Christ by his comming and suffering hath abolished all figures and shadows of sacrifices and ceremonies ouercomming in déede sinne death and damnation and ascending bodily vp into heauen hath sent downe the holie ghost to beare witnesse and work with the preachers of his gospell vpon earth whiche as faithfull messangers of the Lorde earnestly exhorte and humbly beseech men in Christ that they woulde bée reconciled vnto god Wherfore now after sufficient experience and tryall of all things and vtter abolishement of such as nowe might bée euil or vnprofitable God the father of mercie and pitie through the merits meanes of Christ his son by the power and presence of the holie Ghost euer woorking and witnessing with the Ministers of the Gospell doth so mooue and dispose purifie and sanctifie the harts and mindes of men as teacheth and causeth them by fayth to flee dangers of dānation deserued by their owne déedes vnto assurance of saluation in Christes merites They be taught to beleue in God by the sonne the spirite the woorde and messangers of God. I do not meane that they be taught only to say I beléeue as the Church doth or only to say the summe of a good beléefe in an vnknowen language but that as God by the minister of his worde and power of his spirit teacheth so their heartes and minds conceiue their mouthes confesse and the fruites of their charitable works bée agreable in such wise as euery one of them most truly and comfortable doth think and may say with the holie catholike Church I beleue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth I which was by nature a childe of wrath borne and liuing in sinne vnder Sathan in the kingdome of darkenesse nowe of grace through the holy ghost by the immortall séede of Gods worde being newe begotten and new borne vnto the kingdome of God Do beleeue as certainely as of moste sure ground and as throughly as of great triall and experience I do know and trust in god the father almightie that God which is all goodnesse in himselfe hath of his fatherly loue and almightie power made mée his good creature and deer child so that he will for euer be a gracious God and louing father vnto me which is the maker of heauen and earth which hath created and made doth rule and order al things in heauen and earth vnto his honour and glorie and vnto my comfort and cōmoditie For as hée being the Lord ouer all hath declared himself to bée a father vnto me by his promise so I am sure of the inheritance of all being his childe by faith And in Iesus Chryste hys onely sonne our Lorde I haue good knowledge by sure truste in Iesus the Sauioure of his people from their sinnes that I shall bée saued from my sinnes and from all euilles throughe Christ the annointed King priest and prophet that I shall bée a christian that I shal be annointed with grace of Christes spirit to be partaker of the kingly priesthode and godly wisedome of Christ that in such holinesse righteousnesse and godlinesse as is acceptable before him I may offer the sacrifice of my selfe in seruing him al the dayes of my life and haue the crowne of glory with him in his kingdome in the kingdom vnto the which he hath redéemed vs that is of nature and substance vnto God his only sonne making vs his brethren and Gods children by grace and adoption so that wée must take him to be our Lorde obeying the authoritie learning the doctrine and following the example of him as of our onely gouerner scholemaster and pastour VVhich vvas conceyued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary Which in taking by the holy Ghost of a pure virgine our flesh vpon him hath purified vs from our sinnes to be sanctified in his righteousnesse VVhich suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Suffered vnder a Iudge the iudgement of death due for our sinnes to purchase for vs of god his father the reward of his righteousnesse to giue vs example and grace to followe his obedience He vvas crucified Bearing the curse of the lawe to get and giue vnto vs the blessing of grace hee Died and vvas buried So that nowe our bodies mindes with him should bée mortified and buried frō sin and not die and damned in sin for hee Descended into hell He suffered all extremitie not onely in bodie but also in soule that we should suffer no more than we might be able to bear and that no paynes or punishment for sinnes should be plagues of vengeance to destroy vs but rather corrections of fatherlie loue to amende vs. The thyrd day he rose againe from the dead The day and time appointed and afore prophecied with victorie ouer Hell Death and Damnation hée rising from the deade did make death a ready and spéedie passage for vs vnto life teaching and strengthning vs to ryse forth of sinne and walke in newnesse of life after him that Ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the father almighty And like as the sunne at midday so he in bodily presence lifte vp from the earth into heauen there in glory of Gods maiestie abiding doth from thence shine and shewe his vertue and goodnesse by the power of his spyrite most presently and comfortably vnto all creatures in euery place vpon the earth and as hée ascended bodily into Heauen to replenishe all things euen so in the same bodie From thence he shal come to iudge the quick and dead From heauen whither as he did ascende in the sight of his disciples so from thence in the sighte of all men shall hée come not only in spirite and power as he is at all times in all places but also in his bodie glorified with maiestie as he is nowe in heauen and shall not come from thence vntill the last day when as all men both dead afore and liuing then shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortalitie vnto suche state as shall euer continue either in hel or in heauen according vnto the righteous iudgement of Christe in the which hee shall declare and take all vs that be vnfayned Christians to be the blessed children and heires of God with him in that kingdome which could neuer by any works or merites of any man haue bene deserued or purchased but onely in Christe vnto Christians of the only gracious goodnesse of god hath for euer bene prepared I beleue in the holie Ghost I haue knowledge with sure hope in the holy spirit of God equall with the father and the sonne proceeding from the father and the sonne to sanctifie beautifie Christes Church that I shall be sanctified from all sinnes and endued with all good giftes of grace as God seeth is moste necessarie expediente for mée to edifie and not to destroy Yea I beléeue that by him all Gods creatures be sanctified and made holie vnto all godly men and that without him there can be
is that thou mayest learne to see the dangers of thyne owne deseruings by the lawe of God and to finde and take the right way to gods sauing helth welth kingdome by faith in Christe For euen as God did once driue his people out of Egipt by many greeuous euils to be allured towardes the holy land by moste comfortable promises so dothe hee nowe by many dangers driue thèe from the wickednesse and vengeance in this worlde to be called and guyded by grace vntoo all godly comfort and commodities in Chryste iesu Amen So be it At Geneua 1556. ¶ A Treatise of the way from daunger of Sinne and vengeance in this wicked world vnto godlie wealth and saluation in Christe Chapter I. This time filleth the worlde full of daungerous euils too driue men from the worlde and most comfortably offereth the beste way too allure them vnto Chryst. THE Lord bée mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs shewe the light of his countenance on vs so that we may know and kéepe his way vpō erth with speedy passage intoheauen For nowe doth sinfull wretchednesse diuelishe darkenesse and daungerous vengeance ouerflow the face of the whole erth to driue them from desire and loue of earthlie things Nowe is the way the truthe and the life prouided of God and profered vnto men to allure guide bring them through all earthly daungers vnto heauenly ioyes Nowe bee the euill dayes and perillous times and nowe is the day of saluation the acceptable time For euen nowe God calleth most earnestly vnto men seeing them in greatest dangers offring them his exceeding mercies saying Come vnto me all ye that trauayle and be burdened and I shall ease and refresh you Come nowe when as I do call walke nowe while yée haue light Now is the world worthily condemned to bée vtterly destroyed bycause that lighte is come into the worlde men louing worldly darkenesse more than godly light doe refuse gods mercies and prouoke Gods vengeance Nowe is suche calling and crying to enter with Chryst the bridegrome into the chamber of comfort as thretneth the shortly shutting vp of the gates of grace against al them which will not come when as they bée called but tarrie to take their partes and portions with hypocrites in outwarde darkenesse which is for the Diuell and his angels prouided Nowe the prince of darkenesse knowing his time to bée shorte ▪ doeth moste furiously rage to destroy man and God therfore seing man in greatest danger and necessitie doth nowe most euidently offer his sauing health vnto man in the face of Iesus Chryste his sonne Not in the face of Chrysts bodie which is falsly fygured in colours caruings but in the face of Chrystes conuersation and doctrine whiche is so truely and clearly reuealed in holie Scriptures that it can not be couered and hid frō any mā but alonly frō them whose faithlesse vnderstanding the prince of this worlde hathe so blinded that they can not nor will not beholde the cleere light of the Gospell of the glorie of Christe most comfortably shining vnto the saluation of man For the gracious goodnesse of God dothe appeare in al his words and works howbeit towards man sufficiently vnto saluation it can no otherwise be séene and perceiued but by the light of the gospel shewing the face of Christe God and man the fauour and grace of God towards man in the déedes and doctrine of Christ Iesu whiche is the way the life and the truth which is by the gospell so shewed and set forth before al men as maketh most to the shamefull confusion and vtter perdition of them that wil refuse it and to the exceeding comforte assured saluation of them that do receiue it For the same sorte of sins which caused sundrie plages in sundry places afore times bée altogether fully flowing into this wicked worlde at this time and the same saluation that was promised vntoo the fathers witnessed by the lawe and the Prophetes signifyed by sacrifices sealed by sacraments and shadowed in ceremonies afore time is nowe playnly and plentifully by the light of the Gospell through power of gods spirit presented and profered vnto vs in this time Therefore to escape from vnder many daungers and to come vnto great comforte to walke in the way of saluatiō promised vnto the fathers and perfourmed vntoo vs shadowed in the lawe and reuealed in the Gospell a man must not sléep in slouthfulnesse vnder dangers nor trust and stay in the signes and shadowes of sacrifices and ceremonies nor in the letter of the lawe nor in the persons of Prophets and preachers but vse al these things as meanes to make him mindfull of Chryst only in whome by fayth man may euer finde and obtayne mercie and grace help comfort plētifully For be that feleth by fayth howe that the Father hathe giuen Christ his déere sonne to die for mā he shal finde by experience howe that God hathe made and doth guide and giue all creatures as is best for the necessitie commoditie of man And as the wonderfull wisedome of god doth neuer make any prouisiō but such as is necessarie so the great mercifull goodnesse of God doeth euer prouide sufficiente succour for all them that be in danger of extremitie Therfore God hath nowe sent the light of the gospell so clearly and openly abolishing sinne shadowes and figures as is sufficient to put away any manner of darknesse as shoulde not haue bene necessarie if god had not foreséen vs to haue now come vnder many moe greater dangers at this our time thā other men did in their times CHAP. II. The light of the Gospell sheweth comfortable commodities in all things THERE is but one way of saluation in Chryst onely and that hath euer béen at diuers times diuersly reuealed as God hath forseene to bée moste expedient and necessary And this saluation can not be gotten by mans workes in kéeping of the lawe but it is fréely giuen by Gods grace to the beleuers of the Gospell The righteousnesse of the lawe of God is so heauie a yoake by reason of the infirmitie of mans flesh as no man is able too beare the glad tidings of the gospell of Christ by reason of the grace of god be so cléere and comfortable vnto the faythfull as causeth all things to bée vnto them pleasant and profitable So Abraham hearing and beléeuing the promise in his séed which was the glad tydings in Chryst to come felt no losse nor lacke neyther of his natiue countrie kinred from whence hée was called neither of bis deare sonne which was commaunded to be sacrifised but had great abundance of all riches with a sure promise of blessed succession and large landes of possession and was by imputation of righteousnesse taken and named to be the friende of God and the father of the faythful So Adam whiche did not by any abilitie of free will perfitly obey Gods commaundement to continue in the pleasures of Paradise did
by hearing and beleuing the glad tidings that the séed of the woman should break the head of the Serpent escape al danger of sinne and damnation thorow al temptations troubles and trauels in this world vnto ioy and glory euerlasting in the kingdome of God. Here is an example in Adam at the first shewing vnto all men that should come after for euer that nothing is so good as that it may continue commodious and comfortable vnto man without fayth in Christ by the light of the Gospel nor nothing so euyl but that it shall serue by the grace of God vnto the profit and plesure of them that beleue in Christ according to the gospel Yea the righteous lawe of God which is a heauie yoke charging man with more than he is able to beare declaring sinne and working wrath when it is separated from the gospel fayth in Christe bringeth cursing death and damnation vnto man but being well vsed to driue and force men vnto the comforte and perfectiō of the gospel by fayth in Christ it is both holy and righteous in it self and also good and profitable vnto man Let vs therfore so abuse nothing as it may drawe and stay vs from faith in Christ and the libertie of his Gospell but so rightely vse the law and al things as they may best further and bring vs vnto Christe and his Gospell CHAP. III. A briefe exposition of the lawe wherein any man may learne to see and know himselfe THE first setting foorth of the lawe of God vnto man so as in wryting it should procéede thorow out all the worlde was in wildernesse at the mounte Sinai when as the Israelits deliuered out of Egipt through thered sea were assembled and stode round about the lower parts of the mountaine and the Lorde vpon the mountaine in flaming fire smoke cloud storme and thunder presently spake and sayd I am the Lord thy God O mortall man consider with what reuerence loue and diligence thou hearest remembrest and regardest this lawe then pronounced of the eternall God with such terrible sightes and signes and nowe conueyed and commended vnto thy eares and eyes by so many sounding voices and visible letters as make euery worde and iote euerie where most euident and present too be séene and heard of thée for the Lord thy God hath spoken written these words that they shall for euer by letters and voices be brought vnto thine eares and eyes in such sort as thou mayest euer heare and sée and shouldest take and kéep the law of God as a light commending the righteousnesse of God and confounding the vnrighteousnesse of man and as a good tutour or scholemaister to bring man from all presumption of himself towards a sure faith and trust in christ Sée therfore how wonderfully and how plainly the eternal God from the mount Sinai by infinite wordes and wrytings speaketh vnto thée in al places at euery time O mortall man saying I am the Lorde thy God. This shoulde with more thankefull reuerence be hearde and remembred of thée than if all men would say and assure thée that they bee thy freindes their golde thy good their riches thy tresures and that al which is theirs should bée thine For God hath well assured thée of his goodnesse VVhich brought thee out of the lande of Egipt out of the house of bondage These words wel taken applied vnto vs hée of more waighty matter than is the story of the bare letter spoken and referred too the Israelites only For when as these two things the storie in the letter and the mysterie in the full matter be not separated in sunder but ioyned together Then Pharao king of Egipt is also by signification the Diuel prince of darknesse Their passage through the red Sea wherein their enemies were drouned is also our regeneration in baptime wherby our enimies be subdued both fleshly lusts dayly mortified and spirituall powers continually vanquished Manna angels food as raine from the cloudes scattred amongst them is also the true liuely food of the worde of God out of the hart 's of the Preachers plentifully poured amongst vs Riuers of water running out of the stonie rock to refresh them is also abundance of the spirite procéeding from the father and the sonne to replenishe vs and many such matters so couered and closed vnder figures and shadows vnto them as could scarce then be perceiued which be all nowe wythout any straunge colours of darke shadows plainly and plentifully ministred vnto vs Therefore hearing or reading these wordes I am the Lorde thy God whiche brought thee out of the lande of Egipt out of the house of bondage Knowe that the eternal God speaketh vnto thée O mortal man which was by thine own corrupt nature a childe of wrath couered and kept in darknesse to serue in sinne vnder Sathan and art now from thence by gods mercie and grace deliuered and brought into the housholde of God as a Citizen wyth sainctes to serue God in suche holinesse and righteousnesse as is acceptable before him all the dayes of our life For he is the Lord that hath all power and authoritie Hee is thy God that is al gratious goodnesse with excéeding loue and fauour vnto thée which sayeth Thou shalt haue none other Goddes before mee Thou deliuered out of darkenesse of sin and danger of damnation too walke by the light of the truthe in the way of righteousnesse vnto eternall saluation shalte haue shalt honoure or serue beléeue or confesse with prayer thankes or praise none other Goddes which bée all Idols false formes and fashions of creatures craftily counterfeited by diuelishe illusion in mans imagination so that thou shalt not take any such vanitie to be thy god but mee which am in deed of perfit and infinit being and power goodnesse and glorie euen I onely am the liuing God and all others be no Goddes but vaine idols wicked diuels Therfore I giue thée this commaundement as a doctrine and charge for thée to flée from all euils dangers and damnation comming by them that thou mayst haue all good things with life and saluation of me onely And bicause althings at altimes in euery place yea euen the very secrete thoughtes of the heart be euident afore my face Therfore euer be mindefull how by thought word or déede thou dost honour or dyshonor me being euer in my presence euen openly before my face Thou shalte not make vnto thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in earth beneath nor in the water vnder the earth thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them For I the Lorde thy God am a gelous God and visit the sinne of the fathers vppon the children vntoo the third and fourth generation of them that hate mee and shew mercie vntoo thousandes in them that loue mee and kepe my commaundements THOV created and made by the infinit wisedome and goodnesse of God lyke vnto his image and
of Chryst your earnest zeles be reproued for that ye do not well knowe your owne minde and spirite but lamentably looking vpon the scattered flocke crie and cal vnto the father of mercie and pitie that as the Lorde of the haruest he woulde send forth labourers faithful pastors godlie preachers to gather kéepe and féede the electe people lambes and children of God in the holie Churche kingdome and inheritaunce of Christ. A meditation vppon the Lordes prayer OVr Father which art in heauen We gloriously formed vnto the Image of thy diuine Maiestie created by thy gracious goodnes vnto highest honour howe be it by our owne sinfulnesse dysfigured with vilenesse deseruing damnacion and yet by Christes death redeemed and restored vnto grace to be citizens with saincts of the familie of God Nowe altogether in christen vnitie as members of one bodie we pray desire and trust to obtayne of thée our heauenly father according vnto thy gracious goodnesse mightie power and faythfull promise vnto vs that aske abundance of thy grace That thy name may be halovved That thy diuine power and glorious maiestie may bée certainely knowen and reuerently honoured That the heartes of vs men by thy worde and prayer may bee sanctified from al sinne and vanitie so that wée with all that wée haue seruing thee in holinesse and righteousnesse may so shine afore men vppon earthe that they thereby may be occasion to honour thee our father which arte in heauen Thy kingdome come Thy worde bée so fruitfully preached amongst vs thy people that we may be thorowly instructed and taughte to bridle our sensuall appetites by naturall reason and to submit our wits and reasons vnto a good godlie spirit and to trie our spirites by the true Scriptures So that within vs may raigne the kingdome of God which is neyther meate nor drink whiche is neither superstitious ceremonies voluptuous pleasures nor vayne glorie but righteousnesse peace and comforte in the holie ghoste by the which we nowe tasting of thy heauenly ioyes may be made from henceforth wearie of all worldly vanities continually looking and praying for the appearance and comming of thy eternall and euerlasting kingdome Thy vvill bee done in earth as it is in heauen In heauen the Angels of reuerent loue do thy will and commaundement with cōfortable courage and ioyfull pleasure In hell the wicked spirits through malice and enuie repining and grudging doe torment and vexe them selues whatsoeuer they bée doing And vppon earth men being subiecte vnto sinne do think it a labour and payne to be occupied in any thing that is good and godlie Wherefore we pray that the grace of thy heauenly spirit may so worke in our earthly bodies that wée beyng deliuered from sinne and vanitie may fréely delight and take pleasure to doo thy will and commandement beyng declared by thy worde to vs men vpon earth as thy glorious Angels do which be in heauen Giue vs this day our dayly bread We hauing great néede not able of our sclues to deserue any thing beséeche thée of thy fatherly goodnesse to giue fréely vnto all vs in generall So that none bée hurt nor hindered seuerally this day when as wee crie constreyned by present néede not craftily crauing for vaine care against to morrowe our dayly bread our dayly and necessary foode and reléefe both bodily and ghostly And especially so that the spirituall foode of Christes fleshe and his bloude by dayly preaching of the Gospell and administration of the Sacramentes may replenishe our hearts and mindes with continuall remembrance of Christes death and his passion dayly to bée vsed for necessary and spirituall consolation Forgiue vs our rrespasses as vve forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Giue vnto vs that féeling our owne sinfulnesse to néede and desire thy merciful forgiuenesse of our faultes and trespasses which we haue committed against thée so that we fréely forgiuing all other that haue offended vs in any thing whatsoeuer it be may bée sure that mercy springing in thée hath procéeded vnto vs and being graciously offered of thée hath bene thankfully receyued of vs and being charitably vsed of vs towardes other shall most certainly bée cōfrmed and enlarged of thée towards vs So that by frée mercie springing and proceeding from thée all faultes may bée fréely forgiuen euen as those which other haue committed agaynste vs so likewyse those which we haue done againste thée And lead vs not into temptation Suffer not the diuell by the abuse of thy benefites to leade vs captiues into deceytfull and damnable temptation drawing vs by daintie meats vnto gréedy gluttony ▪ by money and richesse vnto vnsatiable couetousnesse and by welth and prosperitie vnto pride and vaine glory and by all thy godly gracious giftes vnto euery diuelishe abhominable sinne But deliuer vs from euill Deliuer our goodes from abuse our bodies from corruption our soules from dānation deliuer vs by Christ Iesu from the bondage of sinne vnto the liberty of the Gospell so that from all daunger of diuelishe temptation trayning and entycing men towardes damnation we may be deliuered to serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse al the dais of our life with most certaine and sure hope of euerlasting saluation through Christ Iesu in whome our hope and thy promis is most certayne that is to say Amen Youre tyme is shorte your daungers bee greate you are vvell vvarned by Gods vvord vvritten Mark. xiij Take heede watche and praye Take heede that your hearts and myndes bee not made heauie harde and dull vvith meates and drinkes vaine pleasures or worldly cares VVatch with diligence to doo youre owne duties in destrous looking for Christes comming Pray that yee may escape all dangers and stande in grace and fauour afore the face of Christ at his comming APOCAL. 22. Behold I come soone Printed by Henrie Bynneman for George Byshop 1575.