we looke for oure Sauiour Iesus Christ Phillippians the .iii. Chapiter d. For wee confesse our selues to be as straungers in this lyfe vsyng the thynges of the worlde as though we vsed them not the first to the Corinthyans the .vii. Chap. e. Not doyng our bodely labour with the respecte of our owne lucre but for that we woulde not lyue idely also to haue wherwith to help the impotent membres of Christ neyther louyng the worlde nor the thynges of the worlde but receiuyng all nedefull necessyties of the bodye in worldly thynges geuyng God thankes withoute any scrupulosytie or grudge of conscience For al the creatures of God ar good nothyng to be refused if it be receyued with thankes geuing i. Timo. iiii a. For lyke as God doth forbyd all men from the louyng inordinate vsyng of worldly thinges so lykewise dothe hee permit all his electe people their bodily necessities of all worldly thynges when soeuer of two euyls the one can not be auoided God permitteth the lesse for the eschewing of the greatter in all earthly thinges Mat. xii a. Mar. ii d. Luk. vi a Gen. xix b. Wherfore the scriptures sayeth i. epist of Ihon. ii chap. e. If ye know that Christ is righteous ye know also that euery one which foloweth righteousnesse is borne of hym for euery one which loueth Christ loueth also all people whiche be regenerate in Christ Ihon. v. a not only in wordes but in actu all deedes ep Ihon. iii. c. for all people which doth the contrary be the children of the deuyll ep Ihon. iii. b. By whose delusyon our Markte men haue so long disceiued vs for the iust proufe whereof if it maye please the Kynges maiestee by the godly godly aduyse of my lorde Protectors grace and other of his honorable couÌ„sel to graunt and permit like libertie to some one of them being of smal reputacioÌ„ learnyng which be now regenerate with the spirit of Christ as was graunted to Elias in the tyme of Ahab Kyng of Israhell as we reade the thyrde boke of Kynges the xviii chap. That lyke tryall as was beetwene the sayde Elias and all Baals prophetes bi the offring of sacrifice may be now openly and only by the holy scriptures written after the trew litterall sence betwene one suche of the elect in Christ the whole multitude of our markt ministers that lykewyse al the multitude of them nowe may confer their lernyngê together or seuerally whether thei lyst then to be openly plainly knowen sene whether thei can shew the word of God written after the trewe litteral sence for the cleare discharge of their conscience for their doctrine conuersacion ye or no and if they can not all men ought to refuse to dispise their doctrine how clerkely or eloquently soeuer it be vttered and none otherwyse to accepte them but as the mynisters of the deuyll and the Beast whose marke thei beare ii Corin. xi c. Iude. c. d. e. And on y e other side if the coÌ„piler hereof a poore lay man of small litterature be not able by godê assistauÌ„ce only by the power of the Spirite of Christ to shew the word of God writteÌ„ in the true literal sence both for the cleare discharge of his owne conscience conuersacion also of all other that be regenerate in Christ let it bee death vnto him Wherfore in so muche as the people beyng present with kyng Ahab conuerted confessed God when they saw that he sent fyer from heauen to consume that Sacrifice which Elyas offred wereful certified that he alone was the true Prophet of God and that Baals Prophetes beyng ccccl. were all false teachers because their Sacrifice which they had offred remayned whole vnbreÌ„t Howe muche more then nowe shoulde the worde of God written be a sure vndoubted tryall in the playne literall sence for all Christen men to beleue and so therby also to knowe who be the true ministers of the gospel of Christ who be the disceyuers of the people Wherfore if suche tryall may be permitted in maner afore sayde who so euer should then mistrust it to be a good a sure tryall worthy to be belened of all people his blyndnesse were very wonderfull because wee haue no certaintie of the trut he but by the holy scriptures as thei be written vnto vs and by the gyfte of the holyghost Wherfore if our marked men hauyng much lernyng had also the gyfte of the holyghost in them as they haue not it were not possible for any man to disproue their doctrine and conuersacion with the holy scriptures written which wer ordeyned preserued vnto vs by the holy ghost Wherfore the cleare confutacion of them and also of their doctrine conuersacion with the holy scriptures written by one man of small literature shall manifestlye declare the incomprehensible power of God Deuteron xxxii e. agaynste whom nothynge can preuayle in whose doctrine lyke as he that fulfylleth the whole lawe yet fayleth in one poynte is gyltye in all Iames. ii c. So lykewyse he that hath a faythe to beleue parte of the holy scriptures in the literall sence as they bee written vnto vs beleueth not all his faythe is vnperfecte For Christ promysed not that any man should be saued for the beleniÌ„g of parte of the gospell but for the beleuyng of all thynges whiche he promysed therein dooyng all thynges also in spirit which he coÌ„mauÌ„ded in the establishment therof mat xxviii d. Whervuto the promyse of euerlastyng lyfe is made and not otherwise for God doth abhor all vaine hope Ieremy ii g. which is not establysshed in a perfecte faythe wholly agreable vnto hys word Ephesians the .iiii. chapiter c. Wherfore if we shoulde beleue any mans opinion to be good godly doctrine in any thynge more or lesse then is written within the holi scriptures or in any thing contrarye to the true literall sence thereof whereby shuld we know whose opinioÌ„ we ought to beleue For euery part of the holy scripture spoken by the holigost for our instructioÌ„ is of lyke aucthoritie and may no more be altered from the literall sence in one place then in an other But I speake not of the parables which christ spake to the hygh learned Scribes Phariseys the predesessors of our marked men to whom thei do succede in lyke power of the Beast beyng of a long tyme ascended oute of the bot homlesse pit Apoca xiii a. and. xvii b. But I speake of the plain declaracioÌ„s which Christ made of al parables to his Disciples For he declared all thynges plainly vnto them Mar. iiii c. And so lykewise all other partes of the holy scriptures be euident and playne to all them whiche haue the same gyste of the holyghost which the holy scriptures were spoken by Ihon. xvii c. d. Howe beit if any parte therof be altered from the true meanyng of the literall sence we are vncertayne
what to beleue more of it for because that then diuerse men might make diuerse interpretacions as thei haue doone in tymes past And few of them agree one with another yet euery man coloured his opiniō with the holy scriptures And he that had most sophistical conueiaunce temporall power to maintain his opinion with all was best beleued So that our marked men hauyng the vpper hand supprest the truth alway by terible imprisonmente and death For they made the fyer to defend them agaynst al those people which professed the true religion of the gospel of Christ Wherefore whosoeuer beleueth any part of their doctrine to be good godly in any thīg which is contrary to that that is written within the holy scriptures after the playne literall sence thereof is clearely destitute of al true belefe For no man hath aucthoritie to alter the literall sence of the holy scriptures contrary to y e other manifest scriptures written For that was the inuention of the deuyll and executed by our marked men other such his ministers wherby they deluded all people For of the holy scriptures there is but oue true sence whiche is directly plainly expressed in the letter thereof beyng compared together so that ther is no part of it repugnant one agaynst another But because that naturall men can not do that which the scripture cōman̄deth in the letter therfore they beleue not that the literal sence is always true For thei eonsider uot that there is a new creacion by God aboue nature and y t euery man whiche in Christ is a new creature ii Corin. v. Chapiter d. shapen and fourmed in righeteousnesse and trew holynesse to the Ephesians the .iiii. Chapiter c. And that thereby they doo that which the letter of the holye Scripture cōmaundeth For they vnderstande not that Article of their faythe that the true catholyke people in Christ do the wyll of God by the power of the holy gost Ihō iiii c. And that onely by that lawe of the spirite of lyfe Christ hath delyuered vs from the lawe of syn death Roma viii a. Neither they perceyue not the deuision betwene the spirite the flesh because y e spirit of Christ is not in theim For it is not possible for any mā to discerne the operaciō of that which he knoweth not of Wherfore that was the most principallest parte of our markte mēs doctrine to make the people to beleue that there was no such spirite geuen vnto man wherby he should remaine righteous alway in Christ the Epistle of Ihon. iiii a. Whiche is the most deuelysh error that maye be because it breedeth a a doubte in all them that be infected there with whether the Holy Scripture be true or not beyng written by men hauyng but the very selfe same Spirite of Christ that all other reasonable people hath whiche shall be euer lastingly saued in christ Act. ii f. the first Corin. xii b. Notwithstandyng in outward ministracion the Apostles had power to doo that whiche other membres of the same misticall body of Christ can not doo as in doyng of miracles other thynges Lyke as in a corporal bodye euery membre hathe not one office neither one membre can doo the offece of an other neuertheles euery liuely mēbre of a corporall bodye hath lyfe felyng in them And euen so lywyse euery membre of the misticall body of Christ hath one spirite one intelligence of the worde of God and one purpose of herte in all godlynesse the fyrst to the Corinthiās the xii chapiter d. Ephesians the .iiii. a. c. Ezechiell xi d aud xxxvi f. So that aduisedly willyngly they dooe nothyng agaynst the wyll of god the Epistle of Ihon the .iii. chapiter v. Therfore the holy Scriptures in the trewe literall sence is sufficiente for their outwarde instruction in all godly doctrine For within the letter of the New Testamēt there is sufficient instruction concernyng the true Religion of the gospell among all them which beleue it to be true in the literall sence And who so euer dothe not so beleue it beleueth nor knoweth nothynge that is good Luke xvi g. i. Tim. vi a. but may goloke for vnwritten veryties among these vnnedefull ministers oure Marked Preesthod For what lesse deuelish presūption is it to thinke the holy scripture vnsufficient or vnperfect in the literal sence for all godly instruction but euen a playne deniall of Christ For Christ is included in the worde and the word in Christ Ihon the fyrst chap. a. Wherefore to thynke the worde insufficient is to thynke Christ is insufficient also the holy gost to be vnperfect which wrought alwayes in them that wrote it by whō also it hath ben alwaies preserned shal be to y e worldes ende Ihō xv c. Act. i. a. Ro. x. d. Which scripture doth also manifestly plainly declare vnto vs that the Apostles lefte nothynge vnwritten whiche was proffitable to oure faythe but haue declared the whole coūsell of God beyng nedefull for vs to know act xx d. e. g. neuertheles lyke as wee haue promyses of mercy in Christ so haue we war nyng by Christ Math. xxiiii Marke xiii Luke xxi that many should come in his name saiyng I am Christ shoulde disceiue many cet Wherfore note this that Christ ment not that many shoulde name them selues Christ as it wer by their proper names but this worde Christ hath this significacion to be anoynted of GOD or to haue a godly power For Iesus was anoynted of god and had also the godlye power in hym Wherfore he is called Ihesus Christ an only sauyour anoynted of God for the iustificacion of all his elect people from syn Mat. i. So that all those men which hath taken vpon them any parte of his office in remission of synne saiyng they haue power geuē them so to do hath in so saiyng said thei were christes theim selues because they take that vpō them which was appoynted by GOD onely for Christ to doo Neuerthelesse by the regeneracion of the spirite of Christ all the electe people of God haue power to knowe to declare whose synnes GOD hath forgeuen in Christ also whose synnes he dothe retayne to iudgement For the Spirite of Christ is the onely key of the Kyngdome of Heauen whiche was promysed to the faythe of saynt Peters confession Mat. xvi c. For fayth is the gyfte of God maketh vs righteous And the gyfte of the holy ghost which is the Spirite of Christ maketh vs perfecte bothe in knowledge and power to dooe the wyll of God in spirite But faythe of it selfe hathe neither perfecte knowledge of the holy Scriptures neither power to doo that whiche the Scripture cōmaundeth for that cōmeth onely by the gyfte of the holye ghost after fayth sometime immediatly as we reade Act. x. g And of the good theife Luke xxiii d. and some tyme longe after For there were dyuerse congregacions in the Apostles tyme whiche were
ii timo iii. d. for all the wordes of god are pure cleane and he is ashelde vnto all them y t put their turst in hym Wherfore friste knowe this that no prophicy in the holy scripture hath any priuate interpretation for the scripture cam not by the wyll of man but holy mene of god spake as they were moued by the holy goste y ◠ii peter i. d. and euen so nowe y e thynges of god knoweth no māe but y ◠sperit of god which sperit sercheth althynges euen the bottom of goddes secretes wherby we knowe the thynges that are geuen to vs of god whiche thynges also wee speake not withe wordes whiche mans wysdome or lernynge teacheth but withe wordes which the holi gost doth teache i. cor ii c. praynge alway in sperit for grace merci peace from god our father and frome our Lorde Ihesus Christe to be with all them whiche loue the profession of his gosple vnfaynedly Wherfore oure faythfull prayers beynge mad to god for the vnyersal assystaunce of his graces our moste bounden duty is to pray for the preseruatyon of the moste Royall estate of the Kynges maieste my Lord protectors grace and all other of y ◠kinges most honorable Coūsell that the kynges highnes procedynges maye prosperusly take good effect to y e glory of almyghty god to the kynges honor and to the encrease of all godlynes in y e vtter dystructiō of y ◠who le Incorporatiō and power of all marckt prest hod and to restore the people of god within all his realmes and dominions again frely in to the true lebertie of y e gosple of christe lyke as the godly Kyng Iosias beyng yong of age in the begynynge of his time distroyed all the preestes prophites of baall of other false goddes and also restored the people beynge Iewes to the true worshippynge of god after the lawe of moyses As we reed the iiii kynges xxiii and the .ii. of cronicles xxxiiii Wher with al god was well pleased and is alway with all Kynges hygh powers which seke his glory and the deposition vtter suppression of all suche tirannous Ipocrires as all our markt mē be which in tim past hath caused Kinges other high powers to assist thē to execut their abhomīable deuelish tirani to maītayne al other of their abhomynations which doth fare exced all other abhominations y t any man mai read of in y e holy scriptures y e hath beenn sence y e begynynge of the worlde both for long continuaunce and also for great delusion namely it doth fare exceed the abhominations of the prestes and prophites of baal for wher baales prestes be fore the raygne of the sayd godly king Iosias caused y ◠people to worshipe Idoles our markt men haue bothe caused y ◠people to worshipe many mo Idoles then euer baalles prestes did be lyke wyse worshipped themselues as Idoles and be also named the ministers of the gosple of christe although they delite in habōndance of temporal possessiones hauynge names of dignitie lyke tēporall Princes and rulers cleane contrary to the doctrine of christe math xx d. xxiii v. mark x. ◠luke xxii c Iohn xiii v. Pet. v. a. Whiche is an open presūptuōs blasfemi of y e gosple and like as baalles prestes procured y e death of many of the true prophets of god so haue our markt mē procured and sougth the death of all maner of people whiche profeste y e true religyon in christ lyke as baales prestes dyd cōtrary to y e ordynancis of god wrytten in the lawe of moyses so haue our marked mōsters don yet dayli doth so fare forth as thei dare for fere of the temporall power cleane contrary to all the ordynaūcis of chryst wrytten in the gosple and yet wold stil be naēd to be the ministers of christe be cause they can talke of goddes worde and haue many crafty argumētes sophystycall dysputations therof and therfore thei say thei know god but with their dedes thei deny him Cit. the fyrst chap. b. hauynge but a similitude or vayne shadowe of godlynesse but haue openly denied the power therof the .ii. of Cim iii chap. a. wherby they ar plainly knowne to be the chyldren of the deuyll and dampnacion Ihon. viii f and the first epistle of Ihon. iii. b. Wherefore God sayth by the Prophet Esa i the .xiiii. chap. e. Let there be a waye sought to destroye theym which be in their fathers wyckednesse that they come not vp agayn to possesse the land And it is also writē in the Psalmes cxxxvii b O daughter of habilō happie shall he be that rewardeth the as thou hast serued vs blessed shall he be that taketh thy chyldren throweth theim against the stones for the tyme is come that whosoeuer wil not receyue the trewe doctrine of Christ shal be destroyed from amonge the people Actes iii. d. And the vngodly transgressors suche as are become vnfaithfull vnto the Lorde must all together be vtterly destroyed Esa i. g. For the Lorde Ihesus shal shew himselfe from Heauē with the Angelles of his power with flamyng fyer which shall render vengeaunce vnto theim that knowe not God and that obey not vnto the gospell of our Lorde Ihesus Christ whiche shall be punyshed with euerlastynge dampnacion frome the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power The seconde to the Thessalonyans the fyrste Chapiter d. In whiche power he is now come in spirit to be glorified in his Sayntes and to be magnified in al them which beleue The second to the Thessaloniās the first chap. d. which is the bynding of Satan and the fyrst resurrection spoken of in the Apocalipses the xx chapiter a. b. that is where as the trewe professyon of the Gospell hath ben so moche persecuted hated euer synce the Apostelles tyme that no man myght be suffred opēly to folow it Now God wyll glorifye all theim that loue it for euer and euer thoroughoute all posterities Esai lx c. And wyl clerely destroy the whole power of all the enemyes thetof Esay lx b. O consyder this ye that forget God Psalm l. d. And holde you styll in the Lorde abyde paciently vpō him yet a lytle whyle and the vngodly shall be cleane gone Psalm xxxvii b. wherfore put nothyng to the woordes of God lest he reproue thee then thou be founde a lyer Prouerb the .xxx. a as all our markt men be therfore kepe alwayes in remembraunce and submyt your selues to the cōmaundementes of god Deut. iiii a. xii d. where he sayth you shall put nothyng vnto the wordes which I commaūde you neither take ought therfrom for if any man shall adde any thīg to the holy scriptures God shal adde vnto hym the plages that ar writtē therin And if any man shal minish any parte therof God shal take away his parte out of the boke of lyfe Apoc. xxii d Neuerthelesse suche
doctrine of chryst is also a gyfte of the holy ghost onely to theym whiche be of the electe people of God for worldly people can not hate all worldly affections and lustes wherfore the vniuersall hatred thereof is also an other good fruite whiche no euyll tree can beare howbeit by this fruit the electe be not perfectly knowen but only to them selues neuerthelesse by doyng of the contrary as by louyng and delyting in worldly affections lustes the people of the world ar plainly knowen to be the subiectes of the deuil for who so euer loueth the world or the thinges of the worlde the loue of god is not in him the first epistle of Ihō the seconde chap. c. And as for the bearyng of the crosse of Christ before mencioned whiche is to haue alwai a spiritual pacience in all aduersyties tribulacions and persecucions to reioyce only in them Gala vi c Beyng therbi assured in a stedfast hope the secoud of Tim ii chapter b Roma v. a Knowyng also vndoubtedly the occasyō why god sendeth such aduersyties tribulacons and persecusyons to all his electe people is lykewyse a principall gyft of the holygost and also the spirituall conforte and ioye which the elect people of God haue therin vnto that tyme the gospell be fully glorified is cleane contrarye to the natural disposiciō of al worldli people wherfore it is lykewyse an other good fruyte whiche no yll tree can beare And where Christ sayth Luke xiii d. That who so euer receyueth notte the kyngdome of God as a chylde shall not enter therin sayeth also Mat. xviii a. Excepte we turne become as chyldren we shal not entre into the kingdom of heauē This doth manifestly declare vnto vs that all people which shal be saued in Christ receyue euerlastyng lyfe shall receiue it only by grace geuē of God in the mercifull promyse made in Christ without any assystance ther vnto of any of our owne workes Ephe. ii b. For euery one that entereth into the true rest of the Saboth of God ceasseth frō doing of their owne woorkes Ebrues iiii b. And submitteth them selfes as elect chyldren wholly to be taught lead in their conuersacion only by the spirite of Christ vnto whom they geue the honor of al godly enstructions so that thei do not after their owne ymaginacion neither seke their owne wyll nor seke their owne wordes Esay the .lviii. d Which the Scripture sayeth Apoc. xiiii a In suche a songe as no earthly persones could learne synce the tyme of Christ but onely the nombre appoynted of whome there bee some reserued by the mercifull goodnesse of God to declare the trewe euerlastynge gospell of Christ to the glorye therof through out the vniuersal world Apo. xiiii b. wherfore it is also a principal gyft of the Holy goste whiche no worldly person hath neither knoweth of Thō xiiii b. And an other good fruit which no yll tree can bere so y t by these fruites before mencioned and not otherwyse by any other outward appearaūce both the people of God also the people of the deuyll be perfectly knowen to all theim that knoweth the trewe doctrine of the spirite of Christ Howbeit the worldly people which worship the beast his ymage yet vnto this tyme thynkethe to know to deserne what sortes men be of by other outward hipocritish workes wherfor they condempne the people of God in their iudgementes as the scribes pharise is dyd Christ Tho ix c Because thei seme not to theym to be so holye in their outwarde appearaunce as the worldly hipocrites do Howbeit the best meane way to knowe who be the true ministers of the gospell and who be the disceyuers of the people if they bee straungers vnto vs so that we can not know them by their spiritual fruites before mēcioned then the surest way is to serche diligently whether they preach the gospel in lyke maner as the Apostles of Christ dyd and as Christ cōmaunded al his electe ministers to do that is only by the instruction of the holy gost not otherwyse Luke xxiiii e. For that that the excellency of the power of the ministraciō of the gospell myght be Goddes not ours ii Corin. iiii chap. b. So that all the elect ministers of Christ geue the glorye and praise of the ministraciō of the gospell wholly to the spirite of Christ which is geuen to euery one of the electe people of God which shall be saued in Christ Act. ii f. the fyrst Corin. xii b. Wherfore whosoeuer preacheth the Gospel after any other maner then onely by thinstruction of the spirite of Christ is a disceiner whom the spirite calleth Ihon. x. a. A theife and a murtherer for that that he taketh vpō him to entre into the sheepe folde of GOD whiche is his woorde conteyned in the holye Scriptures by another meane and waye then by the most holy Spirite of Christ which is the only dore wherby all the electe people of GOD entre into the trewe knowledge of the holye scriptures so that all our marked men which preach without his spirite are spiritually both theues murtherers for they are theues because they take from Christ that which is his that is the ministracion of the woorde of God whiche ought onely to be ministred by the power of the spirite of Christ for otherwyse as by outward learnynge or anye other meane or waye no man can minister it purely and truly the first to the Corinthians the seconde chapiter b. c. Accordynge to the Commaundement of Christe Wherefore oure Markte men are also Murtherers because they dooe as moche as in theim lyeth spirituallye to murther all those soules to whome they haue so preached For likewyse as we haue but one Christ so is there but one trewe doctrine of Christ and but one spirituall conuersacion for all people to keepe whiche be regenerate in Christ Ephe. iiii a. Phil. iii. c. For all our marked men which inclyn not vnto y e good wordes of our Lorde Ihesus Christ to the doctrine whiche accordeth to godlynesse are pufte vp with the delusion of the deuyll and knoweth nothyng that is good but wasteth their braines about questions argumentes stryfe of wordes with many vayne disputacions after their corrnpte myndes beyng clerely destitute of all true knowlege i. Tim. vi a. Neuerthelesse all true ministers of the gospell of Christ seketh with most diligence to haue all people to come to Christ that is to beleue all the promyses made in Christ and to seke of God by Christ all thinges that he hath promised Whereof the mooste principall thing is to be regenerate of god with the moste holye spirite of Christ without the which spirite no man can entre the kingdome of God Ihon. iii. a. That is no man can know the thyng that is godly nether wherwith GOD is pleased i. Corin. ii c. Wherfore it is most nedefull expedient for all people hauing the
baptised and receyued faythe in Christ long before they receyued the gyfte of the holy gost as we reade in the Actes the .viii. chapiter c. the xix a. Howe be it their knoweledge was alwayes vnperfecte vntyll that tyme they were regenerate wyth the Spirite of christ i. cor iii. a. viii a. For his Spirite is the oyle whiche the wise Uirgins shal take in their lampes of fayth to meete with the trwe Bridegrome Christ Mat. xxv a. And is also y e oyntmeÌ„t which techeth vs all godly knowledge Ep. IhoÌ„ ii d. wherfore s Iames. v. c. wold that the people which wer disesed shuld anointed ther with which ointment cometh most comenly vpoÌ„ the elect people of God by praier in fayth and by laiyng on of handes of the electe ministers of God in Christ in lyke maner as we reade Act. viii chapter c In which chapiter is also mencioned the request of one SimoÌ„ which offered the Apostles money to haue had lyke power to haue geuen the Holy Ghoste to whom he woulde by the laiyng on of his handes Notwithstandyng the Apostles refused hys money and also declared vnto him that he had no part of that ministracioÌ„ Neuertheles synce that tyme our markte moÌ„sters hauynge the full power of the Beast in theim haue ordeyned other thynges in stede therof to minister to sycke people aske y e ministers of Christ no leaue And doo vse also to minister to theim in chyldhod a certayne oyle or grease which is coÌ„menly called the Confirmacion of their Baptysme makynge the ignorant people to beleue that that is the gyft of the holy gost lyke as Mahomet made the people to beleue that the holy gost in the lykenes of a doue taught hym what doctrine he shoulde teache the people Howbeit the delusion of Mahomet ê preestes now at this present tyme is not so muche to be merueyled at as the delusioÌ„ of our markte men because Machometes preestes doo liue according to their profession also th 〈…〉 doctrine is agreable to those Scriptures whiche bee written vnto them but our marked meÌ„ liue cleane contrary to the true professioÌ„ of the gospell and contrary to the example of Christ of all his Apostles also ministreth crafty doctrine coÌ„trary to the holy Scriptures written Wherfore the acceptyng of them as trew ministers of the Gospell is not onely a declaracion of ignorance in godly knowledge but also a declaracion of blyndnesse of naturall reason For howe may reason conceyue truthe to be in them in whome so muche falshed is founde Wherefore what worldly affectioÌ„s so euer we haue to them we ought only to be ruled by the worde of God written vsyng them but lyke as natural meÌ„ do vse the membres of their naturall bodyes For a natural man which hath rotten teethe in hys head that dothe neuer rest from paynfull ache wyll seeke a remedy but if he canne haue none he wyll haue hys rotten teethe drawen out of his head rather then to haue all his bodye continuallye disquyeted And euen so lykewyse our Marked men are lyke vnto rotten teeth for they can not minister the woorde of God as they ought to doo And as for the spiritual ache which al godli people haue bi them we see playnly that the hyghe powers haue soughte as muche the reformacioÌ„ of them as may be yet they be as craftye as euer they were disguisyng themselfe with sophisticall hipocrisy either new or olde as fast as euer thei did the deuyl is as familier with them as euer he was Wherfore God send vs remedy of them shortly Howbeit most men be in lyke case with theim as women bee with their Parrottes for women vse muche diligence to make theire Parrottes to speake yet with all their diligence they canne not make them to talke so reasonabli as a resonable creature can And no more can no man make those ministers which be onely appoynted by meÌ„ to declare the true meanyng of the woorde of God so playnly and truly as it ought to be whatsoeuer be deuised for them For the true vnderstandyng of the holy scriptures is as dyffuse to theim as the wordes of a clasped booke which no man openeth Esaie xxix c. For God hath sent them strong delusioÌ„ that they should beleue lyes because they receyued not the loue of the truthe but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse ii Thess ii chap. c. For they ar cloudes without water trees withoute fruyte at gatheryng tyme beig twise dead wherfore god shal plucke them vp by the rootes For they are lyke the ragynge waues of the sea fomynge oute theire owne shame They ar the wandering starres to whome the myste of darkenesse is reserued for euer Iude. d. For in so much as God promysed but one Ihesus to be Christ Gala. iii. c. A full satisfaction redemption and sustificacion of all his electe people from synne Ebrues x. c. As is before mencioned all men may see and perceyue playnly what shamelesse Antechristes all our Markte men bee whiche haue taughte the people to beleue in others satisfactions other instificacions and other remissioÌ„ of syn deniyng also the power of the Holy Ghost saiyng that the spirite of Christ was insufficient without outwarde learnyng to discerne the true meanyng of the holy Scriptures when the electe people of God dyd heare them or reade them whiche is an open blasphemy of the holy gost which Christ saith shall neuer be forgeuen Mat. xii c. Marke iii. b. Luke vii b. Wherfore whosoeuer trusteth vpon their conuersion sheweth himselfe to mistrust the trew literall sence of the holy scriptures spoken by Christ written for our instruction For lyke as God is mercifull accordyng to his promyse so is he righteous accordyng vnto his worde and thereby shall iudge the worlde Ihon. xii g. And by his worde declareth also al thinges nedefull to be knowen to his people before it come to passe Amos. iii. b. iiii d. Whiche the worlde canne not perceyue For what worldly man in the Primatiue Church dyd beleue that it was the wyl of god that al his elect people in Christ should be persecuted hated of all nacions of men vntyll that tyme wherin God wyll glorifie the gospel whiche tyme is also manifestly declared in the holy scriptures both by the Prophetes and also by the Apostles neuertheles all worldly people bothe learned other are as ignoraunt therof as the hygh learned Scribes Phariseis were of Christ For the deuyll being chaunged into the likenes of an Angel of light bath geueÌ„ his power vnto marken men hys ministers Apoca. xiii a. By whome all earthely people haue beÌ„ disceiued whose incorporacion and power the holy scripture calleth the beast because the spirituall whore of Rome which corrupted all the people of the earth with her fornicacioÌ„ dyd syt vpon their doctrine was maintayned therby Apo ca. xvii a. Whose abhominacion God hathe disclosed to dyuerse Kynges and hyghe powers and hathe put in their
hertes to abhorre dispyse her Neuerthelesse they haue geuen her kyngdome and power vnto the Beast vntyll that tyme the wordes of god be fulfilled Apo. the .xvii. d That is nowe in the dayes of the voyce of the seueÌ„th Angell whiche begynneth to blowe in which tyme the mistery of God shal be openly publysshed as he preached by hys seruantes the Prophetes Apo. x. chap. b. That is that the elect people of God shall onely with the spirite of Christ the worde of God written clearely confute and confound the abhominable cauteilous delusion of all markte men ii Thes ii chap. b. Whose power ascended oute of the bothomlesse pytte and shall nowe be distroyed with all the glori therof for the whole beast shall be taken and confounded and come to nought Esaye the xxviii a. and the Apocalipses the .xix. Chap. d. So that they shall be hated and abhorred of all flesh Esaie the .lxvi. g. For the tyme is come that God wyll vtterly distroye theim because they haue distroyed the godlye people of the earth the Apoca. the .xi. chap. d. Wherfore they shal be cast into the great wyne fat of the wrathe of almightye god Apo. xiiii d. For their cauteilous delusion shall preuayle no longer but shall be vttered to all men the seconde of Tim. the seconde Chapter v. For the lyght of Israell shal be the fier and his Sanctuary shall be the Flame and it shall kyndle and burne vp his thornes bryers in one day Esaie x. d. That is that the spirite of Christ which is the onely true lyght of all the electe people of GOD shall so lyghten and kyndle knowledge in his electe high powers ministers that with the holy scriptures written whiche is their onely sanctuary thei shal clerely confute and confounde all imaginacions of Marked men which is signified by the bryers and thornes because thei be the most noious vn pfitable trees that groweth lyke as Marked men be the most falsest and deuelish people that lyueth And where it is said that they shal be burned in one daye that signifieth that they shall be vtterly confouÌ„ded now at this present tyme in the appearaunce of the second comyng of Christ accordyng to the saiyng of s Paule ii Thess ii chap. b. And also agreyng to the other scriptures before meÌ„cioned in that he half so that iniquitee shal be taken a way out of the earth and righteousnesse shall reigne amonge the people the .iiii. of Esdras xvi e Psal xlvi b. lxxvi a. For God sayth by the Prophet Esai ii chap. a. and Micheas iiii a. In the later dayes it wyll come to passe that the hyl of the Lordes house shall be set vp hygher then any mouÌ„taynes or hylles yea the people shall preasse vnto it and the multidude of the Gentyles shall hast theim thyther saiyng Come let vs go vp to the hyll of the Lorde and to the house of the God of Iacob that he may teach vs his ways and that we may walke in his pathes This shall the Heathenysh markte men see and be a shamed Micheas vii c. For the earth shal be full of the knoweledge of the Lordes honor Abucuc ii c. And all the Ilandes of the people shall worship him euery man in his place Sophony the .ii. c. And God wyll make his people to haue a good name and a good reporte amonge all people of the earthe Sophony iiii d Therfore thus sayth the Lorde of hostes let your handes be stroÌ„g you that now here these woordes by the mouthe of the Prophetes and be lyuynge in the earth in those dayes zachari viii v. For the power only of the spirite of Christ shall reigne ouer al the earth so that ther shal be none other sauyour named vpon the earth but only Christ Wherfore men shall go about the whole earth as vpon a fielde zachary the .xiiii. chapiter c. And as for all rule power and myght that is vnder heauen it shall bee geuen to the holye people of the moste hyghest whose kyngdome is enerlastynge yea all powers shall serue and obey hym Danyell the .vii. Chapiter g. For God wyll make his people glorious for euer and euer and ioyfull thoroughoute all posterities Esaie lx c. Thus shall the hand of the lorde be knowen amongest his electe people and his indignacion among hys enemyes Esaie lxvi e. For all maner of people which by grace haue gotten the victorye of the beast of his image and of his marke of nombre of his name shal syng the song of Moses the seruaunt of God and shall also syng the song of Christ saiyng Great and merueilous are thy workes lord God almigty iust trew ar thy wayes thou king of sayntes who shall not feare the o lord glorify thy name Apo xv a. For al thendes of the world shal remembre themselues be turned vnto the lorde al nacioÌ„s shal worship before hi Psal xx f. Wherfore be glad ye righteous and reioyce in the lorde be ioyfull all ye that be of a true hert Psalme xxxii c. For the Temple of God shal be open and the Arke of his Testament seene therin Apo. xi d. That is that the people shall conuerte to the Gospell haue cleare conscieÌ„ce to god hauyng his worde for a wytnesse which is the Arke of Christes Testament For vnto theim whiche haue the Lorde before theire eyes strength shal be increased Esay xl g. Wherefore God sayth also by the Prophet Esay to all Markte men the .xli. f. Stand at your cause and bring furthe your strongest grounde shew openly what scriptures ye haue in the true literall sence to deferde your doctrine and coÌ„uersacion with all For your subtyl argumentes maye take no longer place because the scripture sayeth the fyrste of Timothie the .vi. chap. d. your study therin is a false science and nought and so be al you that vse it in any thynge concernynge the doctryne of the holye Scriptures Wherefore nowe shewe your selues as coÌ„firmable to the plaine truthe of the holye Scriptures written when ye shall fortune to comen thereof as the deuyll your fyrst prouincial dyd when he was confuted by christ mat iiii v. For in so muche as he beyng the aucthor of that profession of your incorporacion dignitee and power confessed the truthe of Christ of his Apostles Mat. viii d. Luke viii d. Actes xvi d. after that he was ones confuted with the scriptures written Be not you no longer more comberous and obstinate agaynst the truthe therof now then the deuil was at that tyme and alleged other thynges to be ment in the holy scriptures then is expressed in the true literall sence therof For if ye do all men wyl know shortly that you ar worse more worthy of condempnacion then the deuyll is for belyke he had not so muche falshed orels he was not so folyshe when he tempted Christ by the scriptures to allege other meanynges therin then was expresse in the letter therof neither he defended not his owne imaginacioÌ„s agaynst the holy scriptures written as all you markte men haue done a longe tyme. Wherefore nowe froÌ„ hencefurth suffer the people of God wholly to pourge oute your olde rotteÌ„leuen for other wise we can not be new dowe in Christ for a lytle of your leuen sowreth a great peece of dowe i. Corin. v. b. For your salte hathe lost his saltnes wherfore there may nothing be seasoned therewith for it is neither good for the lande nor yet for the donghyll Luke xiiii g. That is that all you markte men which haue taught and affirmed doctrine agaynst the power of the spirite of Christ whiche all the electe people of God dothe receyue shal not be forgeuen neither in this lyfe nor in the lyfe to come Mat. xii d. Mark iii. d Luke xii cha b. Which is ment by youre salte that hathe loste his saltenesse And where the Scriptures sayeth that it is neither good for the lande nor for the donghyll By the lande is signified doctrine for the people and by the donghyll is signified temporall worldly businesse so that your doctrine counsell is not good nor meete to be receiued amoÌ„g the people neyther in the doctrine of the gospell for their instructioÌ„ neither yet in temporall matters For Christ sayth Mat. v. b. It is good for nothynge but to be cast out and trodden downe of men For who so euer fauoreth any of you which blasphemeth the spirit of christ is a partaker of your yll ii Epist of Ihon. c. Wherfore God coÌ„maundeth all his electe people to departe out of your company to seperate them selues clearely from you and not to touche any of youre vnclennesse Esaie lii c. ii Cor. vi c. the first Timo. vi b. Apo. xviii b. For your shame shall be discouered and your preuye abhominable delusioÌ„ shal be sene For God wyll aduenge hym on you and wyll shew no mercy to you as he doth to other people Esaie xlvii a. For you are the people whom god hath appointed to his wrath within the IlaÌ„des of this part of the world wherby the name of the Lorde myghte be feared Esaie lix b. Wherfore we ought to haue no more in nombre of you to remayne as ministers of the gospeil but euen so many as Elias suffered of Baals Prophetes to liue when he had confounded them by offeryng of Sacrifice the thyrd of the Kynges xviii g Howe be it it is to be thought that Baals Prophetes had not so much sophisticall conueiance to make theire excuse at that tyme as you Markte men haue now orels subtyll excuses were les regarded at that tyme then they be nowe for your abhominacion crafty delusion dothe farre excede and is much more then hath ben found in any maner of people synce the begynnyng of the worlde The particulers partly wherof by Gods assistence shal be more playnly expressed in another booke here after this Finis The worde of the Lorde remayneth for euer ☞ ✚ ☜ God saue the Kyng my Lord Protector the Nobilitie and all those which vnfainedly loueth the gospel The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with vs all Amen Imprintyd at London by Humfrey Powell dwellyng Aboue Holburne Londuit Cum priuilogio ad imprimendum solum AN. Do. 1548. Man Lawe 〈◊〉 Knowsege Pelicion Ioyfull tyme. Nâ—tâ— Abâ—osucion