and cullor hir guile adioyneth vnto hir inchauntment the Lordes Prayer And the Diuinar or hee that telleth and calleth vp by Spirites hee snatcheth something from Christ and hée will haue a leg or an arme of him and so inflamously abuseth the godhead of the Lorde But to take away this olde wiues Tale I thinke it expedient to say somewhat and at the first rather then to interrupte my speech hereafter As therfore Nadab and Abihu the Sonnes of Aaron that offered vp incense in the same Censor that their Father did Yet because they did it not aright they dyed for it So heare though wee praye all with one prayer and powre out our supplications at one time because wée praye not all alike with minde in spirite vnto the Lorde they bee to none effecte neyther auayle they And as there was in the Wildernesse one Manhu wheron Israell fed yet some wicked and disobedient had not the like nourishment and effect therof as had others So the prayer of the Lorde though hée gaue it to all that all might vse it yet it is not profitable to him abuseth it And as Saull vsed Samuell after his death the Pythonest called the Diuell by the name of him hee was not and the Diuell deceyued Samuell and did not profit him So it is with vs The prayer of the Lorde vnto the wicked beeing wrested to their death as Samuell was by the Diuell to blinde Saull shall neuer helpe them But abandon these wicked men wee must and permit them not so much as to haue speech with vs God hath heaped vp iudgement against the day of iudgement to consume them For the prayer of it selfe I say not well the bare wordes not rightly vnderstoode they bee no better then any other The Oyle and the Waxe and the Hony and the Tarre bee common things but to ioyne them to mixte them to compound them togeather to giue them to the pacient at conuenient time there is the cunninge The Nettle byteth yet it healeth the Flaxe it cureth yet it burneth the Spider poysoneth yet shée profiteth Then all thinges are good euen the vngodly man to him can vse him So is the prayer of the Lorde Otherwise as God hath his electe in the Courtes of the Ethnicke and as hee saueth some in the Turks Pallaces and among the Iewes kéepeth those he will haue kept so what saluation can they or others looke for if faith and life of man were tyde to this prayer seeing there bee a number that neuer as yet did knowe the same Also where is Abraham Isaak and Iacob which neuer prayed thus There is then many things to be wayed before wee presume to ground any Religion and health vppon man for repeating this prayer Then this order and manner of praying we must haue it of some other not of our selues therefore hee whiche hath taught it vs and instructed vs in his Spirite graunt vnto vs the true vse hereof in his bloud Trueth it is in Crisostome his Homily that Maximus speaketh Euery one when he prayeth let him pray vnto the Lorde Wherefore my procéeding into this so great a matter maketh mée in doubt but that the Lorde is where he alwayes was to take in hande so great a mysterie But I am content as hetherto I haue to vse my countrie speeche and I knowe that all alike vnto the Lorde is that man accepted that goeth cottered and torne in his ragges as he that is stuffed and pampered vp in veluets and it is a common fashion in the worlde in those our dayes for euery one to vse his libertie of spéeche and lasciniousnesse of tongue in this point Hee that is poore why shoulde I praye saith he for I haue nothing The ritche man he standeth in little néede he hath enough The strong man hee knoweth his portion hée séeketh for no more so valiant and puissant is he in this life The proude man he is in his ruffe hee noddeth with his head and beckeneth with the hande hee setteth saile to all things The incestious person what can he aske he liueth in pleasure The merchaunt what hath he to do with God the winde and weather serueth him And in commeth the student and he maketh his reckoning he casteth and he tumbleth ouer his bookes he looketh and hopeth for nothing for his witt helpeth him So that the whole worlde it is deuided euery one thinketh he hath little to do with god Then my firste note is that this prayer in generall appertaineth to all For from the tabernacle to the tente from him that sitteth in the gate to the poore man in the fielde from Tirus euen from those that go to Tharsis to the thresher the corne flower from him that giueth wages to him that receiueth hire from him that putteth on silke and softe clothing euen vnto Lazarus that lyeth at the doores seuerally from the toppe of Sion to the poore cottage From the Cedar trées of Libanon vnto the man remaining among the fennes and flagges it is his duetie he is bounde he ought to remember that he should praye For hée that sendeth his Cammels for spieerie and aduentureth to Corinthum for Iewels that prouideth into Arabia to get the purest golde and so gréedely searcheth for the riches of Damascus nay though he tarrie at home and abideth the Sunne all the dayes of his life and suffereth the bitter frostes in Winter though hee be created to tende cattell and to kéepe the wilde Coalte and the Asse in the Wildernesse though his handes be wearied with the plough and his arme withered vp with holding of the rake though he sit at the threshholde and haue not wherewithall to féede him yet hath he his soule to looke vnto that in my iudgement it is time to séeke narrowly abroade to recken with our selues to giue attendaunce to waite on God for euery one that liueth hath néede of prayer But to ransake euery thing more narrowly let vs knowe what it is is contained herein for wée dispute not for ritches or for wealth or for honour that vanisheth away but for the Lorde for Christ the firste thing that is mentioned is this that wee call on God and we saye O our father In the scriptures God is called the Lorde of Hostes the iudge of the whole earth the King of Kinges a consuminge fire the founteine of life that sitteth vppon the Cherubynnes that ruleth the worlde And here we call him by the name of father I am not purposed to runne paraphrastically on this if it please you to staye on my simple iudgement this I thinke If in our prayers we make vnto God we should call him Lorde wee spake vnto one that wee thinke shoulde haue dominion ouer vs If as to a Iudge we ought to stande at the barre and holde vp our handes and pleade for our selues then shoulde he sit with his twentie foure elders and giue sentence vppon vs If as to
him self but from the father that sent him the had giuē him a commaundement what to say what to speake And sainct Paul saith I make open vnto you the Gospel which I preached whiche you haue receiued wherein you stande and wherein you are saued Therefore we looke not here vpon the madnesse of Enthusiastists that be franticke and thinke they haue the spirite Nor of the Anabaptistes that looke for reuelations and dreames But wee take a meane giuen vnto vs by the spirit which is the word For as man hath power to heare to vnderstande to giue eare to reade so vnlesse there come a schoulemaister to instruct vs and a gouerner to guide vs wee doe as Agrippa did We come but faire and softely I acknowledge an hethnish and as it were an outlandish kinde of reuerence that we giue vnto the lord which is in a bare sight of the heauens vewe of the Elementes that iudgeth there is a Lorde But this it maketh not vnto saluation And for that cause the Prophets the Apostles calleth man but by the name of him that is in darkenesse and in death And therefore sainct Iohn saith the light appeared in darkenes and the darkenesse comprehendid it not And Sainct Paul saith the worldly or fleshly man perceiueth not those things which are of the spirit for they be foolishnes vnto him And Christ himself affirmeth the no man knoweth the father but the sonne he vnto whom he reuealeth him And againe when he asked Peter who saist thou that I am He aunswered thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing god Happie art thou Symon said the Lorde for flesh and bloude hath not reuealed this but my father which is in heauen And therefore verie louingly it is said vnto vs that for this end Christ came into the world euen vnto iudgement that those which are blinde might sée Then this is the ful force and aucthoritie of the spirite that ruleth and altereth the actions in man and maketh the doings of those in the world to be acceptable by quickening reuiuing by altering by renewing the man of God which before was vnperfect That it is the worke of the spirte take that in the Prophet they shal be all taught of god Any that of Christ when the comforter shall come the spirite of truth he shall teach you all things For so I finde it euerie where Lydia did heare whose hart the Lorde opened that she might giue eare vnto the words of Paul. And therefore one of the Prophets I will giue them an heart they shal knowe me So that the true vnderstanding hearing following and obseruing the laws of the Lord from whence come they But from aboue from the Lorde of trueth from him that willeth the saluation of all euen of all those that hee will saue For where Sainct Paul saith that the fulnesse of gentiles shall come in And againe it is saide in the Prophets all flesh shall sée the saluation of our God. I vnderstand it thus Euen as Augustine doth vpon that place in Math. That God willeth all men shal be saued of those saith he whome he hath determined for to saue For as Gregorie Nazianzen confuteth the heretickes that denied the holy ghost to be God out of the first of Iohn that reasoned with him in the same text Euen so do I here For vpon that place in Iohn by him were all thinges made and without him were nothing made that was made they cauell thus The holy ghost is some thing and existeth Ergo the holy ghost is a creature and made by him That father Nazianzen aunswereth thus Al things were made by him or created of those things saith he which he did make or create And so say I he willeth the life of all and giueth saluation vnto all euen to whom in his secrete power and determinate purpose he will giue vnto To those he giueth Therefore Ieremie had a sore fall here at and stumbled greuously in my iudgment in one place where I finde thus It is our parte to beginne that is good but the part of God to end it our part to offer that we can his part to finish that we wil But howe can we most miserably liuing here on earth will that which is good without the will of God or giue assault thereunto which are of strength to accomplish nothing Augustin fasted hereof and almost poysoned him selfe therewith if he had not lifted his head from the cup as he did For he imagineth that faith whereby wee beléeue in God is not to bee saide the gifte of God but to be within vs as from vs And thereby wée begin to wishe and to aske the giftes of god But he gaue ouer this in the ende and attributeth all vnto the Lorde that helpeth prepareth prospereth and maketh readie all our heartes The diuersitie in those that are baptized sheweth this For all alike receiuing the Sacraments are not like in conuersation in life in manners and children some are taken awaye at the time of regenerating some before they are brought into the Church Others before they come to full groweth dyuers in the middle age of which none of them I know but would go to heauen if it lay in their power to get it But because it is the choise of the Lorde and he clecteth vs wée may cry with Sainct Paule Oh the heighth depth and breadth of the riches of the Lord howe vnsearchable are his woorkes and his wayes past finding out Therefore I like that whiche is in Cyprian That wee must bragge in nothing because nothing is ours Onely among the fathers Clemens and Cyprian are those whose bookes I wishe alone to bee read of suche as God hath giuen wisedome vnto and good iudgement in the discerning of Scriptures For they bee daungerous to wade in and though they were neare the Apostles time yet all the chaffe and the rubbigges that our late writers haue stuffe vp their volumes withall séemeth to bée fetched from thence This disputation might bee prolonged But the searching out of the fathers is a greater labour then can be arraigned vnto soudenly And the lothsome sente wherewithall our late writers dooinges are taynted do discourage mée to meddle with them I briefely ende thus If there be yet a reason to bee shewed in naturall causes Or if we wauer and falter in things that be common with vs If the mouing of the beauens cannot be opened If no man can shewe a reason of the brightnesse in the Sunne nor of the cléerenesse of the ayre or of the operation of the winde or of the order and knitting togéether of the bodie If wee cannot measure out the sinewes or drawe out the ioyntes or vnfolde the secreat creuisses in the head What are wee to reason and dispute with God Howe feedeth hee the young Rauen Howe is the Phenix hatched Howe keepeth he the Storke What daiyaunce hath he
to the hope that Paul had receiued by faith in one Christ Or teacheth his younge scholer to be setled grounded in the lor◠For without controuersie it is the mistery of Godlynesse which is God is manifested in the flesh iustified in spirite séene of Angels preached vnto the gentiles Beleeued on in the world receiued vp in glorie Al which of the remission of our sinnes of our redemption wrought of our iustification finished of our glorie to be reuealed what assurance can we haue in this life where withall can wee be made certeine bowe can we comprehende the height the depth and breadth here of but only by faith in the same Christ For as Chrisostom in his sermon Of Faith Hope Charitie So determeine I in this place of the same Faith is the beginning of reighteousnes the head of our sanctification the entraunce or path way to our deuotion the foundation also of our religion Haec excludit dubia tenet certa promissa consignat hanc qui tenet foelix est Augustine de vera innocentia Cap. 352. Hath laide a perfecte platforme of our faith in my iudgment It is faith in Christ for so he saith to beléeue in him that iustifieth the wicked to beléeue in the Mediator without whom no man is reconciled to God. To beeleeue in the Sauiour which came to seke to saue that was lost To beleeue in him which sayd without mée yée can doo nothing Theodoret nameth this faith in his first booke De fide an assured agréement a consent or certenty or affiaunce that we haue of inuisible thinges which are yet to come The meaning whereof is expressed by Thalassius that calleth Christ our sauiour nameth him God in whome we are iustified that hee might quicken vs make vs aliue in him therfore also he hath giuen vnto vs faith to attaine life In his Hecatondate 4. Isychius though paraduenture it sauour a little of the law the Prophets calleth Christ a sacrifice For no man saith he can atteyn the sacrifice of our Lorde that is his death but by the spirite of god * In the. 5. vpon Liuiticus And I take this to be more necessarie to be knowen as I doe finde it most expedient for man For as without water there is no plāting or as without the son there is no prospering or as without wisedome there is no cunning No more is there life without doctrin or saluation without teaching or hope without trust or Christe without the worde or the worde without God or they al with out faith Paulinus vppon the death of Celsus hath a proper verse Nam veluti rupto patuere sacraria velo sic reserat nobis legis operta fides But ouerlonge I suppose in this and some what tedious and truely I confesse it for the libertie that I haue in Christ and the fréedome I haue gotten by his death hath swallowed me vp That euen nowe had I not bene admonished the you be already weary I shoulde haue forgotten my selfe in this my tarying It may be the late speach hereof soundeth in your eares that tossing it to and fro in my former reading requireth at this time I would not handle it so roughly And I am content to stay this course onely take of me this watchword he the beléeueth not he is a sinner and he that hath not remission in the death of Christe shat man cannot be saued The next is as we forgiue them that offende against vs Guen all those that trespasse or commit offence or endamage or hurt vs or seeke our life or goods or such like the reason whereof I take to bee this God hath promised to be kindly good to Israel to be a father and a Lorde vnto them to comfort them and helpe them as it is euery where then euen for our owne sake to liue thereafter to feare him We haue example in Christ to for giue others as he forgiueth vs for be you mercifull because I am mercifull And if that the Lorde hath pardoned vs that deserued eternall death and condempnation is it much for vs to forgiue our poore Brother that hath but offended in transitorie things hereon earth The example of Christ may mooue vs that when he was smitten did not smite againe and when hee was reuiled reuiled not And when he hanged on the Crosse and they rayled on him desired his father that hee woulde not lay their sinne vnto their charge Our praying here that hee would forgiue vs as we forgiue others is not therefore put in that wee by forgéuing shall receiue rewarde and that because we remit other their offences Therefore wee also shall haue pardone at the handes of God that were beastly in vs to thinke so For then it were by desert then were it of merite that we shoulde haue eternall life But euen here is our protestation the badge seen of our Christianitie in that we conforme and make our selues like vnto Christ that forgaue all Therefore Cyprian adiunxit legem certa nos lege sponsione cōstringēs sic nobis dimitti debita postulamus secundum quod ipsi Debitoribus nostris dimittimus For true it is that is in Math. With what measure we meat with the same shall wee be measured againe And if we play as that same vnfaithfull seruaunt did that when all was forgiuen him yet went and tooke the lawe of his fellowe seruaunt It is in a hazarde that he binde vs and cast vs not in the gayle and fetter vs till we haue paide our whole debt If thou be at the altar and then remember thou hast any thing against thy brother lay downe thy gift saith one of the Euaungelists by Christ and after recencilation made come and offer at the aultar It is an assured and most certein signe of our faith if we be such as our maister was It beateth and treadeth downe the pride and hautinesse of man that as he is most stately is often times bent to crueltie and as he is puffed vp reuengeth most as he is most guilty and greatest offender so he spareth none For as wee be rauished till we sée the bloode of him we loue not so here we are clipped of from this liberty That natural heate most commonly bubling within vs by our first birth is extinguished by the méekenes and humblenesse of spirite that we haue from the Lorde As I am not here of the opinion of that Stoycke to set fire on the house of him I hate to weare my drawen swoorde to wounde him I meete nexte that I hate most so permit I also a libertie to the christian a reuenge to the godly man that he appeale from priuate iniuries to open maiestracie And this daggar is able to wound the proudest Anabaptist of them all the I knowe this day whose priuate affection could neuer abide the any should sit in Moses seat But these hissing serpens
downe the truth That wise men may know them and the simple flye them That only God may bee glorified in the ordinary meanes hée hath appoynted The beginninge wherof I can fetch it from none other then from that villanous secte of Enthusiastistes that was the beginning and Orriginall of beastly and filthy deuinacions and liued by inspiration as I finde in ▪ Theodoret of Cyrus whose beginner therof and Kingleader was sometimes Salbas ruler among very wicked and graceles men And Adelphius and Daodes and Simeones and Hermes with others And as Iudas for betraying Christe so were these for abusinge the Church very infamous and noted amonge the Fathers These fellow seruaunts and Copemates as it were with Nouatus that infected them of Phrigia and Paphlagonia with his precisenes exactnes of life permitted none that had sacrifised to Idols to come neare the church refused the maner of Baptisme the was vsed permitted none to come to the holy misteries Neyther yet referred him to the mercy of god Which how much it differeth frō them in our English Church wherof the Lorde bée merciful vnto vs there is a great nomber euery where sprong vp of late denying our order manner in baptisme thrusting such frō the Supper of the Lord as they like not take them selues onely for the pure perfect church refusing others with such like opinions a number as the like hath béen seldome séen in any age in any church since Christes comming in so short a space as is now I can compare them to no one state of any cōmon wealth so neare and so narrowly as I can vnto that wherof there is some mention made in Sleidons Commentaries in his tenth booke For vnto the same great and famous Cittie of Mounster the Metropolis of Westphalia there resorted certaine Anabaptistes whose beginning and Orriginal was taken from one Tho. Muncer that raised a tumult of the cōmunalty And these pretended certeine holynesse and puritie of life in so much that counted as Godly and zealous christians they were neuer espied they delt so closely and holilye in life vntill they began to spreade thorowe out Germanie and Luther almost al other learned men inueighed against them But after when this their childhoode began to reatch vnto it fresher bloude and gathered strength to creepe withall not farre from Mounster at a Church of S. Morris the yeare of our Lorde 1332. One Barnearde Rotman a preacher of the Gospell gathered together a great audience in that Citie and suppressed at the first by the Catholikes being sent away emptie without hope of that he came for he went aside to another countrey for a space Yet after that retourned backe being very popular he rauished the minds of the people he preached very sincerely hee liued vprightly and faught zealously But knowe all and iudge with me dissembling a long time what he was Commeth at length a certein Cobler to Mounster out of Holland to name Ihon Leidan A ranke Anabaptist hauing got acquaintance with the preachers assotiated kept company with them after familiaritie among thē being well knowne to the cōmons he inueighed openly against the state At which time one Herman Stapred as preuie to the drift of his fellowe Rotman linked him self at length with the rest it was that Stapred the was scholler to Henrick Rolly which a little before was executed at Vtreight for the opinion of Anabaptisme but it grew to so great inconueniēce here with them of the city that the senate banished al the pack of thē yet the subtiltie of these men preuented the intent of the wise Senate neither departed they but kept secretly in holes corners went priuely to the followers of their sect lurked there for a space taught in the night preached in priuat places vsed conuēticles gathered cōpanies the the nūber of thē in the end increased aboūdātly And then hauing gotten the vpper hande came in the diuilish deuice of running vp downe in the stréetes as though they had been inspired with a kinde of prophesie Then began one Kniperdoling with other lay mē to vse expoundings interpretations and diuinations Woemen were prophets and spake openly in congregations Good preachers were exiled and in their steede came vp the ofscowring of the Citie and then began ciuil warre and murther discention and confusion of the state For my owne part I iudge Christianly and the Lord God looke vpon me in the same yet this I think that the Lorde being angry hath somewhat care long to say vnto vs And for the thing it selfe he that hath but one eye may séewhat marke it is they shoote at for the state the lawes the common wealth if their request bee graunted cannot stande And as in the reigne of Emperour Charles the firste began moste bloodie broyles by auarice and herisie that sprange vp So in espetiall it was seene in that vnlucky Westphalia when heapes of deade men lay scattered in the stréetes and the bodies of their Emperours were vnburied when the Senate was expelled euery one that ought priuat grudge ware a dagger in his sleeue to cut his neighbours throte And all things were in common when this heresie was spreade in many places thorow out Germanie that if was lawful for euery one to kill his enimie That is flatte against that I haue in hand Forgiue vs our trespaces as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. For that same Iellowzie in Elyas That called to heauen and was heard of the Lorde and fire came downe and consumed those he cursed Is no sufficient argument to confirme that errour For when thou art a Prophet and canst tell what is to come when thou hast suche commaundement from the Lord and art assuredly mooued by the Spirite when thy life is sought and God wil bee reuenged on them that mocke thée when the prophets be despised and any seeke there death and thou also hast an assured warraunt from the LORD I will agrée with thée But if Christ when he was dispised of them in Samaria and could haue cast of the dust of his feete against thē reuenged not againe If he checked Iames Iohn that asked if fyre should come downe from heauen to distroy them when he went from Galilee to Ierusalem you may know e well it was an extraordinarie thing God would haue done he vsed not the naturall wayes on earth to fulfill his minde What if Peter destroyed Ananias and Saphira his wife and cursed them to death Are you Apostles as they were Did you euer sée Christe haue you commaundement to do signes and wounders and to heale and foretell or if you drinke poyson will it not hurt you if this commaundement was neuer giuen you your reason quayleth But if God will haue his indignation and furie to be shewen vppon the vesselles of wrath If he will not spare the hipocrite but vnlace his
let it be Teaching His vesture and cloth Sagacitie prudente His gowne Long suffering His coate Faithfulnesse His doublet Assurance His shyrte Bountifulnesse His hose Pacience His féete shod with Peace His hose garters Temperance On his head for his Helmet Fortitude In his hands for his armour Hope And he that is apparelled thus I dare set him against all the temptations of Sathan and the world the fleshe and the diuell shall neuer moue him It is my humble sute vnto you all in the name of Christ that wee seeke to agree in one and euery man as much as in him lyeth endeuour him selfe to finde out this clothing Beléeue mee it is a garment without seame and wrinckle And it wil do you great honestie at the day of the Lorde It wil bee your commendation when he commeth in the Clowdes calleth you to his heauenly banquet that then you shall be founde so well appointed to enter with him into the Bridegromes chamber and sit at his table Do ye not knowe that hée which hath not on his wedding Coate shal be cast out with Hippocrits from that heauenlie Supper and haue his portion in the Lake that burneth with fier Verely it is his reward But the Children of the kingdom shall abide for euer with the Lorde And to this hée bring vs that hath in his moste precious bloud redéemed vs Iesus Christe the righteous To whome with the father and the holy Ghoste bee all honour and glorie bothe nowe and euer Amen And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill I Haue shewed you before that this prayer had in it sixe peticions whereof there is nowe fiue gone There remaineth onely this last For God gaue vs in charge to giue our firste duetie vnto him and for that it was verie harde to accomplishe it without prayer Hée hath giuen as it were his consent to heare vs And nowe hée hath geeuen vnto vs a kynde of Brestplate to put on Namely To call vppon his name To require and praye of his sonne Christe that séeing wée be weake of our selues and frayle by nature hée woulde lay no more vppon vs then wée be able to beare For the diuell is readie at our elbowe to assault vs and hée fendeth foorthe his Harbingers right duely to entangle vs if so they may the better to seduce vs from the Lord And this the Lord God hath giuen to put vs in minde in what continuall dannger wée stande that if hée ayde vs not and protecte vs not and stretch not foorthe his arme to staye vs wee fall downe headlong into sinne This manner of spéeche vttered here by our Sauiour Christ semed to be vnto some a very heauy thing and not vnto the iustice of the Lord and apperteining to his maiestie To suffer any one to be led into temptatiō Which kind of exposition Traheron a Germaine seemeth to mislike in a litle treatise he writeth thereon And the like is in a number of Curious and vaine men that dare not and will not say Leade vs not into temptation But doe a forde vs thus much Permitte vs not to be led into temptation Both which interpretations I mislike vtterly and I say as the Gretians carie vs not or conduct vs not or trie vs not or lead vs not into temptations For the better exposition plaine vnderstanding of the weak I wil shew the significatiō of the word temptation Tempting is often times taken for trying or approuing or experiensing by one way or other for the bringing to passe of any thing to put in practice to knowe of what nature qualitie and substaunce the thing is of And this worde is vsed diuersly for God is said to be tempted of man and he also is stirred vp or prouoked or moued of the Lord and that is when his worde is not beléeued or the gospell hath not his successe which onely sheweth the Lorde to be holy to be good to be iust to be perfect to be omnipotent c. but desire some other way by outwarde erteriour showe as by workes or myracles to tempt the Lorde god And so did Israel when they had tasted of Manna frō heauen Can he giue vs also flesh to eate after this sort is Christ saide to haue béene tempted of Sathan He sate him vpon the toppe of the pinnacle and saide throwe thy selfe downe for it is written And againe make these stones bread for it is written But God tempteth and tryeth many sundrie wayes To begin with his owne whom he hath chosen in Christ frō all beeginning and prepared them as fit Temples of the holy ghoste from the foundation of the worlde Them hee tempteth and tryeth sundry wayes Namely to make his vertues which he hath wrought and ordeined them vnto to shewe them selues that were hidden before or to open their noughtie corrupte nature that after they may be more careful in their steppes and warie in their dooinge and more easely atteine to the déepe consideration and knowledge of his secrete purpose whiche worketh allway and seeketh diuers meanes to drawe them from their wicked life And the example of the first Adam was a liuely image of the Godly And he was a zelous man in whome God was much glorified among the Gentils The like in Iacob whome hee blessed aboue many kinreds and made him a Lorde ouer his chosen Also Daniel that magnified the Lorde in the kinges court and founde so great fauour in the sight of Darius among the Caldees and was tryed by the Lyons by the Image of Bel so glorified the lord In Susanna in Babilon as in Ageographa The seconde maner of temptation wherewith the Lord tryeth those the be his Was séene in Peter that at the call of the cocke was put in mind of the offence he had committed and there vpon wept bitterly And Paul though he was guiltie of the bloude of Stephen and layde his rayment at his féete yet at the voyce from heauen Saul Sual why persecutest thou me hee was againe called home He felt the benifite of his redemption in Christ and after that was diuersly tried in many temptations by the Lord by Sea by land in daunger of Perots in daunger of death hee was whipped he was stoned he suffered buffering the Vyper had aucthorite ouer him for a space and that Oratour Tertullus had some thing to say vnto him at the barre beefore Festus I thinke Barnabas found◠good tryal in this in the werisome viage which be had through Selentia and Cyprus and from Salamis and from Perga of Pamphilia and Antiochia and the rest Sithen there is diuers kinds of temptations one is that which is commonly called aduersitie against this we must not pray For it is true that is in Paul. Those which will liue Godly in Christ must suffer persecution Yet if we begin to faint wee may stirre vp our slouthfulnes imbicility by prayer to
earth to heare vs And if wée cease not in praying how can he be flow in hearing His scholler Lactantius as Ierom recordeth trayned vp at Rome was not of so sounde a iudgement in this as was his maister That supposeth vs if wée aske any thyng of God to be tempted of God to know thereby if wée be thereof worthy Chromatius Bishop of Aquileia may well abide the toutchstone herein that bindeth Prayer to haue his only successe by fayth As for Epiphanius of Eleutherapolis in Palaestine his doynges they bee very pleasaunt and his writynges exquisite he hath also bin a witnes how wée should walke in prayer before the Lorde his iudgment is to call on God only one true and perfecte Lorde and on Christe the Sonne of God with the spirit procéeding from them both And that rare man of God then whom Stridon in the borders of Dalmatia and Pannonia saw neuer as yet a perfecter Ierom I meane so much alowed determineth of this very wisely whose admonition I would it were ingrafted in vs to the full or els I would that graue father liued now whose looke and countenance might withdrawe vs from our vanityes his milde and sugred speech is not vnlike to this Cease not to pray continually and giue not place vnto the Lord in season and out of season and bée importunate vpon him euen as that widow is to that same vniust steward that hard the stony iudge who oftentimes withdrew him selfe This Ierom is hee that so often if chaunce afordeth and I haue to deale with him rauisheth mee so sodenly that I hardly leaue him For this cause his neate and pleasaunt stile requireth mee to taste of one or two more of his sayings It foloweth in the same place not farre of If hee giueth to him that asketh if hee findeth that séeketh if hee openeth when one knocketh it appeareth hee will not bee slowe to him requireth And therfore hee promiseth a reward already for such as demaund and sayth Ierom This Gate wherin the iuste man doth enter is sutch a one wherin are hidden a number of pleasant and delicate things to him that seeketh them Diuers there be that of late and now also haue writte hereof how to â—â—me vnto Christe but in this place I take the fathers for they are sound and very strong in this and very good whose cumly age I must reuerence in that the younger forte and wee also euen in these last yeares are beighly bounden to them so that small cause there is for any to repent him of readinge them whose diligence hath brought to passe that we with lesse payne may teache ours Iulius Firmicus Maternus vnder the Emperour Constantine and his Sonnes an Astrologian at the first and so it séemeth still for hee clymeth vp very hie and mounteth to the Heauens neither looketh hee for any mans helpe in his prayers hée is raysed vpwarde to God hee suffereth no man to bée called on but the name only of Christ The manner also and condition of prayer is séene plentifully in that same borne at Africa a very worthy man of God Caius Marius Victorinus reckoned of Ierom among them of his number and Catalouge worthy and famous wrighters For beside that euer hée did on the Articles of fayth or els in the payne hée tooke agaynst Heretickes no where doth hee séeme to haue delte precisely and more warely then in his opinion of prayer acknowledging Christe to bée sufficient and the only true bread from Heauen to feede vs. There commeth now vnto my hand a man of truth scase worthy the naming among the Fathers for his so vile and euill dealinge and as you may know him a Cinnick fitter for the staffe and the shacky heare then to iudge of Religion borne at Alexandria at what time Gregorie Nazianzen taught at Constantinople hee was brought to Cristianitee by preachinge This Maximus Aegiptius by his wilye sleights hauing gotten many froÌ„ Byantius corrupted one Peter Bishop of Alexandria created this Aegiptius Bishop Yet this man otherwise a faythfull steward in the house of God whrot many good bookes I therfore take his well meaning minde of prayer euen especially agaynst the wicked the they may know that a wicked man hath taught them to praye often his readynes was séene in this for that hée instructed all flesh to pray continually hée adioyneth his reason in an other place The sedulyte and forwardnes of a man calling on the Lorde if it hée donne rightly is that which commendeth the soule of man spoken as I thinke to stir vp the sloth in vs to pighte vs a place in Heauen where the soule of man resteth The liuely exposition thereof is well noted in that hée debarreth vs from all manner contemplations in the earth hee leaueth no roome for the thoughtes of man in time of prayer no not so mutch as to thinke of him that hurt thee or of thy enemy but freely to lay aside all grudginges debates strifes enimyties to repose one only hope in god And I like his reason wel and it is alowed in the Booke of God for that our praying it is a quieting of our mindes so that it appeareth by all those that wente before that terror shoulde strike vs for we speake to God that the world must forsake vs for wee seeke heauen the body leaue vs for wee speake in spirit our wealth must not trouble vs our treasure is aboue nor our enemyes greue vs for wee are freends with Christ On this our prayer there is depending two things the first is calling vpon him The second is geuinge of thankes vnto him If thou aske to wholme it is it is to god If thorow wholme it is through Christ if the meane to him it is faith if wherin in is his bloodsheading and death Therfore Paull continue in prâ—ier and watch in the saine with thankes geuing prayinge for vs that God may open vnto vs the Doore of vtterance to speake the mistery of Christ For euen now doo wee see our full redemption if calling on the Lord wee repose our trust in the only mediator Iesus Christe the Sonne of God beeing nothing careful but that in al things wée let our requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing thankes For hee is the God of peace which doth kepe our mindes and hartes in Christe Iesus That wee must pray you haue harde what prayer is I haue set downe suffer mee though breefely but to know how wee must vse it and so wee shall discharge our dâ—tye more fully Ephraem a Sirian for so is hee called by Theoderet in an homely of prayer reckoned amonge theÌ„ of Caesarius hath giuen a very good light to this our question Let sayth hee thy calling on the Lord bee as that which was of Hanna Mother vnto Samuell that sat wéeping in spirit and groneing and that was meeke and milde in hart not seene of men not gased vpon of
fayth that it wauer not This sure and stedfast hope I put it in the forefront of this battayle because it leadeth vs by hand as it were vnto the Lord and maketh vs certeyne that hee can and will fight for vs. And this hope it was in the blinde man that cryed out Iesus thou Sunne of Dauid haue mercy on mee I cut not in péeces these too fayth and hope if they bée in the godly yet I seauer the one from the other after a forte for I know that hee which hopeth is in a good entraunce vnto fayth For the certenty of the seconde it is the establishinge of the first and thoughe they bee called as beeinge one fayth Luk. 18.24 yet it is in a diuers respecte For the hope that is in man it is the Page and Seruetar and the very wayter vpon fayth giuinge attendaunce theron Fayth it is Lady and gouernesse to the other it spinneth vp the Thrid and so much as it wanteth it addeth vnto it It becommeth all of vs to say Lord wee beleeue helpe our vnbeleefe For I can determine no otherwise of that in Naman the Syrian when hee went away angry from the Prophet Is there no waters in Damascus Abanar and Parpar as good as those that bee about Samaria Yet with what manner of hope hee washed him in Iordayne I leaue to others To discourse at large hereof it is fitter for him that will guide a great Nauy in the wide Ocean Sea then for a man that is contente to rule a small Galley in the Riuar such therfore as looke for larger discourses I refer them to sutch as take in hand greater volumes I giue but shorte lessons and haue consideration of the memoryes of them I spake vnto but it foloweth To the fayth which iustefieth there goeth hope to this hope I haue annexed assuraunce and the spirite of God knitteth them togeather what is it if a man cry Lorde Lorde and then he doth heare him when hée hath that hee looked for and enioyeth that hée wished for hee shall then reuolte and repente him of the truth hee stoode in These Weathercocks they are good for nothinge but to stand in the ayre for if a tempest do come and a showre fall it tottereth againe and houereth as at the first whose picture I remēber I once saw in the discription of Bifrons Ianus which stoode in the Temple of Rome and had two faces for both eares and these men they haue two tongues for bothe times God weede out sutch vnprofitable Nettels if so it please him for they can tingle nowe and then and peraduenture blistar the hands of a few refreshe as yet the simple soule they will not Well these haue the rewarde and because they are luke warme neyther whot nor colde God hath promised to spue them forth This man that I seeke for that hath learned to know the Lorde Christe and seasoned his spéech with salte and wayted for the Bridegroms comming Hée is of another manner of harte and of an an other Spirite and vexations and troubles and anguishe of minde and care and the worlde and the assaultes of Sathan they can neuer remooue him Dauid stayeth not Ionathas sléepeth not Daniell trifeleth not Esdras is not dismayde Iudith discomforted Mardochaeus altered but they stand in the Lorde corragiously The Martirdome of Antonius mooued him not the death of Sabinas turned him not the slaughter of Germanus withdrewe him not Wée must bee whipped and drowned with Theodotia content to suffer and dig in minde pittes with Siluanus to be burned with Domininus to haue our sides launched with sharpe Rasars as Pamphylus For our life it is as the life of Latimar our faith as the faith of Ridley our ende as the end of Cranmar our wayes as the wayes of Death for the Lordes sake for blessed is that man continueth to the ende and hée it is that shal bee saued The thirde and last helpe wherto wée trust that holdeth vs that raiseth vs that renueth vs the strength neth vs it is the spirite This is he that finisheth and endeth all hast thou wisdome hast thou knowledge hast thou giftes of Prophesie of tongues of discerning of béeléeuing of fayth It is not thyne the spirite of God is hée that gaue it This is a harde thinge for man to disgest who when hée inioyeth and possesseth all whē hée is the ruler and Maister vpon earth when hée biddeth hee commaundeth hée buildeth hée altereth hee gathereth hee inritcheth yet all that hee hath it is layed in the dust and caryed with him to the Graue hee himselfe also at the will of the Lorde This I speake to suppresse the insolency of man that beeinge heare in life doth liue in death and can not come to dwell with Christe vnleast the spirite of God directe him Then in that fayth wherby we be fully iustefied our hope it is made perfect our perfection remaineth to the ende our ende is directed by the spirite so that this is the some of all that I haue spoken that we staye and bee reared vp and dye and liue and in the Lorde The way and the meane I haue set downe the order to come vnto it the rules and ordinaunces wee should keepe in it It remayneth lastly to praye vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ the Sunne of God to inflame and guide vs by his spirite that wee fall not For I acknowledge my selfe a professed enemye agaynst that of the Papistes and the exclamation they make of good workes Other wise Moses could haue come to the Lorde and haue knowne the God of Iacob by him selfe God needed not to haue called but as one mightely preserued by the daughter of Pharoath that founde him wrapped in swaddling cloures in a basket of flagges sheweth vnto mee that God had some greate message for him to doe that kepte him so mightily in the time of death It is said I think that God had respect vnto Abell and that he cared not for the offering of Cain good woorkes are left out here we must rifle somewhat farther from them Abraham beléeued and it was counted vnto him for rightuousnes to whome appertaineth the gifte of beléefe but vnto God to whome are wee comptable who is it that layeth not sinne vnto our charge who accepteth of our life conuersation but God who onely is righteous who onely iust who onely pure who onely faithfull but onely one Lorde Then who giueth the same grace the same life the same giftes but the same Christ Nowe finde out the merites and woorkes in man I might be long in this discourse of the Patriarkes of the prophets of all the elect of the Lorde in due time called and brought home to serue him But there is no wrestling and strife nowe then when wee ioyne hande to hande and cupple our selues to the barre to trye it then shal be séene who it is that hath this priuiledge Onely remaineth that whereas I haue set
For the they of Christ be not babblers as the Ethnickes bée excludeth the long and tedious reading at the Churche and men busied at their bookes when the Congregation is otherwise to bee edified it leaueth thee a small roome to put thy rewarde in The firste it perisheth by this for that God knoweth what wée haue néede of before wée aske wherein the errour of the Gentiles is shut out that kneeled so deuoutly before their Idols when happely they were abrode and busied in some other place and coulde not so presently heare them vnlesse they tarryed till they returned But it is with the Lorde as is with a cunning and expert Physition that can iudge by the sight of him hée seeth what disease it is whereof he sickeneth And our Lorde he knoweth whereof wée stand in néede and searcheth the sorrowe of our soules and wée néede not to tire our selues houres and dayes and nightes and wéekes as the Papistes doe Againe that superstitious custome of old time to praye at certeine houres and at no other I condempne it for Christe all night and in the morning and at noone tyde prayde I am ashamed to stande draining to searche out their beastly customs I therefore leaue them to suche as wil bee blinded in their foolishnesse The Epicure and the Athist haue reasoned verye subtilly agaynst prayer If hée knew before what wee should neede why pray wee hee coulde giue it vs if hee did not know what it was wee needed why hee is not God wherfore then praye wee If hee giueth not it is because hée loueth not if hée loueth not it is because hee-careth not if hée careth not it is because hee will not then wherfore is it that wee praye But let them dye in their carlesnesse and consume in the filthinesse of their thoughtes for wee are assured of his loue and fauour in that hée commaundeth vs to pray and in the name of Christe It were enoughe for vs in that God doth bidde vs yet other causes there bée al which I haue set downe in my former Treatise Notwithstandinge doo the Chickens begge at the handes of her that hatched them and doo the Lyons Whelpes craue for their pray doth the Beare the Sauedge beast féede hir younglings whē they cry and wil the Tigar returne vnto her cowtch to helpe them shee left behinde her and will not God looke vpon vs whom hee hath created But wherfore hath Christe willed vs to aske and taught vs to praye truely for that wee neede many thinges and bée as naked so ashamed of our selues if hée helpe not For of our selues wee haue nothing and in him wee haue aboundaunce and plentye of all thinges If wee looke for the giftes of the spirite wée finde them all in Christe for hee was annointed If for strength it is in his powre and in his gouernment If for puritée and for corruption that it may bee wiped away wee haue it in his conception If for loue wée haue it in that hée was made like vnto vs and hée came into the world to saue vs If for redemption wée haue it in his passion If for absolution we haue it in his submission If to take awaye the curse from vs Why hee hunge vpon the Crosse for vs If for satisfaction hee was our Sacrifise If for clensing of our sinnes wee haue it in his blood if for reconciliatiō we haue it in his descending to Hell If for mortification of the fleshe it is showen in his Buriall who was as touchinge the body layd in Graue that wee as touchinge the body might bee buryed to sinne if for newnes of lyfe wée haue it in his resurrection if for immortallity hee rose and ascended and dwelleth with his Father to make vs perfecte and immortall and Kinges and Préestes for euer If wee praye to bee heires of Heauen his ascending and magnefiynge aboue the Aungels hath giuen it If for securitée for treasure for ritches they bee layd vp for vs in his kingdome If to haue him mercifull and to spare vs in his iudgement why hée is iudge him selfe he will not cast away and condempne his owne fleshe So that out of season came this question wherfore pray wee for wee must and wee ought to pray that the greater encomberaunces ouertake vs not And for a truth if our vesselles did not taste of this lycour and wée our selues ouerthrowen in our vnaduised behauiour the prayers of those which so often times come vnto the Temple would haue bin heard of the Lorde God ere this But the commers they come in sutch disguised and maskinge manner eyther hauing their minde at whom in their Cofars or thinkinge on the pryde and brauery they bee in or cōming sluggishly or returning wawardly or requiring reuenge greedely or askinge coldly or wishinge that which is vnseemely or despisinge thy neighbour vnchristianly That it is no marueyle if the Lorde God thrust thee away and heare thee not the soules of such a number of men cry out agaynst thee But to returne and to leaue the Epicure and the Ethnicke and the other rable whatsoeuer Let vs vnderstand that God hath debased him selfe for vs and tempered his talke and applyed his speech vnto our capacities and hee hath taught vs very breefely to call vpon him The reason hereof is for that wee are weake and very feeble in our dooings in our life in our conuersation and at death in extremity in peril in ieoperdy in calamity at the fier or when wee be at the Block and the Sworde ready to bee layed to our necke wee oftentimes forget our selues Therfore to mollesy their stony mindes and to inamour them as it were to make men haue a lykinge of the Lorde to shewe that hee beholdeth three wordes aduisedly and wisely spoken rather then a number of Aue Marias and a bedroale of Credoes in deum heaped vp without discretion hee hath included in fewe wordes such good and pleasaunt lessons as if they be duely consithered contayne in them a pure and perfecte platforme of prayer first wee praye to whom to our Father Wherfore hee is our God but where not on earth Hee is aboue hee is not heare hee is in Heauen That late and worthy man of God M. Gualter as it seemeth to mee in his Treatise of the prayer of the Lorde hath iusteled with some one or other about the force and vertue and strength which is thought to bee in this prayer I finde also that the Rabbines of the Iewes boasted much of the words that were written in the forhead of Aaron and the Magicians of their exorcismes and the Papistes of this prayer all which they thinke to bee of great force if they hanged about the necke of any man His talke is agaynst them and so is mine at this presente that thinke there is saluation or life or health in that they repeate the wordes of Christe And therfore the enchauntresse to dissemble hir wickednes
a King his Scepter and royal seate it would dismay vs if happely we forgate our homage went awrye the messenger of death is readie for vs If as to consuming fire what eye coulde abide him for if the beast that touched the burning mountaine was shott thorough what hope hath man to skape when a flaming fire must go before him and thousandes thousandes minister vnto him and ten thousande times ten thousande stande before him when the seates shal be set the bookes oponed and iudgement giuen what mercie then can wee looke for at Gods hande But if wee called on God as on him that is the fountaine of life howe coulde we call vpon him when we be in death And if you prayd vnto him as the ruler of the worlde then is man beaten downe that coulde neuer as yet among all the beastes thereof be tamed But sée howe louing a Lord God we haue that in our transgressions woundeth vs not in our sinnes striketh vs not in our disobedience remēbreth vs not in our euil wayes punisheth vs not that neuer thinketh on our iniquities but calleth vs as children to aske at his hands the more willingly to trayne vs vp in his feare hath for all our manifolde transgressions made himselfe a father to vs But from whence cometh this our father is Adam and he is dead and we be his children and howe can we liue To him he gaue a charge to sweat it out and to labour on earth what then can happen to vs but miserie Then which way so euer wee looke on our selues wee are in death and whence haue wée this therefore that wee call on God as on our father Pardone mée if being a man as you bée I am inquisitiue to search out what man is And say what you will yet will not I be satisfied til I knows more For as Crisostome is plentifull in the description of man So I thinke that as the shippe is in the Sea that tottereth or as the fether in the ayre that houereth or as the trée on earthe that shaketh euen like portion indge I to be allotted to man when he offendeth For wishe any thing that is good that can not man do without God wil neither willeth he that God wisheth without God please And that I will and that I may I do not if he permitteth not So wish I yet misse I if he directeth not Trewe it is that Isychius saide in man there is two natures or rather properties one is that wee carrie about with vs it is dust the other it is giuen vnto vs it is the spirite both these making but one man yet do wée not know on Christ Salonius writing vpō Ecclesiastes giueth wisedom vnderstanding vnto man aboue al others that haue life and in the same hée giueth vs free passage to know God but it is in Christe And Agustine in his Apognosticon agaynst the Palagian guieth vs liberty to Ploughe to Till to labor to Sowe to Spinne to Carde to drinke to eate to féede our cattell and our Beastes if so you will to vse the Arrowe and the Bowe and the Hearbes but to come vnto God and to haue any portion from him without Christe that hee permitteth not Sedulius vpon the Corrinthians giueth no liberty vnto vs but only to sinne and Primatius in his Treatise on the Romans is of the same iudgement so that in the ende when our deedes bee ransackt our thoughts sought out what is it that wee can clayme of the Lorde Then hereon wée stand Christ which alwayes hath bin with his Father the liuely and expresse Image of his godhead came into the world and was debased for vs and we béeing of his flesh and the same mould that hee was of beeinge perfecte man in all poynctes sinne onely accepted hée hath made vs one with him and taken vs into the same felowship of his kingdome and of his Sainctes and wee are made Sonnes with him vnto one Father Vnto this it was alluded by Dauid As the Father hath pitty on his Children so hath the Lorde on all such as call vpon him faithfully Esay touched this in his comparison that hee maketh with the Woman and hir Infant whom though shée could forget sucking at hir Brestes yet would not the Lorde forsake vs If I were not drawne into a narrow straight by the importunitée allotted to mee at this present I would see what that were which man so mutch braggeth of and if it were possible that frō top to toe hee had no one blemish to bee found within him Yet if a man might enter into his hart and search his Sinewes and his cogitations within how corrupte and vnfauorye should wee finde him well this is our comforte and it is the noate of Maister Gualter that hee is not onely a Father in gouerning the world and the whole trayne that waiteth theron but hee is our Father And as in Iob hee is called the Father of the Aungelles and of the Sainctes and holy men which loued him so that it is litle vnto vs and small prositte haue wee therby beeinge neyther Aungels or so holy as they if of his bounty mercy it were not sayd vnto vs here that hee is our Father toe but I consider yet an other thinge and why saye wee not O my Father as well as O our Father Ciprïan on the prayer of the Lord giueth this reason This prayer it is cōmon to vs all sayth hee for when we pray wee pray not for one but for all because all they we are one And he is sayd to be our Father euen of vs as many as be sanctified as be renewed as bee strengthned in his Spirit as for other they stande aloofe and wish they may to come vnto vs come at any time they shall not Thus you know hee is a Father and hee is our Father it is adioyned he is our God hée is aboue and it is in Heauen These three I ioyne togeather neyther will I seuer them For as hée is far aboue the reatch and capacitie of man so hath he no terrestriall Throne to sit in but a more bright and gloryous Seate is that of the Lorde our god And as was the Arke and mercy Seate within wherunto no mā durst presume to come and looke into it but sutch as God had chosen from the rest so to his kingdome and his Empire shall no man approtche but sutch as hee hath elected in his Christ It may seeme a vayne thing to aske this question why wee praye to God Yet sutch is the vanity and ignoraunce of man that hee knoweth not and such is his dulnes the he answereth not but the weakenes it is alike in vs all that searcheth not To say the truth this question is aboue that I can well attayne vnto and the reasons that may bee giuen they bee so innumerable I bare not enter now into them If God do
which had in it but eyght persons as a seueral people kept to God And in this place I haue drawn you out a shorte catalouge of the peruerse and crooked kingdome the dominion of the diuel by which you may knowe what wee are of our selues when God forsaketh vs and you shall vnderstande againe that the Lord euen in the midst of death can keepe vs that be of his Church vnto life I knowe the I haue to deale with a great number that if God would not cut off the presumptuous spéech would complaine with Esdras the he had forgotten Sion that his people had hanged vp their harpes by the riuer of Babell and wepte there yet could not be heard of god And if euer it appeared in blacke and mourning wéede then was the Church of God chéefely destitute voide of helpe when as Nemrod that mightie hunter grewe vp to so great strength and consumed the flocke and heritage of the Lorde This kingdome of Sathan it is enlarged especially by these three meanes the firste is in belying and defacing the trueth the woorde of God the seconde is in open wickednes the third is by sects scismes heresies to beat downe the Gospel An example of the first I cannot shew better then in him of whom we brag so much our first father what a lye was that he made vnto him to begyle him withall If you eat of this fruit you shal be Gods knowing good euil then take this in the meane time as God his glorie his kingdome his empire is enlarged by setting out the trueth so is the kingdom of the diuel by disceit After this sort he bewitched the Philosophers of olde he begyled the Gentiles and nations on the earth with fonde and fantasticall illusions taken frō the Sunne the Moone and the other creatures whō they worshipped The beginning of the Kinge of Babylon and of Assiria after the floode 131. yeare testifie the same euen from Nemrod before named called of M. Bullinger and of the Poets Saturnus how great blindnesse and filthie superstition incroched on the earth euen that blessed nation whome God hath nowe mightily prospered the Germanes frō whence I knowe not whether any more heauenly or more wise or better learned or greater number to set out the glorie of the Lord and his Christ hath risen out of any place or nation or countrie vnder the Sunne then hath from them Yet these came out of the loynes of that beastly Monarcha and liued a long time in Idolatrie For take a viewe of their predccessours frō whence they came and iudge whether God hath blessed them or no that when they were wilde grapes good for nothing hath graffed them againe vppon a newe stocke and they bring foorth verie plentifull fruite For consider all and the power of God which wrought it Howe sprang vp Idolatrie when Ninus sonne to Nemrod otherwise of the Poets Iupiter Belus began to reigne Hee erected a temple to his father and to his mother Iuno and to Rhea his mothers mother and be was the chiefe author of idolatrie euen the moste grosse and beastliest that I finde among men Him did Semiramis a Paragon and his mother and an Amazon as filthie wicked as her sonne succede in the Empire Only in an out corner about Mesopotamia and in other pettie viliages was God knowen I touche this age For that it pleased God to suffer Sathan to build him a throne a kingdome among men in those dayes especially which was the foundation and Piller of all vntrueth vntill this day For nowe began the Aegyptians to bud vp that vntoward generation whose name deserueth to be hated for that all our toyes and inuentions in hidden and vnknowen artes began with them And the diuell to establishe and ratisie his dourine began in Aegypt the fiftéenth yere of Nemrod which was of Noe the 745. of the world 1801. yeres Then began Mizraim so called in their language his tyranny this is he called of the Histeriographers Oceanus that made great broyles in the Church and confirmed his wickednesse with bloude But it is true that is in Salomon The Lorde that sitteth in his seate doth wipe away all euill And againe the wise King doth scatter the wicked and bring a mischiefe vppon them And therefore this buylding of Sathan it lasted not long but was broken downe euen the chéefe walles thereof when hee suffered Abraham to soiourne among them For his posteritie sufferes many troubles and diuers calamities and were oppressed many yeres yet in the ende the Lorde God was magnified his name was praised and his Maiestie séene his people had a glorious day of them when Pharooth and his horsemen and his Chariots were ouerwhelmed and drowned in the deapth of the Seas Therefore in my iudgement this is a worthy and moste excellent prayer that the olde reliques of the auncient building may be defaced and to desire the Lorde that his kingdome may bee increased and superstition and falshod sowed and setled in the hearts of men rooted out and the puritie of the Gospel may take holde and veritie and religion shine among vs For it is the olde custome of Sathan to begyle vs as auncient as the Aegyptians be and the Caldees the Hebrewes so is his pollicie and his wilinesse of many yeres and long time greater continuance then our late and miserable dayes be able to resist if we were assaulted with the like For which cause séeing superstition hath heretofore ouerflowed the face of the whole earth from the beginning might haue continued vntill our latter times had not the Lorde God in his sonne Chrisie looked on vs For that Mahomet and the Turke haue their dominion and glorious titles to be made Gods aboue all that be in earth and his neighbour his nexte rempanion hath nowe a long season set him selfe in his chaire of state and Imperiall throne and hath made al the princes of the earth drunken with his venomous eup for that wée our selues bee a gazing stocke almoste to the whole worlde and the eyes of euery kingdome and nation cast vppon vs for that peace and quietnes the true light of the Gospel was neuer set out in his perfecte colour as it is at this day with vs and for that if vnthankfulnesse continue and lothsomnesse take vs we are at a venture that God will depriue vs of his benefites Considering the brickle state and distresse wherein we be no greater consolation in my iudgement may or can happen to vs nor worthier blessing light on vs or more earnest supplication moued by vs then that he would promete his glorie sanctifie his name defend his church establishe his kingdom roote out the posteritie of Sathan suffer his peace to be among vs. The second shift and pollicie that hee hath to erect his owne glorie and set vp his kingdome is by open sinne manifest
once named among you as becommeth sainctes If in the reuelation The Lord had some thing to say vnto the church of Pargamos although that in the heat and percecution and slaughter of the Martyrs of God they continued steadily Yet had some among them where as sathan dwelt that mainteined the doctrine of Balaam that taught Balaac to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel to sacrifice vnto Idols and commit fornication If hee had something to say vnto them for that they mainteined the doctrine of the Nicolitans which thing he hateth It is most certeine and true that the family of loue hath erred If God taught vs a right commit not adulterie If Moses said that very truely ioyne not your selues to the maner or custome of the nations If Samuel checked them for that they weÌ„t a whoring after straunge wiues If Esaias for that Israel rose vp early and went astray And as the vntamed and vnbridled Colt went a neighing after other mens wiues if Ieremie that confusion shall come on them and baldnesse on their pates for defiling their owne coutche It is vndoubted it is most true that the famelie of loue hath erred If the fatheâ—â— haue iudged rightly if Nazianzen in his funerall laste talke vnto his sister To ioyne vs together in one flesh cannot seperate vs from the spirite If Ambrose in his speach he hath of virgens was wont to commende Sara and Rebecca and Rachell as Matrons of chastitie Their husbande 's as Lordes to direct them in integritie If Epiphanius in his second booke agréeth with the church as vnspotted cleane hauing honest comly mariages therin If Ierome vpon Timothie the 4. condempneth suche as thinke not reuerenly of Matrimonie If Basill in his Examero calleth it the chaine and bonde of nature If Athanasius accuseth Miluius of this heresie and in iudging not honourably of mariage setteth forth Adam and Eue ioyned together in Paradice If all the fathers haue agreed and set themselues against the adulterer If Christ committed them to death And Paul that incestuous man to Sathanas If they in the prematiue Church haue consented all in one and our lawes agree in the same at this day What néede we to striue any more for this The case is open the thing is knowen It is vndoubted it is most true that the famelie of loue hath erred To confute them perticulerly as it were by treatise that I leaue to them whose priuate charge requireth it To you I speake this to giue a warning that all such detestable vnto the Lorde are reserued against the great day the day of wrath he will iudge them Partely to awake you out of that slumber wherein you be that this beginning and enteraunce which I nowe perceiue to be grounded a little in smaller trifles burst not out into greater heresies But I returne to the next and that is of frée will men And yet a little I am inforsed to serch out this which is verie comon and it smelleth of the Donatist that thinke the Church is no where but where suche as they be are Your prayer that the will of God may be done in earthe willeth not thée to iudge so rashly of thy brother And that byworde so common in the woride Do all thinges to the glorie of God tasteth of those runninge heades in the Primatiue church in Affrica The Circumcelions that thought all thinges which were not done and liked by them they coulde neuer be done to Gods glorie Againe for I will neuer spare the wicked It is not the will of God that any as a man franticke and without wit shoulde scourge and whip them selues as the Iewes and Italian fashion was and renued amonge them in Italy of late that remaine as the Iewes do in the olde ceremonies I touche them vppon good occasion for I haue knowen of these Iewish rites renued of late And it is a wicked and moste heynous â—fence against the rule prescript commaundement of god To kéepe trueth in thy heart and to lye vnto thy neighbour for aduauntage or for the Gospell to sweare to an vntrueth to honest him that professeth religion And it tooke the beginning from the Maniches and from the Gnostiches and renued in Priscillian which thinge I thinke it is but of a blinde affection and ignoraunt zeale and not knowen vnto some Let warninge therefore bee taken in time I finde that vnder Gratian and Valentinian the assembly of the Priscilianistes were verie greate suche as were defiled with filthines with whoredom with euill dealing with any vice whatsoeuer If they came vnto their secte they kepte it close If they ioyned with them they concealed it All others they estéemed as castawayes There was a verse among them Iura periura secretum prodere noli Sweare and forsweare kéepe secrete thy secret déedes bewray them not I accuse no man I wish amendment for I sée that which is amisse God which knoweth the hearte and the secretes and searcheth the raines will search out and examine and iudge it to Let this be a remembraunce in prayer His will be done in earth and it will take away thy wil from this wilfulnesse And nowe I come to the frée will men I am longer then hitherto I was wont but the matter and the weightinesse of the cause compelleth mée Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen This order in prayer taketh away the will of man it taketh away workes it taketh away all power the is in vs it referreth vs only to the will of god Fleshe and bloud hath in this place a great combate with the Spirite that seeing he is lorde in earth and maister of the fishes in the Sea and guyde and ruler ouer the creatures in the earth yet shoulde be so debarred of his libertie and so tyed vnto thraldome that hee hath not so muche as power ouer his owne soule nor discretion to iudge of that should bring him life The fishe that swimmeth in the riuer The birde that flickereth in the ayre the worme that créepeth on the earth may séeme to be happier then man is For euery one hath an ende and appointed time giuen him to iudge of that whiche bringeth life and avoide that which is euill As for man he is so tyed that the sworde the Ieobet the Axe the water the fire cannot bee auoided if it bee determined by the Lorde But vnhappie is man that cannot sée the goodnes of our god For séeing all things happen by the Lorde what is it shall trouble mée God hath appointed the heauens the earth the clowdes and all shall be obedient to them that feareth him For it is our comfortes we are weake and we be not able to helpe our selues But one there is that sitteth aboue and it is hee that shall prouide for vs. Ierome vnto Tesiphon complayneth of Pelagius by sirname Bryto according as Prosperus
Christ And so Paul prayed that the Tēpter which was giuen him that he shoulde not waxe proude after such time be was wrapte vp into the thirde heauens might be taken from him And Christ gaue vs an example hereof in Math. Father take away this Cuppe from me if it be thy will. In another place Therefore came I into the world that by my death I might saue some Or that I might drinke of this Cuppe And this he did for our example for of him selfe he was stroung enough and he knew what should happen but being man he tooke vpon him our in firmities and bare our greife and as for our aduersitie the first kind of temptation it can not be but profitable séeing that God will not suffer those that bee his to bee tempted aboue that they bee able to beare And Iames. 11. Thinke it a greate ioy my brethren so often as you fall into temptation seeing you know that the tryall of your faith bringeth patience and pacience maketh a full end or consummation of all And Dauid Happie is he that suffereth temptation for because when hee is tryed hee shall receiue a crowne of life which God hath promised to them that loue him There is also a temptation whiche is of Sathan Maister Gualter in Luke Pag. 286. Calleth the deuill a tempter he fetcheth it from out of the scriptures which in déede you shall finde in many places His reason is good Assidue varieque molitur vt nos a Deo abducat per incredulitatem aut peccandi licentiam male perdat 1 Continually doth the deuill goe about to seduce vs from the Lorde that by incredulitie and by licentious life he may destroy vs Therefore in this place it is well noted where hee is saide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tempter And here it is that wee call him Sathan which is the Hebrew and signifieth an enimie And so he is called in Zacharie 3. He shewed mee Iehosua the high preist standing before the Angell of the Lord to resist me And the Lord said to Sathan the Lord reprooued thée thou Sathan that is thou enemy to man And in Iob the children of God came stoode before God and Sathan was among them that is their enimie And so when the sonns of Seruia came vnto Dauid and would haue had execution done Dauid aunswered what haue I to doe with you you children of Seruia you are this day vnto me as Sathan an enimie For they thought to slea Semei to make it a bloudy day to Dauid And so is he called Diavolous a deuil that is an accusar and so it is in the Reuela 12. The old Serpent which is called the Deuil and Sathanas that is your accuser and enimie is cast forth Then wee pray here against temptations That is he woulde not let vs be snared or swallowed vp by the subtiltie and wilinesse of the deuil This is the end hereof That as Caluin Propiae infirmitatis nobis conscii dei presidio defendi nos sciamus That being guiltie of our owne weakenesse wee might be fostered or stayed by the helpe of the Lorde that we may stande assured against all engynes of of Sathan For therfore it is spoken that we may knowe all things happen by the prouidence of God that we were in extréeme miserie and ouercame by the wilinesse and subtiltie of this enimie of ours if hée reared vs not and lifted vs not vp in his Christe Aug. in his booke De Natura gratia Ca. 58. thinketh thus Vt resistamus diabolo precamur vt aufugiat Diabolus cum dicimus Ne nos inducas in temptacionem The Aucthor agaynst the two Epistles of Pelagius Lib. 4. Cap. 9. doth bring out of Cyprian this Exposition when it is sayde Lead vs not into temptation Wée are admonished of our imbecility weakenesse For it is sayd watch and pray that you enter not into temptation A reason is adioyned the Spirit is willing the flesh is weake and this is least wée shoulde be puffed vp insolently Cyprian vppon the Lordes Prayer gathereth a verygood lesson The author of vntrueth and our aduersarie the diuell can doo nothinge without Gods permission And therfore all our feare and our trembling is to be layde vpon the Lorde for that in all temptations the wicked man can do nought vnlesse hee haue powre from god Where I desire you to cōsither with mée two things First the disposition of the wicked for their reason is hée leadeth vs into Temptation hée is therfore the Aucthor of sinne The godly man hée sayth hée leadeth vs into temptation Sée first what a louing Father wée haue how good a God hée trieth vs and prooueth vs hee suffereth vs not to bée tempted aboue our strength For in his goodnes by his Scourges hée reclaymeth vs That which I giue to vnderstand is this The godly take all things to the best for their Saluation The wicked wrest and wreath all manner of Gods works all his dealings to their reprobation For this Heresye grounded out of this place God tempteth vs hee is therfore the Aucthor of sinne I will confute it bréefely Thrée kindes of men I finde here that peruerte and turne the meaninge of the Spirite of God. The first is detestable and derogating from the Maiesty of the Lord. And it is of the Libertines touched also before That hurle and thrust vpō the Lord all their offences al their wicked malitious deedes and make him the Author of sinne The second opinion is of learned and wise Fathers whom I reuerence for their skill and honor for their guiftes Yet holde I not with them in that they are faulty they thinke that God hardneth and stifneth the hartes of men And that hée is the cause of sinne yet so that the same which is malice in man raysed vp by God is perfectnes in him That hée punisheth sinne by sinne yet are they affrayd to graunt that hee worketh in all The third kinde is of them that interprete thorow the whole Volume and Booke of God thus Hée suffereth him to fall he permitteth him to offēd Hée letteth them goe astray and going so nicely to worke thinke they shall escape all hinderaunces thereby to detracte any thinge from the Maiesty of the Lorde Of these some one of them must they cannot all bée true It is an excellente Argumente that I finde in Augustine in his questions Deus non est aucthor vllius rei qua homo fit deterior c. God is not the Aucthor of any one thing in man for which hée is worse But by sin men are the worse then God is not the aucthor of sin Hée that is the punisher of offenders and a distroyer of those he malefactors and consumer of sutch as run in sinne hée cannot bée sinfull or the Aucthor of sin God punisheth offenders and destroyeth malefactors and is a flame of fier to the wicked then God is