pleasure of Princes He that confesseth me before men I will confesse him before my father in heauen But he that denyeth me c. And we must learne to say with the Apostle Paule If I seeke to please men I am not the seruant of Christ It is an olde saying and a true All is not Gold that glistereth but the fiery fornace wil soon try it Euery piece of yron that wee see is not perfect and sound yron for sometimes it is eaten through with the canker and this when the file commeth vpon it is easily knowne Wheate and chaffe lye mingled together in one barne til a gale of wind come and blowe them in sunder and then they appeare both plainely what they are let vs acquaint our selues with our good GOD by continuall and heartie prayer that by his goodnes wee may bee prepared against the day of his visitation to abide what in mercy he shall think good to lay vpon vs. The fearefulnes of fleshe and blood is such and the delight therof in worldly prosperity so great that aduersitie is not easily borne Imprisonment is accounted painefull but it is more painefull to enioy libertie vpon euill conditions The prisons are thought lothsome vnsauery but yet not more lothsome then the sweetest houses where the feare of God is wanting It is grieuous to man to be solitary and alone yet better is it to be so then in companie with the wicked It toucheth vs very neare to loose liuing and goodes but it shal be found to touch nearer to loose the fauour and grace of God We vse it as a common speech that life is sweete but most sweete and pleasant is it to loose this life full of mortall miseries to finde and enioye the life full of eternall ioyes We are loth to leaue our friendes wife and children but we must beware that in abiding with them wee stay not in the displeasure of our God These trials must needes come vpon vs and whosoeuer liueth to it is like to tast of thē But be of good cheare Whom the Lord loueth hee chastiseth euen to this ende that hee might call them to remember their sinnes and so runne by repentance to him and aske mercy and then he might pardon and forgiue them in respect wherof we are not to lamēt but to prayse the Lorde not to be dismaide but to be cōforted that our God wil vouchsafe to offer vs his crosse whereby he seeketh to traine vs vp to the place of endlesse ioye and comfort It is an assurance laide vp vnto vs that if we suffer we shall raigne If we confesse him before men in earth hee will confesse vs beefore his father in heauen If wee bee not ashamed of his Gospell heere he will not be ashamed of vs at the last daye Remember the words of our sauiour Christ in the. 5. of Mathew Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theires is the kyngdome of heauen Call to mynde that which Paule saith in the 8. to the Romaines The afflictions of this life are not to be compared to the ioyes of the lyfe prepared for you Wherefore seeing that euen in the crosse we beholde and see the mercie of our God which is more sweete and to be set by then any mucke or pelfe of this world yea much more then is life it selfe Let vs keepe on our course Let vs walke before our God in simplicitie of heart knowing this that not a heyre of heade can perish without the wil of our heauenly father neither can any man or diuel be able to attēpt any thing much lesse to do any thing to vs without the sufferance of the Almightie And when leaue is graunted they shall goe no further then he will Wherefore casting all our care vppon the Lord who careth sufficiently for vs Let vs lay aside all feare and onely studie whilest we liue heare to please him and to keepe our consciences cleane from the pollutions of this present age that both our minde and tongue our life and beliefe may be answerable to eche other and that for euer the word of truth may be a light to lighten our steps in the path of true holines The Lorde in the riches of his mercy impart vnto vs all such portion of his holy spirit that when the time of our tryall shall come and that the winde of persecution shall blow vpon vs we may be founde pure golde made clearer by the fornace perfect yron bryghtened by the fyle and good Wheate seuered from the light chaffe and so constantly continue Christ his faythfull souldiers and seruantes to our liues end And thus Madam haue I dedicated to your selfe particulerly a translated treatise as a pledge of my reuerend loue I beare you and to others generally a long and rude Epistle with it Your selfe I trust will accept my simple trauaile therin take it in good part and others I hope to whose handes this Epistle and treatise shall come will make fauourable construction thereof and will beare with all defectes therein whatsoeuer My desire was to warne encourage which how weakely soeuer it be perfourmed I trust it shall no whit hinder but rather further to so necessary a meditation that obtained I haue my desire beseeching God to open our eyes that we may see our deserts thereby know our perils and knowing the same may labour to meete the Lord by repentance before he come whether it bee for a time to scourge vs in iustice or to performe the last time of his comming in iudgement to euery one the portion allotted vnto him for his hire from the beginning which time of his comming the Lorde hasten to performe and fulfill for his electes sake Amen ¶ Grace mercie and peace from God our Father through our Lorde Iesus Christ I Was very glad deere brethren when I vnderstood how God of his goodnes mercie had visited you to the grace of the holy Gospell and to the knowledge of his truth and thereby to the cōmunion of his sonne Iesus Christ who is the treasure of all ages for this is a treasure conteyning immortall riches wherein lyeth all our blessednes and felicitie this is an inestimable benefite and the greatest wée coulde receiue of God Wherefore we haue good cause to giue him thankes for the same continually to the intent that by our ingratitude wee may not prouoke him to anger against vs nor stirre him vp or moue him to take from vs the talent which he hath giuen vs for we may well say of our selues that which Dauid said of himselfe and of all the people of God The Lorde hath not thus done to all nations neither hath hee manifested to them his iudgements When a king taketh some one into his seruice and giueth him some honorable office in his Court we thinke it a greate honour vnto him which is called to such a promotion and esteeme him greately beholding and bounde to the King Let vs then
opinion and suspition of her which might redound to the dishonesting and defaming as well of her as of her husband Ought we not to content our selues to haue Sect. liued so long beue conuersant in the brothel house of Sathan and to haue continued in our fornications and adulteries but that wee must returne thither againe euery day and euery houre as though of set purpose wee had determined to prouoke the Lord to ielousie to anger making our members seruantes to all filthinesse vncleannesse idolatrie and superstition how is it possible that we should acknowledge the great grace and mercie that God hath bestowed on vs in withdrawing vs out of this sincke ful of blasphemies and abhominations in steede of reiecting vs and casting vs of as an Adulteresse which hath violated and brokeÌ„ her fayth to her husband and that we make so light account to be conuersant alwayes with our olde companions and to serue them with so great dishonour to our true Spouse Iesus Christ Wherefore I greatly maruaile that suche kinde of spirits are to be found amongest those Sect. which will haue the names to follow the gospell and to be counted of the number of Disciples of Christ Iesus which dare yet mainteine that the faithfull and those to whome God hath reuealed the truth of his Gospel may communicate with idolaters and superstitious persons in their idolatries and superstitions and be partaker of the tables of Diuels whervnto we cannot approch without ouerthrowing the table of Christ Iesus I tremble when I heart that such speeches passe from the mouthes of those which boast themselues of the Gospell and so much the more for that so boldlie they dare giue that councell to others for their opinions are so farre contrarie to truth and so strange to any good Christian heart that it were better such men had neuer heard speake of Christ Iesus nor his religion I knowe not what Gospel or Scripture Sect. they haue studied nor howe they dare so openly gainsay the spirit of God which pronounceth so plainely that there is no agreement 2. 10. 6. Ephe. 6. with light and darknes with Christ and belial with the temple of God and the temple of Idoles To what end exhorteth he the faythfull There is no agreement betweene Christ Beliall by his holy Apostle not to cary draw that yoke among Infidels and not to communicate any kinde of way with the vnfruitfull woorkes of darkenesse but commandeth rather to reproue and condemne them I know wel from what schoole this diuinitie proceedeth not from the schoole of the spirit of God from the schoole of the fleshe which liketh not well to come out of Egypt and to renouÌ„ce the pleasures and delightes thereof therefore it seeketh coulor in the holy scriptures to cloake and couer her infirmitie because it dare not openly gainesaye the word of God whereby it is ouercome I haue heard and examined some reasons Sect. and arguments whereby those whome suche doctrine pleaseth goe about to confirme and approue it but they are too friuolous weake and sufficiently ouerthrowe themselues if one behold them narrowly I know well that such Delicate ChristiaÌ„s reasons are forged in some mens braine flat contrary to Moses for they delight too muche in Pharaos court which it grieueth them muche to forsake to bee conuersant in the desert with the people of God They haue not yet learned to preferre with Moses the approbries pouerties and miseries nor the nayles and thornes of Iesus Christ before the temporal Iewels treasures and delightes of Egypt they are constrained by vertue of the trueth to acknowledge that the superstition and idolatrie wherein they haue liued is damnable wherefore they are forced and constrained in conscience to condeÌ„ne it which willingly they do when they may without danger but because they will suffer nothing for trueth yet they dare not condemne it nor reiect it but will bee counted amongest the faithful for good men for fauourers and defendours therof not for blasphemers and persecutors they trauaile as much as they may to finde some cloke in the woorde of GOD to couer and hide their to great infirmitie of their fayth and the fornications which the fleshe committeth euery day with strange Gods Such poore blinde soules should doe much Sect. better to acknowledge and confesse their miserie and incredulity desiring pardon and mercie of God whom they offend then to defende and flatter them selues in it they ought to content theÌ„selues to offeÌ„d God many other waies not to abuse in such sort the holy scriptures nor blaspheme the holy Ghost in corrupting them and wresting them to make them serue their own affection to builde therby entertain establish idolatrie and iniquitie which ought by them wholy to be beaten downe and destroyed It is easie to be perceiued that such Christians haue neuer yet truely vnderstood the grounds rudiments and principles of the Christians religion for they will be the disciples of Christ Iesus without renouncing themselues and without carrying their crosse after him which is impossible For the maister hath 〈◊〉 the scholer is not aboue his maister nor 〈◊〉 â—â—â—uant Mat. 10. Iohn 13. Luk. 14. aboue his Lord it ought to suffice 〈◊〉 â—â—sciples and seruants to be as their maâ—â—er is And therefore he that will bee my scholer hee muste renounce him selfe carry his crosse euery day vpon his shoulders and followe mee he that hateth not that is as he expoundeth it in another place he that loueth his father or mother Mat. 1â— 16. brethren sisters or wife or children or house and possessions more then me he is not worthie to be with me nor to bee my disciple Wherfore it were much better for these Doctours to learne then to teach they ought rather to pray to God that he would strengthen them to confesse and sanctifie his holy name theÌ„ to take such boldnes vpoÌ„ theÌ„ to deny him to endeuour to draw others into the like errour We see by expertence the fruite that commeth Sect. out of this pernitious doctrine and into what pit it draweth them at length which therby will paynt themselues a Christ after their owne fantasie farre contrary vnto him that said vnto such a Disciple as they woulde bee The foxes haue holes and the birdes of heauen their nestes But the Sonne of man hath not Mat. 9. whereon to lay his heade But these men will haue castles and pallaces and will liue in the courtes of princes And because such thinke it too sharpe to rub and eate the eares of corne with Iesus Christ as his Disciples did and desire to finde the taâ—â—e layd they make no great conscience to bow the knee to Baall and after that once they haue accustomed themselues to that they take no heede but that by little and litle the knowledge of god which they had receaued and that litle measure of fayth whiche
our offences with theirs wee shall easily see the zeale of England and to religion farre colder the obedience to the Gospel farre shorter al sinn generally much more abounading Why then should we looke for the continuance of these blessinges without ameÌ„dmeÌ„t If we wil enter into our owne consciences truly examine our selues whether wee haue beene rightly pinched and grieued at the misery of our brother Ioseph whether wee haue sighed and mourned before the Lord for Israels calamitie we shal finde that selfe loue hath borne so great a swaye in euery of vs all that we haue been little or nothing touched with the churches miserie Howe then can we looke to escape the iust iudgement of God for so horrible faultes defectes Lastly if wee consider throughlye howe mercifullye the Lorde hath dealte with vs in this time of our peace wherein the Gospel of our God hath had his free passage and the preaching thereof in many places by Gods mercies beene most plentifully perfourmed and weyghe with al how thankefully we haue receiued the same and what profite wee haue reaped therby we shall the most of vs I feare me finde our selues so farre short in eyther that rather we may feele in our selues iust cause to accuse our selues for neglecting contemning and misusing the graces of God offered vnto vs in this his holy Gospell For that we haue neither learned diligently nor beleeued soundly nor embraced thankfully nor worshipped religiously nor confessed freely and constaÌ„tly nor obeyed sincerely nor aduaÌ„ced zealously the will and truth of our God reuealed vnto vs in the preaching of the Gospell But as I accuse not all so as an aduise to all I say with the Apostle Let him that thinketh he doth stand take heede he fall not And because we haue no inheritance or such assurance of this our peace but that it is to be turned into warre and persecution when the Lord our God thinketh good let vs not followe the beastly rule of the pampered Epicures who say to themselues Ede bibe lude post mortem nulla voluptas But let vs hearken vnto the wholesome counsel of the Apostle Peter Let vs hence forward learne to liue as much time as remaineth in the fleshe not 1. Pet. 4. after the lusts of men but after the will of God For it is sufficient c. For surely in folowing the lewde fancies of fleshe and blood we doe tread the path to death and walke the readie way to destruction But if we striue to mortifye the lusts and deedes of the fleshe we are led by a right line dyrecting vs to the true life that neuer shall haue end Therefore whilest we enioy the benefite of this our peace let vs apply our selues to the practising of that in shew we professe and let vs labour to grow in knowledge that we may be able to discerne the spirits and to giue a reason of our faith with iudgement vnderstanding So shall our peace be greatly profitable vnto vs and we therby better prepared to abide with patience what the Lord by persecution shall lay vpon vs. It was not allowed for a good Plea that the Scribes and pharisees should chalenge themselues to be the children of Abraham for that as our Sauiour Christ chargeth them they did not the workes of their father Abraham but of their father the Diuell No more can it be accepted at our hands to chalenge the title of christianitie to say wee professe Christ his Gospell vnlesse we bring foorth fruites answerable to so high a calling For as Chrysostome sayth Non Christi nomen solum christianum facit sed Christi veritas quia in nomine Christi multi ambulant in veritate au tem eius pauci And there is no man truely tearmed a christian but he that striueth to go as neare to Christ in his life conuersation as he caÌ„ Our wel selted peace must needs auayle vs much if we vse it and our selues in it to the glorifying of our God for to this end only is our peace preserued to vs. But if in this time of our peace we will liue deliciously walke wantonly sleepe in sinne and wallow in all manner of sensualitie we shall surely become false prophets to our selues whilest we perswade our selues of a pleas at peace beholde present destruction The Israelites groned long vnder the burden of cruell Pharaoh who seeing them multiplye and encrease dayly in number of persons and wealth of substance he endeuoured and put in practise both by tiranny and cruel slaverye to oppresse them But the Lord loking mercifully vpon his people deliuered them out of the tyrantes handes and plagued their enemies in most sundry strange sorts and in the end most miraculously made one self saÌ„e place a passage for the deliuery of his children pitte of destruction to their enemies pursuing them Yet see the ingratitude of mans heart they were no sooner deliuered but they immediately forget so great a benefite and fell to murmuring grudging and repining against their GOD who so gratiously had wrought their deliuerance I will not apply this but leaue euery man to his owne conscience to consider in himselfe whether he hath beene sufficiently thankefull for our mercifull and miraculous deliuerance out of that popishe persecution practised against Gods people in the time of Queene Marye Or rather whether that Gods great blessing and benefite therein beeing forgotten wee haue not throughe ambition conetousnes or carnall securitie beene so drowned in worldly cares that we haue murmured grudged and repined against GOD and his ministers as the Israelites did which being true as it can hardly be denied we must looke to be trayned vp with the Israelites in a newe schoole For when prosperitie and peace could not make them to knowe him in yeelding due reuerence obedieÌ„ce to him He visited theÌ„ with sharpe roddes and plagues that by his correction hee might drawe them to seeke to him for remedie against his scourges and earnestly to repent them for their rebellion and wickednes agaynst him And this did the Lorde of loue to his chosen children that they might not styll wallow with wicked worldlinges in all licentiousnes of euill There be some of that vayne and wicked opinion who when they cannot couple the Gospell of Christe and Poperye togeather in the couples of their conceite as they would do then they fal to another bare bad sâ—ift perswading themselues that they may worship God according to the maner of the countries that they are in and yet be good Gospellers still not remembring that confession of Christ and outward acknowledgement of his truth a speciall part of his worship our seruice du to him is required of vs. For they are the wordes of our Sauiour Christ that we must confesse him before meÌ„ And who knoweth not that men cannot see into our hearts therefore with our mouthes we must confesse him Notable also is that which the spirit of God setteth downe
by Paule to the Corinthians Our bodies sayth 1. Cor. 6. he are the temples of the holy Ghost and wee are not our owne for wee are dearelye bought therefore wee must glorifie God in our bodies in our spirits for they are gods Wherby it appeareth that the Lorde hath such and interest right in vs ouer vs that no half seruice cā plese him but he must haue vs whole and he will be wholy serued by vs. Therefore they that in any respect refuse to confesse Christ before men do bewray them selues to be eyther faithlesse or very fainte in faith and let them vrge neuer so much that with their inward mā they serue god cary a loue to Christ his truth they shal finde it is no good plea in diuinitie neither will it prooue good before God at the generall day of account when all fleshe must appeare before the iust iudge to giue a reckoning of their stewardeship As for those to whom the name of God seemeth strange and are loth to heare of any religion they are not vnlike to Epicures of whom it is written that when he saw great contentions amongest the philosophers touching God he did take as hee thought a shorter way flatly denied God Of which kind of men I wishe withall my heart there were not ouer many amōgest vs. It is a dangerous thing when men become deriders and mockers of the worde and wil scoffe and taunt at such as in reuerent regard therof seeke to walke according to the prescript rule set downe by the same for frō them by little and little all sence and tast of truth is taken and they goe on in degrees of vngodlines so farre vntill they shewe themselues to be such as doe hate the truth and then are they giuen ouer to fulfyll their lusts making their bellye their GOD bestowing their whole life in their owne fylthie fleshly pleasure for they liue to serue no other God indeede and so at length there is with thē no truth no religion no God but they make a mocke of all religion truth and are giuen vp to belieue lyes and to folowe vanities and nothing else And thus in fine they becōe so bold that they deny God yea they be so cūning in the diuels crafe that they do reason against God and openly professe that Christ his truth is but a fable as this day giueth feareful examples of too many The Lord our God refourm thē and shew them the light of hys countenance and bee mercifull vnto them And so with griefe to thinke that there should be any such I leaue them As for you whō the Lord hath so seasoned by his spirit that you haue learned to bee a law to your selues do endeuourithat one and the selfe same woorde might both teach and rule you although they giue you bynames for so doing be not difmayed but hold on your course be it so farre frō you to thinke your selues pure learne to haue such a liuely sense and feeling of this festering fore of sinne eating vs to eternal destruction if our Phisition Christ put not to his helpe to heale the same by the blood of his passion as that you acknowledge with the Prophet all your righteousnes to be like a stayned cloth and to this end labour in your selues perswade it in others to go on still and to be climing vp from step to step towards the mark of perfectiō set before vs not thinking it sufficient to begin well and there to stay nor to goe and grow forward for a time and thē to stand still but we must know that perseuerāce hath the promise for he that perseuereth to the end he shal be saued This then being the setled perswasion of all that truely feare the Lord let not their course be hindered neyther in their course let them be discouraged but carrying in thēselues the testimony of a good conscience that they haue in thē selues a desire to encrease daily from fayth to faith from knowledge to knowledge from godlinesse to godlinesse vntill they become perfect men in Christ Iesus let them knowe it is their glory to beare reproch for good dealing See that none of you saith the Apostle suffer as a murtherer as a theefe as an euill doer or as a busie bodie in other mens matters but if anye man suffer as a Christian c. 1. Pet. 4. This is the portion of Gods people to suffer for wel doing and of this we ought not to be ashamed but for this we must glorifie God neither is this the vttermost of our triall to be euil spoken of but we are like to taste the smart of a more sharpe schoole Our sinnes prouoke it Gods iustice doth threaten it and I see not how we should auoyd it Let vs learn therefore to be wel prouided against the day of tryal And surely if we professe as we seem or carry that sincere zeale as we ought wee haue cast our reckoning we know the pryce and therefore will endeuour to prouide for paiment Crux comes Euangely is an old rule and he is a very delicate or rather faintehearted souldiour that loketh to ouer come with out fighting or to winne victory without contending and how can he fight that is vnprepared to the battell or contend for victory that is vnprouided And to be armed at all poyntes This lesson well learned wyll teach vs that Tota vita Christiani hominss si secundum Euangelium uiuat est crux atque martyrium Let not your heartes be troubled therefore neither feare and let your patient mynds be knowen vnto all men for the Lord is at hand It is notably said of a learned Father that tribulation and trouble is to a iust man as the file to the yrō the fornace to the gold the bridle to the horse and the whippe to the Asse The fyle as it is commonly seene maketh yron the brighter the fyery fornace maketh gold the more glorious the bridle withholdeth the headdy horse that hee goe not whither him listeth the whippe keepeth the dul Asse in such awe that he dare not but goe on And this doth affliction to euery true Christian Let vs not be dismayed therefore though our peace be taken from vs and persecution come in place For to vs that haue a sure testimonie sealed vp in our consciences that we are Gods children it shall turne to great good beyng sure that our heauenly father wil lay no more vpon vs thē he wil make vs well able to beare We see by experience that where the Prince or chiefe Magistrate fauoureth the profession of the Gospel the most part wil be Gospellers But like experience hath taught vs when times of tryall haue come vpon them what time seruers some haue shewed themselues But to suche our god cōmeth not as a correcting father but as a destroying iudge For obedience to the Lorde God and the profession of his truth is not tyed to the
which are made to the Image of God But that which worst is wee deny and blaspheme him with the tongue and mouth which he gaue vs to glorifie and confesse him and we make of our members which should be the weapons of Iustice and holynesse the weapons of vnrighteousnes and iniquitie Iesus Christ sayth that out of the abundance of the hearte the mouth speaketh And that the good Mat. 12. man out of the good treasure of his heart vttereth good thinges and the wicked man vttereth euill thinges Wherfore by the same reasons Iesus Christ conuinceth the Scribes and Mat. 12. Pharisees of the malice peruersenes of their hearts by their own words saying thou shalt be iustified that is to say knowne to be suche as thou art and be declared iust or vniust condemned or absolued by thy doings and sayings For if they had had Iesus Christ in their harts they had not had Belzebub in their mouths for as Saint Paule witnesseth No man can say the Lorde Iesus but by the spirite of God no man speaking by the holy Ghost can call Iesus 1. Cor. 12. Sect. execrable nor speake euill of him nor blaspheme him Wherefore for a full conclusion if we will of right be counted Christians before God before his elect and his Church it is necessary to lay this foundation that as it is requisite to haue a true faith planted in heart to be incorporated in him and his Churche so must we confesse him otherwise what else is our fayth but a dreame a fantasie a foolish imagination of our owne braine but the faith of a christian is not onely as a speculatiue knowledge without falling to actiō putting nothing to effect for it can be in no place wtout shewing it self it fareth so with it as Ieremie witnesseth that he hath prooued it in the word of God whiche he willingly sometimes haue kept in seeing as seemeth to him that it profited not much when he vttered it but that it was had in scorne and he set him selfe in displeasure and danger of death amongst the wicked which were hardened more and more therefore he said I will make no more mention of the Lord and will The vertue of the word of God of fayth speake no more in his name Then his woorde was in my hearte as a burning fire shut vp in my bones and I fayled and was weery with forbearing that I could stay no more He can not resist the spirit of God for the zeale that he hath to the glory of God enflameth him so that he cannot hold his peace Seeing then that the word of God is so vehemēt a fire wherby faith is enflamed how is it possible but the flāe light and heat or at the least some little smoke will shew forth for when as fayth is almost wholy extinguished yet there remaineth some little spark is it not possible but that it wil cast some little smoke as the flaxe brāds with yet smoke whilest there is yet a little fire or hath been lately I say not this to fauour and stir vp more a Sect. sort of rashe and raging spirits which without any wit or discretion will counterfeit to be zelous professours of the Gospel and will speake of all matters and crie out against Idols without measure and without seeking occasions considering circumstances which seeme to edification but serue only to trouble the weake and to put them in danger which truely feare God and to coulor their fury and madnes they alleadge the zeale of the Prophets Apostles the feruentnes of the spirit which they cannot keepe in wherein they declare themselues rather to resemble that glorious Elihu the Buzite who was one of the comforters or rather discomforters of Iob then to Hieremy Anatathite for they vse the same talke say as hee doth I am full of wordes and the spirit within me constraineth me Behold my stomack is as the wine which hath no vent and is as newe vessels the breake I wil speake therfore breath my selfe They are like to newe wines with haue not yet wrought cānot be cōteyned within the vessels but it breaketh thē or els must haue vēt But as the spirite of God cannot be Idle in Sect. mans heart so doth it not enforce man beyonde the bondes of Christian modestie he aloweth not the zeale without spirituall knowledge wisdome therfore the Apostle saith the spirits of the prophets are subiect to the prophets as he Rom. 10. 1. Cor. 14. Act. 9. 13. 19. 21. Act. 17. himselfe hath shewed it by experience for although he were excellēt in all the giftes of god aboue others neuerthelesse he alwayes submitted him selfe to the iudgement of the church and neuer despised the coūcell of his brethrē as it appeareth in that which was done in that church of Damas Antioche Hierusalem Ephesus when he was in the town of Athēs tarying for Silas Timotheus his spirit was stirred vp in himself seeing the town so much giuē to idolatry wherfore he disputed in the assembly with the Iewes and with those that feared God euery day in the marked publike places with those with by chance came vnto him but hee cried not out in the streetes like a mad man he cried not against the Idols without reason he ran not into the temples to breake beate them downe also he went not to doe reuerēce vnto them was wary enough to giue any signe either in deede or woorde whereby any mought iudge that hee hadde them in honoure or anye estimation he made no conscience to enter into the temples and to behold their Altars and Idoles but he wēt not thither with the Idolaters when they made their sacrifices to please them and for feare of offending the Athenians but contrariwise he went thither to finde occasion to drawe them from their Idolatrie and superstition which he condemned by his publike testimonie but not without great reason and christian wisdome and modestie So then as I cannot allowe these enuious Sect. frantike offensiue persons so wil I not condemne all those which shewe not the like zeale as Saint Paule did for I knowe where one may finde such but I speake especially against those wise spirits which feare so greatly to fall into any danger for the name of Iesus Christ that they gouerne themselues so warily that they suffer not to passe from thē any little shadow of smoke whereby one may iudge that there is not one only sparke of faith in their hearts for they feare so much that any shoulde knowe that there is any fire of the Gospel in them that they endeuour by al meanes to put it out and gouerne themselues in such sort that none of good iudgement can account them other then for enemies of Iesus Christ Iesus Christ taught no suche lesson to his Sect. Disciples it is necessarie if we will followe them
hope that the Lord will take pitie and compassion on the poore faythful weake and feareful which are constrained to cary the yoke of Antichrist and that he will strengthen them more so that they acknowledge themselues weake and sinners as they are and that they thinke not themselues to be S. Paules where they are not yet worthie to be accounted good Nicodemians that they delight not themselues in their errours that they call not the table of Diuels the Supper of Iesus Christ but that they be grieued to be in that captiuitie and to offend and to see God dayly offended that they auoyde idolatrie as much as they can and that they hate and derest it with all their heart without saying euil is good or light is darkenes for God curseth such men by his Prophet but those which esteeme so much idolatrie allow it and induce others thereto they haue not well considered the wordes of the prophet nor well thought of the malediction of God whervnto they yeelde themselues faultie This is wel beloued brethren that which I Sect. would write vnto you at this time not to trouble and torment further the poore weake and afflicted consciences but to abate the pride and presumption of the fleshe and the proude and foolish which feele not their euil but wil maintaine it as good hitherto tendeth my meaning that you may follow rather the councell of the spirit of God and his worde then the councell of the fleshe and worldly wisdome Wherefore I pray you take all in good parte and consider rather with what heart I write vnto you the speech of wordes Thinke it not of arrogancie or presumption if I haue taken in hand to write vnto them whome I neuer sawe and which may be more perfect and vnderstande these things better then my selfe For I haue not done it wtout cause but at the request of many good men which haue entreated me thereto I done haue it also because that many pore troubled consciences haue often asked councell of me in such matters and therefore I durst not refuse so iust and reasonable a matter seeing I am debtor to all my brethren for I haue thought I might serue euery one which had neede of my instruction and that in so doing I shoulde giue a testimonie of my fayth to others which are more strong and learned and that I should stirre them vp better to satisfie such questions and troubles in conscience according to the grace that God hath giuen them farre greater then to me as alreadie some haue done long agoe and may yet more amply to whom I am not worthy to be compared If also I cannot satisfie all men I shall nothing maruaile at it but I should maruaile at the contrary for I know well my abilitie and how hard the matter is further although I haue been tedious yet haue I not taken in hand to write all that I might well say touching this matter for it would require a more ample and easie treatise but I haue indeuoured to touch generally the principall pointes which first came to my minde offring my selfe alwayes to bee readie to employ my selfe according to the talent that I haue receiued of God to satisfie you more at large both in these al things else wherein I may serue you so farre as God shall giue mee grace if my councell be a little ouer hard to the flesh thinke yet that it is faythfull and such as I would take for my selfe if I woulde not goe against my owne conscience according to the knowledge I haue receiued of the truth wherevnto I had rather giue true and faithful witnes then to lye vnto you and seduce you to please you and to betray the truth of God to whom you shall pray for me and the Churche in these partes euen as we pray for you beeing mindeful of your afflictions and perseoutions as if we were there our selues In the meane time my deare brethrē walke Sect. in all feare and reuerence of God in al humilitie of the spirit and in all christian modestie wayting for your redemption Let your light so shine before mē that they may see your good workes your heauenly father may be glorified and that you may shut vp the mouthes of your aduersaries admonish one another with al gētlenes correct al blasphemies vices imperfections which raigne yet in the middest of vs that through you the name of God be not blasphemed amongst the Infidels call vpon God and he will rayse you vp glorifie him and he will glorifie you humble your selues and hee will exalt you exhort one another and waxe not cold be not weary of wel doing resist not those that walke well but support the weake encorage them that faint pricke them forward that cease off and those that runne wel that they may runne better faynt not till you haue obtayned the price and the God of peace shall comfort you and strengthen you to the ende will not suffer you to be tempted further then you be able to beare but will giue good issue to all your temptations and troubles to the glory of his holie name and saluation of our owne soules to whome onely bee all honour and glorye nowe and for euer Amen