then golde or pretious stone and sweeter then honie and honie combe The embassage of great ioy Ioyfull tidinges of peace tidinges of good things The poure of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth and able to saue their soules that imbrace it Wherefore lay apart sayth the Apostle Iames all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse and receaue with meekenesse the worde that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules Thus it appeareth manifestly vnto all them that be willing to see the trueth that God the father appoynteth vs vnto the worde of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Christ referreth vs vnto his holy spirite and trueth The holy Ghost also taught nothing else but the same trueth and word Therefore the holy Apostle durst not to appoint vs to anie other but straightly commendeth vs to the same trueth that cannot erre and vnto the word of grace which is the selfe same and still one trueth according to the infallible word of God that saith Thy righteousnesse O Lord is an euerlasting righteousnesse and thy lawe is the trueth So that we haue now in this time iust cause ioyfully to say with the prophet O praise ye the Lord all ye heathen praise him all ye people For his mercie is stablished vpon vs and the trueth of the Lord endureth for euer Then the which trueth there can be no surer stay guide and rule for the beliefe life and doctrine of mortall men in this mortall life and world of tribulation The Church of Antichrist hath no such stay guide nor rule but they are like the chaffe which the winde scattereth awaie from the face of the earth as the prophet Dauid witnesseth who also calleth them the councell of the vngodly the way of sinners and the chaire of pestilence or the seate of the scornful workers of iniquitie wicked men bloud-thirstie men the euil man the wicked man the wilde boare the cruell beast the slaunderer blasphemer enemie and persecutor the enemie in the holy place and aduersary whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their throat is an open sepulcher with their toonges they haue deceiued the poyson of aspes is vnder their lippes their feete are swift to shed bloud destruction and vnhappinesse is in their waies and the way of peace haue they not knowne there is no feare of God before their eies There were they brought in great feare euen where no feare was Vaine persons and deceiptfull lippes whom euer all good men abhorred and hated after the example of the holy prophet who saith I haue hated the Church of the vvicked and will not sit among the vngodly Loe you see the wicked and vngodly haue the name of Church yea they haue got the name of holy Catholicke Church How else haue they put on sheepes clothing How haue they fashioned themselues like the ministers of righteousnesse And howe hath the deuill transformed himselfe into the angel of light Truely in this that his church hath got the titles of holy and Catholicke and his ministers the names of true shepheardes Catholicke be the right clothing of the sheepe of Christes fold Antichrist therefore hath robbed Christes fold of their right title holy and catholicke and thereby bleared the eyes of the simple vnlearned multitude which doe seeke no further for saluation then they haue bene taught they say by the holy Catholicke Church Their common sayinges be these We be not wiser then our fathers before vs We will doe as our fathers haue done Such thinges they doe affirme because they know not Sathan from the angell of light the wolues from the sheepe the lyes from the word of God neyther Church of Antichrist falsly called holy and catholicke from the Church of Iesus Christ which indeede is both holy and catholicke But in stead of the holy Catholick church they doe beleeue the Church of the wicked in whose dregs of detestable traditions and ceremonies they haue bene ousted from their youth Verely if they would ponder their wordes with halfe indifferent iudgement and behold them but with one of their eyes I thinke they would keepe silence or else blushe for shame For to say they will doe as their elders and fathers haue done before them is nothing but to confesse thēselues to walke wilfully in errour and blindnesse when their fathers wandered vnawares And where they say they be no wiser then their fathers they shew themselues to be blinde followers of the blinde But if the blinde follow the blinde they both fall into the ditch Their fathers tooke Antichrist the bishop of Rome for head of the Church they made images and worshipped them they gadded on pilgrimage and trusted in workes pardons absolutions dirges trentalles masses c. wherein they erred increased in error and walked ignorantly into perdition The cause whereof was the lack of the word of God which word is euer a rule vnto the holy catholicke church Therefore their fathers learned not these thinges of the holy Catholicke Church but of the Church of Rome vsurping the name of the holy Catholicke Church which abhorred and trode vnder feete the word of God without the which their fathers doctrine was nothing els but olde errour against whome God giueth a speciall commandement saying Keepe my commandementes doe not those thinges that other haue done before you be not defiled in them I am your Lord your God Wherefore addeth God these words I am your Lord your God but to the end he would haue his words regarded for euer and not his aduersaries the man of sinne and childe of perdition as Paul nameth him who deceaued their fathers Whose coming is after the vvorking of Sathan vvith al lying povvers signes vvonders with al deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongest them that perish because they receaued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued And therefore God shal send them strong delusion that they might beleue lyes that all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse In these wordes hath the holy Ghost plainly shewed the fashion and comming of the man of sinne sonne of perdition Church of the wicked and kingdome of Antichrist The Church or kingdome of Antichrist is called the man of sinne because it is builded vpon a sinnefull man gouerned by a sinfull man instructed by euill sinfull workmen and their doctrine defended by the lawes and power of sinnefull men Which tooke authoritie neyther of God nor of his worde but of a monstrous beast with many heades euen of the people that departed from the faith whereof the same holy spirite of God speaketh and prophecieth more plainely by the mouth of Paul saying The spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede vnto the spirites of error and deuilish doctrines of them which speake
false thorow hypocrisie and haue their conscience marked with an hote iron forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstaine from meates vvhich God hath created to be receaued vvith giuing of thankes of them which beleeue and knevve the trueth Now ioyne these two prophecies together and note diligently the cause maner increase and force of Antichrists kingdome and then it shall be the better perceaued The cause why God permitteth the wicked to deceiue the people was for that they did not receaue the law of the trueth but loathed Gods word when they had it They writ it not in their heartes neither brought forth the fruits of the spirite but of the flesh To speake all in one worde They had as we haue much godly teaching and brought foorth much vngodly liuing Of verie duetie godly liuing must followe godly teaching otherwise Gods plague and vengeance followeth his word where and when soeuer it be taught But amongest all the plagues of God this is the greatest that he taketh away his word from the people and suffereth them to be fed with lies and Canterburie tales or fables After which sorte and maner the wicked haue come and entered into the Christian generation yea and haue sit in the holy place and seate of Moyses pretending to teache the holy word of God They haue set I say in the seate of Moyses not by teaching the law and the prophets but by name and place whereby the people not able to discerne the true session from presumptuous vsurpation haue bene deceiued with false myracles lying powers and wonders By the which feates they haue increased and growne into the greater number For when by the helpe of the deuill with their coniurations charmes and diuers other false fleightes they wrought myracles and wonders in diuers and sundrie places Then the people regarding not the simple word of God forsooke their faith and ranne a gadding from place to place to gaze vpon signes and wonders Manie beleeued lies because many taught lies Lying powers were on their side few durst speake the trueth and the simple lacked good instruction some therefore departed from the faith The sorce of Antichristes kingdome is well noted of Paul in that hee saith his comming shalbe with all lying power in that they shall forbid mariages command to abstaine frō meats and c. y t is to say After that the multitude hath bin well pampered and fed with their lies blinded with their coniurations and stablished with false miracles then shall they be able to make lawes in the defence of their deuilishe doctrines and openly to withstand and resist the trueth and Gospel as Iannes and Iambres Pharaoes coniurers withstoode Moyses Men they are sayth Paul of corrupt mindes and lewd as concerning faith Peter witnesseth with Paul saying They shall purely bring in damnable sects euen denieng the Lord that hath bought them bring vpon themselfes swift damnation many shal follow their damnable waies by whome the way of trueth shall be euill spoken of No maruaile for hypocrisie and outward shew of holynesse hath seemed so gay in the simple folkes eyes yea and yet doth to some so that as the trueth saith if it were possible the verie elect should be deceiued Iude also beareth record to the trueth with Paule and Peter shewing that they be deceaued with dreames defile the fleshe despise rulers and speake euill of them that be in authoritie murmurers complainers walking after their owne lustes whose mouthes speake proud thinges These saith he are makers of sectes fleshly hauing no spirite Conferre these same now together with the popish antichristian church of Rome and beholde if you can see the kingdome of Antichrist anie where so manifest and plaine Hath anie power in all the world since Christes ascention into heauen lift vp it selfe so high into the temple of God and aduanced it selfe as God like vnto this vsurped premacie and tyrannie of Rome Who hath more oppressed Gods booke resisted the Gospel and slandered the way of trueth then the pope and his rable Who hath wrought with suche deceaueable signes and myracles who hath fed vs with more lyes then that false prophet of Rome Read a leafe or two of Legenda aurea or the booke called Festinale and you shal finde good stuffe I warrant you Which bookes were woont to be read and taught vs moste principally concerning matters of religion Yea almost wee had no other in English I speake that I haue knowne heard and seene Within these xxiii yeares they were alledged in Sermons and read in the churche openly and had in more price amongest vs and better receaued then the holy Scriptures be of some Also they were then better studied and more willingly taught of curates in some places then Gods booke is now of manie of them Forget not I pray you to call to memorie how we were deceiued with images pilgrimages reliques false myracles iuglinges charmes witchcraftes coniurations iubilies stations holy water fire ashes palmes palme crosses saint Iohns Gospel images of waxe Walsinghame broches saint Iames shelles saint Priarke his staffe maister Iohn Shornes bat saint Cornelius horne pardons pardon beades beades Ladies Psalters dyrges treutals Requiem Masses c. Who denied the Lord that had bought then more manifestly then they that taught these romish dreames Whosoeuer denieth the death of Iesus Christ to be a whole perfect oblation sufficient for all sinne denyeth the Lord that hath bought them But they that taught or beleeued the aforesaid dragges and such like to be expedient for the obtaining of Gods fauour remission of sins denieth Christ and his death to be sufficient Wherefore so long as men sought remission of sinnes and Gods fauour in such phantasticall deuises of men it cannot be denyed but in so doing they denied the Lord that bought them To say trueth men little remembred the oblation of Christ by deathe vppon the crosse For not manie yeares agone euen when Masses satisfactory florished to affirme Christes oblation by death vpon the crosse once offered for all to be sufficient for remission of sinnes to all them that beleeue was so farre out of memorie that it was counted abhominable heresie because Masse and it could not stand together In time of anguishe trouble or sickenesse was Christes death sought to for quietnesse of conscience No our Lady of Wilsdon our Lady of Walsingham maister Iohn Shorne and confession to some holy fryer some holy relique Masse of Recordare or masse of the v. wounds For vnto these masses bishop Clement and Bishop Boniface had giuen great vertue through pardons and candels if the deuill transforming himselfe vnto Raphael the arch-angel be a true messenger Also if death approched then was Masse of Scala coeli Trentals Aniuersarijs and masse of Requiem with our Lady Masse ready to be sold for mony and song to send the soule to the Deuill with
a monstrous beast This monstrous beast hath lift vp borne and mainteined the whore of Babylon which is the church of antichrist This monstrous beast hath put vp her hornes heere in England against the word of God and faine would rule the same againe if the deuill could bring it to passe whose labour is in vaine for we know the trueth of Gods word proceedeth euer from God and therefore hath God set it forth amongst vs by his owne vicegerent a mayden king our liege lord and supreme head in his dominions next vnder Christ and that by act of parlement with the consent of the nobility of the realme and the lordes spirituall and temporall and the commons of the same Let Sathan therefore leaue off with all his wicked instrumēts which go about to perswade the silly people that Gods booke and this new learning as they call it is heresie whereby they slander theyr godly magistrates and speake euill of them that be in authority Which theyr customable so doing auaileth them nothing for when they haue prooued it heresie which thing they shall as easily bring to passe as to prooue light darkenesse and darkenesse light then must they also compell all them that haue set it forth and all them that willingly receiued the same to do open penance for theyr manifest heresie as they say Thus to speake euill of them that be in authority is one of their proper markes whereby they be knowen to be of Antichrists brood which hath by conspiracy caused rebellion euer against such gouernors as haue done any thing against theyr tyranny and excommunicated cursed and deposed emperours and kings that haue displeased theyr hypocrisie whose authority as it is next vnto God so hath God left the correction thereof vnto himselfe and neither vnto priest nor people God commandeth saying Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harme If it be not lawfull to touch Gods anoynted kings Gods officers Gods lieutenants Gods vicegerents that be appoynted by God to rule in his sted let them take heed that do vsurpe theyr sword for vndoubtedly Gods vengeance will fall vpon them Example hereof we haue in Chorah Dathan and Abiram which rose vp against Moses with other men of the children of Israel euen two hundreth and fiftie that were captaines of the multitude great famous men in the congregation but Gods vengeance fell vpon them for the earth opened and swallowed them downe aliue Yet these rebels were not of the base and lower sort of the people but captaines and famous men Consider then if God cannot abide this rebellion and vsurping of the sword of iustice in a captaine surely he will not suffer it in a souldiour If not in a famous or noble man verely he will not leaue it vnplagued in one of the lower subiects no he will not let it escape vnpunished in whom whensoeuer it be because it is high treason against himselfe Though they worke craftily and secretly yet will theyr false traitourous hearts bewray themselues before they be ware if Gods word as needes it must be true Be not thou so bold as once to thinke or imagine euill against the king or that thou wilt reprehend the prince although thou be alone in thy priuie chamber for it will come out if not otherwise surely the birds that flye in the ayre will not suffer it to be hid Heereby it appeareth that the word of God reproueth yea condemneth all maner of persons of what state condition or degree soeuer they be that in word or thought do arise vp rebell or resist the kings authority specially in setting foorth Gods worde For there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordeined of God whosoeuer therefore resisteth power resisteth the ordinance of God but they that resist shall get vnto themselues damnation These are Gods words and not mine Againe as almighty God would that we should neither hurt nor harme his true prophets preachers of his word so Iesus Christ the sonne of God giueth vs a speciall commandement to beware of antichrists prelats calling them false prophets saying Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues Wolues are wrapped in sheepes clothing when tyrants rule in the place of shepheards vnder the titles of holy fathers worshipfull doctours honourable prelats c. These Christ painteth vnto vs by the names of Blinde guides Froward generation Adulterous generatiō Pharises Sadduces Hypocrites Generation of vipers Serpents Adders brood Painted sepulchres Painted wall c. who saith he do binde together heauie burdens and grieuous to be borne and lay them on mens shoulders but they themselues will not heaue at them with one of their fingers All their workes do they for the intent that they may be seene of men Also they goe in long religious apparell they must be had in reuerence and saluted with names and titles of dignity they shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men both by their example and doctrine condemning the iustifying faith for heresie They vse long prayers with lippe labor for lucres sake they be very curious in ceremonies and trifles but in great matters as iudgement mercy and fayth they haue little regard they see quickly a moat in another mans eye but will not looke on the beame in their owne they are great intanglers of mens consciences with meates drinkes holy dayes and mens traditions finally they haue as before hath beene said theyr consciences marked with the hoat yron of burning malice enuy and hatred against all them that loue Gods word forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats which God hath created to be receiued with giuing thanks of them that beleeue know the trueth These and such like be theyr fruites these be theyr workes ye shall know them sayth Christ by theyr works That those should enter into the Church after that the Gospell was preached by the apostles Paul playnly sheweth saying I am sure of this that after my departing shal grieuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke This is the Church that cannot erre Furthermore that you may the better perceiue know the Church that cannot erre from the Church that cannot but erre you shall vnderstand there be but two wayes The way of the Spirits of truth Faithfull Godly Children of God Members of Christ Holy Catholike Church The way of the Spirits of error Vnfaithfull Vngodly Children of the deuill Members of the deuill Wicked Church of Antichrist Call them by what names you will Christ calleth the one The broad way and the other The narrow vvay saying Enter in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which goe in thereat But strait is the gate and narrovv is
The Epiphanie of the Church GATHERED OVT OF THE HOLY Scriptures declaring and plainly shevving both the Church that cannot but erre and also the Church that cannot erre VVITH SO EVIDENT NOTES and manifest signes of either of them that no man reading it needeth be in doubt which he should beleue Written by R. P. in the yeare of our Lord God 1550. And now published in this yeare 1590. for the benefite of all such as desire the trueth concerning the church LONDON Printed by Roger Ward dvvelling at the signe of the Pâ—â—sse in the Little Old-baily 1590. VNTO THE REVEREND FATHER in God and honourable Lord Nicholas Ridley bishop of London his humble Richard Phinch the vnworthie minister to the small congregation of â—astham wisheth grace peace and health with increase of godlinesse in Iesu the onely health and peace-maker c. AFter I perceiued very reuerend father that your good trauell amongest vs had not so good successe as the vnfaithfull superfluous doinges of other sometimes doe obtaine I not onely mused with my selfe what should be the cause but also studied with my whole indeuour to do that lay in me though not able to helpe good affaires forward yet at the least not to hinder them For certaine ouerthwart persons preteÌ„ding to cleaue earnestly vnto the faith of the church when in very deed they do nothing els but sticke vnto their owne wils in folowing euill custome coueted diuers wayes to obscure the praise of your diligent labor Being moued thereto partly because you examined theÌ„ by the scriptures and partly for that you gaue in your visitation iniunctions to take away the principall monuments of superstitions euen the altars of the popish masse Ah God helpe to be tried by the Gospel vvas a strange matter vnto them that were occupied onely in their pye portuase and ordinalles but more strange vnto them that were woont to heare of nothing at visitations but of paying of mony and most strange vnto them that were neuer examined before not so much as whether they beleeued in God or no. This vnwont maner strangenesse made your godly indeuors of some not to be so thankfully receiued albeit of the honest most thankfully taken as they woorthely deserued of all insomuch that for my part I hearkened for nothing but for some congratulation of my brethren toward you and the people looked for reformation of enormities for the open punishment of great crime and for the plaine setting forth of Gods word preaching of the same after your visitation But as I haue heard nothing of the one honest persons excepted so do the people vvait stil for the other Wherfore to speake simply I thinke God recompenseth the omission of the one vvith the losse of the other for praise hath beene vvont to follovv vertue as the shadovv doth the body Furthermore that noble king of famous memory no lesse prudent then godly minded king Henry the 8. put forth vnto vs in the yere of our Lord 1536 a booke of articles vvherein the signification of certaine ceremonies vvhich before vvere done he plâ—â—â—…ly declared sensing kneeling offering to images vvorshiping of the same vvere forbid and also the name of purgitory vvas cleane taken avvay But hovv thankefully those things vvere then of some receiued their setting forth teaching of the same plainly shevved I do vvell remember that many vvere as loth then to forgoe theyr purgatory as they be novv vnvvilling to take dovvne their altars the monuments of the same that it was as strange a thing to say on Ashvvednesday Memento homo c. in English notvvithstanding the said booke of articles vvilling the same as it is novv to be examined in the Nevv testament by a godly bishop In the same yere also came forth godly iniunctions commanding parents and gouernours to teach their youth the Lords prayer the Articles of the faith the coÌ„mandements of almighty God in English vvhich themselues had not learned therfore the curats vvere charged to recite one clause or article one day another on another day of the same vntill the vvhole vvere learned This yere likevvise by the authority of the same iniunctions the Bible Gods booke vvas set vp in the quiere to be read both in Latine and English vvhich thither vvas so vvell vvelcome so much regarded and so diligently studied that he had good leaue to depart from thence into the body of the church For in the yeare of our Lord God 1538. the magistrates were faine to renew the same iniunctions and speake more plainely who commanded the said Gods booke to bee set vp in some conuenient place in the Church and no man to be discouraged from reading of the same in English They charged all curates againe to teach the Lordes praier the articles of the faith and the commandementes of God and that they shoulde examine euerie person comming to auriculer confession in the same and heare them say the Lordes praier the articles c. particularly And also make or cause to be made one sermon euerie quarter in euerie one of their cures O Lord God what an eye sore torment of minde was this vnto them that were obstinate and wayward but what a sweete comforte to the simple that were willing to disburden their conscience If god had then as he hath now sent vs some godly learned Bishops that vvoulde haue taken paines to visite their cures and to haue examined howe these matters had gone forward they should haue perceaued many a false cast to haue bin plaied vnder the couerlet in the shifting houses And some simple folke woulde haue saide that their ghostles fathers had giuen them counsell to stick vnto their old primer and to beware of the newe and specially of the testament Diuers proclamations about this time were also set forth concerning Gods matters but alas they were so vnwillingly handled and so vnthankfully receaued that God had almost taken his word from vs againe At the length about the yeare of our Lord God 1544. the suffrages were put forth in english which likewise were so wel welcome to some that the kings maiestie then was constrained to write vnto certaine prelates concerning the same whome he aduertised not to be so slacke in putting the said praiers in practise as they were inserting forth his former articles iniunctions Thus God hath wrought among vs by a little and a litle to bring vs to knowledge that at the leÌ„gth vve might willingly embrace his holy word Againe forsomuch as of late Gods booke was in some places almost forgot in some places runne out of the church into the chancel to hide himselfe amongest the popish bookes and of some so safely laid vp that a man might wright vpon him with his finger Ecce nunc in puluere dormio Therefore almightie God moued the heart of our moste naturall liege Lord and dearely beloued mayden king to lift vp the same Gods booke once again out of the dust Who
congregate togither Of this we read that the people spake to Moyses saying Why haue you brought the Church of the Lord vnto this wildernesse that both wee and our cattell should die in it And Church betokeneth the elect people of God onely whereof the wise man sayth The children of wisedome are the Church of the righteous and their exercise is obedience and loue Holy Paul speaking of this Church saith Ye husbandes loue your wiues euen as Christ also loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it to sanctifie it and clensed it in the fountaine of water thorow the word to make it vnto himself a glorious congregation without spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame Also there is a congregation of the wicked called by the name of Churche which for that they outwardly professe the same religion pretend to haue the same gospel and to vse the same sacramentes with the Church be called in Scripture Church whome God permitteth sometimes to rule ouer the people for their sinnes For the vngodlinesse of the people doth God make an hypocrite to raigne ouer them Wherefore they that crie so much the Churche the Church and affirme stiffely that the Church cannot erre and doe not declare what Church they doe meane doe but cast a mist before the simple vnlearned peoples eyes to blind them withall to the end themselues might the cleaner conuey their iugling castes Let them therefore in Gods holy name shew vnto vs plainly in simple wordes what Church they doe speake of whether of the Churche of Christ or else of the Churche of Antichrist So doing men will be out of doubt the sooner trueth will come to light and brawling will cease for verie Christians loue not contention The Church of Antichrist which is worthily called the Church malignant or the congregation of the wicked and may be called the man of sinne childe of perdition hypocrite c. cannot but erre what fayre shewe soeuer they make The Church of Iesus Christ which is his onely doue and spowse sticking vnto the word of trueth vnseparable and gouerned by his holy spirite cannot erre damnably although she be trode downe vnder feete of the world and seeme to be out of countenance These two be contrarie the one to the other betweene whome there is as much difference as is betweene sower and sweete darkenesse and light euill and good Notwithstanding the world not able to perceaue the difference nor make distinction betweene them but blinded with euil custome and the multitude taketh them for the other because here in this life they be mingled togither as the good fishes are mixt with the bad the goates with the sherpe and the chaffe with the corne so that they be not openly known vnto men at the first sight No maruaile for Sathan himselfe is changed into the Angel of light and his ministers fashion themselues as though they were the ministers of righteousnesse Also woolues clothe themselues in Sheepes clothing Yet is Sathan a deuill still and hys ministers are deceiptfull workers and a woolfe a deuourer of sheepe which at length bewrateth himselfe by his taile and bloudshedding Whereas the bloud of Iesus Christ is knowne by the spirite of trueth and by paciently suffering for his word Which spirit word be the sure anchors guids and rule of the same and not Rome nor Peter though Sathan pretendeth neuer so antient a title If Christ had appoynted his Churche to anie place or creature for the establishing of matters of Religion should Paul that elect vessell of God which was rapt vp into the third heauen and into paradise and heart secret wordes which no man can vtter haue bene ignorant thereof Paul knewe well that Christ had left his Church vnto his holy spirite and word his word to be an infallible rule both of their life and doctrine and his spirite to be a readie interpreter of the same Therefore when hee should depart from them he said Nowe brethren I commend you to God and vnto the word of his grace which is able to build further and to giue you an inheritance amongest all them that are sanctified These wordes are without guile and sophisticall craft they are simple and playne and Gods Scriptures We must therefore beleue them They send vs vnto the port of safegard and touchstone that cannot deceiue vs we must needes therefore stick vnto theÌ„ otherwise we cannot know the trueth be saued Wherein first let vs consider why Paul did send vs vnto God the holy Ghost For he saith Nowe brethren I commend you to God Hee commendeth vs not vnto Iohn Peter Andrew or any other of the Apostles much lesse vnto Rome the Pope or Antichristian Bishops but vnto God the holy Ghost Why Because hee knew well that Christ himselfe had so appointed before For when Christ should depart from the church he promised to send them the same holy Ghost saying The comforter which is the holy Ghost whome my father will send in my name hee shall teache you all thinges and bring all thinges vnto your remembrance whatsoeuer I haue said vnto you He comforted them also vvith the same spirite Commaunded them to tarrie in the citie of Hierusalem vntill he had performed the same his promise which indeede he saythfully kept and fulfilled for they were all filled with the holy Ghost euen the spirite of trueth whiche could not but teach them all trueth whatsoeuer he had said vnto them that was all one and the same trueth Secondly let vs note that Paul commended the Church vnto the word of grace what is this word of grace Forsooth the same trueth which the holy Ghost taught is the word of grace euen that word which God the father commanded to be heard at the mâ—uth of his son Iesus Christ saying This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him And whosoeuer will not harken vnto the wordes which hee shall speake in my name I will require it of him I will be reuenged of him saith God Of this witnesseth Peter also laying The time will come Paul saith Behold nowe is the time that euerie soule which vvill not heare him shalbe destroyed from amongest the people It standeth vs then in hand to searche diligently and knowe that thing that God requireth so straightly of vs which is to heare his sonne Iesus Christ The neglecting whereof is no lesse then damnation But what shall we heare verily his holy Gospel confirmed for vs by his holy spirite for the same purpose which Gospell is the worde of grace vndefiled conuerting soules giuing wisedome vnto babes making glad harts giuing light vnto the eies a lantorn vnto the feet and a light vnto the pathes proued by the fire tryed more pure then siluer vii times purged more to be desired
the vvay vvhich leadeth into life and fevv there be that finde it Note diligently these wordes of the trueth He sheweth heere two gates two wayes and the end of either of them The Strait gate Narrow way and life The Wide gate Broad way and destruction The wide gate openeth into the broad way and leadeth into destruction that is death desperation and hell The strait gate openeth into the narrow way which leadeth into life ioy and eternall felicity Many do enter in at the wide gate walke the vroad way whose end is damnation remedilesse for it is written of Antichrist He openeth his desire wide open as the hel and is as vnsatiable as death all heathen gathereth he vnto him and heapeth vnto him all people But few doe enter the strait gate because few do finde it for who so findeth the gate he is in the way In this gate whosoeuer standeth in a wauering looking backeward is neither in the way nor in the gate No man that putteth his hands to the plough looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God To stagger therefore in this matter and to looke backe is to be therewith both out of the gate and the way He that is in the gate is in the way and sure of life for the gate way and life be so vnite in one that it cannot be but he that is in them is in possession of the other and he that is out of them looseth the other The gate is nothing else but an opening or dore into the way of life Christ is the dore Christ is the way and Christ is the life which sayth I am the dore by me if any man enter in he shalbe sare And againe I am the vvay the trueth and the life no man commeth to the father but by me Also S. Iohn saith God hath giuen vnto vs eternall life and this life is in his sonne he that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not the sonne of God hath not life Thus its Christ the gate way and life But who be they that do enter this gate Forsooth the prophet sheweth saying This is the gate of the Lord the righteous shall enter into it The righteous O Lorde who be righteous Christ onely is righteous wee all are sinners For If wee say wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is faythfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse These thinges I doe write sayth Iohn vnto you that you sinne not And if anie man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sinnes Loe here is our righteousnesse by this aduocate and for this aduocates sake so manie as pertaine vnto fayth be reckoned and called righteous Of the which righteousnes it is written The righteous shall liue by his owne faith and if he withdraw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him It is not we saith Paul that withdrawe our selues vnto damnation but we pertain vnto faith to the winning of the soule For by fayth the soule winneth the righteousnes that is in Christ Iesu our Lord if he withdraw not himselfe that is if he neither for loue of the worlde nor feare of tormentes forsake not the trueth receiued nor denie it before men Which trueth saith He that denieth me before men shal be denied before the Angels of God Also He that endureth to the end shal be saued Therefore so manie as pertaine vnto faith must holde faith slicke vnto Christ stand fast and walke in the trueth and then they shalbe happie and their sinnes shall not be imputed vnto them as witnesseth the prophet saying Blessed is hee vvhose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and vvhose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto vvhome the Lord imputeth no sinne and in vvhose spirite there is no guile But who is the cause that sume is not imputed to the faithfull Not our righteousnesse but the righteousnes of Iesus Christ Which of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctifiyng and redemption Who hath indeede for vs fulfilled all righteousnesse wherewith wee be indewed through faith according to the word of God that saith The righteousnesse of God commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all them that beleue on him And therefore we hold that a man is iustified by faith To be iustified by faith is to be made by faith sure of Christes righteousnesse our iustification For he y t beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly is his faith counted for righteousnes For this cause is Iesus Christ called Emauel which by interpretation is as much to say as God vvith vs or whole ours This is the gate this is the way this is life The holy Ghost openeth the gate for he is the porter and sayth is the gifte of God Faith findeth the gate fayth entreth and faith setteth hold on life By faith Noah found and entred this gate which saued him from drowning Into this gate entred Abraham when hee forsooke his countrie nanation and fathers house and obeyed Gods worde This gate found Lot whereby hee escaped burning Moyses Aaron Iosue and diuers of the faithful Iewes found this gate therby were sure of their saluation Philip had found this gate when he said vnto Nathaniel We haue found him of vvhome Moyses in the lavv and the prophetes did vvrite Iesus of Nazareth Whereby it appeareth y t the fathers in the olde law before the incarnatioÌ„ of Christ found Christ this gate way and life For Nathaniel sound this gate by faith before he sawe Christ with his corporall eyes els had not hee bene a verie Israelite without guile Of whome Christ said Behold a right Israelite in vvhom is no guile Nathaniel knowledged this gate when he said vnto Christ Maister thou art the sonne of God Thou art the king of Israel Peter also and the other of the Apostles confessed the same when they said Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God All euen so manie as our sauiour prayed for found and shall finde this gate which be but a verie fewe in comparison of them that finde it not They be as wee might say but an handfull to the world By the which name they be also called that enter the wide gate and walke the broad way Christ the sonne of God saying and praying vnto the father Father I pray not for the vvorld but for them vvhich thou hast giuen me for they are thine and all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorifâ—ed in them And Neuerthelesse I pray not for them alone but for them also vvhich shall beleeue on me thorovv their preaching that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I
in thee and that they also may be one in vs that the vvorld may beleeue that thou hast sent me Iesus Christ knewe right well that the greater number would not enter this gate by faith and therefore he said I pray not for the world He would haue all saued and come to the knowledge of his trueth but they will not beleeue the trueth but hate and persecute the trueth And therefore he knowing the great danger that his smal slock were in and should be in amongest the wicked and their small strength also in sauing themselues from their tyrannie prayed for them that they might be one in faith and loue hauing the spirit of trueth dwelling in them Whereby they euer haue in possession that pretious pearle and hidden treasure that the worlde can neyther taste nor finde because hee that will haue and taste it must in finding it therewith renounce and giue for it all that hee hath or else hee looseth it Whiche thing onely the electe that haue the Spirite of trueth whome the worlde cannot haue doe and none else And thereby they haue yea and feele in theyr great afflictions that peace of conscience that Christ gaue vnto them saying Peace I leaue vvith you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you Let not your hearts be grieued neither feare From the which neither losse of friends and goods neither losse of good name and fame nor shame of the world neither threatnings nor prisonment nor scourginges and tormentes nor yet death it selfe could separate them that had once entred felt and tasted how sweete the Lord is This made Peter Andrew Iohn Iames and the other apostles to forsake all things esteeming it to be more woorth then goodes friendes or life in this world Paul being in this gate and tasting the sweetnesse thereof with a vehement spirit sayth Who shal separate vs frō the loue of God Shal tribulation or anguish or persecution either hunger either nakednes either peril either sword Who saith I am sure that neither death nor life neither angels nor rule nor povver neither thinges present nor things to come neither high nor lovv nor any other creature shalbe able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord For this the holy Catholike Church suffereth and euer shall suffer all kindes of torments vntill Christ commeth againe to deliuer her as euer hitherto they haue suffered whereof some were mocked some scourged some prisoned some hamshed some drowned some sawen some hewen in pieces some burned some racked and some stened to death Which holy Catholike Church may well say according to the scriptures Thou O God makest vs to be rebuked of our neighbours to be laughed to scorne and had in derision of them that be round about vs. And For thy sake are vve killed all day long and are counted as sheepe appointed to be slaine These be the few that do finde the narrow gate these be the righteous that doe finde and enter the same these be they that Christ so louingly prayed for whose prayer without faile because of his reuerence was heard these be they that be one in faith and loue euen of one heart and one minde in one house the holy catholike church vnite and knit together with one spirit the spirit of trueth that cannot erre Moreouer euery one that is of this holy Catholike church may say with the Prophet Thy vvord O Lord is a lanthorne vnto my feet and a light vnto my paths For they stablish theyr faith by the word of God and study to forme theyr life to fashion theyr maners by the same who he knowen by three notable signes by faith by loue and by the spirit of God He that lacketh any one of these is not in the strait gate but wide gate he walketh not in the narrow way but broad way he is not of the church of Iesus Christ but of the church of Antichrist Faith is a sure confidence of things vvhich are hoped for and a certaintie of thinges vvhich are not seene This faith bringeth vs the knowledge of God and maketh vs to vnderstand our owne sinfull nature and weakenesse for Paule sath Through faith we vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God and that thinges which are seene are made of thinges which are not seene c. Of our owne infirmitie by sinne we haue example in him that brought his sonne vnto Iesus to be healed which with teares sayd Lord I beleue helpe thou my vnbeliefe This man vndoubtedly saw by faith great imperfections in himselfe euen his sinne as it were ouerwhelming his faith and therefore he wept and sayd Lord helpe thou my vnbeliefe Likewise the Apostles considering theyr great burden of sinne and frailenesse said vnto the Lord Increase our faith This is the first thing that faith worketh in vs it bringeth vs the knowledge of our sinne and vilenesse of the same and maketh vs to crie to God for helpe and seeke remedie for our sinne which is Iesus Christ that gaue himselfe to death vpon the crosse for our sinne as is aforesaid Thus wrought faith in the penitent publican that thought himselfe vnworthy to lift vp his eyes vnto heauen but smote himselfe vpon the brest saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Thus fayth wrought in the Centurien or petie captaine which iudged himselfe vnworthy of Christes presence saying Lord I am not worthie that thou shouldest enter vnder my roufe wherefore I thought not my selfe vvorthy to come vnto thee but say thou the word and my seruant shal be whole c. Such a lowe estimation did faith worke in Peter when he said Lord goe from me for I am a sinfull man And least anie man should contend herein y t this faith which thus bringeth vs knowledge of God of our owne sinful nature weaknesse should be a fayned faith a dead faith or a deuils faith heare y e praise therof by him y t cannot flatter nor lie y e truth who saith of the same I say vnto you haue not found so great a faith no not in Israel Note Christ calleth this a great faith Verily it so great that it bringeth vs our iustification and peace with God which is the second thing that faith worketh in vs. That faith bringeth vs the righteousnesse of Christ our iustification is already plainely prooued by the scriptures and writings of Paule who goeth further and saith Because therfore that we are iustified by faith wee are at peace with God And to declare the very gate dore and way wherby we enter into this peace and fauour of God hee addeth saying Through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also it chanced vnto vs to be brought in through faith vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in the hope of the glory of the children of God