worde vpon vs and we lyke most brutyshe beastes hauing as yet refused the same and taken no delyght at all therein let vs harken what he sayth vnto vs. Unto whom shall I speake and admonishe sayth the Lord that they may heare Beholde their cares are vncircumcised and they can not hearken beholde the worde of the Lorde is vnto them as a reproch and they haue no delight at all therein For the Pastores they are become as beasts and haue not sought the Lord therefore haue they none vnderstanding And the wise men of the worlde they are ashamed of the worde of God Lo saith the Lord. They haue reiected the worde of the Lord and therefore what wysedome can there be in them And the people lykewyse they are spoyled for lacke of knowledge and haue also refused it Therfore heare O earth sayth the Lord I wyll cause a Plague to come vpon this people euen the fruite of their owne imaginations and because they haue refused knowledge I wyll also refuse them and as they haue not taken heede vnto my worde but cast it off euen so wyll I cast off them Wherfore seeing that the Lord hath commaunded the earth to heare what a controuersie he hath therewith and euer more hath had and onely for the contempt and reiecting of his holy worde and we as full of impietie in that kinde as euer any Nation was My purpose is to bring to your remembraunce his iudgementes of olde and to lay them before your eyes as the Prophet sayth he did before his to the end that who so is wyse amongst you as sayth the same Prophet may obserue and vnderstand these thinges and also beholde with the Apostle both the louing kindnes and the seueritie of the Lord His louing kindnes towardes all those that haue delighted in his holy word and by faith imbraced his couenantes therein conteyned and with willingnes obeyed his commandementes and his seuerity against all those that haue rebelled against him and the same That so when you haue heard seene how seuere a Iudge the Lord is you may with all speede euen while it is called To day get you to the Booke of God that so you may heare his voyce and to plough vp the fallowe grounde of your hart that so that immortall seede of the worde of God may take such deepe roote therein as that it may beget you anew euen to the bringing foorth of fruite not only of thyrty or sixty folde but also euen of a full hundreth The which the Lord for his mercies sake graunt vnto vs euery one Amen The Iudgementes of God vpon the Angelles that sinned and likewyse vpon our fyrst Parentes and the rest of the olde worlde SO farre foorth as the Scripture speaketh of Angelles or of other creatures or of any other matter els whatsoeuer so farre may we be bolde to speake and not further For the hid thinges belonge vnto the Lorde but the reuealed thynges belonge vnto vs and our chyldren for euer sayth Moses First then for those Angels which through rebellion agaynst the Lorde beganne to exalt them selues not being contented with their first estate but grudging therat and also repining at the glorious estate of Mankinde and so leauing their owne habitation and calling them the Lord hath not spared but cast them downe euen into the bottomles pit of Hell and hath delyuered them into cheynes of darknes to be kept vnto damnation euen vnto the Iudgement of the great and terrible day of the Lorde Agayne our fyrst Parentes whom the Lorde had created in so glorious an estate euen after his owne image and lykenes and giuen them rule ouer the workes of his handes and dominion and Lordshyp ouer all his creatures yet full sone forgate they his precepts and cast off his commaundementes Wherefore he suffered not them to continue in this their fyrst honour but presently tooke he away euen all their glory and so they became lyke vnto the Beastes that peryshe And through that one offence of theirs sinne entred into the worlde and death by sinne which death went ouer all men for asmuch as all men haue sinned for by that one offence the fault came on all men to their vtter condemnation And Kain their eldest Sonne who was of the wicked euen that seede of the Serpent that should begin to bruse the heele of the seede of the woman hee I say made plaine their corruption for he continued in striuing against the Lord and despised the couenant of saluation pronounced to his father Adam in Paradise the which couâ—…nant he was taught as well as his brother Abell and yet would he not imbrace the same by faith as his brother did but made a mocke thereat and trode vnder foote the Sonne of God So that this his great wickednes by the euent appeared in that he murdered his owne brother whereby hee shewed himselfe to be of his Father the Deuill who as our Sauiour sayth was a murderer from the beginning that is to say from the very first day of Adam his creation for the which cause this Kaâ—…n had an open curse and was excommunicated from the presence of the Lorde euen as a vacabonde and a runnagate giuen ouer to his owne wayes His wicked posteritie as rotten braunches of an euill roâ—…te hold on in the lyke vngodly dealings and euill sayings Unto whom Henoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied saying Beholde you wicked ones the Lorde commeth with thousands of his Saincâ—…s to giue iudgement against al men and to rebuke all the vngodly amongst them of all their wicked deedes which they haue vngodlie committed and of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against the Lorde Now if you will know what they sayd the holy Ghost doth tell you how that they sayde vnto God Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes and lykewise they asked what the almightie colde do for them notwithstanding he had filled their houses with all good things Yea and moreouer though Noe were a Preacher of righteousnesse vnto these wicked ones by the space of sixe score yeares all which time he prepared himselfe to the making of the Arke through the which he condemned the whole worlde yet notwithstanding they made but a floute of the threatninges of the Lord saying Where is the promise of his comming for euer since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation And moreouer tush say they let vs eate and drinke and take our pleasure Let vs marrie and giue in marriage Let vs build our houses huge and high and so foorth And thus were these wicked wretches willingly ignorant euen vnto the very day that Noe went into the Arke and would not know how that the same word which in the begeinning caused the waters to vncouer the earth might
A Direction to the waters of lyfe Come and beholde How CHRIST shineth before the Law in the Law and in the Prophetes and withall the iudgements of God vpon all Nations for the neglect of his holy worde wherein they myght haue seene the same Both which are layde before your eyes in this litle discourse by ROGER COTTON Draper Imprinted at London for Gabriell Simson and William White and are to be solde at their house in Fleete lane 1590. TO THE GODLIE AND LEARNED MAISTER HVGH BROVGHTON TEACHER OF DIVINITIE GRACE AND peace in Christ. FOR as much as it hath pleased the Lorde Right reuerent to make your selfe vnto me a most comfortable Father in that you haue begotten me vnto Christe euen as Paule did Tymothie nay rather as he did Onesimus that is much more then from a seruant of Philemon to be a brother of Pilemon euen from a seruaunt of sinne to be a seruaunt of Iesus Christe For as much I say as it hath pleased the Lord you shoulde beget me after this sort I thought good to present vnto your learned view some part of the fruites of your owne labour in me begotten not to the intent in any respect to benefite your selfe therewith sauing that you wyll reioyce to see that your labour on me bestowed is not altogeather lost but onely to the intent to incourage others to the studie of the most absolute perfect word of God because that Satan our old enimie striueth styl most lyke a subtle Serpent especially to perswade men to the contrarie Therefore so much as in me lyeth I labour to ouerthrow him therein and to styrre vp others in lyke sort to take vp the weapon of their warfare the worde of God against him and to haue them constantly to hold on in the meditation thereof vntyll such time as they shaâ—…l haue skill to handle that sworde of the spirite aright and vntyll such tyme as they shall attayne vnto the sounde knowledge of euery poynt of that heauenly mysterie of our saluation vnto the which high mysterie of saluation you haue ful often as a most heauenly Orator not onely called me but also many more to their vnspeakable comfort euer warnyng vs in lyke maner to geue attendaunce for the furtheraunce thereof vnto the reading of the same most pure and holy worde of God Euen for this cause only haue I put foorth this lytle and vnlearned Treatise VVherefore seeing the Lorde hath made you a Paule from the Apostle Paule and other his felowes to plant in me these thinges and that it hath pleased his heauenly maiestie to geue the increase I thought it meete to dedicate these some part of the fruites vnto you a speciall meanes thereof humbly beseeching you to shielde them vnder your most graue learned protection that so the benefite thereof may redownde to them for whose sakes I brought them foorth The summe whereof is to shew the brightnes of our sauiour Christ in all ages according as it is sayd by the Apostle Christ yesterday and to day and the same for euer As also to what ende the Lord hath created man which is to set soorth his praise and glory aboue all the creatures that he hath made and lykewyse how that can not be done but by the knowledge and direction of his owne most perfect worde and howe that all nations and people that haue delighted or not delighted herein haue founde accordingly the louing kindnes or the seueritie of the Lord. And thus I cease beseeching the Lord to blesse you with a long and happie lyfe euen to the begettyng of thousandes more vnto the kingdome of the euer-lyuing God that so your selfe may shine as a most glorious starre in the life to come Amen Yours begotten in the Lord Roger Cotton TO THE READER I Finde in the Booke of GOD most gentle Reader that a man shoulde not be ashamed to speake of the testimonies of the Lorde yf it were before Kinges as also a charge geuen that a man shoulde not let to delyuer those glorious thynges whiche hee hath heard of by many witnesses to iust and faythfull men to the intent that they also might be able to teach and to delyuer the same vnto others accordyng as other Prophetes commaunde saying Tell you your children of them and let your children shew to their children and their children to an other generation For as much then as I finde suche a charge there geuen I thinke it no shame to speake thereof at this time vnto you but holde my selfe bounde according to that talent which God hath geuen me to make a rehearsall of those glorious thinges which to me haue been reuealed to the intent that you also may come to the Booke of God where you shalbe compassed with such a cloude of heauenly witnesses both of perfect skill and also willingnes that yf you will you may be made able to describe at large vnto others both the wysedome prayse power glory and state of that euerlastyng King and kingdome Therefore as some haue sayd vnto me Come and see the Booke of God for there shall you finde the Messias yea there shall you finde that gloryous King whose wysedome is so great that it farre exceedeth the wysedome of all the sonnes of the East or of Egypt Nay there shall you see him whose wysedome so much excelleth other mens that it farre surmounteth the wysedome eyther of Ethan Heman Chalcole or Derda I say as some haue sayde vnto me Come and see the booke of God that so you may beholde this glorious King whose fame is spread throughout all the nations euen so throughout this litle Discourse say I vnto you Therefore yf you will so do I doubt not but that you wyll say the lyke vnto others and also say vnto me it was a true report indeede that we heard of by you concernyng the wysedome of this King and also the glory of his kingdome how be it we scarce beleeued it vntyll we came and that our owne eyes had seene it But now we perceyue that you tolde vs not the one halfe of the wysedome of this great King nor yet of the glory of his kingdome for indeede it farre surmounteth the fame that we heard thereof by you Therfore happy are those men that stande in the courtes of this King yea thrise happy are his seruauntes which alwayes stande before his presence to heare his wysedome I meane in the presence of that heauenly King who farre excelleth Salomon euen Salomon who so farre surmounted those aforenamed and in whose presence is the fulnes of all ioy and gladnes But yf you wyll not come to heare the wysedome of this great King nor yet to see the glorie of his kingdome which so farre excelleth Salomons he hath pronounced with his owne mouth that the Queene of the South shall ryse in iudgement against you And this is the summe of my lytle and vnlearned Treatise Therefore yf you looke vnto
the booke of God whether this my vnskilfull draught woulde drawe you I shall thinke my laboure well bestowed and you your selfe shall remayne no longer as that lytle Syster which hath no brestes but you shall be lyke that flocke of Sheepe where not one is barren amongst them and as that florishyng Tree fast planted by the Riuer side whose leafe shall euer shew it selfe most fresh and greene euen to the bringing foorth of fruite in great abundance And moreouer you shall be then as a Pillar in the house of the Lorde your God and also as the Towre of Dauid most strongly buylt for your owne defence and shall continually remayne in the eyes of this Salomon as one that findeth peace The which peace the Lord graunt you may speedely inioy Amen Yours in the Lorde R. C. The reason why all Creatures ought to prayse the LORD and why Man ought so to do aboue the rest WHereas the holy Prophet prouoketh the Heauens and all thinges therein the Earth and Sea also with all thinges therein to prayse the Lorde he yeeldeth a reason why they ought so to doo and that is for that he spake the worde and they were created he commaunded and they were made And therfore because that all creatures haue their breath and beeing by him as the Apostle sayth the Prophet calleth them all to sounde foorth the prayse and glory of their Creator but especially he vrgeth Man to aduance the same aboue the rest because that he most chiefly aboue all others was thereunto appoynted For the Lorde speaking of his chosen Israel sayth This people haue I formed for my selfe and therefore sayth he They shall shew foorth my prayse and glory as also Moses taught them that vnto that ende and purpose they were chosen And lykewyse the Lorde speaking of the callyng of the Heathen from all quarters of the earth to be his Sonnes and Daughters in Christ Them also saith he haue I created for my glory and to none other ende but that they shoulde shew foorth his prayse amongst the rest as in diuers places of scripture may be seene So that for this cause were all the holy Prophetes and Apostles so much moued to call vpon Man to set foorth the prayse and glory of God and not onely because he was thereunto appoynted but also so much the more for that he hath done for him such wonderful and excellent thynges as first to elect him in Christ vnto saluation before the foundation of the worlde was layde Secondly to create him in so glorious an estate euen after his owne image and lykenes and as Lorde and King ouer all his creatures Thirdly to redeeme his soule from the iawes of Satan with the precions blood of Christ his Sonne as of a Lambe without spot and vndefiled Fourthly to exalt his horne on high euen to syt with his Sonne in the heauenly and highest places Fifthly to sanctifie and to endue him with his holy spirite whereby he may be led into all trueth Sixthly to lade him dayly with his manifolde and gratious benefites And seuenthly to sanctifie one day of seauen for his owne glory and to the ende that man shoulde rest from his owne workes and be workefull vnto God in geuing due prayse and thankes vnto him for the former benefites receyued And therefore as the holy Prophet sayth Let all them that seeke the Lord reioyce and be glad in him and let them that loue his saluation alwayes say The Lord be praysed Man ought dayly to consider for what cause the Lord shoulde so bountifully deale with him and beholding the Heauens be driuen thereby to confesse his owne duetie SEeing that the Lorde hath created Man to none other ende but to shew foorth his prayse and glory and seeing that he ladeth him dayly with his gratious benefites to the ende to induce him therunto O that men woulde therefore enter into deepe meditation with the holy Prophet and so consider with them selues yea and consider agayne and agayne that when they beholde the Heauens euen the workes of Gods fingers the Sunne the Moone and Stars which he hath ordeyned what man shoulde be that he shoulde be so mindfull of him yea or what sonne of Adam he shoulde be that he shoulde thus consider of for he hath made some one to haue dominion ouer the workes of his handes and hath put all thinges in subiection vnder his feete Surely therefore I wyll seeke him out to whom this glory doth belong and I wyll also seeke the cause why the Lord hath thus aduaunced me For he hath geuen me the vse of all these his goodly creatures and therefore once agayne say I What is man O Lorde that thou shouldest deale in this sort with him Surely thou hast thus aduaunced him for some great purpose and I can see none other ende but to aduaunce thy prayse and glory and that in the highest degree for when as I behold the Heauens I see that they haue neither toonge nor voyce and yet I see that they declare thy glory and the Firmament doth shew forth the workes of thy handes Day vnto day vttereth the same thing and nyght vnto nyght teacheth such knowledge there is no speach nor language where their sounde is not heard and surely to none other intent but that men shoulde be without excuse Wherefore I for my part wyll dayly say as the holy Prophet did My soule prayse thou the Lord and al that is within me prayse his holy name My soule prayse thou the Lord and forget not all his benefites Yea and I wyll also call and say Let all the nations prayse the Lorde and let all the people shew foorth the glory of God euen their saluation If man be styrred vp by all the workes of God to consider his owne duetie which is to prayse the Lord it must not be according to his owne fantasie but according to the rule of Gods worde NOW we haue considered that all the workes of God do set foorth his prayse and glory and that man is bounde thereunto aboue the rest we must consider one thing farther with the holy Prophet which is this My lippes sayth he shall speake thy prayse when thou hast taught me thy Statutes Therefore when you haue learned them then may you set foorth the prayse and glory of God in such sort as he shall like of but otherwyse it is vnpossible you should for notwithstanding Moses was brought vp in all the learning of the Egyptians yet he confesseth him selfe to be ignorant concerning the worshyp of the Lord vntyll such time as he shoulde be directed by his owne most perfect worde How much more then ought we to confesse great ignorance therein vntil such time as we also shal be directed by the same Moreouer for as much as no prayse or worshyp is accepted in the sight of the Lord but such as
shalbe done according to the rule thereof we must learne to worshyp him according to the same in no case to go one foote farther For as Moses was not to do any thyng about the Tabernacle or for the geuing of lawes statutes ordinances rites ceremonies or whatsoeuer according to his owne wyl or fantasie but in all thinges to do according to the paterne and prescription shewed him in the Mount and elswhere by the Lord no more must we in the very smallest thing we take in hand concerning the worshyp of the Lorde but in all thinges therein must we also be directed by the most pure perfect worde of God For as the Cloude was a direction to their Iornies in the Wildernesse and they not to steppe one foote forwarde or backwarde farther then by it they were ledde Euen so the Lawes there geuen by the Lord are a most perfect rule for men to walke by whyle the worlde shall stande For wherewithall sayth the Prophet shall a young man clense his way The holy Ghost doth answere Euen in taking heede thereto according to the worde of God and therefore did the holy Prophetes and Apostles alwayes pray that it woulde please the Lord to direct their steps according to the same For in no case can the Lord abide any will worship seeme it neuer so holy but in all thynges wyll he be worshypped according to his holy wyll layde downe in his holy worde for otherwyse we worshyppe him in vayne as our Sauiour sayth If insteade of the doctrine of his holy worde we obserue the preceptes and foolysh traditions of men so that To obey his holy worde as the Prophet Samuel sayth is better then al kind of sacrifice and to hearken therunto is better then the fatte of Rams Therefore let vs pray with the holy Prophet that it woulde please the Lord to encline our hartes vnto his law not vnto couetousnesse and that we may esteeme al his preceptes most pure and iust hate al false wayes and abhor al vaine inuentions Seeing that euery man is but as a beast by his owne knowledge we must learne to be made wyse by the worde of God NOw that we know the Lord hath created vs to none other ende but to set foorth his prayse glory and seeing we know also that no prayse or worshyppe wyll please him but that which shalbe done accordyng to his holy worde let vs pray vnto him with the holy Prophet that euen as it hath pleased him to make vs and to fashion vs euen so it woulde please him therefore to geue vs vnderstandyng that we may learne his commaundementes and chuse the way of trueth And agayne seeing that euery man is but as a Beast by his owne knowledge as the Prophet Ieremie doth say and seeing also the Prophet Dauid confessed him selfe so to be vntyll he went into the house of the Lorde and so through his holy worde became wyse We ought therefore to pray vnto the Lorde to geue vs grace to leaue of from leaning any longer vnto our owne wysedome as the holy Ghost vs warneth and onely to hearken withall the holy Prophetes and Apostles what the Lorde wyll say vnto vs that so his holy worde may be a Lanterne to our feete and a lyght vnto our pathes and that by his counsell alone we may be guyded as the Prophet saith euen vnto righteousnes iudgement equitie and to euery good path which thing being done and preceptes kept it shalbe vnto the Lorde a sacrifice of a more sweete smelling sent then the fatte of thousandes of Rammes and Goates or riuers of Oyle Wherefore I beseeche al you that are as my selfe euen of the simpliest sort vnto whom onely I direct my speeches and such as feare the Lord that you woulde cause your eares to hearken vnto wysedome and incline your hartes to vnderstandyng But what am I that I shoulde so beseeche you since that Wysedome her selfe doth intreate you and dayly offereth her selfe vnto you And yet because the holy Ghost commaundes that we should one exhort another I can not chuse but with the holy Prophet euen desire you to taste and see how sweete the Lord is Now if you aske me what this wysedome is that you shoulde hearken so vnto her and this vnderstanding that you shoulde so incline your hartes thereto the Lord himselfe doth tell you Behold sayth he the feare of the Lord is wysedome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding And in an other place the Knowledge of holy thinges is vnderstanding and the only way for you to finde the feare of God which is to haue wysedome and to finde the knowledge of holy thinges which is to haue vnderstandyng is for to repayre vnto the worde of God for the Lorde onely geueth wysedome and out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding So that if you searche and seeke in the Booke of God you shall be sure to finde the knowledge of the Lord and then as he is knowen of you euen so shall you feare him and also by your continuall meditation therein you shall be sure to be made wyse vnto saluation for the worde of God is fully able so to do as sayth the Apostle and therefore in any wyse see that you alwayes pray vnto the Lorde that it woulde please him to geue you such a taste therein as that it may be more sweeter vnto your hart then the Hony or the Hony combe vnto your mouth yea and more desired for your necessitie then golde yea then much fine golde or treasures for your plentie The which the Lord for his mercies sake graunt vnto vs euery one whereby we may haue suche a feeling and knowledge therein as that the bryghtnesse of the glorious Gospel may shyne most cleerely in our mindes euen to the vtter abolishyng of our former and most damnable darkenesse Certayne Obiections vpon the former exhortation answered PEraduenture you wyl now say vnto me yf it be so that we can not attayne vnto Wisedome which is to vnderstande holy thynges and those holy thinges not to be founde vnlesse we read and meditate in the Booke of God alas that is so hard that we cannot attayne vnto the vnderstandyng thereof and agayne it is for great Clarkes and not for vs simple soules to meddle withall for many tymes the vnlearned peruert the Scriptures euen to their owne destruction and so I haue heard some say that S. Peter sayth they do so But I may say vnto you in the name of God Be not deceyued for it is the subtiltie of Satan that so perswadeth you and not you onely but almost all men generally throughout the whole world And wherfore trow you doth he so Surely to none other ende but that his owne kingdome may be the better thereby maynteyned for euen as the kingdome of God is dayly inlarged where his worde is
continually taught and soundly vnderstoode euen so also where that doth want the kingdome of Satan is dayly more and more increased Heare therefore I beseeche you what the Lord doth speake vnto vs He commaundeth that we should not let his Booke depart out of our mouthes but to meditate therein both day and nyght and hath also tolde vs that the very entraunce thereunto will shewe light and geue vnderstanding to the simple yea to the very simpliest sharpnes of witte and to the lytle childe euen such a one as Timmothy was knowledge and discretion yea and that a very wyse man shall increase in learnyng there and also a man of great vnderstanding shall attayne vnto wyser counsels So that you may see that wysedome doth not onely beseeche you to hearken vnto her as before I tolde you but also the Lorde doth straightly commaunde you yf you will obey him and doth also tell you if you will beleeue him How chat his word will geue you lyght and shew vnderstanding in greater measure vnto all sortes whereby the simpliest shoulde haue no cause at all of discouragement nor that the great wyse men should loath or ouerreach Therefore whereas S. Peter saith that the vnlearned do peruert the Scriptures you must learne to knowe who those vnlearned be not the simpliest Clarkes as you woulde thinke but euen suche as haue not had their wittes as yet exercised in the booke of God For be it that a man had all the learning in the worlde in humane artes yet if it be so that such a one be inexpert in the worde of God the holy Ghost doth count him as a Babe but that simple man which through long custome hath had his wittes exercised therein the holy Ghost doth count him to be of a most ripe age and to be suche a one as is able to discerne betwixt good and euyll Therefore who so euer that he be vntyll he make the worde of God his continuall meditation he may well be sayd to be vnlearned and vnstable also and no maruell is it though by such the Scriptures be peruerted euen to their owne destruction Yea but you wyll say agayne if the Lord haue thus bound vs by commaundement to reade the Scriptures we must needes then haue a Phillip to be a guyde vnto vs as the Eunuch had to him True it is that you must haue a guyde but then your Phillip must not be such a one as when you shall aske him what is ment of this place or that or what way Sir shal I take to finde this Christ of whom you speake that so I may beleeue that he is the Sonne of God and may haue my conscience comforted in him and also my fayth so surely setled as that if tryall come the very gates of Hell shall not preuayle against me I say he must not be such a one when as you shall aske him these thinges that shall appoynt you fyrst to reade this mans Booke and then that vpon such and such places of Scripture and when you haue read them then direct you to others as such and such great Uolumes I know not what but sure I am farre greater then the whole Bible and so intangle your head a thousande wayes yea and leade you to such intricate matter and great time spending that when you haue all done you shall be litle or nothing at all the wyser but rather the cōntrarie euen frayght with a thousande fonde opinions and blinde conceytes For I pray you what is the cause that there is such a quoile amongst vs now adayes as though there were no certaintie of the trueth but such kinde of dealing And I pray you further what is the cause that mens heades are filde so full of such fonde yea and also damnable opinions but the like For doth not our Sauiour say Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures but are intangled with the preceptes and doctrines of men Euen so is the worlde now for the Papist he is so perswaded of his Writers that he thinkes there is no other trueth but what they write and vpon them he onely buyldes his Fayth and leaues the Scripture altogether and in no case may the simplier sort therein looke or reade and we also like wyse men deale in a maner after the same sort For notwithstanding we make a great shew that we loue the Bible and onely buylde our fayth by it yet is there not one amongst ten thousande that doth geue him selfe to the reading thereof as he ought to do but rather to the contrarie euen to the readyng of the wrytinges of men although the Lorde haue geuen them no such commaundement and so delyght themselues a great deale more in them then in the worde of God which in deede shoulde be vnto them their onely ioy and pretious Pearle and so euery one is grounded vpon hym whose Bookes they are affected to reade or whose fonde conceytes by them are fed But your Phillip and Guyde must not be such a one For I pray you was Phillip the Eunuch his guyde such a one I trow not for he being demaunded a resolution by that gratious Scholler whose godly exercise was like to haue good successe began as the text sayth euen at that same Scripture where he was then readyng and preached vnto him IESVS And agayne did not the maister teacher himselfe euen our Sauiour Iesus deale in like sort with his two Schollers yes for sooth for whereas they being weake in fayth and greatly troubled in conscience at the thinges then happened and yet like good Christians conferring and talking together with a desire to knowe the trueth as all men ought to do I say our Sauiour dealt in like sort with them For S. Luke noteth that he began at Moses and at all the Prophetes and interpreted vnto them in all the Scriptures the thinges which were written of him with a great reprofe vnto them that they for their partes were so slowe and dull of hart as not to beleeue that Christe was to suffer all those thinges and so to enter into his glory seeing that al the Prophetes had of those thinges so plainely spoken And furthermore you see that euen that eloquent man Apollos who had taught diligently the thinges of the Lorde in a kinde not altogether vnprofitable yet was contented to be taught by a couple of meane persons to come to a more perfect way of teaching then before he had vsed And that was to proue and shewe mightily as he did by the Scriptures that IESVS was the CHRIST So that you see these Guydes did not sende their doubtfull Schollers to this or that mans booke to finde out Christ but they founde him out and taught him by the Scriptures Nay you see that Apollos did not teache the right way to finde him out vntyll he tooke that course to teach him by and then S. Luke telleth you that he mightily confuted all
commaund them to ouerflow the same agayne But yet they found it most true for in the seuenth age of this wicked generation the wrath of the Lord was well knowne amongst the sonnes of men for they were cut downe before the tyme and their foundation was as a Ryuer that ouerflowed So that he spared not this olde worlde which nowe had continued one thousand sixe hundred fiftie and sixe yeeres but onely saued Noe with seuen more of his familie and brought in the floud vpon the rest of the worlde of the vngodly yea he commaunded the fountaines of the great deepe to be broken vp and the windowes of heauen were opened so that all the high mountaines that were vnder the whole heauen were couered because that the wickednes of man was great on earth and all the imaginations of the thoughtes of his hart were onely euill continually And therefore did the Lorde smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lippes did he destroy the wicked Yea hee made them to perish as though they had been doung so that they which had seene them might say where are they nowe But if you will know what is become of their soules Saint Peter will tell you how that they are now in prison that is in hell for disobeying the spirit of Christ who then preached vnto them by the mouth of Noe while the Arke was in making Againe if you will know how they might know that the spirit of Christ did so the answere is that euen the very same Gospell that was preached vnto Adam and Eue in Paradise and afterwardes to Abell to Seth and the rest of the godlie was also preached vnto them And this preaching was that the Seede of the woman should breake the head of the Serpent which notwithstanding being but a verie short Sermon yet was it so effectall and so full of matter as that all the whole booke of God is no more then that But as the preaching of this Gospell was a sauour of life vnto life to all those that laide holde thereon euen so was it also a sauour of death vnto death to all those that reiected the same So that for this first age you see both the louing kindnesse and the seucritie of the Lorde The iudgements of God on Chams posteritie as also on their confederats vntill the giuing of the Lawe NOtwithstanding now the former desolation of all things breathing on earth the which a man would thinke shoulde haue been a terrour vnto men for euer after yet full soone do they forget it For an hundreth and about some thirtie yeeres after the flood in the daies of Peleg do the posteritie of Cham with their adherents reuiue the olde impietie of Kain and his wicked race in that they also despise the couenants of God and the blessing pronounced vnto Sem And so goe about to buyld a Cittie and a Towre whose top as they thought should reach vnto heauen wherby they might get vnto them selues a Sem or name But full soone was the holy Trinitie aware of this their wicked intent and so he came down from heauen in his fierce wrath to confound their most foolish deuices and also to scatter them from thence ouer the whole earth And therefore the name of it was called Babell or Confusion because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth so that they were not onely cut from the holy Language of Sem but also from the religion and true worship of the blessed God of Sem the which continued in his tents Agayne in the tenth age after the flood in the dayes of Abraham the wickednes of those fiue Cities in Canaan as Sodom Gomorrah Admah Zeboiim and Zoar brake out into such filthinesse as that the stincke thereof ascended vp into heauen and cryed for vengeance to be powred vpon them And notwithstanding the Lorde being mercifull and was intreated to haue spared them for ten◅e righteous men their sakes yet could they not therein be found so that their sinnes being so great and greeuous in the sight of GOD his great anger was so kindled against them that in his fierce wrath hee ouerthrew them and turned foure of them into ashes and condemned them and made them an e◅sample of eternall fier vnto all ages that afterwards should liue vngodly So that heere the curse of Noe vpon Cham extending to Canaan tooke effect on these some part of his wicked branches Likewise in the seuenth age from Abraham in the dayes of Moses the wrath of the Lord was manifested also in most vehement sort in Egypt euen in that land of cursed Cham vpon that proude Pharaoh and his countrie the which were other braunches euen of Cham himselfe that wicked roote I say the wrath of the Lord was manifested vpō them in most vehement sort by tenne seuerall plague◅ bestowed vpon man and beast and at last Pharaoh and all his host ouerwhelmed in the Red Sea For sayth he vnto Moses concerning the Lorde Who is he that I should heare his voyce and let Israell go I know not the Lord neyther will I let Israell go neyther do I regarde his words by you spoken for they are but vaine But the right hand of the glorious Lorde ouerthrewe these rebellious treatours which in this sort rose against him and sent foorth his wrath which consumed them as the stubble and also by the blast of his Nosethrils the waters were gathered and the floods stoode still as an heape yea the depthes congealed together in the hart of the Sea to intice them in but presently the waters couered them and they sancke to the bottome as a stone And why so because indeede they had forsaken the hope of Israell euen that most precious fountaine of liuing waters But he brought foorth them his chosen Israell through the middest of the Sea on drie ground and made the waters vnto them a wall both on the one side and on the other So that heere you may see againe both the louing kindnesse and the seueritie of the Lord his louing kindnes on Sem and his posteritie as also on all others that held the same fayth His most seuere seueritie on Cham and his posteritie as also on all other their confederats Now if you will knowe the chiefe cause why these horrible plagues befell them the aunswere is because they regarded not the preaching of the Gospell of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. For as he was made the author of eternall saluation vnto all them that did beleeue in him and obey him euen so is it sayd that he that beleeueth not in y e Sonne of God nor giueth due obedience vnto him shall neuer see life but the wrath of God abideth on him But the very same Gospel that was preached vnto Sem ◅aphet and their posteritie was also preached vnto Cham and his posteritie Now
of Ierusalem knew very well that in the first yeare of Darius of the seede of the Medes as also of Cyrus king of Persia these seuentie yeares were expired Whereupon he turneth hymselfe vnto the Lord with fasting and in sackcloth and ashes making his confession and praying O Lord God which art great and fearefull and keepest couenant and mercy toward all them whiche loue thee and toward them whiche keepe thy commandementes but wee haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy preceptes and from thy iudgementes For we would not obey thy seruaunts the prophetes which speake in thy name to our kinges to our princes to our fathers and to all the people of the land O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee to vs open shame as appeareth this day vnto euery man of Iuda and to the inhabitantes of Ierusalem yea vnto all Israel both neere and farre off through all the countries whither thou hast driuen them because of their offences that they haue committed agaynst thee O Lord vnto vs appertaineth open shame to our kinges to our princes and to our fathers because we haue sinned agaynst thee Yet compassion and forgiueuesse is in the Lord our God albeit we haue rebelled agaynst him For we haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lord our God to walke in his lawes which he had layd before vs by the ministerie of his seruantes the prophetes Yea all Israel haue transgressed thy law and are turned backe and haue not heard thy voyce therefore the curse is powred vppon vs and the othe which is written in the lawe of Moses the seruant of God because we haue sinned agaynst hym and hee hath confirmed his wordes which he spake agaynst vs agaynst our iudges that iudged vs by bringing on vs a great plague for vnder the whole heauen hath not bene the like as hath bene brought vpon Ierusalem All this plague is come vpon vs as it is written in the lawe of Moses yet made wee not our prayer before the Lord our God that we might turne from our iniquities and vnderstand thy trueth therefore hath the Lord made readie the plague and brought it vpon vs. For the Lord our God is righteous in all his workes which he doth for we would not heare his voyce And now O Lord our God that hast brought thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mightie hand and hast gotten thee renowne as appeareth this day wee haue sinned we haue done wickedly yet O Lord according to all thy righteousnesse I beseeche thee let thine anger and thy wrath be turned away from thy citie Hierusalem thine holy mountaine for because of our sinnes and for the iniquities of our fathers Ierusalem and thy people are a reproche to all that are about vs. Now therefore O Lord our God heare the prayer of thy seruant and his supplications and cause thy face to shine vpon thy sanctuary that lyeth wast for the Lords sake O my God incline thine care and heare open thine eies and behold our desolations and the citie wherupon thy name is called for we doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnes but for thy great tender mercies O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord consider and doe it deferre not for thine owne sake O my God for thy name is called vpon thy citie and vpon thy people So here you see a prayer framed vpon a sounde grounde and squared by that iust rule of Moses and according to the forme of that by Salomon with full assurance beeing done according to that rule that the Lord would shewe himselfe a righteous iudge and therefore whiles hee was speaking and praying and confessing his own sinnes and the sinnes of his people Israel and presenting his supplications before the Lord his God for the holy mountaine of his God euen while he was thus praying which was about the time of the euening oblation came the Angel Gabriel vnto him to giue knowledge and vnderstanding of their deliuerance and not onely how that at the very beginning of his supplications the commaundement came forth to returne them from Babylon but also that from that very houre the former seuentie yeares were to be multiplied by seuen and then should Christ the king the most holy be killed and not for himselfe but to confirme the couenant of olde made for the many of all nations that would imbrace the same By the bloud of which couenant they should be freed from confusion and redeemed not onely from the bondage of the outward but also of the spirituall Egypt and Babell and which bloud beeing shed for the remission of sinnes and for a reconciliation of all their iniquities should cause all sacrifice and oblation to cease So that here this welbeloued prophet who alwayes abode constant in the true worship of his God notwithstanding the rage of the enimie was shewed the summe and effect of all Moses and was also heard in that which he required for the Lord euer in wrath remembring mercy doth also at this time remember his mercie and promise of old made vnto their fathers and so bringeth them to the holy hill of Sion agayne euen to that freshe springing mountaine from whence suche gratious streames of doctrine continually issued as were sufficient if rightly vsed to coole the intollerable heate of all the soules that euer were or shalbe in y e world thither I say were these Iewes the people of God agayne brought And from whence Euen from a most filthy pit that without any such water which deliuerance was so great and myraculous as that from this time forward they were not to say any more the Lord liueth that brought the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liueth that brought them out of the land of the North and from all the landes where he had scattered them yea it was so strange and so farre beyond their expectation as that when it came to passe they were euen like vnto men that dreamed or as men amased at so sodayn a decree and their mouthes were then filled with laughter and their toonges with ioy yea they confessed that the Lord had done great and woonderfull thinges for them But full soone doe they forget it for notwithstanding all this his great mercy and iudgementes shewed vnto them yet still they rebelled agaynst hym prophaning his holy Sabbaothes agayne and making them dayes of marchandice and also ioyned themselues with strang women of y â— land contrary to the law yea they greatly neglected the worke of his holy temple and citie saying The time is not yet come that y â— Lordes house should be built but they thought it was high time to build for themselues that so they might be setled againe in their sieled houses though the Lordes house lay wast Wherfore he was
againe so displeased with them notwithstanding all their pretence of zeale and shewe of holynesse that they were but as a polluted an vncleaue people in his sight yea all the workes of their handes and that which they offered was vncleane in the sight of the Lord so that hee caused the heauen ouer them to stay it selfe from dewe and the earth stayed her fruit for when they had sowen much they brought little in yea and when they came to their heapes of twentie measures they found but ten and to their wine presses thinking to draw out fiftie vessels they found but twentie and thus the Lord smote them with blasting with Meldewe and with Hayle in all the labours of their handes and onely to teache them to looke better vnto his holy worde that so they myght obey his wyll And yet for all this would they not try thereby wherein they had done amisse but thinke they shoulde well please the Lorde yf they wept and fasted in the first and seauenth moneth as they had done the seauenty yeeres before which was a thing that the Lord had not neyther would now approue but telleth them they shoulde rather geue care vnto his worde which by the ministerie of his Prophetes he had delyuered vnto them But in steade thereof they harden their hartes and geue stoute wordes agaynst the Lord saying It is in vayne to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his commandementes and walked humbly before him Doe we not see that the proude are blessed and that euen they that worke wickednes are set vp ouer vs and how they that tempt God are delyuered As yf they shoulde haue sayd Do we not see that the Babylonians reigned ouer vs for seauentie yeeres and then we were deliuered But what are we the better for that for all the tyme since the Medes and Persians reigne and rule ouer vs. And lykewyse we are cursed in all the labours of our handes But whereas they shoulde haue looked into the booke of God to see the cause of all this they are as men blynde Yea and although the Lorde geue them a speciall commaundement euen in the last elause of the olde Testament to remember the lawe of Moses which shoulde leade them as it were by the hand vnto Christe euen to that Angell of the couenaunt whom they desired to beholde yet most rebelliously do they reiect the same and so growe worse and worse euen tyll at length they become Pharisees Sadduces and such like beastes wherefore the Lord suffereth most vyle beastes lyke vnto them selues to reigne styll ouer them euen vntyll the comming of his sonne our Sauiour into the worlde And then who so blynde as the Prophet speaketh as they for whereas he that Worde which in the beginning commaunded all thinges to haue a beeing was nowe become Fleshe and dwelt amongst them whose glory they might haue behelde as the glory of the only begotten Sonne of the father full of grace and trueth yet woulde they not receyue him no although he were the day spring which was now come from on high to visite them and the true lyght which lighteneth euery man that commeth into the worlde yet loued they darknes more then lyght and to walke in the shadow of death rather then in the way of lyfe yea and although he were that true King of Israel by whom they should haue had delyuerance not onely from their mortall enimies but also from their spirituall euen hell and death and also that hygh Sacrificer whose priesthoode was not made after the lawe of the carnall commaundement but after the power of the endles lyfe euen that most holy and iust one which was seperate from sinners and was now come to enter for them not into the holy places made with handes but into the true Sanctuarie euen the very Heauen it selfe and there to appeare in the sight of God to make intercession for them yet woulde they not acknowledge him so to be but despised him and most shamefully reiected him counting him most base and vile and had no desire at all vnto him but drew away their shoulders and became styfnecked and of vncircumcised hartes and eares yea a generation of very Uypers still stopping their eares like deafe Adders and hardening their hartes agaynst him vntyll at length they vtterly denied him to be their king in the presence of Pylate the Romane gouernour saying We haue no king but Caesar. And so ioyne with the Romans to crucifie the king of Glorie euen the Lord of life whō Pylate as bad as he was could not chuse but confesse him to be their king and also to pronounce him guiltlesse and to say he could finde no cause at all of death in him yea and although the diuels themselues coulde not chuse but confesse him to be that holy one of God yet desired they rather to haue Barrabas a murtherer giuen them then the Lord of life saying Let hym be crucified let him be crucified and let his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children for euer And so according to their owne wish it befell them for moste woefull curses hath the Lord pronounced agaynst them and his wrath as the Apostle sayth is come on them euen to the very vttermost and hath scattered them as vagabondes detested ouer the whole earth for before that generation passed they fell on the sword of the Romaines who as with a floud wrought a finall consummation of them their citie and sanctuarie euen to vtter desolation according as our Sauiour standing on mount Oliuet had told them and referred them to Daniel the ninth saying When you see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel standing in the holy place Let them that read it consider of it that is when you see Ierusalem besieged by the abhominable campe of the Romaine infidels then knowe that your destruction is neere which before that age passed came to passe euen those dayes of vengeance of wrath and of great distresse to that land and people So that here we may say especially with the Apostle O behold both the louing kindnesse and the seueritie of the Lord his louing kindnesse towards the sonnes of Abraham so long as they continued in the fayth of Abraham his seuere seueritie so soone as they became bastardes reuolting from the fayth of Abraham for as our sauiour colde them if they had bene the sonnes of Abraham they ◅ould haue done the works of Abraham that is they would haue beleeued in him as Abraham did but sayth he you goe about to kill me and so did not Abraham but contrariwise he saw my dayes and greatly reioyced yea and many others desired greatly to haue seene these dayes that you see and would also haue reioyced but you seeing will not see and hearing so manie testimonies giuen of me ye◅ will
you not vnderstand that the sayinges of the prophets might be fulfilled Now if you aske me in what sort the prophets before time had testified of Christ whereby they might haue knowen him to be that Messias that should come into the worlde the answere is very plentifull and very plaine and many of them did knowe that then was the time that the kingdome of God was to appeare and all the sort of them might haue knowne as well if they had considered well of the ninth of Daniel for there doth the angel Gabriel tell Daniel when Christ the king should be killed euen to the very houre of the day wherin he dyed Likewise they had Moses and all the prophetes euen vnto Iohn to lead them as it were by the hand vnto Christ and that at sundrie times and in diuers manners so that it will not be amisse to run briefly them ouer to shew you in what sort as I neere as I can he was described vnto them First then where as Adam by his disobedience brought not onely death vpon himselfe but also vppon all his posteritie and withall lost that dominion and Lordship he had ouer the creatures of God euen the very day of his creation the verie same day was Christ proclaymed heire of the world and a ful conquerour of Satan in these wordes I will put enmitie sayth the Lord vnto Satan betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede and her seede thy seede shal bruise the heele of the seede of the woman but her seede euen hee that speciall seede meaning Christ shal breake thy head the which came so to passe when as the fulnesse of time was come that is when as our sauiour tooke the nature of man vpon hym and so through death destroyed him who had the power thereof that is to say the deuill this olde serpent The which seede of the woman was also sayd by Noe to be the blessed God of Sem whom also Sem resembled Hee was also sayde by the Lord himselfe to be that special one seede of Abraham Isaake and Iacob in whome all the nations of the earth shoulde be blessed Likewise he was spoken of by Iacob to be that special childe Shillo the Lyon of y â— tribe of Iuda who if he did but lye downe and couch none durst stirre him vp and that vnto hym the people should be gathered the which Lyon of the tribe of Iuda that holy man Iob saw to be his redeemer and was most assured to see him one day with his owne eyes and none other for him although wormes should destroy that body He was also sayd by the Lord himselfe to be that angel of the couenant that kept their fathers in the way and brought them into the land of Canaan as also that star of Iacob whome Balam prophet false though he were sawe to strike the costes of Moab and to subdue all the sonnes of Seth. He was also said by Moses to be that great prophet whome the Lord would rayse like vnto him vnto whom all the world should hearken as also by the Lord himselfe that he should build an house vnto his name and that he would establish the throne of his kingdome for euer and that he would say vnto him I will be thy father and thou shalt be my sonne Likewise it was sayd of Christ by the prophet Dauid that the Lord sayd vnto him Thou art my sonne this day begat I thee that forasmuch as the Lord delighted not in sacrifices he should come to doe the will of God That in his heart his whole law should fully rest That he would not conceale the righteousnes thereof but declare it in the great congregation euen in the middest of the congregation would hee declare the name of the Lord amongest his brethren and how that notwithstanding that yet would the kinges and princes of the earth assemble themselues together agaynst hym That they woulde make him the contempt of the people haue hym in derision mocke hym and nod their heades at him That they would hit him in the teeth with the trust he had in the Lord as though hys hope therein had bene frustrate That they would like bulls of Bashan nay like dogges compasse hym about pearce hys handes and feete giue him vineger to drinke cast lottes vppon his garmentes and part them amongest them and yet notwithstanding all this their spight the Prophet sheweth that the Lorde would laugh them to skorne and breake them to peeces like a potters vessell That he would set Christ as king vpon y â— holy hill of Sion and deliuer hym from the contentions of the people That hee would grant him the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost partes of the earth for his possession That he should be the head therof and that a people whom he had not knowne should serue hym euen such as were the kinges of Tarshish and of the Iles who should bring hym presentes and also such as were the kinges of Sheba and Seba who should bring hym giftes yea and that all kings vpon earth should worship him and all nations serue hym and that as soone as they should heare hym they should obey hym and be in subiection to hym and that whosoeuer would not kisse the sonne should be sure to perish but those that would put their trust in hym should be blessed for euermore Againe it was sayd of hym by the same prophet that hee would so loue righteousnesse and hate iniquitie and be so carefull for the house of the Lord that the zeale he would haue thereof would euen eate hym vp and that the Lord woulde therefore annoynt hym with the oyle of gladnesse aboue hys fellowes That hee would cause hys name to be remembred throughout all generations euen hys glorious name for euer and euer And that all nations should blesse hym and be blessed in hym and giue thankes vnto hym worlde without end And that notwithstanding all the râ—…ge of the deuill and his ministers yet should none euill come neere vnto hym for the Lord would giue hys Angels charge ouer hym to keepe him in all his wayes that hee should not hurt hys foote agaynst a stone And that notwithstanding himselfe should be that stone which the builders would refuse yet should hee be made the head of the corner Moreouer this holy Prophet sheweth that the Lorde woulde not leaue the soule of Christ in graue neyther suffer hym his holy one to see corruption That he would rayse him vp from death to life and crowne him with glory and honour That hee should ascend on high and leade captiuitie captiue That he shoulde sit at the right hande of God vntil he had made his enimies his fotestoole And lastly that he shoulde continue there a Sacrificer for euer after the order of
or his image or receiue hys marke eyther in hys hand or in hys forhead yea or so muche as the prynt of hys name in any part they shoulde then drinke of the pure wyne of the wrath of God and should haue no rest neyther day nor night but be tormented in fire brimstone before the holy Angels and before the lambe of God for euer and euer And yet dare the voyce of this counterfeit Lambe command and forbid the contrary saying vnto al men See that you worship the beast and the image of the beast and that you receiue his marke either in your right hand or in your forheads or at leastwise beare his name or the number of his name for as many as wil not thus do shal neither buy nor sel no nor liue vpon y â— earth And thus you see how plainly God hath noted vnto you the markes not only of the first beast but also of this counterfeyte Lambe the second whose voyce is all one with the thirde that deceiued Adam all three speake the wordes of the Dragon that is of the very deuill himselfe whose rage notwithstanding was most fiercely exercised in the first beast the Romaine Emperours for the space of three hundreth yeares yet coulde he not so preuaile by them but that many stoode as couragious Lyons most manfully to y â— trueth But after that he had bene thus tyed by good christians for the space of a thousand yeares from the dayes of our Lord so that he could not haue his full sway yet then doth he so preuayle by the second beast this lambe the popes whose commings were as you see with all lying signes and wonders and vnder the pretence of religion that al the worlde was made drunken with the wyne of their fornication and deceiued with their inchantmentes But as kinges then gaue their power and authoritie vnto this second beast so God hath told vs that in the end he will put into the heart of kinges to hate the beast and to eate her fleshe and to make her desolate naked and bare The which we giue hym thankes for we see begunne in diuers countries and I trust we dayly more and more shall see for notwithstanding all their strength hitherto yet know you that they are but that Kittim that shall perish in the end euen as Moses the seruant of the Lord from Baalam doth tel you who although he were but a false prophet like vnto these we nowe speake of yet the Lord made hym to speake the trueth herein in spight of hys heart Knowe you agayne that the Lord will consume them with the spirite of his mouth as that holy Apostle saint Paul doth also tell you yea and knowe you once agayne that the holy Ghost doth assure you that he will giue vnto them and their mountayne the discomfiture of Sisera at Magedon yea and that hee will giue vnto them the cup of the wyne of the fiercenesse of his wrath and that the deuill whiche deceiued them I meane the Romaines the first beast as also the false prophets the second beast with all that haue receiued y â— beastes marke I say all these with their author the deuill shall be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where they shalbe tormented euen day and night for euermore So that here we may say agayne with the holy Apostle O let vs often behold and beholde agayne the louing kindnesse and the seueritie of the Lord hys louing kindnesse towardes vs in that it hath pleased hym so graciously and louingly to giue vs hys most holy worde by the which wee may see as by a glasse the spottes of this moste filthy state of Rome And his seuere seueritie towardes all those that are depriued of the same Now if you will know the cause here why the Lord doth so deale as to take hys holy word from so many thousandes of people and so by that meanes to suffer them to runne headlong to eternall destruction The answere is because they themselues haue not a loue of the trueth for so speaketh the Apostle when men haue not a loue to the trueth sayth he which is the word of God by the which worde they might be saued it pleaseth the Lord to send them strong delusions that so they shoulde beleeue lyes and also to suffer them to giue heede vnto the spirites of error and doctrines of deuils and so by that meanes to depriue themselues of the true light which should giue them life wherby in y â— end they might be damned and onely because they would neyther receiue nor beleeue the trueth but rather delighted in the preceptes and doctrines of men and as concerning the doctrine of lyfe had no courage to goe on forward but rather delighted to remayne therin as children euer ready to wauour and to be carryed about with euery winde of straunge doctrine and to bee as wandering starres who easily fall from theyr standing And therefore well worthy is the blackenesse of darkenesse reserued to such for euer Wherefore let vs that account our selues Christians be thankfull vnto the Lord that it hath pleased hym to call vs from the power of this damnable darkenesse euen to the most cleere light of the glorious Gospel and let vs not onely be thankfull vnto the Lord for that it hath pleased him to call vs out of this mysticall Babylon but let vs also be much more carefull then heretofore wee haue bene to let the heauenly lerusalem come into our mindes and let vs in any wise giue an entrance to the building of this spirituall worke by the moste holy word of God and euermore hold fast that sworde of the spirite in the one hand while we worke with the other that so we may put in feare al such enemies as would hinder or keep backe this spirituall building And let vs also giue more diligent heede as the Apostle commandeth vs vnto the thinges which we haue heard least at anie time wee should let them slip for if the wordes spoken by Angels was steadfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of reward as before we haue seene howe then shall we escape if wee neglect so great saluation since the Lord hath spoken vnto vs in these last dayes by the sonne hymself whose doctrine was further confirmed vnto vs by them that heard hym Therefore let vs in any wise I say giue more aboundant heede vnto the thinges which we haue heard of hym least we also be plucked away with the error of the wicked and so fall from our owne steadfastnesse for assuredly in the same condemnation are all they who liue in ignorance of his truth and despise the knowledge of hys holy word Therefore it is meete you learne to redeeme the tyme euen this very houre and not to moue the patience of God any longer for assure your selfe
confessed that they were strangers and pilgrimes on earth for they that say such thinges declare plainly that they seeke a country not hereupon earth but the desire a better that is an heauenly wherefore God is not ashamed of them to be called theyr God and hath prepared for them an heauenly eitie Now then seeing that fayth is the ground of thinges hoped for and the euidence of thinges whiche are not seene Let vs in any wise vse the meanes that God hath appoynted to come therby And seeing we are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses Let vs also cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth on so fast and let vs runne the race with patience that is set before vs still looking vnto our Lord and Souiour Iesus Christ who is the author and finisher of our fayth And let vs aboue all thinges take heede that we despise not him that speaketh For if all these whiche before I spake of and manie more escaped not which refused those that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from heauen And seeing we know that the iudgementes of God are according to truth agaynst all them that haue so lyghtly regarded to heare and knowe and haue counted them worthy of death which haue done so let vs not thinke if we doe the same that we shall escape the iudgementes of God but that the like famine will befall vs and our nation that hath befallen others I do not meane a famine of bread as made of corne but of that heauenly bread the worde of God Therfore seeing his word is no vaine word as Moses saith concerning men but is euen their very life Let vs as y ◠Apostle sayth as new borne babes desire the sincere milke therof that so we may grow thereby both in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ especially forasmuche as that in the knowledge of him standeth our eternal life no where els is he to be found but in the holy scriptures for so he hymselfe hath sayd in these words Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life so you shal for they are they that testifie of me by whō you haue your life breath being and that eternally but you will not come vnto me sayth hee that ye might haue life Therefore hath the holy Ghost sayd in another place hee that obeyeth not the sonne of God shall neuer see life but the wrath of God abideth on hym Seeing therefore that the sonne hath giuen commandement to search the Scriptures and the father that we should not let them depart out of our mouthes and the holy Ghost hath pronounced a blessing onely on them whiche doe therein delight Let vs in anye wise take vnto vs as the Apostle commandeth euen the whole armour thereof and with the holy Prophet make it our onely meditation continually then shall we be sure to prosper and to haue good successe for so the Lord himselfe hath tolde vs yea then shall we be like a tree that florisheth beeing planted by the riuer side which bringeth forth her fruit in due season yea then shall our prosperitie be as a floud and our righteousnesse as the waues of the sea for then will the sonne of righteousnesse hymselfe ouershadow vs vnder whose winges we shall be sure to finde euerlasting health and safetie whereas otherwise we see that God is a consuming fire and hath troden downe the wicked that would not delight herein as wee haue seene in all ages Therfore most heartily I beseech you yea and beseech you agayne and agayne that you will alwayes remember that great commandement of the Lord our God whiche is this Euen to remember the law of Moses his seruant the which he hath commanded with al his statutes and iudgementes and also that most sure word of the holy prophetes with the commandementes of the apostles of our Lord and sauiour and to labour therein both day and night that so you may remayne no longer as children without vnderstanding but to bee of a most ripe age therin and that so it may be sayde of you This people is onely wise and of an vnderstanding heart For they haue knowne the holy scriptures from their childhood which are onely able to make them so to be Come therefore I beseeche you and let vs with the holy prophet confesse before all men say Oh how loue we the law of the Lord It is our onely meditation continually we haue had as great delight in the way of his testimonies as in all maner of riches Therefore shall our eyes preuent the night watches to meditate in hys word because the law of hys mouth is better vnto vs then thousandes of gold siluer yea we hys seruants wil continually meditate in hys statutes and hys testimonies shall be our delight and our onely councellors And because that by hys preceptes hee hath quickened vs wee will neuer forget his word but wee will still hearken vnto hys voyce that so wee may learne to feare it and diligently to obey it all the dayes of our life And we wil also set vp the Lord this day to be our God we wil walke in his wayes and keepe his ordinances hys commaundementes and his lawes for euer and his voice alone will we obey And so doing the Lord our God will set vp vs to be a pretious people vnto himselfe as he hath promised yea so shall wee be set on high aboue all nations of the earth in prayse in name and in glory yea so shall we be counted an holy people vnto the Lord whiche in time past were not a people so shall our enemies that dayly rise agaynst vs fall before our faces yea where as they come out one way agaynst vs they shall flie before vs seuen wayes yea so shall fiue of vs chase an hundreth of them and an hundreth of vs put ten thousand of them to flight as in good part of late we haue seene yea so will the Lord open vnto vs his heauenly treasure and giue vs rayne in due season whereby our land shall yeeld her increase and the trees of the field shall yeeld their fruit yea so shall our thressing reach vnto the vintage the vintage shall reache vnto sowing time yea so shall wee eate our bread in great plenteousnesse and dwell in our land in safetie yea so shall wee haue peace in our land and our sleepe be in quiet and none shall make vs afrayd yea so shall all the blessinges contained in the whole booke of God come vpon vs and ouertake vs if we shall hearken vnto the voyce of the Lord our God and obey it and delight in hys holy worde as in the chiefest
treasure and in delighting therein learne thereby to keepe hys commaundementes and indeuour to doe them Then blessed shall we be in the Citie and blessed in the field blessed shall be the fruite of our body and the fruit of our ground the fruit of our cattell the increase of our kine and flocks of our sheepe Yea so shall we find blessednesse in all things we set our hands vnto And aboue all other blessings our right shalbe in the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradice of God we shal enter in through the gates into the Citie Therâ—…fore this one thing I wishe you to vnderstand and alwayes to beare it minde that is that euen Iesus our sauiour who is the roote and the generation of Dauid and the bright morning starre hath sent his Angel to testifie vnto you and to all men that who so thirsteth and will come hee may be bold to come and drinke of the waters of life freely And thus I end at this time my direction vnto them beseching the Lorde Iesus Christ that his grace may be with you and to directe you thyther who is the only guyde thereunto Amen FINIS Yours in the Lord Roger Cotton Imprinted at London for Gabriell Simson and William White 1590. Mat. 10 32. 33 and Psal. 119. 46. 2. Tim. 2. 1. 2. Deut. 4. 9. 10. and. 6 6. to 10. and Ioel. 1. 3. Math. 25. 15. to 31. and Deut. 6. 6. to 10. 1. Kinges 4. 29. to end 1. Kinges 10. Math. 12. 42. Luke 11. 31. Can. 8. 8. Can. 4. 2. Psal. 1. 1. Kinges 7. 21. Apoc. 3. 12. Can. 4. 4. Can. 8. 10. Psalm 148. 5. and. 33. 9. Actes 17. 28. Esai 43. 7. 21. Deutro 7. 6. to 11. Esai 43. 6. 7. 8. Esai 42. 10. 11. 12. Psalm 100. and. 117. Rom. 15. 9. 10. 1. 12. Psalm 95. Ephesi 1. 4. 2. Thess. 2. 13. 1. Pet. 1. 2. Gen. 1. 26. 27. 1. Pet. 1. 18. 19 Apo. 1. 5. 6. and. 5. 9. 10. Ephe. 2. 6. 1. Thess. 4. 17. Apo. 3. 21. Iohn 14. 26. and. 16. 13. Psalm 68. 19. Gen. 2. 2. 3. Ebre 4. 4. 10 1â—… Psal. 40. 16. Psalm 8. 3. Ebrew 2. 5. to the ende Psalm 19. Roma 1. 20. Psalm 103. 1. Psalm 117. Psal. 119. 171. Actes 7. 22. Exod. 10. 26. Exodus 25. 40 and. Hebr. 8. 5. Numb 9. 15. to the ende Psalm 119. 9. Iohn 4. 22. 23. 24. Matthe 15. 9. 1. Sam. 15. 22. Psalm 119. 36 Psal. 119. 113. Psalm 119. 79 Ieremy 10. 14. Psalm 73. 22. 17. Pro. 3. 5. Psalm 85. 8. Micah 6. 1. Habakuk 2. 1. Psal. 119. 105. Psalm 73. 24. Pro. 2. 9. 10. Pro. 1. Hebrew 3. 13 1. Thessa. 5. 11 psalm 34. 8. Iob. 28. 28. Pro. 9. 10. pro. 2. 6. and Iames. 1. 5. 2. Timo. 3. 15. The fyrst Obiection 2. Peter 3. 16. Ioshua 1. 8. Deu. 6. 6. to 1â—… Psal. 119. 130. Pro. 1. 4. 2. Timo. 3. 15. Pro. 1. 5. Hebr. 5. 13. 14 An other Obiection Actes 8. 27. to the ende Math. 22. 29. and. 15. 9. Flat agaynst the commaundement of God Actes 8. 35. Luke 24. 13. to 36. Luke 24. 27. Actes 18. 24. the ende Hebrew 4. 12. Iohn 5. 39. Actes 17. 11. An other Obiection Psalm 1. 2. Peter 1. 19 Actes 20. 32. Mark 4. 24. Math. 24. 23. to 27. Mark 13. 5. 6. 21. 22. 23. Luke 8. 18. A Question Psalm 119. 92 Iohn 3. 26. to the ende Iohn 1. 39. 41 45. 46. Iohn 4. 41. 4â—… 2. Timo. 3. 15. 16. 17. Psal. 119. 130. Ioshua 1. 8. Iohn 5. 39. and. 3. 36. Deutro 32. 47. Actes 19. 19. Ieremy 15. 16. Iob. 23. 12. A Question Luke 24. 27. Actes 26. 22. Actes 20. 27. Actes 26. 23. An other Obiection 1. Timo. 1. 4. Mala. 2. 7. Psalm 12. 6. Pro. 30. 5. Roman 15. 4. Psalm 72. 10. Esai 60. 7. Deutro 7. 1. Deutro 32. 8. Gene. 9. 26. 27. Psalm 83. 6. to 9. Math. 13. 19. 20. 23. Mark 4. 3. â—…o 21. Luk. 8. 5. to 16 Reuel 22. 19. Deutro 29. 29. Rom. 15. 4. As those in Luke the. 11. 52. and Math. 25. 13. Pro. 2. 3. 4. 5. Math. 6. 19. 20 21. An other Obiection 1. Cor. 8. 1. 2. Cor. 12. 11. 1. Corin. 14. 20 Colo. 1. 9. Ephes. 1. 16. 17 Rom. 10. 1. 2 3. 4. 5. Roma 15. 14 1. Cor. 1. 5. and 10. 1. and. 12. 1. 31. and. 14. 1. 12. 15. 20. and 15. 34. Gala. 4. 19. Psalm 119. 66. Hosea 4. 6. 1. Cor. 13. 1. to the ende Ezek. 28. 3. to 8. Esai 14. 13. Dan. 4. 27. Dani. 4 28. to the ende 2. Sam. 17. 14. 23. 1. Corin. 1. 17 to the ende 1. Cor. 1. 18. â—…3 1. Tim. 6. 17. Pro. 23. 4. 1. Cor. 3. 18. Psal. 10. 3. 4. 5. Pâ—…alm 14. 1. and. 53. 1. Titus 1. 16. Iob. 21. 14. Roma 10. 2. 3. Esai 65. 5. Gala. 3. 3. Luk. 11. 35. 36 Ephe. 3. 18. and 1. Timo. 3. 16. Math. 23. 23. 24. 25. 26. Mark 7. 1. to 15. and Luke 11. 38. to 43. Math. 22. 42. to the ende And Marke 12. 35. 36. 37. and Psalm 110. 1. Matthe 23. 13. 14. 15. 16. 23. 25. 27. 29. Colo. 2. 18. Colo. 2. 7. and 1. 9. and. 3. 16. 2. Cor. 10. 4. 5. The other part of the last Obiection answered Colo. 3. 5. 1. Pet. 2. 11. Math 5. 16. Ephe. 4. 20. 21. to 25. Rom. 6. 16. to the ende Ephe. 4. 22. 23. 24. Hebrâ—… 4. 12. Rom 5. 20. and. 3. 20. and. 7. 13. Ephe. 4. 23. 24 Psalme 19. 93. Colo. 3. 16. Rom. 12. 2. Rom. 12. 1. 2. Pet. 1. 12. * The workes which Abraham did as y â— offering of his Son made perfect to y â— syght of men that fayth which he had before and so the workes being added made the former fayth to appeare to be a lyuely fayth noâ—… a dead fayth as S. Iames speaketh Gen. 15. 6. and Roman 4. 3. Read the 〈◊〉 Chapter Rom. 11. 7. Ephe. 2. 8. 9. Rom. 3. 9. 20. 23 Gala. 3. â—…0 11. Rom. 11. 6. Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 4 4. 5. 〈◊〉 9. Psalm 32. 1. Rom. 4. 6. Rom. 6. 23. Rom. 3. 9. to 24 1. Iohn 1 8. 9 10. 1. King 8. 46. 2. Cro. 6. 36. Dan. 9. 4. to 20 〈◊〉 6. 23. Rom. 4. 13. Rom. 4. 16 to the end Gala. 3 1. Iohn 5. 11 Ephe. 2. 10. Ephe. 1. 4. As it is vnpossible for a good tree to be without good fruites so is it for an elect vessel or liuely fayth to be without good workes Men ought fyrâ—… to teache others the sounde knowledge of Christe that so their beliefe being surely grouÌ„ded on him they might be iâ—… deede trees of righteousnes and the planting of the Lord as it is in Esaâ—… â—…1 3. Pro. 19. 2. * Phil. 3. 3. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 to 11. and Actes 26. 5. Gala. 1. 13. 14 Philip. 3. 9. 10 Gala. 2.