they are saide to be that which they neuer were In like maner say I these to be faithful meÌ„ because they seeme to haue faith yet to be dead in that for a truth they neuer knew as yet to liue Theoderet bishop of cyrus bringeth in in his long discourse of heresies one Stromatius Clemens as a witnesse against Prodycus whose profession life was in those dayes muche talked of did onely in name bare wordes shewe it to the church who permitted that which 〈◊〉 of Chremes in Terence the doting father Adolesceâ—â—ulum Scortari he thought it a thing indifferent to vse other mennes wiues as his owne which â—or â—ble grosse heresie I reherse for that when men are dead in sinne stande in their own conceits to be reputed as faithfull it often times falleth out the they be erronious For what is it for a maÌ„ to say he doth beleue to professe Christianitie to be a furtherer of religion as he supposeth yet he walketh in darknes liueth verie wickedly Beléeue mee it is a common beleefe in the world I can testifie the same in too great a number that can tithe minte Comyn let other great waightier matters alone wil strain full hardly at a gnat yet will they swallow vp the huge monstrous Camyll at their pleasure Of truth such dealing is not seemely for the professors of trueth and better it were they neuer knewe the Gospell then to abuse the Gospel thus Well til thy manners be altered thy wayes clensed thy life purged euil dealings mended thy faith wher in thou holdest will not saue thee it is not aliue it is dead This faith it shewed it selfe in Achan the sonne of Caran that in so pure perfect state of the common wealth wherein he was dyed to the flesh that he might liue vnto the Lorde he was an example to his posteritie for euer Hophni Phynees that dyed both in one day surrendred but a small account of their true faith that iustified them selues before Israel yet abused the wemen that came vp to Hierusalem to the purifying what zeale was that vnto religioÌ„ that was in Ahab or in Iezabell his wife that strumpet that made so glorious a shewe vnto Ierusalem of their workes did they escape the hands of god FroÌ„ whence came that when Ieroboam stretched out his hands against the Prophet to haue smitten him his hand withered vp yet that faith he professed may be red of openly The like zeale is seene this daye in many content to striue debate for trifleâ— but sticke not to oppresse hinder their brother not reformable to any order the waight whereof if they way it it is but a shadowe vnto the rest of their wickednesse The Lord will looke downe I am in doubte vppon the sonnes of men And if he doo were it not for Abraham his seruaunt and for Lot whome yet wée haue abiding with vs for whose sake hée spareth vs should not water be powred downe agayne on the face of the earth or should not fier come downe from Heauen The Lorde bee mercifull vnto vs I say no more But to folde vp this leafe with the rest let vs be assured the though the Pharisey goe by the Leuite suffer the poore man that fell into the handes of theeues to ly wounded The poore Samaritan whose fayth thou doubtest of shall be more faythfull more accepted for the peny and the Oyle that he gaue him then thou the hast great riches stuffed tresuries for I say the fayth without workes is deade Iam. 2.7 thy works declare thy fayth Gal. 5.6.1 Tim. 1.22 Ph. 2.5 Heare commeth in an other fellow that will claime some prerogatiue and title to fayth as wel as hée that went beefore and this is one that hath a miraculous fayth You may marueyle that seeing there is none now and the vse also of miracles ceaseth what ende there is I should make of this doctrine Not to bee scrupulous and inquisitiue heare neyther to searche farther then becommeth mee two causes I set downe that I handle this The first is that the holdes and fortresses wheron the Papist groundeth his superstition may more easely be battered The second agaynst the Anabaptistes that runne to outwarde and exterior signes to wonders and reuelatioÌ„s and leaue the right way which is by fayth For the wicked and vngodly men doo miracles as well as those that be iust and vpright men of this fayth there is mention made in the first to the Corinth To one is giuen the spirite of wisdome to an other knowledge by thesame spirite To an other the giftes of healing to an other powre to doo great things to an other Prophesy by the same spirite Of this doth Crisostom and Theophilact make mention in the 13. of the first to the Cor. Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angelles and haue not loue I am as sounding Brasse or as a tinkling Cimball and though I had the gyfte of Prophesy and knew all secrets and all knowledge yea if I had all fayth so that I coulde remooue Mountaynes and yet had no loue I were nothing Of this same there is sumthing spokeÌ„ by Christ in Math. 7.22 Many will say to mee in that day Lord haue wee not by thy name Prophesied and by thy name cast out Deuilles and by thy name doone many great workes then will I protest I neuer knew them depart from mee you that worke iniquity In the Lawe it was sayde that God would sende false Prophettes to try them And I doubt not but it was an argument of the truth vnto Israell if signes and wonders weare wrought by them The which thing I take in hand for that a number haue faitered in this of late And it is an argumeÌ„t of the Anabaptists to alow their diuellish pretences by signes and reuellations This presumption of truth weare it to bee grounded heare it would iustesie that Traytor Iudas for I doubt not but the hée also was among the twelue that Christ sent out to preache abroad Also Cayephas might claime some Priueledge of Prophesing if it would saue him for hée knew that it was expedient one Man should dye for the people And Balaam was sent for vnto Balack whose euill pretence is noted after that béecause hée layde stumbling Blockes before Israell and caused them to sinne and hee both did Prophesie and wrought many miracles but this is nothing for God hath promised death vnto the false Prophet Deut. 18.20 and 13.1 which argueth that such shall both cum to try vs next though they doo wonders yet they shall not escape his fearse wrath but perishe for it No doubt these bée the latter dayes wherin shall arise false Christes and false Prophets and shal shew great signes and woonders so that if it weare possible it should deceyue the very
giuen to the Conney Or what yeres doth he permit to the wilde Colte Howe gardeth he the Lyon What harbour hath he giuen to the sauage beastes And to saye a trueth what ende hath hee allotted vnto man I saye all the woorkes of the Lorde are wonderfull But his secreat wisedome wherein he hath prouided and laide vp in his mercie for the sonnes of Adam great and most singular benefites They are not to be attained vnto For his doings are incomprehensible his iudgements are secreat His wayes vnknowen his counsell hidden his loue and his fauour farre outreaching vs that wee may well make our prayer vnto the Lorde to haue his will fulfilled his commaundements obeyed in earth because no man is able eyther by wishing eyther by desiring eyther yet by willing it to come to heauen Thus much for these two kindes of men the are in our dayes whereof I am sure there is a greate number For partly by their déedes for they be outragious partely by their courage they be so quarellous the common sort of men must needes knowe them But to that which followeth Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Cyprian géeueth a verie good reason hereof Voluntate Dei id est Dei protectione egeamus The will of God that is the ayde and helpe of God is that wée néede For without his will we haue nought And no man is of any force if he in his fauour and his mercie help them not for who hath resisted him and hath not dyed for it Then we haue to searche what it is that is the wil of the Lord to be done And this is said by the fathers the same I find in the Scriptures to be of two sortes First his will it is holy pure perfect eternall euerlasting from all beginning without power of man according to the which he ruleth all he gouerneth all he guideth and protecteth all wherein all things be as they are And he hath created fashioned all whatsoeuer that is on the earth from the foundation original of the same And this is alwayes fulfilled No man hindereth it no man stoppeth it For the Lorde hath his decrée aboue all the inhabitants of the earth of the Sea and they be obedient Of this is written in Esay I am God the Lorde which speake it my counsell is firme or indureth euer Whatsoeuer I will that I do Dauid also prophesied hereof For our God he is in heauen he hath done all things whatsoeuer pleaseth him For the counsell of the Lord remaineth for euer Againe in Esay If the Lord of hoasts decrée any thing who is the shall resist him But of this the eternall purpose of the Lord I speake not of for it conteineth the secret and hiddē mysterie ef our election of our predestination of his prouidence of his gouernement of his regiment in the earth And here we do as Iob did Wee lay our hands vppon our mouth wee staye the course of our lippes we falter in our spéech before the Lorde And therefore for that hee ruleth all let vs commit our selues into his hand that guydeth vs and not curiously serch that hath in his secret determination ruled the wayes the steppes and the hearts mindes of all fleshe We therefore handle this point reuerendly and stay on him that assuredly worketh for al those that be his Onely let man and the sonne of man giue him selfe into his handes leaue to serch out by any curious meane what it is he hath purposed The next and the moste perfect will of God is reuealed by the Gospell without which knowledge we are in death This he hath moste fully opened in Iesus Christ his sonne the redeemer onely sauiour of the worlde whome hee hath appointed the onely true right instructour of those that dwell in earth according to the Oracle receiued from heauen This is my beloued sonne heare him verie nighe to the saying that is in Iohn No man hath séene God at any time The sonne which is in the bosome of his father he hath reuealed him For he is the true interpreter of his father And therefore Christe of him selfe saith All that I haue had of my father I haue shewen vnto you Not that Christ was not knowen before for he is openly desiphered out in the Prophete But in especiall at his incarnation when hee tooke our flesh vpon him was made man it was fulfilled that euery one shall tell his neighbour from the greatest to the least euen babes little ones shoulde prophesie of the workes of the Lord tel abrode his name Therfore Peter the Prophets and men of God spoke by the Spirite suffered persecution death were serchers out of the mysteries of our redemption And this is the will of God spoken of in this prayer that we séeke not after any other knowledge but onely bent and giuen vnto his word we meditate to serue him day and night whereof this is the end that God woulde direct vs in his pathes and lead vs a right to follow his lawes That we may delight and be practised therein all our life Nowe to know this will of God the better this is the swéetnesse and perfect comfort that we get to vnderstand and learne 3. thinges giuen vnto vs by his wil. First it is the wil of God that we should be saued by his sonne Iesus Christe for in him we are chosen from all beginning to be heires of eternall life Of this our sauiour speaketh in Iohn This is the will of him that sent me that all which séeth the sonne and knoweth him and beléeueth in him should haue eternall life Then this is our peticion that aboue all it woulde please the Lorde to illuminate and lighten euery man with the trueth that his will by our incredulitie and others their continancie bee not hindered Here appeareth that whereof I made mention before namely that faith is the gift of God giuen vnto vs in his mercie by his grace not gotten of our selues of our might by our strength To fulfill that of Christ so often spoken in Iohn No man knoweth the sonne but the father and he to whome the father will shewe him And verefied yet againe no man commeth vnto me vnlesse that my father drawe him to me For all this hidden Secrete of the death of Christ of his bloude that was shed and giuen for man it is foolishnes vnto the fleshly man if he be not drawen and brought therevnto by god Then from aboue it is we are lightened that his will may bee done in vs that are wilfull Secondly it is the will of God that those whiche are redéemed in I. sus Christe and doe atteine him willingly by faith shewe them selues obedient and deutifull vnto the Lorde and walke in his commaundements he hath taught them Nature teacheth those be his to owe obeyzance and homage
euill before as vvith vs. Custome of theÌ„ in India to pray in Aegipt in Barbarie Errours of diuerse that like not our temples Argument taken from traditions Zenon of Gaza A temple built at Edessa to saint Thomas Question â—oued The Surplesse vvhich keepeth men fâ—â—â— church Great abuse littlevse vvheÌ„ men so vvillingly abuse the Lord. Disorders iâ— our church Reason to keepe the Church though the Surplesse bee vvorne No excuse for ceremonies that bee indifferent Our puplike prayer is to be referred in espetiall to the Sabboth Three causes of the celebration of the Sabboth by Gods appoyntment The straight nes that God vsed for sutch as brooke the Sabboth Controuersy that is about the day of the Sabboth The true vse of the Sacraments and hovv to bee esteemed Though vve neuer reccaue the Sacraments vvee may be saued yet for al thâ—g custome appoynted by God is to beâ— kepte The manner of priuate prayer In publique prayer agreement is to be made of necessitie Their euâ—ome and maner in the time of Baâ—ll Athanâ—sâ—uâ— record Praecise maners they be vn manerly novv Concilium Nicenum Much striuing small Christianitie in a number of these Hovve to prepare our selues to praye the last parte of this booke The 〈◊〉 thing in our preparacion to prayer it to be humble and lovvly in heart The manner of vvorlingâ— and of hypocrites Humilitie in all at comming to prayer Psal. 25. Dan. 9. Gen. 8. The state of such as dissemble The perfection of the man of God. Rom. 10. Luke 7. Mark. 9. For that the Infidest and the Panim the vngodly do thinke they haue fayth I haue therfore put in this diuisioÌ„ or disterence which is in fayth â–ª The Heruâ—â— the workâ— of his handes doo declare there is a God. Brutishnes in the â—â—ntâ—â—ies and sâ—ch as know not God. Esay 6. Diocletiam vvorshipped as a God The blindenes and hardnes of harte for their incredulite vpon the Gentilles The end of the election in man at his calling to be godly c. The Gospell bringeth in all trueth vvipeth avvay all idolatrie and all supeâ—stition all blindnesse errour and teacheth vs to knovve God. Gen. 4 Gen. 21. Gen. 37. Wicked men infidels stroken vvith feeling of Gods iudgemeÌ„ts though else they knovv him not therein shevv that they deserue death and condemnation A dead faith 1 King. 12. Theodoret of Cyrus Blindnes iâ— the heretikeâ— The order in double dealers Ioâ—h 7. 1. Sam. 2. 1. King. 16. 1. King. 13. This euill life maketh all the pomp and boasting of our common striuers to vanish avvay The very vvicked are preserued kepte for the good mans lake This kinde taketh avvay the hope that is in Anabap. in papistes in the inchauntresse in the vngodly Crisostom 〈◊〉 Theophilact vpon thiâ— Prophesing and miracles and signes a tryall oftentimes of his people Miracles theâ— be◠〈◊〉 signes they be no certâ—ya tokens of lyâ—e Simon magus estemed as God with the Samaritans A bufiue â—â—gument 〈◊〉 froÌ„ Ciprian The villany of the pope Hildebrand The peeuish nes of their reason appeareth Error is shevved by example Dregges of Popery in â—apistes Trifling bookes of sluggish idle priestes SaluatioÌ„ only in a liuely faith Faith vv â— is for a tiâ— The vn tovvard and vnfearned reason of a popish prelat The true fight of the faithful man To be faithful for a time to reuolt is a signe of reprobation how euer xvc cloak it Time trieth and persecution iudgeth of the good golde and then shall the drosse be knovven poperie thâ—â— vvas once iâ— England 1. King. 2 〈◊〉 2. King. 10. 2. King. 23. Iudg. 11. There is falshed and vvickednes euen in those that professe the Gospell Eph. 6. These vveapons shevve not thy man lynes but goâ—lynes Readines in praying steadines in perseuering and vvatchfulnes in thy dealings bee trevv tokens of iustefiyng fayth Thâ—e things to bee required in a iulcesting fayth A man hopeth that beleeuâ—th not but hee that hath fayth hath assured hope A sight and vevv efhope before vvee come to faith A true and infallable signe of sayth Starters from the truth Examples oâ— the true iustesiyng fayth by this from Christe The Spirit that is guide and leader of all such as feare the Lorde The spirite is only retayned by prayer Gen. 4. A reason thaâ— vve are not iustified by good vvorkâ— The profite and commo ditie that vve haue by faith Without grace vvithout the operation and vvorking of the Lorde vvee fall to the ground Our faith hath adioyned to the knovvlege therof three things A good token of a true Israelite to be a hearer of the vvorde and is also verie often a couering for the vvicked to cloak him vvithall Papistes runners abroade and greate seekers after Bulles and pardons no follovvers seekers of the vvorde of God Papiâ—es that looke for a day An exhortation to those yong schollars to vvhoÌ„ this same vvas vvriten As God hath made vs so vvill hee bee honored for vs Comlynes 〈◊〉 commended by Paull elâ— eucry man vvill haue his custome theÌ„ shall there be no order This dealing and dalying precisenes yet vvickednes in greater matters is abhorninable These and such like bee common with vs. More amendment and les iudgement of others is good All order contempned vvith vs. Obedience is superstition vvhere vvisdoÌ„ is vvantinge Signes are to kens no necessary assuraunces of our saluatioÌ„ Hee that forsaketh not the vvorks is the Seruaunt of the Diuell and hee hath no portion in Christe Wee are of the Church euery man is not the Church In speaking dissembling in brotherhood falsehood in thy actions nought else but factions they be tokens of impietie no Christiamtie The conâ—eÌ„pt of Magistracy is the only token of one that is carclesse Fâ—llinge so grosely and cauilling so dispightfully is a small token of Christiany tie If errors bee not taken in time they will neuer be Seared or weeded out will death Al iudgment is to bee deferred to the Lorde but no authority is giuen to mâ—â— A general repeticion of things contayned in this Booke All our traâ—aile in this life all our paine it is made ioy pleasure vnto vs in Christ The differeÌ„ce in the prayiÌ„ng of our forfathers the contrarie aic in ours They prayed as for one they looked for vve pray as thankfull vnto him in that vve haue receiued him God is our father in that he is the father to his sonne Christ and God to vs in that vve are his brethren God spake vnto our fathers but roughly to vs familiarly by the man Christe The heauens may passe avvay but the loue of God vvill neuer faile his children The death of Christe sealed our redemption fully and made accoÌ„plishment for our sinus The letters patents vvee can shevve or our â—nheitance The loue of God is seene in the vse of all his creatures the heauens the earth c. No excusâ— can be admitted for thy negligence in the seruice of the Lord.
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
lay not thy infirmities abrode and vncouer not thy nakednes before the Lord God when thou enterest into his seate and iudgest presumptuously in thine owne eyes then looke about and beware For of a trueth he hath the lawe and the Scepter and he hath the sworde to destroy thée Remember Dauid his supplication vnto the Lord. O thinke vpon thy tender mercie and louing kindnesse for they haue béene for euer Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellions but according to thy kindnesse remember thou mée for thy goodnes sake O Lorde I thinke Dauid indifferently smyteth vs vnto the quicke and he that shall turne him selfe to sée the manners of our time will thinke there is scarce a God vppon the earth to sée what glorie he suffereth in the vngodly men and to sée howe the head of the iust is couered with reproches But as the beautie of the Sunne till the cloude ouershadowe it and as is the Palme trée till the frost nippeth it as the blossome of the Peache till the winde alter it so is the beautie of the wicked til the Lord cōsumeth him For if God enter into iudgement what flesh shall bee iustefied in his sight For euen this confessed Daniel in that hee and other of the Church presented not their supplications before God for their owne rightuousnes but for his owne mercy sake foreseeing that wee of Adam are by nature the Children of death to what ende shall wee striue with God whose spirite hath not alwayes striued with vs For he knew that wee were but flesh and that vayne were the cogitacions and thoughtes of man from his youth Then let this bee our first way to prepare our selues to goe to prayer that wee take vnto vs humilite and debase our selues before the Lorde The second kinde of seruice or duety wee owe and rightly to come vnto prayer is this that wee bee not gilty of that in Esay This people confesseth mee with their lippes but their hartes are far from mee Hee that is offender herein is not fitte to come vnto the Lorde namely to haue thy body at the Temple and thy presence at the Alter and thy harte at holme Can the Aethiopian be made white or the sōmer chaunge his course Can you gather Grapes of Thistles and Figges of Thornes wilt thou fetch Honye out of the Rocke and the Sunne beames from the duskishnes of the night or the Cristolet or the Saphir out of all quarters of the earth No more will hée his glorye from the wicked nor his loue and fauour from the vngodly nor ioy and Heauen from the dissembler nor his Christ and his owne presence will hee shew for euer vnto the Hypocrite I remember I spake hereof before yet it is necessary to touch it now that the iust measure of the man of God may appeare The third thinge or the preparation and pathway that wée may haue more assured entrance into praier is to bée of a faythfull and vpright conuersation and to bée steady in fayth If wee come vnto a Senate or before graue and auncient councellors wee repose some assuraunce of that wee come for in their hands and I knowe if it bée the price of Monye there is no man but speketh very cōstātly Then if we haue any thing to craue for of the Lord it behooueth vs to tread our steps aright to lay the forme of our wordes duelye and the manner of our speeche that wée lispe not and thy thoughtes and cogitacions that thou wauer not before his Maiesty For if thy minde be not setled and thy dealings dispised and thou thy selfe strengthned that thou shiuer not it is in hazard but that thy whole request perisheth And to say the truth how can wee call on him on whom wée beleeue not Goe wée vnto the Mariner and the Seafaring man and to no ende or thinke wée then to bée drowned Doo wée run vnto the Phisition or wayte wée for poyson will the Lawier take his fee for nothinge or can wée bow our selues before our God as if wee were at Beersheba or at Dan or at the Idolles of Samaria to retourne agayne without aunswer then vnhappy truely were our case but euen for this doo we come before the Lord to wipe away the teares from our eyes and the burthen from our shoulders and that hee would accepte our fayth For hee that beléeueth in him hee shall not perishe but haue life And vnto this ende are we called that we might bee heires of eternall saluation accordinge to hope Titus 3. Therfore Ieames hee that prayeth let him pray in fayth not doubtinge for hee that wauereth is like vnto the leapinges of the Sea that is turned and walowed in the winde and let not that man thinke that he shall haue any thing from the Lorde that asketh not stedfastly It was well sayde of the Apostle Lorde increase our sayth and agayne helpe or vnbeleefe for it is very hard for flesh and blood to aske so faythfully but that he wil be still in a mammoringe To the end then that wee may appeare before him clothed with rightuousnes and our garmēts bee spanged with sinseritie and truth that we may know to pray faythfully to obey steadely to trust in him obediently I will drawe out the Image of a perfecte and vpright Christian and lay open the tokens and signes of an Infidell There is for so I sinde in the writers fiue kindes or maner of fayth which I doo professe that I haue red also in the booke of God. 1. An Historicall or Ethnicke like 2. A deade fayth that is good for nought 3. A fayth of miracles cōmon to the wicked 4. A temporall fayth which is but for a time 5. A iustifiyng fayth which remayneth euer AN Historical faith such a one as is of the Ethnick when there shal be no difference made of the Heauenly and the Eternall God than is of the Infidell to an Idoll of a Panime to his counterfet and halowed Saincte or the Gentil to his Saturne or the Turke to his Mahomet And this manner of Religion it is in all those that be on the face of the earth for the Heauens declare the glory of God the Firmament his handy worke and very nature shewed to the Heathen that there was one that satte aboue that spred abroad the face of the Heauens as a coueringe and called the Sunne at his pleasure and renued the course of the yéeres Cleanthe◠in Seneca cryed out Duc me summe pater altique dominator poli that excellent verse in Peter Martirre borowed of the Poet Homer can testefie the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristotle had Ens entium in his lips as for any thing els hee knew not It is a common thing among the nations to confesse a God as for ought els they know not Otherwise as I finde it in Arnobius the Persians would neuer ioyne themselues with their Mothers Nor
Sydon and Woe be vnto all the Isles that lacke wise men for their rulers and discréete personnes to teach them wisedome Well let this be my first poinct in this his seconde attyre to cloth the minister of the Lorde withall we wil procéede happily at length we shal finde that whiche may delight vs The next is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suche a one as shall mainteine and kéepe straungers and not vnfitly For among Israel straungers were harboured because they themselues were straungers in Aegypt And we must remember to kéepe straungers in token that wee doe wander on earth and haue no abiding place and in remembraunce we be straungers vnto all the worlde for the word of the Lorde That heathnish writer yet the eloquent writer Marcus Tullius Saith properly in his Officijs Non dominus domo sed domus domino cohonestanda The house ought not to set out the maister but the goodnesse of the maister adorneth and beutifieth the statelynesse of the house Vlisses traueling verie farre gaue his commendation to Greece and all the countries there about that for courtesie and hospitalitie it might wel be compared vnto all Latium I knowe not what Vlisses would say if he were with vs but I am in doubt he might begge and sterue to before he gate ought I must of duetie counsell you with Paul to bee good vnto the poore for by receiuing straungers men haue receiued Angelles into their houses If Dauid may be beléeued the good mans childe hath seldome begged breade and the heart of the reighteous man is alwayes lyberal I must speak the trueth before the Lorde and before you all for we are driuen into a verie narowe straite the bely and the backe flaunteth it out in all sumpteousnesse your houses they haue nothing in them but bare walles they be so pinched with penurie those which are in the common welth in whose handes are many heapes of Gould are loth to distribute thrée peckes of meale to the poore and fatherlesse Nay I haue harde some speake it That if the vnsatiable gathering together of money if your racking of poore people if the greedinesse of scraping in of welth were left among you the spiritualtie wee which are of the common welth that haue nothing but by trauayle and sweate of our browes raked vp in many yeres would bestow more on the poore people then we do This is a pitifull crye it is ascended vp alreadie vnto the eares of the Lord the people they are readie to starue they houle in their miserie and crie out in the verie paine and smart of their soules vppon vs the ministers of the Lorde that harden other mens harts by our coueteousnesse Naball must néedes be harde and gréedie and no meruaile if Diues thinke much to giue vnto Lazarus that ritche men séeke for newe barnes to put in their stoore when they of Iuda and such as be in the house of God continually thirste to inritch them Well the Church of God perisheth in her miserie and panteth so sore that she is burst with crying because that this is not looked vnto In a cleere testimonie of my conscience I vtter the trueth vnto you for I haue seene it in some I knowe it in many it is common in all Hospitalitie here so much accompted of of Paul is termed husbandrie For if you saue much greedely that your childrē may spend it lasciuiously it is saide to be but good husbandrie I once was at Pauls Crosse when as a learned graue father preaching there among many other thinges spake much then of this vice He called to memorie at that time for the space of many yeares before that there had been no one Alderman in al London whose senne was remembred to haue vsed the honestly which the father in many yeares had seraped vp so couetously It was a sore and heauie saying for those wise and gray headed men that were then present And the saying of that wise Prophet moued the hartes of many that heard it There is at this daye nowe in London in moste florishinge state two sonnes of two Aldermen gouerninge by the wealth their fathers lefte them the happie and good state of that Citie But if that olde and grayheaded father were now aliue and speaking of the ministers of the worde of God shoulde turne his eyes to sée the iolitie wherin their children be that same discréete father for the two famous most worthy Shrifes that haue gouerned that honourable Cytie of London could not since that Englande was inhabited and knowen of men picke out so much as two sonnes of two Bishoppes to haue sat in the seate of their fathers I speake it as in such a time wherein the Lorde hath sent a rot among vs that wise men and most good and godly men shoulde haue so lewde and wicked children This is it I say The Lord wil haue their sonnes to spende it wantonly for that their fathers haue rackte it vp so vnkindly And if that money were bestowed on the poore which pine away for want of foode or some other way to the good and profite of the Church which lyeth smothered in their coffers and motheaten with rust the Lorde would not onely prosper them as good Phinees to haue the honour of the Priesthoode to remaine in their houses for euer But they shoulde be suer to haue one in the fauour and sight of God in a perpetuall generation The worlde is nowe so proude and the people therein so stately that if the sonne of a minister be not a gentleman the sonne of the minister shal bee but in accompt a begger There is some in Englande that haue good and large stipends for seruing the Lorde and they spende it as liberally on their Sonnes to make them Courtiers Well Aaron did not so either Eleazar so eyther els the Apostles and bretheren of the Lorde eyther els did Cephas or the residew so Pittye it is the Churche of God to sée how it serueth how the people die for foode the hedge of the Lorde how it is broken downe and they of the house do not so much as send their childrē out of their house to repayre it The Lorde moue his Prophetes to see vnto it And giue thē that earnest of his spirit the zeale of his glorye the feare of his name the reuerence of his Maiestye they ought to haue that his Gospell may bée farthered his Hierusalem builded his Citye finished his Church fetled that if it bee his will it may frō henceforth bee neuer more remoued we haue now run thorow the two first peeces of our last worke euen a litle liberty more and I doubt not but I shall dispatch the rest It foloweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apte to teache there was required 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and now wée haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lord God hath alwaies had a care ouer his church he therfore hath cōtinually sent laborers into his harueste to helpe them forwarde therin
earth to heare vs And if wée cease not in praying how can he be flow in hearing His scholler Lactantius as Ierom recordeth trayned vp at Rome was not of so sounde a iudgement in this as was his maister That supposeth vs if wée aske any thyng of God to be tempted of God to know thereby if wée be thereof worthy Chromatius Bishop of Aquileia may well abide the toutchstone herein that bindeth Prayer to haue his only successe by fayth As for Epiphanius of Eleutherapolis in Palaestine his doynges they bee very pleasaunt and his writynges exquisite he hath also bin a witnes how wée should walke in prayer before the Lorde his iudgment is to call on God only one true and perfecte Lorde and on Christe the Sonne of God with the spirit procéeding from them both And that rare man of God then whom Stridon in the borders of Dalmatia and Pannonia saw neuer as yet a perfecter Ierom I meane so much alowed determineth of this very wisely whose admonition I would it were ingrafted in vs to the full or els I would that graue father liued now whose looke and countenance might withdrawe vs from our vanityes his milde and sugred speech is not vnlike to this Cease not to pray continually and giue not place vnto the Lord in season and out of season and bée importunate vpon him euen as that widow is to that same vniust steward that hard the stony iudge who oftentimes withdrew him selfe This Ierom is hee that so often if chaunce afordeth and I haue to deale with him rauisheth mee so sodenly that I hardly leaue him For this cause his neate and pleasaunt stile requireth mee to taste of one or two more of his sayings It foloweth in the same place not farre of If hee giueth to him that asketh if hee findeth that séeketh if hee openeth when one knocketh it appeareth hee will not bee slowe to him requireth And therfore hee promiseth a reward already for such as demaund and sayth Ierom This Gate wherin the iuste man doth enter is sutch a one wherin are hidden a number of pleasant and delicate things to him that seeketh them Diuers there be that of late and now also haue writte hereof how to â—â—me vnto Christe but in this place I take the fathers for they are sound and very strong in this and very good whose cumly age I must reuerence in that the younger forte and wee also euen in these last yeares are beighly bounden to them so that small cause there is for any to repent him of readinge them whose diligence hath brought to passe that we with lesse payne may teache ours Iulius Firmicus Maternus vnder the Emperour Constantine and his Sonnes an Astrologian at the first and so it séemeth still for hee clymeth vp very hie and mounteth to the Heauens neither looketh hee for any mans helpe in his prayers hée is raysed vpwarde to God hee suffereth no man to bée called on but the name only of Christ The manner also and condition of prayer is séene plentifully in that same borne at Africa a very worthy man of God Caius Marius Victorinus reckoned of Ierom among them of his number and Catalouge worthy and famous wrighters For beside that euer hée did on the Articles of fayth or els in the payne hée tooke agaynst Heretickes no where doth hee séeme to haue delte precisely and more warely then in his opinion of prayer acknowledging Christe to bée sufficient and the only true bread from Heauen to feede vs. There commeth now vnto my hand a man of truth scase worthy the naming among the Fathers for his so vile and euill dealinge and as you may know him a Cinnick fitter for the staffe and the shacky heare then to iudge of Religion borne at Alexandria at what time Gregorie Nazianzen taught at Constantinople hee was brought to Cristianitee by preachinge This Maximus Aegiptius by his wilye sleights hauing gotten many froÌ„ Byantius corrupted one Peter Bishop of Alexandria created this Aegiptius Bishop Yet this man otherwise a faythfull steward in the house of God whrot many good bookes I therfore take his well meaning minde of prayer euen especially agaynst the wicked the they may know that a wicked man hath taught them to praye often his readynes was séene in this for that hée instructed all flesh to pray continually hée adioyneth his reason in an other place The sedulyte and forwardnes of a man calling on the Lorde if it hée donne rightly is that which commendeth the soule of man spoken as I thinke to stir vp the sloth in vs to pighte vs a place in Heauen where the soule of man resteth The liuely exposition thereof is well noted in that hée debarreth vs from all manner contemplations in the earth hee leaueth no roome for the thoughtes of man in time of prayer no not so mutch as to thinke of him that hurt thee or of thy enemy but freely to lay aside all grudginges debates strifes enimyties to repose one only hope in god And I like his reason wel and it is alowed in the Booke of God for that our praying it is a quieting of our mindes so that it appeareth by all those that wente before that terror shoulde strike vs for we speake to God that the world must forsake vs for wee seeke heauen the body leaue vs for wee speake in spirit our wealth must not trouble vs our treasure is aboue nor our enemyes greue vs for wee are freends with Christ On this our prayer there is depending two things the first is calling vpon him The second is geuinge of thankes vnto him If thou aske to wholme it is it is to god If thorow wholme it is through Christ if the meane to him it is faith if wherin in is his bloodsheading and death Therfore Paull continue in prâ—ier and watch in the saine with thankes geuing prayinge for vs that God may open vnto vs the Doore of vtterance to speake the mistery of Christ For euen now doo wee see our full redemption if calling on the Lord wee repose our trust in the only mediator Iesus Christe the Sonne of God beeing nothing careful but that in al things wée let our requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing thankes For hee is the God of peace which doth kepe our mindes and hartes in Christe Iesus That wee must pray you haue harde what prayer is I haue set downe suffer mee though breefely but to know how wee must vse it and so wee shall discharge our dâ—tye more fully Ephraem a Sirian for so is hee called by Theoderet in an homely of prayer reckoned amonge theÌ„ of Caesarius hath giuen a very good light to this our question Let sayth hee thy calling on the Lord bee as that which was of Hanna Mother vnto Samuell that sat wéeping in spirit and groneing and that was meeke and milde in hart not seene of men not gased vpon of
of Christe of his Apostles that vsed alway to praye may the more inslame vs There shal be therfore no iteration of that now let vs onely cousider what it is that is publique and what therein to bée required The custome of méeting at cōmon prayer it is no new thinge it hath bin from all beginninge wherin the Churche of God hath flourished For I doubt not but the poore offeringe of Caien and of Abell was a thinge generallye vsed of the Church in that time and donne of them as taken from the vse of the Congregation or meetinge then vsed and albeit the Church was small and they destitute of the Sacramente of the Tree of life Yet they had so much as did signely vnto them a cextainty of their saluation And there is in that place opened to vs that in the time of Seth men began to call on the name of the Lorde Not that God had no worship or that there were none that serued and called on his name but then the Church which was before darkened I take it to haue bin agayne newly restored So that it seemeth to mee they knew the Lorde and that openly such as weare his I might speake of Abraham and of his time how hée also repayred the house of God And in Sodom also was God knowen Agayne Abraham prayed for Abimelech and his householde For as Nemrod had his solempe places for his Idolles as is mentioned by Berosus the Chaldean and Manetho the Aegiptian Préeste after the flood So doubt I not but God had his abidynge place thoughe not so playnely described by the Prophets Now in Moses his time it was without all controuersy fully ratefied and established when after the delinery of the Law vnto his seruaunt Moses in glory and great Maiesty hee seuered Aaron from the rest and put vpon him moste gloryous apparrell and gaue him the Préesthoode for euer and the gouernment of the Tabernacle to him and his in a perpetuall generation Very notably approoued by Iosuah when thei eate the passouer in Ierico after their iourney in the Wildernesse Also more liuely set out in their solempne méeting and comming vp thyther to worship God where the Lottes were cast bee fore the Lorde to deuide the inheritaunce of Israell After this you shall sinde euery wheare great méetinges of all Israell and of the whole Congregation I referre it therfore to them that will search the Booke of God and though vnwiltinge yet as interrupted heare to sée the state of our daies in that a more bright and comly platforme hath very seldome bin drawen out in any Churche then in ours But so sluggish and carelesse liues I speake of some I know it so mutch breatch and contempte in others I haue seene it So small regard to the Temple and loue and zeale to the house of God for I haue hard it as in few common wealthes hath béene red the lyke that is it which is most pittifull I only wish that men in our dayes where the Harrow is not vsed nor inginnes of Iron framed or the torturs and exiles putte in practise as is els euer ye wheare would more willingly agree togeather then as yet they doo In the histories of the persecutions vnder Dioclesian and Maximine the Emperor there is mention made very often of the places that Christians met in But as it appeareth before Constantine their places whytherto they commonly resorted weare but homly and not so trimmed as ours termed by the name of Dominica and as Eusebius recordeth Oratoria and in Nazianzen the Church is called Basilica and so I finde it in Ambrose But for this I think no man will striue vnleast Ethnicke like wée take that which men vse so much at this day to praye abroad for that in persecution it was not lawfull for them to come to Churches Or there is a reason found out and so it may bee to praye in the Churchyeardes and at Graues and Sepulchers of the dead because in the persecution and tyranny of Gorgias of Alexandria they were content or compelled rather to ly at the Graues and Sepulchers of their Fathers Unhappely I thinke was that storye taken in hande and in an euill time if it bée grounded theare to prostrate themselues in feelds to lie at the foote of Hilles to praye without the walles and Townes and gates of the Citties for that Christians had so small a libertye vnder Valence of Antioch But where so euer it be fetched for that it is vntrue looke about search other Historyes gather as well that which is good sée mely as that which is erronious you shal finde many examples of Christianity For these arguments taken from the custome of the nations and from the Gentilles for that contrary to the rule of the Booke of God they appoynted at their seuerall pleasures this or that it is not to bée liked of But as euery Cuntrye hath his custome in comming to prayse the name of God if it were in holes Caues of the earth as the Indians some of them doo it in or in houses of Réedes as they in very hot Cuntreys doo or in other though vnseemely places to vs as diuers of the nations and as our Irishe men not so far a iourny from vs very beastly people doo yet if that Cuntry whatsoeuer hath any one in him that calleth on the name of Christ hee they bée aswell excepted in their homely Cottages as other people bee in stately ▪ Pallaces And though I alowe not the Iewish tradition renued by Constantine in carrying about a tent squared like the Temples they buylt then for to praise the name of God with his soldiours yet because the meaning of that good Emperour can in no wise be condemned I cannot altogether disallowe the thing But nowe in so great a light where the woorde of God neuer shined more brightly then it doth here I needs must cry out with Ieremie that readier were they in the worlde to offer vp cakes to the Quéene of heauen then they be nowe to giue thanks pay their vowes to the God of Iacob O that I could but ransake out the cause hereof I am persuaded that not onely they whose writings haue béene mistaken of a number to this hower woulde knit them selues as fellowe labourers herein but diuers also whome God hath blessed with great wisedom would imploy their faithfull heartes to redresse it Giue mee leaue here though not so fully yet of truth not altogether rashly to enquire and séeke after this For a little experiensed herein I haue a shrewd gesse at their reasons It may be that the church néedeth some holy water againe as in the time of poperie to purge it a freshe Otherwise I know not but that our temples might please them For if they haue béene vsed euer since Christe our Sauiour the manner I meane of our churches may or ought the
signes and miracles without any slothe or staying but euen spéedely at his woorde not saith hee with many trifling circumstances but in his wisedome at his pleasure Howe glorious a God then is he and worthie to be magnified Therefore Crisostom to Philemon When God did not stande in néede of our helpe he created made vs of nothing For when he had made euery thing then made he man what reuerence then can we giue to our God more then sanctifie him shewe his power among men Primatius on the Romanes atributeth mercie iustice goodnes peace with all other good giftes vnto the Lord and to this end he doth it euen to pluck downe debase man to exalt and sanctifie the name of god Augustine is verie excellent in his meditations hee giueth vnto God these titles Great mightie omnipotent eternall pittifull long suffering righteous that hydeth many things knoweth all things Only strong onely present onely of force and of strength vncomprehensible seeinge all thinges iudginge all thinges vuchanngable yet chaunging and altering all other immortall infinite whom no man can attayne vnto Immoouable yet moouinge and turninge all vnsearchable yet searching all feareful and fearing all yet neuer feared that is aunciaunt and olde and gray headed for hée was euer not altered for hée is the same that bringeth all to age and continueth alwayes workinge and fashioninge and framinge and making and creating all yet alwayes quiet alwayes strong alwayes giuing neuer needing defending distributing nourishing profiting louinge ayding mainteining displeased yet pleased repenting not striking and consuming yet protecting fostering that is onely one and eternall and euerlasting and vnchangeable in his counsell I suppose that Augustine hath shewed vs howe to iudge of the Lorde howe to sanctifie him howe to glorifie him euen when we lay aside all that is in man and giue due honour reuerence feare and maiestie vnto him I will staye no longer in this place I procéede to that which followeth for I dare not stande in curious intermedling with the Lorde but I shewe yon briefely in what the Lorde is sanctified euen in all things that are vppon the earth whose excellencie if it haue any and glorie and goodnes commeth onely from God But in especial God is sanctified by these two workes and iust iudgements of his that happen in the worlde The firste is his righteousnesss and his iustice in the reuealing whereof euen by punishing the wicked and comforting them that bee his the Lorde God is chiefely glorified as in Pharao his ouerthrow in the read Sea with the destruction and ouerwhelming of his captaines horses and chariots that was a feare and astonishment to all nations The like in Sennacharib the Tirant of Assiria that ouerthrewe the Gods of the nations and blasphemed the trewe liuing God and perished he and his people by the hand of the Angell In no one thing is the Lorde so glorified as in this in shewing his rigour and sharpnesse to the infidels and nations and by sauing and protecting his people what glorious beautiful steppes had the daughter of Syon when Iuda was brought out of captiuitie and Hierusalem from thraldome bondage and the lame man went in the stréetes and the blinde could sée the Lorde and the Leapers were clensed and the bloudie Cyte was made a running spring and the standing poole a riuer of sweete water and when ioye and health was spreade abrode vpon the children of that wofull and desolate widow Sion when the Messias was come the Churche deliuered the Apostles called the Gentiles elected Herod eaten and deuoured with Lice the enimie of the Lorde and the Churche had quietnesse and the enimies were swallowed vp and glad tydings of the Gospel was preached on the face of the whole earth When the Lord permitted persecution vnder Nero Domitian Traian Dioclesian vntill Arcadius howe rose it againe triumphantly the Lorde God magnified in Asia in Aphrica in Europe and the heretikes beaten and suppressed downe by the worde of God. After that from Arcadius vnto Honorius vnto Theodotius the younger vnto Martian vntill Leo vntill Zeno. Howe worthie a passage had the power of the Gospell euen from Arrius and those heretikes that went before him vntill Pelagius and those heretikes which succeeded him I might cunne ouer the sixt age since Christ where albeit the countenance of the Lorde shined not so pleasantly as it did 〈◊〉 others yet the stories of Anastatius of Iustus of lusâ—mian of Iustin of Tâ—berius of Mauritius do testifie that the Lorde God gaue his Church an honourable conquest ouer the enimies of Christe But I let this â—ip and I returne thither from whence I went namely that this ought to be our petition our earnest sute and desire vnto the lord that he would not permit his name to be blasphemed and prophaned among the nations but in his mercie he would giue vs of his grace and in his iustice strike and punishe those that be his aduersaries that all men may knowe him and adore his name and that he may be feared and honoured among all After this manner be the godly brought speaking as it were in their owne persons Not vnto vs O Lorde not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue thy praise for thy goodnesse and for the truethes sake And againe in pittifull sorte do the Sainctes complaine by Dauid when the heathen cryed out where is their God And againe Powre foorth thy wrathe and indignation vppon the heathen which know thée not and vppon the kingdomes which call not on thy name And againe in Ioell Help vs O Lord of our strength eueÌ„ for thy glorâ—e for thy names sake Let the reuenge of the bloud of thy Saincts powred forth be openly shewed among the nations Yet herein is héede to be taken namely that priuate grâ—dge prinate malice make vs not to burst out into these exclamations but that it be done in the zeale of the Lord. The seconde kinde or manner of his power wherein he is sanctified his name glorified and he praised among the children of men is his infinite merâ—ic and goodnesse that is extended from generation to generation euen vnto thousand shousandes of such as feare him and kéepe his commaundements and were it not for the Lord of hostes for his great mercie that in Esay shoulde â—e fulfilled that we were as Sodoma and become as outcastes in Gomorra the calamities that happened to Iuda in so oftâ— times changing their iudges that were falne so strangely yet recouered themselues againe so mightely in a shorte space are a witnesse vnto vs to testifite this Their transgressions vnder Samuel yet he deliuered them their falling in the time of Dauid yet he â—aued them their miserie and desperate case wherein they faltered vnder Salomon yet he protected them vnder Ahab yet he defended them vnder the residewe of his successours yet did he not deface them so that his iustice to
punishe them his iudgmentes to tame them his wraith and his furie to consume them And his mercie to incourage them his righteousnesse to helpe them his clemencie to hold them and his goodnesse for to ransome them be the greatest and the mightiest woorkes of the Lorde wherein hee is glorified Yet in none so much as in this that they which went before vs and we whiche followe nowe that be aliue are in his mercie and goodnesse saued in one Iesus Christ that being deade are made aliue being falâ—en from grace are raised vp in a gratiouâ— Lord and swalowed vp with iniquitie are made new treatures and a perfect workemanshippe vnto God our father Thelassius hereon in his Hecatondate the seconde properly toucheth this Thou art frée saith he and called vnto libertie in Christ by grace giue not thy selfe then vnto the pleasure of the flest for euen in this benefite is wrought the worke of our saluation which is that we be true vprighte and perfect that by vs in our works the name of God may be glorified For euen in this is the worde euil spoken of in that we be followers of the flesh for this the name of God is dishonoured among the Gentiles Then to the end this parte for I see that I am ouer reached by the houre nothing on earth both set out his glorie that made it somuch as this That he confoundeth his enimies wherby the Godly are comforted and his worde hath free passage and in his mercie forbeareth his saincts and at once consumeth not or in his wrath destroyeth not but patient loÌ„g sufferinge of great goodnes vseth all kind of clemencie to bring those his vnto him To conclude it is the onely ende and vse of this petition Halowed be thy name That if we shall see the whole world to be deuided and cut in sunder For the word of God then in our peticion the sects may be abolished falfe opinions defaced the truth established the Gospell confirmed to pray to our Lorde god Hallowed be thy name if we be snared with the intisemeÌ„ts of the flesh if glorie puffe vs if brauerie gallantnesse in the world do moue vs If concupisence sturre vs or impietie and vngodlynesse wrestle with vs No easier way can befounde to ouercome them then this Halowed be thy name The ritch man he forgetteth the Lord and is choked with the cares of this life hée scrapeth greadely he oppresseth vnbrotherly begileth vncharitablie dealeth with all men vniustly and liueth vnchristianly The aduouterer vnchastly the thaefe vntruely the extortioner by robbery the vserrer by pilferie or els if al the world should ioyn together in tyrranie it can no better way remedied bee more easely redressed or the word of God obeyed or thy life and wicked demeanour purged then by this prayer Halowed be thy name but let vs leaue this come to the next and it folweth Let thy Kingdome come OVR Lorde and sauiour Christ as tendering the health and safetie of man hath set downe a definitie certeine order of prayer to be vled Not to take away all other or the no man may or can pray but onely praying thus but to shew vs in espetiall that the glorie of God is first to be looked for his name promoted his aucthoritie established his Godhead magnified his kingdome inlarged that in all our petitions this aboue other things ought to be regarded to desire earnestly that the retrennesse of the flesh and beastlines thereof might be launched and the glorie of God his gospell his worde his kingdome ratified This is the seconde peticion or request that we make vnto God in our prayers For we desired at the first to be helped of him as of our father it is expedient that we shoulde not séeke our owne commoditie but the Lordes and it is knowen in that we aske newe Let thy kingdome come This kingdome it is net giuen to one onely but to all fleshe it is not of man or the power of man but of the Lorde for that wee bee weake it is giuen to strengthen vs because we be sorowfull it is giuen to comforte vs and knowing wée be ignorant he hath giuen it to instruct vs and for our better consolation this is that he teacheth vs Let thy kingdome come M. Gualter is of this opinion that for so much as sinne and iniquitie reigneth in vs therefore we pray that vngodlynesse may be expelled and wickednesse banished and the only kingdome of God knowen among vs Cyprian vpon the Lords prayer We pray saith he that the kingdome of glorie may come promised by Christ and bought by the bloud and death of Christ that we which reigned in the world may now againe be chaunged and reigne with Christe For so it is prepared of the Lord that such as be his shoulde be seauered from the Gods of this worlde and made a newe people to him his father so receiue as it is in Matthew the kingdome that was prepared for them from the beginning There is in this life two manner of regiments two kingdomes that be among vs one it is of God and of the Lorde and of his sonne Christ The other is of the prince of this world the ruler of the ayre that gouerneth the hearts of the wicked as in Peter And this coÌ„quest this victorie that he claymeth and the rule which he hath it came in by that vntimely fight which he had with our first father Adam who in the cumbat and battell whiche he had was seduced by the wilinesse of a poore woman you may easely knowe what force we be of that are ouercome by so weake creatures And from that time Sathan hath so preuailed with the sonnes of men that they haue haene slaues and Galeboyes to doe his worke and toyle in his carte euer since yet not so that he hath cleane swallowed vs taken the whole gouernement into his handes but in this respect said to reigne in that commonly he infecteth the kings of the earth and the most of the nations with the cup of his fornication That in iust iudgement and in ful desert for their manifould sinnes are permitted to be scourged and for their malice and ingratitude duely punished In whome the kingdome of Sathan is said to haue poure for that he gouerneth their déedes and their whole life neither suffered hee them to sée the light and puritie of the Gospel And this gouernemeÌ„t it hath stollen away and so bewitched the mindes of men that for the space of one thousande sire hundred fiftie sixe yeres the Lorde God saue onely in a poore family or nowe and then in some Seth or one Enoch was scarce knowen vppon the face of the earth for which cause the windowes of the heauen opened they powred downe rayne and consumed those of the earth And to so many thousandes as were there what was the Arke that it might be rompared therevnto
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
that créepe so slyly and serch so narrowely the hearts of poore brethren wil one day I trust take more holde of the trewe light of the Lord whose priuate conscience if it were aswell knowen abroade as it is practised in corners they would haue bene cut off long ere this And it is no meruail they busze so much in the cares of men for the liberty the God hath giuen Dauid can snaffle such an accursed Semei if he dissēble not As for the Anabaptist reason if hée giue thée a blow on the right eare turne vnto him the other It abideth not the heat the Sun doth wyther it for if it may bée to winne thy brother to get a soule to God Take two on each eare rather then reuenge it If god bee not dishonored therby giue him thy Cloake to if hée will and leaue all But if the word be defamed and the Gospel sclaundered I say agayne turne vnto him smite agayne spare him not I giue no priuate man to iudge the case let the seniors in Israel heare the matter iudge therof But if thou bée set vpon be betrayed all alone or with others turne thy face again take vp stones to hurte at him reuēge thy cause it is the Lords I aske but a questiō here why did Christes disciples wear swords This is of a truth if it had not béen lawful hée would neuer haue permitted them as Moses when hée saw one fighting with his Brother slew the Aegiptian Such is our case no other Their what may be said vnto the prayer of Sampson for it is his request vnto God the he may be reuēged vpō his enimies the Philistines for the they put out both his eyes Peter Martir is of this opinion the if hée did it with an euill malitious stomacke in anger that then it cannot be vpholden and borne withall for sayth hée Non potuisset magis deo probari quam si expresse dixisset quaeso Domine bene fortunes vel furcum vel adulteriū meum Augustine is of this opinion with diuers other writes to That hée did it by the singuler instinction or mouing of the holie ghost and the pricking forward of the spirite And so it is not a misse to take it For that whiche to man as it is in man from man is nought So by the styring vp of the spirit if we haue an assured certeine token thereof many things may be permitted which is not lawful for vs otherwise to do Commeth now into my minde in what a desperate state they bée that for euery trifle and vpon so slight occasion as nowe is common in our English rufflers spill Innocent blood Oh that it pleased the Lorde to lighten the hartes of men To sée with what price wée are bought in Christe The hande of Caine would not bée so readye at the throte of Abell as it is But now Romulus is drawinge the Sworde and it bée with Remus for the Kingdome Esau and Iacob agrée not Ismaell and Isaak will not dwell togeather Ioseph is ready to bee solde for mony Saull séeketh after Dauid The Samaritan lyeth wounded no man helpeth him What shall I say more The great man curseth the poore man the poore man complayneth of the riche The godly man hée sayth hee hateth him for hee is euell The euill hee flyeth him that is pure in harte hée is not for his purpose Thus euery one hath his seuerall maner eche person hath his reasons no man loueth one another I aske once agayne another question how canste thou pray Forgiue vs our debts when of a certeinty thou thy selfe forgiuest none The makebate he pleadeth for himself his gentlemanlike qualities his stocke and parentage from whence hee came His Hercules hart hee hath can not bee plucked downe for it is not Courtier like Surely more curteous and lesse Courtiars were good for England Shall I speake my minde I would of truth but I feare you of the court Yet must I correcte my selfe I goe awrye for a noble harte is alwayes séene by a valiant courage And Theseus neuer presed to brawle But the field and the Forte to goe to the Baryars not priuate corners to séeke to wrestle in is Gentleman-like And such as séeke this to them I speake To this vnhappy worlde now all thwackt and pestered with graceles men to you all I say the truth I will leaue of my Gowne and set apart my profession for a time and I will reason with you and prepare aswell as you can take your Armor vnto you for of truth if you be not wel fenced I will not spare you This onely I craue that your weapons mine may bee alike For you bée merciles men I know it well enough you would ouerreache mee And my quarrell that I striue for is to you that be Fathers That suffer your Children to spend so long a time in Idlenes and ryot that permit them to bee Courtyars for a yéere or two and when their substance is spent suffer them to be beggers al there life In Rome learning was so muche esteemed and in Aegipt so much reuerenced that Kings were called priests And Senators were Philosophers and Consules were Prophetides their honorable men were lerned men But now adayes the Innes of the Court and London hath consumed so many that fewe are lefte to write or to read or to know almost what God meaneth Is there not a gray headed man to beare mée witnes that whereas they had neuer a Beggar amonge them of Israell wee haue now many thousandes with vs in England But wil no man speake for mée Shall I fight all alone with these Maisterlesse men or dare no man vtter that which hée hath séene That within 60 yeres sithence these Gentlemanlike qualities budded vp two Runnagates for one true man two quarelers for such as accustomeably were woont to bée at quiet are now of late spronge vp with vs of England If no man dare aduenture with mee the brunte hereof such blowes as my youth can afforde sutch doo I offer you and warde it as well as yee can and speake the truth Is not euery Plowman become a Gentleman doth not many a Marriner sende his sonne forth to bée a Courtiar do not men of occupations trayne vp their Children to know fashions Is not the kytchin Boye waxed prowde is hee not nowe beecome a waytinge Boye is not all thinges so chaunged with your disorder that if a Ruffian peecpe out of the thresholde he must haue a Page with him Then truely looke vnto it for there is vtterly a fault amonge you And it is that for which I striue nowe and it is common with you in the Citie Where men do swimme so deepe in blood as they doo No forgiuing no forgetting All reuenging no reuealing their debts come rowling home in their bosome that owe any The daye hath béene that quietnes was so much set by
downe the truth That wise men may know them and the simple flye them That only God may bee glorified in the ordinary meanes hée hath appoynted The beginninge wherof I can fetch it from none other then from that villanous secte of Enthusiastistes that was the beginning and Orriginall of beastly and filthy deuinacions and liued by inspiration as I finde in ▪ Theodoret of Cyrus whose beginner therof and Kingleader was sometimes Salbas ruler among very wicked and graceles men And Adelphius and Daodes and Simeones and Hermes with others And as Iudas for betraying Christe so were these for abusinge the Church very infamous and noted amonge the Fathers These fellow seruaunts and Copemates as it were with Nouatus that infected them of Phrigia and Paphlagonia with his precisenes exactnes of life permitted none that had sacrifised to Idols to come neare the church refused the maner of Baptisme the was vsed permitted none to come to the holy misteries Neyther yet referred him to the mercy of god Which how much it differeth frō them in our English Church wherof the Lorde bée merciful vnto vs there is a great nomber euery where sprong vp of late denying our order manner in baptisme thrusting such frō the Supper of the Lord as they like not take them selues onely for the pure perfect church refusing others with such like opinions a number as the like hath béen seldome séen in any age in any church since Christes comming in so short a space as is now I can compare them to no one state of any cōmon wealth so neare and so narrowly as I can vnto that wherof there is some mention made in Sleidons Commentaries in his tenth booke For vnto the same great and famous Cittie of Mounster the Metropolis of Westphalia there resorted certaine Anabaptistes whose beginning and Orriginal was taken from one Tho. Muncer that raised a tumult of the cōmunalty And these pretended certeine holynesse and puritie of life in so much that counted as Godly and zealous christians they were neuer espied they delt so closely and holilye in life vntill they began to spreade thorowe out Germanie and Luther almost al other learned men inueighed against them But after when this their childhoode began to reatch vnto it fresher bloude and gathered strength to creepe withall not farre from Mounster at a Church of S. Morris the yeare of our Lorde 1332. One Barnearde Rotman a preacher of the Gospell gathered together a great audience in that Citie and suppressed at the first by the Catholikes being sent away emptie without hope of that he came for he went aside to another countrey for a space Yet after that retourned backe being very popular he rauished the minds of the people he preached very sincerely hee liued vprightly and faught zealously But knowe all and iudge with me dissembling a long time what he was Commeth at length a certein Cobler to Mounster out of Holland to name Ihon Leidan A ranke Anabaptist hauing got acquaintance with the preachers assotiated kept company with them after familiaritie among thē being well knowne to the cōmons he inueighed openly against the state At which time one Herman Stapred as preuie to the drift of his fellowe Rotman linked him self at length with the rest it was that Stapred the was scholler to Henrick Rolly which a little before was executed at Vtreight for the opinion of Anabaptisme but it grew to so great inconueniēce here with them of the city that the senate banished al the pack of thē yet the subtiltie of these men preuented the intent of the wise Senate neither departed they but kept secretly in holes corners went priuely to the followers of their sect lurked there for a space taught in the night preached in priuat places vsed conuēticles gathered cōpanies the the nūber of thē in the end increased aboūdātly And then hauing gotten the vpper hande came in the diuilish deuice of running vp downe in the stréetes as though they had been inspired with a kinde of prophesie Then began one Kniperdoling with other lay mē to vse expoundings interpretations and diuinations Woemen were prophets and spake openly in congregations Good preachers were exiled and in their steede came vp the ofscowring of the Citie and then began ciuil warre and murther discention and confusion of the state For my owne part I iudge Christianly and the Lord God looke vpon me in the same yet this I think that the Lorde being angry hath somewhat care long to say vnto vs And for the thing it selfe he that hath but one eye may séewhat marke it is they shoote at for the state the lawes the common wealth if their request bee graunted cannot stande And as in the reigne of Emperour Charles the firste began moste bloodie broyles by auarice and herisie that sprange vp So in espetiall it was seene in that vnlucky Westphalia when heapes of deade men lay scattered in the stréetes and the bodies of their Emperours were vnburied when the Senate was expelled euery one that ought priuat grudge ware a dagger in his sleeue to cut his neighbours throte And all things were in common when this heresie was spreade in many places thorow out Germanie that if was lawful for euery one to kill his enimie That is flatte against that I haue in hand Forgiue vs our trespaces as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. For that same Iellowzie in Elyas That called to heauen and was heard of the Lorde and fire came downe and consumed those he cursed Is no sufficient argument to confirme that errour For when thou art a Prophet and canst tell what is to come when thou hast suche commaundement from the Lord and art assuredly mooued by the Spirite when thy life is sought and God wil bee reuenged on them that mocke thée when the prophets be despised and any seeke there death and thou also hast an assured warraunt from the LORD I will agrée with thée But if Christ when he was dispised of them in Samaria and could haue cast of the dust of his feete against thē reuenged not againe If he checked Iames Iohn that asked if fyre should come downe from heauen to distroy them when he went from Galilee to Ierusalem you may know e well it was an extraordinarie thing God would haue done he vsed not the naturall wayes on earth to fulfill his minde What if Peter destroyed Ananias and Saphira his wife and cursed them to death Are you Apostles as they were Did you euer sée Christe haue you commaundement to do signes and wounders and to heale and foretell or if you drinke poyson will it not hurt you if this commaundement was neuer giuen you your reason quayleth But if God will haue his indignation and furie to be shewen vppon the vesselles of wrath If he will not spare the hipocrite but vnlace his
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