policies of Satan as shortly as might be Now let the godly thinke vppon the fortifications and armour wherewith too furnish our selues that wee may bée able to beware of the force craftes of Satan to disapoint thē The first of these is watchfulnesie which must ridde a mans minde of carefulnesse dulnesse and drouzynesse in neglecting the pollicies and power of Sathan persuade it selfe that the name of Diuell or feende is not a vayne scarbug or a painted viser but must aduisedly earnestly looke too the sleyghtes of him as of a most suttle and cruell enimy endeuer to withstād cut of the beginnings of his temptacions like as Ioseph with singular watchfulnesse had an eye to the diuel when he layd the bayt for his chastitie so withstoode the beginnings of his allurementes So in the first kinde of temptacions when the Diuell putteth into mens heads heauy blasphemons thoughts which tend eyther to the confirmation of Epicurish carelenesse or to the stablishmét of despaire the safest way is by and by at the beginning eyther by reading the woorde of God or by some maner of communication or play with a mans fréends whatsoeuer it bée to driue those troublesome thoughts out of his mind as much as may bée possible before they bée strengthened and take roote The second Many slyghtes of that Diuell many sinnes and backeslidings specially in the third kinde of temptacions may bée eschued by sobrietie
A POSTIL or orderly disposing of certeine Epistles vsually red in the Church of God vppon the Sundayes and Holydayes throughout the whole yéere Written in Latin by Dauid Chytraeus and translated intoo English by Arthur Golding Seen and allowed according too the order appoynted Jmprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman for Lucas Harrison and George Bishop Anno Domini 1570. ¶ To the ryght honourable Sir VValtar Myldmay Knight Chancelour of the Queenes Maiesties court of Exchequer and one of hir highnesse most honorable priuie counsel Arthur Golding wisheth health prosperitie and encrease of all godly knowledge with long continuance in the same RIght honorable forasmuch since the comming foorth of the Postill of Hemingius vpon the Gospelles in English the good liking of his wholesome doctrine and his well handling thereof too the playne vnderstanding euen of the simple and too the profitable edifying of al sortes haue caused many too reade the same with great willingnesse and diligence The partyes that were the procurers of that benefite too their Countrey haue with like good meening requested me to adde some Postill or exposition vpon the Epistles also to the intent that the well disposed Reader might haue more full instruction in those partes of scripture which are most vsually continually red in the Christen Churches In performance wherof vppon the speciall good report and commendation of such as are lerned I haue translated this Postill or as the Author himself termeth thē these disposements of Dauid Cythraeus conteyning in ground and substance of matter the selfsame things that the other worke dooth Howbeit handled and disposed after another sort For neyther vseth he so many subdiuisions as dooth Hemingius and besydes that hee conueyeth his matters intoo the manner of Sermons methodically disposed after the order of Rhethoricke instructing the Reader too frame the partes of his oration aptly and too enlarge the same plentuously according as oportunitie of tyme persone and matter shall require Also in such places as haue any darke phrases or hid sense he expoūdeth the woords grāmerlike opening the propreties of the tūgs and the figuratiue speeches wherby he giueth great light to the text Agein in diuers cases he draweth the matters into forme of Arguments after the manner of Logicke too the intent the Reader should looke throughly intoo the matter and wey it accordingly In whiche respects although this woorke may seeme more necessarie for the lerned or at least wyse for such as bee well entered in the liberall artes and foreward in knowledge than for the simple and meaner sorte yet notwithstāding there are other respectes also for which euen the simplest that is of any capacitie may fare the better by him For like as the termes of art in setting down and disposing of matters according too art are somwhat darke to such as are not acquaynted with them which is not a thing so greatly materiall too bee stumbled at So his discoursing and setting foorth of matters perteyning too fayth religiō doctrine and amēdment of maners which are the cheef poynts that al men should looke for are very playn orderly manifest and vtterly voyd of all obscuritie and darknesse Yea and he so euidently and effectually beateth into his heerers heads the right sense and meening of the holy scripture that it may seeme he had a singular care and regard too bee vnderstood of all men And not in these Epistles only but also in many other partes of holy scripture both of the old Testament and of the new hath he trauelled right paynfully lernedly and godlily to his own great cōmendatiō among the skilful to the great cōmoditie and furtherance of the christen cōmon wedle Wherfore I am the bolder to match this translatiō with the former of Hemingius as it were the forme with the matter and to dedicate it to your honor trusting that you will of your accustomed goodnesse giue mee leaue to shroud my simple dooings vnder the shadowe of your fauoure which thing I most humbly request For I thought it an vnmeet and vnseemly thing yea ageinst reason to separate those works in dedicatiō which are al one insubstāce of mater And therfore submitting myself it to your good pleasure I cease to trouble your honour any further Finished at Powles Belchamp the last day of March ▪ 1570. Vpon the byrthday of the Sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christ. FOr as much as it is a custome in the Churche of God too begin the Newe yéere at the birthday of the Sonne of God so as the same day which was the commencement of our saluation should also lead the beginning of the yéere at this my entrance with most earnest sute I beséeche our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God who was borne for vs and giuen too vs that the yéere ensuing may bée luckie and too the welfare of Gods churche of the common weale of the studies of lerning and of vs and our housholdes And bicause the sonne of God was to this end sent and that his taking vpon him our fraile and weake nature mainteineth and preserueth all the whole masse of mankind too this end that out of it he may by the voyce of his gospell gather too himselfe an euerlasting Churche and abolishing sinne and death restore rightuousnesse and eternal life I beséeche him with all my hart that for his glories sake he will teach and gouerne vs and dwell in vs and bée effectuall in vs and also mainteine the light of the true doctrine concerning himself and the knowledge of lerning néedfull for his Churche the harbroughes of the Churche and wholsome peace that mo may acknowledge him rightly and set out his praise for euermore Now in the treatyses concerning the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who was borne for vs and giuen too vs there bée thrée places chéefly too bée considered and set foorthe too the people First concerning the person of the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ borne of the virgin Marie in whome the twoo natures of God and man are by a wonderfull leage knit togither 2 Of the causes of this woonderfull coupling of the twoo natures in Christ and of the benefites or profites that redound too vs men by the birth of Christ 3 Of the applying of Christes benefites which thing is doone by fayth which afterward is effectual by good workes Therfore after the old custome of the Churche there are thrée Epistles wont to be red in the thrée offices on the birth day of Christ taken out of Heb. 1. Tit. 3. and Tit. 2. The first Epistle Heb. 1. dooth chéefly set forth the doctrin concerning the persone of Christ The second which in Tit. 3. setteth out the benefites of our sauior Iesus Christ with most cléere apparant words The third which is red in the second too Titus cōteineth a summe of the doctrine concerning good works which must folow the faith that applieth Christes benefites ▪ vntoo vs. I will therfore
it punisheth vs with death sicknesse and other miseries all which are sermons of the lawe concerning Gods dreadfull wrath ageinst sinne And the lawe is called our schoolemaster vntoo Christ for thrée causes First bycause the lawe by shewing vs the hugenesse and horriblenesse of sinne and by pronoūcing vs subiect too Gods wrath and euerlasting damnation driueth vs too séeke oure Phisitian and helper the sonne of God who alonely hath by his owne death taken away sinne and death and deliuered vs out of the prison of the lawe Secondly bycause Chryste orderly is effectuall onely in those that eschue the outward offences forbidden by the law of God and frame their manners according to Gods lawe He is not effectuall in those that wittingly willingly perseuer in outward offences contrary too Gods lawe Thirdly bicause the Ceremonies of Moyses were preachings or figures instructing the church concerning Christes benefites as the Lambe that was slaine for Passeouer betokened Chryst the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world All the Leuiticall sacrifices were sermons of Chrystes sacrifice Let yoongmen beare in mynd this exposition of Paules saying The lawe is our schoolemaister vntoo Chryste and so muche the more let them looke that they frame their manners according too honest discipline too the intent they shake not off the grace of Chryste but continue the Temples and dwelling places of God that Chryst may dwell in them and bée woorkfull in them Vppon the Sunday next ensuing the Circumcision of our Lord. In this church of Rostocke before noone is expounded the storie of Chrystes Baptim out of the third Chapter of Mathew and after noone the Epistle Tit. iij. concerning the lauer of regeneration and renewment by the holy ghost The disposement of which Epistle is recited heretoofore on the feast of Chrystes birth Vppon twelfth day ¶ The Epistle Esay lx GEt thee vp betimes and be enlyghtened O Hierusalem for thy lyght commeth and the glory of the Lord is risen vppon thee For lo while the darknesse and cloud couereth the earth the people the Lord shall shew thee lyght and his glory shal bee seene vppon thee The Gentyles shall walke in thy lyght and kings in the brightnesse that springeth forth of thee Lift vp thyne eyes and loke round about thee al these gather themselues and come vntoo thee Thy sonnes shall come too thee from a farre and thy daughters shall gather about thee on euery side Then thou shalt see and bee a flote thy hart shall wonder and bee enlarged when the abundance of the sea shall bee turned vntoo thee when the power of the gentiles shall come vntoo thee The multitude of Camels shal couer thee the dromedaries of Madian and Epha All they of Saba shall come bringing golde and incense and vttering the praise of the Lord. The disposement THis feastful day which commonly is called the day of the thrée kings was in ancient time named Epiphanie that is too say the feast of Christes appéering or shewing himselfe openly too the world For they wryte y as on this day being the .vj. of Ianuarie how bée it in sundry yéeres both y starre appéered too the wise men or diuines of Persia and Chryst was baptised in Iordan where the whole Godhed did shew it selfe openly by euident witnesse so as the thrée seuerall persones were séene and beheld by Iohn Baptist and also Chryst vttered his own glory by his first miracle at the mariage in Cana of Galilie And therefore in the hymne of Sedulius which beginneth O Herod wycked fo c. they are ioyned all toogither And although it bée a more likelyhod that the mariage in Cana was kept some other day yet notwithstanding dyuers old fathers are of opinion that the selfsame day twoo yéere after Chryst was borne the wysemen came vntoo him and that the same day in the thirtyth yéere after his birth was Christ baptyzed also according as Nazianzene of set purpose taketh vppon him the story of Chrystes baptim too expound vppon the day of Epiphanie which they name also the holy-day of lyghtes And Epiphanius in his disproofe of fond tales the hundred foure score and seuenth page hath noted many pleasant things woorth the knowing concerning the time of the comming of the wise men and other storyes which bring singular lyght too the things that are declared by the Euangelistes And this sermon of Esay is red vppon this day bicause it séemeth too agrée with the story of the wysemen which comming too Hierusalem by the lyght of a starre that went before them offered golde and frankincense too Chryst our lord Héeruppon also peraduenture it myght ryse that they were called kings wheras they were not kings but Magies that is too say préests and diuines of the Persians Neyther is it certeinly knowne whither they were but only thrée or mo that came vntoo Chryst And that they came not immediatly the .xiij. day after Chrystes birth bothe the length of their forney sheweth for the néerest borders of Persia vntoo Iewry are twoo hundred and twenty Germane miles off from Iewry And Saba the head Citie of happy Arabie is about twoo hundred and foure score miles from Hierusalem and also Luke the Euangelist manifestly proueth who writeth that Christ the .xxx. day after was offered in the temple and born in Simeons armes Wherupon it foloweth he was not the same time a banished person in Egipt Moreouer the names of the wisemen are pleasantly and lernedly deuised Melchior that is too say a king of light or a lightsome king Balthazar that is too say a captaine or generall of the warres Caspar a secretarie or Chauncelor For these names betoken that the king wyth his Capteines and officers of courts or that the whole state of gouernmēt both of peace and warre ought too serue Chryst But I will leaue these vymatters and go in hand with Esays sermon which is woont too bee set foorth this day in the church which is altogither a prophesie of Christes kingdom The chéefe places are thrée j Of the person and benefites of Chryst the king ij Of the multitude or Churche gathered toogither of Iewes and Gentiles which is subiect too this king iij Of the tributes or dueties and seruices which the Church on hir behalfe dooth yéeld and perform agein too hir king Chryst THe Prophet beginneth with an exhortation wherwith he prouoketh the whole churche and all men too receiue Chryst the king and light of the world reuerently and too embrace his doctrine Get thee vp betimes neglect not despise not thy Lord and king Iesus Christ bée not luskish or cold in héering and learning his doctrine but get thée vp betimes that is too say vse watchfulnesse diligence and earnestnesse in hearing and mainteining the doctrine of the gospel embrace thou Christ the lyght of the world reuerently and hartely and endeuer too holde him fast As is sayd Rom. xiij It is time for
Gospell This is the wil of God that euery one which beléeueth in the sonne of GOD should haue euerlasting life and that he which beléeueth not in the sonne shold bée damned This rule dooth God obserue without chaunge in men that are to bée receyued to eternal saluation or too bée cast away neyther respecteth he any persone that is to say he considereth not other byfals in men perteyning nothing to this Rule as riches pouertie lerning ignorance power circumcision vncircumcision and such lyke Secondly the calling of the Gentyles putteth vs in mynd that forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall lyfe are bestowed vppon the beléeuers of frée gifte and not for the woorthynesse of their owne vertues or woorkes For sith the Gentyles which were defyled with Idolgaddings lustes and other sinnes for saking their purpose of sinning and fléeing vntoo Chryst the sonne of God are receyued as well as the Iewes who had alwayes framed their conuersation honestly according to the rule of Gods lawe it is an euident proofe that the Gentyles who are signifyed vnder the shew of the vncleane beasts in the vision of Peter are clensed from their sinnes not by their owne power or woorkes which are wicked and damnable but by fayth through the frée mercie of God for Chrystes sake only as is sayd Actes .x. That which God hath clensed call not thou common or vncleane But God hath clensed our harts with the blud of his sonne through fayth as is sayd cleÌ„zing their hartes by fayth And. â— Iohn .j. The blud of the sonne of god clenzeth vs from all sinne Thirdly it giueth vs too vnderstand that circumcision and the other ceremonies of Moyses Lawe are not necessarie to saluation The third place They shall all come from Saba bringing gold and frankincense and singing prayse vnto the Lord. THe true and chéef seruice of God are not the ceremonies of Moyses or the offerings sacrifices of beasts but the spiritual hosts or sacrifices of prayse that is to say too preach the true doctrine concerning God too call vppon god aright too giue him thanks too acknowledge him to disproue false opinions to imploy a mannes goods about the maintenance of the ministerie and of the studies of learning and to direct all the purposes practyses déeds of our lyfe to the prayse of god as it is coÌ„â—aunded Doo ye al things to the glorie of god These chéef and hyghest seruices of God are shadowed in the very presents of the Arabians For golde is a representation of true doctrine and pure fayth as it is sayd in the Psalme The commaundements of the Lord are more to be desyred than Gold and much precious stone Frankincense is an ymage of true prayer and thanksgiuing whiche mount vp too heauen and refresh God with a most swéete and acceptable sent as is sayd in Apocalip v. They had vyols full of odours which are the prayers of the Saincts The Altar of attonement is Chryste our Mediator by whom only GOD is pacified and acceptable sacrifyces are offered too god For there is no Altar accepted of God but only his sonne Christ Vppon this Altar let the Gentyles offer not rammes or other dead beastes but spirituall sacrifices quicke holy and acceptable to God whiche is their reasonable seruice Rom. xij and let them glorifye prayse God for his mercy performed vntoo them Vppon the first Sunday after Epiphanie ¶ The Epistle Rom. xij IBeseche you therefore brethren by the mercyfulnesse of God that yee make your bodyes a quicke sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto god which is your reasonable seruing of God and fashion not your selues lyke vnto this world but be ye chauÌ„ged in your shape by the renuing of your mynd that ye may proue what thing that good acceptable and perfect will of God is For I say through the grace that vnto me geuen is to euery maÌ„ among you that no man stande hyghe in his own conceyte more than it becommeth him too esteeme of himselfe but so iudge of himself that he bee gentle and sobre according as God hath dealt too euery man the measure of fayth for as wee haue many members in one bodye and all members haue not one office so wee being many are one bodye in Chryste and euery man among our selues one anothers members The disposement THe more part of the Epistles whose disposemeutes wée haue set out hithertoo haue setfoorth the peculiar doctrine of the Gospell concerning the persone and benefites of Chryst and concerning Iustification Now those that followe perteyne more too the doctrine of the Lawe and comprehend preceptes of good maners which must ensue the benefites of Chryst receyued by fayth And these thrée Sundayes folowing thè whole twelfth Chapter of the Epistle too the Romanes is woont too bée expounded orderly in the churche All the whiche is an exhortation conteyning precepts of all good morall woorkes or of all vertues whiche God exacteth in his Lawe But forasmuch as the orderly expositions of the vertues distributed intoo the preceptes of the tenne commaundements are ioyntly recited in a peculiar booke of Rules of lyfe I will make no declaration at all of the vertues in this place but only expound the woords and the phrases The first part of the Chapter which they reade on this day in the church conteyneth chéefly twoo places 1 A generall exhortation too new obedience or too a lyfe conformable too the will and woord of God. 2 Of méeldnesse and lowlynesse and of the shunning of curiositie and statelynesse Of the first I Beseeche you brethren that you make your bodyes c It is a generall precept of new obedience conteyning the whole tenne commaundementes taken of an Antithesis of the Leuiticall seruices or sacrifices Make your bodyes that is too say dedicate yée too God not the bodyes of beastes as the Leuiticall Priestes did but your owne selues Offer yée too GOD your myndes your wils your deuyses your studyes your affections and your dooings all your lyfe long and so rule them that they may please God. A sacrifice that is too wit set a part too holy vses appoynted too the honour of God as if he should say the Leuiticall Priestes offered beastes vntoo God but offer you too God your own mynds thoughts studyes al your doings doo all things too his glorie kill yée the remnants of uÌ„nne lewd inclinations and the affections yet sticking in you bée yée patient in tribulation and tormentes as Paule Laurence and Attalus were who gaue their bodyes too bée offerings or sacrifices Quicke not deade beasts but all your whole lyfe and your selues who shall liue for euermore Holy Halowed by the holy Ghost pure and cleane that is too wit by imputation of Chrystes holynesse and by beginning too bée holy Your reasonable seruice Let not your seruice be brutish or vnreasonable such as is the seruice of the Heathen that know not God or of the superstitions or of the
doctrine This precept may bée amplified by distribution and may bée bréefly spoken of all the articles of Christen doctrine Or he that exhroteth in exhortation Exhortatiō to repentance and al good woorks is one of the kinds of Ecclesiastical sermons .j. Tim. iiij Giue diligence too reading exhortatiō Tit. j. Let him bée able too exhort by sound doctrine He that giueth let him doo it with singlenesse That is too say he that bestoweth vppon his héerers either doctrine coūsel or mony let him doo it with singlenesse and with ryght hart in déed Let him marre nothing let him loke for nothing in reward or recompence Let him that ruleth doo it with diligence Whither he bée a temporall or spirituall gouernor let him in his office bée héedfull diligent and faithfull like Iosaphat .ij. Paralip xix who was diligent in all partes of gouernment He ordered Churches ciuill iudgementes and consistories and made warres c. Paule is a diligent teacher Our princes neglect the chéefest parts of their office namely the care of Churches of iudgemēts of discipline of studies and of doctrine the defence of innocentes and the punishmēt of offenders And either they are slouthfull or busie about mooneshine in the water or else they doo hurtful things they build they hauke and hunt they make great shewes feasts and they moue vnnecessary warres He that sheweth mercy let him doo it with cheerefulnesse This precept is of mercy benefiting which must procéede frō a chéerful welwilled mind ▪ God loueth a chéerful giuer Let loue bee vnfeined Héere followeth a register of preceptes concerning the dueties of loue or concerning all vertues the declaration of which may bée fetched out of my litle boke of the rules of life The loue of a mannes neibor comprehendeth all the vertues of the .v. vj. and vij commaundemēts But in especially vntoo frendship is the first sentence too bée applied let loue be vnfeined That is too say let your good will towarde your frends and generally toward your neibor be true vncorrupted vncounterfetted let it not rise of an euill cause but let your wils bée coupled or knit togither in the loue of goodnesse Bee kind one too another with brotherly loue Let there be among Christians as among brethren true goodwill kindnesse ▪ that is too say naturall and earnest loue such as parēts are woont too beare toward their children For God hath put a natural louing kindnesse or charinesse intoo the harts of fathers mothers to the intēt to put vs in mind of his loue toward his own sōne Iesus Chryst towards vs his sōnes by adoption and too the intent they should bée as bondes of alyance and mutuall good will betwéene man and man. In giuing honor goe one before an other Reuerence is a vertue of the fourth commaundemēt acknowledging Gods giftes in other men and yéelding too them their place and honor and by the example of it selfe alluring others too méeldnesse and reuerence The two vices that beset it are flattery or soothing and pride or disdeinfulnesse Bee not slouthfull in that yee take in hand Diligence is a vertue of the fourth commaundement executing the labors agreable too a mannes vocation faithfully diligently constātly The vices that beset it are slouthfulnesse or restinesse and ouerearnestnesse or too much medling Be feruent in spirit A zele burning in the loue of God and of ryghtuousnesse and béeing angry with all those that deface Gods glory perteineth too the first commaūdement and the fifth The vices that beset it are fumishnesse or rigorousnesse and coldnesse or pliablenesse Apply your selues too the time It is a kind of wisdome which neglecteth not occasions offered to dispatch a mannes matters wel considereth what thing with what persons what time and in what place it may bée earnestly pursued and obteined howbéeit sauing alwayes our duety too God the stedfastnesse of our profession and honest discipline Reioyce in hope Hope of eternall life certeinly promised for Chrystes sake and the looking for asswagement of the miseries in this lyfe according too Gods will dooth singularly susteine chéere and strengthen mennes harts Rom. v. and viij And Nazianzene nothing is wōt too chéer vs so much as a good conscience and a good hope The vices that beset it are despaire presumption and the folish and vain hopes of men Bee patient in tribulation Patience ageine perteineth too the first precept The vices that beset it are impatiencie and wilfull stubbornnesse As for example the stubbornnesse of Seruetus and of the Anabaptists Continue in prayer The true calling vppon God belongeth too the first and second commaundemēt The vices that encounter it are omitting too cal vppon God or nonpraying and heathenish babling without faith and al false Inuocations or misprayings Distribute too the necessitie of the Saincts Dooing of good turnes perteineth too the seuenth commaundement The vices that encounter it are harmefulnesse gripplenesse and wastfulnesse Bee redy too harbour Hospitalitie perteineth too the .vij. commaundement The vices that encounter it are harborlesnesse nigardship and lauishnesse Blisse them that persecute you Méeknesse is a vertue of the fifth commaundement repressing wrathfulnesse and desire of reuenge and laying aside hatred and grudge for God and the common quietnesse sake The vices that encounter it are hatred desire of reuenge spitefulnesse reioycement at other folkes harmes and shéepishnesse Bee mery with them that bee mery Fréendlinesse is a vertue that wisheth well too the good and reioyceth in their good successe The vices that encounter it are enuiousnesse spitefulnesse and lightnesse of beléefe Weepe with them that weepe Pitifulnesse is a vertue of the fifth commaundement which is touched with the féeling of good mennes misfortunes and helpeth those that are in distresse The vices that encounter it are crueltie reioycement in other folkes harmes and fond pitie Bee of like affection one too an other Desire of concord or peaceablenesse is a vertue of the fifth commaundemēt The vices that beset it are quarelousnesse debatefulnesse and lazynesse Bee not high minded But make your selues equall too the lower sort Lowlinesse and mildnesse are vertues of the first and fourth commaundement The vices that encounter thē are pride and feyned holinesse Concerning these vertues and the vyces that encounter them there are measurable expositiōs set out wyth good sentences and examples in my litle booke of rules of life which I would wishe too bée added to the disposements of the Epistles in the end of this booke Vppon the third Sunday after the Epiphanie ¶ The Epistle Rom. xij BE not wise in your owne opinions Recōpence too no man euill for euill Prouide aforehand things honest not only before God but also in the sight of all men If it bee possible as much as is in you liue peaceably with al men Dearly beloued auenge not your selues but rather giue
which as God punished in the fathers wādering in the wildernesse so will he also punish horribly in vs if wée commit the like faultes 3 That the church of the fathers and of the Christians is all one which is gathered by the woorde and the sacraments and is fed and mainteined all with one spirituall meat and drinke The first place THe rule which Paul in this place putteth forth garnished with the twoo similitudes taken of running wrestling is a most profitable necessary rule not only of the duety of teachers or ministers of the church but also of our studies of all the deuises and dooings of our whole life In all vocations and in ordering all the deuises endeuers and deedes of our life aright wee must needes haue a certeine end and bound set before vs to which as it were to a marke wee may leuel all our businesse that we take in hand Agein it behoueth vs skilfully to chose the meanes that lead directly to the same ende and to vse necessary heedfulnesse exercise earnestnesse and stedfastnesse in necessary heedfulnesse exercise earnestnesse stedfastnesse in getting and keping those meanes Like as the rūners in a race haue their eye alwais vppon the marke set vp before them with all earnestnesse and pains taking doo enforce endeuer themselues the streightest way too it And as the wrestlers bend thēselues wholy ageinst their copemates that they may giue the foile obtaine the wished rewarde of victorie For as Plato sayth A man must not wanderingly gaze at many things but stedfastly ame one thing at the same leuell all his doings as it were at a marke This is the common and vttermost end of all vocations of the whole lyfe of man which Paul himself hath a whyle after appoynted doo yee all things too the glory of God and bee not a stumbling blocke too Gods church That is too say let the end of al your dooings bée of God or the true acknowledgment inuocatiō and glorifying of God and the welfare and quietnesse of Gods church Besides this euery seueral vocation hath peculiar boūds and endes by it self as the ciuill magistrates boundes and ends are too bridle the misbehauiors of his countrymen with honest lawes too decide controuersies by rightfull iustice too mainteine peace too defend the good and too punishe the vnthriftes and offenders The ends of the ministerie of the gospell are too teach the true doctrine of the gospel aright too minister the sacramēts and too performe the other partes of their office faithfully for the glory of God and that many men may bée saued The ends of scholers life or of our studies are wisdom power of vtterāce or wyse eloquēt godlinesse or too haue good skil to iudge aright of things that is too say wel liue wel Too the entent wée may attein and retein these ends wée must chuse the meanes that lead the right way too them like the runner which taketh his next way too the marke stragleth not with vncertein mouing and blind starting this way that way in his race For he that mindeth too attein too the place that he ameth at must folow but one way not wander many wayes For that I may vse the woords of Seneca that wer not too go but too gad So the champion Eutellus settles himself ageinst his aduersary only He beateth not the aire in vaine but standeth stiffe stout in sight with eyther hand he thumpes a maine on Dare as thicke as he can smite Therefore like as the runners looke euer too their marke and the champions employ all their shiftes and practises too smite their aduersarie and start not aside with blind braids ne beat the air with rash strokes so let euery man in his vocation and specially the teachers ministers of the church chuse out wisely the meanes that lead streight too the ryght end and in exercising the same let them vse diligence cōtinuance that they may in the eternal life attein the promised reward of their diligence Let thē teach the pure doctrin of the gospel faithfully Let them continually beat vpon the places of doctrine that are necessary and most auailable too the norishment of true godlinesse as the places of repentance of faith of the person office and benefites of Chryst of true inuocation of the crosse of good woorkes c. Let them attemper them selues too the capacitie of their hearers Let them examine instruct and strengthen the rawer sort Let them stedfastly and stoutlye stand wyth the truthe against Heretikes Let them fight against their owne nature and their sinfull lusts Let them beare with some infirmities and offences for common quietnesse sake Let them allure their héerers with examples of all vertues Let them brydle ambition wrathe desire of reuengement couetousnesse and other affections that they deface not the doctrine of the gospel with stūbling blockes and themselues become castawayes or lose the inheritance of eternall life Like as Paule saith that he looked narowly too himselfe or chastised his body subdewing it taming it bringing it in subiection that is too say with great héede and streightnesse he restreyned and kept vnder foote the sinfull inclinations and lusts of his hart and compelled both the inward powers of his soule the outward members of his body as his tung his eyes his handes and his féete too bée seruiceable and obedient too the iudgement of his mind or to Gods will. Most men in the world are in bondage to their affections and are ruled by thē so as they béeing enflamed with loues hatreds couetings fond hopes c. doo take in hand vnrightuous and vnnecessary dooings in which they perish as for example Paris was brought in bōdage too his own loue Pompey gaue himself ouer to ambition malice and spitefulnesse Xerxes being pricked with pryde desirousnesse of reuengement made warre ageinst the Gréekes Many heritikes being set a gog with vaine glory sprede abrode and mainteine false opinions Othersome doo brable about néedlesse questions rather curious than profitable Other teachers giue thēselues too sluggishnesse other too medling with many matters and othersome too other affections Paule therefore euen by his owne example exhorteth all ministers and doctors of the church with singular care héedfulnesse and diligence too hold in and too bridle their mindes willes harts outward members that they serue not their owne sinfull inclinations or the Diuell spurring them foreward but the will and woord of God. But the text of this presēt Epistle shal become more cléer to the eye if the auncient maner of the Gréekish gaming 's be considered and the termes of them well vnderstood Among the Greekes in their gaming places there were fyue kynds of exercises most auncient Running Buffeting Leaping Coyting and Wrestling And these were called the naked Games bycause the Gamers exercised thēselues naked in those games The Runners that ran
second benefit is remission of sinnes Ephes 1. and Col. 1. In whome wée haue redemption remissiō of sinnes by his blud The third is reconciliation or attonement with god Rom. viij When as wée were enemies too God wée were reconcyled too him by the death of his sōne Eph. v. Making peace that he myght reconcyle the Iewes and Gentyles in one body vntoo God ▪ by his crosse The fourth is Iustification Rom. iij. Wée are iustifyed fréely by his grace through the redemption made by Iesus Chryst whom GOD hath appoynted a seat of mercy through fayth in his blud too declare his ryghtuousnesse in y he forgiueth y sinnes which are past The fifth is the giuing of the holy ghost of holynesse Gal. iij. Chryst hath redéemed vs and is become accursed for vs that wée might receiue his spirit by fayth Iohn vj. If I go not away the comforter shall not come too you The sixth is the destruction of the Diuels kingdome Hebr. ij By death he hath abolished him that had the power of death that is too wit the Diuel and reconciled those that for feare of deathe were in bondage all their lyfe long The seuenth is the abolishing of sin death j. Cor. xv Death is swalowed vp intoo victorie O death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie For the sting of death is sinne and the power of sinne is the lawe But thankes bée vntoo God who hathe giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryste The eyght is euerlasting lyfe and saluation Iohn iij. The sonne of man must bée lifted vpon the Crosse too the entent that euery one which beléeueth in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting The application of these benefits is made by true repentance and faith That is too wit when acknowledging gods wrath and the horiblenesse of our sinnes wée are earnestly afraide and hartely sory that wée haue offended God and by faith acknowledge that Chryst the sonne of God suffred and was crucifyed made a sacrifise for vs persuade our selues assuredly that for this sacrifyse of Chrystes our sinnes are forgiuen vs ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe giuen vs. Of this Application there are testimonies too bée séen euery where And notable is this saying of Chryst Iohn xvij I sacrifyse my selfe for them that is too say I offer my selfe for them that they also may bée holy in déede And I pray not for them only but for all that shall beléeue in mée through their prayer In this prayer Chryst our byshop or préest executeth the chéefest duetie or office of a high préest and applyeth his sacrifyse too the whole Churche Therefore in this place the whole Doctrine concerning the préesthoode and sacrifyse of Chryst is too bée thought vppon and repeated Vppon Easter day ¶ The Epistle j. Cor. xv PVrge therefore the olde leuen that yee may bee new dowe as yee are sweete bread For Chryste our Easter Lambe is offered vp for vs Therefore let vs keepe holyday not with olde leuen neyther with the leuen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse but with the sweete bread of purenesse and truthe The disposement THe foūdacion of our fayth and saluacion and the end and marke of the whole storie of the gospel the chéefe hauen of comfort in which only our hartes may rest in all troubles in death is the most ioyful resurrection of the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst where through he being conqueror of sin death hel and the féends hy him vanquished leadeth a glorious triumphe and imparteth vntoo vs that flée vntoo him ryghtuousnesse eternall saluation calling agein euen our bodyes from death vntoo lyfe This excéeding great and wonderful woork of God and benefite towards vs worthy too bée had alwayes in memorie let vs embrace and set out cōtinually with thankfull hart and voyce This Epistle is of that kynd that is perswasiue For it is an exhortacion too the true celebration of the feast of Easter that is too say too the true acknowledgement of the persone and benefites of the sacrifyse or Lamb Chtyst slaine and offered vp for vs vppon the Altar of the Crosse and too true repentance or acknowledgement of our owne sinne of Gods wrath conueyed intoo this Lamb too true faith in the gréefes which rise vppon the féeling of Gods wrath and the beholding of our own sinne death and other calamities assuredly beléeuing that our passeouer is slaine and offered vp already for vs that our sinnes are taken quite away by this Lamb of God and that euen when wée bée dead lyfe and ioy euerlasting shall doutlesse bée restored too vs with Christ who is risen agein Uppon which Faith there must ensew new obedience or clensing from the sinne that yet remayneth in our nature and a beginning of new lyght ryghtuousnesse and conuersation wholly agréeing with the will and woorde of God and continewally setting foorth these incomparable benefites of Chryst with godly minde and voice This is the true Celebration of the Passeouer in this lyfe yea and for euermore Untoo which Paule exhorteth vs by a representacion of leuened bread taken of the custome of the Iewish Passeouer Now too the entent the summe of the most large Doctrine set foorth in this Epistle may the easlyer bée comprehended in mynd Let vs distribute it intoo thrée places 1 Of the woord Pascha or Passeouer 2 A conferring of our Passeouer with the Passeouer of the old Testament which caryeth with it the doctrine of the benefites of Chryste the Lamb that suffered for vs and rose agein for vs. 3 How wée may celebrate this feast of Passeouer aryght in this lyfe The first place THe woord Pascha which is an Hebrew woord deriued of the verbe Pasah signifyeth in Englishe a Passingby or a Passingouer namely in that the Lord passing through Egipt slew the firstborne of the Egiptians and spared the Israelites whose doore poostes were sprinkled with the blud of a Lamb. Exod. xij Secondly it signifyeth the holyday wherin the rememberance of that Passeouer is continued by killing of a Lamb. Luke xxij The feast of swéete bread drew nye which is called Easter Thirdly in this Epistle it signifyeth the Paschall Lamb which was a signe or rememberance of the Lordes passing through Egipt and of the passing of the Israelites through the red Sea And it was a figure of Chryst the true Lambe that was offered vp for vs and passed by death too the eternall Father that by his passage he myght obteine vs deliuerance out of the bondage of Egipt that is too say of the Diuell sinne and death and restore vs ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe Now assoone as Chryste the true Passeouer was once offered the figuring passeouer ceased and there was instituted a new Passeouer the name where of dooth properly agrée too that day in which the sonne of God our Lord Iesus was offered vp for our sinnes vppon
neither was there guile founde in hys mouth which when he was reuiled reuiled not ageine when he suffered he threatned not but committed the vengeance too him that iudgeth ryghteously which his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodye on the tree that wee beeing deliuered from sinne should liue vntoo ryghteousnesse By whose stripes yee were healed For ye were as sheepe going astray but are now turned vnto the shepheard and Bishop of your soules The disposement THe state of it is an exhortacion to patience and méeknesse taken of the example of Christ who was patient méek And therwithall is annexed a doctrine concerning the merit and benefites of Chrystes passion The châ—ef places are four 1 Of patience in troubles which are not procured by a mannes owne fault but happen too him vndeserued It belongeth too the first commaundement 2 Of méekenesse repressing desire of reuenge forgiuing euen open wrongs for Gods sake the common quietnesse Which perteyneth too the fifth commandemeÌ„t 3 Of the causes and effects of Christes passion or of remission of sinnes and of the health of our soules restored by Chrystes passion 4 Of true turning vntoo God. The first place COncerning patience and méeknesse and putting vp of reproches quietly let the Methodicall or orderly expositioÌ„s bée rehersed out of the declaration of the vertues of the first fifth and eigth commaundements Concerning the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and the causes and effectes of his passion which is the chéefe place of this Epistle I haue intreated already the last Sunday after Easter Now therefore wée wil vnfold the last sentence of the Epistle of this day which conteineth the Doctrine concerning true conuersion and the right applyment of the benefites of Chrystes passion Yee were as stray sheep but now ye are turned to the shepherd and bishop of your soules These woords are taken out of the .liij. of Esay and out of the parable of Christ concerning the lost shéep Lu. xv and out of this dayes Gospell Iohn x. and out of Ezech. xxxiiij and out of Psalm xxiij and therfore by conferring these places toogither there may bée gathered a cléere proposition All man kynd without Christ wandreth in the thick mist of ignorance of God and in sorowfull darknesse of sinne and death And the wyser and more religious that men bee and with how much the more earnestnesse and endeuer they goe about too know God and too woorship him aryght so muche the more doo they stray aside from the true God and true godlynesse and from the ryghtuousnesse which pleaseth God. The heathen wysemen Philosophers Poets and the folowers of Mahomet doo openly erre first about the béeing of god For either they alow and woorship a monstrous multitude of Gods surmised powers or at leastwise they deny him y is the father of our Lord Iesus Chryst too bee the only true God creator of heauen earth Yea they vtterly abhor this sonne of God who is all one substance with the father Secondly they erre about the will of god For although they vnderstaÌ„d after a sort that the wil of God reueled in his law is this that wée should liue honestly and vprightly eschue the outward offences of slaughter whordom c. yet are they able too determine nothing of certeintie coÌ„cerning gods loue towards vs coÌ„cerning remission of sinnes concerning life without the gospel of Christ After al this not only they but also euen those that boast themselues to be the chéef meÌ„bers of the true church doo erre manifoldly in dooing seruice to God and specially in praying while some chuse the monkish seruices woorks some pilgrimages to Sainctes some masses some pardoÌ„s some other sacrifices some one woork and some another euery man according too his owne fansie trusting therby too pacifie God too earne life and saluation euerlasting The heathen also offred meÌ„ in sacrifise burned their own children in the fire to the intent by so hard bitter a woork to open to theÌ„selues a néerer accesse vnto god But al these run very far a stray from the true way that leadeth too the true God to eternal saluation Neither caÌ„ they by their own power deuises or endeuer return agein into the way onlesse Chryst the shepherd and Bishop of soules séeke them out and laying them vpon his shoulders cary them home too his flocke and shéepfold that is too say onlesse they bée turned too Christ who only is the way that leadeth bringeth conueyeth vs vntoo God and by which alonly wée may come too the true acknowledgement and woorshipping of God and too the blissed and eternal company with god He is the truth or the welspring founder of the true doctrine concerning God and our own soulhealth he bendeth our minds to giue asseÌ„t too the true doctrine and kindleth true faith and true euerlasting good things in the hartes of the godly He is Lyfe that is too say the author and giuer of lyfe and saluacion euerlasting who by his Death hath pacified Gods wrathe and restored ryghtuousnesse and eternall lyfe vntoo vs Neyther commeth any man too the father that is too say No man acknowledgeth calleth vppon woorshippeth God aryght ne becommeth heire of saluation and eternall lyfe onlesse he bée turned by him and too him who is the shepherd and Bishop of our soules Therfore the Hebrewes terme repentance or the ameÌ„dment and chaunging of a wicked lyfe intoo a lyfe that is vertuous and acceptable too God by the notable pithy woord Tâ—sâ—ubah which signifieth turning backe or retyring of the original woord Shub which is as much too say as he is returned he is come backe he hath called himselfe home For all men being turned from God haue strayed like shéepe euery man away by himselfe as Peter sayeth in this place But by the infinite mercye of God they are called too repentaunce that they should returne vntoo God and by comming home too their shepherd Chryst bée coupled too God ageine through Faith and obey him in new lyght ryghtuousnesse and conuersation In generall there bée twoo chéefe poyntes belonging too a good shepherd The one is to féed his shéep or too lead them too wholsome féeding and the other is to defend them from the wolues For vntoo these twoo poyntes may the other things be referred which are spoken of in Ezech. xxxiiij Psal xxiij So good Princes which maintein their subiects in honest awe peace and foyzon the cheefest benefites in this ciuil societie of men and which defend them ageinst outlawes and forrein enemies are shepherds of the people Good and faithfull Bishops or ministers of Churches are shepherdes which lead their hearers intoo wholsom pastures of the Euangelicall doctrine and of the Sacraments wherby God imparteth remissioÌ„ of sinnes ryghtuousnesse euerlasting saluation to the shéep that embrace their voyce by faith and driue away the Woolues that
God. 4 He maketh mention of one of the finall causes of good woorkes Namely too the entent the slaunders of the vngodly which father horrible wickednesses vppon the Christen religion myght bée proued vntrue and by our godlynesse modestie and other examples of vertues many may bée allured too learne and loue the Doctrine of the true Churche and thereuppon turning vntoo Christ glorifie God as is said in the fifth of Mathew Let your lyght so shyne before men that they may sée your good woorkes and glorifie your father which is in heauen The second place of the ciuill Magistrate NO worldly power no armyes doo more strongly fortifie and maintein the authoritie of the ciuill ordinaunce and the obedience due too the magistrate than these commaundementes of god j. Peter the second and Romaines the xiij which doo most streytly charge men too obey the magistrate and all mannes ordinaunce or ciuill order which in déede is the woorke of God and a singular witnesse of his wisdome ryghtuousnesse and goodnesse For God by his wisdome hath made differences in the degrées of persones whiche rule and are ruled as of Magistrates and subiectes Husbandes and wyues parents and children c. Also he hath by his owne voyce set foorth Lawes of vertues â–ª and of al duties to bée performed too Godward too the Magistrates and too other men and hath appoynted and established a forme of iudgements which are the defence and execution of the Lawes a Rule of vpryghtnesse too bée obserued in bargayning handycraftes néedfull for the lyfe Lawes of successions punishmentes of transgressers defences of good men lawfull taxes and tallages warfare and the lawe of armes and all other partes of eiuill order and policie â–ª too the intent he may bée knowen too bée present in all common weales and that the duties of iustice may bée vnderstood and executed and that honest discipline peace the Vniuersities and Schooles of lerning and other good things may bée maynteyned among mankynd This ciuill order is with great â—â—ede too bée discerned froÌ„ the vyces and confusions which the fâ—endes and their instruments that is too wit vngodly and Tyrannicall Gouernours doo foyst intoo the order appoynted by god And let the diffinition of a Magistrate bée considered whiche Paule Rom. xiij and Peter in this Epistle haue set foorth A Magistrate is a Minister appoynted by Gods ordinaÌ„ce and armed with Lawes and swoord too bée the keeper of outward discipline and peace and too punish th 〈…〉 dooers and too defend and prayse the well dooers Peter willeth men too obey the worldly Magistrate and the ordinances and lawes made by man that is a Lawfull Magistrate for the Lord Gods sake who most streightly coÌ„maundeth obedience and will haue Magistrates too bée his deputies and ministers and the setters foorth of his wisdom and the executers of his diuine Iustice and therefore he vouchsaueth Magistrates the name of Gods. Psal lxxxij I haue sayd yée are Gods. And hereuntoo also may the most graue sentence of Plutarch bée referred Iustice is the end of the Lawe the Lawe is the woorke of the Gouerner the Gouerner is the Image of God who beautifieth all things and by vertue the gouerner maketh himselfe like vntoo God. Wherefore for Gods sake who is the author of ciuill gouernement let vs bée subiect too our King and his Capteyns which are sent by him that is too say by God or the King too punish the vngratious and too maynteyne the good and too honor them with rewardes For in that respect are they called gracious Lords Luc. xxij And men must patiently obey not only the good courteouse and gracious but also the rough hard crabbed and froward Lords or Maisters yea and bondage euen though it bée somwhat with the streyghtest is too bée endured as long as wée may obey without sinne But all seruices become harder and gréeuouser in this old age of the forworne world for as the sinnes of the worlde increase so also the punishements and miseries as well publike as priuate are heaped one vppon another Therefore wée must the more patiently beare the burthens of the Magistrates though they bée euen with the forest And although wée haue before God deserued all punishments yet notwithstanding when wée haue vniust burthens layd vppon vs by the Magistrate or by others wée may beare the burthen with so much the more quiet mynd bycause our conscience is assured that wée are blamelesse For what soeuer a man suffereth vnwoorthily is to bée borne patiently But when the pain ensewes desert it comes too worke thee wo and smart And therefore S. Peter in this place sayeth It is woorth thanks if a man suffer punishment for conscience sake to Godward That is too say it deserueth thanks or prayse or it is acceptable too GOD when a man beareth out iniuries patiently in a iust quarell or in Gods behalfe For it is the cause that makes a Martir and not the martyring of him The third place CHristen libertie is not a lawlesnesse too folowe all kynd of concupiscence and wickednesse to doo what a man listeth as the seditious Bowers dreamed who thought them selues exempted froÌ„ payment of tributes froÌ„ obedience too bée performed too the ciuill Magistrate bycause all Christen men are inâ—raunchysed intoo the libertie of the sonnes of God through Chryst Uerely these men made the Christen libertie a cloke of their malice For the christen libertie is a cleere riddance from sinne from Gods wrath from curse of the Lawe and from endlesse death giuen too vs by and for the sonne of God who was as a seruant and dyed for vs and not an exemption from the obedience that is too bée performed too God or too the ciuill Magistrates as is shewed more at large in an other place Vppon the Sunday called Cantate or the fourth Sunday after Easter Sing vntoo the Lord a new song c. Psal 97. ¶ The Epistle Iames. j. EVery good gifte and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lyghtes with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of chaunge Of his owne will begate he vs with the woorde of truthe that wee should bee the first frutes of his creatures Wherefore deere brethren let euery man bee swifte too heare slowe to speake slowe too wrath For the wrath of man worketh not that which is ryghtuous before god Wherfore laye a parte all filthynesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse and receyue with meekenesse the woord that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules The disposement The cheef places are fyue The first place is AN euident proofe that God is not the cause of euill For the beginning of this Epistle matcheth with y discourse going before in whiche Iames hath taught that God tempteth no man that is too say enforceth no man too sinne or too fall but that eche man is tempted of his own concupiscence that is too say of his own
vs of whiche is spoken in the first and fifth commaundements Men offend very sore in all their lyfe but specially in their aduersities hurting themselues and others through impatience Therefore let vs haue before our eyes the admonishements of other wise meÌ„ as O foole anger in aduersitie auayleth not And in the same Tragedie Thou giuest place too anger which alwayes vndooth thée And also inespecially this saying of Iames The wrath of man worketh not the things that are ryghtfull before God like as Theodosius in his angre flew fyue thousand giltlesse people at Thessalonica Iob Ieremie and many other godly persones offended in their troubles thorough wrathfulnesse Therefore let vs brydle wrath partly with thinking vppon other caces and perilles and inespecially with the example of Chryste who sayeth Lerne of mée for I am méeke and lowly of hart The fifth is A generall exhortation too eschewe sin and too embrace and hold faythfully the woord of God which is the power of god Therfore laying asyde all vnclennesse that is too say sinne that is bred and borne with vs and abundance of malice that is too say the maliciousnesse and actuall sinnes that flowe out of it Embrace yée faythfully kéepe yée the séede of Gods woord sowen in you of which you bée borne a new as he sayd afore Of his owne good will begate he vs with the woord of truthe by which onely and none otherwyse God imparteth forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting saluation vntoo vs. Vppon the Sunday called Vocem Iucunditatis or the .v. Sunday after Easter VTter yée the voyce of gladnesse and let it bée heard Halleluia Shewe it foorth too the vttermost boundes of the earth for the Lord hath deliuered his people Halleluia ¶ The Epistle Iacob â— SEe that yee be doers of the woord and not heerers only deteyning your own selues For if any man heare the woord and declareth not the same by his workes he is like vntoo a man beholding his bodyly face in a glasse For assoone as he hath loked on himselfe he goeth his way and forgetteth immediatly what his fashion was But who so looketh in the perfect law of libertie and continueth therin yf hee bee not a forgetfull hearer but a dooer of the worke the same shall bee happy in his deede If any man among you seeme too be deuoute and refrayneth not his toung but deceyueth his owne hearte this mans deuocion is in vayne Pure deuocion and vndefiled before God the father is this to visit the fatherles and widowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world IN the Sermon of this day Tauler expounding this moste swéete promisse of Chrystes Howe muche rather shal your heauenly father giue the holy Ghost too those that aske reciteth that excellent saying which is cited in the place concerning Inuocation and which otherwyse also is woont too bée often repeated and beaten intoo mennes heades in our churches Mannes mynd is neuer so greedy too receyue but that God is much more redy too giue for he is soothfast and a kéeper of his promisses It was the custome of all Christendome a late yéeres too make publike processions these twoo dayes folowing intoo the féeldes néere vntoo their Cities and tounâ—s and too make solemne prayers for obteinment of luckie encrease of the frutes of the earth and for peace and other good things at gods haÌ„d And therupon it was called Rogation weeke or the wéek of publike prayers and the Sunday was called the Rogation day Now forasmuch as true inuocation is the chéefest highest woorshipping of God and the chéefe â—uttresse and wall of the Church and of all the godly and in those Letanies or opeÌ„ Rogations there were many corruptions of true inuocatioÌ„ and in especiall Idolatrous woorshipping of Sainctes receiued and stablished it is bée houefull too open too the héerers a sound summe of the true doctrine concerning the ryght inuocation of God compreheÌ„ded in this most swéete saying of this dayes gospel Verely verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye ask of the father in my name he will giue it you Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may bee perfect Therefore I exhort the well mynded that in the publike exposition of this dayes gospel they diligently coÌ„sider the doctrine of true inuocation and often beat vpon it and daily apply the same to their vse For Inuocation is the chéef most hyghest honoring of God wherby our harts being stirred through the instinct of the holy ghost doo with true and earnest motion vppon trust of our mediator Chryst aske and look for all good things both ghostly and bodily preseÌ„t and too come at the true God the father of our Lord Iesus Chryst assuredly warranting our selues that wée are herd and obtein the good things which wée aske according too his promisses The partes of all true Inuocation or Prayer are sixe FIrst the calling vpon the true God the eternal father of our Lord Iesus Chryst made manifest in his church by his assured woord and by his soÌ„ne now sent Not feyned Gods not Iupiter Apollo or Pallas not holy men that are dead but the only true God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost must bée called vppon Secondly the consideration of Gods moste streight commaundement which willeth the good things that are promised too bée demaunded and looked for at Gods hand as in this dayes gospel Aske and ye shall receiue Luke â–ª xviij Pray alwayes Psal xlix Cal vpon mée in the day of thy trouble Thirdly repentance or acknowledgement of our sinnes and of our owne vnwoorthinesse as Daniel confesseth himself in his ix chapter wée haue sinned wée haue doone amisse To thée O Lord bee rightuousnesse but vntoo vs confusion offace Fourthly the calling too mynd of the promisses coÌ„cerning remissioÌ„ of sinnes the héering of our prayers for Christ our mediators sake as is said in this dayes gospel whatsoeuer ye shall aske of the father in my name he will giue it you â–ª if yée aske it in such maner as he hath expressed in his woord Spirituall benefites peremptorily and without any condition and temporall or worldly benefites and deliuerance from troubles with exception first of our owne profit welfare if he of his fatherly wisdome shall think the thing too bée profitable and wholsom which wee aske Secondly of â–ª the crosse or chastisement of the godly as is sayd in Marke they shall receiue house and lands howbéeit with tribulation Thirdly wée must not apoint God the maner and time of our deliuerance according too this saying if the Lord make taryance abide thou his leysure And fourthly bodily benefits are not too bée gotten by our owne deuises before God bestow them vppon vs. Fifthly faith embrasing gods promis and assuring it self certainly that a mannes sinnes are released and his prayers herd for Chryst the mediators sake Sixthly the reckening vp of the things that are too bée asked as well Ghostly as bodily which
signifyeth the aire As it is written in the sixthe Chapiter of Saint Mathewes Gospell Beholde the Foules of heauen that is too say that flye in the aire And in the third Chapiter of Salomons Prouerbes The way of an Eagle in the Heauen And in the eight Chapter of the third booke of the kings If the heauen bée shut vp and it raine not Thirdly too bée in Heauen is too enioy the syght of GOD too please GOD and being deliuered from sinne and Death too enioy the wisdome ryghtuousnesse lyfe and ioyes of GOD which are begonne by Faith héere on earth and finished in the euerlasting lyfe in Heauen As Saint Marke in the tenthe Chapter of his Gospell wryteth Suffer chyldren too come vntoo mée for of suche is the kingdome of heauen Fourthly Heauen signifieth the seate and dwelling place of God and of Soules and Aungels namely where God offereth himselfe too the blissed Angels and soules too bée séene face too face As is sayde in the hundred and thrée Psalme of the Prophete Dauid The Lorde hath prepared his seate in Heauen And in the sixte Chapter of Sainct Mathewes Gospell Dure Father which arte in Heauen This heauen in which GOD sheweth himselfe too the Angels and blissed soules openly some lerned men wryght too bée called the heauen of heauens as is sayde in the hundred and thirtéene Psalme of the Prophet Dauid The heauen of heauens too the Lorde but the earth hée hath giuen too the sonnes of men Also the thirde heauen in the second Epistle of Saint Paule too the Corinthians the twelfth chapter where he writeth that he was caught vp aboue the airy heuen or Element and aboue the skye intoo the third heauen that is too wit the heauen of heauens or the Chrystall heauen where he sawe things vnspeakable They are of opiniō y Christ ascended intoo this heauen and that there he imparteth him selfe in his true bodye too bée seene of the blissed Angels and Saintes As the Prophete Dauid sayeth in his three score and eight Psalme Sing vntoo GOD who is ascended intoo the Heauen of Heauens Ephe. iiij He is ascended aboue all heauens that he might fill all things The ryght hand of God dooth in the Scriptures most vsually signifie Gods eternall almyghtynesse maiestie and glorie It is written in the hundred and eightene Psalme of Dauid The right hand of the Lord hath doone mightie things the Lordes right hande is exalted And in the second Chapter of the Historie of the Actes of the Apostles Being exalted by the right hande of God he poured out vppon vs the holy Ghoste that he had promised Also in the thrée score and six Chapter of the prophecie of Esai Heauen is my seate and the earth is my fotestoole All these things hath my hand made And in the fiftenth Chapter of the seconde booke of Moyses called Exodus Thy right hand is magnifyed O Lord. Too sit signifieth too reigne and too execute the power and office of a king As in the ninth Chapter of the Prophete Esai Vppon the throne of Dauid and vppon his kingdome shal he sit Hereupon cometh the seat or Sea of Rome Therefore too sit at the right hand of the Father almightie is the same thing that too reigne in equall almightinesse maiestie and glorie with him is The Prophet Dauid in his hundred and tenth Psalme sayeth thus The Lord sayd vntoo my Lord sit thou at my right hande till I make thyne enemies thy fotestoole This expoundeth the blissed Apostle Saint Paule in the fiftenth Chapter of his first Epistle written too the Corinthians in these woordes Chryste must reigne till he haue made his enimies his fotestoole Sometyme also but very seldome the right hande of God is in the Scripture so termed not in respect of God but of godly men which please GOD and are defended by God and adorned with euerlasting blisse Like as Christ is sayde too haue set the Shéepe on his right hande and the Gotes on his lefte But this signification perteyneth not too this place Textes in which the Apostles and Prophets speake of Chryst reigning at the ryght hand of the eternall father and making intercession for vs may bée gathered out of Psal cx Rom. viij j. Pet. iij. Eph. j. Col. iij. Heb. j. x. and .xij. Mark. xvj Luke xxij c. Vppon the Sunday called Exaudi or the Sunday after the Ascension ¶ The Epistle j. Peter iiij BEe yee therefore sober and watche vntoo prayer But aboue all things haue feruent loue among your selues for loue shall couer the multitude of sinnes Bee yee harborous one too another without grudging As euery man hath receiued the gift euen so minister the same one too an other as good ministers of the manifolde graces of god If any man speake let him talke as the woordes of god If any man minister let him doo it as of the habilitie which God ministreth to him that God in all things may bee glorified through Iesus Chryst Too whome bee prayse and dominion for euer and euer Amen The disposement THis Epistle is altoogither instructiue cōteyning precepts of good woorks And in order it entreateth of vj. vertues 1 Of sobrietie or stayednesse 2 Of watchfulnesse 3 Of praying 4 Of earnest loue 5 Of hospitalitie 6 Of diligence faithfully executing the labors of a mans vocatiō and employing the gifts that God hath lent him too the profit of others or too the common welfare of the Church and his Countrey and specially too the auauncement of Gods glory And there may bée propounded too the people sermon wise thrée places FIrst concerning prayer vntoo which the vertues of sobrietie and watchfulnesse are very necessary Secondly of louing a mannes neybor wherof hospitalitie is a part Thirdly faithfulnesse in dooing aryght the laboures of a mannes own vocation for the glory of God and the welfare of his neybor The first THe definition and partes of true calling vpon God were resited an eyght dayes ago which are néedful too bee repeted and beaten intoo the héerers heads bycause Prayer is the hyghest woorship of God and the chéefe and most acceptable Sacrifyse too God and the strongest defence of the whole Church and the well spring and storer of the rest of the vertues for the most part and the practyse of the whole doctrine of diuinitie And as there is néede of faith persuading a mannes self for a certeintie that he is in Gods fauor that his prayers are herd for the mediator Chrystes sake and also of patience which is not dismayd with long tarianee in afflictions and of hope awaiting for deliuerance or assuagemēt ▪ So also is ther néed of fobrietie watchfulnesse too make true calling vpon God. For when the body being burthened with the former dayes vyces dooth also ouerlode the mynd and beate downe too the ground that part of the heauenly spirit there can no earnestnesse in Prayer or in any thought concerning God or godly matters bée performed of men
the comfort of thy helpe agein and stablish mée with thy frée spirite Let vs harâ—e vppon these requestes dayly For in so great confusion of doutfulnesse in the gréefes of conscience in the perilles of profession in pouertie in contempt in most bitter hatreds and in torments of bodye It is impossible that fayth and godlynesse should staÌ„d stedye and vnmoued if mennes mynds were not strengthened by the holy Ghoste That Steueâ— went with ioyfull mynd too his punishement and eased his harmes with hope That Laurence laye vppon the gredyron broyling on the coales that were vnderneathe him with glad and chéerefull hart and scorned the Tyrant both in countenaunce voyce That Agatha Agnes and such other â—â—â—ie Wenches laughed in the mids of most bitter tormentes and were not ouercome with any terrours or tortures too renounce the profession of the truthe All these things are the benefites and giftes of the holy Ghost And this benefite of the holy Ghost in erecuting the office of an Aduocate in the mynds of men that are afflicted is with most singular and swéete lightsomnesse both of woords and figures expressed in the auncient prayer directed too the holy Ghost which I would wishe yong men too wryte yea and dayly too vse it in their prayers Come holy Ghost and God of myght Send downe from heauen on euery wyght The beames of thy eternall lyght Come Father of the poore in smart Come thou that all good gifts doost part Come only lyght of lyghtlesse hart Of comforters thou art the best Of humane soule the gentle guest And sweete refresher of th' opprest In labour rest and quietnesse In swelting heat coole tempratnesse In moorning comfortablenesse O lyght most blissed too behold Fulfill with grace most manifold The harts of all thy faythfull fold Onlesse thy woorking it begin Man hath not aught at all within Man hath not aught but only sin Wash cleane what euer filth is found And moyst agein eche droughty ground And heale eche thing that is not sound Subdue the sturdy stiffe and hold Releeue the things fernooâ—â—d with cold And on the strayes lay stedfast hold On such as by their frutes doo showe The trust and fayth which they thee â—we â–ª Thy sacred namber seuen bestowe Giue them the hyre of rightuousnesse Giue them the end of blisfulnesse And euer lasting ioyfulnesse Now whereas in this Hymne is sayd Thy sacred noÌ„ber seuen bestowe And in another Hymne Thou seuenfold giuer of thy gift â–ª c. These woords allude to y place of Esai xâ— out of which they coÌ„monly recken vp seuen giftes of the holy Ghost Esai xj A rod shall spring out of the stocke of Iesse and a braunche shal growe out of his roote The spirit of the Lord shall rest vppon him the spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsell and strength the spirit of knowledge and godlinesse and the spirit of the feare of the Lorde shall fill him This place of Esai is a prophesie concerning Chrystes kingdome whom he foretelleth to come of the stocke of Esai or Iesse or of the linage of Dauiâ— nowe sore decayed and in maner past hope and that this kingdome shalbée spirituall in which Chryst the king and head of the Churche shall bestowe spiritual and euerlasting gifts vpoÌ„ his body or church not by worldly force but by his spirit and woorâ— First the spirit or gift of wisdome is the true knowledge of God and of his sâ—nâ—e â—ur Loâ—d Iesus Chryste and a faith vnderstanding and embracing all the whole doctrine concerning God which is set foorth and is necessarie too bée knowen for the health of the soule Secondly the spirit of Vnderstâ—ding is that whereby wâ—â— discerne opinions and fynd out the true doctrine froÌ„ the false and from that which is shadowed with the sleightes of Sophistrie Thirdly the spirite of Counsell is that whiche in the labours of a mannes vocation in daungers in sorowes and aduersities gouerneth the godly with counsell and susteyneth them with comfort and playeth al the other partes and duties of an Aduocate Fourthly the spirit of Strength or MaÌ„lynesse harteneth and strengtheneth mennes myndes and fenceth the godly with those weapons that are described Ephe. vj. least being vanquished eyther with entycements of pleasure or with the traynes of the Diuell â–ª or with aduersitie they may fal away from true godlinesse Fifthly the spirit of Knowledge doth in our coâ—â—on conuersation so marke the differences of persones tymes and places and so rule a mannes deuyses and dooings too the reason of the circumstances or incidentes that he neyther offendeth others nor withdraweth them froÌ„ the true doctrine Sixthly the spirit of Godlynesse kindleth in our willâ—s â— fréeharted willingnesse too obey God or â—n vniuersall obedience according too the commaundementes of God and dryneth all our dooings too this end that GOD â–ª may bée rightly worshipped glâ—riâ—â—ed â–ª aâ—d magnified at â—â—â—hands Seuenthly the spirit of the Feare of GOD ruleth our haâ—â—es that they may reuerently 〈◊〉 themselues to god and stand in awe of the Lord God as of a kyndharted fatheâ— not with slauish feare but with chyldly affection being loth with all our hartes too â—ffend this heaâ—enly Father or too bée cast oâ—â— of his fâ—uouâ— â—â—d althoughe there bée moâ—enefites attribuâ—â—â—â—â—â— the holy Ghoâ—â— in the Seriptures these self seâ—en giftâ—â— of the holy Ghost â—ay bée drawen â—â— feweâ— kynds â–ª yet notwithstaÌ„ding in as much as this distribution is accustomed in the church I thought good â—â— repete a short 〈◊〉 â—â— it in this place The fourth place how the holy ghost is receiued and how he is forgone THe holy ghost imparteth vnto vs both himself his giftes by two means which he hath ordeined stablished that is too wit by the word of the gospel herd red or thought vpon and by the Sacraments of Baptim and the Lords supper as is sayde in the Epistle of to morow Act. x. The holy ghost fel vpon al that herd the woorde And in the sermon of Peter which he made as vpon this day at Hierusalem when his héerers asked him What shal wée doo that wée may obteyn the holy ghost Peter answered Repent be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Chryst yée shal receiue the gift of the holy ghost There is no maÌ„ that can obteyn the holy ghost by his owne power or desert but the spirite of God of his owne infinite goodnesse preuenteth vs offreth himself too vs by the word of the Gospel and kindleth the true knowledge of God faith in our brests and regenerateth renueth our mynd and wil. Therfore being helped of the holy ghost wée both can must stir vp norish encrease in our selues the kindled sparks of faith the beginnings of al other vertues And also must desire of God that this spirite may be the directer of al our deuises and dooings Hervnto perteineth that most sweet
it is sayd I am the Lord and this is my name I will not giue my glorie too an other Now the name of Iehoua is attributed too Christ in Iere. xxiij xxxiij Dan. ix Num. xxj Therfore Christ is verely by nature God. Againe he cōprehendeth a summe of the doctrine concerning these twoo woordes Remission of sinnes and peace purchased by Christ Wherin hée méeneth not bodyly and worldly peace but the appeasement of Gods wrath against our sinnes attonement with God quietnesse and ioy of conscience in all aduersities and in death and lastly desire too mainteyne outward concord and peace Thirdly that faith is not only a bare knowledge of the persone and benefites of Christ but also a trust settled in Christ it appeareth openly be this phrase All that beleeue in him For it is well doone in the schooles that they make this distinction in the maner of spéeches folowing that too beléeue of God is to beléeue him too bée to beléeue God is to giue credit too him and to beléeue his woorde and to beléeue in God is to trust in him too stay vppon him and too repose the whole hope of our saluation in him These six places conteyned in this notable sentence of Peter To him doo all the Prophetes beare witnesse c. Let the studiouse sorte consider and ioyne thereuntoo a summe of the doctrine concerning the Iustifying of man before God out of the writinges that comprehended the substaunce of the Christen doctrine Vppon Trinity Sunday The Epistle Rom. xj O The deepenesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsercheable are his iudgementes and his wayes past finding out for who hath knowen the minde of the Lorde or who hath bin of counsell with him Eyther who hathe giuen vntoo him first and he shall bee recompenced ageine For of him and through him and in him are all things Too him bee glory for euer Amen The disposement of this Sermon concerning the Trinitie THe first and chéefe care of all men ought too bée too knowe God aryght too call vpon him and too set foorth his praise For too that end chéefly wer they created and redéemed by the sonne Neither is there any other higher or greater wisdom than the true knowledge and woorshipping of God which bringeth most assured cōfort in all tribulations and gouernment of lyfe in greatest affaires and saluation glory euerlasting both of body and soule Now forasmuch as vpon this day the Doctrine concerning the vnitie of the béeing of the Godhead and the Trinitie of the persons is woont too bée set foorth in the Churches we wil distribute this dayes doctrine intoo three places 1 What God is 2 That there is but one God only 3 That there are thrée persons in the one being or in the one substance of the Godhead the father the sonne the holy ghost and of either of their properties and differences First what God is GOd wil haue his béeing and wil knowne too mē this only one way according as he hath manifested himselfe in his church by the certen woord that is to wit by the law and the gospel the notable records deliuered by Chryst the prophets Apostles And there is very great ods in the difference béetwéen the heathenish knowing of God the christen For although the heathen by the natural lyght shed into their minds and by this most beautiful Theatre of natural things doo after a sort know God too bée a mynd euerlasting wyse well dooing iust the beholder of things and the iudger of mennes dooings too whom according too that lyght ingraffed in mens minds which discerneth honest dishonest things a sunder obedience is too bée performed yet haue they not knowne eyther the difference of the thrée persons or the will of God reueled in his gospel Yea and contrarie too this knowledge ingraffed in them by nature they allow the Idolatrous woorshipping of the monstrous multitude of Gods and bicause in the confusion of this present lyfe they sée the good ofte tymes in ill case the ill in good case they are ouerwhelmed eyther with Epicurish or with Academish doutfulnesse wherthrough al that religion of theirs is appalled and falleth too the ground But the summe of the Doctrine concerning the béeing of the Godhead which the vsuall description of God compriseth is this God is a béeing or substance spirituall vnderstanding euerlasting soothfast good ryghtuous mercifull chast most frée of infinite power and wisdome and another from the bodyes of the world The euerlasting Father who begate the Sonne his image from before all worlds and the Sonne the coeternall image of the Father and the holy Ghost procéeding from the Father and the Sonne According as the Godhead hath disclosed it selfe which toogither hath created and mainteyneth heauen and earth and all creatures and in mankynd gathereth too it selfe a Churche too the intent that by the same this one and true Godhed which is manifested by assured testimonies and by the woorde deliuered too the Prophets and Apostles may bée acknowledged and called vppon and glorifyed in the eternall lyfe This definition is compacted out of many recordes of Gods woord which may bée plenteously enlarged And it consisteth of foure members First it reckeneth vp in order the twelue properties peculiar too the béeing of god Secondly it reciteth the thrée persons the differences of them Thirdly it declareth the operations of God and his creation preseruation of all things And fourthly it sheweth the chusing of his eternal church by which he wil be knowne magnified The second place THat there is but one God euen the soūder sort of the heathen being conuicted by demonstrations taken of the orderlynesse of causes in nature haue taught And woorthy of remembraunce are these sentences There is one God onely and there is none other God. Also there is but one God wyse mightie and there withall blissefull And ageine there must needes bee some one thing and that immortall whoo was the first mouer of all things and which preserueth them nowe in good gouernance The rule of many is not good let there bee but one gouernour Notwithstanding contrary too this opinion knowne too nature the Heathen men admitted an abhominable sorte of Gods which as Paul sayth truely an idoll is nothing in the world are not euerlasting Gods but eyther surmysed and vaine names or very féendes or else other things created by god Agein in the very church also the Manichées imagined twoo Gods bothe of them myghtie and eternall the one good and the cause of good in nature the other the cause of euil Ageinst these madnesses let this doctrine bée most firmly held that there is but one God almightie euerlasting good ryghtuous the iudge the maker and the preseruer of all things manifested in the Church by the sōne our Lord Iesus Christ sent among vs and by his Gospel deliuered too vs according too the sayings of
delay For afterward no doute but the reuelacion of the glorie of Gods children shall follow though it be put off for a while Haue patience then a while and stay great profites springs of small delay He enlargeth this minor by the figure Expolition by â—eyning a person in y he sayeth that al creatures do grone endure throwes like women laboring of child which creatures notwithstanding do want sense But the feeling of the peyne commeth to the church the godly which grone for the sorow of Ioseph are sory that the vngodly abuse the creatures that the godly are afflicted murthered as yf I shuld say that the very walles of the church bewaile Luther it were as much to say as the godly men in the Church lament that Luther preacheth no more in that place The. 4. is grounded vpon the exaÌ„ple of the Apostles The sorowes miseries coÌ„mon to men with the chéefest lightes of the Church that is to wit the Apostles who had the first frutes of the spirite or the more excellent gifts of the holy Ghost are to be borne patiently The miseries gréefes of the godly y moorne in theÌ„selues with earnest longing looke for the glorie that shall bee shewed openly vppon Godschildren are but the same that the Apostles suffered Ergo they are too bée endured patiently The fifth argument is grounded vppon the manner of saluacion or of the full deliueraunce of all troubles The maner of saluacion appointed by God is this that in this present lyfe wée should for Christ the mediators sake receyue forgiuenesse of sinnes imputacion of rightuousnes inheritaunce of the glorie to come and the holy Ghost the comforter the earnest penny thereof that in the meane season wée should in this lyfe be subiect too the Crosse and to death and paciently by hope looke for our full saluacion or deliueraunce from the present miseries Wée are saued by hope that is to wit the full deliueraunce from sinne death and all miseries is yet too bée hoped for and looked for but the hope that is séene that is to say of thinges presente that are séene with the eyes is no hope Or the obiect which is séene before vs is not hoped for But the full deliueraunce or glorification of the godly is hoped for Ergo it is too be wayted for by patience And wheras the Papists argue in this wise â–ª Saluacion is Iustification We are saued by hope Ergo we are iustified by hope and not by fayth onely I answer I deny the consequent bycause there is a guyle in the double meening of the woord Saluation For in the maior or first proposition it signifieth remission of sins or recoÌ„cilemeÌ„t to God the heritage of eternall lyfe And in the minor or second proposition it signifieth ful deliuerance froÌ„ all euils or euerlasting glorification as with the mouth is acknowledgmeÌ„t of saluacion the is to say he that will be glorifyed must néedes perseuer The vj. argumeÌ„t is grouÌ„ded vppon the efficient or furthering cause or vpon possibilitie For mens mindes can not of theyr owne strength onely yéeld quiet or by any meanes willing obedieÌ„ce too God specially in greate troubles And therefore the holy Ghoste the comforter aydeth vs wretches and weakelings and as it were stretcheth out his hand to vs as wee are falling and holdeth vs vp and stayeth vs and strengtheneth vs that wée may bée able to beare out the burthen layde vppon vs like as hee strengthened Steuen Iohn Husle Laurence others He kindleth our mindes to true prayer and ruleth the sighes and gronings of our heartes that desire too bee soone dispatched out of these miseries inclining them to theyr obedience due to God that wée may pray too bée deliuered according too Gods fatherly good will and not after our owne deuises For wée know not what to pray as wée ought to doo But he taketh pitie of our ignorance as Bernard sayeth and accepting our prayer gently giueth not that thing which eyther is vtterly vnprofitable for vs or not néedefull to be graunted so soone But as for the prayer it shall not bee vnfruteful For eyther it shal obteyne that which we demaund or els that which shall bée more for our profite like as a Father or Phisician doo gently graunt not all things that the childe or the sicke person desire but suche things as they know bée méete for them Vppon the fifth Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Pet. iij. BE you all of one minde and of one harte loue as brethren be pitifull be curteous meeke not rendring euill for euill or rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowing that ye are therunto called euen that ye should bee heyres of the blessing For he that doeth long after life and loueth to see good dayes let him refrayne his tong from euill and his lippes that they speake no guyle Let him eschue euill and doo good let him seeke peace and ensue it For the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous and his eares are open vntoo their prayers Again the face of the Lord is ouer them that do euill Moreouer who is he that wil harme you if ye folow that which is good yea happy are yee if any trouble happen vntoo you for ryghteousnesse sake Bee yee not afrayd for any terror of them neyther bee yee troubled but sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts The disposement THis Epistle is exhortatiue conteyning preceptes of good woorks or the dueties of many vertues of which dyuers perteyne too the fifth commaundement From thence therefore may the orderly expositions of euery of them bée fetched intoo this Epistle The first is of one myndednesse or desire of concord to the mayntenance wherof there are thrée vertues chéefly necessary of which is spoken Ephes iiij With all lowlynesse méeknesse longsufferance or patience endeuering to kéep the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace The vices that encouÌ„ter it are quarellousnesse which soweth discordes and debates cowardnesse which fighteth not euen for things néedful as in defence of the truth of Gods doctrin the glory of god c. The second is of like affectionednesse which is touched with the féeling of other folkes estates reioycing in the prosperitie of good men and lamenting their aduersities Or as Paule sayth which is mery with them that bée mery wéepeth with them that wéepe But as Pindarus sayth the most part of meÌ„ are gréeued with their own affairs haue no care for others Peter therfore commauÌ„deth like affectionednesse which coÌ„sisteth of twoo parts First of fréendlynesse which norisheth not maliciousnesse spitefulnesse enuiousnesse but willeth well too the good and is glad of their welfare And secondly of pitifulnesse which is touched with the feling of good mennes miseries is sory that they should fare amisse The vices that encounter it are diuelishnesse which is too reioyce at good mennes harmes and stonehartednesse
Also To those that follow godlynesse The ende brings alwayes sweete successe Vppon the tenth Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Cor. xij COncerning spirituall things Brethren I would not haue you ignoraunt Ye knowe that ye were Gentiles and went your wayes vnto dumbe ymages euen as yee were led VVherfore I declare vnto you that no man speaking in the spirite of God defieth Iesus Also no man can say that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy Ghoste There are diuersities of giftes verely yet but one spirite And there are differences of administrations and yet but one lord And there are diuers maners of operations and yet but one God which worketh all in all The gifte of the spirite is giuen to euery man to edifie withall For to one is giuen thorow the spirite the vtteraunce of wisedome To an other is giuen the vtteraunce of knowledge by the same spirite To another the gifte of healing by the same spirite To another power to do miracles To another prophesie To another iudgement to discerne spirites To another diuers tongues To another the interpretation of tongues But these all worketh the selfe same spirite deuiding to euery man a seuerall gift euen as he will. The disposement THe Epistle is of those sort of caces that instruct For it is a doctrine concerning the giftes of the holy Ghost in the Church The cheefe places are foure 1 A definition of the giftes of the holy Ghost consisling of a reckening vp of ten sortes of them 2 Of the efficient cause of the giftes all which are distributed by one self same spirite who diuideth them to euery man according as he listeth 3 Of the finall cause or of the vse of gifts which must bée imployed not too boasting or to nourishment of drawings aside and of sectes but too the common profite of the whole Church 4 A testimonie concerning the thrée persons of the Godhead and in especially concerning the person office and benefites of the holy Ghost The first place THere is one first and principall gift of the holy Ghost which must néedes shine foorth in all the sainctes without fayle namely true acknowledgement and profession of our Lord Iesus Christe the sonne of God or true fayth beléeuing that Iesus is the Lord or in very déede and by nature God and that he is Christ our onely redéemer and Sauiour and disliking and eschewing the worshipping of Idoles Of this first and principall gift which is common to all sainctes speaketh Paule in this place No man speaking by the spirite of God sayeth that Iesus is accursed that is to say all that curse Christ as a mischeuous plage condemned of God and as a thing too bée taken out of the world as the Iewes in these dayes the Turkes and the Heathen men doo or which blasphemously slaunder and corrupte the true doctrine concerning the person and benefites of Christ as the Arians and Papistes doo are no members of the true Church or are not gouerned by the holy Ghost And no man can say that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy Ghoste that is too say no man can rightly acknowledge and with stedye fayth embrace and constantly euen to the last gaspe of his lyfe confesse Iesus Christ too bee the onely and true redéemer and giuer of eternall lyfe except he bée gouerned and stayed by the holy Ghost For he méeneth not of the bare profession of the name Iesus but of the whole doctrine and the continuall sticking too the fayth of Christe whiche Iohn expoundeth in his x. Chapter these things are written too the intent you should beleue that Iesus is that Christ the sonne of God that by beléeuing you may haue lyfe in his name This fayth is the firste and principall gifte of the holy Ghoste which must shine forth and appeare in all the godly Besides this there bée seuerall gifts of the holy Ghost which are not distributed too all the mēbers of the church togither nor are behouefull too bée in all a lyke but are giuen to some seuerall persones by the frée will of God that they may vse them not to vaunting or too stirre vp debate and enuying But to the comon edifying and welfare of the church And therfore Paule sayeth héere There are diuersities of giftes that is to say the giftes are diuerse or sundry which bée distributed fréely by the holy Ghost And there bee differences of administrations like as the duties of the members of a mans body are diuers and seuerall one from another And there bée diuers maners of operacions of the holy Ghost in vs or diuers executing of administracions And yet there is but one Ghost the holy Ghost who distributeth the gifts not to eche man all but to euery man some But vnto euery man is giuen a manifestacion of the spirite that is to say the giftes of the holy Ghost do vtter and shew themselues apparantly in euery man according as is to the behoof both of the party him self and of the whole Church and of the common weale Homer in his vij booke of Vlisses God giueth not all good gifts too all men And in the xij booke of his Iliades To some God giueth warlike workes to other he giueth a wise minde which gifte manie men enioy and he saueth Cities Paule in this place reckeneth vp nyne kindes of seueuall giftes of the holy Ghost Of which the first is the vtraunce of wisedome or wisedome that is to say a perceyueraunce of all the Articles of the Christian doctrine ioyned with true and earneste godlinesse or with the true feare of God and fayth with the framing of all a mans deuises and dooings agréeably to the will of god For all mans wisdome as sayeth Lactantius consisteth in this one point that he acknowledge God aright and worship him aright now besides the true knowledge of God and honest behauiour which bée common to all the members of the Churche VVisdome in this place comprehendeth also a peculiar and more perfecte light whiche not onely vnderstandeth the true doctrine aright but also knoweth and cunningly discerneth errors and false opinions And such a kinde of spirituall wisdome shone forth in Paule Austin and Luther kindled by the holy Ghost and confirmed by exercise of temptacions and encounters and terrours and comfortes ij The vtteraunce of knowledge or cunning too vnderstand discerne what thing what time before whom and in what wise is too bée chéefly doone and folowed what is méet and behouefull too bée doone in consideracion of the place time and other circumstances where consideracion is too bée had of the weake in bearing with things indifferent and where a man may vse libertie c. iij. Fayth or an assured truste settled in God and woorking greate and wonderfull things with a mighty and inuincible courage and obteyning deliueraunce out of great daungers which too put away seemeth no lesse difficulte to mans reason than to remoue mountaynes out
then serueth the Lawe The lawe was added bycause of transgression till the seede came too which the promise was made and it was ordeyned by Aungels in the hande of a Mediatour A Mediatour is not a mediatour of one But GOD is one Is the Lawe then ageynst the promise of God God forbyd Howbeit if there had bin a Lawe giuen which could haue giuen lyfe thē no dout rightuousnesse shold haue come by the law But the Scripture concluded all things vnder sinne that the promise by the fayth of Iesus Chryste should bee giuen too them that beleeue The disposement THe Epistle is of those sort that instruct For the doctrine therof concerneth mannes iustification before god The proposition that conteyneth the summe of the Epistle is Wee are iustified before God for Chrysts sake only freely by faith and not for our own good woorkes The Arguments wherewith he confirmeth this proposition are three FIrst of the weightynesse of the woords The Testament or promise of God is out of all dout true certein vnchaūgeable and too bée vnderstood simply as the woords sound Gods Testament or promise deliuered vntoo Abraham In thy seede shall all nations bee blissed affirmeth by expresse woords that Blissing that is too wit remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluatiō is giuen not in seedes as in many that is too wit not partly for Chrystes sake and partly for our owne good woorkes but onely for the one séede whiche is Chryst Ergo it is a true certein and vnchaungeable ground that wée are iustified or accepted as rightuouse before GOD for Chrystes sake onely by faith onely and not partly by faith for Chrystes sake and partly for our owne good woorkes Paule amplifieth the first proposition by a matter of lesse likelyhod or force thus If it bée not lawfull too alter the Testament or last will of a man much lesse is it lawfull too alter the Testament or will of God. The second argument is of things that hang not togither FOr yf the inheritaunce come by the law then is it not by promis but God graūted it to Abraham by promis This argument may bée included in this Syllogisme Whatsoeuer is giuen by the law as a wages eyther for our own obedience to the law or for our own workes and desertes is not giuen fréely by the promis taken hold vppon by fayth onely The heritage of rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe is giuen fréely vnto Abraham by promis Ergo the inheritaunce of rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe befalleth not by the law or is not giuen for our own woorkes or our obedience towardes the law This argument dooth Paule amplifye with two preuentions Of which the firste is this The Testament or promis that was made to Abraham concerning Christe was ratified and approued by God foure hundred xxx yéeres before the publishing of the law Ergo after the deliueraunce of the law our obedience towards the law or our good works also must néedes mete to iustification To this obiection Paule aunswereth thus that the testamēt which was ratified before by God through Christ or the promis of frée reconcilement is not made voyde or disanulled by the lawe but that it continueth alwayes stedfast vnmouable without putting any thing to it or taking aught away from it by the publishing of the law Hereuppon riseth the second obiection To what purpose is the law then why was it made by God yf it iustifie not ne bée néedfull to saluation Paule aunswereth it was added bycause of transgression that is to say for this cause was the law made that it should shew accuse and condemne the sinne that sticketh in vs and driue vs too seeke the séede Christ who was made sinne for vs that we might bée made the rightuousnesse of God in him Out of this aunswer is buylded the third argument of the effects hanging vppon it If the law coulde deliuer from death and restore lyfe and effectuall comfort then might wée bée iustified also by the law But the law can not deliuer men from sinne death and restore lyfe Ergo it is impossible for vs too bée iustified by the lawe He proueth the minor or second proposition thus The law promiseth or giueth eternal life to all those that yeld perfect obedience without any sinne But the scripture hath closed all things vnder sinne that is to say the woord or law of God conuinceth accuseth and condemneth all men that they are defiled with sinne and giltie of Gods wrath and endlesse damnacion Ergo the law deliuereth no man from eternall death neyther can it giue lyfe but the promised rightuousnesse and life is giuen fréely through fayth in Iesus Christe too them that beléeue This is the disposement of this Epistle in which there appeare chéefly two places of doctrine which are also the cheef places throughout all the Christen doctrine The one is the glad tydings or promis of remission of sinnes rightuousnesse and lyfe euerlasting too bée fréely bestowed vppon them that beléeue for the onely one séede of Abraham our Lord Iesus Christ The other is the law giuen of God to shew accuse and condemne sinne and to driue men to true repentaunce or sorynesse for theyr sinnes committed and the séeking of help at the sonne of God the Mediator shewed in the promis Therfore the definitions of the law and the Gospell and the foure differences of the law and of the Gospell taken of the forme of vnderstanding of the forme of the promises of the effectes and of the obiectes and also a declaracion of the causes and effectes of the law the Gospell may be repeted in this place out of the Catechisme The promis concerning Christe made vnto Abraham in these woordes In thy seede shall all nacions bee blissed Gen. xij is bréefly declared alredy where wée haue harde that the cheef places of the Gospell are conteyned in it First concerning Christes person in whiche the twoo natures of man borne of the séede of Abraham Dauid as touching the flesh and of God enduing the churche with heauenly blissing and taking away sinne and death are verely personally vnited togither Secondly of Christes office benefites which are comprised in that one worde blissing For blissing signifieth deliueraunce from curse from Gods wrath from sinne from eternall death and the frée giuing of lyfe and rightuousnesse euerlasting For so dooth Paule himself interprete the word Galat. iij. and Ephe. j. and Peter also Act. iij. Thirdly of the difference of the law and the Gospell The law is a doctrine that curseth as it is written Cursed is euery one that cōtinueth not in all the things that are written in the booke of the law But the Gospell bringeth heauenly and euerlasting blissing promised fréely for Christes sake Fourthly of Iustification or remission of sinnes and eternall saluacion which may befall vs for the one onely séede of Abraham which is Christ or by fayth only
torments The frutes of the spirit or the vertues that please God which are kindled in the godly by the holyghost are 1. The loue of God and our neighbor which comprehendeth most of the vertues of the first and secoÌ„d table For Loue is the fulfilling of the law Rom. xiij and j. Cor. xiij 2. and. 3. Ioy and peace or quietnesse and gladnesse of the hart setled in God and persuading a man assuredly that God is at one with him and at hand with hym helping him and giuing hym lyfe and gladnesse euerlasting for Chrystes sake 4. Long sufferance or pacience beareth with other folks infirmities and with wrongs doone and is not discouraged with mysdealings or other ouerthwarte things that it should doo ageynst any of Gods commaundements and it perteyneth too the first and the fifth commaundement 5. Gentlenesse or curtesie yéelding it selfe willingly to other folks to vse and willingly dooing good to others perteyneth to the seuenth and fifth commaundements 6. Goodnesse or vprightnesse hurting no man endeuering too doo good and to profit all men is of as greate force as vniuersall ryghtuousnesse whereof men are called good And it comprehendeth chéefly liberalitie and courtesie 7. Faith or true knowledge of god trust settled in Christ the mediator or faythfulnesse performing coÌ„staÌ„cie in woord deed and in true mutuall good will and all dutifull poyntes of Fréendshyp and déemyng fréendly of other mennes willes and meenyngs perteyneth to the fifth commaundement 8. Meeknesse brydâ—yng wrath desire of reuenge perteyneth lykewyse too the fyfth commaundement 9. discretenesse sobernesse stayednesse temperaunce or chastitie perteyneth to the sixth commaundement From thence therefore may a more plentyfull exposition of the vertues bée fetched Ageinste suche there is no lawe that is too say the Lawe prohibiteth not these woorkes or there is no Lawe appaynted for the ryghtuous whiche are guyded by the holy Ghoste That is too say the Lawe dooth not accuse or condemne the ryghtuous neyther dooth it holde shorte or constreyne those that are obediente But as for those that fulfill the lustes of the fleshe or forbeare outward offences ageynst their willes those dooth the Lawe restreyne accuse and condemne They truly that are Chrystes haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes therof that is too say those that bée godly in déede or that beléeue in Chryst fulfil not the lusts of the flesh or their sinfull inclinations and affections but doo keepe them vnder and restreine them and mortify theÌ„ with the spirite as is sayd Rom. viij If ye mortifie the déedes of the flesh by the spirite yée shall liue Vppon the .xv. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Gal. v. IF yee liue in the spirit let vs walk in the spirit Let vs not bee vaineglorious prouoking one another and enuying one another Brethren if any man be fallen by chance into any fault ye which are spirituall help to amend him in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Beare ye one anothers burthen and so fulfil the law of Christ For if any man seme to himself that he is somwhat when he in dede is nothing the same deceiueth himselfe in his imagination Let euery man proue his owne worke and then shall he haue reioycing in his owne selfe and not in another For euery man shall beare his owne burthen Let him that is taught in the woord mynister vnto him that teacheth him in all good things Be not deceiued God is not mocked For whatsoeuer a maÌ„ soweth that shall he reape For he that soweth in the flesh shal of the flesh reape corruption But he that soweth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape life euerlasting The disposement THis Epistle perteineth to the kind of cases that is persuasiue For it conteyneth precepts exhortations too good works and namely too modestie and new obedience The parts or cheef places are two 1 Of modestie and lowlynesse which restreineth pride and beareth with the infirmities and blemishes of the brethren and performeth faythfulnesse and diligence in executing aryght the duties of a mans calling which true glorie that is too say the witnesse or allowment of a mannes own conscience iudging aryght dooth always accompany of it owne accord 2 Of thankfulnesse and courtesy too bée vsed towardes all the godly and specially towards schoolemasters and ministers of the Gospell IN the beginning of the Epistle is set a general exhortation vntoo new obedieÌ„ce If we liue in the spirit let vs walk in the spirite that is too say séeing wée be deliuered from euerlasting death by the sonne of God and the holy ghost and that new lyfe is kindled in our hartes let vs also reuerently obey the holy ghost dwelling in our hartes and directing oure intentes and the dooings of our lyfe according to the rule of Gods lawe Let vs not be desirous of vaynglorie prouoking one an other and enuying one an other Of lowlynesse or modestie MOdestie or lowlynesse and the desire of true prayse fyght not one ageynst an other but are neybour vertues lyke as are liberalitie and sparyngnesse Grauitie and courtesie or gentlenesse iustice and mercy or pitifulnesse For the desire of true glory and of a good name is a vertue commaunded by God which liking wel of a mans owne worke that is too say faythfully executing the duties of a mannes vocation and endeuering to doo well too the church and the common weale in their place obteyneth the allowment of God and his owne conscience déemyng aright which is continually accompanyed with the commendation of other good men iudging aright also as Ionathas j. Reg. xviij Ioseph Gen. xxxix and Paule who though they bée mylde and lowly do not withstaÌ„ding like well of their owne worke and buzyly and faythfully execute the labors of their vocation And therfore they obteined the allowment of God and their own conscience and the commendation of all godly menne and of the whole church This vertue doth God coÌ„mand Philip. iiij What soeuerthings are of honest report if there bée any vertuous thing if there bée any coÌ„mendable thing those same haue yée in mynd which yée haue both lerned séen in mée those things doo yée Also Math. â— Let your lyght so shine before men that they may sée your good works and glorifie your father which is in heauen Good name therefore must of necessitie bée soughte euen for this cause that others may by good exaÌ„ples bée allured to the true acknowledgement of God and the felowship of the Churche But good name cannot bée soughte onlesse wée also earnestly séeke after vertue or true godlynesse to Godwarde and all good woorkes and labours wherby wée may in our vocation deserue wel of the church and the common weale For the foundation of true glorye is excellent vertue which is always accompanied with the glorie or coÌ„mendation of good men and with the enuie of euill
men according as one sayth Glory accompanieth vertue as the shadow doth the body wherefore too séeke glorie is too séeke vertue And contrarywise by the contempt of good report or glorie vertue must nedes be contemned also And therfore Paule in this place forbiddeth not simply the desyre of Glorie but the desire of vayneglorie For many doo séeke after the naked commendation and the emptie shadowe of glory and prerogatiue without true vertue Secondly either they chalenge and face their betters or else deface them to the intent too seeme greater themselues by fyndyng fault with them like as Zoilus defaced Homere the Tribunes Scipio and Minutius the maister of the horsemen defaced the dictator Fabius Thirdly they repyne and are sorie that any other excel them or are counted better than themselues and thereuppon endeuour too put them too a foyle or to ridde them out of the waye that they themselues only may bée a flote as Saule enuyed Dauids glorie Pompey enuyed Iulius Cesars preferment 4. Or they bée too streyghtlased and vnappeasable towardes such as bée falne or disteyned with some blemishes of doctrine or maners to the entent they themselues may be counted the better the holier as the Nouatians who vtterly denyed forgiuenesse too such as fel after baptim 5. Or otherwise being puft vp with an ouerwéening of their own wisedom rightuousnes strēgth stand highly in their owne conceyt set great brags or commendations vppon themselues as the Pharisie Luk. xviij And Pyrgopolinices in Plautus and Thraso in Terence 6. Or else not trying their own worke they take in hand vnnecessary and vnrightful dooings out of their vocation vpon truste of their owne strength lyke as Antonie Pompey Antiochus the greate and others haue moued néedelesse warres And in the Church Valentine Arius and others haue sowed straunge opinyons These syxe sortes of vayne and false glorye doothe Saincte Paule forbydde in this place and willeth men too trye theyr intentes and dooings and diligently too wey examin them that they may agrée with the squire and rule of Gods wil and commaundement So shall wée haue true glory in our selues that is the recorde and allowment of God and our owne conscience iudging aright and wée shall not hang vppon the reprofe of other ▪ men or vpon the liking or disliking of the vnskilful multitude For as Plutark saith in the life of Tmoleon The action must not only be good and iust but the glorie which is sought therby must be sure and stable that in doing we may be allowed And Cicero in the same méening sayth Thou must vse thyne owne iudgment If thou like thy selfe in allowing of right things then shalt thou not only ouercom but thou shalt ouercome all men and all things Therefore determine vppon this poynt that honestie and noblenesse of mynd is alone the beautifullest of all things and so much more beautiful if it passe not for the multitude nor hunt foropen prayse but delyght only in it selfe Yea and in myne opinion all things séeme the more commednable that are doone without vaunting and without calling of the people too witnesse Not for that it is vtterly to be eschued for al weldooings desyre too bée shewed in the open lyght but for that there is no stage more noble for vertue than a mans owne conscience This is the chéefe place of the firste parte of this Epistle And herewithall let consideracion be had of notable sentences that concerne the louing and softe admonishment of suche as erre or fall in doctrine or misbehauior of manners according too the processe Math. xviij and the gentle instructing and receyuing them ageine and which concern mildnesse in bearing with y blemishes and infirmities of other folks for Gods sake the cōmon quietnesse and finally which concerne the brydling of statelynesse and pride which fight ageinst the first commandement Let him which is instructed communicate all good things to him that instructeth Of thankfulnesse wel doing towards al the godly specially towards the techers THe Gréeke woorde Catecheim signifieth proprely too teach or instruct by woord of mouth so as the things giuē out may be required agein of the lerners Of echeo to sound ▪ comes Catecheo too herken or too receiue the sounde of any man Thereof commeth Catechesis which is suche a manner of instruction wherein the Doctrine is deliuered too the héerers by woord of mouthe and the héerers on the other side are made too recite and render what they haue herd Now forasmuch as this trade of teaching which is doon by examinatiō is the best and most profitable In olde tyme the sum of the Christen doctrine was woont too bée taught after this maner in the Churche too nouices béefore they were baptised And héereuppon remaineth yet the name of Cathechisme which is vsed for a bréef summe of the christen doctrine comprehended in a certeine order Paule in this place willeth his scholer or héerer that learneth the true Doctrine concerning God too communicate all good things too his teacher that is too wit too render too him ageine true reuerence foode cloth and all duetifulnesse of a thankfull mynd And hee addeth arguments of honestie and profit amplyfied with a similitude taken of seede tyme and haruest God commaūdeth thankfulnesse toward scholemasters and looketh vppon our hartes and abilities dreadfully punisheth the choorles but recompenseth the liberalitie and other good déedes of the godly with bounteous rewards And like as husbandmen the more séede they sowe the greater encrease of corne they receiue at haruest tyme Euen so the bountifuller stypend the schollers giue too their teachers so muche the greater rewardes bothe Ghostly and bodely shal they bée adorned withal agein at Gods hand Also Paul addeth a generall sentence concerning the rewardes of liberalitie and other good woorkes He that soweth in the flesh that is too say hée that doothe the déedes of the flesh or he that giueth himselfe too sinnefull lustes and wickednesse shall reape corruption that is too say he shall perishe and bée cast intoo euerlasting Death But hee that sovveth in spirit or obeyeth the holy Ghost shall bée rewarded with euerlasting rewardes And therefore euen in this respect let vs endeuer too benefite others with more foreward mindes and not suffer our selues too bée discouraged with some mens vnthankfulnesse slaunders and other ouerthwart matters Héere may bée repeted the whole Doctrine concerning benefiting out of the seuenth of the ten commaundements and concerning thankfulnesse out of the exposition of the fourthe commaundement Vppon the .xvj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Ephes iij. I Desire that you faint not bicause of my tribulatiōs that I suffer for your sakes which is your praise For this cause I bowe my knees vntoo the father of our Lord Iesus Chryste which is father of all that is called father in heauen and in earth that hee would graunt you according too the
riches of his glory that yee may bee strengthned with might by his spirit in the inner man that Chryst may dwel in your hearts by faith that yee beeing rooted and grounded in loue might bee able too comprehend with all sainctes what is the bredth length depth and height and too know the excellent loue of the knowledge of Christ that ye might bee fulfilled with all fulnesse which commeth of god Vntoo him that is able too doo exceding aboundantly aboue all that wee aske or thinke according too the power that woorketh in vs bee praise in the congregation by Christ Iesus throughout all generations from time too time Amen The disposement THis Epistle is of that sorte that is persuasiue For it is an encouragement that they should stedfastly reteine the Doctrine of the Gospell that they had receyued and not faint for offence of persecution And it is a prayer that God will preserue confirme and strēgthen true faith and stedfast loue among them The cheefe places of Doctrine therfore are these 1 Of constancie or continuance 2 Of true Inuocation 3 Of faith which embraceth Chryst that he may dwel in our harts acknowledgeth the largenesse of Christes mercy and excéeding great loue towardes vs. 4 Of thankes giuing or praysing God concerning whose almyghtinesse not tyed too second causes héere is put in a notable testimonie méete too be set ageinst Stoicall madnesse Of the first place I Beseeche you that you faint not in my tribulations for you which is your glory Like as Cicero in his Oration for Flaccus giueth his opinion concerning the miseries of the Iewes saying this nation hath well shewed how déere it was too the God immortall in that it is subdued in that it is let out too ferme in that it is reserued too bondage So also doo the wise men in the world iudge of the Church and of euery godly member of the same that are oppressed with the houge heape of miseries Namely that God regardeth not and much lesse loueth and receyueth too the felowship of eternall lyfe and ioy men so miserable néedie fewe in number drawne asunder with inward debates and laid open to the most bitter hatred of the world and too most cruell tormentes suche as in Paules tyme he himselfe and the rest of the Apostles were and suche as our congregations are in these dayes the wretched soules that are put too deathe for the pure Doctrine of the Gospell in Fraunce in Spaine and in the kingdome of Naples like as nowe of late at Montola in the kingdome of Naples foure score godly men like shéepe in a slaughterhouse had their throtes cutte by the hangman at the commaundement of the Romishe Bishop In this sorowfull shew of the fewnesse miseries and infirmities of the professers of the gospel all men perceyue this encouragement and entreatance of Paules too bée néedfull least the weaker sort taking offence at the miseries imprisonments and tortures of themselues and of other godly folke should reiect Chrystes true doctrine But let them turn away their eyes from the prosperitie power authoritie and multitude of the persecutors and from the fewnesse and the miseries of the godly let them settle themselues only vppon the word and the truthe deliuered by God Like as Noe in tyme of the flud Loth in Sodom the Machabées in the time of Antiochus and Paule and the rest of the Apostles in the time of Nero held fast the profession of the true doctrine though they had neuer so many wyse men and mightie enemies ageinst them Constancie or continuance is a vertue which abideth firm and stable in the true knowledge of Chryst and in faith and in profession of the true doctrine and cannot be quailed with any prosperities or aduersities that it should faynt from the truthe and giue ouer Now forasmuch as this stoutnesse of courage and strēgth that yéeldeth not too terrors torments farre surmounteth the power of man Paule beséecheth God with most earnest desire too strengthen the myndes of the Ephesians with his holy spirit and too stablish and vpholde their inward man or their fayth in Christ Like as he armed the Apostles at that tyme now in our dayes Luther with stoutnesse and strength of haultie and inuincible hart so as no threainings and terrors could make them faint but that they spred abrode the true doctrine of the gospell though the wisdome and power of the whole world fretted and fought ageinst it neuer so much Now Paul in this Epistle addeth two reasons why they should not take offence at his troubles and afflictions or bée moued too fall away from the true Doctrine For first I suffer these afflictions for you or for your sake not for any offence of myne but bycause I haue by preaching the Gospel called you Gentyles too the felowship of the Churche and eternall saluation too bée giuen fréely for Chrystes sake And by these my troubles and bandes I beare recorde that I doo in very déede and in good earnest thinke that the Doctrine of the Gospell is not a fond fable but true assured and taught by God in the behalfe whereof I endure so great miseries emprisonment yea and death also And so by mine example I confirme your faith Ageine my afflictions are your glorie That is too say they are not slaunderous and shamefull too mée or you they are not signes of Gods wrathe and casting of mée away But they are things that bée good healthfull honourable and too the glory of Gods Churche as in the fifth of the Actes the Apostles reioyce that they were counted woorthy too bée put too rebuke for the name of Chryst And Romaines the fifth Paule sayth wée glory in afflictions bycause affliction bréedeth patience patience bréedeth triall triall hope and hope of eternall lyfe maketh not a man ashamed or disappointeth not him that hopeth And the lyghtnesse of afflictions for the turning of a hand procureth an inestimable weight of glory for euer and euer j. Cor. iiij The second place I Bowe my knees muche more weake and féeble is mannes nature than that it can of it owne power continue stedfastly in the true acknowledgement of God and in Faith and despise and ouercome the terroures hatred imprisonments and other perils that accompanie the profession of the Gospell Therefore let euery one of vs daily make our hartie and earnest Prayer vntoo God the father of our Lord Iesus Chryst that he wil stablish and strengthen our hartes with his holy spirit that wée may hold fast the true acknowment of Chryst true faith euen too our last gasp according as he hath promised I haue praied for thée that thy faith may not faile And my shéepe héere my voyce I giue them eternall life no man shal pul them out of my hands Also God is faithful who suffereth vs not to be tēpted aboue our power but with the temptation maketh a way out y we may bée able
thence he shal come to iudge the quick and the deade Now the doctrine concerning the last iudgemēt may be comprised in these six places 1. Whither there shal come any last iugement 2. who shall bée the iudge and howe and when he shall come 3. What shall bée the manner and order of the iudgement 4. Of the rewardes of the ryghtuous 5. Of the endlesse pains of the wicked 6. Of the tyme and of the rest of the circumstances of the iudgement The fourth Of Freendlynesse LIke as Paul reioyced vnfeynedly and from his hart that the Corinthians were brought to the true knowledge of God the felowship of the euerlasting and blissed churche So must euery man reioyce in the prosperitie of other men specially of good men and bée sory for their mischaunces and wishe them wel from the bottom of their harte This vertue is called Fréendlynesse And the vices that encounter it are diuelishnesse spyghtefulnesse and maliciousnesse of which wée haue spoken already in the Exposition of the vertues of the fifth commaundment Vppon the .xix. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Ephes iiij BE yee renued in the spirit of youre mynd and put on that new mā which after God is shapen in rightuousenesse and true holynesse Wherefore put away lying and speake euery man truthe to his neighbour forasmuch as we are members one of another Bee angrye and sin not Let not the Sun go downe vppon your anger neither giue place too the backbyter Let him that stole steale no more But let him rather labour with his hands the thing that is good that he may haue to giue vnto him that needeth The disposement IT is of those sort of cases that are persuasiue or exhortatiue For it is wholly occupied in exhortation vntoo good woorks concerning which the customable doctrin included in sixe places may bee recited First whither newe obedience bée néedful Secondly which are the works that bée good in déede that is to wit not Munkish ceremonies or such lyke ceremonies deuysed by men but the works that be commaunded of God as truth méekenesse liberalitie and diligence Thirdly what are the efficient causes of good woorkes or how they may be performed by vs sith we are so weake and the Diuell so strong Fourthly how good works please God sith they be vnperfect and defiled with many sinnes that is to wit not for our owne worthynesse but for Chrystes sake through faith Fifthly for what ende good works are to be done that is too wit not too deserue forgiuenesse of sinnes by them which is giuen fréely only for Chrystes merit but that wée may yeelde too God our due obedience that we may glorifie him that we may eschue paynes euerlasting and present and that we may obtaine the rewards that are promised Sixthly forasmuchas the good woorks euen of all the saincts are disteined with many sins we must speake of the difference of the sinnes that remayne in the saincts and of those that remayne not in the saincts Howbeit bycause this Epistle conteyneth otherwyse a moste plentifull doctrine and that the phrase thereof hathe some hardenesse in it we wil interprete the very text in order diuiding it into six common places wherof twoo or thrée maye bée stoode vppon somewhat longer sermonlyke The first LAy away from you that old man according to youre former conuersation whiche is corrupt thorough the deceiuable lusts and be ye renued in the spirit of youre mynd and put on that new man which after God is shapen in holynesse and rightuousnesse The first parte is a generall exhortacion to new obedience agreeable to Gods will or comformable too Gods rightuousnesse This exhortacion is enlarged with an Antithesis or setting togyther of contraries Lay away sin and put on rightuousnesse Or cease too doo euill and doo good woorkes The old man by this name he méeneth all the defaults in nature all euill inclinations affections and dooings that agrée not wyth the wyll or lawe of GOD that is too wit in the mynde ignoraunce of God darknesse and doubtefulnesse concernyng GOD concernyng the prouidence will and woorde of God and concerning the promises and threatnings of god In the will voydnesse of the feare loue towards God and of al vertues which ought to be perfect and earnest and also euill inclinations standing in ones own conceyt pryde fleshly carelesnes And in the hart a headynesse of al affections flames of vnlawfull loue of hatred of desire of reuenge and of couetousnesse All this huge heape of sinne that sticketh in the nature of man vnrenued is betokened by the terme olde man whom in other places he calleth somtimes the natural man somtime the outward man sometymes fleshe The lustes of errour or deceyuable lustes he nameth all euill inclinations of corrupted nature whereby wee are caryed headlong intoo error and sin as it is sayde Concupiscence is the fountayn of all euyls both of the fault and of the punishment For thorough concupiscence both the cleannesse and soundenesse of the soule is marred and the body is made subiect vnto death To be renued and to put on the new man are in maner all one The mynd is renewed when the darknesse of sin is chaced out of the mind by the gospel and the holy ghost and there is kindled true knowledge of God true faith loue rightuousnesse and obedience of al vertues For vnder the name of mind he comprehēdeth al the powers of the soule which the Philosophers are woont to distinguish The new man he calleth him that is renued by the voice of the Gospell and by the holy ghost who kindleth in mēs minds the light of the true knowledge of God and al vertues agreable to Gods rightuousnesse suche as were in the first man that was created after Gods image before his fall The second HE putteth in a bréefe most lerned definition of Gods image after which mā was created namely y it is tru ryghtuousnesse and holynesse and Coloss iij. he writeth that it is the true knowledge of God the creator Vppon these twoo textes wée buylde this true and lerned definition of Gods image Gods image in the first man was not onely a being of mynde and will nor onely a relation or acceptation of mankynde before God but also a qualitie of the seconde speciall kynde that is too say a natural ryghtnesse and excellente perfectnesse of all the powers of man as of the mynd the will the hart agreeing with the first pattern or diuine mynde that is too wit in the mynd light that is a manifest knowledge of God the Creator without any darknesse or wauering In the wil harty loue of God all vertues stirred vp and blazyng without any sinful inclinations and without concupiscence and fleshly carelesnesse and too be short true ryghtuousnesse and holynesse that is too say vniuersall obedience agréeing with the wil of God and directed truly too this ende that the patterne might be knowne abrode
enlightned with Antithesies examples will bring forth plenteousnesse of matter both manifest and ample Not as vnwise folke men without the true knowledge of God and without the feare of God and fayth Redeeming the time neglecte not onely occasion of walking warely or of liuing godlyly and honestly or of deseruing well at other mens handes or els purchase oportunitie of atteyning the true knowledge of God euerlasting lyfe euen with the losse of all that yée haue Bycause the dayes are euill by reason of the malice and miserie of men It is a figure called Synecdoche wherin the thing that conteyneth is put for the thing that is conteyned For the dayes are good but men that liue in those dayes are euill and wretched Therfore let passe no occasion of liuing godlily and of dooing things acceptable too God to the welfare of men neyther suffer your selues to be plucked away from God by the most corrupt maliciousnesse of this age There happen many lettes many allurementes leude lustes which hale men away from true godlinesie But redéeme yée the time fighte ageynst these impedimentes and walke warely Not like fooles that is to say as folke ignorant of God and voyd of fayth and true godlinesse But as those that vnderstand what is the will of the Lord that is to wit which is reueled in Gods woord to whome as to a rule wée must referre all the deuises and dooings of our life This is the will of the Father that euery one that beléeueth in the sonne should haue lyfe euerlasting This is Gods will euen your holynesse that yée should not liue like the Gentiles that know not God. The second place BE not drunken with wine wherin is ryottousnesse The The doctrine that concerneth sobrietie the eyght causes for which drunkennesse is to bee eschewed and sobernesse followed may bée set out of the exposition of the vertues of the sixth commaundement The Gréeke woorde Asotia ryottousnesse comprehendeth excesse of fare wastfulnesse wantonnesse vncleane talke chamberings scoldings braulings quarrelinges manquellings and to be short a Cyclopish life ordinarie to dronken folke such as was the excesse or cyclopish life of Alexander the greate described by Plutarche pag. xlj And Cicero in his booke De finibus sayeth I like not of these belly goddes tha◠shall spew into my dish and must bée caried away from the table which fall to cramming them selues fresh and fasting ageyne the next morow The third place Singing Psalmes Himnes and spiritual songs vnto the Lord. Of songs and Musick◠GOd hath put intoo man the knowledge of numbers and tunes and in all ages would haue his doctrine and prayses too bée comprehended in verses and that musicke should bée vsed in his holy seruice chéefly for this cause that the true doctrine concerning God and all the exhortacions comforts prayses thankesgeuing being included in numbers verses or songs might the easlyer bée imprinted in mēs minds sinke déeplyer into their harts kindle more feruent motions of Godlinesse For al folke do more desirously take and with greater pleasure lerne more stedfastly kéepe in mind verses than prose Such an aliance haue our soules with harmonie nūber euen by nature And sith that for this commoditie chéefly singing is wont to be vsed that the holy woordes may sinke the déeper into the mindes of the héerers and kindle more earnest motions in their hartes It were good to reteyne Musicke in Churches not ouer cunning and curious but simple and graue so as the woordes that are knit in number might be hard and vnderstood of the common people Wée sée that both in the Church and also among the Heathen who conterfeyted the example of the first Fathers the doctrine concerning God and other good thinges and thankesgiuings and prayses of God were comprised in verses to be sung in holy seruice and els where The chéef Poetes of such Himnes and songs were Moyses Dauid Asaph the sonnes of Chora Heman Salomon Esay Ieremie c. And in our age God hath raysed vp Luther who as our Orpheus of Germanie hath comprised in Dutch verse the summe of Christian doctrine the holy stories the chéef of Dauids Psalmes hath added to thē so trim and fit notes and so apt to stirre vp mens affections that not onely they bée sung with exceeding pleasure and delight but also perce wondrously intoo the mindes and hartes of the héerers and kindle affections of true godlinesse faith gladnesse and earnest ioy in mens brests as by the note of the Song Christe lag in todes banden c. All the godly euen though they giue but meane héede may easly iudge And forasmuch as S. Basill in his preface to the Psalter hath spoken right grauely concerning this profitablenesse of Musike I will translate the whole place and write it hereunto Psalmes do with a certeine weltuned delightfulnesse and pleasure endue the minde with wholsome doctrine and wisdome For in asmuch as the holy Ghost saw that mankind could hardly bée bent to godlinesse and vertue bycause it neglecteth the manner of liuing well and is caried headlong vnto pleasure He mingled the delightfulnesse of melody with his precepts of instruction to the intent that with the swéetnesse of the delight the doctrine of God profitable thinges might slip into mens mindes according to the custome of wise Phisicians who season the mouth of the cup with a little honny when they minister any sowre medicine to a sicke body For this cause therfore was this fine writing of the Psalmes in méeter deuised that such as are youthfull both in yeares and vertue might in theyr owne opinion sing and in very déede instruct their minds For there is not any of the frantike sort that when he departeth out of the church home to his house doth easly beare away with sinne any Apostolicall or Propheticall precepte But as for the sayinges of the Psalmes they both sing them at home with delight and beare them about with thē to the market many beyng starke mad for anger as soone as they beare the tune of Psalmes that delight them returne home well at ease and quiet in themselues the féerce and heady motions of theyr minds are assuaged with singing Psalmes bring calmnesse to the minde alaying the troublesome waues of mēs thoughts settleth quietnesse in their barts méekeneth the sturdinesse of the mind restreyneth headynesse boweth ment to myldenesse and sobernesie procureth fréendship setteth folkes at one that were at variaunce and reconcileth enemies For who wil take him any longer for his foe with whom he hath with one voyce spoken vnto God therefore singing of Psalmes yeeldeth a most souereyne benefite namely mutuall loue in yelding harmonie as it were a certeine bande to knit mens mindes togither and the tune of one queere linketh togither the whole Church Psalmes chace a way féendes procure the help of Angels driue away feares of the nighte asswage
beware of false teachers and bée stedfast and set folks at one that are at ods The cheefe places are foure FIrst the teachers of the church must bée as patterns or examples for their héerers too looke vppon that they may folow their behauior and doctrine and eschue such as differ and disagrée from this sampler Secondly our conuersation is in heauen that is to say the ministration of the gospell is not a ciuill gouernment but a spirituall and all the whole conuersation and lyfe of a chrysten man must bée ghostly and heauenly not directed too the séeking of the commodities of this present lyfe but too the atteinement of the glory and life that is in heauen Thirdly there is a testimonie concerning the raysing and glorification of our bodyes Fourthly concerning the desire too maintein concord and too knit toogither the minds of those that bée at oddes The first place BRethren bee yee folowers of mee and looke on them that walke euen so as yee haue seene vs for an ensample Paule setteth foorth himselfe too the Philippians as an example for them too folow in Doctrine and maners that they might beware of false teachers whose doctrin maners differ from this patterne And let the studious beare in mynd the counsell of Paules which he setteth foorth too Timothie and all godly teachers as a rule of al their lyfe and of al their deuises and dooings Bee a patterne of the faythful in Doctrine in conuersation in louingnesse in spirit in faith and in chastitie and giue heede too reading The first counsell of Paule is that we shuld be patterns that is too say that we shuld shine before others by our example of Doctrine and conuersation For it is a common ordinarie in this lyfe that wée the inferiour sort doo followe the examples of our gouernours and teachers as these verses admonish In sooth th'examples of rulers flowe too the people And as their Capteins demeane thē so do the whole Cāp And Plato sayeth that the best manner of instructing is If the Teacher shyne before his héerers by his example and bée séene too doo the same things himselfe which he exhorteth other men vntoo Therefore must teachers vse much more warynesse héede and diligence in ruling their behauior than other men must bycause the people must looke vppon their examples according as Paule commaundeth heere that the Philippians should bée followers of him that is too wit in doctrine fayth and other vertues And that they should haue an eye too such as walk so that is too say as liue so teache so beléeue so and professe so namely that wée obteyne remission of sinnes and euerlasting lyfe onely for Chrystes passion and death and not for the woorkes of the Lawe and for our owne vertues But if the teachers eyther spred abroade any false doctrine or bée defiled with heynous offences their héerers are easly infected with their opinions and examples And concerning the faultie behauiour of the teachers it is a cōmon sayd sawe he that teacheth well and liueth amisse reacheth foorth with his one hande and pulleth backe with the other Afterward he peynteth out as it were in a table the chéef vertues wherein the Teachers must shyne before their héerers 1 In talke and doctrine For the true doctrine concerning GOD is the ground woork of Gods Churche and of euery mannes welfare Therefore let the teachers take héede that first they themselues lerne a right and then teache a right orderly properly and playnly too their héerers the true and full doctrine of the Gospell concerning the true knowledge of Gods being and will concerning the persone and benefites of Christe concerning Iustification faith inuocation good woorks affliction and all other articles and also that they learnedly and aptly confute the corruptings of them They must not bée dull in lerning the doctrine and in framing themselues too an apt and lerned trade in teaching They must not bée ambitiouse in deuising newe opinions and formes of speaking They must not rashly alter the accustomed and profitable manner of teaching but must endeuer that one true and agréeable summe of doctrine may bée deliuered ouer too those that come after like as Paule in this place willeth the Philippians too kéepe the doctrine that he had deliuered them concerning iustification as a pattern and so too conuey it ouer to their posteritie 2 In conuersation or in directing all the outward deuyses and dooings of the lyfe according too all the commaundements of god Their manners must not bée defyled with ambition couetousnesse and lustes least eyther mislibertie might bée confirmed in some or occasion ministred the vngodly too slaunder the doctrine Mat. v. Let your light so shyne before men c. 3 In Louingnesse There must bée in you a hartye good will towardes God towardes your fellowministers and towardes your héerers ▪ Yée must bée iust softe beneficiall treatable and séekers of the common concorde and quietnesse Yée must not nourish spyte malice hatred quarels backebytings or priuie mischéeues Yée must not trouble the quietnesse of the Churche But yée must bée the sinewes and bandes of louingnesse and fellowshippe or of the glewing toogyther of the reste of the congregation in the Churche 4 In Spirite Vntoo your Louingnesse yée must mingle sharpnesse of Spirit not winking at the falsifying of doctrine at Heresies Blasphemies and wicked behauiours but endeuering too hold shorte both false opinions and blasphemies and also dishonest demeanours throughe earnest zele of the Spirite 5 In Fayth which is stayed vppon GOD looking for helpe and defence at Gods hande in all perilles and continuing firme and stedfast in teaching and professing the true doctrine without wresting the doctrine too the willes of great men or without starting from the true profession for feare of forgoing office glorie riches or pleasures as doo the false Teachers whom Paule describeth in this place too bée The enimies of Chrystes Crosse bycause that too the intente they myght escape trouble and persecutions at the Iewes handes they taught that wée are iustifyed not for Chrystes sake onely who was crucifyed for vs but also that the woorkes of the Lawe are néedfull too saluation The ende of these men is destruction that is too say Althoughe they florish a whyle in lyfe yet shall they at length bée ouerwhelmed with endlesse tormentes VVhose belly is theyr God that is too say they preferre the belly and the pleasures of the belly before God and all other things and imploye all the déedes of their lyfe too the atteynement thereof And therefore they bée Idolaters For looke what thing euery mā loueth and woorshippeth aboue al other things the same is his God who onely ought too bée loued and woorshipped aboue all things Now the greatest part of men being Epicures make a God of their belly and though that all of them be wray not the méening of their mynde in so grosse woordes yet in the inwarde bowelles
wrath sinne death and other miseries in which none other refuge of quietnesse or hauen of sauftie can bée shewed or found saue the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst our lyfe and resurrection on whom who soeuer dooth beléeue shall not sée death for euer Now although mannes reason preferreth the comfort of worldly things before the comfort of the scriptures like as too a néedye or sicke persone mony or medcines that restore health are a more acceptable comfort than holesome woordes yet notwithstanding it is the peculiar wisdome of Gods Churche too rest vppon the woord and fatherly good will of God and too hang vppon him alone who is able too helpe aboue al things and farre more aboundantly than we can eyther request or vnderstand And although he ridde vs not out of our troubles out of hand yet he assuageth them confirming and strengthening the powers of our hart that they may bée able too endure out the burthen that is layd vppon them The fourth end is assured hope of deliuerance and of lyfe and glorie euerlasting without the ioyning of which to the other comfortes patience it self will bée turned intoo furie and at the length the lyfe in despayre â—léeth away intoo Hell. But y hope of lyfe is as it were the Ancor whereby our faith is cheefly vphold and maynteyned in so great miseries and most sorowfull confusions of mannes lyfe And therefore Paule termeth it the helmet of eternall saluation j. Thes v. But there is a differeÌ„ce too bée put betwéene this hope which leaneth assuredly to Gods promise reueled in the scriptures and the vncertein and deceytfull hopes of men whiche Aristotle termeth the dreames of those that bée awake And the definition causes and effectes of christen hope are to bée considered which things the studiouse may fetch out of the exposition of the first commaundement Vppon the thirde Sunday in Aduent ¶ The Epistle j. Cor. iiij LEt a man this wise esteeme vs euen as the ministers of Chryst and stewardes of the secretes of god Furthermore it is required of the stewardes that a man bee founde faithfull with mee it is but a very small thing that I should bee iudged of you eyther of mannes iudgement no I iudge not myne owne selfe for I knowe nought by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustifyed It is the Lord that iudgeth me Therefore iudge nothing before the tyme vntill the Lorde come which will lighten things that are hyd in darknesse and open the counsayles of the hartes and then shall euery man haue prayse of God. The disposement IN the first foure Chapters of the first Epistle too the Corinthians the state or principall proposition is this I counsell you too bée at one among your selues that you vauÌ„t not your selues one aboue another ne nourish debate eyther for philosophie and mannes wisdome or for the authoritie and mightie woorking of the Preachers at whosehands yée haue receyued the doctrine Too this marke is the lesson of this dayes Epistle too bée leueled which teacheth that all Ministers of the Gospell which doo their dutie a right are equall in power and woorking as apperteyning too the ministerie and ought not to be iudged of men but the iudgement of them is too bée left vntoo GOD too iudge whiche ministers excell one another priuately The cheef places 1 A doctrine of the ministration of the Gospell and of the Ministers what they bée what bée the degrées of them what bée their duties and of the difference betwéene the Ministers of the Gospell of Chryste and the ciuill Magistrates 2 A rule of lyfe necessarie for all the godly in the execution of any manner of vocation whiche is This is required in the executer of it that he bee found faithfull 3 Of manlynesse and constancie of courage which abandoneth not the duties of a mannes calling for rash iudgement and venemous opinions of other men according as Paule sayeth héere It is a smal thing for mée too bée iudged of you that is too saye Séeing that I haue the recorde of a good Conscience and execute my office faithfully I nothing regard the venemous and vntrue misdéemings of other men towardes mée For as great Alexander sayd it is a princely matter too bée ill reported off for weldooing And euery man must bée so framed and settled in mynde in his owne vocation as Dion wryteth that the Emperoure Seuerus was He was sayeth Dion diligeÌ„t and earnest in the things that were too bée doone and as for the tales and reportes that were spred abrode of him among the commons he passed not for them 4 Of mainteyning the vprightnesse of a good conscience and of the difference betweene the rightuousnesse of faith and the rightuousnesse of a good conscience or of good woorkes 5 A commaundement of not iudging that is too wit things vnknowen things secret and things doutful 6 Records of the last iudgement These places shewe the chéefe matters whereof the records appéere in this short Epistle At this tyme wée wil expound but the twoo first places whiche are the chéef in this Epistle Of the rest wée will speake an other tyme. The first place OF the ministration of the Gospell God gathereth too him selfe out of mankynd an euerlasting church by the preaching of his woord in which he hath shewed him selfe and by whiche alone and not otherwyse he conuerteth men vntoo him and endueth them with true knowledge rightuousenesse and saluation euerlasting as it is sayd Act. xj He shal speake woordes vntoo thée by which thou shalt bée saued thou and all thy house For this cause hath he of his wonderfull goodnesse and wisdome euen foorth on from the beginning of the world sent and ordeyned certein persones too preache and spred abrode the Gospell by pubike ministration The first preacher was the verie sonne of GOD in Paradise After him followed the Fathers Prophetes Apostles and other Ministers Nowe a Minister of the Gospell is a persone called of God eyther mediatly or immediatly too teache Chrysts gospell faithfully and too distribute his Sacramentes and too performe diligence faithfulnesse and constancie in executing all other poyntes belonging too the ministration of the Gospell By which ministration Christ himself worketh myghtily and imparteth true knowledge of God ryghtuousnesse and eternall saluation too all men The poynts of the ministery or the cheef duties of ministers are six 1 FAithfully to teache the true doctrine of the Gospell in euery Article concernyng God concernyng the thrée persones concernyng the creation of things concerning Gods lawe concerning the worthinesse the fallyng and the receyuing ageine of the first man and woman for the promised séedes sake concerning synne forgiuenesse of sinnes for Chrystes sake good woorkes repentaunce the last iudgement euerlastyng life c. This doctrine which is set beyond the syght of mannes reason and offereth Gods benefites and eternall saluativnto men Paul in this place termeth the mystery of god Which kynde of spéeche hée
vseth in an other place also Eph. iij. and Rom. xvj Where he calleth the Gospel a mysterie hidden from the beginnyng of the worlde For it was not knowne to any creature Angell or man that God woulde deliuer mankynde from sinne and deathe and garnish him with euerlastyng saluation by the death of his owne sonne This mysterie or hidden woord of the Gospell vnknowne too mannes reason dooth Paule and all other ministers distribute and spreade abrode among mankynde ij Corin. v. God hath put intoo vs the woorde of attonement Therfore wée come of message in Christes steade as if God exhorted by vs. 2 The second poynt of the ministration of the Gospel is to minister the sacraments instituted by Christ that is too wit Baptim and the Lordes Supper whiche Sacramentes reason giueth too bée comprehended toogither in this place vnder the name of mysteries For lyke as Gods secrete will concernyng Reconciliation Remission of sinnes ryghtuousenesse and euerlasting Saluation is disclosed and exhibited vntoo vs by the woorde of the Gospell receyued at oure eares So are the same secrete and woonderfull benefites of Gods Sonne offered and applyed vntoo vs by the vse of the Sacramentes enteryng in at oure eyes For the vse strength and efficacie of the woorde and of the Sacramentes is all one Therefore doothe Austine learnedly and wittyly define a Sacrament to be a visible woord Of these two duties of the minister is spoken Math. xxviij Go and teach all nations baptising c. 3 The third poynt is The preaching of remission of sins or the assoyling of those that repent whiche is applyed eyther in the publik ministration to all in generall or else priuately to eche person seuerall in confession in sicknesses or in other gréefs Math. xvj I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen And Chryst priuatly pronounceth forgiuenesse of sinnes to the palsyman and to Mary Mawdlin Math. ix Luk. vij 4 The fourth poynt is too bynd sins or to excommunicate such as are defiled with manifest wickednesse which will not amend when they are warned 5 The fifth is to shyne before their heerers in example of all vertues like as Paule willeth Tymothie to bee a pattern of the faithfull 6 The sixthe is too ordeyne necessarie Ceremonies by the consente of the Churche or to appoynt the order of tymes of readinges of examinations of persones and of places that all things may be done after a comely and orderly fashion The ministers that performe these duties rightly and faithfully are all equal and péeres as apperteining to the efficacie and power of the ministration neither is there any greater or more superiour than an other For they are altogither not controllers of the doctrine nor Lordes of the church but Chrystes Handseruants by whose seruice Chryste himselfe worketh and Stewardes not of their owne propre goods but of the Gospell and benifits of Chryste Therefore let no man vaunt himselfe aboue others in the churche or stirre debate and strife for the authoritie and power of the teacher or minister of whom he receiued the doctrine Let suche spéeches as these are bée banished the Churche and congregation I holde of Paul I of Peter I of Apollo and let al men esteeme them selues as the members of one Chryste and ministers equall among themselues Who if they doo their dutie aryght let the matter be put ouer to God to iudge whiche of them excelleth other priuately And the minister that doothe the partes of his duetie aryght let hym not passe for mans day that is too say for mans iudgemente or for the rashe and venomous verdytes of other men wherby hée is déemed eyther inferiour or superiour too others but let hym contente him selfe with the witnesse of all good conscience Nowe where as afterwarde the degrées of Mynisters are set foorth one from an other that is doone by mans deuice for orders sake concernyng which matter lette Hieromes Epistie too Euagrius bée redde wherein hée auoucheth at length that Préestes and Bishoppes are all one thyng And where as afterwarde one was chosen to bée sette aboue the rest that was doone for the auoydyng of Schisme But wheresoeuer a Bishop bée whether it bée at Rome or at Eugubium or at Constantinople or at Rhegium or at Alexandria or at Thanis hée is all of one woorthynesse and all of one préesthode The abundaunce of Ryches or Lowlynesse of pouertie maketh not a Byshop hygher or lower but are all alike the successours of the Apostles The differences betwéene the minister of the Gospell and the ciuill magistrate are chéefly foure First the ciuill magistrate hath to doo with the mayntenance of outward discipline and peace or keepeth the outward members in awe that they breake not the politike lawes or trouble the common peace The ministration of the Gospell ruleth mens hartes or consciences and offereth and giueth remission of sins and the heritage of eternall life to those that beléeue and kindleth true knowledge of God in their hartes and the inward and spirituall rightuousnesse and lyfe And yet it leaueth men frée to vse any maner of honest lawes and politike cōstitutions in the outward conuersation of life As for example it giueth men leaue too vse diuersitie of meates or vnlyke spaces of dayes Secondly the ciuill magistrate punisheth the disobedient wyth the swoorde or with bodyly punishementes But the mynistration of the Gospell punysheth not the stubburne with the swoorde or wyth bodyly rigoure but wyth the onely woorde of god Thirdly the Ciuill Magistrate prohibiteth and punysheth onely outwarde offences But the Ministerie of the Gospell forbyddeth the inwarde vncleannesse of the harte and the synfull affections of the whole nature and exacteth a full conformitie of the whole nature too the will of god Fourthly the ciuill Magistrate hath worldely defences treasure armor and degrées of persones and iudgementes and power too make new lawes and to execute them The Ministerie of the Gospell hathe no certeyne visible defences no degrées of gouernoures that may haue superiour power or lordeshippe ouer others but altogyther are the hande seruauntes of Chryste and of his Church Wherevppon no man muste exalte him selfe aboue others nor passe for the iudgementes of others wherby he is déemed hygher or lower but muste content hym selfe wyth the iudgemente of a good conscience that he executeth his dutie faythfully yet iustifieth not himselfe before God for so dooing but thinketh vpon this that all men must abyde the iudgement of God who at the last iudgement shall iudge which of the ministers doo priuately excell others The second place ALl modest and wyse men which measure themselues by their owne abilitie and by theyr owne foote and consider their owne great weakenesse in no wise answerable to the most difficult vocations of teaching and gouerning other folkes are woont to debate carefully and thoughtfully with them selues whither they may with good conscience take vpon them and execute the
Maries song and the grammaticall exposition of the woordes thereof will not bée misliked of those that bée well minded The Epistle vppon the feast day of Sainct lames ¶ The Epistle Rom. viij FOr wee knowe that all things worke for the best vnto them that loue God which also are called of purpose For those which he knew before he also ordeyned before that they should be like fashioned vnto the shape of his sonne that he might bee the first begotten sonne among many brethren Moreouer whiche hee appointed before them also he called And which he called them also he iustified and which he iustified them he also glorified What shall wee then say to these things yf God be on our side who can bee ageynst vs which spared not his own sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all things also VVho shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who then shall condemne it is Christ whiche is dead yea rather which is risen ageyne which is also on the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs VVho shall separate vs from the loue of God shall tribulation or anguish or persecution eyther hunger eyther nakednesse eyther perill eyther sword as it is written For thy sake are wee killed all day long and are counted as shepe apointed to be slayne Neuerthelesse in all these things wee ouercome strōgly thorow his help that loued vs For I am sure that neyther death neyther lyfe neyther Aungels nor rule neyther power neyther things present neyther things to come neyther hygh neyther low neyther any other creature shall bee able to depart vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord. The disposement THis Epistle is persuasiue And the state or proposition principall thereof is a comforte of the Churche subiect to the crosse in this lyfe The places of the comfortings or the chéef argumentes are foure 1 Of the finall cause or the end and issue of affictions What things so euer are good and healthful to the godlie ought to bee suffered with a quiet minde and with a certeyne gladnesse Afflictions miseries are good and healthfull to the godly there shall assuredly follow deliueraunce and a most ioyfull issue in the euerlasting life for this is the méening of the sayd saying all things woorke for the best too the profit of them that loue God that is to say all afflictions turne to the profite of them that loue God or of the godly as it is sayde Psal 119. It is good for mée O Lorde that thou hast afflicted mée Ergo afflictions are to bée suffered by the godly paciently and with a certeine gladnesse For the manifestation of the second part of this argument let the ten endes or commodities of afflictious bée borowed hither out of the place that concerneth the crosse and calamities And let yong men beare well in minde this saying of Plato which doutelesse he tooke out of the doctrine of the Church of the holy fathers Thus must we thinke of a godly man that whither hee liue in pouertie or bee turmoyled with death or other aduersities these things shall doo him good eyther alyue or dead For God neuer neglecteth him that hath his hart full bent too liue rightuously and earnestly followeth vertue that he may as much as is possible for man become like and conformable vnto God. The second Argument is taken of the example of the sonne of God. WHomsoeuer God hath foreknowen and forechosen to lyfe and glorie euerlasting must of necessitis become like to the Image of the sonne of God. But the sonne was fayne first to suffer and to bée crucified and afterward to bée glorified Ergo also the Church and all the godly shall bée glorified by tribulation and affliction The third argument is of the efficient cause or of the will of God. ALl godly persones must reuerently obey the order of Gods wisdome and rightuousnesse But God by his wisdome hath apointed this order that all they that are chosen to eternall life should first be called secondly iustified then distressed with tribulacion and affliction and lastly bée adorned with ioy and glorie euerlasting Ergo it behooueth vs to obey this order reuerently The fourth argument is of the forcing cause and of Gods help THe louingnesse and fatherly good wil of God towards vs is to bée preferred before all sorowes miseries and temptacions God assuredly beareth vs good will and is on our side he loueth helpeth defendeth and saueth vs for his sonnes sake Ergo the sorrowes and miseries that are layd vppon vs by God our Father are to abidden paciently Now forasmuch as there bée two terrible obiections that assault the minor of this argument Paule disproueth them in few woordes First None that bée defiled with sinnes are beloued of God. Wée are defiled with sinnes and giltie of Gods wrath and endlesse damnacion Ergo wée are not beloued of God. Paule aunswereth first to the maior or first proposition thus that none which are defiled with sinne that is to wit whicherepent not and flée not by fayth to the Sonne of God the Mediator that was deliuered for vs are belo uedof God. And to the minor or second part of the argument he answereth thus Wée are in déede gilty of Gods wrath and euerlasting damnation as in respect of our owne vnclennesse and vnworthinesse but in asmuch as wée acknowledge and bewayle our sinnes and by fayth doo flée to the sonne of God the Mediator who dyed and rose ageyn for vs and maketh intercession for vs at the right hand of God wée are beloued of God and wée are iustified defended and saued for the sounes sake who was put too death and raysed ageyne for vs vppon this sonne sitting at the right hand of the Father and making intercession for vs and not vpon our owne sinnes let vs fasten the eyes of our minde The second obiection REason would that they should bée well at ease which are beloued of God for no man dooth harme to those whom he loueth Wée Christians in this lyfe are of all men most miserable oppressed with afflictions anguish hunger and nakednesse and wée are slayne all the day long c. Ergo wée are not beloued of God. I aunswer first to the maior The godly ought in déede to bée well at ease howbeit after that order and manner which the wisdome of God hath vttered in the Gospell The godly must bée made like too the Image of Gods son They must suffer and dye and so enter into glorie as he did ij God mindeth not to endue the godly with the short shadowish benefites of this lyfe but with euerlasting rewards iij. These calamities are not a tokē of gods wrath or hatred towards vs but rather of his fatherly good will according to this saying whom the Lord loueth him he chastiseth and he skourgeth euery sonne whom he receyueth
the holynesse and ryghtuousnesse propre vntoo God and too bée imparted too vs for thy Sonnes sake and concerning the Gospell by which alonely God will bée glorifyed and by which the glory may bée giuen too God not only for ryghtuousnesse and almightinesse but also for mercy and soothfastnesse How bée it concerning the benefites of Angels let the héerers beare in mynde specially these twoo textes of the Psalme Psalme thirtie and thre The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his tentes about or entrencheth those that feare the Lord and shall deliuer them which saying is taken out of the .xxxij. of Genesis Where Iacob beholding the host of Angels named the place Mahanaim that is too say the camp or host of god Psalm xcj. He hath giuen his Angels charge of thée too keepe thée in all thy wayes These hath GOD made kéepers of our soules bodyes lyfe name houses children and substaunce These chase away the Diuels when they practyse the destruction of the Churche or of any seuerall persone And doubtlesse they fight ageinst the féendes according as the lesson of this dayes Epistle and the tenth Chapter of Daniel testifie And although wée vnderstand not what maner of encounters they bée yet considering the greatnesse of our daungers let vs the more earnestly giue thankes too God for these kéepers and gather toogither the sayings and stories of the holy Scripture and of other wrytings too our instruction and comfort The Angels deliuer Loth out of Sodom Genes xix And an Angell succoureth Agar and Ismael Genes xxj xvj Angels come vntoo Abraham and beare Rebecca companie Genes rviij xxij xxiiij and in other places An Angell deliuereth Iacob out of all perils Genes xlviij The Angels go before the Israelites and defend them at their going out of Egipt and in the wildernesse An Angell appéereth too Iosua An hoste of Angels defend Elizeus ageinst the Syrians iiij Reg. vj. Angels make a slaughter in the hoste of Sennacherib and deliuer Ezechias iiij Reg. xix Esay xxxvij An Angell leadeth Peter out of prison Act. xij A childe called Cygnaeus being in the middes of winter left in a wood ouercouered with snow was kept and fed the space of full thrée dayes toogither by the ministerie of an Angell Simon Grynaeus escaped the handes of certeine Serieantes by the warning of an Angell which storie woorthy of remembrance Philip Melancthon recyteth in his exposition of the .x. chapter of Daniel But the benefites of the good Aungels will the better bée perceiued if wée consider the manifold dangers that hang ouer our heads by meanes of the Diuell The third place THe Diuell is of the Hebrues named Sathan that is too say an enimie or foe The Gréekes call him Diabolos that is too say a slanderer He is a cruel suttle mercylesse spitefull enimie of God and of all mankind and specially of Gods church At the first truly all Angels were created good by God but some Angelles through Pride and Ambition wherethrough they sought for a hygher degrée of the image of God fell and were cast by God intoo endlesse damnation Now although in this lyfe wée bée not able too serche out the cause why God suffereth the euill Angels which are the authors of all sinne and wickednesse séeing he could vtterly destroy them if he listed yet must wée bothe thinke vppon and also beléeue the things that are reported in the woord of god Iohn viij He was a murtherer from the beginning abode not in the truthe Therfore there is no truthe in him when he speaketh lyes he speaketh of his owne For he is a lyer and the father of lying He is a lyer and the father of lying that is too say he dréepeth into mennes mindes false and wicked opinions concerning God and Epicurish and Academicall doutings he rayseth vp corruptions of Gods woord he confirmeth Epicurish blasphemies and al vntruthes in the first and second Table And this Sathan like an enimie or a Serpent in déede led Eue and all the whole world astray as it is sayd in the Epistle He is a murtherer for by his outrageous crueltie and most trayterous craftes he practyseth mischéefe too our soules too the lyfe of our bodyes too our wyues children landes and houses and finally manaceth destruction too whole realmes and kingdomes Ageinst this cruell enemie fighteth our Michael the sonne of God who came too destroy the woorkes of the Diuell He being captaine of the holy Angels casteth the Diuel out of heauen and out of the heauenly Church Therfore let vs giue God thanks y he hath appoynted the Angels too bée our kéepers in so great daunger of our soules and bodyes and of all that euer wée haue And let vs endeuer by godlynesse and chast behauyor too reteine them still Vppon the feast day of all Sainctes ¶ The Epistle Apoc. vij AFter this I beheld lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and people and tongues stode before the seat and before the Lambe clothed with long whyte garments and palmes in theyr handes and cryed with a loude voyce saying saluation bee ascribed too him that sitteth vppon the seat of our God and vntoo the Lambe And all the Angels stode in the cōpasse of the seat of the elders and of the foure beastes and fell before the seat on their faces and woorshipped God saying Amen Blissing and glory wisdome and thankes and honour and power and might bee vntoo our God for euermore Amen And one of the elders answered saying vntoo mee what are these which are arayed in long white garments and whence came they And I said vntoo him Lord thou wottest And he sayde too me these are they which came out of great tribulation and made their garments large and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe therfore are they in the presence of the seat of God and serue him day and night in his temple and he that sitteth in the seat will dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst neyther shall the funne light on them neither any heat For the Lambe which is in the middest of the seat shall feede them and shall leade them vntoo fountaines of liuing water and GOD shal wype away all teares from their eyes The disposement ALl the whole booke of the Apocalyps is a Prophesie concerning the persecutiōs and troubles that were too come vppon the christen Churche and wherewithall it should bée disquieted partly by Tyrantes and partly by Heretickes through the instinct of the Diuell And euer now and then there * This is to be vnderstode of the memoriall of the promysed seede kept alwayes in the hartes of the faithfull and renued by preching and talk and not of the keeping of any appointed holyday Twoo natures in Chryst Why Christ is called the woord The sonne of God was alwayes with the fathers Why Christ is called the womans seede The creede of Athanasius Gods mercie and louing kindnesse
Gods iustice The duetie of a redeemer hygh preest Sinne damnation Mannes saluation The benefites of Chrystes birth How Christes benefites are applied too vs. How and why glory is giuen too God. Peace Gladnesse Chrysts apperings too the Fathers in old tyme. A description of the second persone in the Trinitie Proues of Christs Godhead Iohn 1. Iohn 5. Chryst onely purgeth sinne What Angels bee The definition of saluation rightuousnesse and life are the sum of Christs benefites The efficient cause of saluation Goodnesse Louing kyndnesse Mercifulnesse Grace Our mediator or spokesman Who they bee that dishonor Christ Our owne rightuousnesse is of no desert The gospell and baptim are instrumēts of saluation Faith the instrumēt vvhervvith vvee take holde of saluation Renevvment of nature The effects of iustification Good vvorkes must folovv iustification Good workes or new obedience Vngodlynesse Concupiscence or lustfulnesse Stayednesse Rightuousnes Godlynesse The causes that moue too good workes Gods commaundement Hope of glory Abolishment of sinne Thankfulnesse How woorks become good Chrystes working in vs by his spirir By his woord By mannes willingnes The points vvherof Steuē is accused Atteynment of gods promises Worshipping of God. The institutiō of a new law What martyrdoome is The parts of martyrdoome Confessors Martyrs The holy Ghost Gods woord Mannes mynd Chryst is alwayes with his Churche The matter that maketh a Martyr Gods glorie Maintenāce of true religion Strengthening of the weake Certeintie of doctrine Witnessing of the immortalitie Reteynement of saluation vertues that go with martyrdoome Vices that fight ageynst martyrdome Chryst is very God. Chryst is very man. Redemption Adoption The gift of the holy ghost Inheritance of endlesse lyfe A warning for Pauls mening The workyng of the lavve The dueties of the lawe too teach vs too knowe God and our selues To frame our maners aright Too correct offenders The law dryueth vs too Chryst In whom Chryst is effectuall The law a shadow of things doo come Things to bee noted concerning the Epiphanie or twelfth day Of the wyse men that came vntoo Chryst The tyme of their cōming The names of the wise men Earnestnesse in receyuing and keeping the truthe The sondry names and glory of Chryst Iehouah or Lord. The glory of the Lord. What it is too giue glory to God. Why Chryst is called our light Who are the true Churche Why God dyd put a difference betweene the lewes and the Gentils The prerogatiues of the lewes The wretched state of the Heathen Gods vnchaūgeable rule in calling men to saluation Saluation is of free gift and not of desert The true seruice or woorshipping of God. What is represented by gold What is represented by Frākincense The Altar of attonement is Chryst Sacrifyce Quicke or liuing Holy. Reasonable seruice Worldlynesse Renevvment of mynd Myldnesse Ouervveening misvveening forvveening Christen wisdome Worldly wisdome Mannes boūds The right vse of gods giftes Prophesie Heretical prophesying Papistical prophesying Ministers Teachers Exhortation How to giue How too rule God graunt there bee none such in England How to shew mercie Loue towards ones neibor or true frendship Brotherly loue ▪ Reuerence Diligence Zele Taking of time Hope Patience Prayer Liberalitie Hospitalitie or house keping Meeknesse Frindlinesse or gladsomnesse ▪ Pitie Concorde Lowlinesse mildnesse Mildenesse Meekenesse Shunning of stumbling blockes Reuengment Rightuousnes comprehendeth all vertues The lawe of God and of nature What it is too loue our neybor The seuerall sorts or degrees of loue towardes ones neybor Gods commaundement is the rule of vertues Antimonians The loue of God. Wee can do no vvoorks to iustify our selues Hovv loue engendreth in vs What is to bee done in all intents drifts and purposes of this lyfe The common ende and drift of al a mannes dooings The endes of authoritie or ciuil gouernement The ends of the ministerie The endes of learning Settlednesse The descriptiō of a good and skilfull minister Vnnecessary dealings The fiue naked Games or exercyses of Actiuitie Running Buffeting Leaping Coyting it vvas like our throvving of the hammer Wrestling The dyet demean or of those that contended in the sayd Games their revvards An excellent similitude A furlong The revvarde of victorie Interpretation of the Greeke vvoords Of the behoue fulnesse of doing vvell Of the discom moditie of doing yll Examples One church of God in al ages gathered by one meane fed vvith one foode Figures of Baptim Figure of the Lords supper The causes of the Lentō fast True glorie or boasting False Apostles Reprofe of vaynglorie Example of christen bosting Who are the children of Abraham Labours Strypes Death Strypes Whippings Stoning Shipwrecke Trauell Ieoperdy Loke for these names in the table in th end of this booke Austin Aretas How manye sortes of visions of reuelations there be Visions of three sortes Difference of heauens Heauen or Paradyse Languages Prophesying and fayth Mark wel this discourse and beare it away True faith and true loue are vnseparable Patience Gentlenesse Freendlynesse Modestie or myldnesse Good meening Lowlynesse Grauitie Iustdealing Equitie Meeknesse Freendlynesse Ryghtfulnesse and mercy Rightuousnesse truthe Patience Freendlynesse Hope Patience Prophesy Tungs Knowledge Differences of knowing God Duties or poynts of a true preacher Vertues that ought too bee in ministers Patience Painfulnesse The touchstone of Religion What patiēce is Look for these in the table at the end of this Booke Why lent was ordeined The first author of the Lenton fast Diuersitie in keeping the Lent. Austin a mainteyner of the Lenton fast Saturdays and Emberdayes Diuersitie of allegoricall fastes Papisticall fast reproued The iudgemēt of gods woord concerning fast How too obserue the outward fast aryght Scripture the rule of christianitie Christians must proceede continually not stay Chastitie a mark of Gods church Tertullians saying Buying and selling Honest Profitable Good counsell Bargaining merchandyse appoynted by God for singular good purposes Confutation of Meritmōgers Necessitie of cōmaundemēt Necessitie of eschewing paynes Necessitie of Gods graces and gifts Rewardes Chastitie Couetousnesse Followers of God. Too walke Sacrifyse Sweete smell Sainctes Whoo is an Idolater Darknesse A Testament or last will. A definition of the new Testament A definition of the old Testament The difference betweene the old ▪ Testamēt and the new Agar Sara Ismael and Isaa◠A very good argument The heauenly Ierusalem What preesthod is in general A definition of the hyghest preest or of Chryst Gods iustice medled with mercy was the cause of christs sacrifyce Why the sacrifysing of beasts was ordeyned The sacrifises of the Hēathē Differences of Chrystes sacrifise and the Leuiticall sacrifises Eternall saluation Leuitical sacrifises are figures Chrystes sacrifice once for al Christ purgeth by his own blud Chryst is entered into heauē Marcion the Manichees Chrystes humilitie IESV Why Chryst was made a sacrifyce The first part of Chrystes Passion Testimonies of gods wrath ageinst sinne The seconde part of Chrystes passion The third part of his passion The loue of