souldiers wherof they vant and bost to wit their skarres and maimes to shewe how they haue beene the first at the medley or fight Therefore let vs not be greeued if we doe receiue in this world some losse beatinges and skarres for Christes sake and let vs not thinke to be ouercome what euill so euer happeneth but to be ouercommers so long as by faith we doe surely hold ourselues in the Lorde An other goodlie example taken out of the 13. Chapter of Iob to bee vsed in the middest of the greatest Temptations Lo though he slay me yet wil I put my trust in him and will reprooue my wayes in his sight He shal be my saluation also for the Hypocrite shall not come before him c. CONSIDERATION BEcause of the doubtfulnesse of this worde Loe in the Hebrewe tongue some reade this Text thus See he will slaie me and I will not awaite or looke for any more as if he should say I haue nothing else to awaite after Neuerthelesse this is the meaning and intent of Iob to say Albeit that God kill me and that there is not herein anie apparaunce after my death to looke for any more good of the Lorde yet so it is that I will not leaue off from acknowledging my selfe a sinner reproouing my waies and to holde him for the God of my saluation who also quickeneth dead thinges as by the deawe of the spirite he causeth to spring foorth those things that seeme as dead euen as it is sayde in the 26. of Esaie 5.19 Therefore it is the propertie of Faith not to limite any thing to God but to suffer him yea if he would kill vs or bring vs to dust And in the 78. Psalme the Iewes are reproued in tempting God and to limite the holie one of Israell Contrariwise the faithfull say My soule keepeth silence vnto God Euen as it is sayde in the 62. Psalm ver 1. and patiently abideth in the Lorde and suffering him that knoweth to draw out of darkenesse light and out of death life and who also declareth his Power Strength and Vertue in our weakenesse 2. to the Cor. 12. Wherefore doe not we remember this infinite power of the euerlasting Lorde in the middest of our Anguishes Why doe not we beholde the Prince of life in the middest of the shadowe of death and also vnto him who through his death hath giuen vs life And whose goodnesse is better than life it selfe As it is sayd in the 63. Psalm O that we had truely the excellent greatnesse of his power before our eies done to vs which do beleeue through his force strength whereby hee hath wrought it in Christ when he raised him vp from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand according as S. Paule speaketh in the 5. Chap. of his Epistle to the Ephesians Howe much more of courage would we be when namely we should receiue it as the sentence of death in our selues if we do come againe to consider thereof Philip. 1.21 how Christ liueth in vs and that to die in him is life and aduauntage To bee short in place to murmure against God in our anguishes we should reproue blame our waies and our sinnes with Iob for our only sinnes are they that do destroy mankinde Certaine notable sentences touching Faith taken out of the Psalmes and an assurance of the true faithfull Out of the 27. Psalme Hope in the Lord and be strong he shal comfort thine heart and trust in the Lorde Though that my Father and my Mother should forsake me yet the Lord will gather me vp The 36. Psalme How excellent is thy mercie O God and therefore the children of men trust vnder the shadowe of thy winges They shal be satisfied with the fatnesse of thine house and thou shalt giue them drinke out of the ryuer of thy pleasures For with thee is the well of life and in thy light shall we see light The 40. Psalme Blessed is the man that maketh the Lorde his trust From a heartie Faith proceedeth the confession of the mouth and regardeth nor the proude nor such as turne aside to lies I haue not hid thy righteousnesse within mine heart but I haue declared thy trueth and thy saluation I haue not concealed thy mercie and thy trueth from the great congregation Withdrawe not thou thy tender mercie from me O lord let thy mercie and thy trueth alwaies preserue me The 50. Psalme Call vppon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me The 55. Psalme Cast thy burthen vpon the Lord and he shall nourish thee hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer The 62. Psalme In God onely is my trust in God only is my saluation he is my rocke my castle and my defence therefore I shall not be moued Yet my soule keepe thou silence vnto God for my hope is in him in God is my saluation and my glory Trust in him alway ye people powre out your heartes before him for God is our hope Yet the children of men are vanitie the chiefe men are lies Trust not in oppression nor in roberie bee not vaine if riches increase set not your heartes thereon The 63. Psalme Because thou hast beene my helper therfore vnder the shadow of thy wings will I reioyce My soule cleaueth vnto thee for thy right hande vpholdeth me The 71. Psalme In thee O Lorde I trust let me neuer be ashamed For thou art mine hope O Lorde GOD euen my trust from my youth Vpon thee haue I beene stayed from the wombe thou art he that tooke mee out of my mothers bowelles my praise shal be alwaies of thee Cast me not off in the time of age forsake mee not when my strength faileth me The 73. Psalme Whome haue I in Heauen but thee And I haue desired none in the Earth with thee My flesh faileth and mine heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer For loe they that withdrawe themselues from thee shall perish As for me it is good for me to drawe neere vnto God therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all thy workes The 84. Psalme Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer praise thee Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednesse For the Lorde God is the sunne and the shielde vnto vs the Lorde will giue grace and glorie and no good thing wil he withholde from them that walke vprightlie O Lorde of Hostes blessed is the man that trusteth in thee The 91. Psalme Thou hast sayd the Lord is my hope thou hast set the most high for thy refuge there shall none euill come vnto thee For hee shall giue his Angelles charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies Because hee hath loued mee
yet created but is taken for a person subsistent Afterwardes in the 1. Chap. of S. Marke we doe see the sonne which was baptised the father bearing witnesse of the sonne and the holy ghost comming downe vppon him As it is also commaunded in the 28. of S. Matthew to baptise in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost Now thinke it not to be a small thing to acknowledge three persons in one diuine Essence First of all the Christians faith is so discerned from that of the Turkes Iewes and Painims which doe not woorship the true God not acknowledging him as he hath manifested himselfe Secondlie this knowledge guideth vs in our prayer and serueth vs as a great direction because that we call vppon GOD by Iesus Christ in the partaking of the holy Ghost Thirdlie by this distinction of persons wee doe euidētlie see the principall benefites of our God beholding how the father the sonne and the holy ghost haue wrought in our creation and also how they doe worke in our redemption The father sendeth the sonne the sonne taketh humane nature the holy Ghost is he through whose operation he is conceaued in the wombe of the virgin This is he that is the comforter which inspireth and sealeth in our heartes the promises of God Wherefore although that all people doe vaunt of the knowledge of God yet so it is that there is not but the true Church that knoweth God truelie euen as hee manifested himselfe As it is said in the Psalme 147. He hath declared his wordes vnto Iacob and his statutes and iudgementes vnto Israel Hee hath not so dealt with all Nations neither hath he giuen vnto them to know his iudgementes A praier concerning the Trinitie drawen out of S. Augustine his Booke of the priuate Meditatiō of the soule with God 37. Chap. O Three Persons coequal coeternal one God and true God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost which dwellest a lone in eternitie and in the light not able to be come vnto which hast laide the earth by thy power and gouernest the worlde by thy wisedome Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hostes terrible and strong iust and mercifull wonderfull and louing one onely GOD and three persons one substance and goodnesse open vnto mee crying the gates of righteousnesse that being entered therein I may praise thee O Lorde O houshould father great rich I poore begger doe knocke at thy gates open vnto him that knocketh thou that hast promised to open vnto those which will knocke For O most mercifull father the desires of my entrailes hungering after thy grace do knocke at thy gates All my desire is before thee and my groning is not hid from thee And thou O Lord turne not away thy face any more from me neither in thine anger drawe thy selfe backe from thy seruant Father of mercie heare the groning of thy pupill and stretch forth vnto me thy helping hande to plucke mee out of the deepe waters out of the lake of miserie and out of the stinking puddle and myer that I perish not in the sight of thy mercies and beholding the bowels of thy clemencie but that rather I may come euen vnto thee which art my God to see the riches of thy kingdome and to behold thy face and to sing praises of thy holy name vnto thee O God that doest woonders that from this time forwardes my heart may reioyce through the onely remembraunce of thee who lightnest my youth despise not also mine olde age but giue ioie vnto my bones to make my yeeres reuiue as those of an Aegle that I may praise thee for euermore A prayer vpon the same Argument Euerlasting God thou which with thy onely sonne the holy ghost art one only true GOD and onely Lorde seeing that it hath pleased thee to make knowen the secret of this glorious Trinitie vnto vs thy seruantes giue vs grace that alwaies acknowledging through one true and intire confession the propertie of the three persons the vnitie of the substaunce and the equalitie of the maiestie in one onely true God wee may for euer worship thee and that by this sure faith wee may be defended against all temptations And as the Angels praise thee the powers do worship thee and all the armies of heauen doe magnifie thee let vs thy poore creatures haue this honour to be able to ioyne our songes and our agreementes which this heauenly companie to be agreeable and pleasing vnto thee A prayer of S. Augustine out of the 32. Chap. of his Meditations O God hee that would liue it behooueth him to know thee and he that would rule he must first serue thee he who would haue gladnesse in his heart it behooueth him to praise thee Wherefore my Lorde I praise and worship thee with my lippes with my soule and with all the power that is within me I also thanke thy clemencie and bountie for all the goods that thou hast stored me withall Vnto thee Lorde that art the holie of holies do I sing songs of praise O Lorde I will call vppon thee which art in three persons but one onely and alone substance beseeching thee that it will please thee to come vnto me and to make me a temple of thy glorie I pray the father by the sonne I pray the sonne I pray the holy Ghost that all vices may be farre off from me and that all holy vertues may be planted in me O infinite God of whom and by whom all thinges are visible and inuisible that doest compasse thy workes without and fillest them within that couerest them from aboue and bearest them belowe keepe mee that am the worke of thy handes which trust in thee and haue none other confidence but in thy mercie Keepe me before and behinde heere and euerie where nowe and euer within and without aboue and beneath to be short on all sides that neither taken at vnwares nor by ambushment of my enemie I may be endamaged Thou art the almightie God the protector and defender of all those that trust in thee without whom nothing is sure neither free from daunger Thou art the true God and there is none other God but thou alone neither in heauen aboue neither in the earth belowe Thou doest wonders without number Therefore vnto thee doth appertaine praise honour and thankesgiuing The Angels praise thee the heauens also doe honour thee as the creature is bounde to honour his maker and the seruant his maister euen so ought all flesh and all soules to praise the holy and inseparable Trinitie A prayer of S. Augustine out of the 33. Chap. of his Meditations GEue me grace O Lorde so long as I shal be compassed about with this fraile bodie that my soule may praise thee that my tongue may blesse thee and that all my bones may agree to speake of thee Lorde who is like vnto thee Thou art the almightie God whom we doe worshippe in three persons and one diuine
the North Brightnes the praise thereof is to God which is terrible The 22. Psalme It is thou that diddest drawe me out of the wombe and thou giuest me hope euen at my Mothers brestes I was cast vppon thee euen from the wombe thou art my God from my mothers bellie All the 107. Psalme is full of testimonies of his diuine prouidence where amongest all other thinges it is said Seamen And those that goe downe into the sea in shippes and occupie by the great waters they see the woorkes of the Lord his woonders in the deepe For he commaundeth and raiseth stormie winde and it lifteth vp the waues thereof Whē they crie vnto the Lord in their trouble he turneth the storme to calme so that the waues thereof be still When they are quieted they are glad and hee bringeth them vnto the hauen where they would be He turneth the floudes into a wildernesse Wildernesse and the springes of water into drienesse And a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Againe he turneth the wildernesse into pooles of water the drie land into water springes And there he placeth the hungrie and they build a citie to dwell in Fieldes Vines And sowe the fieldes and plant vineyardes which bring forth fruitful increase For he blesseth them and they multiplie exceedinglie and he diminisheth not their Cattell Cattel Againe men are diminished brought lowe by oppression euill and sorrowe He powreth contempt vppon princes Princes and causeth them to erre in desert places out of the way Yet he raiseth vp the poore out of miserie The poore and maketh them families like a flock of sheepe The righteous shall see it and reioyce and all iniquitie shall stop her mouth Who is wise that he may obserue these thinges For they shall vnderstand the louing kindenesse of the Lorde Out of the Psal 147. Great is our Lorde and great is his power his wisedome is infinite The Lord relieueth the meeke and abaseth the wicked to the ground Sing vnto the Lord with praise sing vppon the Harpe vnto our God which couereth the heauen with clowdes and prepareth raine for the earth and maketh the grasse to growe on the mountaines He giueth to beastes their foode The yong Rauens and to the yong Rauens that crie O Ierusalē praise the Lord praise thy God O Sion for hee hath made the barres of thy gates strong and hath blessed thy children within thee Peace He setteth peace in thy borders and satisfieth thee with the flower of wheate The 21. of the Prouerbes The heart of kinges The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the riuers of waters he turneth it whither soeuer it pleaseth him Euerie way of man is right in his owne eyes but the Lord pondereth the heartes The 45. of Esai God hath not alonely created but disposeth also Behold what the Lord saith that created heauen God himselfe that formed the earth and made it he that prepared it he created it not in vaine hee formed it to be inhabited I am the Lord and there is not other I am the Lord and there is none other I forme the light and create darknes I make peace and create euill I the Lord doe all these thinges Yee heauens send the dewe from aboue and let the clowdes droppe downe righteousnesse Let the earth open and let saluation and iustice growe forth Let it bring thē forth together I the Lord haue created them Wo be vnto him that striueth with his maker the Potsheard with the Potsherdes of the earth shall the clay say vnto him that fashioneth it What makest thou Or thy woorke hath no handes Wo vnto him that saith vnto his father What hast thou begotten Or to his Mother What hast thou brought forth Thus saith the Lorde GOD The holie one of Israell and his maker Aske me of thinges to come concerning my sonnes and concerning the woorkes of mine handes Commaund you me I haue made the earth and created man vppon it I whose handes haue spread out the heauens I haue euen commaunded all their armie The 54. of Esai Behold I haue created the Smith that bloweth the coles in the fire Wherfore the armies of the enimies are not to bee feared and him that bringeth forth an instrumēt for his worke I haue created the destroyer to destroy But all the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper The 3. of Amos. A trumpet shall be blowen in the citie and the people shall not be afraid Aduersity O what euill shal be in the citie and the Lorde hath not doone it to visite their sinnes for aduersities are great paines to punish the euill and guiltie man and the faultes of men The 6. Chap. of S. Matthewe The fouls Beholde the foules of the heauen for they sowe not neither reape nor carie into barnes yet your heauenly father feedeth them Are ye not much better than they Which of you by taking care is able to ad one cubite vnto his stature And why care ye for rayment The lilies of the fields Learne howe the lilies of the fielde doe growe they labour not neither spinne Yet I say vnto you that euen Salomon in al his glorie was not arayed like one of these Wherefore if God so cloth the grasse of the fielde which is to day and to morowe is cast into the ouen shall hee not much more doe vnto you O yee of litle faith The 10. Chap. of S. Matthewe Sparowes Are not two Sparowes solde for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father Yea and all the hayres of your heades are numbred Feare ye not therfore ye are of more value than many Sparowes Our steps our going and comming The 4. Chap. of the Epistle of S. Iames. Go to nowe yee that say to day or to morowe we will goe into such a citie and continue there a yeare and buy and sell get gaine and yet you cannot tell what shal be to morowe For what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a litle time and afterwarde vanisheth away For that we ought to say if the Lord will and if we liue we will do this or that Certaine prayers taken out of the Scripture grounded vpon the doctrine of the prouidence of God taken out of the 93. Psalme and digested in forme and manner of a prayer OVr Lorde and God although it seemeth that the diuell ruleth at his pleasure in this wretched worlde and that the wicked and vngodly doe those thinges that vnto them seeme to bee good yet so it is that we doe acknowledge and confesse thee to be the true raygning God and king of all kinges who hast made fast the worlde by thy power and hast clothed it with an inuincible strength And so is it as easie for thee to appease and make calme the
to stirre vp through our prayers those mercies and bowels of compassion in the diuine Maiestie For wee must well remember in this behalfe the place that is in the 14. Chap. of the Prophet Osee Who is wise shall vnderstand these things and prudent and shall know thē A consolation against the extreme miseries wherewith God doeth exercise his children For the waies of the Lord are right and the iust also shall walke in them But the vngodlie shall fall therein By which wordes it is shewed vnto vs that it is a great wisedome rightlie to marke the proceedings of our God and to vnderstand the end of them as well in his promises as in his threateninges for they be alwayes iust and right and there are none but Infidels and wicked men which stumble and fall in them But men commonlie offend in this that they measure the thoughtes of God according to the thoughtes of men doe perswade themselues that thinges ought to goe and to take such course as they imagine in their vnderstanding the which is altogether contrarie to the Scripture For my thoughtes saith the Lord are not your thoughtes Esai 55.8 neither my wayes your waies For as the heauens are higher than the earth so bee my wayes higher than your wayes and my thoughtes aboue your thoughtes Nowe wee know that the thoughtes of our God are not to destroy his Church Mat. 16. against which the gates of hell can haue no power and for this cause we are commaunded to beleeue the Church howsoeuer she seeme not to appeare in the world as faith is not of thinges which bee apparant vnto carnall eyes Although then that sometimes stormes tempestes and calamities bee so extreme as it seemeth that there is no more face neither anie tract or footing of a Church on the earth and moreouer that GOD hath left his house and as it were altogether forsaken his heritage and as it might be leauing the welbeloued of his soule in the handes of his enemies Loe the verie wordes that the Lord vseth in the 12. of Ieremie yet will hee dailie haue as it is said in the 6. Chap. of Esaiah a tenth part And the Church shal bee made bare as a Birch or as an Oke when they shall cast their leaues and yet there shall be substance within euen so shall bee the substance of the Church a holie seede So that euen then when she shall walke in the middest of aduersitie Psal 138. the Lorde shall quicken her The meaning of the Lorde in sending calamities and shall not leaue the worke of his handes I say hee shall quicken her no otherwise than if of dead and drye bones being inspired with a new soule and strength they should bee gathered together and liue as it is said in the 37. Chap. of the Prophet Ezechiel And as concerning the Lordes purpose when hee sendeth such deluges and floudes to come among vs it is partlie to the end to shewe forth vnto the whole world his power prouidence goodnesse and righteousnesse partlie to the end that wee should learne to walke by faith to renounce our selues and in this so fraile and miserable a life to aspire vnto that which is euerlasting Hee sheweth his power when hee vpholdeth his Church in the middest of so manie euils and diseases when as hee shall raise it vp as it were from the dead Psal 68.2 when as in a moment hee shall make his enemies to vanish as a heape of smoke Hee testifieth his prouidence when as hee maketh the determined season come to deliuer his And contrariewise Psal 102. when hee bringeth the appointed day vpon his aduersaries as it is said in the lamentation of the Prophet Ieremie the 1. Chapter Hee likewise sheweth his prouidence in that of euill hee can drawe forth good Rom. 8.28 and make all thinges to worke to the good and saluation of his drawing out of afflictions remedies and profitable medicines for his Church Hee sheweth also his goodnesse first in that hee tempereth his corrections and in the middest of the greatest fiers hee comforteth and sustaineth his children as it is said in the 94. Psalme When I had manie thoughtes in my selfe thy comfortes haue recreated my soule His goodnesse shineth also in that he hath appeased his owne wrath putting an end to all calamities as it is said in the 30. Chap of Esaiah Therefore doth the Lorde put off to the end that hee may haue mercie vppon you and likewise that he may bee exalted when hee doeth pardon vs. Hee maketh his righteousnesse appeare when as hee spareth not no not his owne children making his iudgementes to beginne at his owne house euen as S. Peter saith in his first Epistle and 4. Chap. But in asmuch as hee hath established a couenant with his Church the which is not grounded vpon our workes or woorthinesse but vppon his welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ in whom hee hath chosen vs loued and blessed vs this couenant is euerlasting Ephes 1. ◠And for the loue thereof he turneth himselfe towardes his people and he maketh them this goodlie certaine promise that is in the 89. Psalme I will visite their offences with a rod and their sinne with scourges But I will not vtterlie take my louing-kindnesse from him nor suffer my faith to faile him And in the 54. Chap. of Esaiah Although the mountaines shall remoue and the hilles shall fall downe yet my louing kindnesse shall not moue and the couenant of my peace shall not fall downe from thee saith the Lord who hath compassion of thee Behold thou poore vexed despised without anie consolation I will make thy walles of pretious stones and thy foundation of Saphires c. Nowe the whole is that wee awaite for him as it is said in the 30. of Esaiah Blessed are all they that waite for him But man is of a nature first The imperfections of man Lib. De patientia Rom. 8. verie impatient so as Tertullian hath not said without cause that impatiencie is the cause of all euils Secōdlie man is of this nature that he will not beleeue but that which he seeth a thing altogether contrarie vnto faith For that faith and hope which ground thēselues vpon that which is seene are properlie neither faith nor hope Thirdlie man is so corrupted as S. Chrysostome saith verie well in his 4. Homilie vnto the people of Antioch that he feareth that that he ought not to feare feareth not that which hee ought most to feare Men feare death and miseries that in deede bee nothing for they cannnot separate vs from the grace of God and they are so farre off from being able The vse of afflictions saith Chrysostome to separate vs that if thou haue manie vices afflictions will tame them if thou haue vertues afflictions will make them shine and appeare But men feare not sinne which maketh a diuision betwixt God and vs and the reward thereof
therefore will I deliuer him I will exalt him because he hath knowen my name When he calleth vppon mee I will heare him I will bee with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him with long life will I satisfie him and shew him my saluation The 118. Psalme The Lorde is with mee therefore I will not feare what man can do vnto me The Lorde is with me among them that helpe me therefore I shall see my desire vpon mine enemies It is better to trust in the Lord than to haue any confidence in man I shall not die but liue and declare the workes of the Lord. The Lord hath chastened me sore but he hath not deliuered me to death Thou art my god and I wil praise thee euen my God therfore will I exalt thee The 125. Psalme They that trust in the Lord shal be as mount Sion which cannot bee remoued but remaineth for euer As the mountaines are about Ierusalem so is the Lord about his people from hence foorth for euer A MEDITATION PRAIER as concerning Faith and inuocation drawen out of certaine Psalmes SAint Paule in the 3. Chap. to the Rom. sayth That all haue sinned are depriued of the glorie of God But because that by faith wee doe put on vs Christ who dwelleth in our heartes wee bee so pleasing vnto him as his wisdome as it is saide in the 8. Chap. of the Prouerbs and tooke his delight in the childrē of men Therefore are young and olde great and litle bidden to praise the Lorde euen as we doe see in the 148. Psalme O what an honour is this vnto vs that God will be praised by vs Who is he sayth S. Chrysostom that to be honored and praised by the wormes doth much care for it We be such yet notwithstanding hee will haue vs praise and glorifie him From whence commeth this honor except it be by faith which yeeldeth vs pleasing and setteth vs in honor Yea so pleasing Psal 145. as the Lord offereth himselfe to worke the desires of those that call vppon him in trueth What is it to call vppon him in trueth vnlesse to pray in Faith and to confirme our requestes and desires vnto the word of GOD which is the onelie trueth Wherefore soundeth not out thē the whole world the praises of the Lord Why then goe so manie people roming after strange Gods that cannot saue them What iniquitie haue men found in the liuing God that they digge pittes where there is no water Ieremie 2. and forsake the fountaine of life Is not our helpe in the name of the Lord Psal 124. who hath made both heauen and earth Is this he who hath giuē vs occasion and assurance to trust in him euen from the time that we sucked our mothers pappes And though that he chastice vs holdeth he not dailie the affection of a Father when as in chasticing vs he correcteth vs and in correcting vs aduaunceth our saluation in such sort as Dauid himselfe confesseth that it was good for him to be chasticed Psal 11◠to learne the iudgementes of the Lorde Yea and albeit that death should be before our eyes Psal 68. is it not he that hath the issues of death in his hand O Lord suffer vs not to be led away by them that goe farre from thee A prayer Neither yet let vs at anie time communicate with the bloudie Sacrifices of Idolaters Psal 125. Psal 16. Rather graunt mercie vnto the poore bringing them with vs vnto thy sheepefold Make strong the weake and keepe vs from being too presumptuous Rom. 11. seeing that it is by faith and by grace that we stand fast Keepe vs O good Father standing that wee doe not fall 1. Cor. 10. Let vs prooue our selues if we be in faith and let this faith increase that it may shine as gold in the middest of afflictions that it be also stirred vp in vs without ceasing and strengthened by a dailie hearing of thy word meditating of thy bounties and by supplications and prayers that in this fraile and olde ruinous age of the world Psal 62. ◠since that the infidels are as an old tottering wall we may be strong sure constant dailie leaning vpon this strong tower and rocke thy sonne Iesus Christ So be it A consideration vppon this which is spoken of the vse of Gods word taken out of the 30. Chap. of the Prouerbes EVerie word of the Lorde is purged and is as a bucklar vnto those that haue proofe in the same Dauid speaketh almost the same in the 12. Psalme Now for a trueth the wordes of the Lord are pure wordes as the siluer be it that we behold his subiect for it interpreteth not of worldlie vanitie as dooth other doctrine but of holie and heauenlie thinges be it that a man consider his effectes And they which doe receaue it by faith feele by it their heartes purged of earthlie thoughtes be it that a man respect the Author of this word which is pure and faithfull in his holy promises more purer than anie fined siluer But as concerning mankinde there is in them no assurance nor no faith as it is said in the first of Esai Thy siluer is become drosse in short there is nothing in men but corruption and deceite And if a man would behold the manifold fires persecutions wherethrough the word of the Lord hath passed it should be seene how much shee hath made triall in that it can consume nothing nor hinder the course of Gods word Great a doe haue they that striue or storme against the word of GOD when they shal persecute it it will shine so much the more and will be alwayes a bucklar vnto the children of God against all manner of temptations euen as Iesus Christ hath shewed vs a godlie example in the 4. Chap. of S. Matthew when he was tempted of the Diuill how we must be holpen with this bucklar Certaine godlie textes taken out of the Prophetes concerning Faith and the assurance that we ought to haue in God The 7. of Esai ver 9. IF you beleeue not Iames. 1. sure you shall not be established For he that wauereth is like a waue of the Sea tost and caried away of the winde The 12. of Esai The faithfull feeling their deliuerāce by Christ shall say Lord I giue vnto thee thankes and albeit thou hast bin angrie with me thy wrath is turned away and thou hast comforted me Behold God is my saluation I wil trust and will not feare for the Lord God is my strength and song he also is become my Saluation Therefore with ioy shall you drawe waters out of the welles of saluation The 25. of Esai The manner of the faithfuls thankesgiuing O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee I will praise thy name for thou hast doone woonderfull thinges according to the counsels of olde with a stable trueth For thou hast beene a strength
vnto the poore euen a strength vnto the needie in his trouble a refuge against the tempest a shadow against the heate for the blast of the mightie is like a storme against the walk Thou shalt beate downe the noyse of the strangers as the heate in a drie place And he will destroy the couering that couereth all people and the veile that is spred vppon all Nations He will destroy death for euer and the Lord GOD shall wipe away the teares from all faces and the rebuke of his people will he take away out of all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it And in that day shall men say Lo this is our God we haue waited for him and he will saue vs. This is the Lord we haue awaited for him we will reioyce and be ioyfull in his saluation The 30. of Esai Your strength shall be in silence and in hope The 41. of Esai For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying vnto thee Feare not I will helpe thee Feare not thou worme Iacob and ye men of Israel I will helpe thee saith the Lord and thy redeemer the holy one of Israel The 42. of Esai I am the Lord this is my name and my glorie will not I giue vnto an other neither my prayses to grauen Images And I will bring the blinde by a way that they know not and leade them by pathes that they haue not knowen I will make darknesse light before them crooked thinges straight These thinges wil I doe vnto them and not forsake them They shall be turned backe that trust in grauen Images they shall be greatlie ashamed The 50. of Esai The Lord God is my helper therefore shall not I be confounded Therefore haue I set my face like a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed He is neere that iustifieth me Let vs stand together who is my aduersarie Let him come neere to me Beholde the Lorde God will helpe me who is he that can condemne me The 51. of Esai I euen I am he that comforteth you Who art thou that thou shouldest feare a mortall man and the sonne of man which shal be made as grasse And so forgettest thy Lorde thy maker who hath spread out the heauens and layd the foundations of the earth for the heauens shall vanish away like smoke and the earth shall waxe olde like a garment and they that dwell therein shall perish in like manner But my saluation shal be for euer and my righteousnes shal neuer be abolished A complaint of the vnbeliefe and Apostasie of men The 2. of Ieremie THus sayth the Lorde What iniquitie haue your fathers founde in mee that they are gone farre from mee and haue walked after vanitie are become vaine and haue not sayde where is the Lorde where is the Lorde that brought vs out of the Lande of Egypt And lead vs through the lande of Wildernesse through a desert and wast land through a drie land and by the shadow of death by a lande that no man passed through and where no man dwelt and I brought you into a plentifull countrie c. O ye Heauens be astonied at this be afraide and vtterly confounded sayeth the Lorde For my people haue committed two euils they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters to digge them pittes euen broken pittes that can holde no water The 9. Chap. of Ieremie Thus saith the lord Let not the wise man glorie in his wisdome nor the strong man glorie in his strength neither the rich man glorie in his riches but let him that glorieth glorie in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me for I am the Lord which shew mercie iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these thinges I delight saith the Lord. The 17. of Ieremie Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and which draweth his heart from the Lord for he shall be like the heath in the wildernesse and shall not see when anie good commeth but shall inhabit the parched places in the wildernesse Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord whose hope the Lord is for he shall be as a tree that is planted by the water which spreadeth out her rootes by the riuer and shall not feele when the heate commeth but her leafe shall be greene and shall not care for the yeare of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruite O Lord the hope of Israel all that forsake thee shall be confounded They that depart from thee shall be written in the earth because they haue forsaken the Lord the fountaine of liuing waters A godlie example of the three companions of Daniell and of their constancie and faith taken out of the 3. Chap. of the Prophet Daniel ver 16. SHadrach Meshach and Abednego aunswered and said vnto the king O Nabuchadnezar we are not carefull to aunswere thee in this matter Behold our God whome we serue is able to deliuer vs from the hote fierie fornace and hee will deliuer vs out of thy hand O king But if not be it knowen to thee O king that we will not serue thy Gods nor woorship the golden Image which thou hast set vp An obseruation vpon the said place NOte ye that first these good men did verie well see that in partaking neuer so little in the seruice of Idols it was to serue the diuels To partake with the Idolaters is to serue the diuels as it is said in the 106. Psalme ver 37. and also in the 1. to the Corinth 10. Chap. ver 20. As God threatneth also to roote out all those that shal sweare by the Lord or by Melchon in the 1. Chap. of Sophonie For as one Marcus Arethusius aunswered Marcus Arethusius in the historie of Theodoret. When men would not bestowe but one Tournois vnto a wicked act then did euerie man contribute And as on a day the Christians aunswered according as it is written in the same Theodoret in the 4. booke and 20. Chap. When as the tyrantes fumed yet more with rage furie than before they were woont we could not denie nor start frō the trueth seeing that in the world Renouncing of the trueth there could not be found a greater torment than to renounce the truth There is also a goodly historie in the 4. booke of Eusebe and the 13. Chap. When there was mention made of the Edict that Anthonius the Emperor proclaimed forbidding to persecute the Christians for said he You shall make them victorious through their persecutions in that they loue better to die than to obey you An expositiō of the text which is in the 5. chapter 2. booke of Kinges That which some men to couer their wickednesse and ydolatrie doe alleage the place of the soconde booke of the Kinges the 5. Chap. and the 18. ver when Naaman the king of Syreas Connestable saide vnto Eliseus The Lorde be merciful vnto the seruant that
and make head against the diuel for he himselfe doth alleage the scripture and therfore if we be not well seene or exercised therein he will trouble and ouercome vs. Let vs also pray this good God that he will giue vs his holy spirite which is the true teacher and expounder of the scripture the which the deuill in not being able to haue hath nothing but the barcke of the scripture and is easie to be vanquished and ouercome by those which are caried by the spirite of God Of prayer which is one of the effectes of Faith 7. Chap. of S. Matthewe Aske and it shal be giuen you seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shall be opened PRAYER O Lorde GOD seeing that thou thy selfe doest offer thy selfe vnto vs with so great kindenesse and sweetenes suffer vs not that we be negligent in calling vpon thee neither permit that we become restiffe in asking when as thou art readie to giue And to this effect graunt vs grace to feele howe much thy helpe is necessarie for vs euen for vs poore creatures which haue not neither possesse we any thing but of thy fauour and grace and yet neither that which we haue can prosper without thy blessing We therefore namely do acknowledge the great wantes and defectes which are in vs in respect of those heauenly things For neither faith hope nor charitie can be in vs vnlesse thou doe store vs with thy light S. Iames. 1. and helpe our infirmities For all good guiftes doe come from aboue from thee thou father of light Wherefore should we not then call vpon thee hauing thy promises Or wherfore shold wee goe elsewhere synce that in thee is all aboundance and sufficiencie Giue vs grace O good God not onely to pray to thee but also to knocke at thy gate It seemeth that it is somtimes shut against vs and that thou hast no care ouer vs as in verie deede the gates of grace were shut vp against vs because of sinne But we haue our mediator Iesus Christ at thy right hande who hath promised to open it vnto vs. Open therefore vnto thy children that knocke thou which hast giuen thy deere sonne for vs giue vs faith that may bring vs vnto thee and also hope which may entertaine vs in faith and giue vs in summe that which thou knowest farre better than we to be necessarie for vs for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake A notable sentence to hold the faithfull in a true confession of Gods name taken out of the 10. Chap. of S. Matthew FEare ye not them which kil the bodie but are not able to kill the soule But rather feare him which is able to destroy both the Soule and bodie in hell Whosoeuer therefore shall confesse me before men him will I confesse also before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shal denie me before men I will denie him before my father which is in heauen MEDITATION THe feare of death is the thing that dooth most turne away men from our Lorde The feare of death and from the imbracing of his worde For Iesus Christ sheweth what the follie of man is in this we feare death for feare of losing life But man cannot take away life wherefore are they then afraid For life is in the hand of God who hath giuen it But if it be a question of sorrowes and tormentes then death is no more it that we feare Iob. 5. for they are the sorrowes wherein we be borne as the bird to flie and those which we ought patientlie to beare euen as a valiant souldier beareth certaine woundes to be after crowned As concerning the bodie that is put in the graue we doe not thinke it lost because that nothing is lost but the infection and corruption the which wee doe desire to loose And our bodies shall rise againe glorious bodies For it is euē as when a man melteth a great masse or lumpe of Copper to make a faire Image of Truelie then is not the copper lost but fined and set in honour Moreouer as a good martyr named Simeon said of whome is spoken in the Ecclesiasticall historie of Sozomene in his second booke and 10. Chap. Seeing that of nature we be alreadie mortall wherefore should we not account this for a great honor when we die for Iesus Christ But our Lord dooth yet vse an other Argument If we feare death then wee must feare the great danger that is euerlasting And that is wherein God may cast those downe headlong that offend him This is the secōd death whereof is spoken in the Apocalyps in the 21. Chap. ver 8. Blessed are they that feare God more than men Alas he asketh no great thing of vs to be short he requireth but that we trust in him and that we confesse his name The Elementes Psal 16. the earth the trees and the riuers doe declare his glorie Psal 148. so doe the byrdes on the braunches Wherefore is it that man which is created vnto his likenesse will not praise the Lord And when we doe confesse him it dooth serue him but for little marrie it dooth bring much vnto vs that he confesseth vs in his glorie and that hee acknowledgeth vs to bee his Now what pitie is it when so manie men shew themselues so slacke and vnfaithfull vnto the Lord some forsaking him and openlie blaspheming him other some being ashamed of him hauing the knowledge of the trueth hidden and shut vp in them Moreouer Titus 1.16 how manie be there which confesse him by their tongues and denie him in their heartes and wicked life O Lord therefore open our lippes and make cleane our heartes so as wee may beleeue with the heart and confesse with the mouth that we be not confounded in this great comming of thy sonne Iesus Christ but rather that we may haue his honor to be reknowledged and also declared thy children and heires of thy kingdome That through faith we goe vnto Christ and what the yoke of the faithful is 11. Chap. of S. Matthew COme vnto me all ye that are wearie laden and I will ease you Take my yoke vppon you and learne of me that I am meeke and lowlie in heart and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules for my yoke is easie and my burthen is light A consideration vppon the said text BLessed are those saith Dauid in the 119. Psalme that are vpright in their way and walke in the lawe of the Lord. But what Where is the man that walketh vprightlie For they are all gone out of the way taking damnable pathes as it is said in the 14. Psalme and in such sort through infidelitie and disobedience are men turned away from the Lord and walke after vanitie they are turned againe into their course saith Ieremie in the 8. Chap. as the horse that rusheth into the battell Now see the sonne of God who so gratiouslie dooth call you againe and bid you to come againe vnto him
also saide in the 18. Chap. of S. Luke Those thinges that are vnpossible to men are possible yea and verie easie vnto our God For as Dauid sayth in the 33. Psalme That which he spake is and that which he commandeth is established he scattereth the counsell of the people Esay 2.22 his counsell remaineth fast and sure O then sayth he the people are blessed whose God is the Lorde and the people whome hee hath chosen for his heritage Cease therefore from man that is nothing neither let vs be affraide of them so much which are but a vapour and whose breath is in the nostrels in such sort as stop their nostrels and they die And let vs worshippe and reuerence that almightie God putting all our trust and confidence in him Maker of heauen and earth Of the creation and prouidence of God CONSIDERATION Amongest other titles that are attributed vnto the Lorde our God to knowe him and to discerne him from false Gods this is that he is the Creator as we see Esaie 40. Chapter WHo hath measured the waters in his fist and counted heauen with a spanne and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountaines in a weight and the hilles in a ballance Who hath instructed the spirite of the Lorde or was his counseller or taught him All nations before him are nothing To whom nowe will ye liken mee that I should be like him sayeth the holie one Lift vp your eies on hie and beholde who hath created these thinges and bringeth out their armies by number calleth them all by names By the greatnesse of his power and mightie strength nothing faileth Why sayest thou O Iacob and speakest thou O Israell My way is hid from the Lorde and my iudgement is passed ouer of my God Knowest thou not and hast thou not hard that the euerlasting GOD hath created the endes of the earth Hee neither fainteth nor is wearie there is no searching of his vnderstanding And in the 10. of Ieremie it is written in the Chaldie tongue that the superstitious Chaldies might vnderstande it Thus shal you say vnto them the Gods that haue not made the heauens and the earth shall perish from the earth from vnder these heauens This is he who hath made the earth by his power and established the worlde by his wisedome and hath stretched out the heauen by his discretion He giueth by his voice the multitude of waters in heauen causeth the cloudes to ascende from the endes of the earth he turneth lightninges to raine and bringeth foorth the winde out of his treasures Euerie man is a beast by his owne knowledge Euerie founder is confounded by the grauen Image for his melting is but falsehoode and there is no breath in him They are vanitie and workes of errors in the time of their visitation they shall perish The portion of Iacob is not like vnto them for he is the maker of all thinges To create This therefore is proper to our God to create that is to say to giue to all thinges beginning and to make to be that which was not and to bring foorth of nothing some thing Euen as S. Paule sayeth in the 4. Chap. to the Romanes Hee giueth life vnto the dead and calleth those thinges which be not as though they were And in the 11. of the same Epistle For of him through him and for him are all thinges to him be glorie for euer and euer Creation a worke of the Trinitie And because the creation is a worke of all the Trinitie as heere before it was alreadie declared it is saide in the 1. Chap. to the Colossi that in Christ all thinges were created to wit by him and for him For that which is called in the 15. vers the first borne of all creatures is not as if the euerlasting sonne of God had beginning and were numbred amongst the creatures For according as it is after sayd in the 17. vers he is before all thinges and through him all thinges consist But he is called first borne not as if we should say that he was created but to shewe his prerogatiue and domination howe he is the beginning and head of all thinges Nowe must we not heere giue place to the curious speculations of the flesh That the worlde hath had a beginning and of the Philosophers amongst whom some of them haue thought that the worlde was eternall as the * These Philosophers had the name of studying as they went about or walked Peripaticiens and others haue thought that it was made by chaunce or aduenture as the Epicurians the one sort disputing how it was possible that of nothing all thinges should haue beene made indeuouring to measure the infinite power of the deuinitie according to their idle discourse through wāt of knowing his force and the strength and vertue of his worde Therefore we must with faith beleeue that which the vnderstanding cannot comprehende as it is saide in the 21. Chap. of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Through faith we vnderstande that the worlde was ordained by the word of God so that the thinges which we see are not made of thinges which did appeare For wee haue verie plaine places of the creation in the scripture as also there is no historie so antient from the first beginning of all thinges as that which we haue in the first booke of Moses there say I doe wee reade in the first Chap. That in the beginning God created heauen and the earth Genes 1. the sea and all things that are in them He created by his word Of nothing The spreading out or firmamēt which he calleth the heauen the earth Of the earth The beastes and afterwardes man The waters Which hee maketh to bring forth fishes Out of mans bodie he tooke and created the woman It is likewise spoken in the 33. Psalme and in the 16. of the Prouerbs of the creation The Lorde hath made all thinges for himselfe yea the wicked for the day of calamitie not that God hath made the euill for as it is saide in the 1. of Genes All that he had made was verie good But hee would shewe the wisedome of the Lorde which turned the malice of the wicked vnto his glorie Also in the 89. Psalme O Lorde God of hostes who is like vnto thee which art a mightie Lorde and thy trueth is about thee Thou rulest the raging of the sea when the waues thereof arise thou stillest them The heauens are thine the earth is thine also thou hast laide the foundation of the worlde and all that therein is Thou hast created the north and the south And in the 45. of Esay I haue made the earth and created man vpon it I whose handes haue spread out the heauens and haue euen commaunded all their armies Also in the 1. Chap. of S. Paules Epistles vnto the Colossians By him were all thinges created which are in heauen
raging of the sea and the most greatest riuers to whom thou hast also giuen their boundes so shall it be as easie when it shall please thee to still and appease the stormes and tempestes that we do behold in these daies and to tame the furie of the enemies But graunt vs grace O heauenly father that among so many stormes wee may stay ourselues vpon thy holy and vndoubted witnesses that wee haue in thy worde that we may remaine constant in all thy seruices and in thy house vntill that thou hast drawen vs out of the waues of this worlde to guide vs vnto the blessed and happie life and vnto the hauen of saluation So be it A prayer grounded vpon Gods prouidence O Lorde our God thou God of vengeance and iudge of the earth if euer it were time that thou shouldest shewe thy selfe clearely displaying thy iudgementes vpon thine aduersaries and vpon thy people thy mercies nowe it is O Lorde that thy children of so long time haue beene and are oppressed by the conspirators of Antichrist yea massakers and murtherers yea with more horrible disloyaltie and crueltie than euer man sawe in such sort O Lorde as it maketh the wicked to lift vp themselues and waxe proude as if wee were vtterly vndone and as if there were no God in heauen that cared for his poore Church And moreouer O God the long time and the greatnesse of these afflictions would make vs a thousande thousande times lose courage were it not that wee should be more than brutish if we did not assure ourselues that thou seest our miseries and vnderstandest our sorowes and mourneful complaintes thou Lord which hast made the eye and planted the eare of man yea thou great God by whom wee liue and haue our mouing and being to be short thou which hast gouerned this whole worlde by thy so great wisedome from the beginning of the worlde chastice these people and make them know and see thy iudgementes It is the remembraunce of thy so great workes and of thy prouidence which comforteth vs and causeth vs to haue patience in our afflictions seeing that it is certaine that thou shuttest vp our teares in thy barrels keepest all our bones that not one of thē is broken Therefore O Lorde thou shalt be our defence for thy helping hande hath gathered vs together euer since we came forth of our mothers wombe and shalt be the rocke of our trust for euer more who knowest well to rewarde both in place and time vnto our enemies their outrage to destroy them through their owne malice A prayer taken out of the 26. of Esaie vpon the same matter concerning the prouidence of God TRust ye in the Lorde for euer more for the Lorde is strong for euer for he will bring downe them that dwell on high the high citie hee will abase euen vnto the grounde will he cast it downe and bring it vnto dust The foote shal tread it downe euen the feete of the poore and the steps of the needie The way of the iust is righteousnesse thou wilt make equall the righteous path of the iust Also wee O Lorde haue awaited for thee in the way of thy iudgementes the desire of our soule is in thy name and to the remembrance of thee with my soule haue I desired thee in the night and in my spirite within mee will I seeke thee in the morning for seeing thy iudgementes are in the earth the inhabitance of the worlde shall learne righteousnesse But yet let mercy bee shewed vnto the wicked and he will not learne righteousnesse in the lande of vprightnesse will he doe wickedly and will not beholde the maiestie of our Lorde O Lorde they will not consider thy hie hande but they shall see it and be confounded with the zeale of the people and the fire of thine enemies shall deuour them Lord vnto vs thou wilt ordaine Peace for thou also hast wrought all our workes for vs. Goodly warninges grounded vpon Gods prouidence that the mother made vnto her seuen sonnes executed by Antiochus taken out of the 2. Booke of the Machabees and the 7. Chap. THe mother did valiantly exhort euerie one of her seuen sonnes saying I can not tell howe you came into my wombe for I neither gaue you breath nor life It is not I that set in order the members of your bodie but doubtlesse the creator of the worlde which formed the birth of man and founde out the beginning of all thinges will also of his owne mercie giue you breath and life againe as ye nowe regarde not your owne selues for his name sake The Apostles prayer vpon the same matter out of the 4. Chap. of the Actes O Lorde thou art the God which hast made the heauen and the earth the sea and all thinges that are in them which by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid hast sayd why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine thinges The Kings of the earth assembled and the rulers came together against the Lorde and against his Christ For doubtlesse against thine holy sonne Iesus whom thou haddest annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israell gathered thē selues together to doe whatsoeuer thine hande and thy counsel had determined before to be done And nowe O Lorde beholde their threatninges and graunt vnto thy seruantes with all boldenes to speake thy worde Certaine goodly examples of Gods prouidence turning away the enterprises of the wicked helping his taken forth of Gene. the 50. Chap. IOseph being solde by his brethren and seeing thē to haue some remorse of conscience after his fathers death sayde thus vnto them Feare not for am not I vnder God whē ye thought euill against me God disposed it to good that hee might bring to passe as it is this day and saue much people aliue Behold how in one selfesame thing the worke of man is euill and that of Gods both good and holie the disloyaltie of Iosephes Brethren was euill and to bee reproued But as S. Augustine saith our God is so mightie and good that hee would neuer suffer euill to happen if he were not the almightie and that hee cannot turne it vnto good And let vs marke therefore what S. Augustine saith elsewhere of the same that is to wit that the iudgementes of God may well sometimes be hidden but the vniust neuer An other example taken out of the 1. Chap. of Exodus ANd Pharao said vnto his people Let vs worke wiselie against the children of Israel least they multiplie it come to passe that if there bee warre they ioyne themselues altogether vnto our enemies and fight against vs and get them out of the land A Prayer or Meditation O euerliuing and almightie God who is he therefore that shall feare mans enterprises Pharao wrought well and his people did agree with him They bestowed imploied all their wisdomes together And wherewith was it that they had so great a feare
and to make doubtful this Article for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes to the ende to trouble our poore consciences Let vs holde I say this for an vndoubted article as it is saide in the 10. of the Actes that all the prophetes doe giue this testimonie of Iesus that through his name all that beleeue in him without exception of persons shall receiue remission of sinnes We haue indeede strongly to wrestle and we feele yet the lawe of our members which kicketh against the spirit Rom. 7.23 neither also doe we beleeue an vtter putting off of our sinnes but the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and therefore wee crie out with S. Paule Alas wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lorde who as it is saide in the 4. Chap. to the Romans is ordained an oblation for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Prayers and meditations to dispose a man to the acknowledgement of his sinnes A prayer of S. Augustine out of the 11. and 24. of his priuate meditation of the soule with God O Lorde I thy poore creature will yet haue hope in the shadowe of thy winges all sinnefull that I am hauing remembraunce of this thy goodnesse according to the which thou hast created mee Helpe therefore thy creature that thy goodnesse would frame and suffer not that he whoÌ„ thy mercie hath made be destroied through my malice For if I O Lord returne to dust whereto shall thy creature serue thee It was not my deseruinges neither the grace that was in me then when I was but dust which could leade thee to create me let then this clemencie which moued thee to create me let the same lead thee to keepe me Whereto shall it serue thee that I was made if thy right hande holde me not vp Alas my God I verie wel knowe that thy hande is not shortened that it cannot saue me neither is thy eare likewise stopped that it cannot heare But I truely feele that they are my sinnes which haue made the diuision betweene thee and mee betweene darkenesse and light betweene death and life betweene vanitie and veritie betweene this daylie life and the euerlasting life Notwithstanding O mightie God I that am the worke of thy handes I will call vppon thee yea I will crie vpon thy name O Lorde For it is not in my selfe neither in my strength that I haue set my hope It is thy arme that shall saue me it is the light of thy couenaunt that shall make me glad Otherwise alas if thou weart not my hope I shoulde despaire But thou art my maker which neuer leauest them that trust in thee Thou art a great God louing sweete pacient disposing all things with an vnmeasurable mildenesse True it is that we are as a withered leaâ—e or as a litle flower and all our life is but vanitie and a winde that passeth away For this cause wee beseech thee also that thou proceede not against vs in thy wrath yea seeing that we be thy litle children that thou hast made of the earth alas wouldest thou trie thy strength against a leafe or against strawe and stubble We haue hearde so much praise of thy mercie in that thou desirest not the death of vs poore sinners Therefore suffer not death whome thou hast not created to rule ouer thy creature I desire O Lorde to be saued but in hauing a will thereto I haue not the power thereof to be short I can doe nothing vnlesse thy power comfort me I doe not knowe to will and desire that I ought vnlesse thou graunt mee grace that thy will be doone in mee as it is in heauen Thou art the Lorde of the whole worlde and the prince of all fleshe That which doth like thee thou doest fulfill in heauen in earth and in the depthes Let then thy will be done in vs on whom thy name is called vpon and that thy creature whom thou hast created to thy likenesse perish not A prayer vpon the same matter O Lorde howe dare I name thee my father and esteeme my selfe thy childe seeing that in me there is no obedience How dare I lift vp my eies to heauen seeing I am vnworthie that the earth should beare me For death is the rewarde of sinners and my iniquities are before mee which set thine anger in my sight I haue alas so often offended and my sinnes haue fought against thy mercie Thou hast giuen mee vnderstanding to knowe thee and a heart to honour thee Thou hast giuen me eies to beholde thy workes and handes to stretch foorth to the comfort of my neighbour to be short thou hast fashioned mee to thy glorie But O God I haue turned backe my spirite doeth applie it selfe to iniquitie My heart hath serued this wretched bodie which is but a vessell of dung and must be a pray for wormes My soule hath not loued thee with all her strength neither hath meditated in thy worde My eies haue beene fixed on the grounde I haue stretched out my handes to doe sooner euill than good My feete haue walked in the way of the worlde and not in thy pathes And in such sort O Lorde as if thou shouldest goe forwardes against mee in thine anger I could not awaite for anie other thing at my departure out of this worlde than to make my abode in hell I cannot awaite but for thy iudgement and this horrible sentence that shall flash and lighten vpon the wicked when they shall be sent vnto euerlasting fire But O good God I haue yet my trust in thee for it is not the assurance of my workes whereon I rest it is in thy great mercie it is in thy sonne Iesus which is flesh of my flesh and bones of my bones according to his humanitie Beholde then his precious bloud which was shedde for me Forgiue thy sinfull seruant for thy innocent sonnes sake Wipe away that tract that Sathan hath made in me and graue in my heart thy commandementes Quench vice in mee and there kindle faith and true godlinesse Take from me a stony heart and giue me a heart apt to be taught which may loue thee honour thee and delight in thy worde and that so I may haue part in thy kingdome Another confession of sinnes O Lorde my God I haue sinned against thy maiestie I haue prouoked thy wrath against me and also my soule is in sorrow For it feeleth the condemnation that it hath deserued and hath no satisfaction that may content thee What then O Lord shall I perish in mine iniquitie must I in steede of breathing againe despaire in my selfe It had beene much better that I neuer had beene borne in the world than to be here without thy grace Whereto doth this life serue me if thou which art life dost not fauour me Alas my God by my sinne I haue lost thy fauour but thou neuer loosest thy goodnesse therefore looke not vpon me a sinner in thy righteousnesse
whereby the true Church of God is discerned from that false and bastard Church which wanteth both true faith Ephe. 3.14 true inuocatiō Now I bowe the knees of my soule to the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ to the end that according to the riches of his glorie The Pastors of the Church of Orlians that were preserued M. Gallars M. Anton. Chanorrier M. Robert Mason M. Pet. Baron Daniel Toussain he will graunt vs that wee may be strengthened by his spirit that Christ may dwell in you through faith through the which you may be rooted and grounded in all true knowledge of his will And as it hath pleased him in the middest of so manie floudes miraculouslie to keepe the Pastors of your Church whom God be praised he employed alwayes to his seruice that it will please him to shewe you this fauour raysing vp your estate as from death to haue strength to reioyce againe and that quicklie to the end that we may altogether as it were created anew sing vnto him a newe song to his honor vnder the protectiō of the shadow of his winges Frō S. Lābert within the coūtie Palatine this 20. of Iuly 1578. Daniel Toussain THE FOVNDATION and spring of all holy prayers and christian meditatiōs ought to be faith Behold where fore we shall set heere in the entrie the articles of our faith which some call the symbole of the Apostles as in deede they conteine a summarie of the Apostles doctrin as is to be sene of that which is written in the 15. Chap. of the 1. vnto the Cor. vers 3. elswhere it is to be seene by the writings of the elders as by the cathechisme of Cyrill and the treatise of S. Ambrose of Cayne and Abell and in the 8. Chap. of S. Augustines booke named Enchiridion that is to say Manuel that these Articles of the faith were holden amongest them as the true beginninges and foundation of Christian religion I Beleeue in God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onelie sonne our Lord. Which was conceiued by the Holie Ghost borne of the virgine Marie Suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucified dead buried he descended into hell The thirde day he rose againe from the dead He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almightie From thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beleeue in the Holie Ghost The holie Catholike Church The communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the bodie And the life euerlasting Amen IN the yeare of our Lord 273. in the Synode of Antioch was condemned the heresie of Samosatenus who would not auowe Iesus Christ to be the worde subsisting but made thereof a sound or decree of God not a seconde person of his diuinity in such sort as against his errours was published a confession by George Neocoefariensis as is to be seene in the 3. booke of Eusebius IN the yeare of our Lord about 332. 1. Synode called vniuersall was vnder Constantine the Great assembled a Synode or Councel to the assisting whereof there were 328. Bishoppes at Nice a citie in Bythinia there where was chieflie condemned the heresie of Arrius who dinied the true sonne of God equall with the father and of the same substance In this Synode were made plaine and cleare against Arrius the Articles of faith which concerne Iesus Christ by a confession as followeth 1 I Beleeue in one God The Symbol of Nice the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth and of all things visible and inuisible 2 And in one Lorde Iesu Christ the onely begotten sonne of God begotten of his Father before all worldes 3 God of God light of light verie God of verie God begotten not made beeing of one substance with the Father by whome all thinges were made 4 Who for vs men and for our saluation came downe from heauen 5 And was incarnate by the Holie Ghost of the virgin Marie and was made man 6 And was crucified also for vs vnder Poncius Pilate he suffered and was buried 7 And the thirde day he arose againe according to the Scriptures and ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of the Father 8 And he shal come againe with glory to iudge both the quicke and the dead whose kingdome shall haue none ende 9 And I beleeue in the holie Ghost the Lorde and giuer of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne who with the Father and the Sonne together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets 10 And I beleeue one Catholike and Apostolike Church 11 I acknowledge one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes 12 And I looke for the resurrection of the dead the life of the world to come Amen IN the yeare of our Lorde 386. Seconde Councell there assembled at Constantinople the second Synode called vniuersall which confirmed and ratified the confession made at Nice adding onely that which followeth against the heretike Macedonius who denied the true diuinitie of the holie Ghost We beleeue in the holy Ghost Lorde and giuer of life proceeding from the father and the sonne who with the father the sonne together is worshipped and glorified HEere followeth the Symbole or confession of Athanasius Bishoppe of Alexandria being chosen fiue monthes after the Councell held at Niece who hath abiden great combats for the pure doctrine of the sonne of God against the Arrians WHosoeuer will be saued before all things it is necessarie that he holde the Catholike faith Which faith except euerie one doe keepe holy and vndefiled without doubt hee shall perish euerlastingly And the Catholike faith is this that we worship one God in Trinitie and Trinitie in vnitie Neither confounding the persons nor diuiding the substance For there is one person of the Father another of the Sonne and another of the Holie Ghost But the Godhead of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost is all one the glorie equall and the maiestie coeternall Such as the Father is such is the Sonne and such is the Holie Ghost The Father vncreate the Sonne vncreate and the Holie Ghost vncreate The Father incomprehensible the Sonne incomprehensible and the Holie Ghost incomprehensible The Father eternall the Sonne eternall and the Holie Ghost eternall And yet they are not three eternalles but one eternall As also there bee not three incomprehensibles nor three vncreated but one vncreated and one incomprehensible So likewise the Father is almightie the Sonne almightie and the holie Ghost almightie And yet they are not three almighties but one almightie So the Father is God the Sonne is God and the Holie Ghost is God And yet are they not three Gods but one God So likewise the Father is Lord the Sonne Lorde and the Holie Ghost Lorde And yet not three Lordes but one Lorde For like as wee be compelled by the Christian veritie to acknowledge
this strange doctrine of the vbiquitie or the Alpresence of Christes bodie Of the vbiquitie attributing a bodie vnto Christ which is through all and inuisible that is to say which is not a bodie Nowe many seeing these diuisions would blame the doctrine of the Gospel and take an occasion to mistast the same But hath not the Lorde foretolde it Were there not also diuisions amongst the Apostles Ought this to keepe vs from going forwarde No for our faith is not builded vpon men and further when a man looketh neere thereunto it is easie to trie the spirites and we must praise the Doctors of the Church which haue in them those guiftes and likewise acknowledge their imperfections and reade them with iudgement As Luther himselfe A warning by M. Luther in the preface of his first Tome of his Latine workes besought that men would reade his workes with pitie iudgement and discretion and that men should remember him to bee an inraged Papist heretofore and a poore Moonke which could not see and perfectlie comprehend forthwith all the pointes of religion Also when one seeth the Church of God so assaulted within by diuisions and heresies without with so cruell persecutions it were enough to shake him if he be not wel setled to make him thinke whether it were possible that this companie which we call the Church being so contemptible and so subiect to great offences be the Church of GOD or no or at least whether it bee possible that God dooth loue it laying it open to so manie euils These are in deede the violent assaultes which the faithfull dailie doe proue in this wretched world wherein one may see so manie contentions and affections boyling with ambition and pride and so manie heartes more than frosen in matter of zeale and charitie Wherefore if there be anie sentence now at this day to be considered this is it that he which shall continue to the end shall be saued For as Iesus Christ speaketh in the 11. of S. Matthew Those that suffer once and continue in their zeale shall carie away the kingdome of heauen Therefore let vs not be fleeting children and caried hither and thither by euerie puffe of doctrine through mans deceite but followers of the trueth with charitie growing in Christ with loue and aboue all other thinges holding sure our Catechisme and the Articles of our Faith Suffering afflictions patientlie 2. Timo. 2. seeing this word is certaine that if we doe suffer with Christ we shall raigne with him considering also that this world waxeth olde as dooth a garment 2. Pet. 3. and that the Elementes shall melt with heate and the earth shall be dissolued let vs aspire vnto the kingdome which cannot be shaken holding grace fast by the which we may serue God in reuerence feare and assured hope awaiting the great day of Christs comming Other godlie places speaking of Faith The 3. of S. Iohn GOd hath so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onelie Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And he that beleeueth in him shall not bee condemned but he that beleeueth not in him is condemned alreadie because he beleeued not in the name of the onelie sonne of God The faithfull ought not to seeke but the glorie of God The 5. of S. Iohn the 44. ver How can yee beleeue which receaue honor one of an other and seeke not the honor that commeth of God alone Places taken out of the Epistles of S. Paul out of the 1. Chap. of the Epistle to the Ephesians ver 13. YEe are in Christ hauing heard the word of trueth euen the Gospell of your saluation wherein also after that ye beleeued yee were sealed with the holie spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession purchased vnto the praise of his glorie Therefore also after that I heard of the faith which yee haue in the Lorde Iesus and loue towardes all the Saintes I cease not to giue thankes for you in my prayers The 1. of the Thessal 1. Chap. Wee giue GOD thankes alwayes for you all remembring your effectuall faith and diligent loue and of the patience of your hope in our Lord Iesus Christ in the sight of God our Father knowing beloued brethren that ye are elect of God For our Gospell was not vnto you in word onely but also in power and in the holy ghost and in much assurance The 2. to the Thessal 1. Chap. Wee pray alwayes for you that our God may make you woorthie of his calling and fulfill all the good pleasures of his goodnesse and the woorke of faith with power that the name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye to him according to the grace of our God and of our Lord Iesus Christ The 1. Epistle of S. Peter 1. Chap. You are kept by the power of GOD through faith vnto saluation which is prepared to be shewed in the last time wherein ye reioyce though now for a season if neede require ye are in heauinesse through manifold temptations that the triall of your faith being much more pretious than Gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found vnto your praise and honor and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ whome you haue not seene and yet loue him I beleeue in God Heere followe certaine Meditations and prayers of one onelie true God and of three persons in one substance or essence CONSIDERATION AS it is said in Athanasius Creede the generall faith is that wee worship one God in one Trinitie and one Trinitie in one vnitie Let vs not confound the persons nor diuide the substance For we must know God as he reuealeth himselfe otherwise we should but woorship a fantasie in place of knowing and woorshipping the true God Now the true God in whome we doe onelie beleeue Iohn 7. and that is mans soueraigne good for this is life eternall that we know him hath thus declared himselfe in his word and in his most excellent workes that is to say in that hee is one onelie true God in substance as it is said in the 6. Chap. of the 5. booke of Moses and in the 4. of the Ephesians but in this one substance wee do acknowledge three persons subsisting that is to say 1. Tim. 1. this onelie true God which is the king of worldes immortall inuisible wise onelie onelie good who manifesteth himselfe so as we doe see one God maker of heauen and earth And yet all this by his word which word is not a sound in the aire or a thing hauing beginning but was from the beginning with God and was God of whome is spoken in the 33. Psalme and also in the first Chap. of S. Iohn And afterward the holy spirit spread and mooued himselfe aboue the waters For the spirit cannot signifie in this place the aire or the winde that was not
substance the father that neuer was begotten the onely sonne of the father and the holy Ghost proceeding from both the holie inseparable trinitie one almightie God Thou Lorde hast made vs strong and mightie when as we were not and when wee were lost through our offence thou hast restored vs miraculously through thy goodnesse Therefore neuer suffer vs O Lorde that we shew our selues vnthankefull and to yeelde vs vnworthy of so many thy mercies graunt rather good GOD to increase in vs faith hope and charitie So by this thine accustomed grace make that we may be stedfast in faith apt to all good workes that by thee we may come vnto euerlasting life that one day Lord seeing thy glorie such as it is wee may worship thy maiestie singing vnto thee this song Glorie be to the father which hath created vs glorie bee to the sonne that hath redeemed vs glorie bee to the holy ghost that hath sanctified vs glorie be vnto the most high and inseparable Trinitie whose workes are inseparable and Empire euerlasting Here followeth to the Articles of the Faith The father almightie maker of heauen and earth Of Gods almightie power Of the making of all thinges and of his diuine prouidence Of Gods almightie power TO the end that the knowledge of our God bee not acknowledged in the aire and that we may see also that they are good tokens that wee should put our trust in him it is written in these Articles of our faith that in his word he is reuealed euen as well as by his workes that we might also so much the more discerne our selues from the people that doe not know him aright and truelie Thererefore this is the verie proper gift of the Church to know God such as he is to wit in substance and therewithall these three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And he who knoweth not the Father knoweth not the Sonne Iohn 14.11 and he that knoweth not the Sonne knoweth not the Father Now albeit that hee is also our Father as we doe call him in the Lordes prayer yet be wee not but the children of adoption receaued and adopted Psal ◠for the loue of his onelie sonne euerlasting and eternallie engendred of the Father in whome he taketh his good pleasure Behold how God is here called Father to shew vnto vs that our onelie faith is builded on God alone But this verie God whome the Church woorshippeth and in whome it beleeueth is the Father How God is manifested the sonne and the holie ghost the which God hath truelie shewed himselfe in the world by foure diuine workes most excellent aboue all by the creation by the redemption made of mankinde by the assemblie and conseruation of the Church and by the woonderfull giftes that God did partake vnto this Church giuing vnto her forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life in that she confessed the true God so as by the meanes of this knowledge Rom. 15. wee might say as S. Paul did in the 3. 1. Cor. 3. Chap. of the first Epistle to the Corinth that all thinges are ours because that we be vnto Christ as Christ is vnto God who is the father of our Lord Iesus Christ as S. Paul manie times calleth him Now is he called also Almightie and thus lifted vp aboue all creatures and aboue the Gods of the Gentiles and their Idols Psal 115. that haue handes and cannot touch Eyes and cannot see But our God that hath his throne in heauen dooth what him pleaseth And as concerning vs poore creatures we know not to make alas one slippe of grasse and there is none that with all his care industrie can adde one cubite vnto his stature or height Mat. 6. This is then for you to woorship and to feare the almightie that hath power ouer heauen ouer earth ouer bodies ouer soules goods children and ouer all that which is vnto vs Psal 149. ouer kinges ouer the prowdest princes yea to buind them in chaines when it shall please him to vse his iudgementes and to bring them to nothing Lift not vp your hornes on high saith Dauid in the 75. Psalme for it is GOD that is your Iudge who lifteth vp and setteth downe as it pleaseth him How was it that hee tamed Pharao How did he put downe Nabuchadonozer whome he made to feede with beastes for seuen yeeres space And this it is as Iob speaketh in the 21. Chap. Against the wicked shall griefe of minde and trouble be strengthened because hee hath stretched forth his hand against the Almightie Esai 33. And how should man helpe himselfe before his face that is as a consuming fire Who is he that would abide in continuall burninges See wee not the mountaines leape and tremble before him as it is said in the 19. of Exodus and in the 68. Psalme But what say I the mountaines Yea the verie diuels are constrained to tremble Iames. 2.19 knowing and feeling that there is a God Therefore what blockishnesse is this what hardnesse what mischiefe that man shall sometimes be so froward and presumptuous that hee as it were would spite the Lord Euen as men may see enough therein who despise his threatninges and doe sooner feare earthlie man that is with all his glorie but as a flower and grasse than the Almightie before whose face the fearce and foming Sea the hard rockes and the earth also doe quake and tremble as wee doe reade in the 114. Psalme Wherefore let vs remember euen all the daies of our life that which was spoken vnto Abraham in the 17. of Genesis I am the God almightie walke thou before mee And I pray you what better Maister could we finde than him who hath all abundance in himselfe and that may doe all that he will For his power is ioyned with trueth righteousnesse He can doe that which he will but hee will not anie thing sauing that which is agreeable to his trueth and righteousnesse Iohn 10. Wee ought to haue remembrance namelie in our afflictions of this Almightinesse of the Lord and that none can take away his hand frō vs When God nourisheth sustaineth and preserueth his not onelie by ordinarie meanes but also by woonderfull meanes when it pleaseth him as he shewed when he diuided the Sea to make his people to passe through conducting them with a clowdie Pillar yea a fierie Pillar giuing thē Manna and so manie other his woonderful benefites 1. Cor. 2. and singular woorkes as one may yet dailie marke Therefore blessed are we whose faith is not builded on the wisedome of man but on the power of GOD. But Owe thrise yea foure times vnhappie if wee doe not trust in the almighty but doubt in his promises For that which is harde before our eies shall it therefore bee harde before the eies of the euerlasting himselfe Like as he speaketh in the 8. Chap. of the prophet Zacharie and as it is
which are in earth thinges visible and thinges vnuisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers It appeareth by this place that when it was spoken in the 1. ver and the 1. Chap. of Genes howe God created heauen and earth Creation of Angels we must comprehende there also the creations of the Angelles But as Athanasius sayeth in his questions vnto Antiochus Moses wold not willingly speake much of Angels in the beginning of his historie then knowing the superstition and curiousnesse of the Iewes where of after the Church being more aduaunced was spoken of by the prophetes and Apostles Also mention is made in the first of the Hebrewes of the creatiō by the sonne hath God made the worldes Thou Lorde in the beginning hast established the earth and the heauens are the worke of thine handes The creatures of God are good Nowe must we knowe that God is not the onely creator of all thinges but also all that which he hath created as it proceeded from him is good as it is saide in the 1. Chap. of Genes and in the 4. Chap. of the 1. Epistle to Timoth. But the creatures in part are turned away from God as the wicked Angelles that haue not kept their beginning as it is sayde in the Epistle of Iude. And in speaking lies they spake of their verie owne not according to their first creation man was also lead away by the olde serpent which is the Diuell as wee doe reade in the 3. of Genes and in the 12. of the Apocalyps The creatures which in part had beene created for man hauing sinned were subiect to vanitie as it is saide in the 8. to the Romanes and the earth was cursed as may be seene in the third of Genes Men also greatlie abused the creatures Abuse of the creatures of Iron and steele to murther of wine and of other meates and foode so of manie other creatures the which wee ought to haue receaued as Gods giftes 1. Cor. 10. and to vse them with all reuerence and vnto the glorie of the creator For so ought the creature be vnto vs as a booke as a certaine Aegiptiā Eremit named Anthonie of whome is spoken in the 8. booke of the tripartite historie and the 1. Chap. saith that the Cloister of this whole world was a goodlie booke wherein there is as many leaues as there are creatures and wherein a man might with great pleasure reade yea and dailie reade againe and learne to know God who sheweth his name great and woonderfull in this great and large world as Dauid singeth in the 8. Psalme S. Augustine in the 21. Chap. of his priuate Meditation O Lorde how great and woonderfull shall the riches be S. Augustines prayer which thou preparest for those that loue thee in the true countrie and euerlasting kingdome when as we shall see thee face to face For if thou doost vnto vs so manie good turnes in this world which is but a prison and doost shew vs so manie excellent thinges what wilt thou doe then when wee shall bee in thy Pallace Graunt vnto vs therefore grace O Lord to aspire vnto this happinesse that eye hath not seene neither eare heard and that mans tongue cannot expresse But the wise man dooth well exhort vs in the 12. Chap. of Eccles to remember our maker before the dayes of aduersitie come In the meane time men for the most part care not at all as the Lord complayneth in the 5. Chap. of Ieremie Feare ye not me saith the Lord Or will yee not be afraid at my presence which haue placed the sand for the boundes of the Sea by the perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waues thereof rage yet can they not preuaile though they roare yet cannot they passe ouer it But this people hath an vnfaithfull and a rebellious heart they are departed and gone For they haue not said in their heart Let vs now feare the Lorde our GOD that giueth raine both earlie and late in due season hee reserueth vnto vs the appointed weekes of the Haruest Gene. 6. Notwithstanding it appeareth that the world was not created for the wicked for so soone as all fleshe had corrupted his way God sent a floud vpon the earth And as Dauid saith in the 37 Psalme That the wicked and vngodlie shall bee rooted out and the godly shall inherit the land For they shall possesse all thinges in God The Philosophers and others haue truelie considered the creatures of God and haue commended them yet notwithstanding they haue strayed to all vanitie more woorshipping the creatures Rom. 1.25 than the creator not seeing how these visible signes ought to guide vs vnto a consideration of inuisible thinges For when wee doe see anie faire peece of worke this maketh vs to inquire after the woorkeman that wrought it euen so ought a man to inquire after the Lord. Furthermore this world how faire soeuer it is is a bondman and sigheth awaiting the deliuerance of the sonnes of God How much more ought we to aspire vnto heauenlie thinges because that wee tread the earth vnder our feete to shew vnto vs how that man ought to make but little account of earthlie thinges but ought rather to haue his conuersation in heauen Philip. 3.20 where as our head is preparing a place for vs. Of Gods prouidence NOw if God had onelie created the world and that hee did not gouerne it dispose and maintaine it with all her partes he should not bee the almightie but a halfe God This is because when as one speaketh of the creation It is necessarie alwayes to ioyne dailie the doctrine of the prouidence of God as also the Scripture dooth with the woonderfull disposition of all thinges which are in this whole world For hauing made his woorke especiallie man which is as the head of his worke he did not there set him and leaue him but wrought with the Sonne and the holie Ghost dailie blessing multiplying preseruing restoring and disposing all thinges to his glorie and the saluation of his elect as it dooth appeare by these places and examples that follow The 28. of Iob. God daily woorketh The windes the raine The thūders God beholdeth the endes of the world and seeth all that is vnder heauen To make the waight of the windes and to weigh the waters by measure To make a decree for the raine and a way for the lightnings of the thunders The 37. of Iob. God thundereth maruelouslie with his voyce he worketh great thinges which we know not For hee saith to the Snow The snow be thou vppon the earth likewise vnto the small raine and to the great raine of his power with the force thereof hee shutteth vp euerie man Men. that all men may know his woorke At the breath of God the frost is giuē Frost and the bredth of the waters is made narrowe The brightnesse commeth out of
paine the which also hee hath charged vppon him in short that to the end to haue pitie on vs Hebr. 2. he might partake with our flesh with our miseries to the end to make vs his brethren so to carrie into heauen our nature as the gage of our hope euen as hee hath giuen vnto vs a counterpledge that is to say the holie Ghost as Tertullian hath written verie well speaking of the resurrection and of the flesh of Christ When therefore we say that we doe beleeue in Iesus Christ it is not as if we had manie kindes of faith For there is but one God and one faith Ephe. 4. and the father and the sonne are one as it is said in 10. of S. Iohn To beleeue in Iesus Christ But this is that wee beleeue in God according as he hath shewed himselfe in the making of heauen and earth as also in his holie word that beareth record vnto vs how that the euerlasting Sonne of God Iesus Christ taking our nature in the fulnesse of time to bee the mediator of the couenant of our God the two natures diuine and humane being knitte together hee hath reconciled vs to God his father when by his merite and obedience and through his strength and incomprehensible goodnesse hee hath by his death and passion made satisfaction for our sinnes and by his resurrection ouercome death and hell and is ascended into heauē to make intercessiō for vs so as for the loue of him god loueth vs his righteousnes is imputed to vs as if it were our owne God holdeth vs for righteous so be we sure that neither the law hath power to condemne vs against which we doe set this perfect righteousnes of Iesus Christ neither death nor the diuel shall astonie vs for seeing the Christ for vs hath ouercome the world death all that which was feareful In summe we doe beleeue not onelie the historie of the birth passion death resurrection ascensiō of Iesus Christ But euerie faithful persō dooth apply all the benefits that he hath gotten for vs assuring comforting thēselues in his holie louelie promises doe lay hold vppon him as the true Iesus sauing blessing vs hauing prepared an euerlasting saluation and a most blessed life by his pretious blould For what we shall be dooth not yet appeare but we doe know that when he shal appeare V s e. 13. we shal be like vnto him shall see him as he is And whosoeuer hath this hope in him is purified as he is also pure This say I is the first Maxime first foundation that we doe set against the heretikes and others which know not Iesus Christ true God true man It is the wonderful coūsel of God which hath prouided for vs such a mediator and sauiour as did behooue vs to haue Secondlie we doe set against them the agreemēt of the old new Testamēt cōcerning Iesus Christ where wee see how that which the ceremonies of the law had figured was fulfilled in Christ as it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrewes 1. Iohn 3. for so dooth S. Paul witnesse proue how Christ was the end of the law Lastlie we doe set against thē the effects of this healthful knowledge which giueth peace rest of minde vnto the faithful So as manie haue suffered death with great ioy for the name of Iesus Now on the other part the issue of those who haue blasphemed as Cerinthus Manes Arrius and others were alwayes miserable And how soeuer it were that manie times the heresies of those which haue striuen either cōcerning the true diuine nature or cōcerning the veritie of Christs human nature were for a season maintained by violence impudēcie God in this giuing place vnto his iudgements prouing the constācie of his owne yet it is cleare by the Ecclesiasticall Histories how the Lord hath made his trueth dailie to triumph yea that manie times by weake Organes hath confounded the wise men of the world preseruing his trueth the Articles of our faith euen vnto our time whereof wee ought to thanke this good God without ceasing and to beseech him that he will likewise haue pitie also of our posteritie suffer them to inioy this wholesome treasure not suffering that for our vnthankfulnesse and by the damnable and ambitious contentions of certaine wicked members that at this day doe trouble the Churches the trueth should be darkened and this good Sauiour Iesus true GOD and true man should bee misknowne to the world Now to the end that euerie faithfull man might so much the better tast and learne what this sonne of God is and what foundation wee haue to beleeue in him and to hold him for our mediator the holie scripture dooth attribute two names chieflie vnto him Iesus Christ whereof the one is Iesus and the other is Christ to the end that wee may note and marke in the first what is the person of the sonne of God to witte that he is God the sauiour and the word of life manifested in the flesh In the second his Office because that Christ dooth signifie as much as Messias that is to say Annointed which was annointed for vs destined and ordained of the father and dwelling in him in all fulnesse that hee should bee our king our sacrificer and our Prophet and Doctor As concerning the first name which is Iesus it was giuen to the Lord not by aduenture but by a heauēlie Oracle declared by the Angel vnto Ioseph as wee doe reade in the 1. Chap. of S. Matthew Thou shalt call his name Iesus For hee shall saue his people from their sinnes The like was said vnto Marie euen as wee doe reade in the first Chap. of S. Luke Thou shalt beare a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus Hee shall be great and shall bee called the sonne of the most highest and the Lorde God shall giue vnto him the Throne of his father Dauid and the Angell speaking vnto the shepheardes in the 2. Chap. of S. Luke interpreting this word of Iesus said Behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shall be to all the people That is that vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Moreouer Irenaeus a right auncient Doctor in the second booke against the heresies of Valentinus witnesseth that the Greekes called him Soter that which the scripture called Iesus that is to say Sauiour The which Iesus Christ was in deed straightway declared himselfe so to bee healing the sicke and raising vp the dead Especiallie by this euerlasting saluation and that saluation of the soules which hee hath gotten for vs who is the true saluation of whome we ought to make reckenning of 8. Pet. 1.5 as S. Peter saith that he should be fullie reuealed in the latter dayes Now such a Sauiour was not Iosua how braue a Captaine soeuer hee
was hauing this honour to conduct the people into the promised lande Neither likewise Iehosuach the Sonne of Iosedec the high Priest of whome the Prophet Zacharie speaketh that were but simple men and haue doone nothing but through borrowed strength neither also were they other but the shadowes of this great Iosua and mightie Sauiour that is Iesus Christ the onelie true and euerlasting Sauiour so as there is none other name by the which a man may haue the grace of God Actes 4. or obtaine anie thing of him or to come to the most blessed life It is this name or rather this vertue and power before whome all knees ought to bowe that are in heauen and on the earth To be short this is he whome all tongues shall confesse to be the Lord Iesus Christ vnto the glorie of God Hee is the Lorde because that the father hath brought all thinges in subiection vnder him to this person I say Hebr. 2. which is verie God and verie man For hee is particularlie our Lord because that he hath purchased vs vnto him through his pretious bloudshedding so as we be not vnto our selues 1. Cor. 6. but vnto him that hath bought vs. Therefore he whome the Iewes haue crucified for enuie him hath God raised and lifted vp and hath made him Lord and Christ as it is said in the 2. Chap. of the Actes Psal 2. Col. 1. Let vs then reioyce of such a Lord who is the Lord and sauiour Let vs willinglie doe seruice vnto such a Maister who hath gotten vs by his pretious bloud and deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and euen so hath in deede made vs free In him Iohn 8. it is easie for vs to ouercome the world for he is greater than the world Iohn 4. Yea in him is Sathan trodden vnder our feete euen as S. Paul speaketh in the 16. of the Romans Wherefore let vs say with Esai in his 26. Chap. Howsoeuer it be O Lord that other Lords besides thee haue ruled vs yet wil we remember thee dailie and thy name For there is but one God and sauiour that is properlie Iesus Christ of whome is spoken in the 9. Chap. of Zacharie and 9. ver and in the 1. Chap. of the Epistle of S. Paul vnto Titus ver 3. and 4. O how happie are they that doe put their trust in him as it is said in the 2. Psalme and that doe imbrace the sonne which is Christ that is to say the annointed of the liuing God and doe not onelie acknowledge him with the mouth but doe likewise suffer him to raigne in them by his word and through his spirit and seeking none other oblation than the euerlasting oblation Heb. 10. which is of a perpetuall efficacie and strength which he hath offered vnto his father on the Crosse once for all as a perfect and euerlasting priest But alas whereto serueth this goodlie title of a Christian if vice doe raigne in thee if the flesh and the world maister thee if thy soule will not suffer it to bee commaunded by the annointed Christ and consecrated to raigne in vs here below by his grace vntill such time as hee shall bring vs vnto the kingdome of his glorie And whereto serueth it to sing to crie to roare out the Apostles Creed as was doone in the Papacie fince they seeke for other Maisters than Christ and other sacrifices than his persecuting with all extremitie those that doe hope and trust in him alone Iesuites But what shall we say of those which are ashamed at these daies to bee called Christians Actes 11. which is the auncient name of the disciples of Iesus Christ and are not thus contented to haue part in the Lordes annointing that he promised vnto vs by the holie spirit but will also bouldlie sease vpon that name 1. Iohn 2.20 that dooth belong to him onelie inasmuch as hee is the alone sauiour calling themselues Iesuites as though they would outface all the rest of Christendome A prayer to haue and to retaine the true knowledge of Iesus Christ O Lord our God and father Iohn 17. forsomuch as this is eternall life that wee doe know thee and to know thee we cannot but in thy ingraued Image and in thy sonne which was declared in the flesh may it please thee to leade vs by thy holy spirit vnto the true knowledge of thy sonne likewise giuing vnto vs such a resolution as that wee may esteeme all things as dung Philip. 3. in respect of the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ First of all giue vs grace O God rightlie to feele and vnderstand our necessitie to wit that wee ought to haue such a soueraine high priest as should be holy Heb. 7. innocent without spot separated from sinner which was very God and true man Moreouer O heauenly father print liuely in our hearts the knowledge acknowledging of this thy woonderful charity yea a loue fauor so great which thou hast shewed vnto vs poore sinners Titus 2. Titus 3.5 making thy wholsome grace to appeare in thy sonne Iesus Christ and sauing vs not through the workes that we should haue done but by the onelie merit of the death passion of thy sonne Iesus Christ O Lord what grace O what fauour O what humblenesse is this that the eternal sonne of the liuing God hath taken the forme of a seruant hath humbled himselfe euen to die for vs miserable wretches Ephe 4.20 But aboue all giue vs grace to learn Christ aright and not to be like vnto thē that liue vnorderlie doe abuse through a fleshlie libertie this blessed wholsome knowledge which should rather drawe vs to follow his aime to witte that by the same we might be humbled so cōfounded in our selues in seeing how horrible and great our sinnes haue bin as it behoued vs to haue them bought againe by so great a price to the end wee should not esteeme and magnifie anie thing but thy bountie and that all our ioie and glorie might be in thee In summe that wee should cast our eyes vpon this good Iesus in all our aduersities and miseries aspiring vnto eternall saluatiō that he hath prepared for vs forsaking our selues to liue vnto the praise of him who hath redeemed vs. O God doe not suffer poore Christendome to bee brought backe againe into a bottomles pitte of darknes and to be depriued from so wholsome a knoweledge by this damnable sect of Arrians the which alas would spring vp a fresh in the world and who haue denyed the true diuinitie of Iesus or through this miserable heresie of the Martionites Eutichians and others blotting out and vtterly frustrating the proprieties of the humane nature of the same thy deare sonne as much as lieth in them shrowding them selues notwithstanding with the name of Euangelicall Doctors O Lorde for the loue of thy name and of our poore posterities maintaine the trueth
Symbolo Insomuch as S. Augustine sayeth As it is a curiousnesse to aske how or in what sort Christ is in heauen so must we faithfullie beleeue that he is there But in the meane while he is not there simplie as Henoche who was lifted vppe or Helie that was ascended thither Gene 5. 2. Kinge 2. or as the other his faithfull members but he is there as Head and he is there as he that is set on the right hande of his father For Iesus Christ as the sonne of God hath had trulie alwayes all power in heauen and in earth And now this Iesus who hath taken humane nature this person that is true God and true man gouerneth all thinges and hath a glorie and empire aboue all creatures whereof it doth not followe as some railers thinke that this his humane nature is in al places and euerie where For although that the right hande of God and his mightinesse is infinite yet is it not said that he is made the right hande of God or that the bodie of Christ is become the right hande of God but that hee is set at his right hande Nowe to sit at the right hande of God is not to spreade his bodie throughout all but to gouerne all with the father And likewise that which is spoken of the whole person cannot be particularly and simplie vnderstoode of his humane nature which keepeth alwaies his properties Furthermore the scripture by this sitting at the right hande of God doth not conclude that the bodie of Christ is throughout all but that he is in heauen as it may appeare by the places following Out of the 26. of S. Matthew verse 64. Hereafter shal ye see the sonne of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God and come in the cloudes of heauen Out of the 16. of Marke Iesus was carried vp into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God Out of the 2. Chap. of the Actes verse 33. To wit as Christ and by his might For hee was laid in the graue awaiting the resurrection How Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Since then that hee by the right hand of God hath bin exalted and hath receiued of his father the promise of the holie Ghost hee hath shewed forth this which ye now see and heare For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but hee saith the Lord said vnto my Lord sit at my right hand vntil I make thine enemies thy footstoole Therefore let all the house of Israel know for a suretie that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this Iesus I say whom yee haue crucified Out of the 5. of the Actes verse 30.31 The God of our Fathers hath raised vp Iesus whome yee slew and hanged on a tree Him hath God lifte vp with his right hand to bee a Prince and a Lorde to giue repentaunce to Israel forgiuenesse of sinnes Out of the 7. of the Actes and 55. verse S. Steuen being full of the holie ghost looked stedfastlie into heauen and sawe the glorie of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God Out of the 8. Chap. to the Romans verse 34. Who shal condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. Out of the 1. Chap. to the Ephes verse 20. According to the woorking of his mighty power which is wrought in Christ when hee raised him vp from the dead set him at his right hand in the heauenlie places farre aboue all principalitie and power might and domination and euerie name that is named not in this world onelie but also in that that is to come And hath made all thinges subiect vnder his feete and hath appointed him ouer all thinges to be the head to the Church Out of the 3. Chap. to the Colos verse 1. Seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth aâ— the right hand of God Out of the first Chap. and the 3. verse to the Hebrewes The sonne hath by himselfe purged our sinnes and sitteth at the right hand of the maiestie in the highest places In the 13. verse Vnto which also of the Angels said hee at anie time sit at my right hand til I make thine enemies thy footestoole Out of the 8. Chap. to the Hebrewes verse 1. Wee haue such an high priest that sitteth at the right hand of the throne of the maiestie in heauen and is a Minister of the sanctuarie and of the true Tabernacle Out of the 10. to the Hebrewes verse 12. This man after hee had offered one sacrifice for sinnes sitteth for euer on the right hand of God And from henceforth tarieth till his enemies be made his footestoole Out of the 12. to the Hebrewes ver 2. Looking vnto Iesus the Author finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God Out of the 3. Chap. and first Epistle of S. Peter verse 22. Christ is at the right hand of God gone into heauen to whome the Angels and powers and might are subiect A prayer O Lorde my God giue me grace neuer to be ashamed of the Crosse of Christ seeing that he is exalted at thy right hand and that hee is the Lord of all creatures And seeing that thou hast so much honored our nature let me despise all rebukes for thy name and patientlie awaite the hower in the which all thy enemies shall be made thy footestoole From thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead MEDITATION OH the woonderfull counsell of God that hee who was wickedlie iudged vnder Ponce Pilate is established not onelie a mediatour and Sauiour but also iudge of the quicke and the dead O Iudge truelie to be feared of all vnbeleeuers Iohn 3. For hee that dooth not beleeue in thee is condemned and subiect alreadie to perdition Rom. 8. how proude and gallant soeuer he be But yet to bee desired and awaited of all the faithfull to whome there is no condemnation for so much as they are grafted in thee Oh that diuers and manie times do the faithfull lift vp their heades amongst these vniust and most tyrannous going forewardes of these wicked Iudges in so manie tormentes and persecutions dailie looking for such a Iudge who will iudge the causes of his little ones and those that the world treadeth vnder foote Psal 12. It is from heauen and not on the earth that wee must awaite for such a Iudge who shall bring the hidden thinges and shall doe this honor vnto his seruantes that they shall bee as his benchars counsellers and companions in iudgement as it is said in the 6. Chap. of the 1. vnto the Corinthians That the Saintes shall iudge the world and in the 19. of S. Matthew That the Apostles shall iudge the tribes of Israel insomuch
as their glorie shall bee the condemnation of the world who did oppresse them and persecute them O Lord come quicklie to iudgement that all eyes may see thee yea those who haue pearced thee Apoca. 1. and doe dailie make warres to thee in thy mēbers Witnesses out of the scripture concerning the iudgement In the 25. of S. Matthew verse 31. When the sonne of man commeth in his glorie and all the holie Angels with him then shall he sit vppon the throne of his glorie and before him shall be gathered all nations and hee shall separate them one from an other as a shepheard separateth the sheepe from the Goates And shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the Goates on the left Then shall the king say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world And vnto those that shall bee on the left hand Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Out of the 5. Chap. of S. Iohn verse 22. The Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement vnto the Sonne because that all men should honor the sonne as they honor the father As the Father hath life in himselfe so likewise hath hee giuen vnto his sonne to haue life in himselfe and hath giuen him power also to execute iudgement in that hee is the sonne of man As if hee should say although the father the sonne and the holie Ghost doe worke Iudge and gouerne together yet wil the Lord that wee should cast our eyes vppon the sonne of man by whom we are guided and through whome God hath declared himselfe Out of the 17. of the Actes verse 30. And the time of his ignorance God regarded not but now hee admonisheth all men euerie where to repent because hee hath appointed a day in the which he wil iudge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed whereof hee hath giuen an assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Out of the 5. Chap. 2. to the Corinth Wee couet that both dwelling at home and remouing from home wee may bee acceptable to him For wee must all appeare before the iudgemēt seate of Christ that euerie man may receaue the thinges which are doone in his bodie according vnto that hee hath doone whether it bee good or euill Out of the 4. Chap. and 1. Epistle to the Thessalonians For the Lorde himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shoute and with the voyce of the Archangell and with the Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall arise first then shall wee which liue and remaine bee caught vp with them also in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the Aire and so shall wee euer bee with the Lord. Wherefore comfort your selues one an other with these wordes Out of the 2. Epistle of S. Paul to the Thes the first Chapter For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shal shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that doe not know God and which obay not vnto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power When hee shall come to bee glorified in his Saintes and to bee made maruelous in all them that beleeue c. Out of the 3. Chap. 2. Epistle of to S. Peter Against scorners or mockers There shal come in the last dayes mockers which will walke after their lustes and say Where is the promise of his comming For since the Fathers died all thinges continue alike from the beginning of the creation For this they willinglie know not that the heauens were of old and the earth that was of the water and by the water by the word of God But the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night c. I beleeue in the holie Ghost CONSIDERATION AS it was said frō the beginning the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost are but one onelie true God and this onelie true God is in such sorte declared to the world that the Father is named maker the Sonne redeemer and the holie ghost our Doctor and sanctifier For albeit that this Trinitie worketh together yet notwithstanding for our great comfort it is in such manner manifested that we may acknowledge how all these three persons doe woorke together in all things that doe appertaine vnto our saluation Now as the sonne is euerlastinglie begotten of the Father so likewise dooth the holie Ghost proceede euerlastinglie from the Father and the Sonne So then beleeuing in the holie Ghost wee doe not beleeue that the holie Ghost is onelie some moouing or inspiration But chiefelie we doe beleeue against the Macedonians ancient Heritikes that he is verie true God of the same substance that the father and the sonne is see then wherefore we doe beleeue in him And wee bee also baptised in his name as of the father and of the sonne he is an eternall spirite as it is said in the 9. Chap. of the Hebrewes and from him also commeth grace and peace as it sayde in the 1. Chap. of the Hebrewes Beeing the temple of the holie Ghost it is sayde that we be the temple of God To be short the father the worde and the holy Ghost are all one as it is saide in the first Chapter of the first Epistle of S. Iohn Then doe we beleeue that for the loue and in the name of Iesus Christ the holy Ghost doth comfort wash and sanctifie vs and that by the inspiration of him the holie Prophetes and the Apostles haue spoken and it is called the gift of God and in the 2. of the Actes because that he who is but one in himselfe hath brought foorth diuerse operations in vs of the which it is spoken in the 12. Chap. of the 1. to the Corinthians And as S. Bernarde sayeth vppon the Canticles we were dead in sinne and as stinking creatures but Iesus did embawlme vs with his holie spirite and hath annointed vs therewith to the ende wee might knowe taste and feele his mercie This is the heate of the Sunne which warmeth vs. This is the goodly and faire water of the heauenly ryuers which doeth refresh and water vs. It is the Bawlme that embalmeth vs it is the Oyle which doeth strengthen and make vs glad Nowe what tongue is it that can expresse this goodnesse of God towardes vs of the Father that hath created vs vnto his image of the Worde who hath bought vs againe with his bloude of the Holie Ghost that hath sanctified vs by his power Therefore let vs giue place vnto this Holie Ghost Ephe. 4. and let vs not sorrowe for our
this so desired a rest which thou hast prepared for vs. O how sweete louing shall this awaking be when as in our graues we shall heare the voice of thy son to raise vs vp againe in a glorious immortalitie Yet while wee doe awaite for this last comming we recommende our selues vnto thee O heauenly father the peace and preseruation of thy Church superiors magistrates all those which haue neede of thy succour beseeching thee that in this oldenesse of the worlde wherein all kingdoms of the worlde do shake that thou wouldest be the stay of thy poore people and in steede of so many sorowefull daies and yeares as we haue seene we may behold some rest in the middest of thy Church Raise vp daily O Lord some softer father and also some retiring place for thy children that no violent oppression ouerwhelme them and that for thy sonnes sake in whom I trust and vppon whom I rest my selfe So be it Heere followeth a litle Paraphrase and short exposition of the Lordes praier taken out of S. Cyprian almost worde by worde THe doctrine contained in the Gospell is no other thing than the ordinance of our maister God the grounde whereon to builde our hope and to strengthen our faith the foode wherewith to nourish our soule the pylates whereby to guide our shippe in this nauigation the helpes by whom we come to saluation in such sort as when the faithfull heart yeeldeth it selfe to be trainable heere in earth it is a meane to bring it vp vnto heauen It hath pleased God that many thinges were often spoken by the prophetes and heard by them But how much more excellent ought that to be reputed which the father hath sayd and pronounced by his sonne than that which he hath sayde by his seruantes For in them spake the spirite of Christ and he himselfe hath spoken in the later time in his owne voice He doth not now commaund that men prepare the way vnto him that commeth because that he himself is come and discouereth the true way that wee which goe wandering and groping in the darknesse of death may be by the light of his wisedome directed in the way of life Now amongest so many good lessons as he hath left vs for our saluation The forme of praier hee hath chieflie giuen vnto vs the right forme of prayer he that hath made vs to liue hath taught vs also to pray yea he hath done it after his grace goodnesse wherethrough he hath stored vs with all thinges and wrought it vnto the ende that his father might the more willinger heare vs when wee praie vnto him in that praier that his son hath taught vs. He did foretell howe that the houre should come wherein the true woorshippers should worshippe him in spirite and trueth He hath also fulfilled that which he had promised giuing vs his spirite to worshippe him The Lords praier What praier may be now more spirituall than that which hath bin giuen vnto vs by Iesus Christ by whome also the holy spirite hath beene sent vnto vs What praier shal be more true and perfect before God than that which cōmeth from the sonne who is the trueth of Gods owne mouth In manner as otherwise to pray concerning the substance then hee hath taught vs is not alonely an ignorance but also a blockish fault as he rebuketh the Iewes elsewhere how they did despise Gods commaundement to set vp their traditions Let vs therefore pray my brethren euen as hee which is both our God and maister hath taught vs. That prayer is agreeable vnto God when one praieth with a praier that is his and when we make the wordes of his sonne to mount vp vnto his eares The father doth acknowledge his sonnes language when wee doe pray let him that dwelleth in our heart be also in our voice vpon our tongue And seeing that the sonne is our aduocate as often as we doe demaund forgiuenesse for our sinnes let vs take in our mouthes the wordes of our aduocate For seeing that he sayth how all that we shall aske of the father in his name it shal be granted vnto vs whē shal our praiers haue greatest strēgth but then when we shall call vppon him by the peculiar praier which he hath made It behoueth those which pray to keepe a certaine forme in their speach with a staied manner and full of all reuerence humblenesse Let vs remember that it is before Gods face that we presēt our selues Let vs therefore seeke to please him as wel in the behauiour of our bodies as in the conueiance of our voice It is an ill fauored thing and a signe of impudencie to vse much crying out in praier and there is nothing that doeth set it out more than modestie To be short wee doe see that the Lorde doth allowe that praier which is made priuately in secret and in ones chamber a thing that well agreeth with our faith to the ende to make vs vnderstand that God is present throughout all that he heareth and seeth all and that the fulnesse of his maiestie pearceth into the most hidden secret places as the scripture speaketh I am thy God neere at hande and not afarre off If a man be hidden in a priuie or close place doe not I see him Doe not I fill both heauen and earth Then when wee shall come together with our brethren we must in good order solemnise the sacrifices of God not thinking to make our praiers to take place before the Lord with chaunting and crying out God vnderstandeth the heart not with the voice for it is not needeful to aduertise him by a lifting vp of a voice who seeth our thoughts This is it that he often sayth that he is the searcher of hearts hauing the knowledge of our most secret thoughtes We haue a goodly example in the good woman Anna mother of Samuel who prayed vnto the Lord not with a strong or lifted vp voice but secretly soberly and in her heart Her praier was secret but her faith was open shee spake not with the voice but with the heart knowing verie well that the Lorde our God so heareth his and in such sort she receiued in effect that which by faith she had required We haue another example of a praier right wel directed and verie modest in the person of the Publicane He went vp into the temple and made his praier not in a rude and presumptuous maner as the other without lifting vp his head or his forehead he only fell downe confessed with his mouth his sinne that hee felt shut vp in his heart in such sort as God heard the prayer of the humble that rested not vpon his owne innocencie For who is hee that is innocent His praier was humble and hee which aduaunceth and fauoreth the humble heard the poore Publican Thus much cōcerning the fashion and coūtenance that we ought to keepe in our praiers Let vs now consider how our maister
hath taught vs to pray When you pray sayth he say thus Our Father vvhich art in heauen halowed bee thy name thy kingdome come thy vvill be done in earth as it is in heauen giue vs this day our daily bread and forgiue vs our trespasses as vve forgiue them that trespasse against vs leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euil For thine is the kingdome the povver and the glorie for euer and euer Amen THe first thing which wee learne in the entrie of this prayer An exposition of the Lords prayer is that the Doctor of peace and the Maister of all true vnion and concord would not that our prayer should be particular for one alone See wherefore we doe not say My father which art in heauen giue me my dailie bread c. Thus it appeareth how this prayer is publike and common and wee pray not for one alone but for all because in deede all Gods people is but one bodie God would that one onelie making his prayer should pay for all the other euen as one onelie man hath saued manie and through one onelie spirit he gouerneth all his childrens heartes And to this doeth agree that which wee doe read of the Apostles Actes 1. who continued together in holie prayers so as there was but one heart amongest them all and of their holie companie Now my brethren it is an incredible thing how manie great secretes there bee here in this prayer of the Lorde that is so well trussed vp and short in wordes but of most great strength and right well furnished of all demaundes that are needefull and necessarie for vs. Yee shall say then Our Father Our Father which art c. Oh the happie and louing beginning of our prayer For marke yee howe the new regenerate man that is reconciled vnto God such a one calleth vppon God his father because that hee hath alreadie begunne to bee the childe of God To all those that haue receiued him Iohn 1. hee hath giuen vnto thē this priuiledge to bee made the children of God vnto those I say that doe beleeue in him In such sort as the beleeuing man to make an acknowledgement vnto the Lord of such a fauour Deut. 33.9 Not that he ought to despise his father but God ought to goe before and those places are not simply to this purpose both to strengthen his faith also to make witnesse to whome hee doeth belong ought to call vpon God as his father before all things to recken him for such In the 33. of Deut. he saith of his Father Mother I haue not knowen nor seene him such a one is praysed because he stayeth himselfe to keepe the statutes couenants of the Lord. To this hath our Lord respect in the 23. of S. Matthew saying Let vs not name the Father on the earth Mat. 23.9 because that we haue a father that is on high in heauen Matth. 8.22 And in S. Matthew he said vnto a yong man Leaue off from burying thy father which is dead which was to the ende that hee might studie to doe rather his duetie towardes the liuing and heauenlie Father Go to then behold God which is in heauen but see the consolation of Christians how he is ours and we are his in as much as he hath chosen and sanctified vs. The Iewes The wretched Iewes that haue mistooke Iesus Christ and cruelly haue put him to death cannot call God their father For as the sauiour reprooueth them to their great confusion Iohn 8. the deuill is your father seeing that you fulfill his desires God did then this honor to communicate himselfe with them But he saith by Esai Esay 1.2 I haue nourished and chosen children and they haue mistaken and disdained me that which the Oxe and the Asse haue not done who know the stable and crib of those which owe them Therefore my brethren let vs consider how God by the meane of our faith beginneth to be our father and for the Iewes vnbeliefe ceaseth to bee theirs are wee then giuen ouer to sinnne Wee bee no more children but seruauntes according vnto that our Lorde saith Whosoeuer sinneth is a seruant to sinne The sonne remaineth alwayes in his fathers house that which the seruant doeth not Let vs therefore my louing brethren acknowledge acknowledge againe what fauor it is for vs to dare be able to presēt our selues before God in the qualitie of Gods childrē Who durst haue beene so bold as to haue giuen himselfe such a title to haue vndertaken it if the true onelie euerlasting sonne of God had not giuen vs leaue and commaundement It is for vs to haue remembraunce that hauing God for our Father wee must behaue our selues according as it is becomming for the children of such a Lorde And if wee be well contented of such a father let vs also doe in like manner that hee may of his owne part in like case haue iust occasion not to bee mislyking of vs. Let vs not become bastardes but let vs become spirituall and giuen to all holie and praise woorthie thinges after the example of our father and that it may appeare how wee bee the children and temple of this great God Now what is the first demaund that we doe aske of our Father How the name of God is made holie Hallowed bee thy name Not that our prayers doe make the name of God holie but wee pray that his name may be made holie in vs. What is hee will some say that shall sanctifie the name of God Is it not hee which sanctifieth all thinges Wee are admonished in the 20. of Leuiticus Be ye holie as I am holie Therefore let vs pray him that hee will graunt vs grace to enter into the holinesse whereof we are aduertised in our baptisme to continue therein And so be we who aske to bee sanctified yea alwayes for so much as our sinnes doe dailie defile vs in such sort as the name of God his word are not made holie honored by vs vnlesse wee our selues be also sanctified Afterwardes hee saith Thy kingdome come Gods kingdome is euerlasting and was before that euer wee were But it is in the respect of vs that wee doe aske Let thy kingdome come That wee which haue serued in the world and to Sathan may haue from henceforward Christ raigning in vs. This kingdome is gotten vnto vs by the bloud of our Sauiour and shall bee truelie fulfilled when wee shall heare this sweete saying Come yee blessed of my father into the kingdome which is prepared for you c. Now wee doe well to require the kingdome of heauen For there is also an earthlie kingdome But hee that hath tasted the least thing in the world what the heauenlie things are doth despise the earthlie And it is a thing vnto the which wee ought diligentlie to watch with Prayers and supplications least that we be
shut out of Gods kingdome But that we may be vnder his guide and Empire Manie shall come saith hee from the East and West and they shall sit with Abraham But the children of the kingdome shall be cast out into outward darknesse there where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth The Iewes were the children of the kingdome so long as they were the children of God and hauing lost this qualitie they haue well changed both their condition and their estate It followeth then Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Wee say not let God doe that hee will but that wee may doe that hee will For who is hee that wil resist against God What is hee that shall let him to doe his will Now because that the diuell is continuallie about vs to turne away our hearts from obedience to God and to doe that which God would wee must bee holpen by himselfe and none alas is assured but by his grace Our Lord Iesus being in the agonie of death and according to the infirmitie stronglie fighting against a number of temptations hath left vs yet a faire example When hee bursteth out in this sort If it bee possible O father let this bitter cuppe passe away from me Yet neuerthelesse not my will but thy will bee done There is in the second Chapter of the first Epistle of S. Iohn an other faire sentence Loue not the world for in so doing the loue of God is not in you Seeing that the world with all his desires shall passe away And as concerning God hee is euerlasting and he that will dwell with him for euermore must doe the will of the euerliuing God Now The will of God what is the will of God It is that which Christ hath fulfilled and that hee hath taught vnto vs. And what is that Humblenes in conuersation stayednesse in faith modestie in wordes iustnesse in doings mercie in workes discipline in manners and not to doe wrong vnto an other and to abide it in himselfe to keepe in peace with his brethren to loue God with all his heart to loue him as a father and to feare him as God and to haue nothing more dearer than Christ for hee also hath nothing more dearer than vs to keepe our selues vnseuered in his charitie to beare him cōpanie couragiouslie in his crosse when his name or glorie is called in question And in our talkes to shew a stayed confession and an assurednesse in our aunsweres when wee bee set vppon and to shew patience in death seeing that by it wee are crowned To doe these thinges is to bee willing to be coheires with the sonne and to fulfill the will of the Father In heauen and in earth We may take the spirit for the heauen and the flesh for the earth that all our partes may bee obedient vnto God or rather that we doe the will of God as Angels Giue vs our dailie bread This may be vnderstood spirituallie of Christ which is the liuing bread as S. Iohn in his 6. Chap. saith But it is certaine that here the Lord would teach vs not to be caryed away with the cares of this present life for as it is said elsewhere it sufficeth for euerie day to haue his miseries Mat. 6. And in deede this will not agree well to desire the kingdome of God and withall to loue the earthlie life and to delight therein Now as S. Paul saith 1 Tim 6. sith that we brought nothing into this world neither shall wee carie anie thing away wherefore doe wee not content our selues with foode and apparell seeing likewise that those which doe aspire vnto riches fetter themselues in manie sorrowes and easilie fall into the snares of the diuell To bee short the coueting of riches is the roote of all ill This is a goodlie shewe that our Sauiour maketh in the 12. of S. Luke Oh wretch that thou art this day shall they demaund thy soule and for what purpose shall the great heapes of thy ritches stored vp serue thee And will we be well disposed to follow Christ It behooueth vs at the least to hinder the causes of worldly thinges In the meane time the iust remaineth not forsaken neither brought into an extremitie by famine The heauenlie Father which prouideth for the young Rauens and Sparowes Pro. 10. Psal 37. well knoweth to furnish vs of our lackes that are necessarie Wee doe see by example apparantlie that which happened vnto Elie in the first booke of the kinges and the 17. Chapter where wee reade that namelie a Rauen caried vnto him wherewith to refresh him After wee doe pray that the Lord forgiue vs our offences as wee doe forgiue them that offend against vs. Now hauing receaued assistance of our foode wee doe demaund the forgiuenesse of our sinnes to the end that hee who is nourished of God may liue to God and that so wee may not onelie haue our bread in this life but that wee may also haue the inioying of the other that is farre better and whereunto wee cannot enter if our sinnes be not forgiuen vs. Now our sinnes are called debtes as likewise in the 18. of S. Matthew I haue forgiuen thee all thy debt because thou hast required it of me Wee are then my brethren here warned that wee be sinners praying to God for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and asking grace of God the conscience being ouercome through offence Therefore let none of vs set vp our selues what giftes soeuer wee have seeing that dailie we sinne and doe aske mercie of GOD. If wee doe confesse our sinnes saith S. Iohn in the first Chap. of his first Epistle hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes But if wee say that there is no sinne in vs wee doe lie And since that this good Iesus doeth make vs aske forgiuenesse o◠our offences hee giueth vs a certaine assurance to finde it hee I say that maketh vs strong through the mercifulnesse of his father The condition that hee hath ioyned to this demaund buindeth vs before GOD to forgiue others if that wee will that he forgiue vs. This is it that hee speaketh in an other place With what measure you mete vnto others the same shall they measure vnto you And in the 18. Chap. of Saint Matthew the seruant that goeth on against his companion with all rigor is reproued cast into prison and declared vnwoorthie of the fauour of his Maister And yet this is more clearelie expressed in Iesus Christ When yee shall appeare before God to pray vnto him If you haue anie thing against anie bodie Forgiue him otherwise your father will not forgiue you Then doe wee neuer make this prayer but that we doe condemne our selues if wee forgiue not one an other For as the Lord calleth vs to peace in regenerating vs so will hee that wee doe continue in that brotherhoode and friendship And in deede this is the fairest sacrifice that wee can offer vnto God