beare it No more if wée agrée not will he like it Basill in his sixtie and thrée Epistle witnesseth that in ioyning together in common prayer the Bishop or Elder that taught them when he went vp into his appointed place he read vnto them out of the Scriptures and the firste thing that hée spake was to ioyne together in prayer vnto Christe for to direct and lighten their mindes in his peace The same Basill is author that they turned their bodies to the East and prayed I note not their manner then as their custome nor their custom as their agréement nor their agréement as their end in that all were ioyned and knit as by a thréed in one Athanasius is witnesse hereof in his fourtéenth question Out of whome I finde a commendation left vnto the churches of Africa that so easily consented together making no religion or putting no superstition in this so indifferent a thing Also in his booke de Spiritu sancto Basill hath left this as worthie memorie that on the Sonday they were accustomed to pray standing because as that day Christe rose from death And they noted this in them selues to be such as should be erected in soule vnto the lord And as they did stande on the earth so they were admonished to looke vpwarde to heauen for grace The twentieth Canon of the counsell of Nece as it is reckoned by Gratian reporteth this same thing to bée done of them all on the Sabboth And at Pentecost where as I take it partly from Basill and Athanasius and from the custome of the Primatiue Church All our churches at this day our chappels and temples stande Eastwarde But let it passe Our time it néede not to take so heauily these the rytes and ordinances which wee haue for as they be not many so if wée were pestered as the Primatiue church was which God forbid yet howe vntowardly woulde it be taken And nowe to cut of this third parte also for our manner of prayer thus I think that the best and the farthest from superstition and the néerest to Christe and the moste excellent to set out our reuerence and duetie is at our comming together to pray knéeling Thus at the length wée are arriued at our laste holde and compelled for want of winde and weather in so perilous sailing to cast Anchor But howe soeuer it be we hoysted out because it is with some daunger contented we are to beare the burthen to require others to take some pitie of vs to for I knowe that this is not taken in hande without the looking on of many Sea men that would right gladly set saile to their greater vessels that harder passage might be permitted to our small barke For this cause also I take the Sunne and the Skye as I finde it and content to enioy the small libertie that is lefte And greater speede is made to bring vs home for that if so we chaunce to perishe by the way suffer shipwracke other men may take héede by the onerthrowe of this our Boate more warely in their iourney to looke to theirs For outleaping all the inconueniences hetherto that be comon in the world we are like to be grounded on two as perilous rocks as the hearte and imagination of man can wishe vs to Before we had to do with them that for their vnskilfulnesse in the vse of prayer were happely to be pardoned And nowe commeth in howe it is wée should prepare our selues to prayer The fourth last thing that I noted in the question that was asked This it may seeme to be verie common and appertaining onely to men of greate discretion For nowe we haue to deale with proude and hawtie stomaches that can debase others to raise and lifte vp them selues We must encounter with the Hypecrite with whome there will be harde wrestling he will dissemble so gloriously There must also a view and sight be taken of the faithlesse man that commeth halting before the Lord and is not so mutche as the guide and maister of his owne minde The double dealer hath his portion in this place for his prayers and his manners agréeing not hee neuer getteth any thing of the Lorde Also for that euery man commeth at appointed season to aske of God his peticion it must not be vnseemely for his maicstie Last of all there must be perseuerance continuance in our prayer for the running the giddie hedded man he is an extrauigant vnto the lord So that all things duely wayed we haue yet small cause to bragge that may easily be cast off in so perilous a gulfe Howeuer that it be if God permit we will go forward and because the iudgements of men be frée and the way so open I doubt not but to finde some one or other in the way to succour vs The order that I tooke in hande I was loth to break it therefore in the question who it is that prayeth it is aunswered the holie and humble spirited man that commeth drenched all in teares and that would touche the hemme of Christes garment rather than be will departe vnhealed This humblenes of mind it is of two sortes for there is one that is among men Math 18.4 and 23.12 Luke 14.11 Rom. 12.16 Ephe. 4.2 Phil. 2.3 collos 3.12 2. Pet. 5.5 And this fellowe he may dallie with the worlde and deale disguisedly on both sides but yet God that is aboue doth iudge him Nimrod that greate hunter before the Lorde fought not so valiantly and liued not so wickedly but he had as ignominious an end died miserably And these men that can créepe on the earthe for aduantage and kisse thy féete to ingrosse commodities and can hoorde vp substance in their cofers that looke so stily and minse it so cunningly as though the full measure of righteousnes were in them that will haue the vpper hand in Religion be inferiour vnto none in profession yet can scrape vp as gréedely and oppresse vnchristianly and deale vnneighbourly and liue vncharitably and giue reproche for reproche as slaunderously and hate as deadly and iniurie as spitefully backbite as malitiously as he that séeketh to get the greatest game and striuest moste such a one is not méete to come before the Lorde and his annointed nor to aske at the hands of god If he do I say vnto him he hath his reward There is another kinde of humilitie and it is onely in debasing our selues whereby we become as litle children without pride and hawtinesse of minde fit to be receiued vnto the Lorde Of this humilitie wee read Math. 18 10. Luke 18.14 Iames. 4.10 For all shewe of righteousnesse all manner of vprightnesse in thy selfe must be secluded the grace of the Lorde is that which is sufficient for vs If any should presume by way of sute to arrogate any thing vnto himself that is due vnto the Prince the state of that man is verie daungerous But if thou
cast our eyes vppon the Lorde We haue a passage to his kingdom the gates whereof are nowe more largely opened then before wée haue a confidence otherwise wée might be swalowed vp of death and hell and wée should be tossed as the wanes of the water Lastly it is a faith in Christe wherein is excluded the abilitie of man then wée must atteine by grace in faith which is the onely gifte of God so that it is an Iron taken out of the fire and from the smythes forge to separarate faith from faithfulnesse it neuer came out of the furnace of the Lorde Then this whereof I speake the faith of man which is for a time it is a signe of reprobation For he that putteth his hand to the plough and knewe the worde and runneth backe happie had he béene had he neuer knowen it Who runneth his race getteth the game what Champion retireth before he hath gotte the field Who iourneyeth and then repenteth before his appointed day Doth the worlde mislike effeminate and sluggish men And will the Lord be pleased with vnconstant wauering hearts I neuer liked him whose amitie was feruent for a day and altered againe with a blast Neither hath my soule loued the man that could so valiantly rattle out the threatnings of God and when anguishe and persecution assaulteth him kept silence The earth hath spewed out the vnsauourie cockle that hath vppon it a Sommer garment and dareth not shewe his head in Winter And God hath left of the Ethnikes and of the nations as prickes and thornes in our sides to trye vs and we be not of his building if we stand not as stiffe in tribulation and sorrowe as if we would in time of peace Our late dayes are a witnesse hereof when it pleased God to trye his good Golde and suffered the Copper and baser mettall against the day of wrath And he neuer commended the Israelites in that they forsooke his law his word but he scourged them grieuously to reclaime them In that peace and securitie the like whereof was neuer séene on earth as was giuen by God in the dayes of Solomon What aduantage was it though they built so glorious a temple and went afterwarde a whooring to their idols Iehosophat was in great perill of his life for waaging battaile with an vniust man and had not the Lorde hearde him he had dyed It is my note vppon this that thou be all alike and that thou wauer not for if he would haue stroken a iust man for that he stumbled what shall be come of that man that lyeth groueling in sinne Ichu began a good course happie were his dayes and blessed were his yeares for doing the message of God so ducly but if then when he had put downe the house of Ahab and suffered Baal to be woorshipped no more in Israel and had molten the golden Calues he had then also left the sinnes of Ieroboam which caused Israel to transgresse the will of God his seate it had béene established and his throne set vp among the tribes for euer Iosiah his zeale at the first his repairing of the temple his altering of religion the good wayes wherein he went were no cause to kéepe the hand of God from him when he went vp against Pharoath Necoth to Megiddo to fight and consulted not with the Lorde I like not that of Ieptath to come faire and softly and to stay so cowardly for I wishe that he had knowen as well what God woulde haue required when he came home with victorie as he did search out before when he went against the Ammonites then let him that wil be the true worshipper of God séeke as well what is profitable to morrowe for him as that which is expedient to day I confesse forrie I am that I must so often shewe my selfe an enimie vnto him but thus it is I hate him to the death that I haue nothing to doo with the hollowe hearted Gospeller or with his loosenesse of life I séeke that man that continueth and endureth to the ende And as for their enuie it is not that I care for suche fainte harted fellowes may easily be blowen awaye a stroke or two though it bee of small force it will dismay them To them I say whom God hath blessed in his spirit to beare his liuery and to cary his markes in their for heads that are able to suffer persecution and will not for a time but come there life or come there death stande corragiously to the battayle To those I giue a more warliâ—e attire and I tharge them that in such extremity they bée apparrellâ—â— thus Let their loynes be gyrt with trueth Let their Brestplate bee of rightuousnes let their feete be shod with the Gospell of peace let them take to help them the Shéeld of fayth let them put on their heads the Helmet of saluation let them take to fight withall the Sworde of the Spirit and the God of Peace and glory hée shall keepe them from all the stery dartes of Sathan Thus albeit in a wearisome manner wee haue escaped and come to lande I doubt not but well defended for a longe space and so well furnished as the Diuell the world and the flesh shall neuer mooue vs My councell is seeing our enemies bee ouerthrowne and wee at rest that wee doo as they at Thebes did that come winde or come weather come danger come perrill wée bee found in the top of the Towre watchinge Otherwise there is that bee ready enough to reskewe the pray and our enemy the Diuell hée hath a band of men in a readines alwayes to assault vs And he layeth as great séege as any Captayn of them all that fighteth on the earth for his traÌ„sitory affaires the espetiall marke which hée aymeth at is it that now I haue in hand the fayth of man and it is the fifth and the last thinge in my deuision that I noted I put it in the laste garrison of my men beecause if all fayle if life if Glorye if this worlde yet haue wee one behinde that is able to reskew vs and this fayth whereby wee are iustified it doth not stay on it selfe neyther can wee haue hope of recouery if wee fayle at any time but froÌ„ that sure and vnmoouable fortres where it is shrowded and this holde it is the Lorde For man is weake and féeble our fathers that went before they staggared euen in their faith and fel from the Lorde and so had continued vnto the ende if the Lorde had not helped them for this cause God hath alotted vnto vs to our vse very stronge Inginnes that will rowse out our enemyes and shingr them to morselles if they come neare vs These bée in number thrée The first is hope the second is stedfastnes the thirde is the spirite These bée they that fight for vs and maintayne our right and shall keepe vs and our
mountaines leaue there dwelling and runne a wrie in his displeasure Yet that man shoulde as a Lorde and king ouer these bée without a king and guide to rule him It pleaseth God I shoulde sée the maner of the world and of foolish people in my youth and glad I am thereof For if a man liue many yeres in them all reioyce yet shall he remember the day of darkenesse and in the end all whatsoeuer commeth is but vanitie But hee that knoweth the will of God and is led by it his ende is gladnesse and his yeares is glorie and honour shal be his portion for euer For as the cloudes drop in there season on the earth and as the trée doth fall towarde the South or as the North winde blustreth consumeth or as in the place the trée falleth there it lyeth So is it ordeined to man that according to his life he shoulde finde it when he commeth to accompt Who can measure the waues of the Sea by his Bucketts or who is he can shewe me the way of the spirite Howe doe the boanes growe And howe increase our Synewes Or what is the iust order of the bodie when thou liuest What is the secreate working in the womb when the infant striueth with his mother shee bursteth consumeth with Sorrowe All these be harde and the wisedome of al flesh cannot iudge hereof But the will of the Lorde who knoweth it Then happie is that man that hath vnderstanding and he is blessed of the Lord that hath wisedome his dayes are prolonged on earth the measureth his doings by the will of god For the husbandman soweth his séede but he knoweth not the gaine that will come vp thereof And the wayfaring man he taketh his iourney in the morning but he is not aware what wil be fall or night The craftes master he worketh and wearieth himselfe yet little doth he knowe who shall eate the labour of his handes And he that planteth buildeth cannot tell to whome his substance is prouided for Then if in these thinges that bee on earth the Lorde God is knowen as guider and directour of them all What saluation can we looke for What health can we wishe for What preseruation can we hope for But from the Lorde Is it then any meruaile if we pray Let thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Two fortes of men I condempne here The first they that be emong them selues a seuerall house and churche from all other that be louelike of the housholde of faith with whome against the will of God there is thoughts cogitations euil pretences to mischiefe that thinke though they bee vile and lasciuious yet to bee accounted as holy and righteous and do thinke that they are led by the Spirite of God and cannot erre And though they will and wish nothing else then is wicked yet that all is done by the will of God. The seconde is against the Pelagians and againste free will men that giue saluation to their déedes and life vnto their workes and heauen vnto their owne will to haue frée power to choose or refuse to take it or forsake it being offered them to haue a minde to obey God and a will to serue the Lorde and readines to fulfill the commaundements of them selues and from no other Among whome this prayer is changed Thy will be fulfilled and their owne imaginations strengthened for their will is sufficient Let no man wounder at this For the place is not so inconuenient but that I may touche it And I wishe wee might not haue to do with them they bée so daungerous But as the winde that is in the East commeth néere vnto the Westerne parte and is scattered abroade through all coastes of the earth So am I afraide that our neighbours infected about vs with these heresies driuen to seeke their harbour dwelling in other places shoulde wander nowe too néere vs And vndoubtedly if this watcheworde be not sufficient to stay the course that is begon My little treatise heereof at this time shall rise hereafter to a greater volume The firste Heresie tooke his originall from Simon Magus the inchaunter hee that woulde haue bought the Holy ghost for money when he was baptized of Philip That did thinke it was no sinne to vse the company of all women indifferently This herctike thought also that he could not sinne And if any fault was committed that it was forgiuen him And lawfull to vse any company any vice any euill déede sinne and beastlinesse without exception And this herisie as I heare is blowen abroade and euen nowe renued not many myles from vs that it seemeth high time to confound them least they shoulde spreade abroade and infect others I séeke not curiously to knowe whome especially they followed For they sauour partly of Carpocrates that filthie and beastly liuer They take part of Prodicus that did prostitute him selfe to all maner of lasciuiousnes that was a defender of those that were called Adamites They haue a portion among the Donatistes that seuere them selues from the supper of the Lorde least they should be insected with others And Pelagius hath schooled them to thinke well of them selues and to haue saluation in their own wil. So that if they knewe not before I shewe them nowe I hope in time what father they had and from whence they had their beginning All whiche commeth from the enimie of all fleshe the father of lyes and Prince of this worlde that is ruler of the ayre the diuell and Sathanas This houshold of faith commonly called The familie of loue it was spread abroade in Germanie in the lowe countrye verie nigh about thrée hundred yeares past and renued of late within this fourtie yeares and hath continued vntill nowe If so that it had not pleased God the more to lighten them with his spirite that in time they should reuolt First they do thinke that he which is regenerated can sinne no more and that the Spirite will neuer leaue them for what grosse sinne soeuer and that they are deified The nexte that their bodies may as common ware bee solde to euery one to vse them alike Which grosse and pernicious errours I am forie I must close them vp in so short a roome But yet content at this present to kéepe a lowe sayle I will touche them briefely All fleshe doth sinne for man sinneth daily Some men I doubt not haue the spitite of God Then men hauing the Spirite of God sinne dayly I sometime woundered at the first entrance step I tooke vnto diuinitie to sée what ende was alotted vnto the sonnes of Adam I marueiled at the grace wée haue from god That though Lot was called good yet fell in drunkennesse and rose againe so spâ—edily by the Lorde And Abraham so well beloued and commended from heauen howe it came to passe that hee should prostitute
his wife And why Moses that spake vnto the Lorde face to face had not the power nor wisedome at that instant to sanctifie the Lorde at the waters of Merebath I could not a long time disgest that same of Saul that though he had grace most plentifull yet fell be from it Nor of Achitophell that was so often times in the tabernacle of the Lord and in the ende strangled him selfe so villenously with a halter Or why Iudas that was among the twelue and I doubt not but he did myracles preached to yet fell so strangely in the end And hardly was I satisūed when I found a doubt of a number in the booke of God whose dealinges were somtimes commended whose liues at length so altered whose endes were feared and despised of many The first sorte were good and are saide to haue pleased the Lorde God and I knowe and I am assured that they had the spirite of the Lorde aboundantly yet did they fall verie grossely The seconde forte that I reckoned vp had the Spirite of the Lorde for a season and it was taken away from them for it was abused by them and they had their portion whiche was condemnation The thirde sort that I finde are such as fell and did rise and yet in the ende howe they ended and dyed for that they are not condemned we haue lefte it to the Lorde Three sortes of men I synde and three sortes of workinge and thrée manners of operations by the Spirite The first from death vnto life and saued dayly by renouation The second from life vnto death that fell continually by reprobation The thirde betwixt them bothe that lined sinned and offended and were strengthened I doubt not but saued but by imputation by grace through Christe The Creature cannot bee as is the Creator neyther Adam as was God that made him But hee that hath the fulnesse of the Spirite of the holye Ghoste in ample and full measure dwelling in him remaining in deitie in godhead in diuinitie hath that which is proper to God and Christo Then neyther man neither creature neyther any thing on earth can haue this propertie to winde the Spirite as he listeth for it is proper onely to the Lorde Elias prayed for rayne God heard him When he fled from Iezabell he was nourished by the Angell of god Elias deuideth the waters and is taken vp into heauen in a flerie Charriot If hée prayed he had it not of himselfe he acknowleged the gift there of from God. If the Angell was sent from God he did not commaunde it nor trust in his owne might he confessed one that sent him He deuided the waters for the spirite of God did moue him yet stayed he his time for the spirite of God did leade him And he was taken vp not of himselfe but at the commaundement and will of God that called him Are they better then Elyas I neuer sawe it yet Are they stronger then Moses that made Aegypt to quake Then shewe me thy myracles and commaund the waters the Sea the ayre the heauens to obey thée Yet shalt thou be but a man and be ruled by the Lorde Are they more perfect and vpright then Samuel Hardly is it to be credited And yet worke what thou canst worke it is not of thy selfe The spirite it is not thine Thy déedes and dealings be not thine owne Thy cogitations and thoughts if they be good I say with Paul and with the prophets They be the giftes of God. Will the Sunne and the Moone rule the heauens or be they not ruled of the Lord Can the clouds scatter their droppes abroade Or the horie frostes lie on the grasse Or the caterpiller eate vp the hearbes Or drought consume them on the earth Or the pestilence ransake the kinges Pallaces Or death do his mesage in aresting thée If the Lore send them not No more canst thou doe any good if he guide thée not The gould is digged in the earth the cloddes be broken the drosse is purged the fine mettaile is laid vp for store And so is man by the Lorde altered renewed strengthened and clensed and kept against the day of righteousnesse Can the potte pleade with his maister Be it of brasse or clay of Copper or Siluer or of Gould Or the plante that is set in the earth be it peare or aple or what fruite else soeuer may it reason with him that graffed it for that it might haue ben made one of a better tast Why then shoulde we murmur at the Lorde that ruleth vs and giueth a boundaunce of his spirite and vprightnesse of life according to his will and secrete purpose Not as man thinketh at his owne pleasure to vse or abuse as him listeth It is very true that the holy ghost appeared visiblie by signes on the apostles like clouen tongues and is saide to come in fyre But it is no argument God sheweth his powre visiblie by his spirite Ergo God is in vs really in spirite For I knowe that the Apostles were not deisted in that place made so perfect that they could not sinne For Paul resisted Peter to his face in the Gallathians For that when he was in Antiochia before certeine came from Iames he eate with the Gentiles But when they were come he withdrewe him and seperated himselfe fearing them whiche were of the Circumcision In like manner Barnabas So that it is no argument They receiued the holy ghost Ergo they sinned not But euen God in his elect wil be glorified in that they falling downe rise againe so gloriously In déede the Persians doe reason here that therfore the fire is God because the holy ghost appeered as fire And these heritickes that they be as God because God is saide to dwell in them Truth it is that the spirite of God is the earnest of our inheritaunce and that we are the temples of the holy ghost yet but by a way of comparison For wee finde it in the lawe get you out from among them O my people And seperate your selues from them saith the Lorde And touch not him that is vncleane the one expresseth the other As the Temple is kepte and consecrated to god so ought our bodies and soules to be hallowed sanctified and kept cleane vnto the Lorde As touching the beasty and lasciuious life wherevnto they be giuen no heart can suffer it and my pen it shaketh to report it But if that be true that is in Paul. Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies to obey the lustes thereof If that be so in the Galathians Fornicatours idolaters adulterers wantones buggerers théeues dronkerds extortioners raylers shall nót inherite the kingdome of God If it be true to the Corinthians to avoide Fornication let euery man haue his wife let euery woman haue her owne husbande If vnto the Ephesians beware of fornication vncleanesse coueteousnesse let it not be
parte of Naboth that fatte Chuffe Who hideth them that are in perrill from the face of Iesabell Who is not ready to sacrifise to Peor Who renueth the decayed Sanctuary Who ronneth not with Vzias to the Arke Who hath not forsaken the Lord and forgotten his holy Hill Who reareth not vp Alters vnto Iupiter and giueth not ritch burnt offeringes to the Planets as yet then I â—â—ow not or finde not that man that is blameleâ—◠〈◊〉 there any filled with wisdome as is the flood of Phison with his Buckettes or like Tigris when the new fruictes are growinge that bringeth in plenteous vnderstanding as Euphrates and filleth it vp as Iordayne in the Haruest that casteth out wisdome as floods or as the Waterbrooke of the Riuer or as Dorix when it is at the full or as the water Conduicte out of the Garden of pleasure That deceyueth not in his tongue that beguileth not his Neighbour that speaketh truth to all thensure I haue not or find not that man which is blamelesse Hath not wisdome cryed out doth not vnderstanding put forth hir voice standeth shée not in the heigh places in the stréetes and wayes doth shée not crie in the whole Cittie in the Gates and no man heareth hir Who regardeth the yellinge of the poore afflicted soule Who causeth the Hedge and Vineyard of the Lordo to bee repaired who hath brought Golde Incence Frankensence Mirrhe to him deserued it who layeth not his hands with the Souldiers to kepe Christe still in the Graue the hée rise not what cause haue I then to question any more with Paull I may not I ought not I dare not I should not for it is vndoubted and without question I know not I finde not that man which is blamelesse Then let vs seeke a litle farther happelye wee may finde some man by the way or some one thinge that may bée doone by man and that hée may clime vnto therfore wée come to the seconde parte of this seconde diuition of trueth not so harde as the other yet not so easelye as it is taken for and it is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Husbande of one Wife This it was put in because of the vnbeléeuing Bretheren that had diuers wiues in the law it was permitted and before the law Sobolis procreandae causa that the worlde might bee increased to haue many wiues Abraham had diuers wiues Iacob diuers Dauid married Abigail yet had hee two beside naye and more too Elcana was indifferent well wiued but hee had brawles enough with them and it went hard with Iacob wheÌ„ hée was bought and solde in the féelds with his Sonnes Mandragoras So vnlouingly these louelesse toyes causeth broyles in braineles loue I finde not in the conrse of all the Prophets that anye one of them broake the rule of the Lorde in this and if Monuments were searched which haue you of all Dianaes Préestes of Apollos shauelinges of those Romishe Flamines that haue not run vpon the sword vpon death vpon fier then they would once violate breake their chastety Of those that bée this day at the Altar of the Lord that poore out his Incence and offer at his Table how many is there whom the Gospell cryeth out vpon and these dayes hath spewed forth from of the face of the earth as vnworthy to abide in the tentes of Iacob for this villany A forte there be euen in the house of God fitter to sporte it with the Timbrell and the Pipe then to take in their handes the Booke of the Lorde Helyas looked vp to the Heauens and saw a blacke Clowde wherby hee iudged that rayne was comming to helpe Israel with all Is there none here of all the Prophets that will looke vp to the HeaueÌ„s to bring tidings to this people Surely it may bée doone and safely For if euer vengaunce approched nere vs and tempests and stormes fell on vs these are the dayes wherin the ayre is blacke and glowmy and full of thicke clowdes readye to powre forth rayne and throwe downe Hailestones to consume vs for the aduowtery and incestiousnes of vs the Cleargie what a number haue béene depriued of late what a number are suspected now I it was a a sore lesson I it was a good lesson I but it was a harde lesson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratianus that vile and filthy wretch with others that rabble forbad Mariage The Gretian Church and the Latine suffered it a long time Silitius setled established it in Spayne Gregory in Silitia and it was assayed in Germany But Augustanus Maguntius and Hildebrand disanulde it These dayes are so miserable that Concubines bée but common ware and men of conscience yet in these Marchaundrise will strayne their conscience Polygamos Digamos Trigamos Centigamos if so you will they spare them not at all so it be doon in the Closet I am perswaded before the Lorde and that among vs who be of the housholde of faith that Solomon his so greate a number of Concubines the royaltie and statelinesse of his princes are scarce able to serue the gréedinesse of some our English wan tons that bee amonge vs the Lorde cut them off and giue Micheas a bolde spirite to tel them of it Let vs come to the third part and sée what it is that followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Watching A great charge it is that is giuen to the minister of the worde of God who as one to tender the care of his launched patient ought to be readie at all assayes to winde and folde vp the rawenesse thereof And this was it Christ said to the twelue get you and preache you And the fiftie hee sent foorth healing and teaching in his name also Christe in Iohn you shall beare witnesse of me In that last prayer the charge hee gaue vnto them he lifted vp his voice and saide sanctefie them O father in the trueth thy worde is the trueth as thou didest sende me into the worlde so do I sende them into the worlde and againe to Peter féede my shéepe and againe a good shéepeherd giueth his life for the shéepe and they here his voice and they are led by him Esay the Prophet threatneth out vengeance against them that liue securely and carelesly in their charge Woe be vnto Syon Wo be vnto Ierusalem Wo be vnto Ephraim and Woe vnto Manasses Her Priestes bee blinde ignoraunt euery one of them the are domme dogges that cannot barke looking after vaine and wanton things And this vice it is two common the Lorde knoweth among vs that are become continuall sléepers and lye downe in our lassiuiousnesse and belshe out in our talke most infamous blasphemy against the Lorde I here the voyces of good and wise men tinkling in my eares of the dissolute ministers in the country and that be abrode But let good men blushe let them that shoulde sée be blinded the Lorde wil one day take away this Vayle and vncouer their faces to sée better I sée it and
our brethren as vvel as our ovvne selues the vvhole church as our priuate familie * In Israel god permited none to beg but vvith vs the number of them is so great their miserie such and our harts so stonie and our dealings so harde that scarce a peece of bread can be aforded them Such is the condition of man that the same thing vvhich hee hath this day the verie same hee misseth on the morrovv If vve had no thing but of our ovvn vve might vvell enough bee stript naked and seeke corners againe to hide our shame from the Lorde The abuse of Englande in feastings and banquetting is a byvvorde to all the nations on the earth All that the dayes of man is labour and tediousnes in the ende his substance is not great he carrieth nothing vvith him to the graue * The portion of the sinner is death his vvayes is perdition his glorie is shame his children bee beggers and his name is buryed in dishonour Rara auis in teris nigrosiue simillima signo The description of a vvorldely man. London is vvitnes hereof the proportiâ— on stature height of vvhome vvas dravven out this last yere 1577. giuen of God an example for euer to shevv hovve men should bestovve their riches and a hosiar dvvelling in Burch yarde lane If the riche man haue no thing he curseth if hee haue a littell hee desireth if hee haue much hee svvelleth but if hee haue honour then he forgetteth God thus the vngodly haue neither beginning or ending of their vvicked nesse As the smoake from the fier so should our prayers asceÌ„d vp altogether to the Lord. The vvilling minde the ready hart hee that is thankful vnto God is hee that is accepted of the Lorde We ought not to sease at any time froÌ„ prayer but the remembrance thereof ought to be as the devv of the morning or as the frosts in Win ter that faleth not As bare vvordes edifie not so a rehersall of Gods commaundemeÌ„ts profite not vvithout beleefe steadily fixed in him If Poets haue put religion in vamties vvoundred at follies vvee may be amazed in handeling matterâ— of faith The humble spirited man is better then Sacrifice and lovvlinesse of heart and contrition is the burnt of fering As poyson to the bodie so is vngodlines to the soule as corruption to the fore and the vvounde so is sinne and iniquirie to the mind of man. If God pardoned not no flesh coulde be sauid the pardones of the pope vanish avvay here for vvee haue remission and our debtes is paid in one Christ After the fall of man vvee had an eternall couenant giuen vs otnervvise vve had been past hope of recouerie Praescitians Nisenesse ioâ—ned to open vvickednes causeth blind nesse If God helpe not vaine is the hope of man and in our fall if he raise vs not vve lye still By our debts vve are put in mind of gods iudgements vvhich in our selues vve can neuer paye or aunsvvere for them sufficiently This puritie in this your securitie is plainly shevven to be in fidelitie Weakenes is ours as for strength it is the Lordes The protestation of his fayth that vvilbe saued Lactantius a lactaeo fiuâ—mine Gregorius Nazianzen Ambrose Bound vvee are and thrall euery one of vs and chayned to the infirmities and feeblenes of the fleshe in this terrestriall tabernacle Esay 4 4. Math. 18. The paymeÌ„t of man for that he ovveth is a liuely confession of his sinnes that are vvyped avvay in the bloud of Christ M. Gualter Arnobius Epiphanius Hylary The Ladder to reache to heauen vvith all and to attaine to God is faith Esay 53. â— Pet. 1. Tytus 2. 1. Timo. 3. Crisostome Augustine Theodoret. Thalassius Isychius Christ vvas oftered vppe once for all neither needeth man dayly sacrifice but in this vvorde the fathers shevve hovv much vve are bounde to the Lord in that Christ vvas layd on thealter to be slayne fovs Paulâ—nus This for giue nes of oure sinnes as vves for giue others is an assured pledge and certeine token that vvee bee the Lordes That vvhicht is of duety can not haue any revvard that vvee are bounde vnto can not be of our selues that vvhich is not freely vvithout compulsion can not purchase redemption then our life vvherin vve are led your vvorks vvhich are bettred by the spirit take vvipe avvay al hope and saluation that coÌ„meth of them for vve haue all by the spirit of god Ciptian I marueile hovve they can excuse them selues that put so great religioÌ„ in a surples and a cap or in orders motes in respect of that vvickednesse lieth vvithin them but can goe to lavve for euery trifle and take many poundes for a vvorde speking and be at continuall strife and debate vvith their neighbour that death may sooner parte them then Christianitie rule them Magistracie is the ordinance gifte of god They be also called Gods on earth sitting as Iudges in the person of god to iudge righteously The manner of our priuate magistracie by priuate excommunicating â–ª vvithout the consent of them in authoritie the vsual custome in discerning the state of offenders and taking priuate matters to their handes is here cut of it is not to be allovved Iud. 16. Peter Martir Augustine Inanslayers condemned hearâ— Priuate excuses for priuate reuenge can not excuse vs. Our English â—uflars in steade of Courtiars vaunt it abroade The gentlenes of the father marteth the good nature of the sonne crueltie is good often times in steade of lenitee Hovv is England altered of late the russet coate is turned in to silkes and faithfulnes in covvardlines the stout maÌ„ is the murthering man â–ª All thinges are turned altered into pride Quietnes is the great blessing of God but the quarreller is accursed of the Lord. Roffeanlike Ministers Bloud is paid againe by bloud The priuate enimie and the dissembler is much vvorste then he that professeth enimitie The diuell the author of difcention hatred Desire of euil successe to his brother Euery man hath a cloke and a corner for his malice Praecisenes of life and vngodlines in vvorkes bee common things in the vvorld God can not be dishonored more theÌ„ in the shamlesse man that professeth him yet in harte hateth him for he neuer folovveth him Bretheren of onchoushold verie conscionable and of great presise nesse that knovv noâ— this Outragious dealing in dissemblers No lying permitted for any cause Periurie and forsvvearing though it be for such as do professe the Gospell it is detestable thou arte accursed that vsest it Gregor us Augustine This purenes is blindnes your precisenes filthines before God Thou thy brethren you haue your revvard for no vvickednes is to be concealed Augustine Examples that it is not lavvfull to lye in any case The experyence in all this hath bin â—â—ene of late and it is to be taken that it spread not farther A perilous kinde of Hereticke What happened to the vvriter
that not in Iudea only but in all the world sacrifise and burnt offerings shal be offered vp vnto the Lorde And that of Christe to the Woman of Samaria accordeth with this Arte thou greater then our Father Iacob that gaue vs this Well and hee himself dranke therof and his Cattell and agayne our Fathers worshipped in this Mountayne but they saye Ierusalem is the place where men doo worshippe But shee was answered by Christ Beléeue mée Woman the howre commeth and now is when you shal neither in this Mountain nor at Ierusalem worship the Father a reason is also surrendered That the howre shalbée and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirite and truth and albeit in the Psalmes wee finde the affection of the Prophet to haue bin powred out in greater zeale for the Lorde of Hostes sake as Psalm 67. Prayse you the Lord all you nations and that in the .117 I will spread abroad and knowledge thy name among the Gentils Yet is there time and place and occasion too to vtter forth our cogitacions that wee bee not iudged of men I acknowledge and not vnwillingly that Dauid was in the Caue sometimes praying and in the feelde and in the Dennes and in the night and in his bed Ionas could praye in the belly of the Whale Daniell in the Lions Denne and his companions lifted vp their voyces in the flaming Furnace and Noe comming out of the Arke in the open ayre And Elyas on the topp of the Hill groneling with head betwixt his legges and Christ himselfe at the shoare side among the Shippes And Paull with the Elders in the sight of the people Yet this is my watchworde let no man goe beyond his skill nor draw priuate examples to generall obseruations But if death and persecution incroche vpon thée pray euery where for thou it is that shal glorify the lord But if quietnes and rest bee giuen vnto thee vse discretion and modesty in ordering thy forme of prayer For the second thing in this poynt which I noted in Paull without ceasing This is my iudgement that thou bée like minded in all thinges and remember it is the Lorde that searcheth the harte and the reynes that hee will bée worshipped in Spirite and truth But now wée haue harder matters that befall vnto vs and if so it pleased God I would like lots might happeÌ„ to vs al. For I know there is none whom God hath touched by his spirite inwardly but wisheth him selfe accursed to bringe saluation vnto all I speake it for that it is so hard a thing for the sonnes of Adam to bee agréeable to this in all poynctes namely one to praye for an other Ieam 5.16 and for thy enemyes and persecutors Math. 5.44 Lu. 6.35.23.34 Actes 7.6 And for all men 1. Tim. 2.8 I enter now on sutch a stage as that sufficient reason might bée showed to draw the ful length and whole discourse of this tragedy But it is not my minde to vnlase and ripp vp the woundes of any man For euen the vew and sight of this story may bée pitiful enough to any Christian To bringe in place the speakers hereof It were that of Atreus in Seneca and of Astiages in Iustin to bid the Father to the cating of his owne Sonne But I take an other way and not so lothesome as is that for such as bee of this Seane shall not speake I only content to vse a doÌ„me shew for it is straunge that mindes of men are so distracted as the life of any should onely consist in lyfe of thear 's and their iudgment vpon others to stand as sound iudgement to pray for none to condempne all to like of few to vpbrayd the best such iugling there is in worldlinges I know some that haue stumbled so vnluckely on sutch that their hurt hath beene more in one howre then heapes of Golde can recouer in many yéeres These I doo admonish and I charge them too in the Lord for to stay at home and pray less is better for such then to range abroade and liue worse and this is my exhortation to pray for them that curse thee to hate none to iudge the best to loue all for it sauoreth of Anabaptisme to beate downe to suppresse to throwe downe to the ground any man whom thou neuer knewest worthy the smyting to exempte any as extrauegaunts to the Lorde that couldest neuer iudge what the electe are Did Dauid neuer pray for Saull or was hee neuer in his hands that hée might haue slayn him if he would Eut hee not of the lappe of his Coate or touched hee the life of his Maister I knowe that if the soule of some were as fast clasped in the hands of them as the lay of Saulles Coate was in the hande of Dauid it had béene mangled and hewed in péeces before this This is it I giue in charge let them of this world thinke well of all and hope euen of those that bée without For though Samuell would not sée Saull vntill the day of his death yet mourned hee for him Moses will not sticke to pray for such as haue cursed him The iniuries that hee sustained in Sur and the outcryes in that Wildernes of that vnthankefull people turned not away their remembrance in his prayers to the lord Nor Ieremy so often layd in Prison and clogged with Chaynes could yet forget the anguishe of Sion and the tribulation that befell to Ierusalem but hee praied for them Now pittyfull is then the state of vs who rayseth vp him that is afflicted who windeth vp his sores and powreth in Oyle â— and remooueth the stâ—ipâ— from the hart of a truth the sinne of Iudah is written with a pen of Iron the poynt of a Diamond hath ingraueÌ„ in this people so sore a hatred that life to death and flesh to earth and Golde to drosse is chaunged as soone as their lips from leasing or their mindes from strife If you had bin at the death of Steauen when the stones rushed so about him and the states of Ierusalem clapped their hands to drye vp his blood I am affrayd the question might haue béene asked to what end hee suffered so many blowes and these fellowes can not abide so few wordes I aunswere litle herein That which foloweth shall sufficiently approoue it For beside the breach of brotherhoode in the worlde which is common there is many thinges to bée consithered in prayer Onely vnderstande that I wright not as a teacher to reforme that I sée amisse that pertayneth to the aged and the hoary heades I speake now to younglinges and to Babes sutch as bée of greater grothe whose manners I haue glaunsed at whose life and welth I neuer touched to them I leaue the whip and the heauier iudgement my lesson it is to young Schollers whom I teach after this manner Thy peticion made to God hauing clensed thy vessels from dregges and thy hart
spare me so much leisure as that successiucly I may but steal one or two houres to labour in I will aunswere this fully I haue nowe sett my pen vnto an other treatise wherein before I end I shall I trust stoppe the mouthes of some as touching god Let this my small time and stolne houres craue pardon for this present and suffer me not to drawe out the length of this threede that we shal neuer winde it vp And if this will not suffise looke toward the heauens iudge the number of the stars call them by their names and giue euerie one his seueral charge Commaund the Sunne the Moone to stayde their course let there not be light any more vpon the earth and if these things be to high for thée iudge of the cōmon creatures that doe dwell with thee and tell me the droppes of the rayne ride vpon the wings of the winde measure me the weighte of the fyre Call backe againe the day that is past and renewe the course of that whiche is to come drawe out the deapth of the Sea by his bucketts and let the earth cast forth the hidde treasuries that be within her if silence hath caught thee and thy wisedom fadeth then giue homage vnto him at whose commaundement they be intreate him to spare thy life in time of neede that hath iudgement in stoore and a consuming fyre to runne before him if they or thou rebell Lactantius in his seconde booke semeth to me to haue delte with these men who dwelling in ignoraunce had small delight to seeke the Lorde And doubted as touching their prayer vnto him his iudgment is this Nothing must be honoured nothing worshipped but the only one Lord God proceeding and comming from the only owne eterall and euerliuing father and therefore hath created man to want many thinges that in his necessitie and want he may know where and of whome to aske for all thinges and Ambrose in his Spiritu fancto The father is to be glorified with the sonne the sonne with the father the holy ghost with them both for these three are but one god Basill against Iulina after that also Martured councelleth him to giue all honour and preheminence in prayer vnto God That in his heauenly and eternall wisedome created all Epiphanius in his thirde Toome Beside many excellent and good sayings pleaseth me in this for hauing to do with them that giue vnséemely reuerence to saincts teacheth thus Let Marie be had in estimation Peter but let the father the sonne the spirit be worshipped for neither to woman nor to man perteineth this honour inuocation neither to Angles or to any other perteneth this glory But it is a mistery proper only to the Lord The time would faile me to vnfoldethe heauenly sayings of the fathers I leaue thē to the diligent searcher The houre passing away so spedely maketh me to hasten to the rest And here I admonish you that in praying to our father you pray to him that is in heauen For wee may aske many thinges on earth yet can we not atteine them but if we aske and faithfully of our father in heauen he will giue vs them where that infidell is condempned that is found in Dauid to haue cryed out and to haue saide in his heart there is no God and that he whiche is in the heauens regardoth not them on earth Teach this man I dare not counsell him I will For let him cast out his eyes lift vp his heade and thinke but on the creatures that be made Howe the Sunne giueth light a farre of and the Axell trée of the heauen doth compasse the earth how the clouds power out their reigne the dewe his siluer dropps and the night his grimme and fierce countenaunce to man and shall we then giue nothing to the Lorde that made them But I cease to followe this path I take an other For if he thought on Israel when their shoulders were worne in péeces with carrying brick or if he brought them from Babilon or fed Elias with the Rauens and made the dumbe creatures to bee Nurses to his seruauntes and sent Daniell pottage into the Lyons denne and stayed the force of the flaming Fornace he can and he will and he stayeth not and I doubt it not but that hee still will helpe vs. Last of all it is a good consequent our father is in heauen Wee therefore ought not to repose our trust and confidence belowe as wee do either tarrie here so much as to abide and lay our affiaunce and steadinesse on things that be aboue For it is an vnfallible trueth that I finde in Paule that wee haue no abydinge here on earth but that our life it is aboue where as is the father of light I might take good occasion to withdrawe a number from the transitorie affaires of this worlde which haue their change and their ende when the heauens shall roll as a scroole and the elements burne with fire but these I leaue them till more longer dayes when the Sunne and the light shall giue vs more libertie who runninge foorth so speedily hath put mée in minde to cut of this spéech It followeth Hallowed be thy name THe great care that the Lorde God hath had of his churche is verie worthily set out in the generall discourse and pittifull callamitie wherein they that knewe him and called all onely on his name continually were assaulted Out of which troubles hee alwayes both mightily and fatherly deliuered them yet in no one thing hath he shewen his tēder affectiō vnto man more then in this in that he hath set him free from the bondage of the diuell the flesh and the workes thereof in that he hath created vs redeemed vs sanctified and regenerated vs And yet lest wée should falter any more and forget him he hath lefte vs a comforter which is his spirite and taught a way and set vs in the path directed vs by his owne mouth to be in our prayers holie and vnspotted vnto him Then in this wherewithall we be instructed of Christ though it be a short lesson is conteined for all that the whole and plentifull discourse of the life of man euen what is meefe and requisite to be done meate as well for the foule to feede withall as for the bodie to liue withall the summe whereof is set downe by Christ in sixe principall heads wherof the firste is this Hallowed be thy name For as al thinges vppon the earth were created by him so ought all that be on the face of the earth continually praise him And as we be children and heires vnto him so cheefely ought all our force our strength our might ought else that is in vs be directed vnto this that we might magnifie his name and praise him The example and patrone whereof is seene in the good Iudges that liued who before they established their own
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
giuen to the Conney Or what yeres doth he permit to the wilde Colte Howe gardeth he the Lyon What harbour hath he giuen to the sauage beastes And to saye a trueth what ende hath hee allotted vnto man I saye all the woorkes of the Lorde are wonderfull But his secreat wisedome wherein he hath prouided and laide vp in his mercie for the sonnes of Adam great and most singular benefites They are not to be attained vnto For his doings are incomprehensible his iudgements are secreat His wayes vnknowen his counsell hidden his loue and his fauour farre outreaching vs that wee may well make our prayer vnto the Lorde to haue his will fulfilled his commaundements obeyed in earth because no man is able eyther by wishing eyther by desiring eyther yet by willing it to come to heauen Thus much for these two kindes of men the are in our dayes whereof I am sure there is a greate number For partly by their déedes for they be outragious partely by their courage they be so quarellous the common sort of men must needes knowe them But to that which followeth Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Cyprian géeueth a verie good reason hereof Voluntate Dei id est Dei protectione egeamus The will of God that is the ayde and helpe of God is that wée néede For without his will we haue nought And no man is of any force if he in his fauour and his mercie help them not for who hath resisted him and hath not dyed for it Then we haue to searche what it is that is the wil of the Lord to be done And this is said by the fathers the same I find in the Scriptures to be of two sortes First his will it is holy pure perfect eternall euerlasting from all beginning without power of man according to the which he ruleth all he gouerneth all he guideth and protecteth all wherein all things be as they are And he hath created fashioned all whatsoeuer that is on the earth from the foundation original of the same And this is alwayes fulfilled No man hindereth it no man stoppeth it For the Lorde hath his decrée aboue all the inhabitants of the earth of the Sea and they be obedient Of this is written in Esay I am God the Lorde which speake it my counsell is firme or indureth euer Whatsoeuer I will that I do Dauid also prophesied hereof For our God he is in heauen he hath done all things whatsoeuer pleaseth him For the counsell of the Lord remaineth for euer Againe in Esay If the Lord of hoasts decrée any thing who is the shall resist him But of this the eternall purpose of the Lord I speake not of for it conteineth the secret and hiddē mysterie ef our election of our predestination of his prouidence of his gouernement of his regiment in the earth And here we do as Iob did Wee lay our hands vppon our mouth wee staye the course of our lippes we falter in our spéech before the Lorde And therefore for that hee ruleth all let vs commit our selues into his hand that guydeth vs and not curiously serch that hath in his secret determination ruled the wayes the steppes and the hearts mindes of all fleshe We therefore handle this point reuerendly and stay on him that assuredly worketh for al those that be his Onely let man and the sonne of man giue him selfe into his handes leaue to serch out by any curious meane what it is he hath purposed The next and the moste perfect will of God is reuealed by the Gospell without which knowledge we are in death This he hath moste fully opened in Iesus Christ his sonne the redeemer onely sauiour of the worlde whome hee hath appointed the onely true right instructour of those that dwell in earth according to the Oracle receiued from heauen This is my beloued sonne heare him verie nighe to the saying that is in Iohn No man hath séene God at any time The sonne which is in the bosome of his father he hath reuealed him For he is the true interpreter of his father And therefore Christe of him selfe saith All that I haue had of my father I haue shewen vnto you Not that Christ was not knowen before for he is openly desiphered out in the Prophete But in especiall at his incarnation when hee tooke our flesh vpon him was made man it was fulfilled that euery one shall tell his neighbour from the greatest to the least euen babes little ones shoulde prophesie of the workes of the Lord tel abrode his name Therfore Peter the Prophets and men of God spoke by the Spirite suffered persecution death were serchers out of the mysteries of our redemption And this is the will of God spoken of in this prayer that we séeke not after any other knowledge but onely bent and giuen vnto his word we meditate to serue him day and night whereof this is the end that God woulde direct vs in his pathes and lead vs a right to follow his lawes That we may delight and be practised therein all our life Nowe to know this will of God the better this is the swéetnesse and perfect comfort that we get to vnderstand and learne 3. thinges giuen vnto vs by his wil. First it is the wil of God that we should be saued by his sonne Iesus Christe for in him we are chosen from all beginning to be heires of eternall life Of this our sauiour speaketh in Iohn This is the will of him that sent me that all which séeth the sonne and knoweth him and beléeueth in him should haue eternall life Then this is our peticion that aboue all it woulde please the Lorde to illuminate and lighten euery man with the trueth that his will by our incredulitie and others their continancie bee not hindered Here appeareth that whereof I made mention before namely that faith is the gift of God giuen vnto vs in his mercie by his grace not gotten of our selues of our might by our strength To fulfill that of Christ so often spoken in Iohn No man knoweth the sonne but the father and he to whome the father will shewe him And verefied yet againe no man commeth vnto me vnlesse that my father drawe him to me For all this hidden Secrete of the death of Christ of his bloude that was shed and giuen for man it is foolishnes vnto the fleshly man if he be not drawen and brought therevnto by god Then from aboue it is we are lightened that his will may bee done in vs that are wilfull Secondly it is the will of God that those whiche are redéemed in I. sus Christe and doe atteine him willingly by faith shewe them selues obedient and deutifull vnto the Lorde and walke in his commaundements he hath taught them Nature teacheth those be his to owe obeyzance and homage
Figge leaues were a token to our nakednesse Our aboundance was turned into scarcetic and wee cast out as Plowmen to harrowe and till the ground We tasted no more of the liberalitie of our firste Nurse but for our offence shée became harde and flintie vnto vs and euery one eateth of the labour of his handes and in care and sorrowe doth hée liue all his dayes so that the necessitie wherein wée bee the anguishe of the spirite and trouble of minde that wée liue in is of sufficient force to compell vs to crye vnto our God and to howle in our miserie that he woulde helpe that he woulde reléeue vs that hée woulde prosper vs that he woulde géeue vnto vs our dayly bread The prayers that wée powred forth before the Lorde that kepte the firste entraunce and stepped vp in the former array to conduct vs vnto Christe Perteined vnto the person of God and gaue vs an admonition to seeke the glorie of the Lorde and the enlarging of his kingdome before wée presume to seeke our owne commodities And nowe that obeysaunce is giuen vnto him he géeueth vs lycence in our owne behalfe to aske of him suche thinges as be necessarie And therefore that saying of Maister Caluin the verie Sainct of God and elect of Christe is in manye places of his booke repeated whose sweete speeche and fyled style hath opened suche a dore to Christianitie as that the Spirite of the Lorde for exquisite iudgement and true exposition of the woorde hath not to this day blessed one of his Sainctes more plentifully then he hath done him In his harmonie page the 90. He maketh as it were a couple of Tables and cutteth this prayer by section into two parts whereof the one respecteth the true worship of God The other appertaineth to the woorkes of Charitie And trueth it is Prius nos instituit ad querendam Deigloriam in altera parte ostendit quid pro nobis petere conueniat He hath added for so it pleaseth mée at this time a verie good reason Non enim propriae v◠tilitatis studio sic nos occuparifas est quin primatum semper teneat dei gloria Then this is the ende that I serche out that all things that are necessarie for the vse of man All our good giftes giuen vnto vs from the Lorde be the woorkemanship of his handes and the blessing wherewith hee prospereth vs That out of this may spring this interpretation by breade to vnderstande as Maister Gualter thinketh Vniuersum hominis victum quaecumque ad eius conseruationem requiruntur All that is expedient for life and that which doeth nourishe and kéepe vs. This breade is called heauenly Lightening or comming from aboue vnto vs that our duetie maye appeare and our reddinesse may be séene That séeing all things commeth from aboue our Lorde God woulde not be slacke in giuing vnto vs that we néede Maister Caluine moueth out of this place an obiection That when as Christe hath giuen this vnto all men that are of the faithfull and praye truely Giue vs this day our dayly breade And of this number there bee a greate number that bee verie ritche and haue plentie and their Garners stored also and heaped with aboundance of victuall To what ende saith he is this they shoulde aske of God when they haue yerely comming in to enritch them Maister Caluin aunswereth It is an admonition to vs that if God dayly prosper vs not thy heapes of Corne thy vessels of Oyle of Wine perisheth And so it is and so I finde it For hee is the onely staffe of breade and stay of meate and he can féede Daniell and make him as well liking with the Pulse hee eateth as the children bee that fed dayly from the kinges table And his power is séene aswell in him that dwelleth vnder the Oke and in the depth of the earth and in the poore cottage as it is in the Pallaces of the ritche and with those that haue their houses of Cedar The great mightie and wounderfull woorkes of God are many yet in no one is his power seene more then it is in this That euery creature hath his sundrye kindes of meate And euery countrie his sundrie kinde of breade And euery degree his contrarie manner in fare Yet euery one in his stature and eche person in comlinesse hath his countenannce and his beautie from the Lorde I sometimes talked with one not so well instructed as I wished in this And many an houre I spent in talke and a fewe dayes I consumed to open vnto him the woorkes of god I reasoned from the excellencie that hée gaue vnto the workemanship of his handes For the Birdes they haue their glittering attyre and are cloathed as with golde and purple Verye pleasantly they spreade abroade their winges and they vaunt it soorth in the ayre as in their houses and bid battell to their enimies yet are they fedde with verie homely dishes The Beastes of the earth haue their seuerall pasture and make their boast of the flowers and of the gréene grasse and féede verie delicately on the Salowes and are valiant Champions in their kinde and afoorde vs their coates for apparell and their liues for our foode So kinde they bee that when they haue laboured all the daye and toyled in the myre and be verie wearie euen vnto death yet will hee bragge as muche of his haye and of his stubble that hee eateth as the prowdest Paramour of them all of her nyce iouncating I reckoned vp the whole hoast of heauen the creeping woorme The floting fishe the serpent that groueleth on earth The mansions of the depth with the cabones thereof No one thing I pretermitted that I remembred to set out the workes of God his regiment I called to minde that GOD giueth to man all thinges on earth to foster man Yet vnnaturally against nature we abuse the naturall giftes of God. And men verie vnkindly against their kindly course eateth man. Yet is he puissant and coragious in his kinde féedeth as hungerly and fareth as deintily and loketh as merely runneth as spéedely liueth as prondly goeth as stately as we in England with all our concepts inuented for vs Yet could I not perswade this man nature and ignorance had wrought so in him And a Stoycke I found him an Epicure I left him counting him and his belly to be but beastly till God shall turne him This I say that expedient yea verie méete is it we should knowe the operation and inwarde working of the creatour that raiseth out of the dust so singuler an Image and paterne of his deitie and hath made the sonne of that man which goeth to the Plough and to the cart and that followeth the cattel kepeth the swine in the fielde That tombleth at home in the strawe and hideth his heade in the couche the is parched with the heat of the sunne smothered vp with