serued as the sworde of God to plague Dauid expulse him Contrarye wyse when as one dothe pyttie and praye for an other then God dothe pardon the faultes and remedye the myseries of bothe As Dauid séeing the people perishe and the angel with the sword of the plague ready to procéede to stryke the citie dyd fall downe in greeuous sorowe confessing his owne faulte and pittifully bewayling and praying for the plagued people so that then Dauids sinne was pardoned the plague among the people ceased and bothe partes of God chearished and comforted Likewise the people after the death of Absalon perceyuing and féeling their owne faulte were gréeued with the expulsion and desired restitution of Dauid their King so as they reuerently receyued him he louingly did pardon them and God graciously did agree and blesse both him and them together in a peasable and prosperous kingdome So surely whensouer men will sorrowe and confesse their owne sinnes pittie and praye for the myseries of other then wyll God forgiue the sinnes remedie the miseries comforte the consciences and blesse and prosper the countreyes and kingdomes of such godly persons And therfore all mē had nede to beware of suche vngodly mindes as desire and delite to sée or heare the mischief and miseries or faultes and euils in other For all they that haue so euil disposed mindes shal soone be forced to fynde and feele in them selues the same euils whiche they nowe will and wishe vnto other No man shoulde imagin bycause hée can finde a faulte in other that therfore he himself is not giltie or bycause other bée plagued that hee shall bée blessed Adam in Paradise founde faulte with the woman and the woman with the Serpent and GOD did not take the faulte of one to be an excuse for an other but rather as cause of greatter offence and of more iuste condemnation vnto them all The Pharisie did finde faults in the Publican and had nothyng in hym selfe that coulde please god The Publicane féeling and confessyng his owne faultes obteyned mercye and grace of god And also note that those whyche had theyr bloude mixt with sacrifice beyng cruelly killed of Herode and those whiche were miserably ouerwhelmed with the fall of a Toure in Siloe were not the greatest sinners afore God but ráther shewed as notable examples to giue warning vnto all men that if they woulde not repent and amende them selues beyng then spared they shoulde perish and be destroyed with suche vengeance and plagues as they did sée poured vppon those other that then suffered So the moates in other mennes eyes should make vs diligent to pul the beames out of our owne eyes and the plagues of other mennes punishmentes bée good warnings for vs of repentance amendment But when as menne lightly regarding the good counsel of Gods word and boldly presumyng vppon false prophecies and vayne worldly policies doe imagin that faultes founde in other make muche for the discharge and prayse of them and the destruction of other for the deliuerance or assurance of them then doe their blynde eyes whiche will not sée and sorowe their owne sinnes and other mennes miseries despise the long sufferance and mercifull pacience of God alluring them by al maner of meanes vnto repentance amendment their hard harts which can not repent doth heap store vp against thēselues the wrath and vengeance of God in the day of his displeasure whiche commeth so sore and sodaynly vppon them that they shall fynde no way to auoyde it nor be able to abyde it O Englande take héede For when God dothe beginne to iudge those that hée of hys house and familye then doothe hée make ready and threaten vengeaunce and perdition vnto suche as bée strangers and enimies vnto hym and vnto his house hys churche his Gospell his truthe As surely as the Lorde liueth if thou wilt not soone sée take good héede repent and amend thou shalt not long be without féeling and experience that carnall libertie sclaundering the Gospell can bee no couer nor cloake for superstitious Papistrie refusing the Gospell Nor worldely couetousnesse taking and abusing any landes or goods perteyning vnto the churche of Christe and to the common wealth shall not excuse or defend abhominable idolatrie agaynst the honor of God and saluation of mens soules Fayned flatterie to get and kéepethe fauor of man shall not serue or saue manyfeste and manyfolde periuries from the plague and vengeance of god Foolishe pittie wéeping for the plages poured vpon the gréene trée bearing fruites vnto the glorie of God in heauen shall not serue to excuse the hard hearts which can not sorowe for their own sinnes themselues and their frends which be dry trées vessels to be filled with wrath and vengeaunce fyre brandes to bée burned to kindle and kéepe a continuall fier in hell Wherefore be warned by gods worde 2. Cor. 6. come from emongs them and be ye seperated from them sayeth the Lorde and touche ye not the vncleane and I will receiue you and I will be vnto you as a father and ye shall be vnto me as sonnes and daughters sayth the Lord almightie CHAP. X. The best way for euery man to sorrow for his owne sinnes to pitie other mennes miseries and altogether in vnitie of Faythe and Charitie too call and truste vntoo God for mercie and grace in Christ. O Englishman womā who or where so euer thou arte behold sée how the merciful goodnesse of god by many euils miseries and daungers doth driue théefrō hope trust in thy self in man or in any worldly thing that he may the better by the light of the Gospell allure and winne thée vnto his mercie grace and saluation in Christ Iesu. Thou mayst learne by the law of God and experience of all ages that there is nothing of mannes minde and imagination but the euill of sinfull abhomination The woorde of God doothe witnesse that what ceremonies sacrifice or seruice any man at any time did of theyr owne zeale and deuotion deuise to honour and please God was in déede superstitious idolatrie and abhomination afore god Thou maist see by the light of the Gospell through the power and presence of Gods spirite spred and preched in euery place that such shadowes figures in sacrifices and ceremonies yea suche bodily presence of Christes humanitie vppon earth as God ordeyned to serue in their time and place be nowe 〈◊〉 terly abolished as vnprofitable for that they could not haue continued or bene renued but that the cléere lyght of the Gospel should by them be sore blemished and hindered Nowe by the grace of the holy Ghoste sent and come to declare teache and witnesse the truthe of God in playne preaching of the Gospel thou mayest heare sée and perceiue the world so reproued and rebuked of sinne of righteousnesse and iudgement as maketh it playne and euident that suche horrible sinnes as seuerally in certaine times did euer prouoke some sore plagues and vengeance
likenesse truely in deed shalt not make vnto thy selfe shalt not deuise or abuse by the inuention and fantasie of man falsely framing in imagination any grauen image nor the likenesse of any thing any resemblaunce of creatures counterfayted through caruings or coloures in any matter place or time Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them thou being the liuely image of god created by gods wisdome vnto gods glorie shalt not submit thy self to honor or reuerence counterfeted creatures carued or coloured by the craft of man to satisfie the foolish fantasie of man vnder pretence or purpose to honor God in preferring the deuise of man vnto the wisdome of God a counterfeted resembling of a corruptible creature vnto the liuely image of the eternall god For I the Lorde thy God the maker and louer of all things truely created and made specially of thée o man as most like vnto me best beloued of me am a gelous God am greeuously offended when my beautiful image and amiable creatures bée shamfully abused by thy fowle fashioned fantasies For albeit in thy own conceit thine own work séemeth faire vnto thée yet in deed truth afore my face far fowler is that fashion of an eie which is without all sight than that which is much bleared and likewise that forme or figure of face and body which hath no life no féeling nor no sense is far fowler and worsse thā that which is full of al sicknesse sores Thy idols which haue eyes and sée not eares and heare not be nothing like vnto my creatures which séem as they be and be as they séem in forme and substance true and perfit Therefore I visit the synne I reuēge and punish the sinne of the fathers vpon the children proceding from the elders in their successors vnto the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate mee when as the elders deuise and giue and their successors take and followe occasion and ensample of sinne against mée especially when as they so disdayne mine honor abuse mine image and corrupt my creature as proueth plainly that they hate mee deserue that I shuld so punish them and shewe mercie in thousands and bestowe my mercy in forgiuing the faults and bearing with the infirmities of very many in long succession of them that loue mee liking and allowing in their heartes all my workes better than any of their owne deuises and kepe my commandementes alwayes readie and willing to do or not to do any thing as they be taught bidden of me Wherfore O mortall man sayth the eternall God concerning imagerie in the which is more noysome poison of counterfet corruption than auaileable profit of true representation of my good creatures purely and plentifully made and placed euery where by mée vnto my honour and glorie and vnto thy comforte and commodity if thou do loue and not hate me if thou wouldest escape vengeaunce and purchase mercie of mée take heede and beware that thou do not follow any subtile reason craftie inuention or common custome contrarie vnto this my commaundement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine For the Lorde will not holde him giltlesse that taketh his name in vaine O man lacking light and void of knowledge the Lord thy God that can be resembled by nothing nor named by anie word according vnto the worthinesse of his glorious maiestie and yet wil by many words and works notifie himselfe vnto thée as is for thy capacitie and commoditie hée commaundeth and teacheth thee with suche reuerent diligence to hearken vnto his woord and regarde his workes and such his ordinarie meanes as may make continue and increase in thée vnfayned feare and loue of him by true knowledge and remembrance of him Wherefore Thou shalt not take in vaine without increase of honour vnto him and comforte vnto thée his name in anie of his wordes or workes especially his holy Scriptures and godlie saccraments For the Lorde God which by his woordes and woorkes doth declare and witnesse sufficiently vnto a ll men anye truthe wil not holde him giltelesse will not iudge him out of fault or suffer him escape vnplagued that taketh his name in vaine that taketh and abuseth his holy worde good creature or blessed ordinaunce to couer or confirme any lies and vanities or else refuseth and neglecteth the same as not necessarie and sufficient to teache trie and wytnesse any godlie truthe and veritie so as is most vnto Gods honor and glorie and best for mans comforte ▪ and commoditie Therfore O man being of thy selfe a shameful lier and yet by Gods grace called and ordayned vnto the knowledge and witnesse of God and of his truth vnto his glorie and thy comforte with dreade loue and reuerence to bring and keepe the knowledge of God and his truthe amongst men thou shalt search in the holy scriptures desire of god in faithfull prayers and declare and witnesse in time expedient the truthe of God in the name of god For vpon all such as béeleue blinde prophecies or arrogant Astronomers that call vpon Diuels in coniuring or that abuse the name of GOD in swearing or that fearing to professe the truthe haue hope in dissembling and lying will God bée reuenged when as they by strong illusion wrought by the subtiltie of Sathan bée woonderously deceyued too bée worthily plagued and damned bicause they would not receiue the loue of the truth that they might bée saued Remember that thou kepe holy the Sabbothe daye sixe dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast too do but the seauenth is the sabboth of the Lorde thy god In it thou shalt do no manner of worke thou and thy sonne and thy daughter and thy man-seruant and thy mayde seruant and thy cattell and the stranger that is within thy gates For in syxe-dayes the Lorde made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seauenth day wherfore the Lorde blessed the seauenth daye and hallowed it O man bannished out of pleasaunt Paradise for thy sinne vnto painfull penance vpon earth to eate there thy breade in the sweate of thy face all the dayes of thy life and yet by the grace of God hauing prouided and graunted vnto thée for release and reléefe a holy sabboth of solace in the Lord thy God now in all trauayle and laboures duely seruing thine owne necessitie thou mayst and shouldest feele cheereful comfort in mindfull remembrance of keping a holy Sabboth vnto Gods glorie And as the last day and ende of the weeke was the sabboth of the Iewes so after all trauayle and labours in this life to bée ended by death beginneth rest and quietnesse in the Lorde eternally to continue wythout any ende or feare of death and in euerie Christen congregation certaine times be appointed for all men to ceasse from bodily labours that they may with more quietnesse of mynde receiue more spiritual comfort yea and euerie man priuately hath
Christ by his comming and suffering hath abolished all figures and shadows of sacrifices and ceremonies ouercomming in déede sinne death and damnation and ascending bodily vp into heauen hath sent downe the holie ghost to beare witnesse and work with the preachers of his gospell vpon earth whiche as faithfull messangers of the Lorde earnestly exhorte and humbly beseech men in Christ that they woulde bée reconciled vnto god Wherfore now after sufficient experience and tryall of all things and vtter abolishement of such as nowe might bée euil or vnprofitable God the father of mercie and pitie through the merits meanes of Christ his son by the power and presence of the holie Ghost euer woorking and witnessing with the Ministers of the Gospell doth so mooue and dispose purifie and sanctifie the harts and mindes of men as teacheth and causeth them by fayth to flee dangers of dānation deserued by their owne déedes vnto assurance of saluation in Christes merites They be taught to beleue in God by the sonne the spirite the woorde and messangers of God. I do not meane that they be taught only to say I beléeue as the Church doth or only to say the summe of a good beléefe in an vnknowen language but that as God by the minister of his worde and power of his spirit teacheth so their heartes and minds conceiue their mouthes confesse and the fruites of their charitable works bée agreable in such wise as euery one of them most truly and comfortable doth think and may say with the holie catholike Church I beleue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth I which was by nature a childe of wrath borne and liuing in sinne vnder Sathan in the kingdome of darkenesse nowe of grace through the holy ghost by the immortall séede of Gods worde being newe begotten and new borne vnto the kingdome of God Do beleeue as certainely as of moste sure ground and as throughly as of great triall and experience I do know and trust in god the father almightie that God which is all goodnesse in himselfe hath of his fatherly loue and almightie power made mée his good creature and deer child so that he will for euer be a gracious God and louing father vnto me which is the maker of heauen and earth which hath created and made doth rule and order al things in heauen and earth vnto his honour and glorie and vnto my comfort and cōmoditie For as hée being the Lord ouer all hath declared himself to bée a father vnto me by his promise so I am sure of the inheritance of all being his childe by faith And in Iesus Chryste hys onely sonne our Lorde I haue good knowledge by sure truste in Iesus the Sauioure of his people from their sinnes that I shall bée saued from my sinnes and from all euilles throughe Christ the annointed King priest and prophet that I shall bée a christian that I shal be annointed with grace of Christes spirit to be partaker of the kingly priesthode and godly wisedome of Christ that in such holinesse righteousnesse and godlinesse as is acceptable before him I may offer the sacrifice of my selfe in seruing him al the dayes of my life and haue the crowne of glory with him in his kingdome in the kingdom vnto the which he hath redéemed vs that is of nature and substance vnto God his only sonne making vs his brethren and Gods children by grace and adoption so that wée must take him to be our Lorde obeying the authoritie learning the doctrine and following the example of him as of our onely gouerner scholemaster and pastour VVhich vvas conceyued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary Which in taking by the holy Ghost of a pure virgine our flesh vpon him hath purified vs from our sinnes to be sanctified in his righteousnesse VVhich suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Suffered vnder a Iudge the iudgement of death due for our sinnes to purchase for vs of god his father the reward of his righteousnesse to giue vs example and grace to followe his obedience He vvas crucified Bearing the curse of the lawe to get and giue vnto vs the blessing of grace hee Died and vvas buried So that nowe our bodies mindes with him should bée mortified and buried frō sin and not die and damned in sin for hee Descended into hell He suffered all extremitie not onely in bodie but also in soule that we should suffer no more than we might be able to bear and that no paynes or punishment for sinnes should be plagues of vengeance to destroy vs but rather corrections of fatherlie loue to amende vs. The thyrd day he rose againe from the dead The day and time appointed and afore prophecied with victorie ouer Hell Death and Damnation hée rising from the deade did make death a ready and spéedie passage for vs vnto life teaching and strengthning vs to ryse forth of sinne and walke in newnesse of life after him that Ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the father almighty And like as the sunne at midday so he in bodily presence lifte vp from the earth into heauen there in glory of Gods maiestie abiding doth from thence shine and shewe his vertue and goodnesse by the power of his spyrite most presently and comfortably vnto all creatures in euery place vpon the earth and as hée ascended bodily into Heauen to replenishe all things euen so in the same bodie From thence he shal come to iudge the quick and dead From heauen whither as he did ascende in the sight of his disciples so from thence in the sighte of all men shall hée come not only in spirite and power as he is at all times in all places but also in his bodie glorified with maiestie as he is nowe in heauen and shall not come from thence vntill the last day when as all men both dead afore and liuing then shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortalitie vnto suche state as shall euer continue either in hel or in heauen according vnto the righteous iudgement of Christe in the which hee shall declare and take all vs that be vnfayned Christians to be the blessed children and heires of God with him in that kingdome which could neuer by any works or merites of any man haue bene deserued or purchased but onely in Christe vnto Christians of the only gracious goodnesse of god hath for euer bene prepared I beleue in the holie Ghost I haue knowledge with sure hope in the holy spirit of God equall with the father and the sonne proceeding from the father and the sonne to sanctifie beautifie Christes Church that I shall be sanctified from all sinnes and endued with all good giftes of grace as God seeth is moste necessarie expediente for mée to edifie and not to destroy Yea I beléeue that by him all Gods creatures be sanctified and made holie vnto all godly men and that without him there can be