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
as be delited and drouned in Iewishe ceremonies and superstition and a foolishnesse vnto such as glory in Gréekish learning and wisedome but for all faithfull Christians whiche beléeue the Gospell of the same crosse death and passion it is the power of God vnto their euerlasting rest and saluation Grosse idolaters do boldly and blindly imagine a presence of God in imagerie or vnder the forme of some maner of bodie to be kept and honored of them according vnto their fantasie but the cléere light of the Gospell doth euidentely vnto the faithfull shewe EMANVEL him which is God with vs so that they most comfortably sée by fayth Christ God and man so in his naturall bodie glorified in heauen that in power of his spirit with the ministers of hys worde and members of his mystical bodie vpon earth he is alwayes present amongst men bestowing suche giftes of his grace vpon them and receiuing suche honoure thankes seruice of them as may be most for his honor and glory and their comforte and commoditie Uoluptuous ▪ Epicures be alwayes wery of the time present and voide of all good hope of that which is to come but faithfull Christians chéerefully bestowe their time in honest godly study labors and exercise with most comfortable hope and desire of Christ to come in Maiestie to receiue them into his eternall ioy and glory Coniurers and Charmers doe imagine suche a vertue too be in their wordes and waters circles and crosses brethinges and blessinges as shoulde poure aboundance of holynesse into any thing as pleaseth them yea as coulde force the deuil from hell and God from heauen to appeare vnder some likenesse presently vnto them Faithefull Christians by Gods worde doe learne and knowe how that the holy Ghost by faithe in Christ doth purge mennes hartes from al vngodlynesse and replenishe them with such gratious goodnesse as sanctifieth them and all things as causeth them with all manner of Gods good creatures euer too serue God in holinesse and rightuousnesse without any presumption or desire to coniure either God or the deuill Superstitious hypocrites can sée no face of that Churche whiche they wil cleue vnto but in solemne shewe of Ceremonies and pompe of Prelates faithfull Christians do euidently sée in the holy Scriptures suche a foundation of the Prophets and Apostles ioyned vnto Christe the heade corner stone as is moste necessary commodious and sufficient for them in faith doctrine and conuersation to be framed ioyned and made members and partes agréeable vnto that head foundation They sée by faith that face of Christes church which god by his word hath shewed to the faithful Desperate persons can neuer trust nor desire of God forgeuenesse of sinnes resurrection of their bodies nor life euerlasting But faithfull Christians by glad tydinges of the Gospell be taught and encouraged to desire and beléeue that their sinnes shall be vtterly abolished their bodyes from corruption and deathe chaunged and raysed that they themselues vnto the image of God in Christ reformed may in life euerlasting with Christ be glorified For in the light of the gospel of Christ is the vncouered face of Christ the euidente example and doctrine of Christ so shewed to be séene as doth transforme the faithfull beleuers into the same image of godlinesse which is in Christes doctrine and conuersation as doth moue and make men to put of olde Adam that they may become newe creatures in christ So they be taughte of the father to know the sonne they be drawen of the father to come vnto the sonne they be transformed from the custome and trade of this world to be framed and fashioned like vnto the sonne of God as vnto the heade corner stone of a spirituall house of a holie temple to offer spirituall sacryfices acceptable vnto God to offer as Paule teacheth the Romaines their owne bodies a sacrifice holie liuely and acceptable vnto God and as Paul calleth the charitable bestowing of the Philippians goods odours of swéete sauour acceptable sacrifices plesaunt vnto god So that fayth which commeth by the Gospell maketh mens bodies and mindes landes and goods and al that they haue to be sanctified sacrificed and offered vnto god For the Gospell teacheth howe that God ordeyneth and gyueth all things vnto mannes comfort and commoditie and howe that men should do all thinges vnto Gods honour and glorie So by the Gospel al holinesse and godlinesse ▪ all gracious goodnesse all true treasures and riches be giuen abundantly vnto man and all honour and seruice all thanks and prayse be rendred duely vnto god But vnto all manner of men lacking the lyghte of the Gospell all manner of things be vnprofitable yea al their owne dooings be abhominable afore God ▪ and damnable vnto thēselues For nothing can be good or profitable vnto man which doth offend and displease god Nothing can please God without faith in Christe and it is vnpossible to haue fayth in Christe and not to haue the Gospell of Christe Therfore it was verie necessarie and expedient that afore the cleare lyghte of the Gospell did fully shine vnto the world that the experience of other thinges shoulde be well tried and knowne in the world For suche is the good ordinance of God to vse all maner of meanes to bring mē frō vaine hope in any other thing vnto a sure faith in christ only which cōmes by hering of gods word according to Christes gospel For of all the good creatures of God and of the habilitie of fréewill man had sufficient experience in paradise afore there was any infirmitie and corruption of nature by reason of sinne And afterwardes the promisses made vnto the fathers the lawe giuen by Moyses with all Sacrifices and ceremonies in the Tabernacle and in the Temple dyd serue for a season to make men myndefull and desirous of the commyng and kingdome of Chryste whyche should performe the promisse and satisfye the Lawe beautifying his Churche with suche cleare lyght of the Gospel as shoulde vtterly abolishe all shadowes and figures of Sacrifices and Ceremonies with the Tabernacle and the Temple And Christ himselfe did in bodie depart from the earth to be glorified in Heauen so as by sending from thence the holie Ghoste was most expedient for men to haue Christe in spirite alwayes present with them vppon earthe So therfore after all other good thinges as the last and the best God hath thus in the ende of the worlde set vp the kingdom of Christ with the clere lighte of the Gospell and comfortable presence of his spirite Seeing therefore that man in Paradyse amongest all Goddes creatures hauing a pure nature did not then by the habilitie of his Fréewill nor by the goodnesse of other creatures continue and stande in vprightnesse he should not imagine that now in the vanities of this worlde and infirmities of his fleshe being drowned in sinne he can finde any thing able to rayse him vp vnto rightuousnesse Also it is a cruel thing by the heauie
shée be to please him only and to passe for none other So there is great difference betwixt the godly charitie of Christians the selfe loue of worldlings For tell the worldling that God so much doth loue him that he can not be vtterly forsaken and damned then will hée care litle to forsake God and fal into sinne the faithful Christian perceiuing in Christ most certaine assuraunce of gods loue and saluation is so satisfied and comforted therin that nothing can separate him from the loue of God in Christ Iesu. The loue of harlots is soone extinguished in pouertie and sicknesse the loue in wedlocke is then thorough pitifull prouision of the one for the other wonderously purified and increaced betwixte man and wyse Worldlings be wearie of Religion lacking wealthe and prosperitie Christians finde comfortable increase of pure loue vnder the crosse of Christ. Harlots vse outwardly muche curious trimming many gorgeous vanities being inwardly infected with filthy fornication many vile vices Matrones haue outwardly a comfortable countenance plain apparell being inwardly beautifyed with modestie honestie and such vertues So comparing Idolatrie vnto Christianitie it is euident to be séene howe on the one parte outwardly places and persones with imagerie and crosses copes and vestments ceremonies and shews be solemnly set forth which inwardly be filled with spiritual fornication hypocrisie and superstition And on the other part how outwardly persons and places after moste playn maner and fashion without any counterfaited garmentes images ceremonies or any solemnities in comfortable preaching of the Gospel ministration of the Sacramentes be inwardly replenished with faithe hope and charitie The whoorishe church of Antichriste taketh of all maner of men what so euer she can catche to make hir selfe to séeme gay and goodly The holy Church of Christ wil receiue nothing of any man but of Christe onely that she in déede maye bée chast pure and holy Therefore the Masse made of manye mennes inuentions is taken as a thyng moste profitable and plesant vnto the one nothing but the plaine preaching of the gospel sealed with the sacramentes of Christes only institution and ordinance can be receiued as comfortable and commodious vnto the other Into the Masse be nowe gathered suche solemne shewes dumme ceremonies with straunge words and whisperings as alore haue bene vsed of the Gentiles in Idolatrie of the Iewes in Superstition and of sorcerers incantations and coniuryngs which were all vtterly cōdemned refused and separated of Christe and his disciples from suche preaching of the Gospel ministration of the Sacraments as the churche of Christ hath receiued of Christ and doth kéepe and vse according vnto Christs onely institution ordinance For in holy scriptures be written all suche things as Christes churche did receyue of Christ by hym and his disciples so instituted and taught as should euer after bée obserued and kept And therfore it is verie euident by playne writings in the holy Scriptures how that Christe and his Apostles by preachyng of the Gospell and ministration of the sacramēts did teach men in all places to sanctifie themselues to be offered as a sacrifice to serue God in holinesse and righteousnes as liuely membres of Christes mysticall body but how by saying Masse to make of bread and wyne turned into Christes naturall bodye a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead there is not one worde in al holy scripture no there is not in all holy scripture any maner of Masse now vsed taught or commaunded by Gods worde For Moyses and the Prophets set foorth in writings all sacrifices and Ceremonies pertaining vnto the law And lyke wise do the Apostles and Euangelistes all suche as belong vnto the Gospell And all that is written in the new Testament by the Apostles and Euangelistes contaynyng all suche doctrine and déedes of Christ and his disciples as God woulde by them should be taught vnto vs doth as muche reproue the Masse as in the old Testament Moses and the Prophetes did reproue the sacrifices of the Israelites in Dan and Bethell For as vnlike is the Masse at the Altare vnto the Lordes Supper at the Table as were the Calfes sette vp by Ieroboam in Dan and Bethel vnlyke vnto the Arke and propiciatorie betwixt the Cherubins in the temple at Hierusalem And as the Prophetes and Priestes of God did teache suche a memoriall and presence of God at Hierusalem as shoulde moue and stirre vp the minds of men there to remember and reuerence God in heauen but Ieroboam and his Priestes did teache and make men to beléeue that their Idolles were not onely images of remembrance but the same God that brought thē out of Egipt in such corporal presence then there in Dan and Bethell as did kéepe the Israelites myndes from heauen and theyr personall presence from Ierusalem euen so now godly preachers do teach such a remēbrance presence of Christe in the Lordes supper as should moue and make all christen men to remember reuerence Christe in heauen but vngodly priestes do pretend such a bodily presence of Christ vpon their altares as doth draw mennes minds from heauen and their personall presence from the Lordes supper at the Lordes table Then were the Israelites blynde and bolde to set vp Calues imagining so to honor and please god in Dan and Bethel vnder Ieroboam as their forfathers did mrst dishonor and displease God in wildernesse with Aaron And what a bolde blindnesse is it nowe of Christians to set vp a sort of their Ceremonies vnto the honour of God when as God by the light of the Gospell hathe abolished his owne Ceremonies as vnprofitable vnto his seruice And what a boldnesse is it to say that Christes bodily presence is kept vpon earth vnder the forme of bread which according vnto the scriptures is ascended vp from the earthe and glorified in heauen in the forme of man The light of the gospell hath vanquished ceremonies afore ordeined of God as now vnprofitable can any ceremonies deuised by man now blemish the gospell not be abhominable The comfortable abundance of the holie Ghoste did not come vntill the bodily presence of Christ was departed and gon and howe then can they receiue abundant comfort of Christes spirite whiche bée infected and blynded with a grosse imagination of Christes body The flesh profiteth nothyng sayth Christ the wordes that I speake bee spirite and lyfe he dothe not saye that the wombe whiche did conceiue and bear him or the breast that gaue him sucke is blessed but Blessed be they which heare the word of God and kéepe it as though he had sayd Not those whiche woulde haue him God and man in bodilye presence or imagine him to be in any visible thyng But those which know and honour God in the truth of his worde and presence of spirite be blissed Those in wyldernesse whiche did not knowe what was become of Moses being in talke with God vppon the toppe of the mountain bycause they did desire and
trauell and many troubles in wildernesse where as their bodies and carkases all died and perished their wiues children were ofte and gréeuously plagued And euen so when as a man is called in witnessing of Gods truth by any deathe to come spedily out of this world into heaueÌ„ then if for feare or loue of freÌ„des goods hée vtterly wil refuse deny so to forsake all come vnto God he shall deserue that God with long wretchednesse in this worlde shold destroy him and plage all that is hys For in fleeing from spéedie passage by a fierie fagot which is sodenly ended hee shal fall in daunger of a fiery feuer or of some such sicknesse as shal most miserably consume his body euer biting and burning by a little a little to make him to feele long sorowes of life vnder a slow deathe Yea in refusing to come with a courage beyng louingly called of God vnto life euerlasting he runneth in danger to dispaire when as by fearful death hee shal be forced to forsake this world this life and euery suche thing as hée nowe lyketh and loueth Many fearing to bée shutte vp in a stinking prison where as godly men haue euer found most swéete consolations of Goddes spirit doo flée from the truthe and fall into snares and banâ—s of the diuell drawne with grudge grief of conscience vnto moste vile and filthie seruice of sin superstition and idolatry Many also bee so addicte vnto their owne countrey there abiding in the shadowe of death vnder Idolatrie that they will not desire séek and find the churche of Christ in other places openly assembled in suche sincere profession of Christen Religion as God dothe blesse and beautifie with the riches and grace of his cléere truth comfortable countenance Many knowing and liking the truth inwardly in their mind yet frame themselues in outwarde apperance to please the world hauing their owne conscience to witnesse that in purposing so to please bothe God and man they can not long escape the iudgement shame confusion of vnfaithfull flattering dissembling bothe with God man For in halting vppon both sides they can not vprightly stand or go with either party but in bowing vnto Baal they fall from god And hauing good knowledge of God and yet giuing occasion of offence to the simple that lacke knowlege they deserue worse than a milstone to be tyed about their necke and to be drowned in the sea bycause they seeing vngodlinesse doe wittingly presume afore the face of God to bring them selues and others folowing their example in danger of the same that they sée is vngodly by going to Masse and pretending a loue and knowlege vnto the gospell they make the simple ignorant to think that the Masse is not vngodly or that for policye a faythfull Christian may company with the vngodly at vngodlynesse A man may haue iust occasion to kéepe or change any place but neuer to yelde or agrée vnto any euill and vngodly thing It is not the flying from place to place only but from the vngodly fashion of this worlde vnto newnesse of life that can profite man and please god So therefore vse all places as may helpe beste to the amendment of your liues And where as ye do sée Idolatry mainteined forced by authoritie fary not in that countrey except God haue so there prouided for you that ye shall not be forced for feare of man to bowe vnto Baal for to flatter please worldly powers to heare or say the vngodly Masse And if ye come forth of youre countrey for loue of youre pure religion reste not but in suche places as haue the riche blessings of sincere godly doctrine and discipline If yée forsake your countrey for Christes cause doe not leaue Christes Churche Gods blessings grace and chéerful countenance to please Christes enimies When as God shall sende his messanger in the spirit power of Helias then they that halte vpon both sides shall bée sharply rebuked they that be neyther hote nor colde shall bée cast vp vomited and spued forthe as moste vngodly and wicked They that flatter Princes and mock and persecute prophets and preachers shall bée in daunger of fire from heauen to destroy them The priests of Baal shall not escape the rage of the people stirred of zele in seing howe abhominably by them they haue of long time ben deceiued God dishonored All suche as bée of the house and kinred of the kind conditions of Achab Iesabell in getting vnrighteous possessions in sheding innoceÌ„t blood in vsing and maynteyning idolatrie shall féele zelous Iehu executing wrath and vengeaunce of God vppon them vnto the third and fourth generation of them WheÌ„ suche as Peter that before a woman was afrayde to confesse Christe bée so recouered and encouraged by Gods spirite that boldly they wil charge the chiefe rulers the high Priestes and all the people euen to their faces that they haue forsaken and condemned the Gospell of Chryste whiche is the power of God vnto saluation of all that do beléeue and required taken the masse whiche is the author and maker of sedition murder of mens soules then shal ye heare and see that there is no way to escape the wrath and vengeance of God but by fléeing now from this frowarde and peruerse generation vnto that sauing health whiche God in Christe by the light ministerie of the Gospel doth shew send offer to you Therfore now when as God doth shew vnto you the abhomination of desolation standing in the holie place When as hée dothe giue you warning of vengeance that is coÌ„ming flée from ignorance vnto knowledge froÌ„ vice vnto vertue from worldlinesse vnto godlinesse and loke not backe at the losse of any thing as the wife of Lot did and was turned into a salt piller nor looke not aside at any terrible stormes and raging waues which might cause you like vnto Peter to fainte for feare and sinke in worldely wretchednesse as in the water but set your eyes and your heartes wholly vpon the promis and prouision of God as Abraham did so shall ye be strong in faith and take and kéepe the right way eueÌ„ vnto the ende For thou shalt see finde and féele in leauing or loosing any thing to take and beare the crosse of Christ manifold recompence héere and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting and paynful death vpon earth spéedy passage vnto the ioyes of heauen in close prison and bonds of the body libertie of conscience to solace the minde in heauenlie meditation and in expulsion or fléeing from kindred and countrie entrance into a christen congregation garnished with all godlinesse belonging vnto Christes kingdome And for the loue and desire to sée and enioy the restitution and aduauncement of this kingdome rather than of any worldy wealth vain glory or tyrannous emperie do not woorke or wish vengeaunce vnto other least that it fall vppon your selues or else least that