others That same Ephraem hath yet gonne farther in this hée searcheth out more narrowly the dealinges of the world and preuenteth that same glorious pompe in our professors that lay open their thoughts and ripp vp their cogitacions to bée séen of men with which kynde of people I professe my selfe mutch to haue delt withall and glad I am it pleased God to let mée haue sight of sutch in these my younge dayes for that I may beeware the better in ryper yéeres But his councell it is not to praye for our selues but for all euen sutch as bée Christians and of the Lorde and not for our fréends but euen for those that hate vs I thinke hée hath sufficiently glaunced at our Anabaptists that beside their error in mislyking our manner of prayer holdinge with none but sutch as is framed and ordered by them intertayne but litle order in the Church but careles in life and suspected in their dealing make the Gospell a couering and the word a cloake to dissemble with regard sutch as fauor them presume to appoincte the elect of the Lord at their seuerall iudgments pray for sutch as bée of their Church kéepe secret the dealinges of vngodly men least their profession and calling bee dishonested as though Dauid could not offend or Abraham transgresse the will of God bee it reuerently spoken and with feare but the Churche of God should suffer Shipwracke for it I speake as one mooued and sory I am that I am at holme And this sore it is so festred writhed already into the harts of men that an Iron to seare it is better thē a plaister to mollefy it with And if God doo not giue an other spirit or dalyaunce bée deferred as yet it is I haue at this tyme but looked at them if God permit and leysure serue and these outragious enemyties stil continue I am not purposed to leaue them so rawly But ouerslipping my self I haue plunged vnaduisedly to come so neere vs truly so it may bee For better a great deale is it to kéepe him that is abroad and strike the enemye then to rushe vpon our fréendes that bée at holme And yet not so nor so wisely neyther if wee consider all For it is wisdome to cut of him in thy owne Campe first if so thy liberty permitteth thee and then to wrestle with the forraner but content I am and I striue not nowe I will arme my selfe agaynst some other time Only let them take heede they come not nearer for if they doo though now they bée without reatch yet Pen Inke and Paper shall neuer spare them wel to leaue this of our disordered and crooked dealing let vs approtche to that which is more pleasaunt and frutefull then is this and if thou wilt pray and pray aright pray thus First in spirite Ephe. 6.8 Iude. 20. and in many other places the reason hereof is For that the man alwayes occupyed in his traficke is not able to vse the body the ioynctes the lymmes the outward gesture as other doth whose leysure suffereth them to praye at all times but euen this is required in him as in all other to lifte vp himself to erecte and reare him vp in soule in spirit in hart vnto the Lord that the affayres and dealings in this world ouercome thée not Secondly in fayth Math. 2.12 Mark. 11.23 Ioh. 15.7 Iam. 1.6 and the 5.15 Ephe. 3.12 Ephe. 2.8 and els wheare For as God hath left vnto vs all manner of instrumentes to woorke by as hee hath giuen vs a meane and way on earth to labour by as man hath his seuerall manner to inritch him with So for the spirituall affayres for thy woorke for thy waye for thy labour for thy custome to attaine thy honor with all is theare of vs all as common vnto all one onely instrument which is sayth Thirdly it must bée donne in the name of Christ alone wher in is secluded all manner worship and inuocation eyther of Saincts eyther of men eyther of creature on the earth That prayer vsed of them in Aegipt to Isis so named of the glory which they saw in the Moone Also they of Athens that worshipped the vnknowne god Actes 20. As they which were at Rome that serued Minerua Pallas Iuno Hereules with the rest diuersly inuented by the Ethnickes All els whatsoeuer they bee condempned by this for it ought to be in the name of Christ the reason is that wée take it not as a charactar or fondly for the repeating therof as that there should be any forse vertue in it But théese bee the causes for which wée are charged and inioyned to thinke that wée haue saluation in the name of Christ ¶ The first cause for which wee pray in the name of Christ For that hée onely forgiueth sinnes Math. 9.2 Actes 10.43 Rom. 8.4 1. Cor. 5.18 Ephe. 1.7 and the fourth the thirtéenth verse otherwise wée might pray to the Blocke and to the stone and to the thinge that créepeth and profiteth vs not For what aduauntage had wée in sorrowing all the dayes of our life and in the ende when the wrinckels in our sace appeareth and the messenger doth his duty and citeth vs before the Lorde then wee bée still in death and life is kepte from vs then this is the ende bereof Namely that our transgressiōs may be hid and our sinnes couered and that wée may haue remission of the same and life eternall which is the first cause we pray in the name of Iesus Christ The second for that hee is the way the truth and the life Ioh. 14.5 and 26. Ioh. 11.2 Ioh. 14 6. Actes 3.15.1 Ioh. 1.2.1 Ioh. 5.11 Colos 3.4 By this wee are secluded from all licentious liberty of the Gentilles from all inuention of man from all fonde and phanatical illutions For if wee séeke for lyse wee haue it in Christe that dyed for vs to bringe vs out of death If for a guide wee haue the spirit that will conducte vs in the right way and leade vs to his Father if the truth there was no blemish found on his lippes nor deceypt in his tongue and hée brought in the truth the Gospell of his Father and the woord of lyfe kept secret from the beginning of the world and reuealed in these latter daies vnto the sonnes of men wherfore wee néede to séeke no farther wée haue all things wrought in Christ The thirde for that hée is the accomplishment and ende of the law This may seeme litle to apperfayn to vs but whē we cōsider the by the law came in death and by the fulfillinge of the lawe came deliueraunce from death it may appeare what a glorious God hée was and moste victorious that hath ouercome the sharpenes thereof and vanquished the power of the Deuill that kepte this as a handwrighting agaynste man that of himself was neuer able to fulfil it wherfore wée pray in the name of Christ for that hée hath abolished the strength and force of sinne
that not in Iudea only but in all the world sacrifise and burnt offerings shal be offered vp vnto the Lorde And that of Christe to the Woman of Samaria accordeth with this Arte thou greater then our Father Iacob that gaue vs this Well and hee himself dranke therof and his Cattell and agayne our Fathers worshipped in this Mountayne but they saye Ierusalem is the place where men doo worshippe But shee was answered by Christ Beléeue mée Woman the howre commeth and now is when you shal neither in this Mountain nor at Ierusalem worship the Father a reason is also surrendered That the howre shalbée and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirite and truth and albeit in the Psalmes wee finde the affection of the Prophet to haue bin powred out in greater zeale for the Lorde of Hostes sake as Psalm 67. Prayse you the Lord all you nations and that in the .117 I will spread abroad and knowledge thy name among the Gentils Yet is there time and place and occasion too to vtter forth our cogitacions that wee bee not iudged of men I acknowledge and not vnwillingly that Dauid was in the Caue sometimes praying and in the feelde and in the Dennes and in the night and in his bed Ionas could praye in the belly of the Whale Daniell in the Lions Denne and his companions lifted vp their voyces in the flaming Furnace and Noe comming out of the Arke in the open ayre And Elyas on the topp of the Hill groneling with head betwixt his legges and Christ himselfe at the shoare side among the Shippes And Paull with the Elders in the sight of the people Yet this is my watchworde let no man goe beyond his skill nor draw priuate examples to generall obseruations But if death and persecution incroche vpon thée pray euery where for thou it is that shal glorify the lord But if quietnes and rest bee giuen vnto thee vse discretion and modesty in ordering thy forme of prayer For the second thing in this poynt which I noted in Paull without ceasing This is my iudgement that thou bée like minded in all thinges and remember it is the Lorde that searcheth the harte and the reynes that hee will bée worshipped in Spirite and truth But now wée haue harder matters that befall vnto vs and if so it pleased God I would like lots might happeÌ„ to vs al. For I know there is none whom God hath touched by his spirite inwardly but wisheth him selfe accursed to bringe saluation vnto all I speake it for that it is so hard a thing for the sonnes of Adam to bee agréeable to this in all poynctes namely one to praye for an other Ieam 5.16 and for thy enemyes and persecutors Math. 5.44 Lu. 6.35.23.34 Actes 7.6 And for all men 1. Tim. 2.8 I enter now on sutch a stage as that sufficient reason might bée showed to draw the ful length and whole discourse of this tragedy But it is not my minde to vnlase and ripp vp the woundes of any man For euen the vew and sight of this story may bée pitiful enough to any Christian To bringe in place the speakers hereof It were that of Atreus in Seneca and of Astiages in Iustin to bid the Father to the cating of his owne Sonne But I take an other way and not so lothesome as is that for such as bee of this Seane shall not speake I only content to vse a doÌ„me shew for it is straunge that mindes of men are so distracted as the life of any should onely consist in lyfe of thear 's and their iudgment vpon others to stand as sound iudgement to pray for none to condempne all to like of few to vpbrayd the best such iugling there is in worldlinges I know some that haue stumbled so vnluckely on sutch that their hurt hath beene more in one howre then heapes of Golde can recouer in many yéeres These I doo admonish and I charge them too in the Lord for to stay at home and pray less is better for such then to range abroade and liue worse and this is my exhortation to pray for them that curse thee to hate none to iudge the best to loue all for it sauoreth of Anabaptisme to beate downe to suppresse to throwe downe to the ground any man whom thou neuer knewest worthy the smyting to exempte any as extrauegaunts to the Lorde that couldest neuer iudge what the electe are Did Dauid neuer pray for Saull or was hee neuer in his hands that hée might haue slayn him if he would Eut hee not of the lappe of his Coate or touched hee the life of his Maister I knowe that if the soule of some were as fast clasped in the hands of them as the lay of Saulles Coate was in the hande of Dauid it had béene mangled and hewed in péeces before this This is it I giue in charge let them of this world thinke well of all and hope euen of those that bée without For though Samuell would not sée Saull vntill the day of his death yet mourned hee for him Moses will not sticke to pray for such as haue cursed him The iniuries that hee sustained in Sur and the outcryes in that Wildernes of that vnthankefull people turned not away their remembrance in his prayers to the lord Nor Ieremy so often layd in Prison and clogged with Chaynes could yet forget the anguishe of Sion and the tribulation that befell to Ierusalem but hee praied for them Now pittyfull is then the state of vs who rayseth vp him that is afflicted who windeth vp his sores and powreth in Oyle â— and remooueth the stâ—ipâ— from the hart of a truth the sinne of Iudah is written with a pen of Iron the poynt of a Diamond hath ingraueÌ„ in this people so sore a hatred that life to death and flesh to earth and Golde to drosse is chaunged as soone as their lips from leasing or their mindes from strife If you had bin at the death of Steauen when the stones rushed so about him and the states of Ierusalem clapped their hands to drye vp his blood I am affrayd the question might haue béene asked to what end hee suffered so many blowes and these fellowes can not abide so few wordes I aunswere litle herein That which foloweth shall sufficiently approoue it For beside the breach of brotherhoode in the worlde which is common there is many thinges to bée consithered in prayer Onely vnderstande that I wright not as a teacher to reforme that I sée amisse that pertayneth to the aged and the hoary heades I speake now to younglinges and to Babes sutch as bée of greater grothe whose manners I haue glaunsed at whose life and welth I neuer touched to them I leaue the whip and the heauier iudgement my lesson it is to young Schollers whom I teach after this manner Thy peticion made to God hauing clensed thy vessels from dregges and thy hart
which had in it but eyght persons as a seueral people kept to God And in this place I haue drawn you out a shorte catalouge of the peruerse and crooked kingdome the dominion of the diuel by which you may knowe what wee are of our selues when God forsaketh vs and you shall vnderstande againe that the Lord euen in the midst of death can keepe vs that be of his Church vnto life I knowe the I haue to deale with a great number that if God would not cut off the presumptuous spéech would complaine with Esdras the he had forgotten Sion that his people had hanged vp their harpes by the riuer of Babell and wepte there yet could not be heard of god And if euer it appeared in blacke and mourning wéede then was the Church of God chéefely destitute voide of helpe when as Nemrod that mightie hunter grewe vp to so great strength and consumed the flocke and heritage of the Lorde This kingdome of Sathan it is enlarged especially by these three meanes the firste is in belying and defacing the trueth the woorde of God the seconde is in open wickednes the third is by sects scismes heresies to beat downe the Gospel An example of the first I cannot shew better then in him of whom we brag so much our first father what a lye was that he made vnto him to begyle him withall If you eat of this fruit you shal be Gods knowing good euil then take this in the meane time as God his glorie his kingdome his empire is enlarged by setting out the trueth so is the kingdom of the diuel by disceit After this sort he bewitched the Philosophers of olde he begyled the Gentiles and nations on the earth with fonde and fantasticall illusions taken frō the Sunne the Moone and the other creatures whō they worshipped The beginning of the Kinge of Babylon and of Assiria after the floode 131. yeare testifie the same euen from Nemrod before named called of M. Bullinger and of the Poets Saturnus how great blindnesse and filthie superstition incroched on the earth euen that blessed nation whome God hath nowe mightily prospered the Germanes frō whence I knowe not whether any more heauenly or more wise or better learned or greater number to set out the glorie of the Lord and his Christ hath risen out of any place or nation or countrie vnder the Sunne then hath from them Yet these came out of the loynes of that beastly Monarcha and liued a long time in Idolatrie For take a viewe of their predccessours frō whence they came and iudge whether God hath blessed them or no that when they were wilde grapes good for nothing hath graffed them againe vppon a newe stocke and they bring foorth verie plentifull fruite For consider all and the power of God which wrought it Howe sprang vp Idolatrie when Ninus sonne to Nemrod otherwise of the Poets Iupiter Belus began to reigne Hee erected a temple to his father and to his mother Iuno and to Rhea his mothers mother and be was the chiefe author of idolatrie euen the moste grosse and beastliest that I finde among men Him did Semiramis a Paragon and his mother and an Amazon as filthie wicked as her sonne succede in the Empire Only in an out corner about Mesopotamia and in other pettie viliages was God knowen I touche this age For that it pleased God to suffer Sathan to build him a throne a kingdome among men in those dayes especially which was the foundation and Piller of all vntrueth vntill this day For nowe began the Aegyptians to bud vp that vntoward generation whose name deserueth to be hated for that all our toyes and inuentions in hidden and vnknowen artes began with them And the diuell to establishe and ratisie his dourine began in Aegypt the fiftéenth yere of Nemrod which was of Noe the 745. of the world 1801. yeres Then began Mizraim so called in their language his tyranny this is he called of the Histeriographers Oceanus that made great broyles in the Church and confirmed his wickednesse with bloude But it is true that is in Salomon The Lorde that sitteth in his seate doth wipe away all euill And againe the wise King doth scatter the wicked and bring a mischiefe vppon them And therefore this buylding of Sathan it lasted not long but was broken downe euen the chéefe walles thereof when hee suffered Abraham to soiourne among them For his posteritie sufferes many troubles and diuers calamities and were oppressed many yeres yet in the ende the Lorde God was magnified his name was praised and his Maiestie séene his people had a glorious day of them when Pharooth and his horsemen and his Chariots were ouerwhelmed and drowned in the deapth of the Seas Therefore in my iudgement this is a worthy and moste excellent prayer that the olde reliques of the auncient building may be defaced and to desire the Lorde that his kingdome may bee increased and superstition and falshod sowed and setled in the hearts of men rooted out and the puritie of the Gospel may take holde and veritie and religion shine among vs For it is the olde custome of Sathan to begyle vs as auncient as the Aegyptians be and the Caldees the Hebrewes so is his pollicie and his wilinesse of many yeres and long time greater continuance then our late and miserable dayes be able to resist if we were assaulted with the like For which cause séeing superstition hath heretofore ouerflowed the face of the whole earth from the beginning might haue continued vntill our latter times had not the Lorde God in his sonne Chrisie looked on vs For that Mahomet and the Turke haue their dominion and glorious titles to be made Gods aboue all that be in earth and his neighbour his nexte rempanion hath nowe a long season set him selfe in his chaire of state and Imperiall throne and hath made al the princes of the earth drunken with his venomous eup for that wée our selues bee a gazing stocke almoste to the whole worlde and the eyes of euery kingdome and nation cast vppon vs for that peace and quietnes the true light of the Gospel was neuer set out in his perfecte colour as it is at this day with vs and for that if vnthankfulnesse continue and lothsomnesse take vs we are at a venture that God will depriue vs of his benefites Considering the brickle state and distresse wherein we be no greater consolation in my iudgement may or can happen to vs nor worthier blessing light on vs or more earnest supplication moued by vs then that he would promete his glorie sanctifie his name defend his church establishe his kingdom roote out the posteritie of Sathan suffer his peace to be among vs. The second shift and pollicie that hee hath to erect his owne glorie and set vp his kingdome is by open sinne manifest
shoulde worke in him and corrupt Adam by his owne falte For in that the sinne and infirmitie whiche lurketh in an other is bewrayed and brought to light marke the prouidence and gouernement of the Lorde which bringeth that to passe whereby his owne wisedome righteousnesse and mercy may appeare If he did worke and cause an adulterous minde in a man whose minde was pure and innocent before and then moued him to vtter the same in act and déede somewhat what it were that we had to say vnto the Lord But if he worke not that adulterous minde but findeth it corrupt and defiled by Sathan and by the person him selfe and then ordeineth that shal be fall causeth the same wickednesse in that same man to tende to his glorie Let vs try out the vnsearchable riches and wisedome of the Lorde that causeth the same thing which of it selfe is euill to turne be chaunged vnto that which shal be good Then if these men vnderstande by his will that God delighted not in Adames sinne there is no strife I say so and so we fight with the ayre But if there by is ment It was not Gods decrée and ordinaunce that Adam shoulde finne but all onely for his fall and in respect of sinne they my bee Anathamatized and that iustely For they plucke God out of his throne they haue no consideration but measure the Lorde as man To this tendeth both the rest for nowe I must be short and I doubt not but GOD will permitte that I may one day make longer discourse hereof Christ is saide to die and for our redemption for his resurrection is our iustification Nowe it was Gods will this should be why then shall not the Iewes be excused O wretched man that I am that shoulde thus reason against the goodnesse of God and abuse his long sufferaunce that bringeth vs to eternall life I answere that same filthy Papist that scholler of so vile a maister and that sought his death and mine and séeth it not Pyggyus Often times God wicked men I speake according to our weakenesse and in reuerence are said to thinke one thing For Adam woulde sinne and Gods will was he should sinne but Adam would be like and equall to God he woulde bée perfect knowing good and euill Gods will was that Adam through his owne faulte shoulde sinne to turns Adames sinne to good and to bring good out of euill so that out of his perdition he brought saluation out of his fall strength and life Out of his thoughts and cogitation blessednesse and perfection vnto man. The Iewes will was to put Christe to death And Gods will was his sonne should die But to the Iews it was in malice and crueltie But of God in goodnesse and clemēcie For hee raunsomed vs that were prisoners captiues in the slauerie of the deuill Hes gaue vs life that were before in death and offered vs saluation that were before in condempnation wherfore this argument is nought God willeth it and we will it Ergo our willes is one It is a causa non sufficiente He the taught this may go to schoole againe set him downe for ought that I can sée for if he turne not ouer a newe leafe it is not this can euer honest him Take the reason God hath a Consideration in his will and purpose more then man hath for an vnthriftie childe willeth the death of his father God also will haue him die But it is in another maner The vnthriftie sonne doth it to enioy his fathers goodes God doth it to make an exchaunge to conueigh him out of miserie to life if he bee his for hee ordeined it before all beginninge Or to translate him from vs vnto death if hee hath not chosen him in Christe for it is his lot and hee decréede it before the worlde And heere I staye For if Paul can not Satisfte thée in his discourse to the Romanes neither do I looke to perswade thée herein That if thou like not me and my wordes as the Orator did of Plato and Isocrates when he spake of Theusidides so say I of Caluin of Zwinglius let me go astray with the m. Nowe to conclude all Leade vs not into temptation The verie meaning and true exposition is this Let O Lorde thy spirite bée with vs directe vs in our dooinges gouerne vs in that wée goe about suffer vs not to bée tempted beyonde that wée are able to beare For the Diuell and Sathanas seketh to molest inueigle away the Children of god And it is our duety to pray vnto the Lorde that wee be not ouercome in our temptation For they of God they study not to do well and to win Heauen by their merrits but they praye to stand stedfastly that they may bée saued and haue redemption in his death They study not by good workes to obtaine Saluation but because they are already saued for they be assured therof they will bee thankefull and obediente to the Lord because in his free election he hath saued them The like may bée sayd of the last words Deliuer vs from Euill For to this ende is our life our dealings our conuersation our vprightnes beefore the Lorde That wée haue an assured testimony of his good will that hée will kepe vs from death The rest of this Prayer For thine is the kingdome thy powre and thy glory for euer and euer Because our Luke hath pretermitted it therfore will not I at this time touch it In this my short Treatise if I haue done any good I am glad therof The poore substance that I haue and that litle God hath giuen mée that I haue offered to you all when God shall enritch mée with greater store and my Barnes better filled then now they bée So good corne as our Barren soyle bringeth forth of that I willingly will giue you choyse Onely at this time take my presente farewell as a grayne or two left behinde to fill vp your measure for I would haue no man to suspecte mee for my waight And let not my doctrine bee an offence to any this was only the the true meaninge that I had to teach one Lorde and Iesus Christe whom bee sente the redéemer of the world that I worship in the Spirite And this I commit vnto the whole Churche of God whose building and workemanship if it bée any other then this let it bée accursed 1. The foundation or corner Stone Christ 2. The builders his Ministers 3. The Morter to temper it is Veritie 4. The Lyme to season it is Skilfulnesse 5. The Sande to strengthen it is Wisdome and scattered thorough euery parte parcell of this buildinge 6. The Instruments to worke withall be the guiftes of the holy Ghoste 7. The Pillers Confidence and Trust 8. The Walles the two Sacramentes 9. The ground or Pauement our Profession 10. The Roofe or couering Perseuerance 11. The Windowes and light the working and lightning wee
cast our eyes vppon the Lorde We haue a passage to his kingdom the gates whereof are nowe more largely opened then before wée haue a confidence otherwise wée might be swalowed vp of death and hell and wée should be tossed as the wanes of the water Lastly it is a faith in Christe wherein is excluded the abilitie of man then wée must atteine by grace in faith which is the onely gifte of God so that it is an Iron taken out of the fire and from the smythes forge to separarate faith from faithfulnesse it neuer came out of the furnace of the Lorde Then this whereof I speake the faith of man which is for a time it is a signe of reprobation For he that putteth his hand to the plough and knewe the worde and runneth backe happie had he béene had he neuer knowen it Who runneth his race getteth the game what Champion retireth before he hath gotte the field Who iourneyeth and then repenteth before his appointed day Doth the worlde mislike effeminate and sluggish men And will the Lord be pleased with vnconstant wauering hearts I neuer liked him whose amitie was feruent for a day and altered againe with a blast Neither hath my soule loued the man that could so valiantly rattle out the threatnings of God and when anguishe and persecution assaulteth him kept silence The earth hath spewed out the vnsauourie cockle that hath vppon it a Sommer garment and dareth not shewe his head in Winter And God hath left of the Ethnikes and of the nations as prickes and thornes in our sides to trye vs and we be not of his building if we stand not as stiffe in tribulation and sorrowe as if we would in time of peace Our late dayes are a witnesse hereof when it pleased God to trye his good Golde and suffered the Copper and baser mettall against the day of wrath And he neuer commended the Israelites in that they forsooke his law his word but he scourged them grieuously to reclaime them In that peace and securitie the like whereof was neuer séene on earth as was giuen by God in the dayes of Solomon What aduantage was it though they built so glorious a temple and went afterwarde a whooring to their idols Iehosophat was in great perill of his life for waaging battaile with an vniust man and had not the Lorde hearde him he had dyed It is my note vppon this that thou be all alike and that thou wauer not for if he would haue stroken a iust man for that he stumbled what shall be come of that man that lyeth groueling in sinne Ichu began a good course happie were his dayes and blessed were his yeares for doing the message of God so ducly but if then when he had put downe the house of Ahab and suffered Baal to be woorshipped no more in Israel and had molten the golden Calues he had then also left the sinnes of Ieroboam which caused Israel to transgresse the will of God his seate it had béene established and his throne set vp among the tribes for euer Iosiah his zeale at the first his repairing of the temple his altering of religion the good wayes wherein he went were no cause to kéepe the hand of God from him when he went vp against Pharoath Necoth to Megiddo to fight and consulted not with the Lorde I like not that of Ieptath to come faire and softly and to stay so cowardly for I wishe that he had knowen as well what God woulde haue required when he came home with victorie as he did search out before when he went against the Ammonites then let him that wil be the true worshipper of God séeke as well what is profitable to morrowe for him as that which is expedient to day I confesse forrie I am that I must so often shewe my selfe an enimie vnto him but thus it is I hate him to the death that I haue nothing to doo with the hollowe hearted Gospeller or with his loosenesse of life I séeke that man that continueth and endureth to the ende And as for their enuie it is not that I care for suche fainte harted fellowes may easily be blowen awaye a stroke or two though it bee of small force it will dismay them To them I say whom God hath blessed in his spirit to beare his liuery and to cary his markes in their for heads that are able to suffer persecution and will not for a time but come there life or come there death stande corragiously to the battayle To those I giue a more warliâ—e attire and I tharge them that in such extremity they bée apparrellâ—â— thus Let their loynes be gyrt with trueth Let their Brestplate bee of rightuousnes let their feete be shod with the Gospell of peace let them take to help them the Shéeld of fayth let them put on their heads the Helmet of saluation let them take to fight withall the Sworde of the Spirit and the God of Peace and glory hée shall keepe them from all the stery dartes of Sathan Thus albeit in a wearisome manner wee haue escaped and come to lande I doubt not but well defended for a longe space and so well furnished as the Diuell the world and the flesh shall neuer mooue vs My councell is seeing our enemies bee ouerthrowne and wee at rest that wee doo as they at Thebes did that come winde or come weather come danger come perrill wée bee found in the top of the Towre watchinge Otherwise there is that bee ready enough to reskewe the pray and our enemy the Diuell hée hath a band of men in a readines alwayes to assault vs And he layeth as great séege as any Captayn of them all that fighteth on the earth for his traÌ„sitory affaires the espetiall marke which hée aymeth at is it that now I haue in hand the fayth of man and it is the fifth and the last thinge in my deuision that I noted I put it in the laste garrison of my men beecause if all fayle if life if Glorye if this worlde yet haue wee one behinde that is able to reskew vs and this fayth whereby wee are iustified it doth not stay on it selfe neyther can wee haue hope of recouery if wee fayle at any time but froÌ„ that sure and vnmoouable fortres where it is shrowded and this holde it is the Lorde For man is weake and féeble our fathers that went before they staggared euen in their faith and fel from the Lorde and so had continued vnto the ende if the Lorde had not helped them for this cause God hath alotted vnto vs to our vse very stronge Inginnes that will rowse out our enemyes and shingr them to morselles if they come neare vs These bée in number thrée The first is hope the second is stedfastnes the thirde is the spirite These bée they that fight for vs and maintayne our right and shall keepe vs and our
thrones their dominions their Empires or sought their owne glorie made an entraunce ready gate to set vp and establish the sincerity puritie of religion Therefore Christe of him selfe testifieth I séeke not mine one name but my fathers that seÌ„t mée â–ª I haue glorified thee among men and I will glorifie thee againe For if he be our father where is our honor Will the childe acknowledge his parents the wild and sauage beast giue place to them that nourish her succeadeth the fire the heauens in his place and the fire the ayre and she ayre the water and the water the earth and the earth vs shall not we acknowledge and reuerence the Lorde of Hostes who dwelleth betwixt the Cherubynnes and ought to be worshipped of all nations vnder heauen Cyprian hath giuen as touching this firste point hallowed be thy name in mine opinion a verie good reason For saith he wée craue not that God should be sanctified in our prayers who is alwayes holye but that his name sanctified in vs wée might be made perfecte and holy in him Thus I also finde it in the booke of God in that place Be thou holie because I am holy Then our prayer is that being sanctified cleansed made perfect in the Lorde we may be holie and good perseuere therein For this cause Paulinus in the fifth age of the Churche when he liued called our Baptisteries places of restoring againe of man meaning thereby as I do gesse that we ought to rise froÌ„ sinne and liue to life mortifying and beating downe the lustes of the fleshe and as wee shoulde sanctifie the name of the Lorde so we ought in our conuersation and in our walking before him to bee againe sanctified that is walke as holy before him For as the water in the fifth of Iohn did neuer clense make perfect but when the Angell moued it No more is man renued and altered but when the Spirite sanctifieth him And as Sara was not by nature but by promise made a mother and bare a childe So are we holy not of our selues but of the Lorde Therefore we neede daily sanctifiyng and seeing that wee sinne and fall so often wee must rise and be reared vp in Christ in renouation and sanctification of the spirit For this is our sanctification in Paule that we be no fornicatours no worshipers of Idols no adulterers no light persons no folowers of wemen not théeues not deceiuers not haters not drunkardes and these sometime we were but we are washed but wee are iustified but wee are sanctified in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe Master Gualter vppon this place hath an especiall note as touching this hallowed or sanctified be thy name neyther wil I blame him here in consideration the superstition of the world is so great who begyled in the vanitie of their thoughts are not able or else will not iudge aright of the will of the Lorde He findeth greate faulte for that men take an occasion from the name of God as though the bare rehersall thereof had vertue in it to doe wounders signes and miracles in the earth And of truth that wherewith M. Gualter found fault is so common in the worlde that as euery one is holyest and wil be counted godlyest so is hée in this life peruersist I wish that of Cyris were setled in the mindes of men that beefore they iudge of any thinge in the Booke of God they would consider thrée things the time the person and the matter that is handled which if they were duely wayed it would bee a cause good enough that men should not stray as they do in the iudging of the Scriptures For as out of this place is grounded this error that if wée recken vp the bare name of the Lord it is sufficient for vs if we say sanctified be his name it is enough vnto saluation therfore the commoÌ„ sorte of people repeate and vtter these wordes of Christe but they consider no more and so think that by saying of the same they haue discharged their duetie but this it is grosse and pernitious it sauoureth of the flesh alone that is sluggishe and heauie tired if it take any paines in searching out the wil of God For not euery one the saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but be that knoweth the will of my father doeth it This is the onely cause that the heretikes haue erred so grossely heretofore â— haue taken the bare wordes not the meaning of the spirit Therefore to take away all occasion of falshoâ— which is gathered froÌ„ the name of God I save this The name of God in Scriptures doth signify euery thing which is proper vnto him wherby his heaueÌ„ly diuine nature or his works glory appeareth As in Dauid thy name O Lord thy praise endureth for euer it extendeth and reacheth to the ends coastes of the world and againe praise him al you people blesse you the name of the Lorde Iunilius writting against heretickes reckeneth according to the Hebrewes computation eight especiall names giuen vnto God which bee these first God then Lorde also Lorde and God together or else almightie or sufficient or omnipotent or our piller and stay or God of hosts or a iudge and searcher The He rew I haue lefte out for I thinke it not coÌ„uenient the rehersall nowe these onely significations be they that are presented vnto vs and by these names is he called in the scriptures especially by Abraham when he apeared vnto him and then when he spake to Moses Exod. 3.6 Exod. 15. Psalme 86. And the Grecians call him a secret sercher or pearser of all thinges and a sister of our thoughts Wher vnto Peter Martyr Musculus haue in diuers places alluded and maister Gualter semeth to touch the verie same vpon the exposition of the name of god Here vnto I adioyn put those same glorious titles giueÌ„ vnto him by Moses when he desired he might see and looke vppon the Lord god Exod. 34. For then when he passed by in the cloude when Moses was put into a clifte of the rocke and God had put â—â—s hand before him and Moses sawe his backe parts alone he cried out lord God mercifull and liberall â—â—ntle and pitiful of infinite goodnesse and trueth keeping thy goodnesse for thousanâ—s forgiuing iniquitie and transgressioÌ„s and sinnes leauing not vngodlines vnpunished but visiting the sinnes of their fathers in 〈◊〉 sonnes and sonnes sonnes vppon such as feare not him and kéepe not his commaundements This other such like places of scripture do open and shew vnto vs the incomprehencible Godhead of the Lorde which onely is seene in his workes his creation and his creatures and by the same commaunded in this place to exalte magnifie and blesse his name The wicked take occasion as I shewed you before to call on his name verie often and thinke they doe
sanctifie it when they name it but it is not so For Moses did not speede the better for his calling on God or for his stretching out of his armes or for thy squeaking out on the name of the Lorde when he commaunded in his name that life should departe the Grashoppers runne away out of Aegypt but in acknowledging his might and his power and his greatnesse that was able to doe it and bring it to passe and by faith he did accomplish it So we thinke in this sole speach vttered halowed be thy name there is no commoditie commeth to vs But in remembring what we be and desiring by all meanes with our might with strength with our power to blesse it and set it forth in that is our obedience and prayer knowe Elyas called on the name of God and fire came downe from heauen and consumed the water the stickes and the sacrifice And Ieremy in the name of the Lorde foretolde their captiuitie into Babilon And Micheas in the name of God prophesied of the ouerthrowe of Ahad And yet by rehearsing the name of the Lorde did they not this but by faith thorowe the spirite In like maner we by asking or demaunding or â—rauing though it be in his name if it be not by faith it is nothing The reason hereof is vse his name and in â—â—are and in skill aâ—â— as he biddeth it helpeth thée Abuse his Godhead and turne it to thy pleasure and racke his libertie to thâ— commoditie and he consumeth thée Then in this place sanctified be thy name is nothing els mente then his glorie the knowledge of him the true vnderstaÌ„ding of his maiestie the debasing of our selues and the glorifying of the Lorde our god This was the onely cause that Moses and Aaron did not sée the lande of promise neitheir entered into Canaan For they did not sanctifie the Lorde at the waters of striefe That is magnifie and extol their God and that ought to haue glorified him who in that distresse wherein they were was able to haue helped theÌ„ if they had called on his name Hallowing that is making holy or holying and sanctifiying doth signifie any thing that is consecrated or giuen or seuered froÌ„ man vnto God and is only proper to the Lord to his seruice to the worship of his name I take this worde to proceede from the Hebrewes that in their spéech called it a gifte as it were presented to god It came of the ceremonie which was vsed in Israel who as any thing was holy and consecrated to the Lorde vsed to lay their handes thereon singnifying that that thing they gaue they willingly gaue it to the lord So Iacob blessing Ephraim and Manasses laide his handes vpon them and blessed them or put them a part from other vnto god In the same signification they laid their handes on their sacrifices as being holy to the Lorde and pastors and Deacons kept this order in the church and so did Paul and layed his handes vpon them deliuering them vp or putting them in minde of their duetie that ought to be holy and vpright before the Lorde In that sert we do make holy or sanctifie the name of the Lords our God in that it is onely he to whome we giue holinesse and sanctification and reuerence hemage a boue the rest and doe confesse none to be like him Here it commeth to passe that we call those which be the Lordes Saincts that is holy as comming from one that is holy which is the Lord god For an those that are begrymed and sweltered in claye or sayde to be claylike and of blacke blacke men so from him that is holiest are we holy Gualter out of Cratilas in Plato as I take it hath properly deriued this worde and calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not earthly of the priuatiue α and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is without the earth As then being worthy of the names of sainctes when we haue forsaken the enormities of the flesh of the earth which is of those that beinge heare are earthly But paraduenture ouer farre in this and easely knowen from whence I came euen from the earth that sauoureth so much of these grosse and crooked speaches yet as content w my portion I cannot be ashamed to power foorthe my harde and crabby talke seeing so greate strife in others to be nice and in their finesse and puritie of tongue could to this day in my iudgement vse none I aske at your handes this a lone to suffer me patiently to speake vnto rudelinges euen them of the countrye where nowe I am If not but you will snoffle at it and enuie my small skill truely I giue you warning to chaunge your mindes for euen you with all your eloquence shall neuer perswade me to giue ouer And as one vnaquainted with so dainty eares I returne againe to the earth from whence I went more exquisite more delicate and the gorgeous stuffe I leaue to you In this place by this worde sanctifying or halowed I vnderstande to estéeme or thinke as holy to honour and celebrate and to call on the name of one eternall God which is holye and in this sence God doth vse these words in Ezechiel I wil be magnified and I wil be satisfied I wil be knowen in the eyes of the nations and they shall knowe that I am the Lorde Ezech. 38.23 and Esaie shewed the same verie effectuall The Lorde hath opened or made his arme naked in the sight of the Gentiles and all the ends of the earth shal sée the saluation of our god Esay 52.10 For in that the name of God is holy and reuerent verie holinesse and sanctitie it selfe therfore are we commaunded to hallowe it But because he is not knowen of all and the mindes of men are cloyed and worne with superstition Idolatrie Blasphemie incantation execration periurie therefore is it that in prayer we praye that glorie may bee geuen vnto him homage ductie feare and reuerence that all may honour him praise him and laude him For this cause I haue set you downe a perfecte rule and square to directe our life and conuersation withall and to vnderstande howe God is knowen which is partely in our creation partely in our redemption partly in our iustification that the Lorde God may bee knowen vppon the earth his sonne Christ among men and the spirite that gouerneth directeth the heartes of all fleshe Theodoret in that place where he sheweth what God is maketh this sanctification or holines a name that doth appertain to the Trinitie for the none els by nature are Gods but they his opinion is that Lorde and God appertaine to the thrée seuerall persons but our Lorde God is to be honoured or sanctified so that in one God the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost ar to be sanctified Eucherius vppon the Kinges sheweth the wisedome of the Lorde God which doth wonders and
signes and miracles without any slothe or staying but euen spéedely at his woorde not saith hee with many trifling circumstances but in his wisedome at his pleasure Howe glorious a God then is he and worthie to be magnified Therefore Crisostom to Philemon When God did not stande in néede of our helpe he created made vs of nothing For when he had made euery thing then made he man what reuerence then can we giue to our God more then sanctifie him shewe his power among men Primatius on the Romanes atributeth mercie iustice goodnes peace with all other good giftes vnto the Lord and to this end he doth it euen to pluck downe debase man to exalt and sanctifie the name of god Augustine is verie excellent in his meditations hee giueth vnto God these titles Great mightie omnipotent eternall pittifull long suffering righteous that hydeth many things knoweth all things Only strong onely present onely of force and of strength vncomprehensible seeinge all thinges iudginge all thinges vuchanngable yet chaunging and altering all other immortall infinite whom no man can attayne vnto Immoouable yet moouinge and turninge all vnsearchable yet searching all feareful and fearing all yet neuer feared that is aunciaunt and olde and gray headed for hée was euer not altered for hée is the same that bringeth all to age and continueth alwayes workinge and fashioninge and framinge and making and creating all yet alwayes quiet alwayes strong alwayes giuing neuer needing defending distributing nourishing profiting louinge ayding mainteining displeased yet pleased repenting not striking and consuming yet protecting fostering that is onely one and eternall and euerlasting and vnchangeable in his counsell I suppose that Augustine hath shewed vs howe to iudge of the Lorde howe to sanctifie him howe to glorifie him euen when we lay aside all that is in man and giue due honour reuerence feare and maiestie vnto him I will staye no longer in this place I procéede to that which followeth for I dare not stande in curious intermedling with the Lorde but I shewe yon briefely in what the Lorde is sanctified euen in all things that are vppon the earth whose excellencie if it haue any and glorie and goodnes commeth onely from God But in especial God is sanctified by these two workes and iust iudgements of his that happen in the worlde The firste is his righteousnesss and his iustice in the reuealing whereof euen by punishing the wicked and comforting them that bee his the Lorde God is chiefely glorified as in Pharao his ouerthrow in the read Sea with the destruction and ouerwhelming of his captaines horses and chariots that was a feare and astonishment to all nations The like in Sennacharib the Tirant of Assiria that ouerthrewe the Gods of the nations and blasphemed the trewe liuing God and perished he and his people by the hand of the Angell In no one thing is the Lorde so glorified as in this in shewing his rigour and sharpnesse to the infidels and nations and by sauing and protecting his people what glorious beautiful steppes had the daughter of Syon when Iuda was brought out of captiuitie and Hierusalem from thraldome bondage and the lame man went in the stréetes and the blinde could sée the Lorde and the Leapers were clensed and the bloudie Cyte was made a running spring and the standing poole a riuer of sweete water and when ioye and health was spreade abrode vpon the children of that wofull and desolate widow Sion when the Messias was come the Churche deliuered the Apostles called the Gentiles elected Herod eaten and deuoured with Lice the enimie of the Lorde and the Churche had quietnesse and the enimies were swallowed vp and glad tydings of the Gospel was preached on the face of the whole earth When the Lord permitted persecution vnder Nero Domitian Traian Dioclesian vntill Arcadius howe rose it againe triumphantly the Lorde God magnified in Asia in Aphrica in Europe and the heretikes beaten and suppressed downe by the worde of God. After that from Arcadius vnto Honorius vnto Theodotius the younger vnto Martian vntill Leo vntill Zeno. Howe worthie a passage had the power of the Gospell euen from Arrius and those heretikes that went before him vntill Pelagius and those heretikes which succeeded him I might cunne ouer the sixt age since Christ where albeit the countenance of the Lorde shined not so pleasantly as it did 〈◊〉 others yet the stories of Anastatius of Iustus of lusâ—mian of Iustin of Tâ—berius of Mauritius do testifie that the Lorde God gaue his Church an honourable conquest ouer the enimies of Christe But I let this â—ip and I returne thither from whence I went namely that this ought to be our petition our earnest sute and desire vnto the lord that he would not permit his name to be blasphemed and prophaned among the nations but in his mercie he would giue vs of his grace and in his iustice strike and punishe those that be his aduersaries that all men may knowe him and adore his name and that he may be feared and honoured among all After this manner be the godly brought speaking as it were in their owne persons Not vnto vs O Lorde not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue thy praise for thy goodnesse and for the truethes sake And againe in pittifull sorte do the Sainctes complaine by Dauid when the heathen cryed out where is their God And againe Powre foorth thy wrathe and indignation vppon the heathen which know thée not and vppon the kingdomes which call not on thy name And againe in Ioell Help vs O Lord of our strength eueÌ„ for thy glorâ—e for thy names sake Let the reuenge of the bloud of thy Saincts powred forth be openly shewed among the nations Yet herein is héede to be taken namely that priuate grâ—dge prinate malice make vs not to burst out into these exclamations but that it be done in the zeale of the Lord. The seconde kinde or manner of his power wherein he is sanctified his name glorified and he praised among the children of men is his infinite merâ—ic and goodnesse that is extended from generation to generation euen vnto thousand shousandes of such as feare him and kéepe his commaundements and were it not for the Lord of hostes for his great mercie that in Esay shoulde â—e fulfilled that we were as Sodoma and become as outcastes in Gomorra the calamities that happened to Iuda in so oftâ— times changing their iudges that were falne so strangely yet recouered themselues againe so mightely in a shorte space are a witnesse vnto vs to testifite this Their transgressions vnder Samuel yet he deliuered them their falling in the time of Dauid yet he â—aued them their miserie and desperate case wherein they faltered vnder Salomon yet he protected them vnder Ahab yet he defended them vnder the residewe of his successours yet did he not deface them so that his iustice to
breach of the word of God whether it be in Idolaâ—rie or murther or whoordom or incest or sorcerie or theft or in any other kind of vngodlines whatsoeuer For what a victorie glorie hath he gotten when the children of Abraham the heires of his couenant do stide so far from the trueth as that they be a gazing stocke and eyesore to all other This impure and wicked spirite the author of sedition and father of all vntrueth by cogitations by cuill thoughts by deuises by euil pretences by lustes by concupiscence first moueth them then by breath of the worde by malice by begiling by deceipt by intisement by incouraging to all cuill in the ende consumeth them And here créepeth in his last most deceiuable â—â—ite that incenseth and inflameth euen the brightest and the glorious starres with his rancor and pride And so puffeth them vp with vaine conceite by his weapons which he giueth them sectes scismes heresies fonde illusions they commonly drayle with them most good and exquisite pillers of the Church For my owne parte if euer sathan displayed his pagiaunt and set abrode his insignes among men I am perswaded he hath don it very cunningly in these dayes For the word of God is troden vnder foote vnrighteousnesse hath almost the vpper hande the alters of God are broken downe the temple is pestered with monie chaungers euery one hath his religion euery one his God botherhoode is forsaken loue is forgotten trueth and equitie are banished into farre countries and faine to begge their breade contention is growen vp diuitions enmitie are creapte into our heartes some delight in one man others in another man Paul and Apollos and Clephas are so much talkte of that Christ and religion is neuer a whit thoughte of this building vp of the Sinagouge of sathan and despising the worde doth make our prayer of small effect no though we crie out day and night before the Lorde Let thy kingdome come Yet till these and such like bee amended thinges that bee amisse it preuaileth not Can the Rushe growe without myre or the grasse growe without water will the trée beare fruite with out moisture or canne the spider make her house or weaue her web without labour No more can the deuill without beguiling vs nor his workemen without intising vs nor his builders without molesting vs bring any good successe or passage to his kingdome and this deuise of Sathan hath been put in practise of late and I can testifie it for that great zeale which I haue séene and the small knowledge whiche men haue their religion in matters of no value their ignoraunce in thinges of great weight can ought derogate so much from the kingdome of God and of Christ as this It is an old barre and a croked péece of yron he hath laide in our way the best Smith that I know this day is not able to bring it to any fashion And laboure asmuch as you can therein yet will it neuer be brought to good passe that any one shoulde seuer the congregation plucke the Lorde Christ in péeses deuide his church bring in brawls contentions strife debat grudging without greate perill and ioperdie to the nocke and houshoulde of God And euen nowe we beginne as they in Asia did to striue for the passeouer and the holy day yet in this enimitie debate if euerie man would examine his priuate conscience and his dealings wherin he is blinded the great shew and faire face for the Surplesse and the Cope to countenaunce them wil neuer make recompence for the oppression and guile the vse whereof somuch shameth them But if that complaint so common nowe among vs were trewe yet there is little consideration of the kingdome of God when the apparell attyre that is worne in the church shall driue thée from it And it is not a sufficient cause for any of you all to crie out reformation and reformation Church men and Church men the Pope and the Pope yet I say not truely there is good cause to do so for if maners in men could be reformable and they that be about the offeringes of the Lord were sound agréeable no man in tongue threatening out vengeaunce against the Pope were founde in heart to dissemble popishly the arke of God it néeded not be caried into so priuate corners as it is neither woulde a greate number runne rather vnto priuate houses to serue there then refuse to come vp to Bethell to offer with the congregation But I saye vnto all in the Lorde and as from the Lorde If God when wée haue plentie of the worde and eate in full aboundance of the fatnesse of the Oliue doth for this our sinne take breade and the worde from vs too wée haue in our transgressions worthely deserued it the dayes are nowe so miserable that euery man maketh conscience of nothing euery base citchinboy must nowe play the Leuite and yet vnworthy to enter into the porche of the Lorde The people is as the priest the priest must giue place to the people that man that commeth not to please them is thought vnworthy to speake among them The Lorde end the troubles of his sainctes and vnfolde these deuises of the diuill that all flesh may sée his dealings speake well of the name of the Lord for till these thinges be amended and our holowe hartes better setled and our braules and debats ended the kingdome of God cannot be builded But to vndersrande this more fully Let thy kingdome come We haue to consider that as god hath permitted in his eternall counsell and limitted vnto vs whome he hath chosen a verie ordinarie way to come vnto him as he hath kept a certeine portion to himselfe as he hath giuen them strength and might to resist the deuill so he hath from all beginning in his secrete determination giuen a part company vnto Sathanas vnto vs that be his he hath squared out a pathway and entrance to walke in euen thorough his sonne Christe in whome wee are reconciled in whose bloud we are washed in whome our glory appeareth our sanctification commeth his kingdome and dominion increaseth And this is our kingdome that God in his sonne Christ wrought and brought to passe before the foundation of the worlde that the heade of the serpent should be troden downe our deliueraunce bought that we might liue in obedience knowledge all our life of this kingdome ought these places to be vnderstoode opened before and prophesied of the kingdome of Christ and his regiment Psal 2. Psal. 47. Psal. 72. Esa. 9. Iere. 23. But most excellently and generally in the discourse of Daniel and his prophesie and it is alluded vnto by Paul. Colos 1. that chargeth vs to giue thankes to God the father which hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse and translated vs into the kingdome of his welbeloued sonne and this is it for which we pray Let
thy kingdome come Therefore Eucherius vppon the kings doth figuratiuely drawe the kingdome of Saul vnto Christ in that they of Israel lost the kingdome and gouernement by his reprobation and it shoulde be recouered againe vnder the Messtas by free gift Lactantius giueth a spiritual heauēly kingdome vnto Christ for that he was obedient and fatthfull to his father and fulfilled all thinges euen to the death of the crosse therefore he hath giuen him a kingdome and honour and rule Also Epiphanius maketh a comparison betwixt the house of Israel and Ierusalem from whome the scepter and kingdome was some times taken away but saith he for euer shall our glorie last which we shal haue in the throne of the Lorde And his kingdome it is not on yearth for so he testified vnder that testimonie hee gaue vnto Pontius Pilate Therefore Cyprian Christ may be called the kingdome of God whome we looke for dayly and in our prayers desire he woulde come spéedily for in so much as he is our resurrection our glorie our crowne therefore shall we rise be made like vnto him and raigne with him most gloriously It is true and certeine as there is a dominion and sceptar on earth so there is and shal bee a kingdome in heauen so that at such time as wee pray and desire to be with Christe we desire to bee with him in his kingdome which in the ende hee will giue vnto vs in heauen Then as the power of Sathan is great and as he hath his pollicie and ingins readie prepared to snare vs so hath the Lord God his ordinarie meanes to bring vs to his kingdome and hee layeth vp in store for those that bee his against the day of his comming First of all the kingdom of God was knowen and opened inlarged verie aboundantly by his worde which he gaue vs so that they which were snared intangled by Sathan had to runne vnto that eternal decree and heauenly Oracle that was deliuered by the Lorde The séede of the woman shall tread down the head of the Serpent with this as with spirituall foode were our fathers fedd and liued in the hope which they had in one Christ for they hoped for an heritage and for a kingdome and for their redemption which they knewe shoulde bee fulfilled in their season Secondly the amplification and increase of the kingdō of God was shewed to man in that when the appointed houre was come he sent his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that beeing made man of the virgin Marie he might take our weakenesse vppon him and beare our infirmities that our nakednesse might be no more open before God his father but we might be clothed and couered in his peace First he washed away our sinnes and nayled them vnto the Crosse and adopted vs into the libertie of the children of God That we might falter no more and slide from him he lefte a defence and shielde for vs which is our faith that albeit we haue sinne and iniquitie ranging in our mortal bodies yet by a liuely hope in his bloud we might stande stedfast against the enimie and haue our sinnes no more imputed to vs but be counted able to stande before his tribunal in the merite and death of his sonne and such an assurance is giuen vnto vs of life in that kingdom that Paule bursteth out into a verie vehement speeche and wondereth at the Lord that hath brought to passe so much for vs For who can lay ought to our charge that be the children of God It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christe that is dead nay rather which is risen againe that sitteth at the right hande of his father and is an intercessor and mediator for vs Wherefore séeing the sonne of God hath made a satisfaction for our sinnes and hath by his resurrection vanquished hell death the diuell and condemnation it doth followe that he hath made vs a frée passage to his kingdome and hath set in good order the perfection that was wanting to make vs obedient children in this life and to giue vs his rewarde at the length euen a crowne of immortalitie and glorie And here commeth in the thirde thing that establisheth and giueth vs full certeintie of our kingdom in Christe whereby he squareth vs as fit stones hewen out in good time for so excellent a building and it is the earnest of the spirite procéeding from his father to direct sanctifie and gouerne vs against all the assaultes and temptations of Sathan And here it commeth to passe that where as by nature and offence of the first man we are vnreadie and vnméete to do that which is acceptable pleasant in his sight nowe by his spirite woorkinge in our mindes and consciences and daily striuing with the fleshe wee finde aptnes in our selues and a more readinesse to obey the Lorde This comforter as he was moste plentifully in great terrour and astonishement manifested to his Apostles at the firste enlarging of the kingdome of God so hath he not forsaken vs thoughe visibly he appeare not vnto vs but doth purge and wipe away our infirmities and lighteneth vs by a perfect calling and secreate operation through the obedience of his name that we may knowe what the holy and perfect and readie will of God is And as Saul a verie wicked and vngodly man was founde prophesying among the Prophets and Amos from the Mulberie trées and from the plough was taken into the temple and Sinagog of Hierusalem and as some of the Apostles from the net and the fishers hooke were altered and chaunged vnto other maner of men so is it with vs made and fashioned againe that were before filthie and wicked we are purged renued clensed and renouated by a more liuelye quickening wee stande boldly before his throne of grace and heare knowe the glad tidings of peace for the spirite maketh intercession with groninges for those that be the Lordes and worketh mightily in our heartes vnto saluation Fourthly and lastly this kingdome of God is increased and inlarged by the preaching of the Gospel a verie ordinarie way that God hath left vnto vs to bring vs to heauen euen to beléeue the worde and obey the Lord God and to attaine to the ful measure and depth thereof which is the eternall decree purpose and determination of his death the ende wherof is our life the cause thereof his onely loue good wil and fauour that he bare to man openly knowen and apparant by the Gospell It is therefore called the Gospell of Iesus Christe the sonne of god Mar. 1. It is called the word of Christe Collos 3. It is called the worde of the Lorde Act. 6. It is called the doctrine of Christ or the teaching of the Lorde Act. 13. And it is called the teaching of him that saueth Tit. 2. It is called the preaching of the Lorde Rom. 16. all which titles epithites giuen vnto the
let it be Teaching His vesture and cloth Sagacitie prudente His gowne Long suffering His coate Faithfulnesse His doublet Assurance His shyrte Bountifulnesse His hose Pacience His féete shod with Peace His hose garters Temperance On his head for his Helmet Fortitude In his hands for his armour Hope And he that is apparelled thus I dare set him against all the temptations of Sathan and the world the fleshe and the diuell shall neuer moue him It is my humble sute vnto you all in the name of Christ that wee seeke to agree in one and euery man as much as in him lyeth endeuour him selfe to finde out this clothing Beléeue mee it is a garment without seame and wrinckle And it wil do you great honestie at the day of the Lorde It wil bee your commendation when he commeth in the Clowdes calleth you to his heauenly banquet that then you shall be founde so well appointed to enter with him into the Bridegromes chamber and sit at his table Do ye not knowe that hée which hath not on his wedding Coate shal be cast out with Hippocrits from that heauenlie Supper and haue his portion in the Lake that burneth with fier Verely it is his reward But the Children of the kingdom shall abide for euer with the Lorde And to this hée bring vs that hath in his moste precious bloud redéemed vs Iesus Christe the righteous To whome with the father and the holy Ghoste bee all honour and glorie bothe nowe and euer Amen And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill I Haue shewed you before that this prayer had in it sixe peticions whereof there is nowe fiue gone There remaineth onely this last For God gaue vs in charge to giue our firste duetie vnto him and for that it was verie harde to accomplishe it without prayer Hée hath giuen as it were his consent to heare vs And nowe hée hath geeuen vnto vs a kynde of Brestplate to put on Namely To call vppon his name To require and praye of his sonne Christe that séeing wée be weake of our selues and frayle by nature hée woulde lay no more vppon vs then wée be able to beare For the diuell is readie at our elbowe to assault vs and hée fendeth foorthe his Harbingers right duely to entangle vs if so they may the better to seduce vs from the Lord And this the Lord God hath giuen to put vs in minde in what continuall dannger wée stande that if hée ayde vs not and protecte vs not and stretch not foorthe his arme to staye vs wee fall downe headlong into sinne This manner of spéeche vttered here by our Sauiour Christ semed to be vnto some a very heauy thing and not vnto the iustice of the Lord and apperteining to his maiestie To suffer any one to be led into temptatiō Which kind of exposition Traheron a Germaine seemeth to mislike in a litle treatise he writeth thereon And the like is in a number of Curious and vaine men that dare not and will not say Leade vs not into temptation But doe a forde vs thus much Permitte vs not to be led into temptation Both which interpretations I mislike vtterly and I say as the Gretians carie vs not or conduct vs not or trie vs not or lead vs not into temptations For the better exposition plaine vnderstanding of the weak I wil shew the significatiō of the word temptation Tempting is often times taken for trying or approuing or experiensing by one way or other for the bringing to passe of any thing to put in practice to knowe of what nature qualitie and substaunce the thing is of And this worde is vsed diuersly for God is said to be tempted of man and he also is stirred vp or prouoked or moued of the Lord and that is when his worde is not beléeued or the gospell hath not his successe which onely sheweth the Lorde to be holy to be good to be iust to be perfect to be omnipotent c. but desire some other way by outwarde erteriour showe as by workes or myracles to tempt the Lorde god And so did Israel when they had tasted of Manna frō heauen Can he giue vs also flesh to eate after this sort is Christ saide to haue béene tempted of Sathan He sate him vpon the toppe of the pinnacle and saide throwe thy selfe downe for it is written And againe make these stones bread for it is written But God tempteth and tryeth many sundrie wayes To begin with his owne whom he hath chosen in Christ frō all beeginning and prepared them as fit Temples of the holy ghoste from the foundation of the worlde Them hee tempteth and tryeth sundry wayes Namely to make his vertues which he hath wrought and ordeined them vnto to shewe them selues that were hidden before or to open their noughtie corrupte nature that after they may be more careful in their steppes and warie in their dooinge and more easely atteine to the déepe consideration and knowledge of his secrete purpose whiche worketh allway and seeketh diuers meanes to drawe them from their wicked life And the example of the first Adam was a liuely image of the Godly And he was a zelous man in whome God was much glorified among the Gentils The like in Iacob whome hee blessed aboue many kinreds and made him a Lorde ouer his chosen Also Daniel that magnified the Lorde in the kinges court and founde so great fauour in the sight of Darius among the Caldees and was tryed by the Lyons by the Image of Bel so glorified the lord In Susanna in Babilon as in Ageographa The seconde maner of temptation wherewith the Lord tryeth those the be his Was séene in Peter that at the call of the cocke was put in mind of the offence he had committed and there vpon wept bitterly And Paul though he was guiltie of the bloude of Stephen and layde his rayment at his féete yet at the voyce from heauen Saul Sual why persecutest thou me hee was againe called home He felt the benifite of his redemption in Christ and after that was diuersly tried in many temptations by the Lord by Sea by land in daunger of Perots in daunger of death hee was whipped he was stoned he suffered buffering the Vyper had aucthorite ouer him for a space and that Oratour Tertullus had some thing to say vnto him at the barre beefore Festus I thinke Barnabas found◠good tryal in this in the werisome viage which be had through Selentia and Cyprus and from Salamis and from Perga of Pamphilia and Antiochia and the rest Sithen there is diuers kinds of temptations one is that which is commonly called aduersitie against this we must not pray For it is true that is in Paul. Those which will liue Godly in Christ must suffer persecution Yet if we begin to faint wee may stirre vp our slouthfulnes imbicility by prayer to
parte of Naboth that fatte Chuffe Who hideth them that are in perrill from the face of Iesabell Who is not ready to sacrifise to Peor Who renueth the decayed Sanctuary Who ronneth not with Vzias to the Arke Who hath not forsaken the Lord and forgotten his holy Hill Who reareth not vp Alters vnto Iupiter and giueth not ritch burnt offeringes to the Planets as yet then I â—â—ow not or finde not that man that is blameleâ—◠〈◊〉 there any filled with wisdome as is the flood of Phison with his Buckettes or like Tigris when the new fruictes are growinge that bringeth in plenteous vnderstanding as Euphrates and filleth it vp as Iordayne in the Haruest that casteth out wisdome as floods or as the Waterbrooke of the Riuer or as Dorix when it is at the full or as the water Conduicte out of the Garden of pleasure That deceyueth not in his tongue that beguileth not his Neighbour that speaketh truth to all thensure I haue not or find not that man which is blamelesse Hath not wisdome cryed out doth not vnderstanding put forth hir voice standeth shée not in the heigh places in the stréetes and wayes doth shée not crie in the whole Cittie in the Gates and no man heareth hir Who regardeth the yellinge of the poore afflicted soule Who causeth the Hedge and Vineyard of the Lordo to bee repaired who hath brought Golde Incence Frankensence Mirrhe to him deserued it who layeth not his hands with the Souldiers to kepe Christe still in the Graue the hée rise not what cause haue I then to question any more with Paull I may not I ought not I dare not I should not for it is vndoubted and without question I know not I finde not that man which is blamelesse Then let vs seeke a litle farther happelye wee may finde some man by the way or some one thinge that may bée doone by man and that hée may clime vnto therfore wée come to the seconde parte of this seconde diuition of trueth not so harde as the other yet not so easelye as it is taken for and it is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Husbande of one Wife This it was put in because of the vnbeléeuing Bretheren that had diuers wiues in the law it was permitted and before the law Sobolis procreandae causa that the worlde might bee increased to haue many wiues Abraham had diuers wiues Iacob diuers Dauid married Abigail yet had hee two beside naye and more too Elcana was indifferent well wiued but hee had brawles enough with them and it went hard with Iacob wheÌ„ hée was bought and solde in the féelds with his Sonnes Mandragoras So vnlouingly these louelesse toyes causeth broyles in braineles loue I finde not in the conrse of all the Prophets that anye one of them broake the rule of the Lorde in this and if Monuments were searched which haue you of all Dianaes Préestes of Apollos shauelinges of those Romishe Flamines that haue not run vpon the sword vpon death vpon fier then they would once violate breake their chastety Of those that bée this day at the Altar of the Lord that poore out his Incence and offer at his Table how many is there whom the Gospell cryeth out vpon and these dayes hath spewed forth from of the face of the earth as vnworthy to abide in the tentes of Iacob for this villany A forte there be euen in the house of God fitter to sporte it with the Timbrell and the Pipe then to take in their handes the Booke of the Lorde Helyas looked vp to the Heauens and saw a blacke Clowde wherby hee iudged that rayne was comming to helpe Israel with all Is there none here of all the Prophets that will looke vp to the HeaueÌ„s to bring tidings to this people Surely it may bée doone and safely For if euer vengaunce approched nere vs and tempests and stormes fell on vs these are the dayes wherin the ayre is blacke and glowmy and full of thicke clowdes readye to powre forth rayne and throwe downe Hailestones to consume vs for the aduowtery and incestiousnes of vs the Cleargie what a number haue béene depriued of late what a number are suspected now I it was a a sore lesson I it was a good lesson I but it was a harde lesson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratianus that vile and filthy wretch with others that rabble forbad Mariage The Gretian Church and the Latine suffered it a long time Silitius setled established it in Spayne Gregory in Silitia and it was assayed in Germany But Augustanus Maguntius and Hildebrand disanulde it These dayes are so miserable that Concubines bée but common ware and men of conscience yet in these Marchaundrise will strayne their conscience Polygamos Digamos Trigamos Centigamos if so you will they spare them not at all so it be doon in the Closet I am perswaded before the Lorde and that among vs who be of the housholde of faith that Solomon his so greate a number of Concubines the royaltie and statelinesse of his princes are scarce able to serue the gréedinesse of some our English wan tons that bee amonge vs the Lorde cut them off and giue Micheas a bolde spirite to tel them of it Let vs come to the third part and sée what it is that followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Watching A great charge it is that is giuen to the minister of the worde of God who as one to tender the care of his launched patient ought to be readie at all assayes to winde and folde vp the rawenesse thereof And this was it Christ said to the twelue get you and preache you And the fiftie hee sent foorth healing and teaching in his name also Christe in Iohn you shall beare witnesse of me In that last prayer the charge hee gaue vnto them he lifted vp his voice and saide sanctefie them O father in the trueth thy worde is the trueth as thou didest sende me into the worlde so do I sende them into the worlde and againe to Peter féede my shéepe and againe a good shéepeherd giueth his life for the shéepe and they here his voice and they are led by him Esay the Prophet threatneth out vengeance against them that liue securely and carelesly in their charge Woe be vnto Syon Wo be vnto Ierusalem Wo be vnto Ephraim and Woe vnto Manasses Her Priestes bee blinde ignoraunt euery one of them the are domme dogges that cannot barke looking after vaine and wanton things And this vice it is two common the Lorde knoweth among vs that are become continuall sléepers and lye downe in our lassiuiousnesse and belshe out in our talke most infamous blasphemy against the Lorde I here the voyces of good and wise men tinkling in my eares of the dissolute ministers in the country and that be abrode But let good men blushe let them that shoulde sée be blinded the Lorde wil one day take away this Vayle and vncouer their faces to sée better I sée it and
I knowe it and I speake it from the Lorde that if thy wisdome were as great as Solomons was if thy counsell as Ioseph if as well learned as Paul as actiue as Iosua as heighly commended as euer was Peter yet if thy dissolute life out goe thy sugred spéech thou art but as sounding brasse and as a tinkling Cymball good for nothing Knowe you not that Saul persecuting the Church of God commeth not néere it That the Priestes of Baal must not serue in it That the Leuite defiled vpon a deade Carkace must not approch it That Nadab and Abihu offering vp wrong Cence before the Lord die for it That the Mohabits childe in the tenth generation no not foreuer minister in it Fierie toungs bee they that shall helpe thée the zeale of Elyas that shall mooue thée The Spirite that was in Amos to prouoke thée For hée is no prophet that Prophesying shal go coldely to worke in his prophesy for it is a great worke it is a mightie worke and he desireth a good worke that desireth to bee a Bishop So that at length we haue founde out the heigh stature and comlynesse of him we sought for to these if we adioyne but a fewe more ioyntes with some trauaile we shall I doubt not drawe out the ful protracture of the whole man for now followeth the last of my first part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sober Among all the euilles that be vnder the sunne these my soule hateth as for the Path way of them it leadeth vnto hell A man in aucthoritis that dare not speake The Candle of the Godly man that is quenched with vnrighteousnes the plentiousnesse of foode in the fieldes of the poore the gréedinesse of the mightie that deuoureth it the Prophet that séeth all abhominations vnder the sun and chasteneth them not The vnreasonable bibbing of those that be at the Alter The drunkerds and guidibeades that be in the house of God And the shamelesse man which falleth downe with wine Al which they be in the verie heigh way that leadeth vnto hell Two things I require in the man that feareth God Two things I wishe were in all that liue vppon the earth And two thinges I wishe vnto the watchman But I require al thinges to be in the sonnes of Prophets My desire shalbs fulfilled in these If hee that doth feare the Lorde take héede of falling For a discréete seruaunt shal do wel and his wayes prosper If all they that be vnder heauen leaue righteousnesse for inheritaunce and vertue to their children For the riches of the sinner are layde vp for the iust If there be a readie eye in the watchman If any heart that is trustie vnto his flocke If the sonnes of Prophets haue vndefiled lippes If toungues that speake not guyle If a steadie heade without wauering If a comely behauiour without beguyling If an vnspotted minde without ryot If an vntroubled Spirite not puffed with drinke If a sober temperate life that he be not checked of those with out or fall into the handes of the Tempter For thus it behoueth a man that wil serue the Lorde alwayes to bée most pure most chaste most vpright in conuersation For that of you Poet. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the of Musculus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 health and safety and vprightues of the minde can not bée wanting in that teacher that teacheth others Thus haue wee drawne out the one quarter of him that oughte to be a serueter at the Table of the Lord Giue mée leaue to come but to the second part of him if his cōlynes be such his colour so exquesite his fashion and workmanship so nice dainty in the drawing the I can not at this present paint him out fully the daies are longe and our time is great hereafter peraduenture it may bée fully finished let vs sée what that is that foloweth Vpon the vocation and calling of a Minister hangeth the duety and function therof That bée may séeme more glorious I haue giuen vnto him moste gorgeous araye not of Aaron onely that lasted for a time afterward was stript therof but of our heigh Préest Kinge euen the Sonne of God Iesus Christ That had no seame in that Garment which he put on eyther any wrincle who hath caried vs with him into the Heauens in token we must be apparrelled and weare the same garments that hée did The seconde order in his duety function is that euerye Preacher bee attired thus That hee put on discretion the very Oyle that must drenche the skirtes of his clothing That hee vse hospitality the royalty wee put on the Belles that make vs to be knowne by That hee exercise him selfe in teachinge the yealow silke the purple the Scarlet that wee Were to adorne and beautifie the house of God with all That hee bee clad with abstinency the Ephod and the brestlap that hee putteth on fastned with two hookes of pure golde Sagacitie and Modestie First saith Paul discreete comely apparelled As touching the apparell that is inioyned vs because I am none of those that séeke for reformotion in a thing of so small weight lest the whole countenaunce and face of the Church shoulde be altered Therefore doe I leaue it to their consciences that are minded to continewe in the house of god If any vse broade and great Philatharies as the Pharisies did or that think the Gould and the best Gould too euen that of Arabia to be onely theirs that in their finesse are not content with costlynesse in their brauerie thinke it not so great a matter to wallow in their ioylitie To them I giue this lesson That the day wil come when God will plucke their broydered workes their spanges their Iewels their garmēts they fetched from Damascus he wil send thē to gether stickes in the desert to make bricke in Aegypt to tame thē with It is a generall complaint euery where the mouth of eche person is open against vs to see the vurulynesse of him that entereth the Porch of the Lord And as were the sons of Aaron more marked merueiled at for their glorious attyre they put on then all Israel so in our dayes are the ministers knowen and discerned as greatest roysters and the one sort of preathers as chiefest swashbuclers and diuérs of our teachers as common Gamesters and such as shoulde be ordered as maisters of disorder yet hath the Lorde no pleasure in these his Garden is his Temple His sauour is thy fauour Thy labowring his embalming Thy teaching his inritching Thy preaching his deleighting What aske you What séeke you What require you of the Lorde Féede my flocke kéepe my shéepe loue my Lambes all things shal be ministred vnto you This is the charge Paul gaue to choose wise men for their Elders ouer the congregations And Solomon a discreate man buildeth the house a foolish person doth roote it out For Wo be vnto Syon and Woe be vnto Damascus and Woe vnto
and in that hee sayth apte to teach None must bée fit to lay his hands vnto this plough that is not of sufficient force to rule it I would to God our ministers knew the way to put of their shooes when they come into the Temple or that they would singe an other song then that they chaunted and flong forth to those of Babylon Or dawbed not vp the walles of his Temple with vntempered Morter as now they doo Here how it is I know not it may happely bee better then where as I haue béen but in other plares the Huntesman is readier then the Minister and hée fitter to trauerse the feelds then he is to féede the flocke I am ashamed to sée in the congregation the heritage of the Lord that there should bée any as to serue in his Tabernacle which came not of the flocke of Phinees and are not found registred among them of the right Préesthood If Israel were now gathered togeather they would haue chosen Eleazar and his children and haue let the other gon as Bastards I see verye well that as to one Tribe so onely to one Church society is this that I speake But I would all the Lords in Israel heard mée that there might not so much as a Porter be lefte in the house of God if hée were not able to open locke the doores by good title This is the poore councell that I am able to giue you at this time O you of the kindred of Leuy that euery man make cleane his vesselles and kéepe holy his owne soule that hee may bée blamelesse at the day of the Lorde How can this bée when a number are so tounge tyed that in euery thirde liuing not the third man is able to speake to the People There was in Gilgal Schooles of learning wherof Samuel was hed not far of Iordayne when the twelue stones were set vp at what time the people came as on dry land thorow Iordan There was also in Ierico an other schoole whereas Elyzeus ruled called Nazaristes Thither they went vnto the Prophets from thence were they called if they néeded any God to whom all prayse belongeth hath giuen vnto Englande two as worthy and famous Schooles as I haue red of in any commō wealth But how many haue bin sent for from thence into the common wealth or who is there if hée haue not one to speake for him that at this daye eateth amonge the Prophets The Sickle hath nowe béene twice sixe times put into the Reapers handes since I gaue my first full entry into Cambridge and many a time hath the Sunne turned backe agayne his course since I began my study yet I did neuer heare of twise sixe persons which were called by the Patronistes into any one benifice throughout England eyther knowen any if hée sued not for it to haue got ought and then if Maister Simon and hée iugled not together or went aside into some corner hée went without it too If not then the guifte therof was giuen vnto his man and ten poundes or a twenty or thrée times ten sometimes returneth backe againe into his Cofers Thus are the poore seruants of the Lord robbed How can it bée that Vniuersities should bee so pestered as they are with students vnleast you tooke out of the Country to serue your turne when you might haue good faythfull Ministers from the schooles complayn you of dronkards take sober men from the Vniuersities let them of the féeldes kéepe their Plough stil Complayne you of euell liuers how can it bée otherwise seeinge they neuer knew as yet to liue well Complayn you of dissolute and idle men Then choose out them that are benommed in ioynctes and wythered in face and broken with long trauaile at their bookes vse discipline for those fat Chuffes that lye snorting in priuate corners Complain you of Spend-thriftes and Banckerowtes redier to rifle sweare it out fitter for the Buckler and buffetinge then for the Bible and profitinge Then strip them bare and disherite them of this title the deface the Church with their dishonest and vnchaste life Apparrel sober and graye headed fathers that wante and stand in néede Complayn you of the small skill and litle instructing of those that bée in the Church then I am inforced I perceiue to tell you all fetche out the brasse and copper and Tin wherof there is now so great store in Hierusalem Let your kniues and your Basons your pottes and your vesselles about the Tabernacle of the Lord bée of siluer onely and of golde for puritie and cleanenes is verity and holynesse vnto God bréefely I say thus mutch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arte thou a Minister It is expedient thou bée a teacher For I say from Ezechiell and from the Lorde If God sende a sworde into the land and that people haue a Watchman that is set ouer them That same man when hée séeth the sworde shall blowe the Trompet and warne the people If a man heare and is not warned but the sworde come and take him away his blood shal be on his owne head for hée heard the sound of the Trompet and cared not If the watchman sée the sworde comminge and telleth it not if any of the people bée hurt hée shall die in his sinne his blood wil I require at the watchmans hand Agayne if I say vnto the wicked thou wicked thou shalte surely dye and hée may beware and will not hée dyeth in his sinnes his blood will I aske at his owne handes But if hée bée wicked and thou tellest not the wicked of his wickednes hée shal surely dye in his sinne but his blood will I require at thy hands for as trulye as the Lorde liueth if hee stretch forth his hande ouer a Citye and destroy prouision of bread and send dearth amonge them to distroy man and beast in the féelde though Noe Daniell and Iob those thrée men were among them yet shall they saue but their own soules If I bring noysome beastes into the lande to waste it vp and leaue it desolate that no man may go therein for Scorpions and wilde beastes If these three men were there they shoulde saue but their owne soules And if he sende out a Pestilence into the lande and poore out his sore indignation on it in blood so that hee rooteth out both man and beaste If Noe Daniell Iob were therin they should deliuer neyther sonnes neyther doughters but saue their owne soules in their owne righteousnes well I exhorte you all in the Lorde and in the name of the Church of God which waltering in many corners of England holdeth vp her handes vnto you that being wearied with long and great tediousnesse is not able to lifte vp her heade any longer That now shiuering thorows all the ioyntes of her bodie cryeth out pititifully for instruction at your handes That béeing defaced heretofore with base and homely doctrine craueth to be fed with good Discipline and receiue good
to charge them with that throng in vpon vs with their superstitious glosing very desirous to know what conscience there is and how reuerently it may bee doone that hauinge so goodly so great so famous and excellent guiftes they shall for all that leaue the people of God vnfed see the poore flocke of the Lorde sterue before their faces the lame man and simple soule dye for foode they hide themselues and lurke in priuate corners gadding a broad like men of occupations attired like prentesies rather then Preachers teaching in schooles then speaking in Pulpets and all for the vanyty and immagination of our harts or for the vnrulines or for the blindnes or for the vnskilfulnes of ignoraunt men Furthermore there is no cause that they whose doctrine and life manners and knowledge is comparable almost with those the best that beare the cheefeste places in the common welth should disguisedly transforme them selues to all fashions that they bée readier to runne a hoyting and raunginge abroad thorow euery petty and bye holes in England preaching and teaching in priuate houses ministring and seruing in priuate places disswading not perswading once to good orders disfiguring their calling and laying aside their function where vnto they are chosen and seeking to be plausable among the ruder sorte seruing their affections and yelding to their desires as common Chapemen to buy and sell and to lay abrode whatsoeuer disorders shall be brought into the common welth so that after this my last peticion and request vnto you all in the Church of the Lorde specially to you at this present gathered together to shewe your duetie and readinesse and your good affection that you beare to the Lord God reioysing so much the more as I sée so goodly a companie assembled and met in one to ioyne and knit handes to the finishing and reising vp of the spirituall Hierusalem I say vnto you all I power forth with a wandering minde and verie vnwilling heart these my hindermost and last wordes And they be that none of you doe come as the sonnes of Ely did to them of Iuda bringing with you a thrée forked fleshooke to plucke out the meate that is in the pottes if any one denie it you Or that you presume to take this charge for the loue of money and gréedinesse vnto gaine as some haue done or that you be a dishoner vnto the famely o◠〈◊〉 Lorde traunsported and borne about from place 〈◊〉 place like masterlesse men Hauing no aboode no not a hole to lay your heades in too vnseemely in these our dayes where a number doe sit in the heigh wayes and in the gates of other men wayting for a péece of breade and for almes at their handes when it were fitter that they were kepers of hospitalitie them selues Againe I require and pray you earnestly a seruaunt of the LORDE and fellowe labourer with you To scatter your selues thorowe euery angle and quarter of this Realme in seuerall congregations that all countries may heare your voice and euerie parte thereof may glorifie the Lorde Followe not the custome of our Presice men verie daintie and coye so nice as may be if they sée a Surplesse or a Coope Yet they will thrust them of their accorde into others mens charge and take vpon them gouernement in the iurisdiction of others and spreade abrod the infirmities of weake brethren and dispence a yeare some times moneths if they thinke good and often many wéekes to satisfie the vnsatiable demaundes of their confederates yet cannot find in their heart to bestowe them in any other foraine and straunge place where the worde of God hath not béene heard to doe good there And to conclude let there be one agréement one brotherhoode one voice and one sounde in all your preaching speake not contrarie thinges a verie common thing in these dayes men haue learned to dissemble so gloriously Also I desire you nay I charge you in the Lord Christ that you be not of diuers mindes but that you teach one GOD and one Christe whome he hath sent sowing abroade no newe and phantasticall opinions or scattering diuelish and olde heresies or inuenting straunge and fonde nouelties thrusting vppon the simple soules inuocations and fables whiche apperteine not to edification All whiche are brought in at this day by the Scismatickes of our time and now trouble the common wealth that the same sworde whiche appertained at the first all alone to the Magistrate to the rooting out of vice and hewing off of the Papistes is nowe also faine to bee drawne foorth to cut off them Well the Lorde graunte if so it bee his will peace to Hierusalem and long life to the daughter of Syon and ioy and tranquilitie to vs of his Church that shee may bee brought to knowe the will of the LORDE and wee ruled by him in all our exercises that the worde may haue frée passage his name onely glorified his will knowen his commaundementes kept and the gospel truely and sincearely taught to the maintenance and furthering of Religion and the beating and suppressing downe of sinne thorowe Iesus Christe our Lorde Amen FINIS Luke 11 Exo. 5.16 Zach. 3.2 Gen. 14.16 2. Kings 22.35 Luk. 1â— Math. 6. What prayer is thought to be among the learned In. Lucam In coÌ„ment in psalm 135. Lactan. lib. 6. cap. 13. In concion de octo beau citud Lib. 1. Tom. 1. haeres 66. In coÌ„ment in Esay cap. 62. In fragmen de errore prophanar relig De oratione Lib. 2. De oratione Lib. 4. ca. 86 Lib. 4. ca. 35. Lib. 3. ca 49 Two things that be wayters vpoÌ„ him that prayeth Colos 4.2 Philip. 4.6 Our order and manner in praying Ioh. 17. 1. Tim. 2. Precise men oftenâ—imes â—nvvise men Ioh. 4. Vpstart and fond heresies budding vp in our churches 2. Sam. â— 4 2. Sam. 15. Exod. 33. Ier. 8. The state of our dissernbling profesâ— sors at this daye Actes 7. Basill Eusebius These conditions are seldome kepte though much talked of amonge our vaine glorious men Such striuing small obayinge hath bin seldome seen in Ingland Eusebius Pamph. Freedome is made seruiâ—nde obedience disobedience to them that vse it not The last â—â—use to pray Sectes diâ—itioÌ„s about orders in the church He that falleth willingly as these did tempteth God prayeth not shall haue that portion they had The thirde thing to be considered in prayer the partes thereof The antiqui tie of coÌ„mon prayer Gen. 4. People vsed not so open playne administration of the Sacraments in this age as in the lavv and after the Lavv and a fevv huÌ„dred yeeres before the Lavv. Gen. 19. Gen. 20. Exod. 19. Exod. 28. Iosh 5. Iosh 18. Much seuerâ— inge litle inclining to the worde brought in by Scrsmatickes The state vnder Diocletian Templeâ— called Dâ—minica and Oratoâ—ia Basilâ— Error in the mistaking of examples Common customes do bring great matters to passe and the vse of that is euill doth make it good though
hereof 1576. Octob. 13. Enthusiastists The beginning of this heresy Nouatus of Phrigia Practise of prescitians A coÌ„parison of our time vvith them that ar found in Sleydon Barnard Kotman a secreat Anabaptist Iohn Lâ—iden a Coblar and heretike for commonly heresie follovveth the ignorant Herman Stapred Knipperdoling alaye man and preacher The miserable state that commeth by confusion Priuaâ—e examples are not to be gathered vnto a general doctrine Their arguments are ansvvered The successe of that vvhich happened to the vvriter hereof about SouthamptoÌ„ Aunsvvering to the reasons of the lay men Déut. 17.2.3 God giueth in charge in the lavve and often inspireth men secretely to execute his iudgementes in the Gospell he hath not as of late yeres vsed it for all things are referred to the vvorde and to Magistrates Num 25 1â— Psal. 106. Eccle. 45. The purpose of God and of the vvicked is contrarie 1. Sam. 15. All iudgement giuen to God no reuengement vnto man. Godlesse is louelesse and the ende of them bothe is death The badge of a true ChristiaÌ„ that is sovved to the coate hee vveareth vvhich is his profession Hovve the man of God must and ought to bee apparelled The readines that ought to be in vs at the calling of our God. Seeingin this life vvee are stil in darkenesse vveakenesse blindnesse and ignorance vval king in the shadowe of death as these be greate stayes hinderances of our glorie so of trueth if God deliuer vs not from these the like assaultes of Sathan vve pegish all Traheron his iudgemeÌ„â— Temptation and vvhat the meaning thereof is God is tempted vvhen he is prouoked The godly are tempted vvhen they are tryed This triall is a token of election if it vvalk there after else of reprobation The seconde kinde of temptation The order for vs that pâ—ay against temptation God trieth those that be his by aduâ—â—sitie Psal. 26. The diuell tempteth to seduce vs the Lord to vvin vs and the one is vnto life the other is vnto death Great ioye is there among the vvicked spirits if they get the righteous from the Lord and the Angels they reioyce at the conuersion of a finner M. Caluinâ— Augustine If God touched not his chosen by the prickes and tediousnes of euill life they vvould be â—â— vntamed Coalts in their dealing Cyprian A difference betvvixt the godly and vngodly man Liberties coÌ„demned All thinges are not to be vttered at all reasons Augustine his reason The seconde reason The thirde reason A confiderâ—tion of the vvorking povver of God. Maniches Marcionistes haue vvouuderfully erred Gen. 1. â—ohn 1. Collos 1. A confutatiof the second heresi vvhich toucheth god to be the author of vngod linesse 2 Pigghius taâ— quam fictâ—â— us A false sorites a causa ad non causam Ierom vvent avvry in that his iudgemeÌ„â— of God. Zvvinglius Oecolamâ—dius Martine Luther Martine Bucet M. Caluin The euill racking of the purpose and drifte of God is the cause of our blindnesse ignorance for fleshe and bloud is not able to attain the depth of his vvisedom Accursed is he that vvresteth the doings of the Lorde to his ovvne muentions To the secoÌ„d and thirde arguments Consider the secrete decteâ— and eternal purpose of God. I might reason of Ioseph and his brethren of Dauid and of Saule that persecuted him the whiche both came not vvithout his appointmeÌ„t but the malice in the brethren and hatred in Saule that sought Dauids blood proceded of the diuell This argument quayleth for ther is recourse had vnto man there is no consideration of the Lorde The trevv interpretation of this last peticion lead vs not into temptation This I haue handled in an other treatise which vvhen God sendeth oportunitie shal be finished The vvorkemanship of the true Churche of god buylt reared vp in Christ