And how he layeth carnal fleashelye and worldlye pleasures as a bayte wherin venym / yeth hydde before your eyes to catche your myndes / that he may so carrye you awaye â–ª For as the fowlers bayt betrayeth the fowles Soo doth the vayne pleasures of thys world begylde the myndes of fowles For through the desyre of it the enemy ouercometh them â–ª leadynge the synner from one vanytye to an other tyll he haue so broughte hym in woofull bondage and moste myserable captyuytye But thys ye knowe my brethern I meane the sea sone how it is tyme as Sayncte paule sayth that we shulde nowe a wake owt of slepe Rom. xiii for nowe is oure saluacyon nerer then when we beleued The nyghte is paste and the day is come nygh Lett vs therfore Caste a waye the dedes of darekenes and put on the Armoure of lyghte Lett vs nowe walke honestelye saythe he as in the daye lyghte not in eatynge and drynkynge chambrynge wantones nether in strife enuyeng but put ye on the lord Iesus Chryst make not prouisioÌ„ for the flesh to fulfyll the lustes of it Truly we are called as ye know to suffer wyth Chryst that we myght be made partakers with hym in glory for yf we were grafted lyke hiÌ„ in death Then shall we be lyke hym also in the resurrectyon Iesus autem dixit illis AmeÌ„ dico vobis quod vos qui sequuti estis me in regeneracione cum sederit fisius hominis in seâ—â—e maiestatis fue c Math. xix the rych man lyueth here in al pleasures and fared delycyously And Lazarus lyued in trouble aÌ„d payne But after this lyfe Lazarus receued ioye saith Chryste and the rych man payne for Abraham sayde vnto hym sonne remembre that thou in thy lyfe tyme receyuedst thy good and contrary wise Lazarus paine now therfore is he coÌ„forted aÌ„d the art punysshed Our sauiour Chryste trulye being the lord of our glory during that time of thys lyfe walked here through many trybulacyons He refused the scepter and crown of a worldly kingdoÌ„ with al the vayn freÌ„d shyp glory that the world could geue hiÌ„ / receued with mourniÌ„g deares on hys head a crowne of sharpe thornes a rede for a sceptre in his right haÌ„d Mat xxvi that he might so for our sakes acoÌ„plysh the wyll of his heuenly father gette vyctory against that whole powre of the enemy Chryst suffred for vs sayth s peter leauyÌ„g vs an exaÌ„mple that we shuld follow hys fotsteppes / which dyd no synne / neyther was ther guyle found in his mouthe c. Chryste had no felycytye in thys presente worlde whych is now corrupte but hys reioysyng was in the wylle of hys father and he had a great respecte to the rewarde at the end Yf the sonne of God takyng oure nature vpon hym myghte not escape / but muste drynke of thys Cuppe who saied The seruauÌ„te is not aboue the master neyther the messynger greater then he that sendethe hym Thynke not ye to escape / my Brethern yf ye intende to be made partakers with hyÌ„ of his fathers heauenlye kyngdome Therfore wyth pacyence possesse your sowles and lyke faytheful Sowldiours of Iesus christ take vp youre Crosse / and folowe hym for trulye he hathe promysed that yf ye be partakers with hym in sufferyng / ye shall be partakers wyth hym in glorye But yf you lyue after the fleash haue your pleasure amongest the wycked ye must dye But if ye mortify the dedes of the flesh / throughe the spyryte then shall ye lyue Brethern / ye are called of God that ye shuld be holy Therfor I wolde not that ye shulde now be partakers in the dedes of the wycked i. Corin. x. and haue fellowshyppe wyth deuels for truly as saiÌ„t paul sayth ye can not be partakers of the lordes table and of the table of deuels neyther drynke of the lordes cup and of the cup of deuels Eyther shall we prouoke the lorde saythe he or are we stronger then he ye can not serue God and mammon how agreeth light wyth darkenes ryghtousnes wyth vnryghtousnes or Chryst wyth Belyas The hart that goeth two ways truly is hated and such as are dobble tounged / are accursed of God What can it proffite a man to wynne all the world / wyth the losse and daÌ„mage of hys owne sowle yea what shal he geue to redeme it agayn with al he that seketh to saue hys lyfe shall lose it saythe chryste But he that wyl lose hys lyfe for my sake shal saue it yea blessed and happye are those Sayth the spyryte that loue not ther lyues vnto the deathe Truly they shall receaue a Crowne of life And although ye know the truth already my BrethereÌ„ dearely beloued in our Sauioure Iesu chryste yet I thynke it not vayne by these letters / to styrre vpp your remembraunce for trulye it is my dylyee that ye shulde not peryshe wyth the worlde but that ye shulde turne from your synnes and liue Therfore / seynge God hath called you wyth an holye callynge for he hath supplyed your harts with the oyle of grace opened your vnderstandynge by hys holy spyryte Soo that ye haue nowe sene hys holy wyll declared vnto vs in Chryste Iesu And haue consented that it is the truthe of God I beseche you by the mercyfullnes of God / make your bodyes a quycke and lyuelye sacryfyce / holy acceptable to God / which as sayncte Paule sayth is your resonable seruynge of God And fascyon not youre selues lyke vnto thys woorlde but be ye chaunged in youre shappe by the Renuynge of youre wyttes Seynge ye are nowe rysen wyth Chryste seâ—te youre myndes aboue on heauenly thynges where Christ syttethe on the ryghte hande of God the father and not on the thinges that art on the earth Brethern deceue not your selues brynge furthe the perfecte frutes belongynge to repentanÌ„ce / which is amendement of lyfe Let it appere I praye you that yeare of chryste / haue harde the woorde in dede Trulye it is good that the harte be establisshed with grace and not with so vanyces Yf vertu encrese ye caÌ„not be yo le nor yet vnfruteful iÌ„ the knowledge of chryste But he that wanteth thys / as saynte Peter sayth is blyndes gropynge for the way which hys hand and hath forgotteÌ„ / that he was purged froÌ„ his olde synnes for true fayth is lyuely / caÌ„not be hydde neyther may she iÌ„ any wise dwell or abide alone for she hath a great desyre to many vertues She accoÌ„panye the her selfe with gods wysedoÌ„ loue She is nouryshed daylye with the bryght sonne of ryghteousnes / the highest watereth her plantes with the swete showres of grace Through perfecte obedyence to the wall of god she spredeth furthe her brauÌ„ches in due season whereby she obtayneth a suer hope her fruyctes proseade from the tree of lyfe / For trulye truly they are the workes of the spirite of God
A Godly Newe short treatyfe instructyng euery parson howe they shulde trade theyr lyues in the Imytacyon of Vertu / and the shewyng of vyce declaryng also what benefyte man hath receaued by christ through the effusyon of hys most precyous bloude Imprīted At London by me Robert Stoughton Dwelling with in Ludgate at the sygne of the Bysshoppes Myter Grace mercye and peace of concience be Multyplyed and encreaced amonge all them that loue oure lorde Iesus Chryst the truthe of God in purenes of mynd Amen BRetheren beloued in oure Sauyoure Iesus Chryste i. Cor. xv Consyder I Pray you the greate goodnes of God ī that he hath called you by hys grace to the knowledg of him self / throwghe the worde whyche is greate mercye towarde you in Chryste Iesu for fleashe and bloude sayth Sayncte paule can not enherite the kyngdome of i God / neyther can Corrupcyon inheryte pncorrupcyon Nichodemus beynge A aharysey and a man lerned Ye knowe dfter the iudgementes of men and enwued also with the gyftes of nature / as wytte reson knoledge and vnderstāding naturall yet coulde not he of hys owne powre and strēgth comprehend the heauenly doctryne of oure Saueour christ nor perceyue the celestyal mynde therof tyll he was holpen by grace from God aboue and borne a new Not of mortall sede / but of immortall whyche endureth lasteth for euer Ihon. iii. For that whych is born of the fleshe is fleshe saith christ But that whych is borne of the spyryte is spryte Therfore sayde Chryste Excepte thou be borne of water and of the holy spiryte thou canst not se the kyngdome of God For al thought god synce the begynnynge hath appropryated certayne gyftes of grace to the nature of mā by reason wherof he dothe excell in hys creacyon all other creatures not only in shape of body statute and contenaunce also in the aforsayde spyrytuall gyftes of grace annexed to nature as wytt reason knoledge and vnderstandynge for when god made man at the begynnyng he gaue hym a Reasonable soule from the whych procedeth so God withdraw it not a mynde of vnderstandynge in all mankynde aboue all other creaturs which the lorde hathe created vpon the face of the whole earthe yet trulye withoute the especyall grace of the lord GOD and gyfte from heauen aboue although a man he neuer so wyse and excellente Yet can he not obtaygne of hys owne strenght whych commethe of oure first byrthe the trewe knowledge feare and loue of god which fell from vs in adam But by grace are ye saued through faythe / sayth paule and not of youre selfes nor throught workes Roma iii. leaste any man shuld boast hymselfe but by chryst are we saued and made the beloued sonnes of the hyghestt As Wytnesse the sayncte Iohn sayinge He gaue them power to be the Sonnes of GOD as many as beleue in hys name whych are not born of fleashe nor of bloud nor of the wyll of man / but of GOD. Iohan. i. Roma viij And through hym my bretherne ye haue obtayned not only knowledge and Iudgemente to dyscerne and iudge betwyxt the good the euyl but also ye are made able through the spyryte whyche a bydeth in you whyche ye haue of God to chose the good to leaue the euyll Galla. 4. a i. Cor. ij b for the lord no doubte is a spirite sayth paule and wher the spirite of the lord is ther is lybertye and throughe hym ye are made stronge / so that ye obey ij Cor. iij. for through Chryste saith he I can doo al thyngs whych he hath made me able Bretheren yf ye obeye be now sedde by the holy spyrit of God Roma vjij then trulye are ye made the fre sonnes of God then shal ye also be made perfet and obteyne vyctory agaynst syn death and hell whych is the whole power of Sathan our mortall ennemye Bretheren deceaue not your selues / for loke to whome ye do obey / truly hys seruaūts ye are to whome ye doo obeye whether it be by obedience vnto rightuousnes or synne vnto death In Adam trulye we were all deade / but in Chryste we are al made alyue as manye as beleue in hys name as perteynyng to the flesh as s Paule sayth we wer all naturally born the chyldren of wrath Roma vi as wel as al other because of orygynall Synne that reygneth in all fleshe Reason was blynd and nature corrupte therfore coulde it not obeye to the wyll of GOD / but vyolentlye stroue agaynste hym / desyrynge that he hated and hatyng that he loued ▪ i. Corin. iij For the naturall manne sayth Saynct Paul perceyueth not the thynges of Goode / that belonge to the spyryte i. Corin. iij. for they are but folyshnes vnto hym Neyther can he perceue them sayth he for they are Spyrytuallye examyned but he that is spyrytuall dyscusseth all thynges Brethern youre mindes are now lightned by grace and ye haue now receyued the spyryte of God / whych bryngethe knowledge and a perfecte willinge obedyent mynde to do the wyll of God But whosoeuer hath not the Spyryte the same is none of hys For asmuche as ye are partakers of the holy spyryte and are borne a new yeare not now my bretherne vnder the lawe but vnder grace Obey vnto the fourme of doctryne I praye you wherunto ye are called for trulye God hathe pleasure in a louelye harte And an obedyente Mynde is all wayes at peace wyth hym The naturall mā not renued knoweth not God / neyther is he obedyente to the ryghteowsenes which is of value be for hym neyther can be / sayethe paule / For delectacyon and costome in euyll / blyndeth there vnderstandinge that they are not obedyente / no not to that goodnes that naturall reasone teacheth them / they saye they know God loue hym and kepe all hys commaundementes They deceyue themselues vtterlye thynkynge them ryche when the world fauoureth them when indede they are blynde and poore ▪ for though they possesse muche yet indeyd they haue no thynge Therfor the hope of the vngodly is as the dry thystle flower Luke xij For they re faythe is vayne and of none effecte When they heare the woorde of God whiche is the trwth they are not obedyente to do therafter ▪ they delyghte in euyll / and haue no desyre to folowe ryghteousnes therfore / when they come to the knowledge of the scrypture they fall sodenlye into many daungerous erroures Some because they Wolde be hydde from Gods wynde them selfes in a folyshe cloke of myar necessyty / sayng in thē selfes / that if can not otherwyse be When in dede they stryue not at all to make resystaūce but doo lette the fleshelye mynde runne whether it lusteth So for lacke of obedyence they fall into wyllfull synne deceauyng them selfes in their owne ymagynacyōs To do yuell thei haue power because they wyll / but to doo well they haue none at al for
as loue ioye / peace long sufferyng gâ—ntelnes goodnes / faythefullnes meknes / temperancy for hee eye wayteh vnto the commaundementes of the lord to kepe them for in the mis her lyfe Dearly beloued ye are called and choseÌ„ ye are washed from an euyll concyence ye are sanctyfyed by the bloude of Iesu through the eternalle spyryte / whyche dwelleth in you By whom / ye are able throught chryste whych as saynct paule sayeth hath made vs able to be mynysters of the new testamente Therfore worke owe your saluacion And as the Apostle peter sayth make your callynge and electyon suer / through good works Mortyfye therfore youre membres which are earthly And walke not from hensefourth / as other hethen people walke in vanytye of they re myndes blynded in theyr vnderstandyng / beyng straungers from the lyfe that is in God / throwghe the yngnoraunce that is in them â–ª because of the blyndnes of there hartes / whych beynge paste repentaunce Haue geuen themselues vnto wantonnes to worke almaner of vncleannes / euen wyth gâ—â— dynes But ye haue not so lerned Chryste as sayncte paule saythe yf so be ye haue hard of hym and are tawght of hiÌ„ Euen as the truth is in Iesus so then as concernynge the conuersacyoÌ„ in tymes paste laye from you the olde man whyche is corrupt â–ª through deceaueable lustes and be ye renued in the spyrite of your vnderstandynge myndes And put on that newe man whych is shapen after the ymag of god in ryghteousnes and trew holynes nowe therfore as electe of God holy and beloued put on teÌ„der mercy kiÌ„dnes huÌ„blenes of miÌ„d mekenes Longe sufferynge forbering one another / and forgeuyng one another Colloss iij â–ª yf anye man haue a quarell to an other saythe Sayncte paule euen as Chryst forgaue you euen so do ye â–ª ye are called to be chyldren of lyhgt that ye shulde be holy and wyth owte blame yf ye put to a wyllyng mynde ye shall fynd the lorde read ye wyth hys grace at youre hande for God loueth you and therfor wyll be all wayes defende you and delyuer you in the howle of temptacyon whych as Chryste saythe shall come to tempte theÌ„ that sytt vpon the face of the earth But ye haue not receyued the spyryte of the world that your felycytye shulde be in the thynges therof Neyther that ye seke God all way owtewardely and to serue hym in the letter But ye haue receyued the spyryte of God whyche lowsed in your hartes the woorkes of synne and opened the inwarde eyes of your mynd that ye shulde nowe haue no more pleasure in them For the vayle is takeÌ„ away for your hartes / and yeare turned to the lorde that ye maye nowe see the bryghte face of God / whyche is hys loue and mercyfull wyll towardes vs in Chryste Iesu Therfore truly we are called and taughte of God / to serue hym in a new conuersacyon in spyryte and verytye and not in the olde conuersacyon of the letter For the letter kylleth sayth sainct paule But the spyryte geueth lyfe Yf the fyrste testament had bene fautelesse saythe he Hebr. viij / theÌ„ shuld there no place haue bene soughte for the second For in rebukyng them he sayth Beholde the dayes wyll come sayth the Lorde and I wyll fynyshe vppon the house of Israell and vpon the house of Iuda a new testameÌ„t not lyke the testament that I made with theyr fathers at that tyme when I toke them by the hande and ledde them out of the lande of Egypte for they contynued not in my testement and I regarded theÌ„ not sayeth the lorde But thys is the testament and I regarded them not saythe the lord / But thys is the testamente that I wyll make wyth the house of Israell After those daies sayth the lorde I wil put milawes in their mindes aÌ„d in theyr harts I wil wryte theÌ„ I wyl be their God they shall be my people This is the new testameÌ„t that the lord hath now made with hys people â–ª trulye he wryteth hys lawe by hys spyryte in theyr hartes / that they maye doo it accordyng to hys wyll Saincte Paule testifieth Rom â–ª xv that Iesus christ was a mynister of the cyrcuÌ„cysyoÌ„ for the truth of God to coÌ„fyrme the promesses made vnto the fathers by whoÌ„ ye are called made ministers iÌ„ the new testameÌ„t / and pertakers of the true circumsysyoÌ„ which is inspryt not in letter / that ye might receue of hys holynes through the sprit that he hath geuen vs. Therfore my brethreÌ„ be ye holy be ye holy in al your conuersatyon for it is wryteÌ„ Be ye holy for I am holy / aÌ„d surely the things that ye haue in hand be very holy / knowe ye not how that ye ar partakers of the nature of God by partycipacyon of hys holy spyryte whych ye haue receaued And how that ye are made the temple of God because hys holy spryt dwelleth in you defile not theÌ„ this holy place least the lord be angry and so ye perysh from the ryght way Thys holy cytye new IerusaleÌ„ Apoca. xxi Ihon sawe com down from God out of heauen prepared as a bryde garnysshed for her husbande And he harde a great voyce out of heauen saying Beholde the tabernacle of God is with men and he wyll dwelle wyth them c. Thys holy tabernacle aÌ„d dwelling house / hath god pyght among you / and not man after whyche moyses was coÌ„maunded to make all the worke whych wece but shadowes sayth saint Paul of true thynges to come And were ordeyned vntyll the tyme of reformacyoÌ„ with hath God now in thys laste tyme by Chryst opened vnto vs for by hys bloude haue we an open waye in into the holy place and moost holye by the newe aÌ„d lyuing way whych he hath prepared for vs though the vayle that is to saye / by hys fleshe And by Chryste are ye beloued and made mynysters in the newe testamente and pryestes vnto the hygh god to offer in the holy place in holy vessels of pure golde that acceptable sacryfyce of prayse and thankesgeuyng Vessels of pure golde are the hartes and conscyences of meÌ„ purged from the fylthe of synne and CorrupcyoÌ„ that is to saye the frutes of those lyppes / with do confesse hys mooste holy name / attende therfore to that thing that ye haue now harde my deare bretheren and as deare chylderen labour earnestly by the helpe of the spyryt to kepe your selues vnspotted of the worlde that ye may be saued and be made the parfecte sonnes of God / and coheyres wyth our sauyoure Iesus Chryste of hys euerlastyng heauenly kyngdome Amen The god of all patience and consolatioÌ„ geue to eueryone of you grace so to labore and trauayle in youre callynge after the example of Chryste / that your gyfte maye encrease least you also be plucked away in the erourre of the wycked and fall from your stedfastnes / But growe in grace and the lorde wyll delyuer you from all euell doyng and kepe you to hys heauenly kyngdome to whom be all prayse / honour and glory for euer and euer Amen The grace of God be wyth your spyryt Amen Yours as charytye byndeth me / Henry harte Geue all the prayse to God and be alwayes thankfull vnto hym Anno. 1548. the â—â— October