that not in Iudea only but in all the world sacrifise and burnt offerings shal be offered vp vnto the Lorde And that of Christe to the Woman of Samaria accordeth with this Arte thou greater then our Father Iacob that gaue vs this Well and hee himself dranke therof and his Cattell and agayne our Fathers worshipped in this Mountayne but they saye Ierusalem is the place where men doo worshippe But shee was answered by Christ Beléeue mée Woman the howre commeth and now is when you shal neither in this Mountain nor at Ierusalem worship the Father a reason is also surrendered That the howre shalbée and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirite and truth and albeit in the Psalmes wee finde the affection of the Prophet to haue bin powred out in greater zeale for the Lorde of Hostes sake as Psalm 67. Prayse you the Lord all you nations and that in the .117 I will spread abroad and knowledge thy name among the Gentils Yet is there time and place and occasion too to vtter forth our cogitacions that wee bee not iudged of men I acknowledge and not vnwillingly that Dauid was in the Caue sometimes praying and in the feelde and in the Dennes and in the night and in his bed Ionas could praye in the belly of the Whale Daniell in the Lions Denne and his companions lifted vp their voyces in the flaming Furnace and Noe comming out of the Arke in the open ayre And Elyas on the topp of the Hill groneling with head betwixt his legges and Christ himselfe at the shoare side among the Shippes And Paull with the Elders in the sight of the people Yet this is my watchworde let no man goe beyond his skill nor draw priuate examples to generall obseruations But if death and persecution incroche vpon thée pray euery where for thou it is that shal glorify the lord But if quietnes and rest bee giuen vnto thee vse discretion and modesty in ordering thy forme of prayer For the second thing in this poynt which I noted in Paull without ceasing This is my iudgement that thou bée like minded in all thinges and remember it is the Lorde that searcheth the harte and the reynes that hee will bée worshipped in Spirite and truth But now wée haue harder matters that befall vnto vs and if so it pleased God I would like lots might happeÌ„ to vs al. For I know there is none whom God hath touched by his spirite inwardly but wisheth him selfe accursed to bringe saluation vnto all I speake it for that it is so hard a thing for the sonnes of Adam to bee agréeable to this in all poynctes namely one to praye for an other Ieam 5.16 and for thy enemyes and persecutors Math. 5.44 Lu. 6.35.23.34 Actes 7.6 And for all men 1. Tim. 2.8 I enter now on sutch a stage as that sufficient reason might bée showed to draw the ful length and whole discourse of this tragedy But it is not my minde to vnlase and ripp vp the woundes of any man For euen the vew and sight of this story may bée pitiful enough to any Christian To bringe in place the speakers hereof It were that of Atreus in Seneca and of Astiages in Iustin to bid the Father to the cating of his owne Sonne But I take an other way and not so lothesome as is that for such as bee of this Seane shall not speake I only content to vse a doÌ„me shew for it is straunge that mindes of men are so distracted as the life of any should onely consist in lyfe of thear 's and their iudgment vpon others to stand as sound iudgement to pray for none to condempne all to like of few to vpbrayd the best such iugling there is in worldlinges I know some that haue stumbled so vnluckely on sutch that their hurt hath beene more in one howre then heapes of Golde can recouer in many yéeres These I doo admonish and I charge them too in the Lord for to stay at home and pray less is better for such then to range abroade and liue worse and this is my exhortation to pray for them that curse thee to hate none to iudge the best to loue all for it sauoreth of Anabaptisme to beate downe to suppresse to throwe downe to the ground any man whom thou neuer knewest worthy the smyting to exempte any as extrauegaunts to the Lorde that couldest neuer iudge what the electe are Did Dauid neuer pray for Saull or was hee neuer in his hands that hée might haue slayn him if he would Eut hee not of the lappe of his Coate or touched hee the life of his Maister I knowe that if the soule of some were as fast clasped in the hands of them as the lay of Saulles Coate was in the hande of Dauid it had béene mangled and hewed in péeces before this This is it I giue in charge let them of this world thinke well of all and hope euen of those that bée without For though Samuell would not sée Saull vntill the day of his death yet mourned hee for him Moses will not sticke to pray for such as haue cursed him The iniuries that hee sustained in Sur and the outcryes in that Wildernes of that vnthankefull people turned not away their remembrance in his prayers to the lord Nor Ieremy so often layd in Prison and clogged with Chaynes could yet forget the anguishe of Sion and the tribulation that befell to Ierusalem but hee praied for them Now pittyfull is then the state of vs who rayseth vp him that is afflicted who windeth vp his sores and powreth in Oyle â— and remooueth the stâ—ipâ— from the hart of a truth the sinne of Iudah is written with a pen of Iron the poynt of a Diamond hath ingraueÌ„ in this people so sore a hatred that life to death and flesh to earth and Golde to drosse is chaunged as soone as their lips from leasing or their mindes from strife If you had bin at the death of Steauen when the stones rushed so about him and the states of Ierusalem clapped their hands to drye vp his blood I am affrayd the question might haue béene asked to what end hee suffered so many blowes and these fellowes can not abide so few wordes I aunswere litle herein That which foloweth shall sufficiently approoue it For beside the breach of brotherhoode in the worlde which is common there is many thinges to bée consithered in prayer Onely vnderstande that I wright not as a teacher to reforme that I sée amisse that pertayneth to the aged and the hoary heades I speake now to younglinges and to Babes sutch as bée of greater grothe whose manners I haue glaunsed at whose life and welth I neuer touched to them I leaue the whip and the heauier iudgement my lesson it is to young Schollers whom I teach after this manner Thy peticion made to God hauing clensed thy vessels from dregges and thy hart
thrones their dominions their Empires or sought their owne glorie made an entraunce ready gate to set vp and establish the sincerity puritie of religion Therefore Christe of him selfe testifieth I séeke not mine one name but my fathers that seÌ„t mée â–ª I haue glorified thee among men and I will glorifie thee againe For if he be our father where is our honor Will the childe acknowledge his parents the wild and sauage beast giue place to them that nourish her succeadeth the fire the heauens in his place and the fire the ayre and she ayre the water and the water the earth and the earth vs shall not we acknowledge and reuerence the Lorde of Hostes who dwelleth betwixt the Cherubynnes and ought to be worshipped of all nations vnder heauen Cyprian hath giuen as touching this firste point hallowed be thy name in mine opinion a verie good reason For saith he wée craue not that God should be sanctified in our prayers who is alwayes holye but that his name sanctified in vs wée might be made perfecte and holy in him Thus I also finde it in the booke of God in that place Be thou holie because I am holy Then our prayer is that being sanctified cleansed made perfect in the Lorde we may be holie and good perseuere therein For this cause Paulinus in the fifth age of the Churche when he liued called our Baptisteries places of restoring againe of man meaning thereby as I do gesse that we ought to rise froÌ„ sinne and liue to life mortifying and beating downe the lustes of the fleshe and as wee shoulde sanctifie the name of the Lorde so we ought in our conuersation and in our walking before him to bee againe sanctified that is walke as holy before him For as the water in the fifth of Iohn did neuer clense make perfect but when the Angell moued it No more is man renued and altered but when the Spirite sanctifieth him And as Sara was not by nature but by promise made a mother and bare a childe So are we holy not of our selues but of the Lorde Therefore we neede daily sanctifiyng and seeing that wee sinne and fall so often wee must rise and be reared vp in Christ in renouation and sanctification of the spirit For this is our sanctification in Paule that we be no fornicatours no worshipers of Idols no adulterers no light persons no folowers of wemen not théeues not deceiuers not haters not drunkardes and these sometime we were but we are washed but wee are iustified but wee are sanctified in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe Master Gualter vppon this place hath an especiall note as touching this hallowed or sanctified be thy name neyther wil I blame him here in consideration the superstition of the world is so great who begyled in the vanitie of their thoughts are not able or else will not iudge aright of the will of the Lorde He findeth greate faulte for that men take an occasion from the name of God as though the bare rehersall thereof had vertue in it to doe wounders signes and miracles in the earth And of truth that wherewith M. Gualter found fault is so common in the worlde that as euery one is holyest and wil be counted godlyest so is hée in this life peruersist I wish that of Cyris were setled in the mindes of men that beefore they iudge of any thinge in the Booke of God they would consider thrée things the time the person and the matter that is handled which if they were duely wayed it would bee a cause good enough that men should not stray as they do in the iudging of the Scriptures For as out of this place is grounded this error that if wée recken vp the bare name of the Lord it is sufficient for vs if we say sanctified be his name it is enough vnto saluation therfore the commoÌ„ sorte of people repeate and vtter these wordes of Christe but they consider no more and so think that by saying of the same they haue discharged their duetie but this it is grosse and pernitious it sauoureth of the flesh alone that is sluggishe and heauie tired if it take any paines in searching out the wil of God For not euery one the saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but be that knoweth the will of my father doeth it This is the onely cause that the heretikes haue erred so grossely heretofore â— haue taken the bare wordes not the meaning of the spirit Therefore to take away all occasion of falshoâ— which is gathered froÌ„ the name of God I save this The name of God in Scriptures doth signify euery thing which is proper vnto him wherby his heaueÌ„ly diuine nature or his works glory appeareth As in Dauid thy name O Lord thy praise endureth for euer it extendeth and reacheth to the ends coastes of the world and againe praise him al you people blesse you the name of the Lorde Iunilius writting against heretickes reckeneth according to the Hebrewes computation eight especiall names giuen vnto God which bee these first God then Lorde also Lorde and God together or else almightie or sufficient or omnipotent or our piller and stay or God of hosts or a iudge and searcher The He rew I haue lefte out for I thinke it not coÌ„uenient the rehersall nowe these onely significations be they that are presented vnto vs and by these names is he called in the scriptures especially by Abraham when he apeared vnto him and then when he spake to Moses Exod. 3.6 Exod. 15. Psalme 86. And the Grecians call him a secret sercher or pearser of all thinges and a sister of our thoughts Wher vnto Peter Martyr Musculus haue in diuers places alluded and maister Gualter semeth to touch the verie same vpon the exposition of the name of god Here vnto I adioyn put those same glorious titles giueÌ„ vnto him by Moses when he desired he might see and looke vppon the Lord god Exod. 34. For then when he passed by in the cloude when Moses was put into a clifte of the rocke and God had put â—â—s hand before him and Moses sawe his backe parts alone he cried out lord God mercifull and liberall â—â—ntle and pitiful of infinite goodnesse and trueth keeping thy goodnesse for thousanâ—s forgiuing iniquitie and transgressioÌ„s and sinnes leauing not vngodlines vnpunished but visiting the sinnes of their fathers in 〈◊〉 sonnes and sonnes sonnes vppon such as feare not him and kéepe not his commaundements This other such like places of scripture do open and shew vnto vs the incomprehencible Godhead of the Lorde which onely is seene in his workes his creation and his creatures and by the same commaunded in this place to exalte magnifie and blesse his name The wicked take occasion as I shewed you before to call on his name verie often and thinke they doe
and cullor hir guile adioyneth vnto hir inchauntment the Lordes Prayer And the Diuinar or hee that telleth and calleth vp by Spirites hee snatcheth something from Christ and hée will haue a leg or an arme of him and so inflamously abuseth the godhead of the Lorde But to take away this olde wiues Tale I thinke it expedient to say somewhat and at the first rather then to interrupte my speech hereafter As therfore Nadab and Abihu the Sonnes of Aaron that offered vp incense in the same Censor that their Father did Yet because they did it not aright they dyed for it So heare though wee praye all with one prayer and powre out our supplications at one time because wée praye not all alike with minde in spirite vnto the Lorde they bee to none effecte neyther auayle they And as there was in the Wildernesse one Manhu wheron Israell fed yet some wicked and disobedient had not the like nourishment and effect therof as had others So the prayer of the Lorde though hée gaue it to all that all might vse it yet it is not profitable to him abuseth it And as Saull vsed Samuell after his death the Pythonest called the Diuell by the name of him hee was not and the Diuell deceyued Samuell and did not profit him So it is with vs The prayer of the Lorde vnto the wicked beeing wrested to their death as Samuell was by the Diuell to blinde Saull shall neuer helpe them But abandon these wicked men wee must and permit them not so much as to haue speech with vs God hath heaped vp iudgement against the day of iudgement to consume them For the prayer of it selfe I say not well the bare wordes not rightly vnderstoode they bee no better then any other The Oyle and the Waxe and the Hony and the Tarre bee common things but to ioyne them to mixte them to compound them togeather to giue them to the pacient at conuenient time there is the cunninge The Nettle byteth yet it healeth the Flaxe it cureth yet it burneth the Spider poysoneth yet shée profiteth Then all thinges are good euen the vngodly man to him can vse him So is the prayer of the Lorde Otherwise as God hath his electe in the Courtes of the Ethnicke and as hee saueth some in the Turks Pallaces and among the Iewes kéepeth those he will haue kept so what saluation can they or others looke for if faith and life of man were tyde to this prayer seeing there bee a number that neuer as yet did knowe the same Also where is Abraham Isaak and Iacob which neuer prayed thus There is then many things to be wayed before wee presume to ground any Religion and health vppon man for repeating this prayer Then this order and manner of praying we must haue it of some other not of our selues therefore hee whiche hath taught it vs and instructed vs in his Spirite graunt vnto vs the true vse hereof in his bloud Trueth it is in Crisostome his Homily that Maximus speaketh Euery one when he prayeth let him pray vnto the Lorde Wherefore my procéeding into this so great a matter maketh mée in doubt but that the Lorde is where he alwayes was to take in hande so great a mysterie But I am content as hetherto I haue to vse my countrie speeche and I knowe that all alike vnto the Lorde is that man accepted that goeth cottered and torne in his ragges as he that is stuffed and pampered vp in veluets and it is a common fashion in the worlde in those our dayes for euery one to vse his libertie of spéeche and lasciniousnesse of tongue in this point Hee that is poore why shoulde I praye saith he for I haue nothing The ritche man he standeth in little néede he hath enough The strong man hee knoweth his portion hée séeketh for no more so valiant and puissant is he in this life The proude man he is in his ruffe hee noddeth with his head and beckeneth with the hande hee setteth saile to all things The incestious person what can he aske he liueth in pleasure The merchaunt what hath he to do with God the winde and weather serueth him And in commeth the student and he maketh his reckoning he casteth and he tumbleth ouer his bookes he looketh and hopeth for nothing for his witt helpeth him So that the whole worlde it is deuided euery one thinketh he hath little to do with god Then my firste note is that this prayer in generall appertaineth to all For from the tabernacle to the tente from him that sitteth in the gate to the poore man in the fielde from Tirus euen from those that go to Tharsis to the thresher the corne flower from him that giueth wages to him that receiueth hire from him that putteth on silke and softe clothing euen vnto Lazarus that lyeth at the doores seuerally from the toppe of Sion to the poore cottage From the Cedar trées of Libanon vnto the man remaining among the fennes and flagges it is his duetie he is bounde he ought to remember that he should praye For hée that sendeth his Cammels for spieerie and aduentureth to Corinthum for Iewels that prouideth into Arabia to get the purest golde and so gréedely searcheth for the riches of Damascus nay though he tarrie at home and abideth the Sunne all the dayes of his life and suffereth the bitter frostes in Winter though hee be created to tende cattell and to kéepe the wilde Coalte and the Asse in the Wildernesse though his handes be wearied with the plough and his arme withered vp with holding of the rake though he sit at the threshholde and haue not wherewithall to féede him yet hath he his soule to looke vnto that in my iudgement it is time to séeke narrowly abroade to recken with our selues to giue attendaunce to waite on God for euery one that liueth hath néede of prayer But to ransake euery thing more narrowly let vs knowe what it is is contained herein for wée dispute not for ritches or for wealth or for honour that vanisheth away but for the Lorde for Christ the firste thing that is mentioned is this that wee call on God and we saye O our father In the scriptures God is called the Lorde of Hostes the iudge of the whole earth the King of Kinges a consuminge fire the founteine of life that sitteth vppon the Cherubynnes that ruleth the worlde And here we call him by the name of father I am not purposed to runne paraphrastically on this if it please you to staye on my simple iudgement this I thinke If in our prayers we make vnto God we should call him Lorde wee spake vnto one that wee thinke shoulde haue dominion ouer vs If as to a Iudge we ought to stande at the barre and holde vp our handes and pleade for our selues then shoulde he sit with his twentie foure elders and giue sentence vppon vs If as to
a King his Scepter and royal seate it would dismay vs if happely we forgate our homage went awrye the messenger of death is readie for vs If as to consuming fire what eye coulde abide him for if the beast that touched the burning mountaine was shott thorough what hope hath man to skape when a flaming fire must go before him and thousandes thousandes minister vnto him and ten thousande times ten thousande stande before him when the seates shal be set the bookes oponed and iudgement giuen what mercie then can wee looke for at Gods hande But if wee called on God as on him that is the fountaine of life howe coulde we call vpon him when we be in death And if you prayd vnto him as the ruler of the worlde then is man beaten downe that coulde neuer as yet among all the beastes thereof be tamed But sée howe louing a Lord God we haue that in our transgressions woundeth vs not in our sinnes striketh vs not in our disobedience remēbreth vs not in our euil wayes punisheth vs not that neuer thinketh on our iniquities but calleth vs as children to aske at his hands the more willingly to trayne vs vp in his feare hath for all our manifolde transgressions made himselfe a father to vs But from whence cometh this our father is Adam and he is dead and we be his children and howe can we liue To him he gaue a charge to sweat it out and to labour on earth what then can happen to vs but miserie Then which way so euer wee looke on our selues wee are in death and whence haue wée this therefore that wee call on God as on our father Pardone mée if being a man as you bée I am inquisitiue to search out what man is And say what you will yet will not I be satisfied til I knows more For as Crisostome is plentifull in the description of man So I thinke that as the shippe is in the Sea that tottereth or as the fether in the ayre that houereth or as the trée on earthe that shaketh euen like portion indge I to be allotted to man when he offendeth For wishe any thing that is good that can not man do without God wil neither willeth he that God wisheth without God please And that I will and that I may I do not if he permitteth not So wish I yet misse I if he directeth not Trewe it is that Isychius saide in man there is two natures or rather properties one is that wee carrie about with vs it is dust the other it is giuen vnto vs it is the spirite both these making but one man yet do wée not know on Christ Salonius writing vpō Ecclesiastes giueth wisedom vnderstanding vnto man aboue al others that haue life and in the same hée giueth vs free passage to know God but it is in Christe And Agustine in his Apognosticon agaynst the Palagian guieth vs liberty to Ploughe to Till to labor to Sowe to Spinne to Carde to drinke to eate to féede our cattell and our Beastes if so you will to vse the Arrowe and the Bowe and the Hearbes but to come vnto God and to haue any portion from him without Christe that hee permitteth not Sedulius vpon the Corrinthians giueth no liberty vnto vs but only to sinne and Primatius in his Treatise on the Romans is of the same iudgement so that in the ende when our deedes bee ransackt our thoughts sought out what is it that wee can clayme of the Lorde Then hereon wée stand Christ which alwayes hath bin with his Father the liuely and expresse Image of his godhead came into the world and was debased for vs and we béeing of his flesh and the same mould that hee was of beeinge perfecte man in all poynctes sinne onely accepted hée hath made vs one with him and taken vs into the same felowship of his kingdome and of his Sainctes and wee are made Sonnes with him vnto one Father Vnto this it was alluded by Dauid As the Father hath pitty on his Children so hath the Lorde on all such as call vpon him faithfully Esay touched this in his comparison that hee maketh with the Woman and hir Infant whom though shée could forget sucking at hir Brestes yet would not the Lorde forsake vs If I were not drawne into a narrow straight by the importunitée allotted to mee at this present I would see what that were which man so mutch braggeth of and if it were possible that frō top to toe hee had no one blemish to bee found within him Yet if a man might enter into his hart and search his Sinewes and his cogitations within how corrupte and vnfauorye should wee finde him well this is our comforte and it is the noate of Maister Gualter that hee is not onely a Father in gouerning the world and the whole trayne that waiteth theron but hee is our Father And as in Iob hee is called the Father of the Aungelles and of the Sainctes and holy men which loued him so that it is litle vnto vs and small prositte haue wee therby beeinge neyther Aungels or so holy as they if of his bounty mercy it were not sayd vnto vs here that hee is our Father toe but I consider yet an other thinge and why saye wee not O my Father as well as O our Father Ciprïan on the prayer of the Lord giueth this reason This prayer it is cōmon to vs all sayth hee for when we pray wee pray not for one but for all because all they we are one And he is sayd to be our Father euen of vs as many as be sanctified as be renewed as bee strengthned in his Spirit as for other they stande aloofe and wish they may to come vnto vs come at any time they shall not Thus you know hee is a Father and hee is our Father it is adioyned he is our God hée is aboue and it is in Heauen These three I ioyne togeather neyther will I seuer them For as hée is far aboue the reatch and capacitie of man so hath he no terrestriall Throne to sit in but a more bright and gloryous Seate is that of the Lorde our god And as was the Arke and mercy Seate within wherunto no mā durst presume to come and looke into it but sutch as God had chosen from the rest so to his kingdome and his Empire shall no man approtche but sutch as hee hath elected in his Christ It may seeme a vayne thing to aske this question why wee praye to God Yet sutch is the vanity and ignoraunce of man that hee knoweth not and such is his dulnes the he answereth not but the weakenes it is alike in vs all that searcheth not To say the truth this question is aboue that I can well attayne vnto and the reasons that may bee giuen they bee so innumerable I bare not enter now into them If God do
spare me so much leisure as that successiucly I may but steal one or two houres to labour in I will aunswere this fully I haue nowe sett my pen vnto an other treatise wherein before I end I shall I trust stoppe the mouthes of some as touching god Let this my small time and stolne houres craue pardon for this present and suffer me not to drawe out the length of this threede that we shal neuer winde it vp And if this will not suffise looke toward the heauens iudge the number of the stars call them by their names and giue euerie one his seueral charge Commaund the Sunne the Moone to stayde their course let there not be light any more vpon the earth and if these things be to high for thée iudge of the cōmon creatures that doe dwell with thee and tell me the droppes of the rayne ride vpon the wings of the winde measure me the weighte of the fyre Call backe againe the day that is past and renewe the course of that whiche is to come drawe out the deapth of the Sea by his bucketts and let the earth cast forth the hidde treasuries that be within her if silence hath caught thee and thy wisedom fadeth then giue homage vnto him at whose commaundement they be intreate him to spare thy life in time of neede that hath iudgement in stoore and a consuming fyre to runne before him if they or thou rebell Lactantius in his seconde booke semeth to me to haue delte with these men who dwelling in ignoraunce had small delight to seeke the Lorde And doubted as touching their prayer vnto him his iudgment is this Nothing must be honoured nothing worshipped but the only one Lord God proceeding and comming from the only owne eterall and euerliuing father and therefore hath created man to want many thinges that in his necessitie and want he may know where and of whome to aske for all thinges and Ambrose in his Spiritu fancto The father is to be glorified with the sonne the sonne with the father the holy ghost with them both for these three are but one god Basill against Iulina after that also Martured councelleth him to giue all honour and preheminence in prayer vnto God That in his heauenly and eternall wisedome created all Epiphanius in his thirde Toome Beside many excellent and good sayings pleaseth me in this for hauing to do with them that giue vnséemely reuerence to saincts teacheth thus Let Marie be had in estimation Peter but let the father the sonne the spirit be worshipped for neither to woman nor to man perteineth this honour inuocation neither to Angles or to any other perteneth this glory But it is a mistery proper only to the Lord The time would faile me to vnfoldethe heauenly sayings of the fathers I leaue thē to the diligent searcher The houre passing away so spedely maketh me to hasten to the rest And here I admonish you that in praying to our father you pray to him that is in heauen For wee may aske many thinges on earth yet can we not atteine them but if we aske and faithfully of our father in heauen he will giue vs them where that infidell is condempned that is found in Dauid to haue cryed out and to haue saide in his heart there is no God and that he whiche is in the heauens regardoth not them on earth Teach this man I dare not counsell him I will For let him cast out his eyes lift vp his heade and thinke but on the creatures that be made Howe the Sunne giueth light a farre of and the Axell trée of the heauen doth compasse the earth how the clouds power out their reigne the dewe his siluer dropps and the night his grimme and fierce countenaunce to man and shall we then giue nothing to the Lorde that made them But I cease to followe this path I take an other For if he thought on Israel when their shoulders were worne in péeces with carrying brick or if he brought them from Babilon or fed Elias with the Rauens and made the dumbe creatures to bee Nurses to his seruauntes and sent Daniell pottage into the Lyons denne and stayed the force of the flaming Fornace he can and he will and he stayeth not and I doubt it not but that hee still will helpe vs. Last of all it is a good consequent our father is in heauen Wee therefore ought not to repose our trust and confidence belowe as wee do either tarrie here so much as to abide and lay our affiaunce and steadinesse on things that be aboue For it is an vnfallible trueth that I finde in Paule that wee haue no abydinge here on earth but that our life it is aboue where as is the father of light I might take good occasion to withdrawe a number from the transitorie affaires of this worlde which haue their change and their ende when the heauens shall roll as a scroole and the elements burne with fire but these I leaue them till more longer dayes when the Sunne and the light shall giue vs more libertie who runninge foorth so speedily hath put mée in minde to cut of this spéech It followeth Hallowed be thy name THe great care that the Lorde God hath had of his churche is verie worthily set out in the generall discourse and pittifull callamitie wherein they that knewe him and called all onely on his name continually were assaulted Out of which troubles hee alwayes both mightily and fatherly deliuered them yet in no one thing hath he shewen his tēder affectiō vnto man more then in this in that he hath set him free from the bondage of the diuell the flesh and the workes thereof in that he hath created vs redeemed vs sanctified and regenerated vs And yet lest wée should falter any more and forget him he hath lefte vs a comforter which is his spirite and taught a way and set vs in the path directed vs by his owne mouth to be in our prayers holie and vnspotted vnto him Then in this wherewithall we be instructed of Christ though it be a short lesson is conteined for all that the whole and plentifull discourse of the life of man euen what is meefe and requisite to be done meate as well for the foule to feede withall as for the bodie to liue withall the summe whereof is set downe by Christ in sixe principall heads wherof the firste is this Hallowed be thy name For as al thinges vppon the earth were created by him so ought all that be on the face of the earth continually praise him And as we be children and heires vnto him so cheefely ought all our force our strength our might ought else that is in vs be directed vnto this that we might magnifie his name and praise him The example and patrone whereof is seene in the good Iudges that liued who before they established their own
thy kingdome come Therefore Eucherius vppon the kings doth figuratiuely drawe the kingdome of Saul vnto Christ in that they of Israel lost the kingdome and gouernement by his reprobation and it shoulde be recouered againe vnder the Messtas by free gift Lactantius giueth a spiritual heauēly kingdome vnto Christ for that he was obedient and fatthfull to his father and fulfilled all thinges euen to the death of the crosse therefore he hath giuen him a kingdome and honour and rule Also Epiphanius maketh a comparison betwixt the house of Israel and Ierusalem from whome the scepter and kingdome was some times taken away but saith he for euer shall our glorie last which we shal haue in the throne of the Lorde And his kingdome it is not on yearth for so he testified vnder that testimonie hee gaue vnto Pontius Pilate Therefore Cyprian Christ may be called the kingdome of God whome we looke for dayly and in our prayers desire he woulde come spéedily for in so much as he is our resurrection our glorie our crowne therefore shall we rise be made like vnto him and raigne with him most gloriously It is true and certeine as there is a dominion and sceptar on earth so there is and shal bee a kingdome in heauen so that at such time as wee pray and desire to be with Christe we desire to bee with him in his kingdome which in the ende hee will giue vnto vs in heauen Then as the power of Sathan is great and as he hath his pollicie and ingins readie prepared to snare vs so hath the Lord God his ordinarie meanes to bring vs to his kingdome and hee layeth vp in store for those that bee his against the day of his comming First of all the kingdom of God was knowen and opened inlarged verie aboundantly by his worde which he gaue vs so that they which were snared intangled by Sathan had to runne vnto that eternal decree and heauenly Oracle that was deliuered by the Lorde The séede of the woman shall tread down the head of the Serpent with this as with spirituall foode were our fathers fedd and liued in the hope which they had in one Christ for they hoped for an heritage and for a kingdome and for their redemption which they knewe shoulde bee fulfilled in their season Secondly the amplification and increase of the kingdō of God was shewed to man in that when the appointed houre was come he sent his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that beeing made man of the virgin Marie he might take our weakenesse vppon him and beare our infirmities that our nakednesse might be no more open before God his father but we might be clothed and couered in his peace First he washed away our sinnes and nayled them vnto the Crosse and adopted vs into the libertie of the children of God That we might falter no more and slide from him he lefte a defence and shielde for vs which is our faith that albeit we haue sinne and iniquitie ranging in our mortal bodies yet by a liuely hope in his bloud we might stande stedfast against the enimie and haue our sinnes no more imputed to vs but be counted able to stande before his tribunal in the merite and death of his sonne and such an assurance is giuen vnto vs of life in that kingdom that Paule bursteth out into a verie vehement speeche and wondereth at the Lord that hath brought to passe so much for vs For who can lay ought to our charge that be the children of God It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christe that is dead nay rather which is risen againe that sitteth at the right hande of his father and is an intercessor and mediator for vs Wherefore séeing the sonne of God hath made a satisfaction for our sinnes and hath by his resurrection vanquished hell death the diuell and condemnation it doth followe that he hath made vs a frée passage to his kingdome and hath set in good order the perfection that was wanting to make vs obedient children in this life and to giue vs his rewarde at the length euen a crowne of immortalitie and glorie And here commeth in the thirde thing that establisheth and giueth vs full certeintie of our kingdom in Christe whereby he squareth vs as fit stones hewen out in good time for so excellent a building and it is the earnest of the spirite procéeding from his father to direct sanctifie and gouerne vs against all the assaultes and temptations of Sathan And here it commeth to passe that where as by nature and offence of the first man we are vnreadie and vnméete to do that which is acceptable pleasant in his sight nowe by his spirite woorkinge in our mindes and consciences and daily striuing with the fleshe wee finde aptnes in our selues and a more readinesse to obey the Lorde This comforter as he was moste plentifully in great terrour and astonishement manifested to his Apostles at the firste enlarging of the kingdome of God so hath he not forsaken vs thoughe visibly he appeare not vnto vs but doth purge and wipe away our infirmities and lighteneth vs by a perfect calling and secreate operation through the obedience of his name that we may knowe what the holy and perfect and readie will of God is And as Saul a verie wicked and vngodly man was founde prophesying among the Prophets and Amos from the Mulberie trées and from the plough was taken into the temple and Sinagog of Hierusalem and as some of the Apostles from the net and the fishers hooke were altered and chaunged vnto other maner of men so is it with vs made and fashioned againe that were before filthie and wicked we are purged renued clensed and renouated by a more liuelye quickening wee stande boldly before his throne of grace and heare knowe the glad tidings of peace for the spirite maketh intercession with groninges for those that be the Lordes and worketh mightily in our heartes vnto saluation Fourthly and lastly this kingdome of God is increased and inlarged by the preaching of the Gospel a verie ordinarie way that God hath left vnto vs to bring vs to heauen euen to beléeue the worde and obey the Lord God and to attaine to the ful measure and depth thereof which is the eternall decree purpose and determination of his death the ende wherof is our life the cause thereof his onely loue good wil and fauour that he bare to man openly knowen and apparant by the Gospell It is therefore called the Gospell of Iesus Christe the sonne of god Mar. 1. It is called the word of Christe Collos 3. It is called the worde of the Lorde Act. 6. It is called the doctrine of Christ or the teaching of the Lorde Act. 13. And it is called the teaching of him that saueth Tit. 2. It is called the preaching of the Lorde Rom. 16. all which titles epithites giuen vnto the
him self but from the father that sent him the had giuē him a commaundement what to say what to speake And sainct Paul saith I make open vnto you the Gospel which I preached whiche you haue receiued wherein you stande and wherein you are saued Therefore we looke not here vpon the madnesse of Enthusiastists that be franticke and thinke they haue the spirite Nor of the Anabaptistes that looke for reuelations and dreames But wee take a meane giuen vnto vs by the spirit which is the word For as man hath power to heare to vnderstande to giue eare to reade so vnlesse there come a schoulemaister to instruct vs and a gouerner to guide vs wee doe as Agrippa did We come but faire and softely I acknowledge an hethnish and as it were an outlandish kinde of reuerence that we giue vnto the lord which is in a bare sight of the heauens vewe of the Elementes that iudgeth there is a Lorde But this it maketh not vnto saluation And for that cause the Prophets the Apostles calleth man but by the name of him that is in darkenesse and in death And therefore sainct Iohn saith the light appeared in darkenes and the darkenesse comprehendid it not And Sainct Paul saith the worldly or fleshly man perceiueth not those things which are of the spirit for they be foolishnes vnto him And Christ himself affirmeth the no man knoweth the father but the sonne he vnto whom he reuealeth him And againe when he asked Peter who saist thou that I am He aunswered thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing god Happie art thou Symon said the Lorde for flesh and bloude hath not reuealed this but my father which is in heauen And therefore verie louingly it is said vnto vs that for this end Christ came into the world euen vnto iudgement that those which are blinde might sée Then this is the ful force and aucthoritie of the spirite that ruleth and altereth the actions in man and maketh the doings of those in the world to be acceptable by quickening reuiuing by altering by renewing the man of God which before was vnperfect That it is the worke of the spirte take that in the Prophet they shal be all taught of god Any that of Christ when the comforter shall come the spirite of truth he shall teach you all things For so I finde it euerie where Lydia did heare whose hart the Lorde opened that she might giue eare vnto the words of Paul. And therefore one of the Prophets I will giue them an heart they shal knowe me So that the true vnderstanding hearing following and obseruing the laws of the Lord from whence come they But from aboue from the Lorde of trueth from him that willeth the saluation of all euen of all those that hee will saue For where Sainct Paul saith that the fulnesse of gentiles shall come in And againe it is saide in the Prophets all flesh shall sée the saluation of our God. I vnderstand it thus Euen as Augustine doth vpon that place in Math. That God willeth all men shal be saued of those saith he whome he hath determined for to saue For as Gregorie Nazianzen confuteth the heretickes that denied the holy ghost to be God out of the first of Iohn that reasoned with him in the same text Euen so do I here For vpon that place in Iohn by him were all thinges made and without him were nothing made that was made they cauell thus The holy ghost is some thing and existeth Ergo the holy ghost is a creature and made by him That father Nazianzen aunswereth thus Al things were made by him or created of those things saith he which he did make or create And so say I he willeth the life of all and giueth saluation vnto all euen to whom in his secrete power and determinate purpose he will giue vnto To those he giueth Therefore Ieremie had a sore fall here at and stumbled greuously in my iudgment in one place where I finde thus It is our parte to beginne that is good but the part of God to end it our part to offer that we can his part to finish that we wil But howe can we most miserably liuing here on earth will that which is good without the will of God or giue assault thereunto which are of strength to accomplish nothing Augustin fasted hereof and almost poysoned him selfe therewith if he had not lifted his head from the cup as he did For he imagineth that faith whereby wee beléeue in God is not to bee saide the gifte of God but to be within vs as from vs And thereby wée begin to wishe and to aske the giftes of god But he gaue ouer this in the ende and attributeth all vnto the Lorde that helpeth prepareth prospereth and maketh readie all our heartes The diuersitie in those that are baptized sheweth this For all alike receiuing the Sacraments are not like in conuersation in life in manners and children some are taken awaye at the time of regenerating some before they are brought into the Church Others before they come to full groweth dyuers in the middle age of which none of them I know but would go to heauen if it lay in their power to get it But because it is the choise of the Lorde and he clecteth vs wée may cry with Sainct Paule Oh the heighth depth and breadth of the riches of the Lord howe vnsearchable are his woorkes and his wayes past finding out Therefore I like that whiche is in Cyprian That wee must bragge in nothing because nothing is ours Onely among the fathers Clemens and Cyprian are those whose bookes I wishe alone to bee read of suche as God hath giuen wisedome vnto and good iudgement in the discerning of Scriptures For they bee daungerous to wade in and though they were neare the Apostles time yet all the chaffe and the rubbigges that our late writers haue stuffe vp their volumes withall séemeth to bée fetched from thence This disputation might bee prolonged But the searching out of the fathers is a greater labour then can be arraigned vnto soudenly And the lothsome sente wherewithall our late writers dooinges are taynted do discourage mée to meddle with them I briefely ende thus If there be yet a reason to bee shewed in naturall causes Or if we wauer and falter in things that be common with vs If the mouing of the beauens cannot be opened If no man can shewe a reason of the brightnesse in the Sunne nor of the cléerenesse of the ayre or of the operation of the winde or of the order and knitting togéether of the bodie If wee cannot measure out the sinewes or drawe out the ioyntes or vnfolde the secreat creuisses in the head What are wee to reason and dispute with God Howe feedeth hee the young Rauen Howe is the Phenix hatched Howe keepeth he the Storke What daiyaunce hath he
his beames runneth to the heapes of snowe and abideth in chillie frost and is benommed with the blastes of the winde and houereth ouer a fewe chippes at the end of his labour And féedeth chearely on browne breade Yet euen this fame poore creature dandeleth his little one in his armes and hauing so grosse a father and so homely a Nurse this fame little babe it looketh as pertely in face as comely and sheweth it selfe I waraunt you in gesture so neatly as if it had neuer knowen so base a parentage Yet that which is more strippe it of the poore ragges he weareth and apparell him with purple and fine silke set him at thy table and pamper him vp with thine own delicacies he wil leaue al thy meate thy table thy bed he wil bluther til the death and pine away in sorowe he will acknowledge his father he will call and run to the poore herdwoman he will not exchaunge that same thatcht house for the gorgiousnesse brauerie of the court This is a blessing of God the prospereth-him that tilleth in the fielde and increaseth the labour of his handes aswell as that man that is of the city or in the pauilion or in the houses of great men And it is euen the same thing that I vnderstande here when as we pray giue vs this day our dayly bread Euen that God would blesse vs and protect vs and giue vs of his benifites and inlarge our stoore and permit vs to enioy the welth he lendeth vs And sanctifie himselfe in our actions and féede vs in his mercie helpe vs in extréemitie nourishe vs by his creatures guide vs in our labouring in our going in in our going out in the field in the house in our sitting downe in our rising vp at meate at table at borde at bed euen at all times his grace woulde be with vs to defende vs. It is well knowen that man consisteth of soule bodie we shoulde doe iniurie to our selues and detract from the power of God If in our prayer wee vnderstoode those things onely that bee transitorie and apperteine to this life and left the care and foresight of thinges to come that may last and remaine with vs foreuer in heauen Then let the same be in vs the is in the skilfull Mariner and let vs repose no lesse trust in our selues then the Chirurga doth that in daunger or in perill or in rest or in quietnesse omitteth no one thing that is appertinent It is my wishe also in those that are the Lordes to regard this life as though they liued not and to enioy these terrestical benifits as though they had theÌ„ not for their dealings in this life to deale as though they knewe them not For the life to come to be launchers and fearers of such corrupt and putrified members as shall hinder them And to bee phisitions in there dyet and sparing in their life that the cares of this worlde chooke them not But aswell to seeke for the breade that came down from heauen and the spiritual Manna As they be readie to enquire and serch out for there pelfe in this life For as the bodie is fed to encrease it so hath also the spirite of man his preseruatiues to kéepe it And the nourishement hereof is the worde of God euen Iesus Christe the expresse image and liuelines of his father that came downe from heauen and dyed for vs that suffered on the crosse and by his merits and bloude sheading redemed vs our soules bodies and hath made vs inheritors with him in the kingdome of his father Whereunto Paul alludeth Where hee calleth him the spirituall foode that oure fathers fedde on and that selfe same rocke that they stande on and maketh them to bee baptised with the same baptisme that wee are All which I could liuely set forth to haue bene accomplished vnder the ceremonyes in the lawe But that the houre warneth me to make hast And to this interpretation maister Gualter hath alluded in Luke Whose saying I cannot but reuerence that wrote so learnedly Cum homo duabus partibus conslet anima corpore duplici cibo opus est quo totus ali atque conseruari possit Therefore it is our petion that we may haue the knowledge of his sonne Christ reuealed the only salnation of our soules the we may enioy the merites of his death be led confirmed by the working of his spirite very well and truely vnderstoode in this Giue vs this day our dayly breade And here for the acknowledging and full vnderstanding of this verse I haue at this present alluded vnto our temporall benifits and that the force and eâ—â—casie may appeare collected a certeine simile or congruence which I finde mistically to bee comprised in that it is said our dayly bread He that feedeth vs is Christ Our breade is his bodie Our drinke is his bloud Our vessell from whence we drawe it is the Lorde Our feeding is in spirite The corne or graine it is glad tidings of the Gospel The mill or he that grindeth and fashioneth it is god the father and the spirite The bag or vessell it is put into is our bodies The workemen it is deliuered vnto bee his ministers They that eate and feede hereof be his faithfull and olect in Christ This bread is deliuered by preaching It is receiued by hearing We enioy it or feede thereon by following The manner or condition of this breade is sutch It is pure and perfect wheate the sauour whereof is to life It is vnleuened for it is wrought like sweete cakes with holinesse and puritie It is not rawe like dough but seasoned in the fire the furnace of the spirite It is not Mislin It is without blemishe vnspotted kned with sinceritie It is pleasaunt in taste and operation for it saueth vs. It is of many graines made one bodie to knit vs together in one Christe It is not for a season to our bodies it is for euer to our soules in heauen Last of all wee chawe it and consume it by faith This breade hée that tasteth of and vomiteth it vp no more is sure to receiue the right vse thereof And hee may speake boldly with Paul That hée hath a crowne of glorie layde vp for him Hée néede not repent him of his labour or bee forrowfull for his payne taken on the earth For his commendation shal be with the Prophets that are gone before and with the good men of God that are translated from this earthly mantion and sit aboue with GOD in glorie The Spirituall foode I haue touched and made serche for our heauenly meate Let vs nowe procéede to ransacke out that whiche is the bread of our bodye For in this woorde Bread taken alone for corporall and bodyly sustenaunce I comprehende all kynde of foode of the greate and sumptuous Table aswell as the base and homely banquet Thy clothe thy garment thy
innocent Able by the blood of righteous men and by inglutting him selfe in their innocencie to stande on feete and praunce it to looke alofte and countenaunce it to goe stately to stande stoutly as though hee were moste pure in harte This kinde of man I would hée were not with vs or if hée bée gone let him bée a warning to vs for it is not with our humanitie when God hath giuen vs Bread plenty and blessed vs with aboundance to aske still with Mydas till wée bée choked with Golde So Naball like that wée can not spare Dauid so mutch as thrée Loues of Breade to féede his Seruantes That riche gluttō in Luke as I am perswaded when hée lay in Hell in tormentes and saw Abraham hee woulde willingly haue drawen out his Golde vntill the bottome of his Coffars and haue morgaged all his land and substaunce too for one droppe of water to coole his tongue But goe too thou riche man laugh sporte playe and bée merry Thou knowest thy Heauen and that is Hell. The nexte thing I haue noted is this Fyrst he giueth then to vs Thirdly to day Fourthly Bread. Wherin wee are admonished of the duety of all Christians not to gaze so mutch on the commodity of priuate gayne as to pray and to remember the state of the Church For in that wee pray for vs wée pray for all euen such as bee of the Household of GOD. It accordeth to the doctrine of Paull 1. Corinth 12. That maketh our body vnder one head Christe And that mutuall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that compassion and remorse wee haue one of an other is properly set forth to the Ephes 2. And as the Children in Luke are sayd to daunce when their fellowes daunced and are sayde to wéepe when as they wepte and to bée merry when their companions were glad So in like manner are the Seruauntes of our God that remember the afflictions of our fellowe Brethren and thinke on the calamities of such as suffer with vs For as in heauen there shal be not diuers but one Song one Alleluiah to prayse the Lorde And as there is not many Ierusalems but one Ierusalem And as there is but one Golden Read to measure the Temple So there can not bée neither should there bée any more then one voice in one Church to pray to God. Hee that giueth is God To whom it is giuen is all flesh It is to day for wee alwayes neede it And Breade it is euen all manner sustenance to nourishe vs. The vse hereof is this that wée shewe our selues duetiful and obedient rendering due homage and reuerence to the Lord from whom wée haue all things For if the Oxe knoweth his kéeper and the Asse his Maisters Cribbe Shall Israell and they of the house of God forget the Lorde Fighteth not the Dog for his Maister striueth not the Beare for the safety of hir younge doth not the Husbandman lay his corne to vsury And hydeth hee not his grayne in earth And is not the ground thankefull agayne for his tendinge and care hee had of it Then let man cast his eyes to Heauen and thinke on the Lord that giueth all that hée bée not forgotten of his Father aboue when Christ shall come and deliuer vp the Kingdome to his Father and giue rewarde to them that serue him Thus I haue though very wearysome paraduenture to your hearinge bréefelye passed euer this firste lesson of our first Table concerninge man. Two more there is left behinde which if God permit and my leysure doo afforde it shal be more narrowly and straitly handled hereafter Forgiue vs our Tresspasses as wee forgiue them that Tresspas against vs. I Haue very often made mentiō in this my Treatise of the necessity of prayer now the force therof appeareth so liuely and the greatnes therof is set down so fully that in so good a thing in so perfecte a rule appointed by the Lord I once more am enforced to call you altogeather to assemble your selues as they in Esdras did to vnderstande and heare the Booke of God. For as in the Tables of Stone wherin the commaundements were engrauen The first commaundement auayled not if they made a seclusion of the second No more can that which went before profitt vs of the Lorde and of God and of our bare protestation vnto Christe vnlesse in his mercy hee forgiue vs Wherfore wée are to bée called togeather euery one and to all persons I giue notice of thefame that euery one may iudge his dealinge Then shall wee bée forwarde and attentiue to heare the Lorde when wée are found to agrée and méete as one Or when such A. Zacheus is caught among vs as wil not iudge but forgiue and pay his debts and that can as expedient speake trueth in all As for mée I may doo that which Statius doth in Synephebis and with good cause desire and craue the helpe of all which are as I all wrapt in sinnes And iustly I thinke I can crye cut Pro deum popularium omnium adolescentum Clamo postulo Oro ploro atque imploro fidem Not for a light and trifling thing offence is committed he must die the death Ab amico amante argentum accipere meretrix non vult The money that was offered of the louer is refused of his Peragon But euen to ioyne helpe come in one and marke my speech that haue to doe and to medle with that will accuse you all euen of faith of hope of religion of trueth of allegiaunce Non dijs immortalibus As the Orator reported But to God to the Lord vnto Christ that can consume vs. For iniquitie is the way of all fleshe and the treadings of those in earth is ignoraunce Wherefore lot vs consider the vanitie of man and by déepe consideration open the rawnesse of our nature let vs perseuaer in discerning our owne corruption and offer vp our soules and bodies to the Lorde for he it is wee haue offended Therefore in this next percell though it be but a small bundel is trussed vp the saluation ful drift of vs all that can neuer glorifie the Lorde better nor shew our selues more obedient vnto him then at such time as we debase and humble vs before the Lorde when that arrogancie and the man of pride is laide down our bodis mortified before our god For if we do confesse the Lord to be our father if not on earth but in heauen if we séeke to sanctifie him and to magnifie his name If to reigne in vs by his spirite If that his kingdome should be enlarged his name glorified his praise exalted among the sonnes of men If that his will may bee fulfilled and what please him may come to passe If that he giueth to vs continually and feedeth vs dayly and nourisheth vs howrely and giueth vs bread and meate in due season yet is it nothing it is but a bare knowledge and an hypocriticall
Short prayers if they be earnest are better then much babbling vvherin is no stedfastnes Abuse of meÌ„ if they mislike the man that precheth or if he vse common prayer Precise men haue noplace that pray at those times they like othervvise forget them selues the vvhole moneth and the vvhole yere 〈◊〉 Nature condempneth in the wicked that do as their kinde and manner is only they forget God. Christe alone vnspotted blameles maÌ„ of him selfe vvicked and shamelesse â–ª All our corruption is hidden and layed vp in Christe No maÌ„ hath hated his ovvne fleshe at any time then Christe can not cast of vs. This mishapen visage in a Christian is filtâ—y God thinketh vpon our imbecilleties in all he doth Papistes conuicted olde vviues fables haue no place presise and nise long prayers be cause that vvee slip so often Superstition crept in by ignorauce As murtherers Theues vse Kniues Svvordes togeather vvith good men so do the vvicked their praiers together vvith the fà ythfull yet to one they are life to the other death God permitteth the Diuel vvorketh and man sinneth vvilfully they proucke God The Sinner doth all hee doth to death hee vvanteth grace and light the godly they vvorke to life and vse the same thing vvell by the Spirite God hath notied vs to pray after one mannerâ— but this and others bee good for his vvill sake and the perfectnes therof vvee vse this God looketh not on man but on the minde All states can reason vvhy they need no praier but all must submit them selues and pray to God. As is the sapp the earth so is prayer and Inuocation to man As vvater confumeth all so God distroyeth all degrees if they call not vpon him As our life it aboue vvith the God of glory so must vvee be spiritually bent at prayer God named him our Father for that as a Father he giueeth all things that vvee his Children neede The Lorde is terrible yet in Christ is his loue and fauour opened in vvhoÌ„ only there is satisfaction God a Father in the cration and a Father in his blesing and a father to vs in giuing to vs but all alone is hee our father in the attonemente All thinges turne to our destruction if God helpe not If as vvee bee froÌ„ the eathe earthly so vvee vvere not also gouerned by the spirite then vvere vve in death Beeing in death in sâ—n it is requisite that vvee should haue a Mediator Vnmeasurable and vnsearchable is the loue of God that beeinge life gaue himselfe to death foâ— vs. Our Father Seeing our benefits are common to all it is reasoÌ„ that vve pray for alâ—â—and for that God is the author o life vve pray if it bee his vvill that all may liue The electe chosen of God none other come vnto him Why vvee pray to God. All things are not fit for all times For as mutch as God is vnsearchable incompreheÌ„sible it is good reason to submit our selues pray to him All Gods creatures are ready to fulfil his coÌ„maundements against his enemies We pray in the name of one for that the thâ—ee persons make but one God. The sainctes vvith god vve confesse they vvere good men but the honour due to the Lord is not to be giuen vnto them seeing all things be vvonderfull and straung hovv is he most glorious that made them In that perill vvhiche is greatest God is readiest If the heauens passe the creatures perish man also shall haue an end No maÌ„ hath feared God and remained helples Man commeÌ„deth maÌ„ much more man God. First seeke the glorie of God then thine ovvne glorie God honoureth those that honour him and in all thinges that are is he honored if man shuld holde his peace God needeth not man but man needetâ— God. All goodnes all perfectioÌ„ and all holinesse commeth of the spirite Not euery one that saith Lorde Lorde shal be saued but he onely that calleth on him and beleceuâ—th Plaine men begyled in time of poperie keepe the olde superstitioÌ„ still in much bab ling. God knovveÌ„ in all his vvorkes hath names giuen him to shevv the same Iunilius coÌ„tra haereticos Gen. 17. No fleshe shall die for others all flesh dieth or liueth to him selfe All flesh ought to seeke the glorie of god and then is the name of God hallovved God giâ—eth his glory vnto none and those that serue him those he helpeth Such vvere the holy thinges belonging to the teÌ„ple such also vvere the priâ—sts in the lavve such be the preachers novv that be kept as holy vnto god and seuered from the vvorld that they might â—â—lisse and sanctifie him Holy as like to god for that he is holy God most glorious and vvorthy all honour hath created al the treatures to seâ—ue for the vse of man man onely did he make to honour him These three are set dovvn for that his mercie and his loue appeareth most in them Theodoree Eucherius in Reg. Here is it knovven that vve loue God vvhen vve set out his name feare god increase the number of his Church These are vn searchable not to be attained of vs yet do they not and they cannot set out the full povver of God. God helpeth the good beatethdovvn the vvicked punisheth the sinner succoureth his faithfull in vvhich chiefely he is glorified Though Israel vvas as it vvere eaten vp of the vvie ked for a time and the tribe of Iuda extinguished and the root of Dauid forgotten and the temple forsaken yet soudeinly vvas all this renued and God glorified in his Christ This persecucion was greate yet vvas God honoured in the sight of men by the courage death of his saincts For all men vve pray for the good that God vvoulde strengthen them for the faithlull hee vvould deliuer them for the vveake he vvold incourage them for them vvithout that he vvould cal them and for the rebell and obstinat that he vvuld consume theÌ„ in all vvhiche God is magnified God is a consuming fier to the vvicked to them that feaâ—e him â—ee is a mercifull God. God trieth his people suffereth theÌ„ to fall that they may haâ—e a better risinge Sin raigning in our â—â—ortall bodyes vvee vvere câ—oked vp in the sanâ—e but thaâ— only vve are faued and liâ—ted vp in Christ Losenes of life in Christians is the cause of the dishonoring of God and maketh the infidelles the vvorse Scismes in our common vvelth be for our sinnes but the euill life in precise people certefieth vs that they haue an other ende in their dealing then all the vvorld knovveth If God vsed an order in praying then vve in our supplications and in our common vvealth must be also erdered first seeke the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnes therof then all things shall â— giuen you The â—aiâ—ctes holy men they pine avvay and take thought if any superstition do heare svvay rather theÌ„ the truth As the light is more excellent and better vvelcome vvhere
there hath bin darkenes and ioy vvhere sorrovv and truth vvhete vvas ignoraÌ„ce so out of the kindome of Satan is the kingdome of Heauen made more glorious and better accepted among men The vvicked hee blindeth the godly hee stirreth vp by his temtations he doth make those that be the Lordes more vvarye God neâ—â—â— forsaketh hist but in desperate cases vseth mightily to restore hiâ— children God vvilhaâ—e his to mourn a season that they may be glad and reâ—oyce vvith great honor No trueth is in his lippes but falshod and lyes be the vveapons of the diuell Of euill Parents often times good children and of an euill stocke good branches yet onely the vvill of God that is tyed vnto no person God is not tyed to the greatest number but hee taketh vvhere he pleaseth and chooseth vvhere he listeth God seeth 〈◊〉 and in due time executeth his fierce vvrath Prayer refiss teth all troubles and if vve vvere at the dore of death yet are vve deliuered by it This serpent vvith many heads God vvill bring dovvne and you shall see him treden vnder foote The Pope vvil fall ere long and his time as it is but short so it is the easier to be borne as he is novve rent torne in peeces and his legges also and feete almost cut off The enimies backbite the vvorde and God and the Gospel if any fall neither knovve they hovv out of their fall ther commeth vp strength and abey the better armed Our strife is for trifles albeit great shevve be made of conscience all men may see hovv small â—â—nscience these haue vvhich leaue their vocatioÌ„ their calling the church the faithfull contemning brotherly felovvship absent them from preaching and hearing the vvorde and distike al but such as they vvould haue this is puritie vvith securatie Very subtil is Sathan seeketh by all meanes to suppresse religion euen by couler of Religion This diuisioâ— came in but of late yeares and Sathan mightely preuailed I knovv not vvhat this precise life meaneth this dealinge vvilleth but I knovv it is against the vvill of God. Flyinge from the Church ronninge froÌ„ preaching so small frequentinge of the Temple on the saboth vvil cause the Lord to take his Gospell from vs. It is filthy wheÌ„ priuate men become Preachers God taketh to him no man can take from him Gods loue vvas seen before the vvorld in electing vs at the creation in giuing to vs in the vvorld in calling vs then in Christ in redeeming vs and it vvilbee fully shevven in beâ—uen vvhen he crovvneth vs. All things do appertaing to the Lorde for he vvas made all in all for vs. Wee haue no glorie but in Christ nor kingdoÌ„ but in Christ noâ— honour but in Christ therefore are vve joyfull glad onely in Christ Faith finisheth and disposeth all things An instumeÌ„t to vvorke vvith all sharper then any svvord to deuide the vvorde of life Though god defer long yet hee vvill pay vs in the ende Man vveake of him selfe vngodlye he is perfited and chauÌ„ged by the Spirit of God. The time it is appointed vvhen vvee shal come to God beefore that vvee are as men in this vvorlde drovvned in sin and vvies kednesse If the conteÌ„pt of this be death vvhat shall become of them that do contempt it The ordinarie meane to come to God is by hering by this life by life God in him our heauen and our saluation and our life The loue of the father is the loue of his Christ that came for man dyed that out of death there might spring foorth life to all beleeuers No man is crowned if he haue not runne for it no man hath it if also hee win it not no man doth win it bntby strength no man is strong but in God so that wee must stay til God giue vs povver that we may haue the victorie Althings are giuen to knowe God but these are giuen to knowe God our neighbour our selues and his Christ in whome wee finishe and end all The ende of our prayer is that the king dome of God his Christe may shine darkenes and popery and dregs of superstition may bee abolished The kingdoÌ„e of God. Nothinge so accepted to the Lord as a vvillinge and ready minde to serue him M. Gualter Ciprian Pelagius con dempned heare The obedieÌ„ce of creatures to the Lorde doth continu ally checke vs that dâ—scbay him break his commauÌ„dements The life of man is for a time but he that feareth God liueth for euer The incomprehencible vvisedome of God and the vveakenes of man. Gods prouidence in guiding and prouiding for al. Two kindes of Heretickes bee condempned here the housholde of faith Free vvill men banished by this place MaÌ„ striuinge vvith God is as a beast but vvhen he fighteth vvith him he vanisheth as doth the dust Simon Magus the beginner of the houshold of faith some call it the family of loue The beastlinesse of man drovvned in sinne Carpocrates heresie Prodicus errour Donatistes their fall In time of peace men do occupie them selues vvith idle questioÌ„s and among those that thinke them selues purest are greatest â—eresies The house hold of faith brought in among the â—ermans A reason that vve all do sinne this man doth erre The sinneof the elect are not to death but falling they rise again by grace The imbecilitie and fall of the faithfull The godly are neuer cast off the vvicked vvhen they stande fall dovvn to hell The spirit of God is not tied to man but man is â—ied to the spirit Three kindes of operation and vvorking by the spirit Reason that man ruleth not the spirite of God. A comparisoÌ„ vvith the Fathers and our men that in all manner dealings crye out that it is the spirite of God. The dumbe creatures are a vvitnesse against vs that obay the Lord yet man doth not MaÌ„ on earth is a straunger but kept of the Lorde till the daye of iudgement Error and faulte of a false argument The fall of man is for tvvo endes to knovv his ovvne vveaknes to praye the more earnesty Heresy of the Persians Their false conclusion taken avvay Argumentes to proue that vve bee ful of sin and that hee vvhich continueth therin shall die the death The Famely of Loue condempned The doctrine of Balaam Nicolitans that make other mennes vviues coÌ„moÌ„ condempned Manlynes is beastlynes humanity is villany vvheÌ„ grace vvanteth Nazianzon Ambrose Epiphanus that doth alovve mariages Ierom. Basill Athanasius The revvarde of sin is death The abuse of our men that vsurpe the glorie of god and edifying and suffer all things and he accounted as vvicked that misti keth them This errour is common but as God loueth the good and the godly so he hateth the vvicked and the sinners they be not the Lordes In this age increased this grosle ignorance after Christ the fourth age Iudges take heede hovve you admitt othes for this herisie is commonly sprong vp it is
abyvvord that those that be not as they are they be vvithout therfore they may svveare though falsly if it be for the safetie of their companion others are thought to be but Aegyptians that are not as they be Arbitrarii A subtile and craftie reason taken from the impotencie that is in man the more by his â—railtie and vveikenesse to stirre vp man. Ieromagainst Bryto Marke the state of vvickednes for as euery thing is most phantasticall so commonly iâ— is beleeued Sooner is the trueth abolished then filshod rooted out and for this reade the state of the kings of israel Osorius I thinke as odiosus to the church of God. Martyn Luther Many things to be vvayed in the handeling of free vvill In God are vve made redie to doe good in our selues vvee Iose all euen our ovvne selues The calling of the finner and the alteration in this life of the vngodly man is the onely vvorke of God. With our conception commeth in sin vviped avvay in the blood of Christ The manner and order of our saluatioÌ„ If man had life of him selfe then no man vvoulde die but this is salse then no doubt eternall life commeth from God. Sorites or rather gradatio So longe as there is life so long raigneth sin in our mortall bodies yet by our imputation in Christ it is vviped avvay Foure seueral things required in the regenerate man This meane is much contempned preachinge despised if the man bee misliked therfore is there open to kens of infidelitie Enthusiastike very heretikes Heare the vvorde refuse it not rebell not against the spirite God is saide to do it the sonne to bring it the holy ghost to finish it if it be good that is man and this vvorke is but one Proofe that all our good actions come of God. god electeth Christe saueth the spirite vvorketh and all this is but one vvork in one God. Nazianzne Ierom. The verie chosen and elect vessels of God haue their faultes some more and some lesse Augustine The labor of man is in vaine if God helpe not then much lesse is our saluation in our povvre being sinfull Iudgementeâ— and vvorks in God are secret Cyprian The Pathers are very daungerous to vvade in vvithout great aduisement and ernest prayer for euery one hath his fall the young vvits are casely choked vvith them The consideration of the creatures conuersant vvith vs doth amaz and dim our sight then much more God. If vvee could but immagine the state of the blessed vvee shoulde be rauished O Lord hovv straungly Contentious Scismatickes become if God stay not grosse Heretickes Cypriâ—â— The vvill of God is of tvvo sortes God as hee is can not bee comprehended but as hee shevveth him selfe vnto vs and hath reuealed him selfe in the vvorkâ— of his hands so not els can vvee knovv him The minde of God is said to be knovven for that he gaue vs his Worde and his Gospell vvherin vvee savve the vvil of his father In Christ are vve partakers of the heauenly nature The prophets and the fathers receiued the same spirite vvhich vve do novve yet it is more apparant speketh more familiarly vnto vs then in olde time Three things considered in the vvill of God. All good things commeth from aboue the father of light then papistes haue no place manthinkeâ—h gift of God. The earthly manthinketh vpon those things that are earthly he that is heauenly layeth his cogitations vpoÌ„ those things that are aâ— Our redemptioÌ„ vvrought and bought in Christ Iesus freely The Church of God is knovven in that they Ioue one another All bee not alike but as is the measure of grace so do vve liue in this vvorld To keepe vs from fin it is the token of the man of God. Loue bindeth vp all sores healeth all vvoundes Mortefiynge of our fleshly members is rising vp vnto God. Persecution coÌ„mon trials of the faythfull As sheepe are vve slayne for the Lord sake All creatures obedient to the vvill of God. Euery houre are vvee put in minde of our seruice to the Lorde by his creatures This blessednes shal bee seene in the nevve Ierusalem vvhen the Sainctes and the Aungels and the heauens and earth vvill make one consente and one voyce in seruing God no not the Diuelles shall rebel any more against him but stande to his â—udgemente As God by his vvill did that he could so by that ought vve be vvilling to that hee vvilleth vs least vvee striue against the vvill of God. The vnhappy and pittifull fall of man is seene in that all things stand serue and obay God vve only left that first state and fell from that happines vvherin vvee vvere The earth be coÌ„meth Iron and the beauens be as brasse the trees denie their seruice vnto man if God be angrie vvith him Firste seeke the kingdom of God then all things shal be ministred vn to thee The good gifts of the Lorde are common to all for the Sun shineth and the raine droppeth vppon the vnrighteous as on the righteous man. He that needeth prayeth to haue it he that hath it prayeth to keepe it but happie is that man vvhich doth his duitie and prayeth as commaunded of God that hee falleth not The singular operation vvorking gouernemeÌ„t of the Lorde against nature The singuler operation vvorking and gouernment of the Lorde against nature Our English Athists neuer haue enough till their mouthes bee stopped vvith clay their bodies couered vvith the earth All things are giueÌ„ for maÌ„ man onely is created to glorifie the Lorde Anthropophagâ— Of so homly a mould as vvee came of how bevvtifull a Tabernacle did God erect Al cretâ—rs do knovv their bringing vp and the verye â—outch is more vvelcoÌ„â—chim that is acquainted thervvith theÌ„ sumptuous furniture Giue vs our daily bread this day In the Scriptures bread is taken for the foode of the soule often times ther fore Christ is called the true breade came dovvne sâ—om Heauen to feede vs. Carelesnes iâ— impiety but greedmes with couetousnes is irreligiousnes Wee fell by man vvee are all redeemed againe in the man Christ 1. Cor. 10. One God in the lavve and the same Christ in the lavve vvith one oblation saned vs both before after the lavveâ— for he vvas slaine from al beginning A temporall comparison vvith heauen ly thinges Better is hee that knevv not the vvord and heard not of it theÌ„ hee that hath it folovveth it not the first is of ignorance to reprobation this is of foly to greater coÌ„dempâ—ation that by Diuelishnes this of peeâ—ishnes haue one revvarde eternall death What is vnderstoode by bread God often times tryeth his Sainctes and vvhen all hope is past as appeareth to man then commeth his sauing health soudenly The doctors and the fathers are as good instruments vvhet and prepared for the vse of Gods church Our bread is asked for that it is not common vnto one but to vs all and because God vvould haue vs remember