the Gospell against the manifold thornes and pricks which Satan here in this life strewes in our wayes and in our iourney to heauen Exod 25.31 The golden Candlesticke which God commaunded Moses to make hauing one foot and a shaft beaten our with hammers hauing on euerie side therof three brāches cōming out of it euery branch hauing 3 bowles like to an Almond vpō it one knop one flower declares vnto vs also the ministery in the Church of God Act. 26.18 Luk. 12.42 whose office is aswell to giue light and to teach all as to giue meate and food and therefore héere they are compared to the candlestick And as before there was but one table so heere there is but one Candlesticke to declare the vnitie that should be among the ministers and pastors of Christs Church They should all be as one 1. Cor. 1.10 There should be no sects or schismes amōgst them They should go out to battell against their enemies as the Israelits did Iud. 20.8 euen as one man The foote of this Candlesticke is Iesus Christ who alone sustaines vs Matth. 28 2◠Reu. 1.13 who is said to be among the golden Candlestickes The shaft thereof is the Apostles out of which procéede thrée branches on the right side and thrée on the left side to teach vs that as there were false Prophets in the law as Peter teacheth 2. Pet. 2.1 so there should be also in the Gospell This Candlesticke shall haue aswell left branches as right branches euerie branch shall haue thrée bowles like Almonds and a flower and an apple The bowles like Almonds declare the doctrine they must preach They must preach the Gospel that is Mark 16.15 comfortable doctrine and glad newes And this is to be bowles like Almond nuts Leuinus Lemnius de herb◠biblicis cap. 4◠For the Almond is comfortable and restoratiue They must also haue an apple and a flower They must not haue only flourishing words but good works that they may say with Paul Brethren be followers of me And againe Phil. 3.17.4.8 Furthermore brethren whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things pertaine to loue whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise think on these things which ye haue both learned and receiued heard and seene in me Those things do and the God of peace shall bee with you By this type we may learne the necessitie of the ministerie in the Church Who would dwell in a house which lacked light What ioy can I haue saith Tobias that sit in darknes Tob. 5.12 and see not the light of heauen Such is the estate of all men without the preaching of the word vers 38. The snuffers also and the vessels to put the snuffes in doe teach first that ministers must haue a care of their doctrine that it be cleare and pure grounded of the Scriptures Matth. 15. ◠that no dregges of mans traditions be mingled with it God will haue all his torches burne cleare Secondly the vessels wherein the snuffes were put doe comfort those which haue meaner gifts in the Church Those which cannot be Apostles or great Doctors must not discourage themselues God had in his Tabernacle as well vessels to hold the snuffes of the torches as the torches themselues Lastly this candlestick must bee Mikshah beaten with hammers not melted sound not hollow 2. Cor. 2.4 to teach all Gods Ministers to beware of hypocrisie They must not make merchādize of the word of God The forme and fashion of this Tabernacle how vnlike is it to the Church of Rome In the making of this Tabernacle all things were voluntarie but the Roman Church commands she puts a necessitie in all her doings The Arke being all couered with the gold of charity 1. Cor. 16.14 condemnes that couetous Synagogue Let all your affaires be done through loue saith S. Paul but they do all for money She hath separated those foure rings from the sides of the Arke and the barres also she hath pulled forth from the rings which God commaunded should not be separated while she neither suffred the Bible to be in the Church neither the Pastors to preach it Neither were these rings fastened to the sides of the Ark neither were the tables of Gods commandements and that heauenly Manna and Aarons rod contained in the Ark while the gospell of Iesus Christ his most glorious death passion was not plainly taught the people It was neither in their houses nor in their harts She taught that the mercie seat couered not all the Ark but that the blessed Virgine was without sinne And that not as the Cherubims do all men should turne their faces to the mercie seat but that praying we may turne our faces some other way She hath also taken away the table of the shew bread from Gods house and hath not commanded his stewards to giue meat to his familie in due season but hath laid this burthen on other mens shoulders Likewise she hath made Gods house a most darke dungeon by taking from thence the light of Gods word Salomons temple also was a figure of Christs Church as first the verie author therof may teach vs. Salomon in Hebrew signifies peaceable Phil. 4.9 so the great God of peace Iesus Christ the true Salomon builded Gods Church Ioh. 14.27 Ephes 3.14 1. King 6.1 Matt. 6.33 1. King 7.1 Luk 2.46 1. King 5.13.14 He is our peace saith S. Paul He is our Salomon Secondly Salomon built the Temple in the fourth yeare of his raigne to teach vs that we must first seek the kingdome of God Salomon built Gods house before his owne house so Iesus Christ being but twelue yeares old began to build his Temple disputing with the Doctors And this exāple of Salomon proueth that kings though they be not builders themselues yet they may commaund the workmen they may cause the Lords house to be built So kings though they be no ministers yet may deale in ecclesiasticall affaires they may command the builders they may by their authoritie command and procure that Gods temple be built The Temple was builded in the moneth Zif which signifies brightnesse to declare 1. King 6.2 1. Ti. 4.13.15 that knowledge learning is required to the building of Gods house The which thing Pet. Berchorius in his Moralizations doth verie excellētly expresse Berch lib. 11. Moral super 3. Reg. cap. 5. Salomon saith he built the house of the Lord of squared wood and grauen stones and he deuided it into three roomes in height and whereof the lower was deuided into the inward oracle and outward house And thus it was made that all the walles of the lower Temple were couered with boords of Cedar and the floore with firre boords And aboue the boords all things were couered with plates of gold round
he is the propitiation of our sinnes But this propitiatorie is but a cubit and a halfe it is limited 2. Cor. 6.2 Heb. 3.15 Ma. 25.12 Gen. 6.3 Io. 3.4 it is not infinite Now is the accepted time saith saint Paul now is the day of saluation He that comes not to day and heares his voice but hardens his heart if he come the next day with the foolish virgins shall be excluded The olde world had a hundreth and twentie yeeres to repent in and Niniuie fortie daies Vers 20. And the Cherubims shall stretch their wings on hie couering the mercie seat with their wings and their faces one to another To the mercie seat ward shall the faces of the Cherubims be The Cherubims stretch out their wings ouer the mercie seate and so ouer the whole arke to teach vs that all Angels attend vpon Iesus Christ are his seruants to defend his Church as he himselfe witnesseth to Nathaniel Io. 1.50.51 And Iesus answered and said vnto him because I said vnto thee I saw thee vnder the figge tree beleeuest thou thou shalt see greater things thē these And be said to him Verily verily I say to you hereafter shal ye see heauen open the Angels of God ascending descending vpon the son of man Cyril in 2. ca. Io Heb. 1.14 1. Pet. 1.2 ◠as Cyrill expounds it at his commaundement ascending descending for the saluation of the faithful as S. Paul also witnesseth Are they not al ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shal be heirs of saluatiō And they turne their faces to the mercie seate because as Peter saith they which haue preached the gospell by the holy ghost sent downe from heauen haue preached such pretious things as the Angels desire to behold And thou shalt put the mercy seat aboue vpon the Arke and nothing else Vers 21. The true Arke of God then must alone worship Iesus Christ and for his sake hope for mercie at Gods hands only Vers 21. Exod. 16.34 Deut. 10.2.31.26 1. King 8.9 Heb. 9.4 Io. 6.33 Rom. 10.9 And in the Arke thou shalt put the testimonie I will giue thee Euery member of the true Church must haue those thrée things which after were put in the Arke in his heart that is the law of God which was contained in the two tables A Gomer of Mannah that is Iesus Christs incarnation for he is the true Mannah that came down from heauen And Aarons rod that budded that is his death and resurrection So that he that hath all these in the closet of his heart shall be saued and is Gods Arke and is no doubt a member of the true Church And there I wil declare my selfe vnto thee Verse 22. from aboue the mercie seate betweene the two Cherubims which are vpon the Arke of the testimonie I will tell thee all things which I wil giue thee in commandement vnto the children of Israel From this mercie seat procéeds all Gods spéeches with vs Iosuah 7. Exod. 12.13 2. Cor. 4.1 Lam 3.22 here he heares all our prayers Of his mercie he passed ouer the houses of the Israelites when as he destroyed the Egyptians Of his mercie Paul became an Apostle It is the Lords mercie saith Ieremy that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not The table also being couered all with gold Verse 23. Leuit. 24.5 being placed in the Tabernacle whereon the shew bread or as it is called in the Hebrew the bread of faces was set Verse 29. which loaues were changed euerie sabbaoth and the crowne of gold round about the table and the instruments for the table as dishes incense cups and gobblets and the pure incense that was put vpon them what doe all these signifie but the ministerie the preaching of the Gospell The crowne about the table signifies how glorious the preaching of the Gospell shall be 2. Cor. 3.7 If the ministration of death saith S. Paul written with letters and engrauen in stone was so glorious that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses for the glorie of his countenance which glorie is done away how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be much more glorious The word of God also may fitly be called the bread of faces For God himselfe séeth both his stewards that distribute this bread and his seruants that receiue it And at that great day of account he shall pronounce that steward blessed Luk. 12 4◠that hath giuen meat to his family in due season And again those seruants which haue receiued much of them shall much be required Luk. 12.48 Esa 35.11 not a crum of this bread shall be lost not one word of God shall returne to him emptie it shall be either the sauour of life or of death 2. Cor. 2 1◠And this bread was renewed euery sabboth Still bread was set vpon the table but new bread euerie Sabboth day to teach faithfull Pastors that they should euerie Sabbath day preach and breake this bread of life to their flockes Luk. 4.16 So we read of our Sauiour that as his custome was he taught the people euerie sabbath day to leaue all faithfull Pastors a patterne to follow And these loaues were set in order six on one side and sixe on another to teach vs that the word of God hath meat fit for al states conditions of men Psal 2.10 Psal 82.2 Rom. 13.1 Iam. 5.13.7 Act. 2.42 Ios 6.10 for all times and seasons for kings and euen for meanest subiects for the time of prosperitie and of affliction The pure incense placed vpon these loaues declares that we must ioyne prayers with preaching and that our prayers must bée grounded on Gods word In the ouerthrow of Iericho the people should shout but when Iosuah appointed them so in their spirituall warfare must all the souldiers of Iesus Christ not shout nor pray no otherwise then he appointeth The frankinsence must be put vpon the loaues because prayer and hearing the word preached must be ioyned together He that turneth away his eares from hearing the law saith Salomon his prayers be abominable Prou. 2◠9 The dishes also and Goblets and cuppes which were made as instruments for the table declare the diuers states and conditions of men which should be in Christs Church and the diuersities of their gifts 1. Cor. 12.4 Matt. 12.4 1. Pet. 2.5 Reu. 1.6 Exod. 26.31 Rom. 15.4 And that the Priests should only eat of that bread signifies that all Christians should bee Kings and Priests and should now be partakers of those heauenly dainties And this Table should be placed toward the North to teach vs that the Scriptures were written as S. Paul witnesseth that through patience and comfort of the scriptures we might haue hope They are the only table of refreshing Ephes 6.15 amongst the cold and Northren blasts of this life We must bee shod with the shooes of
The same faith also teacheth that the debts we do owe vnto God are so great and the benefites we receiue from him are so excellent that if man should liue so many yeares as there are sands on the shoare of the Ocean sea it were a thing of nothing to spend all those in Gods seruice The same faith doth also witnes vnto vs that vertue is such a precious thing that all the treasure of this world and all that which mans hart can desire or imagine is not at al by any meanes to be compared vnto it This place quite ouerthrowes all prowde conceits in mans heart of anie merite all he can doe naie if he could doe a thousand times more then he can is but his most humble duetie to our most mightie and mercifull God But aboue all other places speaking of the name of Iesus vpon these wordes Thou shalt call his name Iesus Med. vitae Christi Med. 6 hee writes thus most excellentlie For he sayth the Angell shall saue his people from their sinnes Blessed be this name and blessed be this saluation and blessed be the day wherein such newes was brought into the world Hitherto O Lord all the other sauiours whom thou hast sent into this world were sauiours of our bodies and of this flesh of ours which saued our houses and Vineyards and such like but they could not saue our soules sighing vnder the heauy burthen of sinne and therefore subiect to the diuell What aduantageth it a man if he winne the whole world and rule ouer it and he himselfe continue the bondslaue of Sathan and lose his soule To remedy therefore this euill this new Sauiour is sent that the whole saluation of man might be fulfilled and perfected VVho sauing soules also cured the bodies and deliuering men from the euill of the fault hath deliuered them also from the euill of punishment And so hath perfected our saluation This is that saluation which the Patriarches desired this is that saluation which the Prophets with so many sighes and cries longed for This is that saluation which so often the Psalmes promise and sing of This is that saluation for which the Patriarch Iacob reioicing died saying O Lord I will wait for thy saluation c. Granatensis heere in plaine tearmes affirmes that Iesus Christ hath deliuered vs as well from the euill of the punishment as from the guilt of sinne And that he hath perfected our saluation contrarie to that former affirmation of Poligranes Med. 11. Vitae Christi And speaking of Christes fasting hee writes thus The solitarines of the Wildernesse did not terrifie thee not the assaults of the diuell nor the sharpnesse of repentance nor the watching in prayer The neede and weaknesse of thy members was euer before thine eyes and therefore thou wast punished as a most faithfull head that thou mightest enrich all vs with the treasure of thy merites that whatsoeuer we wanted we might haue it in thee Thou art he who with thine owne mouth hast said I sanctifie my selfe O Father for them that they maie be sanctified in the truth For as we al by one mans fault became prophane and wicked so we are sanctified and repaired again by the merites and holinesse of another As Adam made vs all prophane and wicked so onelie Iesus Christ the second and true Adam sanctifies vs and restores vs againe Med. Vitae Christi 24. Of Christes death hee writes thus That thing which the gouernour himselfe doth meaning Pilate is not iustice but very great and extreme iniury For he iudgeth him worthy to die whom he himselfe thrise before had confessed to be innocent and iust and that he could find no fault in him But the true Authour of this iustice is the gouernour of heauen in whose sight all the sinnes and offences of the whole world are committed who is also so iust that he will suffer no sinne to escape vnpunished and vnreuenged But because the whole world was not sufficient enough to satisfie and appease the wrath of God euen for one onely sinne hee drew out the Sword of his iustice and smote the innocent and harmelesse Lambe who onely amongst all the men in the world could and was able to answere for all the sinnes of the whole world And this iustice was published and spread abroad not by that iniurious and materiall Trumpet hée supposed that they sounded a Trumpet at Christes death but by the mouthes and writings of the Prophets who foretold many hundreth yeares before that it should be that Lord that should be smitten for the sinnes of the people and should suffer and endure most grieuous and cruell torments for their iniquities Againe concerning the same matter hee writes thus Ibidem How many and how forcible pricks and goades haue we here not onely to make vs loue but also to trust put al our whole confidence in this our Sauiour Tell me how is it possible not to loue him againe who hath first loued thee so tenderly and dearely that freely of his owne accord he hath giuen himselfe to be smitten of most cruell tormentors and would take vpon him the sentence iudgment of death which thou dids◠deserue What brother for his brother what father for his sonne what wife for hir husband would take vpon them and suffer the punishment which any one of these should haue endured Suppose therefore and think with your selfe that there were some certain guilty person who being bound for his offences is kept in close prison and euen now being condemned by the sentence of the Iudge imagine that there would nothing be doone but that the tormentor should come with his instruments of death wherewith he should be slaine and should now execute the Iudges sentence and imagine also that a certaine friend of this guilty and condemned person should come into the prison should put on his apparell and should take to himselfe that guilty mans vnhappy lot and that he might set him free would become himselfe an open spectacle and be punished with the punishment of death for his friend would we not say that the loue of that friend towardes that guilty person was woonderfull and exceeding great that would redeeme the life of his friend with the losse of his owne And likewise what againe should that guilty and condemned mans loue bee towards his redeemer and deliuerer O eternall King when thou sawest me iudged to eternall fire thou being moued with the bowels of pity and compassion camest downe from heauen into the prison of this world and taking vpon thee the Image and shape of a sinner thou camest into my stead and was condemned and put to death for my sake he therefore who hath suffered and endured such extreame and grieuous paines for me shall I not say that he will also loue me exceedingly And againe Neither is onely loue Ibidem but also a sure trust and confidence in our Sauiour kindled and stirred vp by these
owe vnto God and how these our debts and dueties are farre greater then our power and hability nay when as we cannot vnderstand how much we are indebted vnto him Thus far Granatensis Where hee plainelie teacheth that all our workes are not merites but dueties nay that no man knowes howe much hee owes to GOD and therefore can neuer challenge anie merite And againe in another place hee writes thus These sayeth hee foure other excellent and notable vertues do follow Inward and outward humility pouerty of body and soule patience in aduersity and tribulations and a pure intent in good works that they all be doone onely for the loue of God without mingling of anie profit or respect either temporall or spirituall Thus farre Granatensis If wée must respect no profit neither temporall nor spirituall in dooing of our good works then not the saluation of our soules which marke in Poperie their blinde guides taught all men to aime at And in another place against merites hee writes thus most plainelie Againe sayeth hee hee that is about to pray on the one side must know that he deserues no good thing and on the other he must beleeue that although he haue no merites yet God of his infinite mercy and goodnesse will giue him that that shall bee most profitable to his saluation Therefore man must be content whether he receiue at Gods hands much or little and receiue all things thankefully whatsoeuer God doth accounting himselfe vnworthy of all things God giues him and to be ready to do all things that God commaunds him And to giue God his due thanks not so much for those things which hee hopes to receiue as for these which he hath receiued already Thus farre Granatensis where hee plainely confesseth that there is no merites in man for which he can challenge to receiue anie thing at Gods hands Lodouicus Viues of good works writes thus Praepar anim ad r and. 35. Take heede againe and againe least that it euer come into thy mind that thou canst profit or do any good to God neither flatter thy selfe of thy good worke as though by it thou hadst bound or demerited God vnto thee which thought is most hurtfull and oftentimes the marrer of all good works To take which from our minds our Lord said After that yee haue doone all these things say that ye are vnprofitable seruants Ferus also of the trust in our workes writes thus Fer. in 2. Act. Againe by this sound it is foreshewed that the holy spirit cannot be receiued vnlesse the hart be first shaken So when the Lord was about to come to Elias there went before him a wind that ouerthrew the mountaines then after a fire and an Earthquake The same thing God doeth in vs before he come to our heart first hee sends a mightie wind ouerthrowing the mountaines that is he ouerthrowes all things which seeme great and takes away all trust but yet the Lord is not present for there are many which haue nothing wherein they may trust and yet they haue not God But this is the first steppe of his comming Then followes the earthquake when man vnderstands what he is and when he considers the misery of the world then the holy Spirite is nearer but yet hee is not present Thirdly the fire of the conscience followes and then the Lord is not farre off For it is a great matter to feele sinne After the fire followes the noise of a soft ayre that is the grace of God making ioyfull a terrified conscience Thus farre Ferus Where he plainelie teacheth that all mountaines what great good workes wee haue doone soeuer must first bee ouerthrowne in vs wée must haue no trust in our selues before God come to vs and that this is the first steppe of his grace Let them that trust in their workes here take heede to themselues and see by Ferus his iudgement how farre they are from the grace of God God hath not so much as made one steppe to come vnto them Oh what a miserable case are all such in then And againe vpon that place Whosoeuer shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saued Our name sayeth hee is sinne vnrighteousnesse lying vanity c. The name of God is that hee is onely good true mighty iust mercifull and wise c. Of this Name Christ saieth Father I haue declared thy name vnto men He therefore that accuseth his owne name and cals vpon the name of God that is desires helpe by the goodnesse truth mercy and power of God he shall be saued whether he be Iew or Gentile So Dauid called vpon the name of the Lord O Lorde in thy name saue me and in thy power iudge my cause and in thy righteousnesse deliuer me And againe in thee O Lord haue I put my trust I shall neuer be put to confusion deliuer me in thy righteousnesse Here thou hast the perill and the remedy death and life are sette before thee take heede least thou forget thy selfe Call vpon the Lord while he is neare Hitherto he hath terrified them threatning like a people and he hath foreshewed them generally the medicines whereby euilles may be driuen away Nay after least any should bee affraid to come vnto God he plaies the Preacher of the Gospell and settes the mediator before their eyes who alone hath manifested to the world the name of his father vnto whose power also the Father hath committed all things By whom onely and alone we also haue accesse vnto the Father Thus farre Ferus All men that will bee saued must accuse their owne name that is their owne righteousnesse before the Maiestie of God and they must call vpon the mercie of God and his trueth and goodnesse by the mediation onelie of Iesus Christ Here is death and life set before euerie man by Ferus his iudgement Cap. 3. Againe of the Iewes hee writes thus The people also did lie lame before the Temple They had the Priesthood the Temple the sacrifices examples of things to come but they onely trusted in the externall things they neuer entred into the Temple to consider what those externall things meant Some went in as the Prophets by the shadowes gathering the things signified but the lame people followed them not Thus farre Ferus Such like were our forefathers who put much trust in externall thinges and they deuised of man neuer knew what they meant And how coulde that profit them seeing the trust in externall thinges and which God commanded could not profit the Iewes And againe hee writes thus Neither can any externall thing sanctifie vs or cleanse vs but onely that hee with his Spirite and his bloud cleanseth vs. Thirdly he is iust and iustifieth vs when hee communicates vnto vs his merites and righteousnes with the which being clothed we dare appâ—are before God So the Psalmist testifieth I will make mention of thy righteousnesse onely And againe In thee O Lord haue I put my trust I
and grace and euen then by and by after shall follow the iudgement Lumnius devicinitate extremi iudicii lib. 1. cap. 15. Lumnius a Papist concerning the comming of Elias Enoch writes thus That although they shall preach but three yeeres and a halfe yet that the day of iudgement shall be neuerthelesse vncertaine to the world Although saith he we beleeue that Elias shall come and although the remnant of the Iewes be said to be conuerted when as the fulnes of the Gentiles shall haue entred in yet we must thinke that this must be done secretly and by little and little So that all the world shall stand in doubt of the person of Elias and of the time of the conuersion of the Iewes euen as the world stood in doubt of the persons of Iohn and of our Sauiour Iesus Thus farre Lumnius But this his exposition agrées not with the rest of the papists Reu. 11.6 for they expound those two witnesses in the Reuelation literally to be meant of the persons of Elias and Enoch And that they shall haue power in the daies of their prophecies to open and shut heauen and to turne water into bloud If they shall do these euident signes surely no man can say that they shall come secretly These signes also are so manifest that no man can doubt of their persons Nay Saint Iohn there saith Vers 9. that all people and nations shall see their bodies lie dead in the citie that spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt and that they shall be glad of their deaths and shall send presents one to another because they were slaine For they shall vexe the people of the earth and not conuert the Iewes as they imagine These prophets then shall not come secretly when they come as Lumnius imagineth but all the world shall heare of them and hate them They shall be enemies to their carnall mirth and spirituall fornication How angrie will the adulterer be to be depriued of his pleasure so pleasant also is spirituall fornication to flesh and bloud These two witnesses then are the preachers of the gospell Mat. 24.12 which shall preach the gospell to all nations In testimonium and not in patrocinium for a testimonie of their condemnation not for a helpe of their saluation as the same Lumnius alleageth out of Hilarie Lum ca. 14. Reue. 10.11 Which vnder the type of Iohn in the chapter going before haue receiued the little booke yea from the hand of the Lord to preach againe to nations peoples tongues and many kings not Elias and Enoch Ferus also of the vncertaintie of the day of iudgement writes thus If you enquire of me the daie and howre I will not tell you In 24. ca. Mat. but if you will know the seasons and beginnings I will hide nothing from you I haue shewed you in many words how that that day is not vnknowen vnto me But I haue brought you to the gates onely thereof for he had said before know ye then that it is euen in the verie gates But it is for your profit that I will not open the gates vnto you least you should waxe carelesse For so it is written of me I am thy God teaching thee profitable things onely as much as might profit you I haue taught but that which might engender in you a false securitie I conceale from you Here therefore thou seest the cause why he would haue both the day of our death and of iudgement vnknowne vnto vs least we should be more slouthfull but being alwaies vncertain of this we should euer liue in feare should euer watch being careful as though we should be iudged the next day and that we should looke for him euerie day whō we know not when he wil come Thus far Ferus Here is then a Christians life euerie day to looke and waite for Christ and so to liue as though he should not liue til to morrow according to that saying of the heathen Philosopher Who being bidden to a feast against to morrow Surely said he I neuer thought that I should liue til to morrow these many yeeres And it is reported that Saint Ierome that in all his doings he thought he heard that last trumpet sounding in his eares Then Elias comming shall not giue Christians warning thereof thrée yéeres an halfe before it come as the Papists do teach In ca. 11. Mat. Ferus also writing vpon these wordes And if ye will receiue him he is Elias which is to come saith thus As though he should say that you may plainly see that there is no other prophet to be looked for of you who should shew you that Messias should come Iohn is that verie same Elias which Malachie promised vnder the name of Elias And in these words he makes answere to a question couertly all men were perswaded that Elias should come before Messias came whom because they saw not they doubted of Christ And therefore the Apostles when they saw the Lord transfigured said Wherefore do the Pharisees say that Elias must first come To whom he answered Elias is come alreadie But who this Elias was here he signifieth Iohn himselfe is Elias not in person but in spirit and power For as Elias with great zeale was zealous that he might bring the people of Israel to the true God and for this cause he spared not kings so Iohn by the same zeale endeuoured to bring the people vnto Christ After Iohn therfore no other thing is to be looked for but that great terrible day of the Lord. The which also followes in the same prophet Thus farre Ferus If after Iohn nothing is to be looked for but that terrible day of the Lord then not Elias and Enoch according to master Bellarmines assertion Cuthbert Tunstall Bishop of Duresme thus writes in a Sermon put in print which he preached before king Henry the eight on Palme sunday vpon this text Let the same mind be in you that was in Iesus Christ These many yeeres past saith he little warre hath beene in these parts of Christendome but the Bishop of Rome either hath beene a stirrer of it or a nourisher of it and seldome any compounder of it vnlesse it were for his ambition and profit Wherfore seeing as Saint Paul saith in the four 10. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthiās That God is not the God of dissension but of peace who commaundeth by his word alwaies peace to be kept we are sure that all those that go about to breake peace betweene Realmes and to bring them to warre are the children of the diuell what holy names soeuer they pretend to cloake their pestilent malice withall which cloaking vnder hypocrisie is double diuellishnes and of Christ most detested because vnder his blessed name they do play the diuels part And therefore since Christ is on our side let vs not feare thē at al but putting our confidence in Almightie God let vs
disquieted within me O put thy trust in God For I will yet giue him thankes which is the helpe of my countenance and my God The ioy of the Lord is your strength Nehe. 8.10 Rom. 15.13 O Lord of hope fill vs with all ioy and peace through faith that we may abound in hope through the power of the holie Ghost When we shall heare the clocke strike let vs say Blessed be the houre wherein our Lord Iesus Christ was borne and died for vs. When as we shall haue done any thing well let vs say Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs Psal 115.1 but vnto thy name giue the glorie For thy louing mercie and for thy truths sake When we shall take a iourney I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God Psal 71.16 and I wil make mention of thy righteousnes only In a doubtfull matter let vs pray thus In silence and confidence is our strength Esa 30.15 In dangers let vs pray thus Our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord Psal 124.8 who hath made heauen and earth For Faith let vs pray thus with the Apostles O Lord increase our faith Luke 17.5 For the loue of God O Lord poure thy loue abundantly into our hearts Rom. 5.5 by thy holy Spirit For remission of sinnes Haue mercie vpon me O God after thy great goodnesse Psal 51.1 according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Psal 19.13 Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou mee from my secret sinnes Psal 25.7 O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercie thinke vpon me O Lord for thy goodnes For good thoughts Psal 19.14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be alwayes acceptable in thy sight O Lord God my strength and my redeemer For good workes Psal 119.122 Make thy seruant delight in that which is good that the proud do me no wrong At the houre of death Psal 31.5 Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth For the Church pray thus Psal 28.10 O saue thy people giue thy blessing vnto thine inheritance feede them and set them vp for euer Psal 80.7 Turne vs againe thou God of hosts shewe the light of thy countenance and we shall be saued Psal 85.4 Turne vs O God our Sauiour let thine anger cease from vs. In the afflictions of the Church Amos 7.2 O Lord God spare vs I beseech thee who will raise vp Iacob for he is small Psal 51.18 O be fauourable and gracious vnto Sion build thou the wals of Ierusalem Psal 122.6 7 8 O pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee Peace be within thy walles and plenteousnesse within thy pallaces for my brethrens and companions sake I will wish thee prosperitie Saint Gregorie his Prayer Greg. post Psalmos poenitent O good Iesu the word of the Father the brightnesse of the Fathers glorie on whom the Angels do desire to looke teach me to doe thy will that being led by thy good Spirit I may come to that blessed Citie where is an euerlasting day and one spirit of all men where is certaine securitie and secure eternitie and eternall tranquilitie and quiet felicitie and happie pleasure and pleasant ioy where thou God liuest with the Father and the holie Ghost for euer and euer Amen He that shall vse these short prayers no doubt as arrowes they shall mount vnto the skies and enter euen into the eares of God A View of Gods houshold and of all his Seruants THis is set downe by king Dauid very excellently in the Psalme They haue seene O Lord Psal 68.25 thy goings how thou my God and king hast walked in the Sanctuarie Here Dauid teacheth vs that the Lord God as a mightie Prince sometimes as it were euen walketh in his Sanctuarie and among the faithfull in the congregation Now followeth his traine The singers Sharim go before the Musitians Nogenim they which play with the hand on instruments of musicke follow after in the middest are virgins playing on timbrels or drummes Here is Gods traine first singers then virgins and lastly they which plaie with the hand And these may signifie vnto vs thrée sorts of men in Gods Church Singers maie represent Martyrs or Confessors of the faith Virgins those that next to them though they haue not shed their bloud for the loue of Christ yet for his sake they haue abandoned all the vaine and fleshly delights and pleasures of this world and therefore by good right they challenge to themselues the middle or second place And lastly are those cunning Musitians which play with the hand Gal. 5.6 these are those Christians whose faith worketh through charitie Who haue sowne plentifully with their handes the Lords talents that he hath blessed them withall 2. Cor. 9.6 as Saint Paul exhorteth them to doe And they which haue done so do receiue plentifully againe as our Sauiour witnesseth Matt. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was an hungrie and ye gaue me meate c. And how fitly agrées all these together Martyrs may bée rightly called Singers for as Prudentius writeth of Romanus the martyr when as the cruell persecutor had bored through his chéekes he spake thus to him Prudent in Rom. mart O Ruler fierce I yeeld thee thanks that for one mouth too straite Now manie mouthes thou hast me made my Christ his praise to speake Virgins may bee said to play with Drummes For their praise soundeth farre and wide Matth. 19.12 Of virginitie Christ said He that can comprehend it let them comprehend it As though hée should say it is a price propounded of me to all my disciples to runne for 1. Cor. 7.32 Happie is he that can attaine it And S. Paul erhorting all men to virginitie I would haue you without care saith he But this thing can only virginitie afford you The vnmaried man careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord But hee that is maried careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife Yea there is difference betweene a virgin and a wife They are not all one the one farre excelleth the other The vnmaried woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and spirit but she that is maried careth for the things of the world how shee may please her husband Here is the excellencie of virginitie put downe weighed as it were in a paire of ballance and compared with mariage that euerie one maie sée the excellency and difference of the one before the other The virgin careth only for the Lord the maried person for the world The virgin