Christ by his comming and suffering hath abolished all figures and shadows of sacrifices and ceremonies ouercomming in déede sinne death and damnation and ascending bodily vp into heauen hath sent downe the holie ghost to beare witnesse and work with the preachers of his gospell vpon earth whiche as faithfull messangers of the Lorde earnestly exhorte and humbly beseech men in Christ that they woulde bée reconciled vnto god Wherfore now after sufficient experience and tryall of all things and vtter abolishement of such as nowe might bée euil or vnprofitable God the father of mercie and pitie through the merits meanes of Christ his son by the power and presence of the holie Ghost euer woorking and witnessing with the Ministers of the Gospell doth so mooue and dispose purifie and sanctifie the harts and mindes of men as teacheth and causeth them by fayth to flee dangers of dānation deserued by their owne déedes vnto assurance of saluation in Christes merites They be taught to beleue in God by the sonne the spirite the woorde and messangers of God. I do not meane that they be taught only to say I beléeue as the Church doth or only to say the summe of a good beléefe in an vnknowen language but that as God by the minister of his worde and power of his spirit teacheth so their heartes and minds conceiue their mouthes confesse and the fruites of their charitable works bée agreable in such wise as euery one of them most truly and comfortable doth think and may say with the holie catholike Church I beleue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth I which was by nature a childe of wrath borne and liuing in sinne vnder Sathan in the kingdome of darkenesse nowe of grace through the holy ghost by the immortall séede of Gods worde being newe begotten and new borne vnto the kingdome of God Do beleeue as certainely as of moste sure ground and as throughly as of great triall and experience I do know and trust in god the father almightie that God which is all goodnesse in himselfe hath of his fatherly loue and almightie power made mée his good creature and deer child so that he will for euer be a gracious God and louing father vnto me which is the maker of heauen and earth which hath created and made doth rule and order al things in heauen and earth vnto his honour and glorie and vnto my comfort and cōmoditie For as hée being the Lord ouer all hath declared himself to bée a father vnto me by his promise so I am sure of the inheritance of all being his childe by faith And in Iesus Chryste hys onely sonne our Lorde I haue good knowledge by sure truste in Iesus the Sauioure of his people from their sinnes that I shall bée saued from my sinnes and from all euilles throughe Christ the annointed King priest and prophet that I shall bée a christian that I shal be annointed with grace of Christes spirit to be partaker of the kingly priesthode and godly wisedome of Christ that in such holinesse righteousnesse and godlinesse as is acceptable before him I may offer the sacrifice of my selfe in seruing him al the dayes of my life and haue the crowne of glory with him in his kingdome in the kingdom vnto the which he hath redéemed vs that is of nature and substance vnto God his only sonne making vs his brethren and Gods children by grace and adoption so that wée must take him to be our Lorde obeying the authoritie learning the doctrine and following the example of him as of our onely gouerner scholemaster and pastour VVhich vvas conceyued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary Which in taking by the holy Ghost of a pure virgine our flesh vpon him hath purified vs from our sinnes to be sanctified in his righteousnesse VVhich suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Suffered vnder a Iudge the iudgement of death due for our sinnes to purchase for vs of god his father the reward of his righteousnesse to giue vs example and grace to followe his obedience He vvas crucified Bearing the curse of the lawe to get and giue vnto vs the blessing of grace hee Died and vvas buried So that nowe our bodies mindes with him should bée mortified and buried frō sin and not die and damned in sin for hee Descended into hell He suffered all extremitie not onely in bodie but also in soule that we should suffer no more than we might be able to bear and that no paynes or punishment for sinnes should be plagues of vengeance to destroy vs but rather corrections of fatherlie loue to amende vs. The thyrd day he rose againe from the dead The day and time appointed and afore prophecied with victorie ouer Hell Death and Damnation hée rising from the deade did make death a ready and spéedie passage for vs vnto life teaching and strengthning vs to ryse forth of sinne and walke in newnesse of life after him that Ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the father almighty And like as the sunne at midday so he in bodily presence lifte vp from the earth into heauen there in glory of Gods maiestie abiding doth from thence shine and shewe his vertue and goodnesse by the power of his spyrite most presently and comfortably vnto all creatures in euery place vpon the earth and as hée ascended bodily into Heauen to replenishe all things euen so in the same bodie From thence he shal come to iudge the quick and dead From heauen whither as he did ascende in the sight of his disciples so from thence in the sighte of all men shall hée come not only in spirite and power as he is at all times in all places but also in his bodie glorified with maiestie as he is nowe in heauen and shall not come from thence vntill the last day when as all men both dead afore and liuing then shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortalitie vnto suche state as shall euer continue either in hel or in heauen according vnto the righteous iudgement of Christe in the which hee shall declare and take all vs that be vnfayned Christians to be the blessed children and heires of God with him in that kingdome which could neuer by any works or merites of any man haue bene deserued or purchased but onely in Christe vnto Christians of the only gracious goodnesse of god hath for euer bene prepared I beleue in the holie Ghost I haue knowledge with sure hope in the holy spirit of God equall with the father and the sonne proceeding from the father and the sonne to sanctifie beautifie Christes Church that I shall be sanctified from all sinnes and endued with all good giftes of grace as God seeth is moste necessarie expediente for mée to edifie and not to destroy Yea I beléeue that by him all Gods creatures be sanctified and made holie vnto all godly men and that without him there can be
of Chryst your earnest zeles be reproued for that ye do not well knowe your owne minde and spirite but lamentably looking vpon the scattered flocke crie and cal vnto the father of mercie and pitie that as the Lorde of the haruest he woulde send forth labourers faithful pastors godlie preachers to gather kéepe and féede the electe people lambes and children of God in the holie Churche kingdome and inheritaunce of Christ. A meditation vppon the Lordes prayer OVr Father which art in heauen We gloriously formed vnto the Image of thy diuine Maiestie created by thy gracious goodnes vnto highest honour howe be it by our owne sinfulnesse dysfigured with vilenesse deseruing damnacion and yet by Christes death redeemed and restored vnto grace to be citizens with saincts of the familie of God Nowe altogether in christen vnitie as members of one bodie we pray desire and trust to obtayne of thée our heauenly father according vnto thy gracious goodnesse mightie power and faythfull promise vnto vs that aske abundance of thy grace That thy name may be halovved That thy diuine power and glorious maiestie may bée certainely knowen and reuerently honoured That the heartes of vs men by thy worde and prayer may bee sanctified from al sinne and vanitie so that wée with all that wée haue seruing thee in holinesse and righteousnesse may so shine afore men vppon earthe that they thereby may be occasion to honour thee our father which arte in heauen Thy kingdome come Thy worde bée so fruitfully preached amongst vs thy people that we may be thorowly instructed and taughte to bridle our sensuall appetites by naturall reason and to submit our wits and reasons vnto a good godlie spirit and to trie our spirites by the true Scriptures So that within vs may raigne the kingdome of God which is neyther meate nor drink whiche is neither superstitious ceremonies voluptuous pleasures nor vayne glorie but righteousnesse peace and comforte in the holie ghoste by the which we nowe tasting of thy heauenly ioyes may be made from henceforth wearie of all worldly vanities continually looking and praying for the appearance and comming of thy eternall and euerlasting kingdome Thy vvill bee done in earth as it is in heauen In heauen the Angels of reuerent loue do thy will and commaundement with cōfortable courage and ioyfull pleasure In hell the wicked spirits through malice and enuie repining and grudging doe torment and vexe them selues whatsoeuer they bée doing And vppon earth men being subiecte vnto sinne do think it a labour and payne to be occupied in any thing that is good and godlie Wherefore we pray that the grace of thy heauenly spirit may so worke in our earthly bodies that wée beyng deliuered from sinne and vanitie may fréely delight and take pleasure to doo thy will and commandement beyng declared by thy worde to vs men vpon earth as thy glorious Angels do which be in heauen Giue vs this day our dayly bread We hauing great néede not able of our sclues to deserue any thing beséeche thée of thy fatherly goodnesse to giue fréely vnto all vs in generall So that none bée hurt nor hindered seuerally this day when as wee crie constreyned by present néede not craftily crauing for vaine care against to morrowe our dayly bread our dayly and necessary foode and reléefe both bodily and ghostly And especially so that the spirituall foode of Christes fleshe and his bloude by dayly preaching of the Gospell and administration of the Sacramentes may replenishe our hearts and mindes with continuall remembrance of Christes death and his passion dayly to bée vsed for necessary and spirituall consolation Forgiue vs our rrespasses as vve forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Giue vnto vs that féeling our owne sinfulnesse to néede and desire thy merciful forgiuenesse of our faultes and trespasses which we haue committed against thée so that we fréely forgiuing all other that haue offended vs in any thing whatsoeuer it be may bée sure that mercy springing in thée hath procéeded vnto vs and being graciously offered of thée hath bene thankfully receyued of vs and being charitably vsed of vs towardes other shall most certainly bée cōfrmed and enlarged of thée towards vs So that by frée mercie springing and proceeding from thée all faultes may bée fréely forgiuen euen as those which other haue committed agaynste vs so likewyse those which we haue done againste thée And lead vs not into temptation Suffer not the diuell by the abuse of thy benefites to leade vs captiues into deceytfull and damnable temptation drawing vs by daintie meats vnto gréedy gluttony ▪ by money and richesse vnto vnsatiable couetousnesse and by welth and prosperitie vnto pride and vaine glory and by all thy godly gracious giftes vnto euery diuelishe abhominable sinne But deliuer vs from euill Deliuer our goodes from abuse our bodies from corruption our soules from dānation deliuer vs by Christ Iesu from the bondage of sinne vnto the liberty of the Gospell so that from all daunger of diuelishe temptation trayning and entycing men towardes damnation we may be deliuered to serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse al the dais of our life with most certaine and sure hope of euerlasting saluation through Christ Iesu in whome our hope and thy promis is most certayne that is to say Amen Youre tyme is shorte your daungers bee greate you are vvell vvarned by Gods vvord vvritten Mark. xiij Take heede watche and praye Take heede that your hearts and myndes bee not made heauie harde and dull vvith meates and drinkes vaine pleasures or worldly cares VVatch with diligence to doo youre owne duties in destrous looking for Christes comming Pray that yee may escape all dangers and stande in grace and fauour afore the face of Christ at his comming APOCAL. 22. Behold I come soone Printed by Henrie Bynneman for George Byshop 1575.
no holinesse nor nothing holie vnto any man For it is not only the holy ghost in the heart and minde of man that sanctifieth that maketh and kéepeth pure and holy The holy catholicke church I knowe and thinke assuredly that I and all Christians be one church one congregation in suche vnitie of liuely faithe whiche worketh by charitie as dothe euer kéepe vs togither as members of one bodie in Christe although wée be farre asunder by reason of diuers times and places in the worlde and by the holy spirite worde and sacraments of God in this church is such holinesse as doth euer striue and preuaile against vngodlines such holinesse as is the continual purging of men from their sins to furnishe and garnishe them with godly righteousnesse in christ This Church or congregatioÌ„ is so catholike so made one of many so made one mysticall bodie in Christ of many men in all places as is one mannes naturall body of diuers members euery one seuerally hauing their own places and proportions all together ioyned accordingly in one body of one person And so the communion of Sainctes The vnitie of them that be sanctified redemed and deliuered from the seruice of the Diuell the flesh and the worlde to glorifie God in holinesse and righteousnesse is by Christ and in Christ a common comfort and coÌ„moditie vnto al them of euery thing that is good or profitable vnto any of them which although many times they caÌ„not bée séene and perceyued of worldely men nor well knowne one to another yet being all of one faith be euer altogether afore god in one mind as members of one body to haue communion comfort and commodity euery one with al other in Christ their head And as it was sayde they haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them so haue wée always in this holy catholike Church the foundatioÌ„ of the Prophets Apostels Christ being the beade corner stone albeit not their personsin bodily preseÌ„ce yet their examples of liuing and truthe of doctrine in their wrytings so that euer therein wée may sée and perceyue that face and fashion of the holie catholicke Churche which God hath ordayned to be so shewed as moste expedient and sufficient vnto all men at al times and all places The Remission of sinnes In this Church of Christ and companie of Saintes I knowe and receiue freely by fayth forgiuenesse of sins which be so great and gréeuous debts as do deserue death and damnation and as the least of them could neuer haue bene dyscharged but onely by the precious passion and oblation of Christ once for all The resurrection of the body I know and loke that our bodies by sin of man deseruiug death to decay in corruptioÌ„ shall by the might and merite of Christ be raised to receiue glory immortalitie And life euerlasting And finally that bodies and soules in ioy and glory shal liue for euer in the kingdome of god when as we shall receiue our inheritaunce with Christ in whom according vnto Gods promises and our fayth al these things be most sure and certaine that is to say Amen So be it Now thus beleuing and comparing the kingdome of heauen with the pleasures of Paradise and the holinesse of regeneration with the purenesse of creation I finde and féele how that I do get more and better by faith in Christ than that which I did loose by sinne in Adam Yea I haue good vnderstanding and comfortable experience how that God hath concluded al men vnder sin to be mercyful vnto all how that the scripture truely describing declaring the righteousnesse of God and the sinfulnesse of man hath concluded all men vnder their owne sinnes that righteousnesse which coÌ„meth of the faith of Christ might be giuen vnto the beléeuers howe that through the righteousnesse of the lawe and infirmities of mannes flesh God doth make greate aboundance of sinne to appeare in all mens beedes and deseruings that more aboundaunce of grace might bée graunted and giuen by the merits of Christ vnto all that receyue and beleeue the Gospell O blessed be God for the gifte of this beléefe by the which he maketh the losse of the plesures of Paradise through maÌ„s sinne to serue vnto the inheritance of the kingdome of Heauen by gods grace And the sinfull sorowes in mans conscience to be coÌ„fortable signes and tokens of sauing health by Christes Phisicke and medicines And all dangers plagues and vengeance for sinne in the world to driue men to assurance of health and wealth by faith in the Lorde There can be nothing so sure certaine as this faith which commeth by hearing of Gods worde which is the worke of Gods spirite whiche is confirmed by the life doctrine and death of al that euer were Prophets Apostles Euangelists Martyres to teach and witnesse Gods truth For this faith is not only a knowledge of the grace mercy goodnesse of God but also an assurance of the same vnto mannes self by the word sprite of god So that it is the ground worke stay of al good hope the argument and euideÌ„ce of all such mysteries as be hid and couered from worldlings to be reserued and reueled only vnto Gods children Therefore any man may easely learne to speake these wordes but the goodnesse of God towards maÌ„ by these words signified is such as can not be knowne or perceiued of them which be of bloud or of the will of the Flesh or of the wil of man but only of them whiche be borne of God whiche be priuiledged by Christ to be the children of god For this beléef is not of the fréewill of man â—ut of the holy spirit of God not by keping customes or traditions of men but by hearing the word of God by hearing or reading the glad tidings of the Gospell in such sorte as can not be reueled but onely in Christ of the heauenly father by the holie ghost vnto Gods children The blind eyes of wittie worldlings in séeking for worldely wealth contemning Gods worde can sée and finde in déede nothing but the wrath and vengeance of God in al things and especially in sicknesse plagues wars and losse of any lands or goods but the cleare eyes of faythfull christians by the light of the Gospell seeking the kingdome of god and the righteousnesse therof in all things and especially in losse of anie góodes or suffering any paynes do euer sée the mercifull pitie and tender loue of their heauenly father alwayes keping them vnder the rodde of correction and the crosse of persecution â–ª as his most deare children All Iewish persons wil haue such a Messias as shall make them Princes and prelates in a worldely kingdome faythfull christians haue the sonne of god their Lord and sauior which hath bought and brought them from this world to bee a holie people and kingly priesthode vnto God in his heauenly Hierusalem The Crosse the passion death of Christ is an offence vnto all such
trauell and many troubles in wildernesse where as their bodies and carkases all died and perished their wiues children were ofte and gréeuously plagued And euen so when as a man is called in witnessing of Gods truth by any deathe to come spedily out of this world into heaueÌ„ then if for feare or loue of freÌ„des goods hée vtterly wil refuse deny so to forsake all come vnto God he shall deserue that God with long wretchednesse in this worlde shold destroy him and plage all that is hys For in fleeing from spéedie passage by a fierie fagot which is sodenly ended hee shal fall in daunger of a fiery feuer or of some such sicknesse as shal most miserably consume his body euer biting and burning by a little a little to make him to feele long sorowes of life vnder a slow deathe Yea in refusing to come with a courage beyng louingly called of God vnto life euerlasting he runneth in danger to dispaire when as by fearful death hee shal be forced to forsake this world this life and euery suche thing as hée nowe lyketh and loueth Many fearing to bée shutte vp in a stinking prison where as godly men haue euer found most swéete consolations of Goddes spirit doo flée from the truthe and fall into snares and banâ—s of the diuell drawne with grudge grief of conscience vnto moste vile and filthie seruice of sin superstition and idolatry Many also bee so addicte vnto their owne countrey there abiding in the shadowe of death vnder Idolatrie that they will not desire séek and find the churche of Christ in other places openly assembled in suche sincere profession of Christen Religion as God dothe blesse and beautifie with the riches and grace of his cléere truth comfortable countenance Many knowing and liking the truth inwardly in their mind yet frame themselues in outwarde apperance to please the world hauing their owne conscience to witnesse that in purposing so to please bothe God and man they can not long escape the iudgement shame confusion of vnfaithfull flattering dissembling bothe with God man For in halting vppon both sides they can not vprightly stand or go with either party but in bowing vnto Baal they fall from god And hauing good knowledge of God and yet giuing occasion of offence to the simple that lacke knowlege they deserue worse than a milstone to be tyed about their necke and to be drowned in the sea bycause they seeing vngodlinesse doe wittingly presume afore the face of God to bring them selues and others folowing their example in danger of the same that they sée is vngodly by going to Masse and pretending a loue and knowlege vnto the gospell they make the simple ignorant to think that the Masse is not vngodly or that for policye a faythfull Christian may company with the vngodly at vngodlynesse A man may haue iust occasion to kéepe or change any place but neuer to yelde or agrée vnto any euill and vngodly thing It is not the flying from place to place only but from the vngodly fashion of this worlde vnto newnesse of life that can profite man and please god So therefore vse all places as may helpe beste to the amendment of your liues And where as ye do sée Idolatry mainteined forced by authoritie fary not in that countrey except God haue so there prouided for you that ye shall not be forced for feare of man to bowe vnto Baal for to flatter please worldly powers to heare or say the vngodly Masse And if ye come forth of youre countrey for loue of youre pure religion reste not but in suche places as haue the riche blessings of sincere godly doctrine and discipline If yée forsake your countrey for Christes cause doe not leaue Christes Churche Gods blessings grace and chéerful countenance to please Christes enimies When as God shall sende his messanger in the spirit power of Helias then they that halte vpon both sides shall bée sharply rebuked they that be neyther hote nor colde shall bée cast vp vomited and spued forthe as moste vngodly and wicked They that flatter Princes and mock and persecute prophets and preachers shall bée in daunger of fire from heauen to destroy them The priests of Baal shall not escape the rage of the people stirred of zele in seing howe abhominably by them they haue of long time ben deceiued God dishonored All suche as bée of the house and kinred of the kind conditions of Achab Iesabell in getting vnrighteous possessions in sheding innoceÌ„t blood in vsing and maynteyning idolatrie shall féele zelous Iehu executing wrath and vengeaunce of God vppon them vnto the third and fourth generation of them WheÌ„ suche as Peter that before a woman was afrayde to confesse Christe bée so recouered and encouraged by Gods spirite that boldly they wil charge the chiefe rulers the high Priestes and all the people euen to their faces that they haue forsaken and condemned the Gospell of Chryste whiche is the power of God vnto saluation of all that do beléeue and required taken the masse whiche is the author and maker of sedition murder of mens soules then shal ye heare and see that there is no way to escape the wrath and vengeance of God but by fléeing now from this frowarde and peruerse generation vnto that sauing health whiche God in Christe by the light ministerie of the Gospel doth shew send offer to you Therfore now when as God doth shew vnto you the abhomination of desolation standing in the holie place When as hée dothe giue you warning of vengeance that is coÌ„ming flée from ignorance vnto knowledge froÌ„ vice vnto vertue from worldlinesse vnto godlinesse and loke not backe at the losse of any thing as the wife of Lot did and was turned into a salt piller nor looke not aside at any terrible stormes and raging waues which might cause you like vnto Peter to fainte for feare and sinke in worldely wretchednesse as in the water but set your eyes and your heartes wholly vpon the promis and prouision of God as Abraham did so shall ye be strong in faith and take and kéepe the right way eueÌ„ vnto the ende For thou shalt see finde and féele in leauing or loosing any thing to take and beare the crosse of Christ manifold recompence héere and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting and paynful death vpon earth spéedy passage vnto the ioyes of heauen in close prison and bonds of the body libertie of conscience to solace the minde in heauenlie meditation and in expulsion or fléeing from kindred and countrie entrance into a christen congregation garnished with all godlinesse belonging vnto Christes kingdome And for the loue and desire to sée and enioy the restitution and aduauncement of this kingdome rather than of any worldy wealth vain glory or tyrannous emperie do not woorke or wish vengeaunce vnto other least that it fall vppon your selues or else least that