the sting of death from the victorie of the graue and from the mainest might of al the kingdome of hell that can be raysed agaynst vs. For we are iustified yea fully iustified and who or what can nowe condemne vs wee are sonnes and who can make vs agayne seruants we are friends and who can agayne make vs foes it is nowe my Father and your Father my God and your God and what strength of hels ten thousande canne chaunge this course O worde of comfort then commaunded me by Christ to pray in the name of Father Deere God and swéet God let our soules feele it It is finished and why are wee feared Were our sinnes as Crimsin as Skarlet as bloud they are washed they are wiped they are gone Were my wants the wantes of the whole world they are pardoned they are forgiuē God is pleased and is now my Father O Sauiour sweete make my thankes many Let my tongue my voyce my heart my soule my whole man inward and outward resound thy lasting praise See see theyr sinne that deuise a dayly sacrifice for sinne eyther adding vnto this most perfecte redemption as if it wanted or else vainly doing by a worke of will what alreadie is fully done by prescript of God Be it that we payed a debt and yet are troubled for it diuerse times and wayes againe must we so often paie the debt agayne as we are troubled No we know it sufficeth well to recurre euer to the payment once made and making proofe thereof we still escape such vexing wrongfull action So it is in this The vertue power and efficacie of this sacrifice is perpetuall being once made and néedeth but by faith to be taken hold of and applied whensoeuer we are troubled The debt is paide make but the proofe and end this action For once hath he entered by his owne bloud vnto the holy place obtained eternall redemption for vs. And with one offering hath hee consecrated for euer them that are sanctified Why doe we say our Father and not my Father This worde againe hath his great reason and profite to vs in this preface For first it teacheth vs Charitie towardes our brethren in generall wheresoeuer whosoeuer they be and a care aswell of their good as of our own Which in this great corruption of our nature is hard to be had vnlesse we should by such admonitions as this be drawē vnto it We rather as borne for our selues liue and care for our selues in such a selfe loue as God and man abhorreth Wherefore the Lord Iesus heere commaundeth in this word of community that we should neuer thinke of our selues neuer pray for our selues but also together with our selues for all others euen the whole Church of God in Earth For it is the fulnesse of the body of Christ and therfore by that meanes déere vnto vs if he be déere It is that one body whereof we are all members And the bonde of members so strict that we should feele one an others griefes beare one an others burdens remember one an others bondes euen as though we were bounde with them and them that are in affliction as if wee were also afflicted in the bodie yea we are taught in this loue euery man as he hath receiued y e gift to minister the same one to another as good disposers of the manifolde graces of God and by name to praie one for another For loue neuer seeketh her owne things onely This wee forget too often and therefore wee fearefully pray without profite Our hearts are narrow straight onely looking at our selues our own our children and friends and the deere Saints of GOD members also with vs are not thought vpon Alas we iudge it folly to be tolde vs that we should thinke vpon them And sinke or swim as we say the Church of God we care not so we be well This is farre from Our Father that is this is far frō that affection that in this word we are taught to all men and therefore certainelie these prayers thus made of vs most vsually without remembraunce care and desire of good to all Gods Church as to our selues is no sweete meat before the Lord but euen a filthie smoake rather that he flyeth from Therefore let vs remember this vse of this word if we wish to praie aright and thinking of others in Christian loue as of our selues intreate the Lord for them as for our selues Beatus qui amat te et amicum in te et inimicum propter te Blessed is he that loueth thée his friend in thee his enimie for thee saith the Father That is blessed euer he or she y t reach out affection as they ought past thēselues to others For Dilectionis flammas Satan ferre non potest The flames of Christian loue charitie Satan the enimie of our blessednesse cannot abide But Dilectio donum Dei This loue is the gift of God that Lorde then graunt it to vs for euer Secondly this worde teacheth vs vnitie with our brethren consent agreement of minde in faith and doctrine and euerie good thing For how else can wee call him Our Father wee beeing diuided from the Church and members thereof by heresie or schisme The worde shall importe a communion with them in one father common to all and our wicked wayward separation of our selues from them shall denie y e same Therfore be reconciled euer first to thy brother saith the scripture before thou pray or els thy praier doth witnes against thy selfe And let not the Sunne go downe vpō thy wrath if thou mean to please god Thirdly humilitie is learned by it not to exalt our selues aboue our brethren past that which is meete forasmuch as we haue all one father and such an one as is no respecter of persons But tenderly minded to all his children He careth not for the puffes of this worlde birth beautie welth or wit nor for all the glorie wherewith commonly proud flesh swelleth but he careth for those that feare him and work righteousnes how meane soeuer they be And when the fading fashion of a transitorie condition is cut off by death the determiner of such pride then they as we with God accepted as honorable as wealthy as beautifull in heauen where this trash is trodden vnder foote yea euen more peraduenture honored as they that haue more honoured him in this life where wee with our pleasures played the wantons and vaynely boasted of a paynted sheath There is neither Iewe nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female but we are al one in Christ Iesus It is Our Father to the comfort of all hearts that feare his maiestie Omnes Christiani fideles diuersas in terris habent patres alij nobiles alij ignobiles vnum vero patrem inuocant qui est in caelis Sub
it be read and heard with sobrietie specially because of those Machabées that suffered so cruell torments for the law of God Wherfore by his owne words now on both sides repeated Augustines minde is playne namely that these bookes alleadged in proofe of faith they are not Canonicall but to be read vnto the people in the Church for example of life in this sence saith hee they are Canonicall and may be thus read so that they be read soberlie And what is this but that which other Fathers haue also saide as Ierome The Church readeth the storie of Iudith the booke of Tobie and the bookes of the Machabees but y e same Church receiueth not these bookes as the Canonicall Scriptures Cyprian Haec omnia legi quidem in ecclesijs voluerunt noÌ„ tamen proferri ad authoritatem ex his fidei confirmandam All these writings our Fathers haue allowed to be reade in the Church yet not to be aleadged for authoritie to confirme the doctrine of our faith Wherefore to goe no further in this you see our reasons why wee allow not any proof of doctrine out of those bookes and therefore not of prayer for the deade Other reasons moe are aleadged by the godlie learned and â—ight by mee now but that these suffice here Next our answere toucheth the matter it selfe and we say that prayer for the dead sought to be proued out of this place of the Machabees is contrarie to the rest of the Scriptures and therefore we dare not allowe it For no trueth and lawfull thing is contrarie to any Scripture but agreeable as receiuing warrant and lawfulnes thence Secondlie that though Iudas had so done which is not likelie he did howsoeuer this place hath béene corrupted to that ende because it is contrarie to the custome of the Iewes euen to this day to pray for the deade yet this particular example is not sufficient to establish a doctrine no more then Zipporalis was to prooue that women may administer the Sacraments or the example of Razis that one might kill himselfe whome this author so much commendeth And therefore concluding since neyther by this place nor by anye Scripture this preposterous loue to the dead to pray for them can finde sure warrant wee desire that it may hartelie bee thought of how ill it becommeth any that professe a desire to please God which commaunded obedience and not with traditions of men or deuices any whatsoeuer either of their owne heades or of any others And thus much of it Sufficient then beeing sayde of these circumstaunces of Praier will you now proceed to the forme it selfe prescribed of our Sauiour Content And first consider what a gracious goodnesse this was in the Lorde our God to laie downe a forme for vs. That we not able to see the bottom of our wants our selues neyther in what wee doe see to take such course as becommeth speakers to so great a GOD by his owne mouth wee might be directed both in the one and the other to our great comfort and assuraunce that keping our selues within the compasse of this forme our prayer shoulde bee to the Lordes good liking and therefore wee obtaine what we aske according to his will Without a forme we might haue wandred to our greate harme asking many times things hurtfull if not so yet things lawful not in forme lawful which also had ben euill And if Heathens saw the nakednesse of men for want of such direction lette vs Christians see Gods mercie and our owne great good by this directioÌ„ Plato we know espying the ignoraunce of men in making their prayers to God for that many times they sought what graunted woulde hurt them sayd this was a good fourme O Iupiter Rex optima nobis et vouentibus et non vouentibus tribuae Mala autem poscentibus quoque abesse iube That is O Iupiter king giue vnto vs the best things whether wee aske them or no. And all euill things command awaie from vs though we aske them Wherein we may see howe daungerously they groped in a great darknesse for want of a forme and were faine for safetie to praie thus generally whereas we nowe plainly are taught how to praie more particularly and yet still truly Wherfore see I say â—â—rst Gods great mercie our great good by hauing this forme layed down vnto vs. Then touching the forme it selfe which our Sauiour hath layed downe it consisteth of three principall partes First of a preface secondly of the petitions themselues and lastly of a conclusion The preface in these wordes Our Father which art in heauen The petitions in order after The conclusion thus for thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer euer Amen The first part which is the Preface short in wordes but plentifull in matter is so layd downe by the wisdom of the Lord Iesus as that euery word carryeth his waight and bringeth to vs in vse thereof most singular profite The first is Father by which name we are taught to speake vnto our God when wee pray vnto him and see the vse There is no prayer as we well know and before hath bene declared that can pearce the eares of the almightie God vnlesse it be made both in affection and faith Affection hath his want great too great often in our corruption therefore in mercy of a gracious GOD helpes and meanes prouided for it This is one euermore to consider to whome I pray and to whome I speak namely not to a seuere and sower Iudge not to a cruell and mercilesse tyrant not to a stranger that knoweth me not or hath no aliance with me but to a Father yea in Iesus Christ nowe my Father a kinde a louing a good a tender Father who looketh vpon me with bowels of mercy and pittie sigheth for me before I come runneth out when I doe come meeteth me embraceth mee falleth about my necke with his armes wéepeth vpon me in melting motions of louing kindnesse heareth me speake weigheth my sute whether it may be my good can as sone in conclusion cease to be God as denie me any thing y t may be my benefite And O then y e affection y t we may pray with if we coÌ„sider this name of Father My soule may thirst my heart may long yea burne and burst as it were within me w t desire euer to come to my Father for he is euer a Father hath euer the nature of his name though I bee vile And therfore let vs take the vse intended by the Lord in this giuen title praie cheerefully with sweete comfort in the conceit of whome wee speake vnto euermore When affection then is thus kindled and stirred vp looke at faith in the next place which also must concurre with it or else in vaine we praie and obtaine nothing This knew our Sauiour well and therfore euen to this end also hath taught vs to saie and praie in the name
he speake from the Lord he must be heard And if he be the appointed meanes betwixt the Lorde and thee I meane thine owne Pastor and teacher thinke whilest it is to day of the strength in deede of thy exceptions to heare him and feare the iudgments shrinke at the wrath tremble at the vengeaunce most assured to thee without repentance if they bee to weake They haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away said the Lord to his Prophet then and weigh it well whether the Lord truly may not say it of thee now to thy death refusing the meanes appoynted by him for thy life vpō such grounds as Satan hath suggested corruption nourisheth and the triumphant trueth of the Lorde will consume in iudging day to eternall wo. It was well sayde of that worthy instrument in Gods Church vpon like occasion Agnoscant Anabaptistae vbicunque minister ritè constitutus est ac fideliter munere suo fungitur vnumquemque qui pro Christiano haberi vult debere ei adhaerere cum reliquo grege ipsius ministerio frui c. Let the Anabaptistes confesse and acknowledge that wheresoeuer there is a minister duely placed and doth his duetie faithfully and carefully there euery one that will bee accompted a Christian must cleaue vnto him and with the rest of the flocke and congregation vse his ministerie But what do they as many of vs as will not follow their errors although wee neuer so purely preach the word of God yet do they take vs for rauening wolues and they so abhorre vs as that they thinke they should commit an offence worthy death if they should bee present but at one sermon of ours Then do they make suddenly ministers of their owne and they being so made in a moment then doe they drawe the people and make contrary congregations of their owne to the renting of the Church asunder that the name of God cannot be called vpon with that one consent and concord that it ought to bee Meditate many times ere the Lord strike thee what Saint Iames sayth My brethren haue not the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Faith in that place includeth the preached word which if thou thus regard remember the stripes that they shall haue that know their master his will and refuse to doe it remember whose head the blood is vpon when the watchmā hath warned If thy Pastors gifts bee not so great whom reprochest thou but the giuer of them May not he do with his owne as pleaseth him for thee Refusest thou to heare him for his litle to whome the Lord will say Euge serue bone and crowne him for his faithfulnesse ouer litle Beware I wish thee as a friend in Christ thy feete are sliding fearefully if thou stay not Stande not vpon his vniuersitie vpon his degrees vpon his age vpon his method least of all except O strange suggestion of a guileful serpent in these euill dayes against his writing for his memory as though because his note helpeth his memory therefore his lips keepe not knowledge thou wilt not heare him But stande vppon the message that is done remember whose it is stande vpon the messengers calling vnto them aboue all others in this world if hee bee thy Pastor what measure of grace soeuer the Lord hath vouchsafed him stand vpō the ordinance of the Lorde by preaching to erect his kingdome in the heartes of men and to saue them that beleeue stand vpon the abilitie of thy God to giue thee good by the ministerie of him that is thine owne how meane soeuer he seeme in the world to the curious almost I had sayd cursed creatures stand vppon the iudgement done to the despisers of Iesus Christ and remember it often Qui vos audit me audit c. he that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee For these with a number moe such are true groundes of that commaundement the breach whereof will be hellish woe for euer Obey them which haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accompts that they may doe it with ioy and not with greef for y t is not profitable for you And if my speech may not finde a blessing vnto some because the Lord hath determined to destroy them yet say I to my brethren that am the meanest of them all let vs worke the worke of our calling faithfully throwe the seede of the Lord into his field according to the hande that hee hath giuen carefully giue attendance to reading paynfully though we neuer take degree in Vniuersitie passe with a worthie Apostle through good report and euill report and if any man wee thus doing refuse the Lords letters because wee bring them the Lords message because we deliuer it the Lordes golde because wee deale it let vs comfort our selues with the same Apostle that we are vnto God a swéet sauour of Christ in them that perish But my brethren if wee doe it not but giue our selues to ease and to the waies of this worlde fashioning our selues daylie more and more in an vnlawfull sort according to the same then remember that preaching being meanes yea y e chiefest meanes to erect this kingdome of the Lord in this world we neglecting it we neglect also the effect of it namely the kingdome of God ouer and in his people and so suffring as much as lyeth in vs the Lorde to lose his people and the people to lose their God wee fearefully purchase to our selues that dreadfull woe that is pronounced to all them that preach not the Gospell Aaron sounded wee know when he ministred by his golden belles in those daies and therefore he shall not dye sayth the Lord if wee sound not when we minister by the golden gifts giuen of the Lord shal not we dye And is then all that we aske concerning this matter namely that GOD would bestowe his worde vpon vs that we may reade it and heare it and haue it preached vnto vs to the building vp of this his kingdome in vs No in deede But forasmuch as neither our reading nor hearing is able to profite vs anie thing vnto saluation excepte the Lorde by his holie spirite make it fruitfull to vs and giue it a blessing therefore wee praie also mightilie these wordes for that heauenly power of his grace that what we reade or heare read or preached vnto vs out of his heauenly booke by the ministery of men may by him bee made a sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe vnto vs. For though Paule preach and Appollo water yet neyther Paule nor Apollo but onely the Lorde giueth increase Except the Lorde open Balams eyes hee seeth not the Angell of the Lorde in the way with his swoord drawen in his hand that is neyther anger nor loue perceiue we euer except the Lord work it in
not so The very deuill coulde say that it was no maruell if Iob feared God séeing that God had made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he had on euery side and had blessed the worke of his hands and his substance was increased in the land and yet are not many of vs able to reason thus to the stirring vp of our obedience to the Lord for his graces to vs albeit wee woulde bee iudged great Christians The Lorde quicken vs. For assuredly to whome the Lorde hath giuen much of them hee will require much and they shall answere him It needeth not that wee runne ouer all particulars seeing thus much now is said that in the word bread is contained all that wee may haue any way neede of to this life It were an infinite matter so to do and in deede not needefull therefore let vs consider that we aske herein foode and raymēt and whatsoeuer we want Houses to dwell in Psal 107.36 That our children be not vagabonds and begge their bread Psal 109 We begge peace and quietnes priuate at home publique abroad for this is needfull and a comfortable blessing Better is a dry morsell if peace be with it thā an house full of sacrifices with strife And it is a great goodnes of God when we may serue him as Zacharie sayth without feare in holynes and righteousnesse all the daies of our life Wherefore the Lord himselfe of peace saith the Apostle giue you peace alwaies by al meanes And if it be possible as much as in you lyeth haue peace with all men Graunt Lord sayth Dauid that there be no going out no leading into captiuity neither any complaining in our streetes Pray for the peace of Ierusalem Let them prosper that loue thee Peace be within thy walles plenteousnes in thy palaces Wee pray also for y e bounds of peace good magistrates Againe for good health and strength of body whereby wee may be able to walke in our vocation For honest name and fame credit and fauour with men as shalbe good for vs and a thousande thinges moe that this life hath neede of Neither do we aske these things in a bare and needy measure onely but euen in some comfortable measure that we may not only our selues liue with some cheare which y e Lord aloweth but that we may be also helpefull vnto others So you haue some tas◠of the particulars of this generall word bread I see here their doubt is plainly dissolued that make a question whether a Christian may pray for the outward thinges of this worlde because the Church must bee subiect here to persecution It is very true for here is a short commandement to do it Giue vs this day our daylie bread besides other generall charges in the word Secondly wee haue his promises many and mercifull concerning these things and what he promiseth to giue we may be bolde to aske Thirdly we haue the examples of his children as of Iacob when hee went to Padan Aram saying If God wil be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I go and will giue me bread to eate and clothes to put on so that I come againe vnto my fathers house in safetie then shall the Lord bee my God Of Salomon that prayed for foode conuenient and neither for riches nor pouertie Of Leapers that prayed to bee clensed of blinde men that prayed for sight of men and women many in the Gospell that prayed for their diuers diseases and infirmities and were healed of our Sauiour without any rebuke euer for their so doing Fourthly because the Lord must euer haue a Church but that cannot be without food gouernment peace health and such like therefore it is lawfull to aske them Lastly because the asking and expectation of these thinges is a notable exercise of our faith hope and trust in Gods promises For we cannot assure our selues of these corporall goods neither aske them except we bee in Gods fauour and feele in our selues good comfort of his good will towards vs. By asking therefore wee exercise our faith to beleeue the Lord to be our good God from which goodnesse of his wee looke for these things so farre as they may be good for vs. Otherwise the Lord might say to vs you are none of that number that I promised these things vnto But yet this euer must we note concerning the maner of our prayer namely that it be cum conditione voluntatis with condition of his good pleasure will and liking and in hunc finem vt seruiamus Deo proximo for this ende that we may serue God and our neighbour by them and with them For who thus begge thē not are not heard that is these things are not giuen them to their good but although they receiue them according to their desire yet is God offended with them and they receiue them to their iudgement But spirituall things wee may aske simply and without condition because GOD so hath promised them and they euer profite vs as wee may simply desire the holy Ghost because the Lorde hath simply and expressely promised him to them that aske him and so of other matters whereas these earthly things now are good and now euill for vs and therfore left to the pleasure of him that knoweth what is best What is the reason of the next word Our and why is it called Our bread Not of merite or of due debt but in respect of our necessitie which cannot be with out it And see then I pray you what great Gods we are become by our first parents eating of the forbidden fruite surely euen such as are not able to liue haue our being in this world without a peece of bread to support hold vp which peece of bread wee are not able to giue our selues if wee perished ten thousand times for want of it but we must haue it giuē to vs by him that is good in deede This is the truth of that Serpents saying You shall not die at al but God dooth knowe that when yee shall eate thereof your eies shall be opened and you shall be as Gods knowing good and euill Yet cannot this and many thousand of lies moe make mee leaue hearkening to his hissing Secondly it is called our Bread to teach vs to be content with that portion which he vouchsafeth to giue vs and not to bereaue anie others of that which is theirs Either our neighbors of their liuings our seruāts of their wages o6ur workmen of their hire or any one what soeuer of his owne For that is not ours that is another mans and therfore we cannot make this petition to the Lord but our owne tongues shall bee our accusers to the Lord. For we shall in wordes aske but so much as may truly bee counted our owne as being got by such meanes as he alloweth and yet in deede are not so contented but
reynes and doeth not spare and powreth my gaul vppon the ground Hee hath broken me with one breaking vppon an other and runneth vpon me like a Gyant Here you see not onely aduersitie and affliction but euen a marueilous measure yet the man deere to the Lords heart that indured it Euery woorde hath a power to expresse a great temptation if you marke them Compassed round about his reynes cut not spared his very gaull as it were powred out one breaking vpon an other and runne vppon with the Lorde as with a Gyant Are you able to say you haue such measure of woe vpon you you cannot if you will speake trueth And yet was Iob for all this measure as I say the Lordes chosen In the 19. chapter marke againe his phrase His armies sayth he came together made their way vpon me and camped about my tabernacle Before he sayd the Lords archers now he sayth the Lordes armies still noting both great number and great strength What can you or I say Happely wee may say the Lorde hath shot one headlesse arrowe at vs to quicken vs awake vs out of earthly worldly securitie happely an arrowe with a heade that hath somewhat pearced let it be two or three or twentie alas this is not the number of the Lordes archers this is not to feele the armies of the Lord and his battels euen all his battels ioyned together against vs. I pray you therefore still marke Iobs measure and your measure and yet Iob loued In his 30. chapter Thou turnest thy selfe cruelly against me and art enemy vnto me with the strength of thy hand Thou takest me vp and causest me to ride vppon the wind and makest my strength to fayle When hee sayth cruelly his meaning is not to accuse God but to declare the vehemency of his affliction wherby he was caried beside himselfe And by the word wind he compareth his afflictions to a tempest or whirlewinde Therefore still note the measure We may safely acknowledge the Lords rod vpon vs but yet may we not say it is all his rod when it is but a twigge And I assure my selfe if we looke at Iobs measure ours is skarse a twigge Howe then should Satan whisper any discomfort to vs for our measure whatsoeuer it is when it is not comparable to his whom wee knowe notwithstanding loued Was Dauid lightly humbled whē he said there is no whole part in my body by reason of my sin when he cried Why art thou so sad my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee still trust in God c. Was it a litle measure that Abraham and Isaac so wandred tossed from pillar to post as we say in perils feares and many afflictions and yet contayned not the promise Was it a litle measure that Iacob susteyned first to haue his owne and onely brother sweare his death as it were then to leaue Father and Mother house and home Countrey and friendes and to seeke for a worlde abroade to serue paynefully his owne vncle and in the ende to be vnkindly requited with an other than hee wished to beginne other seuen yeres againe or else loose his desire to be pinched in his wages enuyed and maliced by his owne flesh driuen to depart without any farewel pursued after vexed with wrongfull accusations and charges to haue the wife whome hee loued not altogether vpright in iudgement of religion his bed defiled by his eldest sonne his daughter rauished and taken away a horrible murder committed by Simeon and Leui vpon that quarell Ioseph solde but as hee thought murdered by a wilde beast with many mo very bitter and smarting temptations if you marke the story Thus may you then go ouer the Scriptures and see the measure of others many compare it with yours and be truely comforted if God so wil. For certainely wee are not tried and humbled like these men your owne conscience must acknowledge it and reason will euict it whether you will or no. For if God lay no more vpon any than according to his abilitie to beare and our fayth when the greatest yet is inferiour to those then assuredly our tryals are inferiour also And so their examples our true comfort against this assault drawen from the measure that wee indure Folow then this course and as you reade marke not only matter of affliction but measure and I warrant you this lying deuil wil hide his head conuinced with a trueth Your order now leadeth you to reuewe howe man tempteth or trieth man But that hauing in my opinion sufficiently bene touched before it will not bee amisse if you goe to the last poynt namely howe Satan tempteth vs. And I altogether put my selfe vppon your direction yet with this note by the way that the selfe same temptations may bee sayde to proceede from Satan that otherwise haue beene sayde to come from God From Satan in malice from God in mercy From Satan as they vrge and perswade vs to any euill contrary to the worde From the Lorde as they open to vs our weakenes in fayth and sundry corruptions driuing vs to his selfe as to our true strength and support in all our weaknes Which being remembred then say we concerning this diuision that the temptations of Satan are infinite and cannot bee named of any man albeit felt of all men as the Lord will giue him leaue to shewe his malice of some more of some lesse and of euery one somewhat Hee tempteth in iudgement to error and heresie hee tempteth in life to sinne and impietie and what infinite branches haue these two heades The errors and heresies that haue bene of old what an heape are they if I should take this course or who can tell what euen yet dayly he worketh in this behalfe throughout the worlde stuffing mens heades and filling their hearts with great vntruths Some hee hath perswaded heretofore and still no doubt will perswade if God permit him that an estate of the true Church heere on earth is to bee expected more perfit and holy than in deede is true And he telleth them that if any Church be so separated from the world that therein in deede and trueth all mens liues be framed according to the woorde of God that is a true Church and if any Church bee not so separated from the world but that in it are found some without repentance which liue not according to the worde of God but haue their blots and spots both in fayth to God and loue to mā that is a false church from which the children of God must separate themselues least they should bee partakers of other mens sinnes So that the imperfections of a Church and the faults of some in the Church not remoued by by from the same shall vtterly take away both name and nature of a Church from that place A great and grieuous vntrueth surely and such as we may say of with S. Hilarie Archangeli nesciunt
That is What needeth this Sufficeth it not y t they are in the Church Wherefore with the Church do you communicate abide ye in her and come ye as you ought vnto the assemblies and Sacraments For although there bee many impure ones and publique offenders not reformed in the same yet shall not you bée defiled by them no more than the Apostles were defiled of the Iewes Rather take you heede that ye bee not defiled of your selues because ye attribut so much to your selues ye iudge all men and very much please your selues Therefore spirituall pride and contempt ouermuch resteth in your mindes Thus doe we see the worde of God against this temptation teaching strength If I should adioyne the witnesses of this truth froÌ„ time to time I might be long A little let mée doe it though not much because I haue bene so long alreadie Cyprian spake thus in his time full earnestly Et si videntur in ecclesia zizania c. Although there be tares seene in the Church and impure vessels of dishonor yet is there no cause why wee should depart from the Church onely let vs indeuour that we may be wheate our selues vessels of golde or siluer vnto honor And as for the earthen vessels it is the Lordes proper office and prerogatiue to breake them that hath only the non barre neither may any man chalenge to himselfe that which is peculiar to the Sonne onely namely to be able to make cleane the floore and to purge away the chaffe and all tares by mans iudgement For proude is this obstinacie and sacrilegious is this presumption which wicked madnes taketh to it selfe Austen in his time thus There were many good men in the olde Church before Christ Dic mihi quis tunc iustorum separauit sibi altare Tell me what one of all these iust men in those daies made a seperated Altar for himselfe from the rest Yet multa scelera admittebat iniquus populus ille Many wicked things committed then that wicked people They sacrificed to Idols they killed the Prophets nemo tamen iustorum recessit ab vnitate and yet none of the godly departed from the vnitie Vno templo miscebantur sed mixti non erant corde They were mingled or ioyned together in one temple but they were not of one minde meaning they approued not any euill that was done Si hoc est consentire malefacientibus esse cum eis in ecclesia consentiebat etiam ipse c. If this bee to consent to euill to bee with euill men in the Church then consented he to false brethreÌ„ that sayth he was with them in perill of them and that suffred those impure preachers amongst the Philippians Zizania ergo vel paleam Catholicae segetis nobiscum copiosissimè accusent sed nobiscum ferre patientissime non recusent Wherfore let them with vs find fault with the tares chaffe as they please fréely but theÌ„ let them with vs agayne indure them patiently Et propter malos filios non separemur a matre And for other euill sonnes let vs not shake of and say farewell to our mother For we do not for the chaffe forsake the Lords floore we doe not breake out of the Lords Nette for any bad fish inclosed therein with vs wee doe not runne away from the Lordes flock for the Gotes that are there to be seperated in the ende finally we doe not goe out of y e house of God for the vessels therein made vnto dishonor And a number such like sayings hath Austen in these bookes and diuers other places of his workes if this were my purposed course but they neede not Consider what Maister Caluin sayth and let both you and me marke his iudgement Let vs learne sayth he to giue this honour to the worde of God and his holy Sacraments that wheresoeuer wee see theÌ„ there we acknowledge a Church And let both these poynts remayne established as most certaine truths first that he is without all iust excuse that willingly forsaketh the outwarde Communion of the Church where the worde of God is preached and the Sacraments administred Secondly that the faults neither of fewe nor many can any whit hinder vs from testifying our faith rightly by vse of such ceremonies as God hath ordayned Because that by no other mans vnworthines whether he bee Pastor or priuate man a godly conscience can be hurt neither are the holy misteries lesse pure or profitable to a godly man because together with him the wicked also handle them Finally if all things in the Church be not so wel as they should bee concerning correction of faults yet let neither priuate men therefore departe by and by from the Church nor the Pastors themselues if they cannot according to their harts desire purge al things that néed amendment therefore throwe away their ministerie or with vnwonted rigorousnes trouble the whole Church Many other places hath this man to this end very worthie reading if I might both note all and be briefe too But it cannot be and therfore I followe him no further Only I request that wee may diligently obserue it how Satan hath euer tempted the children of God to receiue this error and how faithfull teachers withstood it still And if euer he deceiue any what holdeth them in and hindreth their reformation Surely quia vanam gloriam hominum attendunt insensatorum non contemnunt opprobrium qui dicturi sunt quare modò Because they regarde the vayne praise of men and doe not contemne the speech of the foolish which will say Why now or is he now câ—me home c. And with that heauenly counsell of the spirit of God I conclude this matter Let vs not forsake that fellowship that we haue one with an other as the maner of some is The Lord make it sinke in eiery mans hart to his good The second temptation concerning the Ministers OThers he perswadeth that the whole matter of the woorde and Sacraments dependeth vpon the â—olynes and goodnes of thâ— minister so y t if he haue any spot or crime theÌ„ may there be no receyuing of these things at his haÌ„ds A most poysoned dart also of a destroying deuil whersoeuer he throweth it and worthy to be carefully knowne of vs al how hurtful and preiudiciall to the glory of God it is Not that ministers shoulde not be good for the word is playne there is no heart seasoned with one corne of the Spirit of God but it wisheth that all offences were drowned in the depth of the Sea that come this way and that ministers as they are called in the worde Angels so euen with Angels purity if it were possible they might walke in this worlde before all men but that Gods mysteries maâ— not fall by mans miseries and his holy ordinaunces cease to be holy for vnholy dispâ—sers Knowe we therefore touching this temptation that whosoeuer heareth the word preached and
vt semper quoad licet refugiant Tantam ministerij ac sacramentorum reuerentiam esse oportere vt vbicunque extare haec cernant ecclesiam esse censeant c. That there ought to be in Christians such a detestation of Schisme that as neere as they may they euer flye it Again that there ought to bee such a reuerence of the ministerie and of the sacraments that where so euer they see these extant there they acknowledge the Church to bee For as much therefore as by Gods permission the Church is gouerned by these men what manner of persons soeuer they bee if they see the notes of the Church there it shall bee better not to separate themselues from the communion Neither hurteth it that some vntrue doctrine is there deliuered For there is hardly any Church that hath not some reliques of ignorance It sufficeth vs if the doctrine wheron the Church is founded haue his place and be kept Neither stoppe wee at this that hee cannot bee accompted a lawefull Pastour which hath not onely crept but most wickedly broken into the place of a true minister For it is not fit that euery priuate man should trouble himselfe with these scruples Sacramenta cum ecclesia communicant The Sacraments they receiue with the Church Per eorum manus sibi dispensari sustinent Only by their handes they indure them to be deliuered For whō they see to haue the places whether lawfully or vnlawfully they haue them although the matter somwhat appertayne to them yet may they suspend their iudgement thereof till a full knowledge bee had Therefore if they vse their ministerie yet is there no daunger least they shoulde seeme either to acknowledge or allowe or confirme the same for good But by this meanes they giue a testimonie of their patience whilst they are content to indure those whom they iudge worthy of condemnation euen by a solemne iudgement Thus farre master Caluin Somewhat long but truely very materiall to the poynt wee nowe speake of if humilitie woorke a reuerence of other mens iudgments especially that haue abounded with the great graces of God to the profiting of the Church and puffing pride doth not dangerously perswade vs that no man seeth the trueth of GOD but our selues which God forbid Bullinger agayne deliuered it boldly to the people of God in his time and after that qui saepe admonitus dolo vtitur non ecclesiam Dominum aut ministrum decipit sed se ipsum ipsi iudicium manducat Whosoeuer admonished often yet dissembleth and vseth guile hee deceyueth not the Church hee deceyueth not the Lorde nor the minister but hee deceyueth himselfe and to his owne damnation hee eateth Meaning that none could bee hurt by the company of any that communicate with them themselues being right And therefore meaning to prosecute this question no further in a comfortable hope I neede not I conclude both with the iudgement and very wordes of Master Caluin in his institutions remembred before Fixum igitur vtrumque istorum maneat Therfore let both these thinges remaine firmely fixed first that he hath no excuse that of his owne will forsaketh the outward communion of the Church where the worde of God is preached and the Sacraments administred then that the faultes of a few or many are no hinderance but that we may therein rightly professe our fayth by the ceremonies instituted by God Because a godly conscience is not hurt by the vnworthynes of any other either Pastor or priuat man and the mysteries are to a holy vpright man neuertheles pure and holesome though they bee together handled of vncleane men The fourth temptation concerning compulsion to good LAstly there haue bin and to this day are that thinke men shoulde not bee compelled to fayth and religion The Donatistes Pelagians and Anabaptistes in their seuerall times the Papists still dayly in their printed pamphlets But as the rest so is this also a subtile sleight of a tempting deuill to animate men vnto euill boldly An vntrueth in the word plainly refelled and of the Church and Children of God truely instructed euer abhorred The noble kings Asa and Iosia did constrayne and compell the people by seueritie of their Lawes punishments to serue the Lorde For whosoeuer will not seeke the God of Israel shall be slain whether he be smal or great man or woman saith the text Nebuchadnezzar made a decree that euery people nation and language which spake any blasphemy against the God of Sydrach Mysach and Abednago should be drawne in peeces and their houses put to the most base vse that might be A very sharpe law I trowe we will confesse to compell men to a dutie iust and godly And if this heathen king moued by Gods spirite did this and might doe it may not they that professe religion do it Nay shall they not as their knowledge and charge is greater so suffer double punishment if they do it not Surely the trueth is playne they shall King Darius did the like in the same Prophet And I make a decree sayth he that in all the dominion of my kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel For hee is the liuing God and remaineth for euer and his kingdome shall not perish c. The King of Niniueh againe forced by his authoritie all men in the City to humble them selues before God yea sayth he Let man and beast put on sackcloth and cry mightely vnto God Which example Austen vrged in his time against the Donatists and sayth the King of Niniuie did God good seruice by compelling the whole Citie to serue God In the Gospel the master sayd to the seruant Go out into the high wayes and hedges compell thē to come in that my house may be filled Neque absque causa sic loquitur Dominus Quia enim diuersi hominum mores ingenia item diuersa sunt non eadem docendi aut praedicandi ratio omnibus conuenit Sunt enim quibus simplicem institutionem doctrinam adhibuisse sufficit aliis admonitione seueriore multis adhortatione imo correptione obiurgatione acriore opus est Et ideo suprà verbi ministros exactorum similes dixit Neither did the Lord without good cause sayth a learned interpreter speake after this sort For diuers men being of diuers manners and dispositions one and the same way of preaching agreeeth not to them all Some it sufficeth to haue doctrine plainely deliuered to them others must haue earnest admonition also many must haue exhortation yea sharpe rebukes and chidinges or else they profite not And therefore the Ministers of God were compared before to Stewardes or Baylifes that sharply and roughly require their masters rent for his Vineyarde if it be wanting Fit etiam saepenumero vt magistratus suam authoritatem interponere oporteat quando multorum peruicacia tanta est vt aliter vinci non possit And many times it commeth to passe
there any true goodwill which is not allowed by God Should not his liking and allowance bee the rule and guide of vs and all our doings If then we can finde where hee biddeth vs shewe our goodwill in this sorte vse it and feare not if we cannot neuer thinke that is goodwill which wanteth the Lordes stampe vpon it vnlesse you will affirme that GOD condemneth good dueties to our Brethren which God forbid Then consider againe that albeit it neither hurt nor profite them yet in truth it hurteth vs that doe it both because it is an action without warrant and therefore not of faith and so sinne and because also it confirmeth and proppeth vp that lewd opinion of Purgatorie so derogatorie to the truth of God the comfort of his children Therefore if we will shewe goodwill to our friendes departed let vs speake of them as men and women in the hands of God and in such comfort as that they neede not any prayers of vs departed in a true faith and therfore now possessors of the promise euen of such ioyes as no eye hath seene no eare hath heard neither any hart bene able to conceiue of For thus to hope of them is like friendes to hope of them and thus to speake hurteth not our selues Our phrases may be as easely God hath had mercie on him I trust as GOD haue mercie on him he is with GOD I hope he is at rest from his labours he hath finished his course or any such like If wee will a little at first labour to forget a bad custome when it seeketh to come vpon our tongues so readily Then for the place in the Machabees our answer first toucheth the books and then the matter The bookes we except against as not Canonicall that is of authoritie to build our faith and obedience vpon and the reasons of our so doing are such as neuer haue neither can bée truely answered by any aduersarie I pray you let it not greeue you both to heare thē and very diligently to marke them First the holy Ghost neuer vseth to epitomise contract and prophane mens workes and writings but is able of himselfe to write and lay downe whatsoeuer may be profitable for his Church and so hath euer done But y e second booke of Machabees whence this place for Prayer for the dead is taken is an abridgement wholly out of the fiue bookes of Iason the Cirenian as the author himselfe confesseth and therefore not a writing or booke of the holy Ghost Secondly the Author of this booke craueth pardon for his wants and saith it is aswell as he was able to doe but thus neuer the holy Ghost at any mans hands For how should God craue pardon of man and say it is as well as he was able to doe Therefore this most mightely and euidently vnlesse we shut our eyes and stoppe our eares against the truth telleth vs this booke is not as the rest of the Scriptures whereon we safely stay our selues Thirdly in the writings of the holy Ghost there are no contrarieties euer but in these bookes there are and therefore no Scripture by inspiration from the holy Ghost Wil you thinke of some of them In the first booke it is said of Iudas that hee was slaine of Bacchides his armie and that Ionathas and Simon his brethren buried him in his fathers Sepulcher in the Citie of Modin and all the Israelites wept for him c. In the second booke he is aliue againe and writeth letters 36. yeeres after he was dead Can both these be true If not then marke the credite of this booke Not vnlike to this is that which is written of Antiochus his death In the first booke it is sayd he laide him downe vppon his bed sicke and there dyed with such circumstances of the matter as there you may reade and see your selfe In the second booke and first Chapter it is sayd that he entring the temple of Nanea the Priestes opened a priuie doore of the Vaute and cast downe stones like Thunder vpon him and his companie and brused them in peeces cut off their heades and threw them out to the rest of their companie that were without In the 9. Chapter of the same booke it is sayd he dyed a miserable death among the mountaines These be greater contrarieties thā I trust any man that feareth GOD will thinke may be in bookes whereof the holy Ghost is author And therefore you see wee doe not without great cause refuse to learne our faith out of these Bookes If mens iudgements bee regarded of vs we heare and see what the Fathers thought Hierom Epiphan Athanasius and Cyprian reiect these bookes in this sorte as not to be rules of faith Yea the Bishop of Rome himselfe Gregorie 200. yeeres after Austen reiecteth them as not Canonicall and if other men be of small regard with them yet would GOD the Papistes would respect their owne Bishop But Austen they say affirmeth them Canonicall O why should not loue of truth banish all cauilles Austen doth so and in the very same place that they alleage sayth the contrary How then is Austen contrary to himselfe No their owne eyes see as well as we if they will that when he calleth them not Canonicall he taketh the worde strictly and properly and meaneth they are no groundes and rules for our faith when hee calleth them Canonical he taketh the word largely and meaneth they are such as may bee read in the Churches for examples of the great and marueilous passions and persecutions of the Martyrs Beleeue not me but heare himselfe First that they are not Canonicall In Machabaeorum libris c. Although there may some thing bee found in the bookes of the Machabees meete for this order of writing and worthie to bee ioyned with the number of miracles yet hereof wee will haue no care for that wee haue intended only to touch a short rehearsall of the miracles contayned in the bookes of holy Canon See how he saith they are not Canonicall and therefore hée will not accept of the miracles in them Againe Haec supputatio non in scripturis sanctis quae appellantur Canonicae sed in alijs inuenitur in quibus sunt Machabaeorum libri This reckoning is not founde in the holie Scriptures that are called Canonicall but in certaine other bookes among which are the bookes of the Machabees Many such testimonies might bee alleadged out of this Father but these suffice in this treatise Now that they are Canonicall heare himselfe againe Libros Machabaeorum ecclesia habet pro canonicis propter quorundam Martyrum passiones vehementes atque mirabiles The Church accompteth the bookes of the Machabees as canonicall not for the aucthoritie and weight of trueth but for the great and meruailous passions and persecutions of Martyrs therein contained And againe that scripture that beareth the name of the Machabees is receiued not vnprofitably of the Church so that