had no bene a naturall child takyng his flesh or the substance of Mary his mother and not bryngyng hys body with hym from heaueÌ„ or I know not from whence as the vngodly Anabaptistes in these our dayes do most fastly dreame But let God be true and all heretikes lyers IN another place the Prophete sayth there shall come a rodde foorth of the kyndred of Iesse and a floure shall florishe out of hys roote ☞ In thys place the Prophete doth so openlye declare Christe to be true man and the naturall sonne of Mary the virgin that it is won der that any Hereticke can haue so wâ—…oryshe a forehead once to denye iâ—… Thys rodde and â—…loure which spryngeth out of rodde and kintâ—… 〈◊〉 Iesse is Christ the Lord â–ª The roote out of the whiche floure vndefiled virgine Marye Christes mother whiche came of the kynred of Iesse kyng Dauids father Can any man deny but that the floure is of the same nature and substaunce that the tree is of whiche beareth the floure If we grauÌ„t the floure to be of the na ture and substaÌ„ce of the stocke that beareth the floure why are the Anabaptistes more wicked and cruell agaynst Christ the floure and fruite by Gods ordinaunce of the holy virgine then vnto the stocke and roote of euery floure of the fielde Can the floure of an OraÌ„ge spryng out oâ—… an Oke No more can the humanitie of Christ which is the blossome and floure of Mary take his originall of the ayre of heauen or of such other matter they know not what But as the floure of the OraÌ„ge springeth out of the OraÌ„ge tree and is of the very same nature and substaÌ„ce that the OraÌ„ge tree is so likewise Christ being the floure of the most blessed Uirgine tooke his begynnyng of her and is of the very same substaunce and nature that she is Let God therefore be true and all heretikes lyers AFter the. 62. weekes sayth the Prophet Daniell shall Christ be slaine and they shal haue no pleasure in him ☞ The sleyng of Christ euidently proueth that Christ was vâ—…y man yea and a maâ—… mortall and subiect vnto death so well as we If he had brought his body with him from heauen â–ª so had bene a celestiall body â–ª an impassible and immortal body But for asmuch as Christ feared death â–ª â—…uffed the paines of death yea and dyed in dedâ—… accordyng to the Scriptures it followeth that Christ was true and vnfayned man takyng his humanitie of that holy virgine Mary his mother and lyued in all pointes lyke man sinne alone extepâ—…e and at the last dyed for our synnes â–ª as the Apostle sayth Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers ☞ Sentences out of the new Testament THe booke of the kyndred of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham Iacob begat Ioseph the husbande of Mary of whome was borne that Iesus whiche is called Christ. The byrthe of Iesus Christe was on this wise WheÌ„ hys mother Mary was maried to Ioseph before they came together she was found with child by the holy ghost Then Ioseph her husbande being a perfect man and loth to defame her was mynded to put her away secret ly While he thus thought beholde the aungell of the Lord appeared vnto him in a dreame saying Ioseph the sonne of Dauid feare not to take vnto thee Mary thy wife For that whiche is conceyued in her is of the holy ghost She shal bryng forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus For he shall saue hys people from their sinnes All thys was done to fulfil y â— whiche was spokeÌ„ of the Lord by the Prophet Esay saying beholde a mayd shall be with child shall bryng foorth a sonne and they shall call hys name Emanuell whiche is by interpretacion GOD with vs or God and man The aungell gabriell was sent from god vnto a citie of galile named Nazareth to a virgin spoused to a maÌ„ whose name was Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the virgins name was Mary And the auÌ„gel went in vnto her said Hayle ful of grace y â— Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among women When she sawe hym she was abashed at hys saying and caste in her mynde what maner of salutation that should be And the aungell sayd vnto her feare not Mary for thou hast fouÌ„d grace with god thou shalt conceiue in thy wombe and beare a sonne and shalte call hys name Iesus He shall be greate shall be called the sonne of the hyest And the Lord god shall gâ—…ue vnto hym the sea 〈◊〉 of his father Dauid and he shall reygne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of hys kyngdome shal be none ende Then â—…ayd Mary vnto the aungell howe shal this bee seyng I knowe not a mane And the aungell aunswered and sayde vnto her the holy ghost shall come vppon thee and the power of the hyest shall ouershadowe thee Therfore also that holy thyng which shall be borne of thee shall be called the sonne of god Elizabeth was filled with the holye ghost and cried with a loude voyce and sayd Blessed art thou among women â—… blessed is y â— fruite of thy wombe And whence hapneth this to me that the mo ther of my Lord should come to me c. It fortuned while they wer there her time was come y â— she shuld be deliuered And she brought forth her first begotteÌ„ son wraped him in swadling clothes layd him in a maunger because there was no roume for theÌ„ within y â— Inne Behold I bring you tidings of great â—…oy y â— shal come to all y â— people For vnto you is borne this day y â— city of Dauid â—… sauiour whiche is Christ the Lord. The child grew and waxed strong in spirite and was filled with wisedome the grace of god was with him Iesus encreased in wisdome and age and in fauour with god and man Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the papes whiche gaue thee sucke The worde was made fleshe dwelt among vs. Dauid was a Prophet knewe that god had sworne with an othe to hym y â— the fruite of his loynes that is to say Christ should sit on his seate God dyd sette vp Dauid to be theyr kyng of whom he reported saying I haue founde Dauid the sonne of Iesse a man after my owne heart he shall fulfill all my will Of this mans sede hath god accordyng to hys promise brought forth to the people of Israell a sauiour euen Iesus Iesus Christ the sonne of god was be gotten of the seede of Dauid as pertaynyng to the flesh Christ as concernyng the flesh came of the Israelites To Abraham and hys seede were the promyses made He sayth not in the sedes as many but in thy seede as in one whiche is Christ. When the tyme was full come God sent hys Sonne borne of a woman
are laden and he promiseth that he wil refresh them Christ is that true lyghte which light neth euery man that commeth into this worlde Christ is our Lord of whose fulnes al we haue receyued euen grace for grace For the lawe was geuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christe Christ is that lambe of god whiche taketh away the synnes of the world As Moses lyfted vp the Serpent in wildernesse so must the Sonne of man be lyfted vp that euery on that beleueth in him may not perishe but haue euerlasting lyfe For God loueth the world so feruently that he gaue his only begot ten sonne that euery one that beleueth in hym may not pearish but haue euerlasting lyfe For god sent not hys sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world should be saued by hym He that beleueth in the sonne hath euerlasting lyfe but he that beleueth not in the son shall not se lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth vpon him Christe geuethe that lyuynge water whereof whosoeuer drinketh shal neuermore thirste but that water shal bee vnto hym a fountayne of water that springeth vp into eternal lyfe Christ is that bread of life whiche came down from heauen If any man eate of that bread he shall liue for euer Christe alone the Sonne of God maketh vs free Christe is the dore If any man enter in by him he shall be safe For he shall go in and come oute and â—…nde pasture Christ is that good shepeheard which gaue his life for his shepe Christ is the resurrection and life he that beleueth in him althoughe he were dead shal liue and euery one that liueth and beleueth in him shall neuer dye Christe is the light of the worlde and came into the worlde for this purpose y â— euery one that beleueth in him shoulde not abide in darknes Christe is the waye truthe and life No man commeth vnto the Father but by him Christe is that mighty prince whiche hath ouercome the world There is none other name geuen vnto men vnder heauen where in they muste be saued but onely that name of Christ. Neither is ther any saluation in any other but in him alone Christe is ordained of God a iudge of quick and dead To him geue all the pro phets witnesse that thorowe his name all that beleue in him shal receiue remis sion of sinnes Thorow Christ is preached vnto vs the forgeuenes of sinnes so that by him all y â— beleue are iustified from all things from whiche we coulde not be iustified by the law of Moyses The righteousnes no doubt whiche is good before God commeth by y e faith of Iesus Christe vnto all and vpon all that beleue There is no difference for all haue sinned and want the glorye of God but are iustified freely by his grace thorow the redemption that is in Christ Iesu to whom God hath made a â—…eat of mercy thorow faith in his blud to shew the righteousnesse whiche before him is of valoure Christ died for our sinnes and rose â—… gaine for our iustification We beinge iustified by faithe are at peace with god thorow our Lord Iesus Christe by whom we haue awaye in thorowe fayth vnto thys grace wherein we stande and reioyce in hope of the prayse that shal be geuen of God God setteth out hys loue that he hath to vs forasmuche as while we were yet sinners Christe died for vs. Muche more then nowe being iustified in his bloude shall wee be saued from wrath thorowe hym For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the deathe of hys sonne muche more seinge we are re conciled we shal be preserued by his lyfe Not onelye so but we also ioye in God by our Lord Iesus Christe by whom we haue receaued the attonement ☞ Rede the whole Chapter Euerlastinge life is the gifte of God thorow Iesus Christ our Lord. There is no dampnation to them which are in Christe Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit For the law of the spirite that bringeth life thorow Iesus Christe hath made vs fre froÌ„ the lawe of sinne and death We know that al things worke for the best vnto them that loue god whiche also are called of purpose For those which he knew before he also ordayned before that they should be a like fashioned to the shape of his sonne that he might bee the first begotten sonne among many brethren And whom he appointed before them also he called And which he called them also he iustifyed which he iustifyed them also he glorifyed What shall we theÌ„ say to these things If God be on our side who can be against vs which spared not hys owne sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not with him geue vs all thinges also Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifyeth who then shall coÌ„demne It is Christ which is dead yea rather which is rysen agayne which is also on the ryght hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. Christ is the end of the lawe to iustifye all that beleue Whosoeuer beleueth on Christ shall not be ashamed There is no difference betwene y e Iewe and the Gentile For one is Lorde ouer all that cal on hym for whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shal be safe Christ is made of God our wysedome our righteousnes our sanctification and redemption Christ our Easter Lambe is offered vp for vs. We are washed we are sanctified yea we are iustifyed by the name of the Lorde Iesu and by the spirite of our God The liberalitie of our lord Iesus Christ is greate which though he were riche yet for oure sakes he became poore that we through hys pouertie myght be made rich If righteousnes come of the lawe then died Christ in vayne Christ hath deliuered vs froÌ„ y e curse of the law and was made accursed for vs. Sâ—…ande faste in the libertie wherwith Christ hath made vs free and wrappe not your selues again in the yoke of bondage Ye are gone quite froÌ„ Christ as many as are iustifyed by the law and are fallen from grace For we looke in spirite to be iustifyed thorow faith For in Iesu Christ neither is circumcision any thing worth neither vncircumcision but fayth which by loue is mightie in operation God forbyd y â— I shoulde reioyce in any thing but onely in y â— crosse death passioÌ„ of our Lord Iesus Christ. Blessed be god the father of oure Lorde Iesu Christe whiche hath blessed vs with all manner of spirituall blessings in heauenly things by Christ. By christ we haue redemption thorow his bloud euen the forgeuenes of sins according to the ritches of hys grace which he shed on vs aboundauntlye in all wisedome and prudence God whiche is
yet if I haue no loue it profiteth me nothing at all Brethren if any mā be fallen by chance into any fault ye which are spiritual helpe to amende him in the spirite of mekenes consideringe thy selfe least thou also be attempted Beare ye one an others burden and so fulfill ye the law of Christ. Let not the sunne go downe vpon your wrath Be gentle one to another mercifull forgeuing one another euen as GOD for Christes sake hath forgeuen you Let euery man be slow vnto anger For the wrath of man worketh not that which is righteous before God Aboue all thinges haue feruent loue among you For loue shall couer the multitude of sinnes If anye man saye I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyer For he that lo ueth not his brother whom he hath seene god whome he hathe not seene how can he loue And this commaundement haue we of him that he that loueth god shoulde al so loue his neighbour He that loueth not his brother a◅ideth in death Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer And ye know that no murthe rer hathe euerlasting life abidinge in him ▪ My babes let vs not loue in worde nor in tongue but in worke and truthe Examples out of the new◅ Testament Christ so dearly loued vs yea and that when we◅ were yet his enemies that hee gaue him self euen vnto the death for our sake Yea he hanginge on the cros prayed for his very◅ enemies vnto his heauenly◅ Father Blessed Stephen in the middest of his tormentes prayed for his enemies S. Paule wished him self to be cursed from Christ◅ so that his kinsmen might◅ be saued Against the bitter stormes of persecution of Gods worde IF at a◅y time thorow the frailti of nature thou be troubled in thy minde when the cros ◅f persecution is laid vpon thee for the word of God looke that thou shrinke not backe from the truthe nor discourage thy selfe but think thy selfe blessed of G◅d call these scriptures that follow vnto rei membrance for thy comfort Sentences out of the old Testament THe Lorde killeth and geeueth life again◅ hee bringeth euen to Hell and back agayne The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and deliuereth them out of all their troubles The Lord is nigh vnto them that ar of a troubled heart and wil saue such as be of an humble spirite Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of thē all He kepeth all his bones so that not one of them is broken But misfortune shall flea the vngodly and they that hate the righteous shal be desolate The Lorde deliuereth the soules of his seruauntes and all they that put theyr trust in him shall not be comfortles For thy sake O Lord are we killed all the day long and are counted as shepe ap pointed to be slaine Up Lord why sleepest thou awake and be not absent from vs for euer Wherfore hidest thou thy face and for gettest our misery and trouble For oure soule is brought low euen vnto the duste our belly cleaueth vnto the ground Arise and helpe vs and deliuer vs for thy mercies sake Thou O god hast proued vs thou also hast tryed vs like as siluer is tryed Thou broughtest vs into the snare and laydest trouble vpon our loynes Thou suffredest men to ride ouer our heades we went thorow fire and water and thou broughtest vs out into a comfortable place I beleued and therefore haue I spoken but I was sore troubled Righte deare in the sighte of the Lorde is the death of his saintes The way of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruction but they are in rest Althoughe they suffer paine before men yet is their hope ful of immortality They are punished but in few things neuertheles in many thinges shall they be well rewarded For God proueth them and findeth thē mete for hym selfe yea as the golde in the furnace dooth ◅e try them and receyueth them as a burnt offring and when y e time commeth they shal be loked vpon My sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of god stand fast in righteousnes and feare and arme thy soule to temptation Setle thine heart be patient ◅ow down thine eare receiue the wordes of vnderstāding and shrink not away when thou art entised Holde thee faste vpon god ioyne thy selfe vnto him and suffer that thy life may encrease at the last Whatsoeuer happeneth vnto thee receyue it suffer in heauines and be paciēt in thy trouble For like as gold and siluer are tried in fire euen so are acceptable mē in the fornace of aduersity Beleue in God and he shal helpe thee For righteousnesse take payne with all thy soule and for the truth striue thou vnto death and God shall fyghte for thee against thy enemies Examples out of the olde Testament Abell was cruelly slaine of his brother Cayne whome he neuer offended Ioseph was cast into prison because he woulde not leane to the fy◅thy requeste of his lordes wyfe Moses Aaron and the Israelites were greuously entreated persecuted of King Pharao Saule with great diligence soughte to destroy Dauid Quene Iezabel pursued the Prophete Helias Zachary the sonne of Barachias was stoned to death for telling the king truth Achymeleche with certayne other holy men of god was slaine at king Saules commaundement because he shewed kind nes to Dauid the harty beloued seruant of God Sydrac Misac and Abdenago were cast into a firye fornace because they wouldnot worship the golden Image that king Nabuchodonosor had made but only the God of Israell Daniel was cast into the den of Lions because that contrary to king Darius commaundement he had prayed vnto his Lord God the God of Israel At an other time also he was caste into the den of Lions because he sayde that Bell and the Dragon were no Gods The vertuous and chast woman Susan was at the point to be stoned vnto death because she woulde not breake the commaundement of god and consent to the vn lawfull and filthy requests of the two Elders Eleazarus was miserably put to death because at the kinges commaundemente he woulde not eate swines flesh contrary to the lawe of god A certaine woman also with her vii sonnes were with moste extreme cruelty put to death because they would not obey the wicked precepte of the moste wicked kyng The prophets were vnmercifullye slain because they rebuked synne and taught◅ the wyll of God The most excellent Prophet Esay for his libertye of speach in re◅uking the sins of the princes and of the people and prophe◅iyng of Gods vengeaunce to fall vpō the countrye and people was cut in two partes asunder with a saw and buried vn der an Oke Ieremy after much enprisonment was stoned onto death of his people at Taphu as in Egipc◅ because he warned them of
the dead but of the liuing The houre shall come in the whiche all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and shall come forthe they that haue done good vnto y e resurectioÌ„ of life thei y e haue done euel vnto y e resurrectioÌ„ of damnatioÌ„ I know that my brother shall rise again at the latter day God hath raised vp y e Lord and shall raisâ—… vs vp by his power If there be no risinge again from death then is Christ not risen If Christ is not risen then is our preaching vaine your faith is also vaine Read and commend to memory the xv Chapiter of the first to the Corinth The Lord Iesus shall chaunge our vlle bodies that they may be fashioned like vn to his glorious body c. I would not brethern haue yon ignoraÌ„t concerning them which are fallen a slepe that ye sorow not as other do which haue no hope For if we beleue y â— Iesus Christe died rose againe euen so they also which slepe by Iesus wil god bring againe with him Read forth ☞ Examples out of the new Testament CHrist raised from death the daughter of y â— Rular the Son of a certaine widow and Lazarus with many other These are euident examples of our resurrection After Christ had geuen vp the ghoste the graues did open and the bodyes of ma ny Saintes whiche slept arose and came out of y â— graues after his resurrectioÌ„ caÌ„e into the holy citie appeared vnto many Christ rose againe from death the third day accordinge to the scriptures and was sene of Cephas then of the twelue After that he was sene of mo then fiue hundreth brethern at once c S. Peter raised Tabitha from death S. Paule restored vnto life a certaine yong man named Euticus Christe rebuked the Saduces because they beleued not the resurrection of y e ded The Epicures and Stoykes laughed S Paule to scorne when as he at Athens taught the resurrection of the dead But he defended the doctrine Against them that deny the immortalitie of the soule IF Sathan or any of his tempte thee to liue at thy pleasure labouring to perswade the â—…y sophi sticall reasons of carnal imaginations y â— the soul of man is but as the breath of other beastes that after the dissolutioÌ„ of the body it is nothing nether liueth afterward but hath an end with the bodye take hede that thou geuest no place to such wicked and most damnable doctrine but enarme thy selfe a gainst it w t these authorities of the holy Scripture ☞ Sentences out of the olde Testament GOd created man in his owne image in y e image of god created he him male and female created he them The Lord god shope man euen dust froÌ„ the ground and breathed in his nostrels the breathe of life and Adam was made a liuing soule I should vtterly haue fainted but that I beleue verely to sâ—… the goodnes of y e lord in the land of the liuing Like as the harte desireth the water brookes so longeth my soule after thee O god My soule is a thirste for god yea euen for the liuing god when shal I come to ap peare before the presence of god The bodye shal be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came and the spirit that is the soule shall returne vnto God whiche gaue it God made man to be vndestroyed that is to say immortall yea after the image of his own likenes made be him The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God and the pain of death shall not hurt them In the sight of the vnwisethey seme to dy and their end is taken for very destructioÌ„ but they are in rest The hope of the faithful is ful of immortalitie The righteous shall liue for euermore their reward also is w t the Lord and their remembrance with the highest Therfore shall they receiue a glorious kingdome a bewtiful crowne of the Lordes hand Read the third fourth and fift Chapiters of the boke of Wisedome We are the children of holy men and looke for the life whiche God shall geue vnto them that neuer turne their faythe from him Examples out of the olde Testament THe holy scriptur testifieth that Ehore and his complices went downe quicke vnto Hel and the earthe couered them so that they perished By this it is euident that the soules of the wicked are immortall and liue in the paines of hel fire If Saule had not beleued bothe the resurrection of the body and immortalitie of the soule he wold neuer haue gone about to haue had Samuel raised vp When Dauid saw that his childe was dead he wept no more but said I shall go vnto him he shal not come again vnto me Helias prayed for the rasing vp againe vnto life of his hostes Sonne sayinge O Lord my God I beseche thee let the soule of this Childe come into him againe And he reuiued When Tobias was laughed to scorne of his elders and kinssolkes which said vn to him here is thy hope for the which thou hast done almose and buried the dead He rebuked them and sayde say not so for we are the children of holy men and looke for the life which god shall geue vnto theÌ„ that neuer turne their faith from him Againe he prayed vnto god on this ma ner Now O Lorde deale with me according to thy wil and commaund my spirite to be receiued in peace For more expedieÌ„t were it for me to dye than to liue Sentences out of the new Testament FEare not them whiche kil the bodye but are not able to kil the soule But rather feare him whiche is able to destroy both soule and body in hel Ther is no man that hath forsakeÌ„ house eyther father or mother either brethren or wyfe or children for the kingdom of Gods sake which shall not receiue muche more in thys worlde and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting Thys is the wyll of hym that sent me that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleueth on him haue euerlasting life and I wyll raise him vp at the last day My shepe heare my voyce and I knowe them and they followe me and I geue vn to them euerlasting lyfe and they shal neuer peryshe neyther shall anye man pluck them oute of my hand I am the resurrection and the lyfe He that beleueth on me yea though he were dead yet shal he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleueth on me shal neuer dye Let not your hart be troubled Ye beleue in God beleue olso in me In my fathers house are many mansions If it were not so I would haue told you I go to prepare a place for you And if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come agayne and receiue you euen vnto my selfe that where I am
There is one Lord one faith one ba ptisme one god father of all whiche is aboue all thorow all in you all There is one god and one mediatour betwene god and man euen the man Christ Iesu which gaue him self a raâ—…nsome for all men There are three which beare record in heauen the father the worde the holy ghost And these thre are one Agaynst infidelitie or misbelief IF Satan at any tyme moueth thee vnto in fidelitie or misbelief either toward God or his woorde by no meanes leane vnto him vnt agaynst hys temptation enarme thy self with these holy scriptures Sentences out of the old Testament If ye do not beleue there shall no promise be kept with you Thy eyes O Lord loke vpon fayth The righteous shall lyue by fayth I will mary thee vnto me in faith â—… thou shalt know that I am the Lord. The wrath of y â— Lord came vpon I raell because they beleued not in god nor trusted not in his sauing health The Lorde doth appeare vnto them that hath fayth in him Wo be to the dissolute in hart that â—…eleue not god therefore shall they not be defended of him In all thy woorkes put thy trust in god from thy whole harte for that is the kepyng of the commaundements Who so beleueth gods worke taketh â—…ede to the commaundementes and he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall want nothyng Examples out of the olde Testament AbrahaÌ„ beleued god it was reckened vnto hym for righteousnesse Dauid beyng a younge man and of â—…itle stature thorow fayth in the name of the Lord of hoastes fought with that proude monstruous gyante Goâ—…iath the Philistine and slue him Sidrach Misach and Abdenago thorow faith chosed rather to be cast into a whote burnyng fornace then at the kyngs commaundement to coÌ„mit Ido latry and to worship straunge gods Daniel thorowe faith wished rather to be cast quicke into the denne of Lyons then by the space of thyrty dayes not to pray vnto the Lord his god according to the kings commaundemeÌ„t ☞ Sentences out of the new Testament He that beleueth is baptised shal be saued But he that beleueth not shal be condempned As many as receaued christ he gaue them power to be the sonnes of god in that they beleue on his name As Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernes so must the sonne of maÌ„ be lyfted vp y e so many as beleue in him may not perishe but haue euerlastyng lyfe For god hath so dearely beloued the world that he gaue his onely begot ten sonne that euerye one that beleueth in him may not perishe but haue euerlastyng lyfe He that beleueth in y â— sonne of god is not condempned But he that beleueth not is already condempned because he hath not beleued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of god He that beleueth in the sonne hath euerlastyng lyfe but he that beleueth not in the sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of god abideth vpon him This is the wil of him that sent me that euerye one that seeth the sonne beleueth on hym should haue euerlastyng lyfe and I will rayse hym vp at the last day I am the resurrectioÌ„ and life he that beleueth in me although he wer dead yet shall he lyue and euery one that ly ueth and beleueth in me shall not dye euerlastyngly Ye beleue in god beleue also in me sayth Christ. Be iâ—… knoweÌ„ vnto you ye meÌ„ bre thren that thorow the name of Christ is preached vnto you y e forgeuenes of sinnes and that by him are all that beleue iustified from all thynges from the whiche ye could not be iustified by the law of Moses With fayth doth God purifie oure heartes The ryghteousnes that is alowed before god coÌ„meth by the faith of Iesu Christ vnto all vpon all that beleue We beyng iustified by fayth are at peace with god thorow our lord Iesu christ by whom we haue a way in tho row faith vnto this grace wherin we stand and reioyce in hope of the prayse that shal be geuen of god Christ is the perfect fulfillyng of the law to iustifie euery one y â— beleueth If y u wilt knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the lord and beleue with thy hart that God raiseth hym from death thou shalt be saued For the belief of the hart iustifieth and to knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe For y e scripture saith who soeuer beleueth on him shall not be ashamed What soeuer is not of faith is sinne All ye are sonnes of god because ye haue beleued in Christ Iesu. In Christ Iesu neither is circuÌ„cision any thing worth nor vncircumcision but fayth whiche worketh by loue By grace are ye saued thorow fayth ye that not of your selues It is the gift of god commeth not of workes because no man should boast him selfe Aboue all thinges take vnto you the shielde of fayth wherby ye may be able to queÌ„ch al the fire dartes of the deuil Without fayth it is not possible to please god For he that commeth vnto god must beleue that God is and that he is a rewarder to theÌ„ that seke him Be ye sover and watch for your aduersary the deuil goeth about like a ro aryng Lyon seking whom he may deuour whom see that ye resiste with a strong fayth This is the victory whiche ouercom meth the world euen our fayth ☞ Examples out of the new Testament The woman that was diseased by the space of 12. yeares of the bloudy issue thorow fayth was made whole The woman of Canane thorowe faith obtayned of Christ health for her daughter The father of the childe possessed w t a deuill from his childhoode obtayned of Christ thorowe fayth perfect health for his sonne Bartimeus the blynd man thorow fayth recouered his sight A certayne sinfull woman thorowe fayth obtayned of Christ forgeuenesse of all her sinnes The Apostles of Christ thorow faith notwithstaÌ„ding y â— hye priests coÌ„mauÌ„dment continued in the preachyng of Christes gospel and both pacieÌ„tly ioy fully thaÌ„kefully suffered al kinds of displeasure for y â— name of y â— Lord Iesu. Rede y e. 11. chap. of the Epistle vnto the Hebrues where thou shalt fynd pleÌ„ty of examples concernyng this matter Agaynst the heresie of such as deny Iesu Christ to be God IF Satan at any time moueth thee to doubt of the godhead of Christ as though he were onely man not God a creature or a thing made and not the creator and maker of all thynges enarme thy selfe agaynste hym with these scriptures ☞ Sentences out of the old Testament VNto vs a childe is borne and vnto vs a sonne is geuen vppon hys shoulder doth the kingdome ly and he is
from heauen or I know not from whence â–ª as the wicked Anabaptistes teache at this present but that he vnfaynedly tooke it of Mary hys mother â–ª and is her true and naturall sonne formed made of the nature and substaunce of her body Let God therfore be true and all Heretikes lyers ☞ Christe calleth hym selfe many tymes in the gospell the sonne of man to declare that as concernyng the fleshe he is the sonne of Abraham â–ª of Dauid forasmuch as he tooke his maÌ„hode of Mary whiche was of the stocke kynred of AbrahaÌ„ Dauid â–ª to whoÌ„ God promised that of their sede of the fruite of their woÌ„be one shuld be borne in whom all nacions of the earth shall be blessed So is it euident that Christ is the naturall sonne of Marye the virgine Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers ☞ Christ in many places of the holy scripture is called the sonne of Dauid â–ª not onely because hee was promysed vnto Dauid but bycause he came of his kynred and tooke flesh any bloud of his stocke and family euen of the most vndefiâ—…ed virgine Mary hys mother Christ therfore is true and perfect man of the blessed virgine â–ª had no fantasticall nor heauenly body Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers ☞ Christ was borne wrapped in cloutes layd in a maunger sede circumcised embrased in armes grewe was made stronge in spirite profited in wisedome and age hungred thyrsted eate dranke wept was wery slept reioyced was moued with wrath and indignation sorowed was heauy sad was in such an agony that his sweat was lyke drops of bloud trickelyng downe to the grounde feared death and at the last suffered the most spytefull death of the crosse and was buryed All these are manifest tokens and euident signes of Christes true man hoode Neyther could he haue done or suffered these thynges â–ª if he had a fantasticall body or a body brought from heauen Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers CHrist after his resurrectioÌ„ appeared vnto his disciples sayd vnto them peace be vnto you The disciples beyng abashed afraide supposing that they had sene a spirite he sayd vnto them why are ye troubled and why doo thoughtes arise in your hartes Behold my handes and my fete that it is eueÌ„ I my self haÌ„dle me see For a spirit hath not flesh bones as ye see me haue ☞ Here Christ after hys resurrection proueth and shewed hym selfe not to bee a fantasticall but a very man not to haue an heauenly body but a body of fleshe and bones And to declare him selfe true and perfect maÌ„ he dyd eate before them â—… peece of a broyled fishe and of an honye tombe Let God therfore be true and all heretikes lyers PEter in a certayne sermon declared vnto the Iewes that Christ as concernyng the fleshe came of the fruite of Dauids loynes ☞ In the whiche wordes he manifestly declareth his fayth concernyng Christes humanitie which is that Christ is very â—…an commyng of the sede of Dauid takyng his manhode of the blessed virgine which came of the stocke of Da uid Hereof may we also learne that the true and Christen faith is to beleue that Iesu Christ tooke his flesh of Mary his mother brought not his body with him from heauen as the wicked Anabaptistes hold PAul in his Epistle to the Romaines playnly teacheth that Christ as concernyng the flesh came of the fathers of the old Testament that is to say Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid c. In this Epistle to the Galathians he sayth that wheÌ„ the time was full come God sent his sonne made of a woman ☞ He sayth not that he was made afore of the elementes in the ayre or that he brought hys bâ—…â—…y with hym from heauen but that he was made of a woman that is to say tooke hys begynnyng and naturall substaunce of Mary hys mother concernyng hys humanitie AGaine in his first epistle vnto Timothe he nameth the man Iesus Christ a mediator betwene god man ☞ This name Mediatour proueth Christ both God and man For he that should be a mediator betwene God and man set them at one y â— were at debate make peace among them that before dyd disagree and conioyne them to perpetual amitie which before were ennemies one to another yea and by hys owne dignitie worthinesse and iustice make a loue day for euer and euer betwene God and man must haue in hym both the nature of God and the nature of man Christ is that one and alone mediatour which hath by his death ad passion set God and man together in an euerlasting peace and quietnes which before thorowe sinne we are at strife and debate As Christ therfore is true God so is he true man God I say of God the father and man of vs of our flesh and of our bloud or els should blessed Paule erre which calleth hym a mediatour â–ª But let God be true all heretikes liers ☞ Finally in his epistle vnto the Hebrewes after that he had spoken much of the deuine nature of Christ prouing Christ to be very god he also setteth forth Christes humanity and pro ueth hym to be true and naturall man made of our flesh and of our bloud this alone excepted y â— we receyued our nature with sinne and in sinne and by natural coniunction Christ receiued his humanity of hys mother without sinne wythout the company of any man by the operation of the holy ghost But let vs heare the wordes of the Apostle For as muche as the children were pertakers of flesh and bloud he also him selfe likewise toke part with them ☞ Here as S. Paule declareth euidently that as the children that is to say men be pertakers of flesh and bloud so lykewise Christ because he might destroy him that had lordship ouer death that is to say the deuill by the death in his owne body was made pertaker of the same that is of flesh bloud No man doubteth that our flesh is of the nature and substance of a womaÌ„ no more is it to be doubted that Christ toke his fleshe of the nature and substance of Mary his mother seyng the epistle saith that Christ was made per taker of flesh and bloud wyth vs. This coulde he not haue ben if he had brought his body with hym from heauen or had taken it of anye other then of a naturall woman although a pure and vndefiled Uirgine Therfore lyke as a man taketh hys nature of his parentes so lykewise toke Christ by humain nature of the blessed Uirgine his mother He sai eth moreouer He meanyng Christ in no place taketh on him the aungels but the sede of Abraham taketh he on hym Here the Apostle manifestlye confuteth the wicked opinioÌ„ of them which teach that Christ had a celestiall body or a body made of the ayre and plainly affirmeth that he toke the sede
is the defeÌ„ der 〈◊〉 our life of whome then shall we â—…e afrayed Christe is the strength of his people and the defender of the health of his annointed Christ is our refuge in all tribulatioÌ„s that assaile vs. Christes eyes are vpon them that fear hym and vpon them that trust in hys mercy he may deliuer their souls from deathe â–ª norishe them in the time of hunger Christ is gentle blessed is that man that trusteth in him Christ beholdeth the righteous and heareth their prayer Christ is at hand for them that are troubled in hart he shall saue the hum ble and meke spirited Christe geueth saluation to the righte ous and he is the defeÌ„der in the tyme of trouble He helpeth theÌ„ and deliuereth them and maketh them free from finners and saueth them because they trust in hym Christ pardoneth all our iniquities and healeth all our dyseases he delyuereth our lyues from destruction and crowneth vs in iuercye and louynge kindnes Christ is righte mylde and mercyfull flow vnto wrath but ready to forgenenes He chydeth not euer neither is he angrye alwayes he dealeth not with vs after our sinnes nor rewardeth vs accordyng to our wickednesse The height of the heauens is not so present ouer the earth as is his merciable goodnes ouer them that worship him He setteth our sinnes as far from vs as is the East froÌ„ the West Neuer was there any father so tender vnto his chyldren as is the Lorde vnto them that worshippe hym For it is he that knoweth our making he remembreth that we are but of dust That the age of man mortall is lyke grasse that he florisheth lyke a flowre of the fielde Whiche as soone as anye sharp wind toucheth it it is gone being no more founde in hys place But the merciable goodnes of the Lord is for euer and euer preseruyng hys worshippers and the form of his rightwise mâ—… kyng is presente with theyr chylders chyldren so long as they kepe his couenaunt and hold his commaundementes inmynd to do them Christ is the Lorde with whome there is both infinite mercy plenteous redeÌ„tion For he it is that redeemeth Israel from al their sinnes Christ is that Lord yea Christ is that Lord in deede which putteth awaye our iniquities for his owne sake and will remember them no more Neither haue we anye thyng wherby we may be iusti fied in his sight Christ alone is that sauiour in whom Israel is saued with an euerlasting health Christ can no more forget vs then a mother can forgette the chylde of her wombe And thoughe she forgetteth her childe yet cannot he forget vs For he hath written vp vs in his hands so that we are alway in his sight Christ hath taken vpon him our dyseases and borne awaye oure sorowes Christ was wounded for our iniquities and brused for our sinnes Christ was offerd for vs because it was his pleasure Christe alone hath troden downe the vynepresse neither was there any at al that helped him Examples out of the old Testament When God determined to slea all the first borne in the land of Egipt bothe of man and beaste hee commaunded his people euery man in hys house to slea a Lambe of a yere olde and without spot and with the bloud therof to annoynte the vpper doore post and the two syde postes that whan the Aungell whiche smote the land of Egipt should see the bloud he mighte passe ouer them not destroy them This pascal Lambe of the Iewes is a figure of the true Pascall lambe Iesus Christ the Lorde whiche is the pure and vndefiled lambe of God whiche offered him selfe a sweete smellynge sacryfice vnto God for vs which neuer committed synne and in hys mouth no gyle was founde For as the bloude of the Lambe sprynckled on the doore postes of the Israelites dydde dryue awaye the auenger and kepte harmles the fyrst begotten of the Israelites so lykewyse the bloude of Christ sprinckeled in the heartes of men by â—…aythe dryueth Sathan synne death desperation and hell from them puryfieth their consciences maketh their hear tes merye setteth them at one wyth God and bringeth ouerlastyng lyfe as Sainct Iohn saith Behold that lambe of god which taketh away the sinne of the world Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paule christ our passeouer is offred vp for vs. Christ was figured by Manna which God gaue from heauen vnto the Israelites to eate in the desart For as that breade was very plesaunte and good of taste and had in it the sauour of all sweete and deintye meates so that they whiche dyd eate of that neded none other meate Euen so lykewyse is Christ the moste sweete and pleasaunte breade that came downe from heauen He that eateth of thys bread shal lyue for euer neyther nedeth he to folow ani other straung repast For in Christe the soule of a christen man through fayth findeth enough to fede vpon The rock out of the whiche plenty of swete waters gushed out for the coÌ„fort of the thirstye Israelites in the wildernes signifyed Christe also as Sainte Paule dothe declare For as that rocke gaue out abdundance of swete and plea sant waters to the great comfort of the peple of Israel which otherwise should haue pearished so likewise is Christe y â— rock out of the which floweth plenty of heauenlye waters comfortable for the thirsty soule whiche otherwise can not be succoured but muste needes pearish And he that drinketh of those heauenly waters whiche come out of the rocke Christ shall not nede to seeke after the â—…inking dirtie puddles of other For in this Christe he shall finde plentye of waters to drinke yea and that vnto the vttermost for his soules helth as Christ him self sayeth Whosoeuer shall drink of the water that I shall geue him shall neuer more be a thirste but the water that I shall geue him shall be in him a wel of water springing vp into euerlasting life The brasen serpent in the olde lawe was a figure also of Christ. For as those whiche were striken of y â— fyry serpentes were made whole wheÌ„ they loked vppon the brasen Serpent for their faithes sake which they had in the promise of god annexed vnto the ser pent so likewise they that are wounded with the firie darts of Sathan are made whole when so euer they beholde with the eyes of the inward man by fayth Iesus Christe whiche was crucified for our synne as Christ himselfe testifieth sayinge As Moises lyfted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse euen so must the Son of man be lyfted vp that none that beleueth in him peryshe but haue euer â—…astyng life Sentences out of the newe Testament Christ is so called a Sauiour for hee it is that saueth hys people from theire synnes Christe came not to call the iusticiaries but sinners to repentaunce Christ calleth al them that labour and
riche in mercy thorow his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead in sin hath quic kened vs to gether in Christ for by grace are ye saued and hath raysed vs vp together and made vs sit together in heauenly thinges thorow Christ Iesus By grace are ye made safe thorow faith and that not of your selues For it is the gift of God and commeth not of works least any man should boast himself We were straungers and farre of but nowe we are made nigh by thy bloude of Christe Christ is our peace By Christ Iesu our Lord are we bound to draw nighe in the trust which we haue by fayth on him Christ is ascended vp on high and hath led captiuity captiue and hath geueÌ„ gifts vnto men In Christ haue we redemption thorow his bloude that is to saye forgeuenes of sinnes By Christ thorowe the bloude of hyscrosse are all things reconciled to God the father and set at peace both in heauen and in earth This is a true saying and by all means worthy to be receiued that Christe Iesus came into this world to saue sinners There is one God and one Mediatour betwene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus which gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men God hath not saued vs for the dedes of rightousnes which we haue wrought but of his mercy hath he saued vs. We are not redemed with corruptible siluer and gold from our vayne conuer sation which we receiued by the tradicions of the fathers but by the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spotte Christe is the shephearde and bishop of our soules The bloud of Iesus Christ Gods soÌ„ne maketh vs cleane from all sinne If any maÌ„ sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ that ryghteous one and he is a mercye stocke for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of all the world Our sinnes are forgeuen vs in y e name of Christ. For thys purpose appeared the sonne of God to loose the workes of the deuill In thys appeareth the loue of God towardes vs because that God sent his onely begotten Sonne into the worlde that we myght liue thorowe him Herein is loue not that we loue God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to be a sacrifice for our sinnes Christ in hys owne person hath purged our sinnes Christ thorow death put down him that had rule ouer death that is to say the deuill and hath made vs free from the daunger of bondage In that Christ himself suffred and was tempted he is able to succor them that are tempted We haue not an high priest which can not haue compassion on oure infyrmities but was in all poyntes tempted lyke as we are but yet without sinne Let vs therefore goe boldelye vnto the seate of grace that we may receaue mercye and fynde grace to helpe in tyme of neede Christ hath an euerlasting priesthoode Wherefore he is able also euer to saue them that come vnto God by hym forasmuch as he euer liueth to make intercession for vs. Christ being Byshop of good thinges to come came by a greater and a more perfecte tabernacle not made wyth handes that is to saye not of thys manner buildyng neyther by the bloude of Goates and Calues but by hys owne bloude he entred in once for all into the holy place and founde eternall redemption For if the bloud of Oxen and Goates and the ashes of an Heyfer when it was sprinckled purifyed the vncleane as touchyng the purifyeng of the fleshe howe muche more shall the bloude of Christ which thorowe the eternall spirite offered himselfe without spotte to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing god And for this cause is he the mediator toure of the newe Testamente that thorow death which chaunced for the redeÌ„tion of these transgressions that were in the first Testament they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritaunce Christ now in the end of the world hath appeared once for al to put sinne to flight by the offering vp of him selfe We are sanctified by the offeringe of the body of Iesu Christ once for all With one offring hath Christ made perfect for euer them that are sanctifyed Christe loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in hys owne bloud and made vs kings and priests vnto god his father Christe liueth for euermore and hath the keyes of hell and death Christ is Lord of Lordes and king of kings and they that are on his side are cal led and chosen and faithful ☞ Examples out of the new Testament Christ is that welbeloued Sonne of god for whose sake the heauenly father is well pleased with man Christ is that kyng which forgaue the seruaunt the ten thousande talentes that be oughte Christ is that moste louyng Samaritane which healed the wounded man that was halfe dead Christ is that tender shepeheard which fetched home vnto the shepefolde euen vpon hys shoulders the lost shepe Christ is that most gentle father which wyth so great ioy and with embracinge armes receiued home againe the lost son Against suche as go about to disswade the christen people from the studying readyng or hearing of gods worde IF Sathan or any of his impes goe about to disswade thee and to plucke thy minde from studying readyng or hearyng gods woorde that thou mayest walke in darkenes and neuer come to the knowledge of the truth least by this meanes thou shouldest be saued leane not vnto hym but enarm thy selfe against his wicked teÌ„ptations with these scriptures followyng ☞ Sentences out of the olde Testament THou shalte tell thy sonne at the same dai say because of that which the lord dyd for me wheÌ„ I departed out of Egipt Therfore shall it bee a signe vnto thee in thyne hand and a token of remembrance before thine eyes that the law of the lord may be in thy mouth how that the Lord broughte thee out of Egipt with a mightye hande Speake to the children of Israell and say vnto them that they make theÌ„ gardes vpon the quarters of their garmentes amongst all your posterities and put yellow râ—…handes vpon the gardes in y e quarters And the gardes shall serue you that ye may looke vppon them and remember all the commaundements of the lord and do them y â— ye order not your selues after the meanyng yf your owne harte nor go a whoryng after your owne eyes Therefore shall ye remeÌ„ber do all my coÌ„maun dements and be holy vnto your God Take heede to thy selfe now and kepe well thy soule that thou forgette not the thynges which thine eyes haue seene and that they depart not out of thy harte all the dayes of thy lyfe And thou shalte teach them thy children and thy childers children Heare O Israell the
wyll caste an hunger vppon the earth not the hunger of breade nor the thirst of water but of bearing the word of the Lord. And they shal go from sea to sea and walke aboute from the South to the East sekinge the worde of the Lorde and yet shall they not finde it ☞ Examples out of the 〈◊〉 Testament GOd the Father wrote the law of the ten coÌ„maundements in tables of stone with his finger and commaunded Moyses to declare them vnto the people The people are commaunded of God not only to rede his holy law but also diligently to exercise them selues in the me ditation therof so long as they liue and to teach it their childreÌ„ yea to talk of it both in their house and when they go abroad and to write it vpon tâ—…e thresholds dores and postes of their houses that it may bee â—…er in their sight For man shall not liue with breade alone but with euery worde that procedeth from the mouth of God A kinge is commaunded to reade the boke of the law of the Lorde all the dayes of his life that he may feare the Lorde his God Iosua was commaunded that the boke of the Lordes law should not depart from his mouth but that he shoulde study in it day and night that he might kepe and do all thinges that are written in that boke King Saul was cast down from his roy all estate because he was negligente and disobedient to the law of God When Dauid lay on his deathe bed he saide to Sallomon thou shalt prosper and come to great renoume if thou kepest the commaundementes and ordinaunces which the Lord commaunded Moses Ioas when he was crowned in y â— temple had the law of the Lord deliuered vnto his handes that he shoulde keepe and maintaine the same Iosaphat that walked in the commaundementes of the Lord loued Gods word so entierly that he sent hys princes Leuites and priestes to teach in all partes of Iuda which had the booke of the Lordes law with them and went about in all the cities of Iuda and taught the people Ezechias diligently walked in the law of the Lord purged his realme of all idolatry set vp againe the true worshipping of God exhorted all his subiectes to followe the lawe of their Lord God Iossas that most godly king which walked so purely in the waies of the lord that he declined neither on the ryght hand nor on the left when the boke of the law was deliuered vnto him did not only cause the booke to be red before hym but he himself also red it before all his people both small and great and all idolatry destroyed restored the true religion to hys kingdome Esdras red the law of the Lord plainly and distinctly to the people they gaue very earnest and diligent attendaunce to the bearing of it Susan from her infanciâ—… was so diligentlye brought vp of her parentes in the lawe of God that she did not onely feare god but also chused rather to be stoned vn to death then she would once transgresse the law of god by committing adultery Sentences out of the newe Testament Man shall not liue with breade alone but with euery worde that commeth out of the mouth of God Uerely verely I say vnto you this age shal not passe till all these things be done Heauen and earth shall passe awaye but my wordes shall not passe away Blessed are they that heare the word of god and kepe it Blessed is he that eateth bread in the kingdome of God They haue Moyses and the Prophets let them heare them If they heare not Moyses and the Prophets neither will they beleue though one shoulde rise from the dead Thys is condemnation that lyghte is come into the world and that men loued darkenes more then lyght because theyr workes were euill For euery man that doth euill hateth the lyght neyther commeth he to y â— light least his workes should be reproued but he that doth truth commeth to light that his deedes myghte bee known how they are wrought in god Search the scriptures for ye thinke to haue eternall lyfe in them and these are they which testifie of me neyther will ye come vnto me that ye may haue life The wordes that I speake to you are spirite and life Lord to whom shal we go Thou hast the wordes of euerlasting lyfe He that is of god heareth the wordes of god But ye heare not bicause ye are not of god If a man kepeth my worde he shal neuer see death My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and thei folow me and I geue them euerlasting lyfe Walke while ye haue light least darknes ouerwhelme you He that walketh in darknes knoweth not whether he goeth While ye haue light beleue in the lyghte that ye may be the children of lyght He that hath my preceptes and keepeth them he it is that loueth me If any man loueth me he will kepe my word and my father will loue him and we shall come to him and dwell with hym This is euerlasting life euen to knowe thee the alone true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Euery one that is of the truth heareth my voyce The gospell of Christ is the power of god vnto saluation for so many as beleue Except the Lorde of bostes had left vnto vs sede that is hys most blessed word we had bene as Sodom and might well haue bene likened to Gomorra Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Whatsoeuer thyngs are written afore time are writteÌ„ for our learning that we thorowe pacience comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope The word of the crosse is to them that perishe folishnesse but to vs â–ª that obtaine saluation it is the power of God If the gospell of Christ be yet byd it is byd among them that are loste in whom y â— god of this world hath blinded y â— minds of them which beleue not least the light of the glorious gospel of Christ which is the image of God should not shyne vnto theÌ„ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly with all wysedome Teach and monish one an other Quench not the spirite Despise not the studies and preachinges of the holy Scripture Proue all thinges and that is good holde faste God will all men to be saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth Geue thy minde to reading exhortation and doctrine continue in these things Continue in reading the holy scripture which is able to make thee wyse vnto saluatioÌ„ thorow the fayth which is in Christ Iesus For all Scripture geueÌ„ by inspiration of God is profitable to teache to improue to amend and to instructe in ryghteousnes that the man of god may be perfecte and prepared to all good workes The word of God is
deuise thinges which be to harde to be kept through which the poore are oppressed on euerye side and the innocentes of my people are therewith robbed of iudgement Wo be to those shriÌ„kiÌ„g childreÌ„ saith y â— lord which seke counsel but not at me whiche take a web in haÌ„d but not after my will y â— they may heap one sinne vpon an other Thus saith the Lorde my thoughtes are not your thoughtes and your wayes are not my wayes but as farre as the heaueÌ„s are higher then the earth so far do my wayes exceade youres and my thoughtes your thoughtes Your lippes speake leasinges and your tong setteth out wickednes No man regardeth righteousnesse and no man iudgeth truly Euery man hopeth in vaine things and imagineth disceite conceiueth wickednes and bringeth forth euil They breede Cockatrices egs weaue the spiders web Whosoeuer eâ—…eth of their egs dieth but if one tread vpon them their commeth vp a serpent Their webbe maketh no cloth and they maye not couer them with their laboures Their deedes are the deedes of wickednesse and the worke of robbery is in their handes their feete runne to euill and they make haste to shed innocent bloude Theyr councels are wicked councels hate and destruction is in their wayes but y â— way of peace they know not In their goings is no equitie their waies are so crooked y â— who so goeth therin knoweth nothing of peace My people haue committed two greate euils They haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters and digged them pits pits I say that are broken and can hold no water Take bâ—…de saithe the Lord ye truste in coâ—…sels that begile you do you no good Heare not the wordes of the Prophets that preach their owne dreames Heare O ye house of Israel saith the lord Is not my way right or ar not your waies rather wicked The children of thy people saye tushe the way of the Lord is not right where as their way is rather vnright Examples out of the olde Testament Ieroboam kynge of Israel contrary to gods word made two calues of gold and set them vp to be worshipped of people as their goddes but both he and his posteritie were greuously punished for it How greuously god punished al such as brought in strauÌ„ge worshippings of god or any matters concerning Idolatrye or ought els contrary to y â— word of God although y â— authors of theÌ„ made the simple people to beleeue y â— they were verities although vnwritteÌ„ as the Papistes do now adaies y â— holy scriptures in diuers places do euideÌ„tly shew namely in the bokes of the kinges and of the chronicles ☞ Sentences out of the new Testament Except your righteousnesse dooth excede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Phariseis ye can not enter into the kingdome of heauen Beware of false Prophets which câ—…me vnto you in sheepes clothing and inward ly are rauening wolues Why do ye transgresse the commaundenâ—…ent of God for your tradicions Euery plant y â— my heaueÌ„ly father hath not planted shal be plucked vp by y e rotes This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am wel pleased heare ye him Teache them to kepe all thinges that I haue commaunded you Ye leaue the commaundemeÌ„t of god and maintaine your owne constitutions Well ye do caste aside the commaundemeÌ„t of god to kepe your own tradicions If ye abide in my worde ye are my disciples in deede and ye shall knowe the truthe and the truthe shall make you fre He that is of god heareth the wordes of God My sheepe heare my voice I knowe them and they followe mee neither shall they at any time pearishe nor yet shall any man pluck them out of my hand He that hathe my commaundementes and kepeth them he it is that loueth mee If any man loueth me he will keepe my wordes If ye keepe my commaundementes ye shall abide in my law Ye are my frends if ye doe those things that I commaund you Euery one that is of the truthe heareth my voyce I dare not speak of any of these things that Christ hath not wrought by me I beseeche you brethern marke them that make deuision and geue occasions of euil contrarye to the doctrine y â— ye haue learned and auoid them For they that are such serue not the Lord Iesu Christe but their own bellies with swete preachiÌ„gs and flattering words deceiue the harts of the simple Though we our selues or an Angel froÌ„ Heauen preache any other Gospel to you then that whiche we haue preached vnto you holde him accursed As I saide before so say I now againe if any man preach any other thing vnto you then that ye haue receiued holde him accursed Thoughe it be but a mans testament yet no maÌ„ despiseth it or addeth any thing therto when it is once alowed How much more ought nothing to be added to the tes tament of the moste highe God nor yet be taken from it Be no more children from heÌ„ceforth wandring and caried with euerye winde of doctrine by the wilines of men crafts whereby they lay awaite for vs to deceiuâ—… vs but let vs follow the truth in loue and in all thinges growe in him whiche is thy head that is to say Christ. Caste away vngodlye olde wiues fables exercise thy self vnto godlines If any man teache otherwise is not content with the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christe and with the doctrine of godlines He is pufte vp knoweth no thing but wasteth his brains about questioÌ„s strife of wordes wherof spring enuye strife rayling euill surmisinges and vaine disputations of menne of corrupte mindes and destitute of the truth whiche thinke that lucre is godlynes From suche seperate thy self If any man speake let him speake as though it came of gods owne mouth Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not god He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ hath bothe the Father and the Sonne If there come any vnto you and bring not this lerning him receiue not to house neither bid him god spede For he that bid deth him god spede is partaker of his euil deedes Be not caried about with diuers and straunge learninges If any man addeth to these thinges god shall adde vnto hym the plages that are written in this booke And if any maÌ„ shall minish of the wordes of this boke of this Prophecy god shal take away hys parte oute of the booke of life and out of the holye citie and from those thynges which are written in this booke Examples out of the newe Testament Christ rebuketh the pharises for bringing their traditions into the churche of God by that meanes defacyng the glory of Gods most holy worde Blessed Sainct Paule reproueth them which be dead with Christ from the commaundements
end Sentences out of the olde Testament CAine the figure of all wicked and blou dy Tirantes slew his brother Abel while he liued he was a runnagate and a vagabound hauing an vnquiet conscience and now being dead he is a dampned soul in Hel. The Tirauntes and mighty Giaunts with all the world besides 8. persons were drowned after they had liued long in plea sure and in all the filthy desires of the wic ked flesh without repentaunce The filthy Sodomites liued in all kind of voluptuous abhominacion the conclusion was that they were consumed with fire and brimstone from heauen Pharao handled the people of God very cruelly entending vtterly to destroy thē all but the ende was that bothe he and all his army were drowned in the sea and the people of Israel harmeles preserued Sisar and Abimelech beinge greuous enemies of gods people were slayne of wo men Holophernes for all his proud lokes en tending to destroy the Israelits was slain him self of a woman Saule persecuted Dauid the seruant of God entending to slea him but Dauid escaped Saule was slaine with the sword Achitophel remembringe what wicked councel he had genen Absalon against his Father Dauid perceiuing that it wold not come to passe so mighty is God to destroye the wicked councels of the vngodly he went home and hanged him self ◅bsolon pursuing and sekinge his Fathers death in the midst of his furye was hanged by the heare of his head on a tree and so dyed Ioab was slaine because he killed two good men euen Abner and Amasa The house of Hieroboam because hee made Israell to sin was destroyed by the sword of Baasa king of Israel Quene Iesabel that great enemy to the seruantes and Prophets of the Lorde was throwne downe hedlonge out of an highe windewe and troden downe with horses feet and at the last deuoured and eaten vp of dogs Iehu slew the house of Achab for the Prophets that were slaine King Ioas was slaine of his owne seruauntes because he slewe Zachary the sō of the hyghe Priest Ioiada wythoute a cause The wicked king Sedechias whiche so cruelly handled the Prophet Ieremy had both his eyes put out and being fettered with chaines of Iron he was caryed priso ner into Babilon where hee miserablye died Amon that most proud accuser and inuentour of mischiefes against the Iewes preparing a paire of galows for good Mar docheous that faithful Israelite was han ged vpon them him self They that accused Daniell to y ◠kinge and sought his death were caste into the dongeon and deuoured of the Lions The vngracious and wicked Iudges which sought the deathe of that godly woman Susan were slayne them selues Andronicus which s◅ew that good man Onias was slayne him selfe Sentences out of the new Testament WO be to you that are rich that haue therin your consolation Wo bee to you that are full for ye shall honger Wo be to you that now laugh for ye shal wail and wepe Wo bee to you when all men shall prayse you for so dyd their fathers to the false Prophetes Many walk of whome I haue told you often and now I tel you wepyng that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ who se ende is damnation whose God is their belly and whose glory is their shame whiche are worldly mynded Go to now ye rich men wepe and houle one your wretchednesse that shall come vp on you Your riches is corrupte your garmentes are motheaten your golde and siluer is cankered and the ruste of the◅ shal be a witnesse vnto you and shall eate your flesh as it were fyre c. I heard a voyce from heauen sayinge◅ O my people come awaye from Babilon that greate whore and mighty strompet the mother of the abhominacions of the whole earth Come away I say from her that ye be not pertakers of her sinnes that ye receaue not of her plages for her sinnes are gone vp to heauen and god hath remēbred her wickednes ▪ Reward her as she re warded you and geue her double accor◅dinge to her woorke And pooer in double to her in the same cuppe whiche she filled vnto you And asmuch as she glorifyed her selfe and liued wantonly so muche poure ye in for her of punishmente and sorowe For she sayd in her selfe I sitte beinge a Queene and am no widow and shal see no sorow Therfore shal her plagues come at one day death and sorow and hunger and shal be brent wyth fyre For stronge is the Lord god which iudgeth her Examples out of the new Testament The riche and proud glutton which was gorgeously apparelled and fared daintely euery day and yet woulde haue no pity on the poore Lazare dyed and was caryed in to hell Iudas that betrayed Christ hanged him selfe Herode which greatly vexed the congregation of Christ and slew Iames the brother of Iohn euen in the middes of his pomp and glory was smitten down of the Lords angel and was eatē with wormes and so miserably perished Elimas the sorcerer and false Prophete resisted Paules preaching but he therfore was stretght wayes striken blynd thorow the mightye power of God Against the most horible and damnable sinne the synne against the holy ghost IF the Deuill which seketh nothing but thy des◅ruction labour so to harden thy harte that thou contrary to thy knowledge euen of a pretensed wilful malice shouldst impugn the truth of Christs gospel and persecute the same in his menbers and so sinne against the holye ghost and blaspheme the Lorde thy God vnto the damnation both of thy bodye and soule loke that aboue al thinges in this be halfe thou leauest not vnto his wicked temtations if thou ◅enderest thyne owne saluation but rather withal thy power resist him by calling these holye scriptures vnto thy remembraunce Examples out of the olde Testament I will put him oute of the booke that sinneth against me A man that speaketh euill of his God shall beare his sinne and he that blasphemeth the name of the Lorde◅ let him dy◅ the death All the people shall stone him whether he be a citezen or a straūger what soeuer he be that blasphemeth the name of the lord let him dye the death If one man sinneth against another God maye be mercifull vnto him but if a ny manne sinne againste God who shall pray for him The soule that dothe oughte presumt◅ ously whether he be an Israelite or a straū ger the same blasphemeth the lord And that soule shal be rooted out from amonge his people because he hath despised the worde of the Lorde and hath broken his cōmaundemente That soule therfore shal perish and hys sinne shal be vpon him They reioyce in doyng euil and delight in wicked thinges They make boast of theyr sinnes them selues as the Sodomites did and hide thēnot Wo
bee vnto their soules for they haue rewarded 〈◊〉 vnto theÌ„selues Byd the righteous do wel for they shal enioy y â— fruites of their study But wo be vnto thâ—… vngodly and vnrigheeous for thei shal be rewarded after their workes Thou shalt not praye for thys people thou shalte neyther geue thankes nor byd prayer for them Thou shalte make no in tercession to me for them for in no wise will I heare thee Readâ—… fourth This said the lord vnto me thou shalt not praye to do this people good for thoughâ—… they fast I will not heare their prayers Though they offer burnt offrings and sacrifices yet will not I accepte them For I wil destroy them with the sworde and hunger and pestilence ☞ Examples out of the olde Testament THe seruauntes and all the army of the proude Senacherib were destroyed for their blasphemy agaynst god Holoâ—…rnes blasphemed God when he sayde that there was none other god of the earth but Gabuchodonosor and therfore was he afterwarde slayne euen of a woman Nabugodonosor blasphemed god wheÌ„ he sayde to the three chyldren who is the God that caÌ„ delyuer you out of my hands The children of Isarell blasphemed god therfore perished when they sayd to the Prophet Ieremy As for the wordes that thou haste spoken vnto vs in the name of the lorde we will in no wise heare them But whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth that will we doo We will do sacrifice and offer oblations vnto the quene of heauen lyke as we and our forefathers our kyngs and our rulers haue done in the cityes of Iuda and in the streates and fieldes of Ierusalem For then had wee plenteousnesse of vitails then were we in prosperytye and no mysfortune came vpon vs. But sence we lefte to offer and to sacrifice vnto the quene of heauen wee haue had scarsnesse of all thynges and perish with sworde and honger Those Iewes blasphemed God which saide let vs goe and make a couenaunte with the Heathen that are rounde aboute vs. For since we departed from them we haue had sorowe inough Nicanor blasphemed god when he saide Is their a mighty one in heauen that commaunded the Saboth daye to be kept It was aunswered yea euen the liuing god the mighty Lorde in heauen commaunded the. vii daye to be kepte Then sayde be and I am myghty vpon earth to commaunde them for to arme themselues and to performe the kinges busines Sentences out of the newe Testament He that is not with me is again me saith Christe And be that gathereth not with me scatereth abrode Therfore I say vnto you all manner of sinne and blasphemy shal be forgeuen vnto men but the blasphe mye agaynste the spirite shall not be forgeuen vnto men And whosoeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgeuen him But whosoeuer speaketh against the holy ghost it shal not be forgeuen him neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come If any men see his brother sinne not vnto death let him aske and he shal geue him life for theÌ„ that sin not vnto deth Ther is a sin vnto death for which I say that a maÌ„ should not pray It maye not be that they whiche were once lightened and haue tasted of the heauâ—…nly gifte and were become partakers of the holy ghost and haue tasted of the good word of god and the powers of the world to come If they fall awaye ' that they should againe be renewed by repentaunce which in them selues do crucify the sonne of God making a mock of him If we sinne wilfully after that we haue receiued the knowledge of truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a feareful loking for iudgement and violent fire whiche shall deuoure the aduersarie He that despiseth Moyses lawe dyeth without mercye vnder two or three wytnesses How muche sorer suppose ye shall he be punished which treadeth vnder foote the Sonne of God and counteth the bloud of the Testament wherewith he was saÌ„ctified as an vnholy thing and dishonoure to the sprite of grace Examples out of the new Testament The Iewes spake blasphemie against the holy ghoste when they said of Christ by the power of Belzebub doth he cast out Deuils They were blasphemers whiche sayde to Christe hanginge on the cros thou that destroyedst the Temple of GOD and buildest it againe in three dayes saue thy selfe If thou be the sonne of God come down from the crosse They also spake blasphemy against the holy ghost which now adaies of a pretensed malice condemne the worde of God as herey and persecute the preachers therof as heretickes and sedicious persons Against the despising of Gods word of the plagues that follow the same IF the deuil go about to pluck downe thy minde from the loue of gods worde and to moue thee to despise the doctrine of thy saluation so that thou shouldest no more delight in the moste comfortable gospel of Christe which is the power of god to saue so many as beleue but rather in thinges of vanitie â—…ake hede that thou leanest not to his subtile suggestions but standing in awe of gods iudgementes â–ª and fearing his plagues valeauntly resist Sathan with these holy scriptures following ☞ Sentences out of the olde Testament IF ye wil not harken vnto me saieth the Lord nor kepe my commaundementes but despise them c. then wil I doo this againe vnto you I will set my face against you and ye shall fal before your enemies and they that hate you shall raigne ouer you I will make the heauen ouer you as hardyron and your land as hard as bras I will sende my wilde beastes vpon you whiche shall rob you of your children and destroy your cattel I wil send a sword vp on you that shall auenge my Testament with you I wil send the pestilence among you Reade the Chapiter to thend If thou wilt not harken to the voice of the Lord thy God to kepe and to do all his commaundements and ordinaunces then all these curses shall come vpon thee ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the Towne and cursed in the Fielde cursed shall thine almayrye be and thy store Cur sed shall the fruite of thine bodye and the fruite of thy lande be and the fruite of thy oxen and the flock of thy shepe The Lord shall make the pestilence cleane to thee vn til he haue consumed thee from the lande The Lord shall smite thee with madnesse blindnes and dasing of hart because thou seruedst not the Lord thy god with ioyfulnes and with a good hart for the abouÌ„daÌ„cs of all thinges wherefore thou shalt serue thine enemie which the Lord shal send oâ—… thee in hunger and thirste in nakednes in neede of all thinges And he shall put a yoke of iron vpon thy necke vntil be haue brought the to nought Read this Chapiter diligeÌ„tly from the beginning to
had lost his sight grudged not aginst god that the plage of blindnes chaunsed vnto him but remained stedfast in the feare of god and thanked God â—…l the dayes of his life Ezechias being warned of God by the Prophet to prepare himselfe vnto deathâ—… death prayed vnto god in the time of hys sicknes and obtained fifteene yeres longer to liue Manasses being afore an Idolatour a maintayner of Idolatry after that god had plagued â—…i euen wheÌ„ he was in tribulatioÌ„ He besoght y e Lord his god humbled him self excedingly before y â— god of his fathers made intercessioÌ„ to him He hard his pray er brought him againe to Ierusalem into hys kingdome Examples out of the new Testament IF any man wil come after me let hi for sake him self take his cros folow me By manye tribulations must we enter into the kingdome of heauen â–ª We reioyce in tribulatioÌ„ for we know that tribulation bringeth experience experience bringeth hope and hope maketh not ashamed If we suffer together we shal be gloryfied together For I suppose that the afflictions of this life ar not worthy of y â— glory which shal be shewed vpon vs. Be patient in tribulation If we liue we liue to be at the lords wil And if we dye we dy at y â— Lords wil whether we liue therfore or dy we are y â— lords While we are punished we are corrected of the Lord lest we shuld with this world be condemned We are not weried but though our ont warde man perishe yet the inwarde man is renewed day by day For our exceading tribulation whiche is shorte and lyghte prepareth an excedinge and euerlastinge weyght of glory vnto vs while we loke not on the thinges whiche are seene but on the thynges that are not seenne For thinges whiche are seene are temporall but things which are not seÌ„e are eternall Reade the fist Chapter of the seconde to the Corinth My strength is made perfect thorowe weaknesse Uery gladlye therfore will I reioyce of my weakenes that the strength of Christe maye dwell in me c. Reade the. 12. chapter to the Hebrues Be pacient aud settle your hartes for the commyng of the Lord draweth nye Take the Prophetes for an example of suffring aduersitie and of long patience whiche spake in the name of the Lorde Be hold we count them happy which endure â—…e haue heard of the patience of Iob and haue knowne what end the Lorde made for the Lord is very pitiful and mercifull The Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptacion Examples out of the newe Testament The prodigall sonne before hee was plagued gaue his mind to all kind of riot and vnthriftye rule but after that he was striken with pouertye he knowledged his faulte he submited himself to his fathers wil pleasure and so was receued again into fauour A certayne man after he had bene punished with sicknes for his sin by the space of thirty eight yeares was made whole of Christe There haue bene many good men both in the olde new testament of whom som were racked and woulde not be deliuered that that they might receiue a better resurrection some tasted of mockinges and scourgings some of bondes and emprisonmente some were hewen a sunder were tempted were slayne wyth swoordes walked vp and down in sheues skinnes in goates skins in neede in tribulation and vexatioÌ„ which the world was not worthy of they wandred in wildernes in mountaynes in dens in caues of the earth c. ☞ Against the temptation of the deuel for not satisfiing the lawe of god and for nby sinfull liuinge If Sathan at the houre of death or any other timet would pluck the from thine assuered stedfast faith in Christs bloud and perswade thee that thou art but a dampned wretch forasmuch as thou hast not so trayned thy life that thou hast satisfied the law of God but rather liued wiakedly and therfore deserued euerlasting damnation be on good comfort desâ—… paire not harken not to this wicked suggestions neither haue thou respecte to thy workes deedes which whan they be moste righteous and pure ax as the Prophet saith like a cloth polluted with mâ—… strue if they be coÌ„pared to that puritye and cleanes whiche the law requireth and shoulde be iudged of Gods righteousnes according to their desarts but settle thine eyes stedfast on Christ and his merites consideringe not what thou haste doone but what Christ hath done for thee if thou repent and beleuâ—… and alwayes haue these moste comfortable Scriptures in thy remembrance Sentences out of the olde Testament AL they that put their trust in thee shall not be put io confusion Call to remem braÌ„ce O Lord thy tender mercies and thy louing kindnes which haue bene euer of olde Oh remember not the sins offences of my youth but accordinge vnto thy mercy thincke thou vpon me O Lord for thy goodnes sake Mine eyes are euer looking vnto the Lord for he shal plucke my feete out of the net Because he hath put his trust in me I wil deliuer him I wil defeÌ„d him because he hath knowne my name Reade the. 104. Psalme I know that thou wouldst maliciously offend sayth God Therfore haue I called thee a transgressoure euen from my mothers womb Neuertheles for my names sake I will withdrawe my wrath and it shal be for my honours sake if I patiently forbeare thee and roote thee not out By the knowledge of him whiche is my righteous seruaunte sayth God the father of christ He shal iustefy the multitude forasmuch as he hath borne away theyr sins To know thee O Lord is perfect righte ousnes yea to know thy righteousnes and power is the roote of immortality Examples out of the olde Testament Adam transgressed theÌ„ commaundement of God in Paradise and by his transgression made both hymselfe and all vs bound to eternall dampnation Nohe fell into the sinne of dronkennes Lot was not onelye dronken but also lay with his owne daughters and so committed the greuous sinne of incest Abraham denied his wife Moses committed manslaughter Dauid committed both manslaughter and whoredome Salomon was an idolator All these wyth manye other of the olde Testament were sinners and offended the Lord their God by breaking of his lawes yet for theyr fayth whiche they had in that blessed seede which was so oft promised of God the father euen Iesus Christe they were saued Sentences out of the newe Testament We are not vnder the law but vnder grace The law of the spirite that bringeth life thorow Iesu Christ hath made me free froÌ„ the law of sinne and death Christ is the perfect fulfilling of the lawe to iustefy all that beleue No man is iustefied by the law in the sight of god The iust that is the faithful christian shall
in Paradise Against sinne death and hell IF Sathan in the time of sicknes or els whaÌ„ goe about to fray thee to quenche thy spirit either with the greatnes of thy sinnes or els with the error and fearcenes of death and hell be not dismayd but with a lustye courage resiste his temptations with these most swete and comfortable scriptures Sentences out of the olde Testament I am he indede sayth god he which puteth away thy sinnes yea that for myne own sake will remeÌ„ber them no more As for thine offeÌ„ces I haue driuen theÌ„ away like the cloudes and thy sinnes as the miste Turne thee againe vnto me for I haue redemed thee Where is ther such a god as thou artâ—… that pardonest wickednes and forgeuest the offences of the remnaunt of thine heritage He keepeth not his wrathe for euer And why for his delighte is to haue compassion He shall turne againe and be mercifull to vs hee shall putte downe our wickednes and caste al our sinnes into the bottome of the sea Out of the power of death sayth the lord wil I deliuer them yea from the death it self wil I redeme them O death I will be thy death O hel I wil swallow thee vp Examples out of the olde Testament That holy king and prophet Dauid being fully perswaded that by Christ which was to come Sathans head was broken a sunder sinne was vanquished death was ouercome hell was swalowed vp that they could nothinge hurt that faythful man lamented sorowed that he continued so long in this vale of misery and moste hartelye wished to be deliuered out of thys prison and to goe vnto the Lord his God That godly and aunciente father Toby knowing that neither sinne death nor hell can do any thing against gods choseÌ„ people which in Christe haue gotten the victory ouer them al so that they nede not to feare death nor anye thing to come after this life praied to god on this maner Nowe O lord drale with me according to thy wyl and commauÌ„d my spirite to be receiued in peace for more expedient were it for me to dye than to liue Sentences out of the new Testament CHriste shall saue hys people from their sinnes Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world There is no damnation to theÌ„ that are graft in Christ Iesu. Christe came into the worlde to saue sinners The bloud of Iesu Christe maketh vs cleane from all synne Thorow the name of Christ al Prophets beare witnes that so many as beleue in him shal receiue remissioÌ„ of their sinnes Death is swalowed vp into victory Wher is thy sting O death Wher is thy victory O hell The sting of deathe is sinne and the power of sin is the lawe But thankes bee to God which hath geuen vs the victory thorow our Lord Iesus Christ. By death hath Christ put him to flight that had lordshippe ouer deathe that is to saye the Deuill that he myght delyuer them which thorow the fear of death were all theyr lyfe tyme in daunger of bondage Examples out of the new Testament SO sone as the auncient father Simeon had seene and receiued Christe into his armes he fering neither sin death nor hel shewed himselfe redy to depart out of this world and spake with a ioyful voice O Lord now lettest thou thy seruaunte depart in peace c. Blessed Paule knowing that thorowe Christ the power of synne death and hel is so altogether weekened that they can do the faithful no harme wished to be losoned out of this world and to be with Christ. ¶ Against them that deny the resurrection of the body IF that olde enemy Sathan labour to perswade thee that there is no resurrection of the dead but as the bodye returneth to death so shall it for euer continue in the earth neuer receiue lyfe again nor line either in glory or in peace after this present life that therfore thou maiest liue as thou iust defende thy selfe against his cruel assaults 〈◊〉 these senteÌ„ces exaÌ„ples of the holy scripture Sentences out of the olde Testament The Lorde killeth and maketh alyue againe bringeth downe to the graue and stretchetâ—… vp againe I am sure that my redemer liueth and that I shall rise out of the earth in the latter day and that I shall be clothed againe with this skinne and see god in my flesh yea I my self shall beholde him not wyth other but with these same eyes These that be deade will I raise vp againe from their places and bringe them out of the graues Thy dead shall liue euen with my body shall they rise againe Awake and singe ye that dwel in the dust For thy dew is euen as the dew of hearbes and the earthe shall cast out of her them that be vnder her the earth shall disclose her own bloud and shal no more hide â—…em that are slaine in her Your bones shall florish like an herbe Beholde saith god I wil put breath in to you that ye may liue I wil geue you sinowes and make fleshe growe vpon you and couer you ouer with skin and so geue you breath that ye may liue knowe that I am the Lord. Thus saith the Lord god behold I wil open your graues O my peo ple and take you out of your Sepulchres Many of them that slepe in the duste of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life some to perpetuall shame and reproofe Examples out of the olde Mestament THe Prophet Helias raised vp froÌ„ death vnto life the Sonne of the widdow of Sarepta which is in Sidon Helizeus obtained of God a Childe for his Hostesse which dyed and as afterward by the prayer of Helizeus raysed vnto life Read and mark diligently the 37. Chapiter of Ezechiel A certaine woman with her 7. Children were cruellye put to death because they would not eate swines flesh contrary to gods worde at the commaundement of the kinge The seconde of the brethren saide vnto the kinge thou moste vngracious person puttest vs now to deathe but the kinge of the worlde shall raise vs vp which dy for his lawes into resurrection of euerlasting life The mother of the 7. Children sayde thus vnto them I cannot tel how ye â—…am in my woÌ„be for I neither gaue you breath nor soule no nor life It is not I that ioyned the members of youre bodyes together but the maker of the worlde whiche fashioned the birth of man and began all thinges Euen he also of his owne mercye shall geue you breath and life againe like as ye now regard not your own selues for his lawes sake ☞ Sentences out of the newe Testament AS touching the resurrection of y â— dead haue ye not reade what is said vnto you of god which saieth I am Abrahams god and Isaackes god and god is not the god of
and likenes in righteousnes true holines Suffer vs not to geue ouer our selues againe vnto our olde lusts and concâ—…piscences where with we were led when we knewe not thee nor thy Soâ—… Christe but eueÌ„ as thou whiche hast called vs art holy so likewise graunt y t we mayâ—… be holy in all our conuersation O mercyful god not the hearers of thy law but thâ—… fulâ—…llers of it shal be iustified Neither shaâ—… euery one that saith vnto thee Lord Lord enter into the kingdom of heaueÌ„ but the that do the wil of thee our Father which art in Heauen To confes thee with our mouth and to deny thee with our deedes worketh rather our damnation then saluation For the true knowledge of thee consisteth not in talking but in working not in fauouringe but in folowinge not in louinge but in liuinge To promise thee by mouth that we wil worke in thy vineyarde and yet worke nothing at all declareth not vs to bee thy sonnes but rather bastardes To bragge of the iustification of faith and not to bringe forthe the fruites therof to glorye in the merites of thy sonne Christe in his bloude death and passion and not to liue worthy in his kind nesse to profes thy holy gospel and not to walk according to the doctrine thereof to be baptised in thy name and not to mortiâ—…y our members which are of the earth nor to walke in a new life to be partakers of the deuine misteries and not to bee made one spyryte wyth thee what auayleth it Wee are thy freendes if wee doo those thinges that thou commaundest vs. We are thy seruauntes if we be obediente to thy will Wee are thy Sonnes if we honour and reuerence thee according to thy woord We seeke thy glory if we attempt nothing whereof thou shouldest be dyshonoured Leadinge a life confirmable to thy blessed will wee shall prouoke the ve ry enemies of thy truth to prayse thee but coÌ„trariwise thou shalt be euel spoken of Graunt therfore we beseech thee that our life may answer to our professioÌ„ and that the light of our good workes may so shine before men that they seinge our godly coÌ„uersation may gloryfye thee our heauenly father Amen ¶ A short praier to be sayd at the receiuing of the mystery of Christes bodye at the holy communnion O Heauenly and blessed father I render vnto thee most harty thanks for all thy benefites which thou hast shewed vnto me most wretched sinner but specially for y â— most swete smeling sacrifice which thy only begotten son offred vnto thee on the aulter of the crosse by geuing his most pure and vndefiled body vnto the deth for the redemption of mankind in the remenbraunce wherof according to thy welbeloned sonnes ordinance I now receiue this holy bread most entierly beseching thee y e I may both be partaker of the merites of thy deare sonnes body breaking and also lead a life worthy of so great a benefit vnto the glorye of thy name Amen A Prayer to be sayd at the receyuing of the mistery of Christs bloud in the holy communion O Blessed and merciful Father thy loue toward me sinful creature is so exceading great and vnspeakeable that I cannot but geue vnto thee most huÌ„ble thaÌ„ks â–ª namely for the sheding of the moste precious bloud of thy dear Sonne Iesu Christ by the vertue wherof thy wrath stirred vp against mee wretched sinner is pacified My raunsome is payed the lawe is fulfilled my enemies are ouercome and put to flight In remembraunce of this so noble a victorye and of so great a benefite I am come to this thy table O mercifull father to drink of this cup. Desiring thee that as my outward man is comforted by the drinking of this wine so likewise my inward man may be comforted and made stronge by true faith in the precious bloude of thy moste deare son O Lord my heauenly father geue me thy holy spirit which may so rule and gouerne my hart that I neuer be vnthankful nor forgetful of this thine exceading great kindnesse But so traine my life according to thy blessed wil that what soeuer I do speake or thinke may be vnto the glory of thy blessed name and the helth of my soule thorowe Iesu Christe oure Lord. Amen For all them whiche lye in the extreme panges of death or otherwise O Pitiful Phisicion and healer bothe of soul and body Christ Iesu Uouch safe to cast thine eyes vpon this poore sinfull creature Nâ—… who lyeth heere captiue and bouÌ„d with sicknes turning his weaknes to thy glory and to his helth And bout safe good Lorde to send him pacience and sufferance that he maye with a true and perfect faith fight manfully against all teÌ„tations of the Deuil that he maye no longer continue So be it ☞ A confession for all people to be sayd in the morning O Merciful and most louing father whose loue is infinite whose mercy endurethe for euer We sinful creatures trustinge in thine vnspeakable goodnes and loue towards vs do appeare this morninge before thy deuine maiesty most lowlye confessing our manifolde sinnes and in innumerable transgressions of thy commaundements and fatherly wil. Against thee onlye against thee O Lorde haue we sinned therfore we confesse our sinnes we knowledge our offences we accuse our selues vnto the O mercifull Lord and wil not hied our vnrighteousnes We find in our selues nothing but ignoraunce of thy wil disobedience mistrust doubtfulnes in thy goodnes incredulitie hatred and con tempt of al spiritual thinges selfloue con fidence in our selues and fâ—…ruent lustinge after carnal thinges of this worlde And this tree of our corrupt nature bringethe forthe continually in vs none other fruit but rotten and vnsauery workes of the flesh in thoughtes wordes â–ª and doinges vnto condemnation Wherfore we humbly besech thy fatherly goodnes euen for thy sonne Iesus christes sake whom thou hast set forth for a purchaser toÌ„wardes vs of mercy throughe faithe in his bloude to make our hearts cleane Take away our stony hartes and geue vnto vs a true and a liuelye taith whichshal worke continually by loue through Christe Haue mercy vpon vs forgeue vs our sins for thy sons sake Certefy our coÌ„science of remission of the same by thy holy spirit by whose operation we maye so mortefye in vs our old man the whole body of sinne that we continually dyinge vnto sinne may walke in newnes of life to the glory of thy name through Iesus Christ our lorde So be it Then say this 86. Psalme treatably BOw downe thyne eare O Lord and heare me for I am pore and in misery O preserue my soule for I am holye my God saue thy seruant that putteth his trust in thee Be mercifull vnto me O Lorde for I will call dayly vpon thee Comforte the soule of thy seruaunt vnto thee O lord do I lift vp my soule For thou lord art good and gracious and of great mercy vnto all them that cal vpon thee
¶ The Gouernaunce of Uertue teaching all faythful christiaÌ„s how they oughte daily to leade their lyfe fruitfully to spend their time vnto the glorye of God the health of their owne soules Newlye corrected augmeÌ„ted by Thomas Becon 1566 ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Day ⧠CVM PRIVILEGIO Regie Maiestatis THOMAS BECONVS SACROSAÌ„CTAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR AETATIS SVAE 41 AN o. DNÌ„I 1553. Ora expressa vides viuos immitantia vultus Quod potuit calamo pictor arte vides Mentis quam Nullus potuit tibi redere pictor Effigiem scriptis prebuit ipse suis To the Godly Reader GRace groweth after gouernaunce Is an olde saide saw in eche place If gouernaunce hath good resemblance Grace delighteth to folow the trace Grace glorieth in godly gouernance Grace hasteth â—…o her haule and palace Grace doth godly gouernaunce auaunce And cause it to excel in eche place Where gouernaunce is godly wise Sage Sober Honest and Prudent There doth grace gloriously deuise To haue her seate aye permanent But if gouernaunce be wicked Idle wanton vndiscrete and vaine Grace whiche is godly disposed With such gouernaunce can not remaine This boke shall thee instruct therfore Thy life vertuously to leave That grace with thee may euermore Remaine as Gods moste blessed seede To fight against Sathan and sinnes To represse errours and heresies To pray to God his grace to winne In this boke to learne thou maiest deuise Take thou it therfore in good part As a ioyful Iewel for thy welth And geue God thankes withall thy hart Which by his worde worketh thy helth As for my trauaile and paine I craue none other recompence But thy life vertuously to traine That thou maiest enioy gods presence â–ª FINIS 3. Regum 1. If a man be vertuous ther shal not an heare of his fal to the ground But if wickednesse shal be found in him he shall dye for it Tobi. 4. Loue vertue all the dayes of thy life and walk not in the wayes of wickednes For while thou studiest for vertues thou shalt haue good successe in al thinges that thou goest about and so shall all they that loue goodnesse A Table to fynde the principall matters contayned in this booke AN exhortacion to the Reader The Epistle dedicatory How a man should be haue himself in the morning when he riseth A prayer in the morning A confession of our sinnes vnto God the father How thou shouldst behaue thy selfe before thou go to dinner A prayer before dinner Of the behauiour at the Table in dinner time A thankes geuinge after dinner What is to be done after dinner Of Supper A prayer before Supper Of the behauiour at the table in supper time A thankes geuing after supper Of going to bed A prayer to be sayd when we goe to bed A prayer to be sayd â–ª when thou art in bed Remedies against all kindes of temptacions Against Idolatry Against infidelity or misbeliefe Against the heresy of such as deny Iesus Christâ—… to be god Against the heresy of them which holde that Iesus Christe the sonne of God tooke no fleshe of Mary his Mother Againste the grosse and fantasticall opinion of the Papistes which affirm that Christes naturall body and bloud is carnally eaten and dronken in the Lords supper Against the plucking away of thy trust and confidence from Christ and his merites to put in the merites of other creatures or in thine own good workes or in the intercession of Saintes or in sacrifice of the popish Masse Against such as go about to diswadâ—… the christian people from the studiing reading or hearinge of Goddes woorde Against strange religion or newe found woorshipping of God Against mens traditions and vnwritten verities Against the folowing of vngodly forefathers Against the wicked olde customes longe vsages Againste suche as slaunder Christes gospell by cal linge it newe learninge Against pensiuenes and thought taking for the life Against hunger pouerty or carefulnes of liuing Against keping of euill company Against idlenes Against swearing Against lying slaundering â–ª and filthy or vncleane talke Against pride or vayneglory Against feasting glotony and dronkennes Against fornication and adultery Against couetousnes Against rebellion and disobedience Against malice grudge enuy hatred and anger Against the temptation of the faythfull in consideringe their owne miserye and contrarywise the wealth of the wicked Against the most horrible and dampnable sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost Against the despising of gods word and of the plagues that folow the same Against carnall security and fleshly liuing without the feare of God Against the flacknes of doing good workes Against the troublous tempestes of sicknes of losse of goods or any other kind of aduersity Against the temptation of the Deuill for noâ—…t satis fieng the lawe of God and for thy sinfull liuing â–ª Against desperation for thy late conuersion and tur ning vnto God Against sinne death and helâ—… To the right honorable and moste vertuous young Lady Iane Semer daughter to the highe and mightie Prince Edward Duke of Somerset his grace Thomas Becon wisheth increase of godlye knowledge in Christe Iesu our Lord. THere are no Parents most godlye Ladye that deserue better of the Christen publique weale then they whiche thorow gods gift hauing Children employ all their endeuours to traine them vp euen from theire verye cradels in good letters in the knowledge of gods moste blessed wil that with their young yeres learning vertue and godlines may grow and encrease and the younglinges by this meanes be made at the last auncient and perfect schollers in the mistery of Christes schole This careful study and studyous care for the vertuous bringing vp of youth god in time paste earnestlye required of all Fathers and Mothers in the common weale of hys people the Israelites and according to gods holy commaundement suche as vnfainedlye feared the Lorde their God and wished wel to their countrey refused no laboure no paine nor cost that their children might be made profitable members of the publique weale As I may pas ouer the auncient and holye Patriarches whiche were before the law of Moyses of whose diligeÌ„ce in the vertuous bringing vp of their yonglinges it is more than double wickednesse to doubt seing we haue this euident testimony of Abraham euen of gods own mouth Shall I hide froÌ„ Abraham saith god that thinge which I entend to do Seing that Araham shal be a great and a mighâ—…ye people and all the nations of the earth shal be blessed in him I know this also that he wil commaund his Children and his housholde after him that they keepe the way of the Lorde and do after righte and conscience What earnest diligence did the moste noble and vertuous King Dauid shew in the godly bringing vp of his Children speciallye of Salomon that he might become a Prince worthye both for his godlynes learning wisedome and pollicye to rule in the common weale after him What godly
instructions also gaue he him when he was at the point of deathe Beholde saieth he I muste walk by the way of all the worlde neuerthelesse be strong and quite thy sel◅ manfully and se thou kepe the appointment of the Lorde thy god that y ◠walke in his wayes ▪ and kepe his commaundement ordinaunces lawes and testimonies as it is written in the law of Moyses c. Likewise rede we of the auncient Father Toby which taught his young Sonne Toby to f◅are god from his infancye and to abstaine from all sinne His exhortations are to godly and so meete for all persons to learne that I think it not conuenient to passe them ouer with silence His wordes are these Herken my Sonne what I wil say and lay my wordes in thy harte as a foundation My Sonne when I am dead bury me and after despise not thy Mother but honoure her all the dayes of her lyfe and do to please her and not to displease her My Sonne remember howe greate perill she suffered bearing thee in her wombe and when she is deade bury her in the same graue by me Sonne reuerēce our Lord God at all times sinne not nor break not his commaundements ▪ but loue vertue all the dates of thy life and walk not in the waies of wickednes For while thou studiest for vertue thou shalt haue good successe in all thinges that thou goest aboute and so shall all they that loue goodnes Do almes of thy substance and be no ◅igard in doing of it Turne not thy face awaye from any poort man as thou wouldest that God should not turne away his face from thee Geue as thou shalt be able if y ◠haue much geue much and if thou haue little geue of that little For thou shalt lay vp for thee a good treasure against the daye of necessitie For almes deliuereth from death and suffreth not the soule to come into darknes Alms is a great comfort before the highest to all that vse it My Sonne beware kepe thee from all whordom and vse no euil company besides thy wife Suffer pride neuer to ryse in thy minde no not in word for death is ioyned to pride and muche trouble and to hautines is ioyned displeasure and great pouertye and she is mother of honger Let no mans hire remaine with thee whose seruice thou hast had but forthewith pay his wages for vnto thee also seruing God reward shal be geuen Sonne be circumfpect and ware in all thy deedes and in all that thou doost while thou liuest be wise and do not to any man that thou wouldest not to be done vnto thee Drink not wine vntil thou be drōk nor cary it not with thee by the way geue thy bred to the hungry and with thy clothes couer the naked What soeuer thou hast more then is sufficient geue it to the poore and neuer grudg to be liberall set thy bread vpon the Sepulcres of the iuste ▪ and bestow it not vpon the noughty Aske councel alwayes of the wise and despise no good councel Be alwayes praying vnto the Lord and beseeche hym that he willorder thy footesteppes and wayes and prosper thy deuises for no people are wise but the Lord him selfe is the geuer of all good thinges and thrusteth down whome and who hee listeth My Sonne be not afrayde we leade a poore life in this world notwithstanding if thou feare god and studye to please him thou shalt haue goodes inoughe Therefore my sonne remember my preceptes and put them not out of thy minde Againe being redye to dye he called vnto him his sonne and his sonnes Children and among all other things he spake vnto him on this wise kepe thou the law and cōm◅un dements and shew thy selfe merciful and iust that thou mayest prosper Haue god euer in thy remembrance and praise him at all times w t all thy might In like maner reade we of the Parentes of that most godly and chast woman Susanna whiche be ing righteous thē selues taught their yong daugh ter to feare the Lord her god euen from her verye cradle and diligently brought her vp according to the law of Moyses Luke also in his boke of the Apostles maketh mē cion of the foure daughters of Phillip the euangelist whiche did Prophecy that is to saye were so godly brought vp in the knowledge of gods moste blessed lawe that they were able to declare and expounde the holy Scriptures and misteries of God according to this prophecy I wil poure out of my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes your daugh ters shall prophecye Dooth not blessed Paule also commende Timothe because he had knowen the holy scriptures euen of a childe Diuers histories mo mighte be alledged out of the holy Scriptures to declare the carefull studies and earnest labours which the holyfathers in time past tooke for the godly and vertuous bringing vp of theyr younglinges that they mighte be fathers not onely of the bodye but also of the minde and for theyr power satisfy the good will of God which re quireth of all parents an earnest diligence a watching ye in bringing vp theyr children in his nou◅ ture and feare in his word and doctrine but these for this present may seme aboundauntlye to suffice Furthermore as touchinge the heathen whiche of them all euen from the lowest both amongest the Romaines and the Greekes with diuers other na tions although hauing respecte not vnto the glorye of God wherunto the end of all studies oughte to be directed but only vnto the auauncement of thēselues vnto the maintenaunce of good politique ciuill and honest orders vnto the hability of rulinge in a comom weal vnto the polishing of their wit vn to eloquence vnto immortality of their name Enforced not both them selues to bee learned but also soughte all meanes possible to haue their children brought vp in good letters That their yonglings might become learned what paynes or costes refu sed the parentes They sente theyr children from country to country from one learned man to an other Many of them called learned men home vnto theyr houses gaue them honorable intertainmente great giftes and large stipendes for teaching theyr children There was no burthen to heauy no laboure to paineful no cost to charge able for them so that theyr children might proue learned If they obtayned that they thoughte themselues worthye and righteous parents and to deserue well both of theyr children and of the publike weale And as euery one of them excelled in worthines and auctority so laboured they that both themselues their children should excell and passe the baser sort in lear ninge iin knowledge in vertue honest behauiour in so much that if any wer vnlearned and wanted the godlye qualities of the minde albeit he wer of an honourable parentage he was counted of no re putation called a stone a blocke a beast a golden slaue a sheepe with a golden Flcese an horse trapped with
liue by faithe Christ hath deliuered vs from the curse of the lawe whyle he was made accursed for vs. As manye of you as are iustified by the lawe are fallen from grace We loke for and hope in the spirite to be iukified thorowe fayth Christ is our peace he hath broken down the walle that was a stop betwene vs he hath also put awaye thorow his fleshe the cause of hatred that is to say the lawe of commaundementes contained in the lawe written be so making peace hath reconciled vs to God thorow his crosse Christe hath put oute the band wrighting that was agaynst vs contained in the lawe written and that hath he taken out of the way and hath fastned it to his crosse and hathe spoyled rule power and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouor them in his owne person Be it knowne to you ye men and brethren that thorowe this manne Christ Is preached vnto you the forgeuenes of sinnes and that by him all that beleue at iustified from al things from the whiche â—… could not be iustified by the law of Moses Examples out of the new Testament MAthew was a tol gatherer The Apostles were ambicious and did striue amoÌ„g them who should be highest and of greatest authoritye Mary Magdalen was a greuouse sinner Peter denied and forsoke Christ thrise Paule persecuted the congregation of Christe Al these yea and why not transgressed the lawe of God for as Christ sayth Moses hath geuen you a law and yet none of you do fulfil it not with standing for theyr repentance and fayth in Christes bloud they obteyned remission for their sinnes and are made the sonnes of God heires of God felow heyres with christe of euerlastinge glory For if righteousnes come by the lawe then died Christ in vayne but euerlâ—…sting life is y â— gieft of God thorow Iesus Christ our Lord. Against disperation for thy late conuersion and turning vnto God IF Sathan lay to thy charge that thou commest very late and turneste vnto God out of tyme and therefore there is no hope to bee looked 〈◊〉 set these scriptures before thine eyes and euer remember that there is no conuersion vnto God to late in this life â—…f it come of faith but at whatsoeuer houre a sinneâ—… repenteth beleueth and turneth vnto God he is well accepted and freely receiueth remission of all his sinnes ☞ Sentences out of the olde Testament Let the vngodly man forsake hys owne wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginat ions and turne againe vnto the Lord so shal he be merciful vnto him to our God for he is very ready to forgeue Returne O thou rebel Israel saith the lord and I wil not turne awaye my face from you For I am holy sayth the lord I wil not turne away my face from you For I am holy saith the Lorde and I wyll not be angry for euermore As truely as I liue saith the Lord god I haue no pleasure in the death of the wic ked but much rather that the wicked turne from his way and liue Turne you turne you from youre vngodlye waies O ye of the house of Israell Oh wherefore will ye die The wickednes of the wicked shal not hurt him whensoeuer hee conuerteth from his vngodlines If the wicked shal repente him and turn from al his sins which he hath wroughte and shal kepe all my precepts and do iudg ment and righteousnes he shall liue and shall not dye I will not remember all his iniquities which he hath wronght In his righteousnes which he hath wroght shall he liue It is not my will saith the lorde that the wicked should dye and not rather that he shoulde turne from hys wayes and liue Turne and repent ye from al your iniquities and your iniquityes shall work you no displeasure Cast away from you all youre wickednesse wherein ye haue offended make you a newe hearte and new spirite And wherfore wyl ye die O ye house of Israell For I wyll not that any man should dye sayeth the Lord. Returne therfore and liue Turne to the Lord youre God for he is great and merciful pacient and of much kindnes and redye at all tymes to forgeue yea eueÌ„ wheÌ„ he is at the point to punish At all tymes when a sinner turneth vnto me sayth the lord I wyll no more beare hys iniquityes in my mynde but freely forgeue them God appointeth here no time of our coÌ„ uersion but whensoeuer we turne he pro miseth vs fauour life mercy and forgeuenes of sinne Examples out of the olde Testament After that the Prophete Nathan at the coÌ„maundement of god had rebuked kinge Dauid for his dissolute manner of liuing Dauid strait waies with a sorowful repen taunt hart turned vnto the Lord and huÌ„bly confessed his sinnes saying I haue offended the Lord. The Prophet immediatly answered the Lord also hath put away thy sinne Dauid did not so sone conuerte but that he was as sone forgeuen to signifie vnto vs that at what so euer time wee vnfainedly turne vnto the Lorde our god he will haue mercy on vs and forgeue vs. The Niniuites for theire abhominable liuyng were thretned vtterly to be destroi ed within forty dayes but they falling vnto repentaunce and turning vnto the lord theire GOD were forgeuen spared and not destroyed Sentences out of the new Testament They that are whole haue no nede of a Phisicion but they that are sicke I came not to call the righteous but sinners vnto repentaunce Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are laden and I shall refreshe you Heere Christ prescribeth no time he only biddeth vs come and be the burthens of our sinnes neuer so greuous and heauy yet wyll be ease vs of them The Sonne of man came to seeke and saue that which was lost God wil haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truthe If any man sinneth we haue an aduocate with god the father Iesus Christ y e righte ous one And he it is that obtaineth mercy for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but for all the worldes Examples out of the new Testament The labourers in the Lordes vineyarde that came last of all receiued their peny sâ—…wel as they that came in the morning nei ther had one more then another The history of the thefe which was ful of wicked deedes and neuer turned vnto God vntil the very houre of his deathe declareth manifestlye that there is no con uersion in this life to late if it be accompanied with true repentaunce and vnfained fayth The thief hanging on the crosse and at the poynt of death onlye sayd to Christ Lorde remenber me when thou coÌ„mest into thy kingdome And Christ wel acceptiÌ„g his conuersion sayd vnto him truly I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me