example vnto vs to do the like so to take tyme to the consideration of Gods workes and to other godly meditations Last of al it may be that God therby would signifie that he did then holde off his hands and gaue roome and leaue to the Temptor Hauing seene howe it pleased God to beginne nowe haue we to seeke oute howe he went forwarde with the same or the continuaunce and processe of the matter or of this worke so begunne In whiche there be two principall pointes to be considered firste in what sort he brought to passe that man fell away from his innocencie and happie estate then in what sorte he brought in the worke of redemption or the remedie ordeyned before In the former of these there are fyue speciall poyntes to be considered Fyrste what the estate of mankind became thereby as touching which we haue to know that first concerning his Soule the principall parte of him his naturall gyftes were not cleane loste but very much decayed as for his other excellencies which we may terme Supernaturall firste his Immortalitie was pouldred with eternal tormentes and as for the rest firste them selues were so cleane loste that for those pointes there remayned in mans nature no goodnes at all then also in place of thē he had for pefect knowledge starke blindnes and error for abilitie to fulfill the law not so much power left as to thinke one good thought but was fully replenished with all iniquitie for freedome of will most miserable bondage of the same therin the power of Sathan wholly aduaunced Then also to come to the body it became most miserable partly in this world both in it selfe by disfigurings distemperature diseases griefes naturall death and by the curse that was cast on other creatures that were for the vse of man but especially in the world to come being subiect then to euerlasting wretchednes Secondarily that this wretched estate was from our first parents deriued to all their posteritie and three reasons may be geuen therefore First because they stood for vs all to haue and to lose for vs or from vs what soeuer was bestowed on them Thē because the sinne was so great that it could not be sufficiently punished vnlesse it were cast on their posteritie also especially yf we cast our eyes to the absolute perfection of his holines and righteousnes The thirde and laste because we haue experience that the saide corruption is inuested in vs Thirdly whether God were the worker of this their ouerthrow or not Concerning whiche it is to be knowne first that he did it and that it must nedes so be for that there is no other agent or working powre in all the world but his alone then that he did it not immediately by him selfe but by his executioner the diuell and the readie inclination of man him self Fourthly to what ende he should do it which was to worke forth the purpose of the Father to shewe forth especially both his iust vengeaunce on those whom he woulde not vouchsafe to raise vp againe and his mercie on those whome he would recouer The fift and laste is to search out how this worke may be attributed to God and yet he not made thereby the author of sinne Concerning which it is to be knowne first of all that all the workes of God are so righteous him selfe so well able to answere for him selfe that neither cā he do any yll neither doth he neede our defence Then also that whereas in all things that are done there is a double consideration one of the dede it selfe the other of the qualitie or forme or maner of it to distinguishe betwixt the two bringeth a sufficient light to the matter so that euer we attribute the deede it selfe without any exception to God alone as in murther the bereeuing a man of his life the qualitie yf it be good as the lawfull putting a man to death for his desertes to God also yf it be indifferent as in naturall death to the course of nature whiche God hathe set which notwithstanding euer is at the becke of god Yf the qualitie be yll as vnlawfully to take a mans lyfe from him and so might seeme to streyne the deede so farre that yf the deede should be adscribed to God he also shoulde be the author of sinne yet are these two thinges therewithall to be knowne First that as it is the worke of God he euer hath some other qualitie or forme apperteyning therevnto that is good Then also that the yll qualitie or forme of the yll deed is not eyther eternall with God because the diuill him selfe the author of it was him selfe the creature of God or to him deriued from God at his creation for that the goodnes of God is such as that no yll can proceede of it no more then darknes can come of light of health sicknes of life death c. But of the diuell as of his owne afterwarde obteyned because he did not abide in the truth Sinne beeing by nature but the decay of righteousnes as darkenes is but the want of light sicknes no more but the want of health and death no more but wāt of life So that Sinne might very well firste beginne in him when first he fell In the latter that is in the bringing in of the remedy that was before ordeined there are three things to be cōsidered first how he prepared mankind to receaue it before that fully he brought it in then howe he brought forth the worke it selfe thirdly howe he hath euer since mainteined and aduaunced the same To beginne with the first of these three we find that he did it diuersly somewhat otherwise in the first age of the world then in the second In the first age of the world till the calling of Abraham he did altogether to speake of estraunge him selfe to the world and yet therewithall gaue notable tokens of a reconciliation made in the secret purpose of God and that the worke therof should be accomplished when time should come as touching the estraunginge of him selfe we haue to consider in what maner it was and to what ende it was done The maner of it appeareth in these three poynts First that he droue out of Paradise our first aūcestors immediately after the fall and frō the fruition of the Tree of life Secondarily that afterward he chose vnto him no one people or nation in all the world but onely a few particular men of diuers families Last of all that vnto those particulars also he did not geue any set forme of religion or manifestation of his will but onely delte with them by the law written in their hartes and by extraordinary reuelation The ende or cause wherefore it was donne was to teache them howe odious they were in the moste holy iudgementes of god both to dryue them from that naturall heresie of man to haue some good opinion of their owne righteousnes and to prouoke them to seeke for helpe
nede No matter of diffcultie to speake of to suche as know what a note-booke meaneth And my trust is that there are not many matters of importaunce not only not â—n the scriptures but also not in the doctors or in other good writers apperteining to the substaunce of religioÌ„ that may not aptly and naturally be referred to some suche title as is conteined in these two bookes For the better accomplishment of this matter as also for the better prouocation of al others to search out the sense of these litle books I haue annexed herevnto such a demonstratioÌ„ therof so liuely a representation to the eye of the principal parts of euery particular point coÌ„teined therin as I was able to deuise in so smal a rome expressing the former booke vnder the forme of a tree roote and the latter by a couple of other trees The former haue I made the roote for that it is by nature the very grouÌ„d worke of the other as may appeare in the opening of the firste commaundement In whiche Roote euery principall Master-Roote doeth expresse the chiefe and principall partes of the whole discourse as also the lesser doo betoken inferiour members euen to the laste and leaste of all And as for the Trees my meaning is this the one of them representeth such thinges as are forbidden by the coÌ„maundements therefore is called the tre of death the other such things as they require and therefore is called the tree of lyfe The roote aforesaide diuersly taken is roote vnto both For the ignoraunce of those things that it conteineth is roote vnto the tree of death and the knowledge of them the roote vnto the tree of lyfe And therfore haue I somewhat bared the rootes of both these trees that so far as the discourse therof doth lead euery one may see it to be the selfe same roote that before is described This also I haue prouided both in the Roote and in the trees that there be neither mo nor fewer diuisions or braunches of any then there are seuerall partes or meÌ„bers in the discourses that belong thervnto nor otherwise growing or issuing forth thou the diuisions or meÌ„bers of these discourses doo arise one vpon an other As it shal be an easy matter for those to espie that will conferre them and the booke together so that euer they remember to kepe this order which I haue continually obserued to beginne at their lefte hande in all Diuisions and to go to the right Which that they may the better finde out I haue not only lefte my trees without eyther fruite or leaues as in deede the tree of lyfe hath seldome any store of fruite amoÌ„g vs then why should not the tree of death be so much the rather spoyled of this that so the Braunches them selues may better appeare how many they are how they arise but also haue added certen letters both to the Roote and to the Trees to bring the demoÌ„stration the bookes together that so not onely those that will more diligently study religion may soner espie what titles to chuse but all others also that will but read these bookes with aduisement may better perceiue what pointes religion geueth forth vnto theÌ„ to be considered But herewithall must they know that this demonstration doth not extend to the Preface conclusion or marginall notes in eyther of the bookes nor to those things that in the text are added to the second third fourth fifte coÌ„maundements in the latter booke Otherwise there is not to my remeÌ„braunce any one meÌ„bre of eyther of these books that hath not his proper demoÌ„stratioÌ„ either in the roote or in one of the Trees and that in such sort as I trust will be welcome to the diligent reader for the light that it doth carie with it As also I dare be bold to say thus muche that if any of those that loue imbrodering or nedle worke shall thinke good to borrow their flowers or Braunches hence sure I am that the best of vs all may here haue inow to put in napkins to wipe our noses As for the songes that are set herevnto they doe so resemble the matter it selfe that euery one may see my meaning therein The former of them is made vpon the song of the Angell that brought the shepheardes word of the birth of Christe geuing the glory of that our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ only to God a thing that cometh very neere to the argumeÌ„t of the former booke The other goeth vpon the sense of the ten-coÌ„mauÌ„dements doth more precisely comprehend the effect of the whole latter booke teaching the way that we should walke Seing therfore that sometymes we are naturally bent to refreshe our selues with song some not onely are desirous to sing by theÌ„selues but also couet to haue others to sing with theÌ„ and therwithall to haue such recreation as the harmonie of musicke can bring therevnto which is veri much to most meÌ„s nature whereas before I had a note of a freind of mine in foure parts which well agreth to this kind of making and is not vnworthy of the author of it I thought it good to set all those partes downe to the one and to procure the like for the other that if so it shall please thee thou also mayst haue the vse of them and if thy hart shall goe with thy song then dare I promise thee that god him selfe shall like thy melodie These gentle Reader are the things that I had to imparte vnto ther. These if thou take with the bookes them selues thou hast therwithall my whole meaning Of what accompt it shal be with some others as yet I knowe not so also I care not But whosoeuer shal geue foorth better I shal be as glad to receiue that as I was readie in the same respect to publishe this God geue vs al grace to be thankful to him for this great light that it hath pleased him to coÌ„maunde to shine out of darknes in these our dayes and while we haue it to walke as becommeth the children of light The night mee thinketh approcheth neare then shall we hardly be able to walke Time must be taken when time is offred for time will away And so in the Lord I bid thee hartily well to fare this 20 of Aprill 1576. Certayne other aduertisementes to the Reader of some notes to be set downe and some faltes and poyntes to be amended before that he reade the booke it selfe so to make him to vnderstand it the better In the first booke Fol. 1. b. lin 4. put out by 2. a. in the title where as it is Sonne it shoulde bee Father 2. b. li. 21. for Thirdly that he is c. say Thirdly that in the Godhead c. as it followeth and so strike out those 3 lines betwixt 3. a. li. 14. for Fiftly that c. say Fourthly and last of all that c. line 21. strike out Sixtely and all that followeth to alteration foure lines in al.
fol. 8. a. lin 22. make a full poynt at him 10. a. li. 14. for his put in Gods. 10. b. lin 17. for the put in these lin 21. put this poynt at murther and remoue that part of the parenthesis to life in rhe next line 11. a. li. 5. and 6. thus point it to god he c sinne yet c 15. a. 15. poynt it thus adoption 15. b. poynt it thus li. 9. Iewes lin 11. estimation lin 13. insuing Fo. 16. a. for world point it worlde 17. a. in the title for the holy Ghost put the Sonne for 19 put 17. 18. a. for fo 20. put fo 18. li. last for them put them 18. b. lin 21. put our after touching 19. a for 17. put 19. and in the margent agaynst the sixte line thou must put a note that that treatice which lasteth till th end of the thirde page comprehendeth the whole discourse of the sconde booke 19. b. li 1 for of the Sonne put of God the father the Sonne lin 11. for man on the. c. put man all other creatures in heauen earth and hell on the one side and al fantasies of oure owne brayne on the other c. 20. a. for 18. put 20. 21. a. lin 12. put worketh it in them lin 18. for inwarde put inwarde 22 b in the margent for cases put causes 24 b lin 8. put of yll lin 12. nothing 25. a. put them when 26 a lin 21. you may put this note in the margent Fol 19 a b 20 a. But afterwarde more largely in the seconde booke in the Tree of lyfe b. agaynst the fourth line you maye set this note in the margent Which also are more largely set foorth in the next booke in the Tree of Death lin 15. for put by man c. say put by eyther the creatures of God or so much as their own fancies that so c. 27 a. lin 2 for selues or other put selues or others b. lin 20. for setting put setling 29. for 31. put 29. b. The text of Scripture apperteineth not to that only place but to the whole booke and shoulde haue bene set last of all In the second booke 30. after the text of scripture in suche bookes as bookes as haue not the place quoted put in Eccle. 13. d. 12. 13. 31. for 29 put 31. b lin 21 for Region put Religion 33 lin 9 for selues poynt it selues b lin 7 spring 34 a lin 10 at It req beginne a new section 20. Saintes 21 selues 34 b in the title The fyrste Commaundemente Which falt thou muste amende once more in that commaun and twise in the seconde 35 b lin 1 for mankinde on c. put in mankind and all other creatures on the one side and all conceites of our owne on the other We geue c. In the margente reade mankinde and all other creatures on the one side that others c. 39 b lin 6 for lawe put lawe 40 a li 8 for as put and. blast line for Eercises put Exercises 43 b in the 12 line of the note put sense 44 b lin 6 put out in 46 b in the note lin 24. reade thus nor to them neither 47 b. lin 2. done 49 a lin for put lin 15 these lin 16 this lin 23 for ben put bent 51 b for rest put rest 52 a lin 15 for put 53 b in the margent lin 29 for both in c put in the Braunches of both the Trees that bet c. 55 a li 4 for put li 5 for the seconde put 56 a lin 20 for put 62 b lin 24 for L put l. 64 b in the title for sixt put seuenth A SHORT SVMME of Christian Religion vnder the consideration of the three persons in the Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Isa. 44. d. 24. Mat. 28. c. 19. I the Lorde doo all thinges mee selfe alone Goe ye therefore and teache all Nations baptizyng them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost A short Summe of Christian Religion vnder the consideration of the three persons in the Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost AS it is verye true that God onely is the Lorde and the only doer or worker of al so may the whole body of Christian Religion be geuen forth in suche a methode or forme as that the whole glory of all may well be gathered only to him In so muche that as there are three distinct Persons in the Godhead so likewise may the effect or summe of all Religion be distributed into three such principall partes as may very fitly bee sorted to euery of them and so the whole glory of all left only to god And those principall parres of Religion which we meane to attribute one to the Father an other to the Sonne the thirde vnto the holy Ghost are First the secrete purpose of God or what he should meane in ordering this world and all things therein in such sorte as he hath secondarily the bringing forth of that his purpose or the manifestation of it thirdly by the working of the same in others directing or framing all thinges to the due accomplishment therof The Person of the Father VNto the Person of the Father I attribute the secrete counsaile or intent or purpose of the Godhead as touching his ordering this worlde and all thinges therein in such sort as it hath pleased him to ordeine them Which purpose of his was as the sequele therof and many places of scripture declare to make knowne not man or other creatures but only him selfe As touching which knowledge or making of him selfe knowne there are threee principall thinges to be considered First what maner of knowledge of him it is that he would geue forth of him self Secondarily in whome he woulde be knowne Thirdly and last of all by what degrees he woulde haue this knowledge of him to be in man. As touching the firste and principall of â—hese three we haue to consider that it is not that absolute or most full and perfect knowledge of him which can be in none â—ut onely in him selfe but a certaine meâ—iocritie or suche as might come vnder â—ur capacitie For that he ment not to geue forth that absolute knowledge of â—im in the workemanship of this world â—t may sufficiently appeare for that neiâ—her is the workemanshippe of this world a sufficient demonstratioÌ„ of it neiâ—her are we of that creation or nature â—hat we are able so muche as to conceaue â—t That I deny the workemanshippe of â—his world to be a sufficient demonstraâ—ion of it the reason is this because it is â—f so small continuaunce that it can not â—herin expresse the eternitie of the Godâ—ead and of so small compasse that it can â—ot therin expresse his Vbiquitie or vnâ—easurablenes That I deny vs to be of that capacity thaâ— we are able to conceiue it the reason is because we can in no wise be able cytheâ— in the shortnes of our
commaundement knitteth vs all together in one and so layeth the very foundation nexte after our dutie to Gods owne Person of euery State or common-wealth And in deede there is nothing that so knitteth together as for to acknowledge this subiection and gladly to honour and reuerence eche other But of this Commaundement there are likewise two principall partes first the CoÌ„maundement it selfe then the promise annexed therevnto In the Commaundement it selfe wee haue to consider first what it requireth then what it forbiddeth It requireth first the Braunch then also the Roote and whatsoeuer other brauÌ„ches come out of the same The Braunch of whiche first it speaketh is to honour our naturall parentes The Roote out of which this Braunche doth growe is a serious and a diligent consideration howe good things it hath pleased God to geue forth in the world to our vse and namely so much as apperteineth to this present Braunche howe great good thinges he hath bestowed on vs by our naturall Parentes The other Braunches that come out of this Roote are in like maner to honour all others to whom we find our selues to be bound for the like good thinges wherewith it hath pleased god to our vse to furnishe them and therein to make theÌ„ in effect our parents But because there are very many that by this accompt must be had in reuerence of vs though not all alike it shal be nedefull first to see who they are and then what kinde of honour apperteineth to euery of theÌ„ Beginning therefore to search out who they are whom it hath pleased god in this respect to make our Parents heere muste wee needes beginne with the man Iesus Christe in whom it hath pleased the Godheade that all fulnes shoulde dwell and that in him shoulde bee layde vp for vs all the inestimable treasures of Gods gooodnes that as he should be the head of his Church and therefore the very foundation or the corner stone of our mutuall Societie one with an other so might we finde in him that which might sufficiently commende him vnto vs in that respect and haue him fuly furnished therevnto From Christe descending to men on earth wee finde of them two sortes first those vnto whom we are specially bounde then all others we are specially bounde vnto three sorts firste to those that are in authoritie ouer vs as Parentes Princes vnder-magistrates spirituall Pastors and Masters Secondarily to those that are in dignitie preferred before vs as besides those before rehearsed the Learned the aged the honorable or worshipfull the Riche and those that are skilfull or cunning in their Sciences or Trades of life Thirdly to those that haue a care of vs or beare good will vnto vs as kinsfolke neighbours and all other freendes All others likewise come vnder this accompte for that they are or at least may be for ought that we knowe euen the farthest and meanest of all to very great vse vnto vs Thirdly hauing so taken in all liuing men we haue yet to stretch forth this consideration to many others Angels dead men and other Creatures First as touching Angels they are to be taken into this accompt for that it pleaseth God to vse their ministerie or seruice to our vse heere in this world Of dead men that beloÌ„g herevnto there are two sortes the former is of those that perhaps are departed long since and yet haue so bestowed their time while they liued that they are in remembraunce with vs for that they haue aduaunced the Gospell or the knowledge and fayth of Christ eyther by their learning or by their life or by their death or els some other way haue done good to their posteritie in earthly matters the other is of those our kinsfolke neighbours or frends that are newly departed Those other creatures that belong herevnto are all these whereby it pleaseth God in any respect to doo good vnto vs. As touching the Honour that apperteineth to these the same is not alike vnto al. But whatsoeuer it is it apperteyneth to one of these three Braunches Obedience Mainteinaunce or Reuerence Vnto Christ Iesus are they all due obedience vnto his worde mainteinaunce to his cause and to his members on earth reuerence to him and all his and that absolutely or without exception and most fully or after the largest manner Vnto those that are in authoritie ouer vs are they likewise all due but with limitation For first as touching obedience it is due vnto them so farre as they doo not commaunde any thing contrarie to the worde of God eyther in it selfe or as the case standeth in other respectes As for mainteinaunce by body or goodes if they bee publique persons or haue in hande the gouernement of the State then haue we to yeelde what they charge vs withall to the vttermost penie of our abilitie without discussing whether they take to much or not If they be but Priuate men as spiritual pastors Parents and Masters then may we vse our own discretion therin but yet mainteine them to our power so long as we see first on their parts that they doo in deede neede it to good nedefull vses then on ours that we are able to performe it both in respect of our substance in respect of our estate or vocatition or the busines that we haue otherwise to do Reuerence is due to them all but degrees to be vsed therin and none to be reuereÌ„ced aboue measure as though they were some certaine gods or nere thervnto Vnto those that are but in dignitie preferred before vs nothing peculiarly to them in that respect but only reuerence is due that is to make that accompt of them inwardly and outwardly to haue them in that estimation that belongeth vnto them Vnto those that beare vs good will these poyntes of Reuerence duly to esteeme of their good will and to haue the like in store for them agayne Vnto al others reuerence likewise or so highly to esteme of them as that we make no other accompte of any then as of notable vessels of the treasures of god and this although they be vnknowne to vs or seme to haue nothing at al in them or be maliciously bent agaynst vs Vnto Angels likewise vnto the dead to other Creatures a certayne kinde of Reuerence likewise and nothing els As namely that we esteeme of the angels as of the excellent creatures of God ordeined to our vse and doing their office accordingly and if we haue any set memorial of theÌ„ for edifying without superstion appoynted vnto vs to performe the same with due Reuerence As touching those of the dead long since that haue giueÌ„ goâ—d testimonie of their fayth and are attayned to their triumph in heaueÌ„ that we haue them in reuerende and thankfull remembraunce whether it be for their writings or liues or deathes as at all times els so especially when we haue any set memoriall of them to prouoke vs to bee thankfull to God on their behalfe or