numbred I owe you obedience I will not resiste your power for if I shoulde resiste I shoulde resiste the ordinaunce of God I am subiect to you for conscience sake I will forsake my countrey my goods my children and my selfe at your commaundement I will say to mine owne fleshe I knowe thée not onely I can not forsake my Lorde God Deare sir you fight â—ot against me Alas what am I What can I doe You fight against God against the moste holy against him which can commaunde your life to goe out of your body it is a hard thing for you to kicke againste the spur It is no hard matter for you to kill me for so mightie a Prince to kill so wretched a worme But this I declare to you that my bloud which you shed is innoceÌ„t shal be required at your haÌ„ds It maye please God to giue vnto you repentance and the knowledge of the truth If my bloud may be a mean therto if my bloud may open your eies if my bloud may soften your heart it coulde neuer be spent in a better cause Blessed be the name of God whiche hathe made me his instrument for youre so happye conuersion thys is the onelye thing wherein I can not yéelde The Lorde hath spoken vnto me I haue heard his voice my hart hath felt it my conscience knoweth it I can not denye it No sworde can cutte me from it no water can drowne it no fire can burne the loue I beare vnto it there is no creature in heauen or earth that can carrie me from that blessed hope I haue conceiued by his word So constant is he that hathe learned the worde of God hath set his delighte vppon it and is through it assured of the wil of God Heauen shal shake the earth shall tremble but the man of God shall stande vpright His foote shall not faile his heart shall not faint he shall not bée moued Such a ground such a foundation suche a rocke is the worde of God Blessed is the man whose hope is in the name of the Lorde He shal builde vppon a sure place he layeth his foundation vpon the corner stone He néedeth no armie to make him strong he néedeth no friendes to comforte him in aduersitie His strength is within the gates of hel shal not preuaile againste him His comfort is inwardly within his hearte He speaketh to God and God vnto hym His eyes beholde the kingdome and power and glorie of God But what say we of the Fathers Augustine Ambrose Hierom Cyprian c. What shall we thinke of them or what accompt may we make of them They be Interpretors of the worde of God They were learned men and learned Fathers the instruments of the mercie of God vesselles full of grace We despise them not we reade them we reuerence them and giue thankes vnto God for them They were witnesses vnto the truth they were worthie pillars and ornamentes in the Churche of God Yet may they not be coÌ„pared with the word of God We may not build vpon them we may not make them the foundation and warrant of our conscience we may not put our trust in them Our trust is in the name of the Lorde And thus are we taught to estéeme of the learned Fathers of the Churche by their owne iudgement by that whiche they haue written either for the credite of their owne doings or of the auctoritie whych they haue thought due to the writings of others S. Augustine said of the Doctours and Fathers in his time Neque quorumlibet aâ—sputationes quamuis Catholicorum laudatorum hominum velut Scripturas Canonicas habere debemus vt nobis non liceat salua honorificentia quae illis debetur aliquid in eorum scriptis improbare aut respuere si fortè inuenerimus quod aliter senserint quà e veritas habet Talis sum ego in scriptis aliorum tales esse volo intellectores meorum Neither weigh we the writings of all meÌ„ be they neuer so worthy and catholique as wee weigh the canonical Scriptures but that sauing the reuerence that is due vnto them we may mislike and refuse somewhat in their writings if wee finde that they haue thought otherwise than the truth may beare Suche am I in the writings of others and such would I wishe others to be in mine Some things I beléeue some things which they write I can not beléeue I weigh them not as the holy Canonicall Scriptures Cyprian was a Doctor of the Church yet he was deceiued Hierome was a Doctor of the Church yet he was deceiued Augustine was a Doctor of y e Church yet he wrote a Booke of Retractations he acknowledged that he was deceiued God did therfore giue to his Church many Doctors many learned men whych all shoulde search the truth and one reforme an other wherein they thought him deceyued S. Augustine saieth Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae procaedat in medium codex Dei audi Christum dicentem audi veritatem loquetem Take away from amongest vs any our owne Bookes lette the Booke of God come amongest vs heare what Christe saieth hearken what the truth speaketh He is the wisedome of his father he can not deceiue vs. Againe he saith Audi dicit dominus non dicit Donatus aut Rogatus aut Vincentius aut Hilarius aut Ambrosius aut Augustinus Heare this the Lorde saieth heare not this Donatus saith or Rogatus or Vincentius or Hilarius or Ambrose or Augustine saith Al these were learned most of them were holy yet saith Augustine we may not yéelde to that which is saide by learned men but we must yéelde our ful consente and beliefe to the worde of God Origen saith Necesse nobis est in testimonium vocare sanctas Scripturas Sensus quippe c. Wee muste needes call to witnesse the holy Scriptures for oure iudgementes and expositions without those witnesses carry no credite Marke wel our words and expositions constructions vnlesse they be warranted by the Scriptures are not ynough they cary not credite Augustine saith Nos nullam Cipriano facimus iniuriam cùm eius quaslibet literas c. Wee offer no wrong to S. Cyprian when wee seuer anye his Letters or Writings from the Canonical auctoritie of the holy Scriptures Thus speaketh Aug. a Doctor of the Church of Cyprian another Doctor also of y e Churche Cyprian was a bishop a lerned Father a holy man a Martire of Christe yet saith Augustine his worde is not the Gospell his worde is not the worde of God there is no wronge done to him though his writings cary not like credit as the holy Scripture I could shewe many the like spéeches of the auncient Fathers wherein they reuerence the holy Scriptures as to which onely they giue consent without gainsaying which can neither deceiue nor be deceiued In this sort did Origen and Augustine and other Doctours of the Church speake of themselues and of
spake Elias to Achab I haue not troubled Israel but thou and thy Fathers house in that you haue forsaken the commaundements of the Lorde and thou hast followed Baalim In like auctoritie spake Iohn the Baptist vnto Herode It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife And the like auctoritie did God giue vnto Moses Behold I haue made thee Pharaos God Thou shalt speake all that I commaunde thee And thou shalt say vnto him the Lorde God of the Hebrewes hath sent me vnto thee As Moses was sette ouer Pharao King of Aegypt and Elias ouer Achab king of Israel and Iohn ouer King Herode so was this Prophet set ouer the nations not to remoue or pull them downe but to rebuke their errors and to direct their liues to plante the trueth to ouerthrowe the vanitie of men and to builde the feare of the Lorde In all this wée finde nothing for the Popes purpose But if it were so and that had bene the meaning of this place what had that made for him Was Hieremie his predecessour in the Bishopricke of Rome or is he the successour of Hieremie in Israel was the Prophet called the heade of the Church had he and did he exercise such iurisdiction ouer Kings and Princes as the Pope hereby chalengeth if he neuer attempted any such thinges howe doth Pope Pius maintaine his procéedings by the example of Hier. or if the wordes wil car yno such meaning why doth he so vainely alleage them one of their owne Doctours saith Hee speaketh not of the ouerthrowing of the kingdomes of the world but of the ouerthrowing of vices and of the planting of Faith and manners And so Hierome writing vpon the same place Omnis plantatio quam non plantauerit pater caelestis eradicabitur aedificatio quae super petram non habet fundamentum sed extructa est in arena sermone dei suffoditur atque destruitur Euerie plante which our Heauenly Father hath not planted is rooted vp and that building which is not founded on a Rocke but is built vpon the Sande is vndermined and ouerthrowne with the word of God Such poore Hieremies hath God giuen vnto the worlde who haue ouerthrowen and pulled vp the vanities and folies which were growne to a great heigth in the Church of God They haue planted faith and manners They haue opened and preached the trueth The Lorde hath prospered their labours as wée sée this day Hée hath rooted out those strange plantes and throwen downe the weake foundations with the breath of his mouth This is the plucking vp the rooting out the destroying and throwing downe this is the building planting whereof the Prophet speaketh as wée haue hearde it prooued by the Prophet him selfe by the interpretation of Hierome a learned Father who maketh good this saying with two seuerall places written in the newe Testament and by the confession of their owne Doctour Iohan. de Parasâ—â—s and might be further proued by sundrie others Yet all this notwithstanding it must be taken in the sense wherein Pius vseth it or else some of his predecessors Popes of Rome might likewise be worthily blamed for their doings Pope Adrian wrote somewhat roundly to the Emperour Fredericke Imperator quod habeâ— totum habet à nobis Sicut Zacharias transtulit imperium à Graecis ad Teutonicos it a not possumus illud transferre ab Alemannis ad Graecos Ecce in potestate nostra est vt demus illud cui volumus Propterea constituti sumus à Deo super gentes regna vt destruamus euellamus aedificemus plantemus What soeuer the Emperour hath he hath it of vs. As Pope Zacharie translated the Empire from the Greeks vnto the Germaines so may wee againe translate the same from the Germaines to the Greekes Behold it is in our power to bestowe the Empire vpon whome we list Therefore are we appointed by God ouer nations and kingdomes to pul downe to roote vp to build and to plant againe No mouth woulde vtter these blasphemies but the mouth of Antichrist Thus haue we tryed the Pope to bée a corrupter and a falsifier of the Scriptures He putteth in thrée words Me Alone Prince Hee applieth the place to himselfe and among all other to himselfe alone and so setteth him selfe aboue Princes Hée chaungeth the rooting out of errour to the ouerthrowing of Princes and the prea-ching of the trueth to the deposing of Kings He forgeth a sense which the spirit of God and the Prophet Hieremie neuer ment He saith Thus saieth the Lorde when the Lord neuer spake it He knew them well which said They wrest the Scriptures to maintaine their power This thou séest ô God and sufferest Hee calleth himself the Uicar of thy Christ he abuseth thy most holy word he deceiueth thy people hee maketh thée to bee a false witnesse to his folie and all this doth he to countenance his ambition and pride Nowe vpon warrant of these wordes so fondly applyed he addresseth himselfe solemnly to pronounce sentence Declaramus praedictam Elizabeth eique adherentes in praedictis anathematis sententiam incurrisse We make it knowen that Elizabeth aforesaid and as manie as stande on hir side in the matters aboue named haue runne into the daunger of our curse This is a terrible thunderbolt shot in among vs from Rome in Paper These cloudes are without raine These Gunnes will doe no harme Euen so did the Phariseis cast Christ Iesus out of theri Sinagogues and excommunicate him and accurse him So did Diothrephes excommunicate Iohn the Euangelist and did neither him selfe receiue the brethren but forbadde them that woulde and did thrust them out of the Church So was Hilarie accursed and excommunicated by the Arians Hée layeth his curse not onely vppon the Lordes annointed our blessed Queene but vppon all that followe hir godlye procéedings that is vpon euery one of you and vpon al other hir Magisties true subiects Hée knoweth you not and yet accurseth you You are children of God yet he maketh you the children of the diuel The Lorde hath shewed the light of his countenance vppon you and hath giuen you his heauenly worde whereby you haue gotten vnderstanding and are made wiser than your enemies and are taught to refraine your féete from euerie euill way and therefore the Pope cryeth out against you and doth recken you accursed But his owne wordes tell vs Nemâ—em ligare debet iniqua sententia A wrongfull sentence bindeth no man The curs shall come into his owne bosome For the Lorde our God turneth the curse vnto a blessing to vs bycause the Lorde our God loueth vs. And He will sende a curse vppon them and will curse their blessings yea he hath cursed them alreadie because they doe not consider in their harts nor giue glorie vnto his name He hath also made them to be despised vile before all the people because they haue not kepte 〈◊〉 wayes In
Martyr certaine men fit for that purpose and haue sent them ouer the world to go about say there is a wicked heresie of the Christians sprung vp Euen so it liketh the Pope to speake of them which be in auctoritie among vs and calleth them Heretiques God forbid his mouth shoulde be a sclander all be Heretiques whom he so calleth Then as many as reprooue his errors and refuse to fall downe and worship him shall be Heretiques They spare not to say so Qui Romanae Ecclesiae Priuilegium auferre conatur hic procul dubio labitur in haresim He doubtlesse falleth into heresie which goeth aboute to take away the priuiledge of the Churche of Rome But Heresie is an other matter An Heretique is he which denyeth the Articles of our Christian faith We deny thē not no not any one article We hold the Créede of the Apostles and of the Nicene Councell and of Athanasius We holde all the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament We holde all the auntient Councelles We holde all the auntient Fathers Augustine Ambrose Chrysostome c. We condemne all Heresies which our Fathers condemned This is our profession and yet notwithstanding doeth the Pope lightly and rashly giue sentence against vs of Heresie But let him take héede least whiles he calleth others Heretiques and reconeth not the causes wherefore his Arrowe which he hath shot vp fall vpon his own head and he fall into the pit he hath digged for others Yet there remaineth one pretence more against hir Maiestie ad quam velut ad asylum omnium infestissimi perfugium inuenerunt Vnto whome all suche as are the worst of the people resort and are by hir receiued into safe protection Is it not lawfull for the Queene to receiue straungers without the Popes warrāt This he speaketh of the pore exiles of Flaunders and Fraunce and other Countries who either lost or left behind them all that they had goodes landes and houses not for adulterie or theft or treason but for the profession of the Gospell It pleased God here to caste them on land the Queene of hir gratious pitie hathe graunted them harbour Is it become so hainous a thing to shew mercie GOD willed the children of Israel to loue the stranger bicause they were straungers in the land of Egipt He that sheweth mercie shall find mercie If God shal turne his hand thou maist be in case of pouertie and banishment as wel as they I am not a Prophet nor the sonne of a Prophet but I doubte the time will come when men shall looke for the Pope at Rome and not finde him His seate shall be remoued he shall not be there Then shal he know what it is to be a stranger He whiche deuoureth shall be deuoured But what is the number of such who haue come in vnto vs Are they thrée or foure thousand Thanks be to God this Realme is able to receiue them if the number be greater You may remember what other straungers arriued within these parts not long sithence These are fewe they were many These are pore miserable they wer lofty proud These are naked they were armed These are spoiled by others they came to spoile vs These are driuen frō their country they came to driue vs from our coūtry These to saue their liues they came to haue our liues The difference is greate béetwéene these strangers If we were content to beare them then nowe let it not grieue vs to beare these It is the commaundement of God that wee loue the stranger yet a Prince that doth it shall abide the Popes controlment He himselfe is good to them and spareth the liberties of his Citie to some number and of worse condition For besides those which resorte thither oute of Englande Germanie Fraunce Spaine c. he giueth harbour to 6000. Iewes which liue by vsurie and pay him yearely pensions He alloweth in his Citie of Rom◠20000. Courteghians or common women This was the old reconing It may be the number is nowe improued All these liue by filthinesse and yéelds hym therefore a pension of 30000. Ducates If the Pope may maintaine so many thousand adultereres harlots Iewes and enimies of the crosse of Christ why may not Queene Elizabeth receiue a fewe afflicted members of Christ which are compelled to carie his crosse If it be no fault in him to receiue so many seruants of the Diuel why may not Queene Elizabeth receiue a fewe seruants of God Whome when he thought good to bring safely by the daungers of the sea and to set in at our hauens shoulde we cruelly haue driuen them back again or drowne them or hang them or sterue them Woulde the Uicar of Christ giue this counsel or if a King receiue such giue them succour must he therfore be depriued they are our brethren they liue not idlely If they haue houses of vs they pay rent for them They holde not our grounds but by making due recompēce They begge not in our streets nor craue any thing at our handes but to breath our aire and to sée our Sunne They labour truely they liue sparefully They are good examples of vertue trauel faith and patience The townes in which they abide are happy for God doth folow thē with his blessings Thus haue I opened 19. vntruthes all packed in this Bul. If I woulde haue béen curious or quarelous I might haue gathered twice so many But I haue no pleasure to passe farther in them God and man heauen and earth knowe they are vntrue I may say to Pope Pius thou sonne of man howe long wilt thou blaspheme the honour of God Why hast thou such pleasure in vanitie and séekest after leasing What opinion hath hee of our nation Doeth he thinke we are so simple to bee ledde in a masket with so vaine fables Doth he thinke wee haue neither eyes to sée nor heartes to iudge Doth he thinke his bare word wil go for Gospel Woulde he write thus if hée thought there were a God If he deceiue vs in these earthly thinges which we sée with our eyes no reason we credit him in heauenly things Christ is the trueth It becommeth not his Uicar to speake falsehood Now let vs examine how he wresteth corrupteth the Scriptures of God how he giueth vs a false interpretation corrupteth them In his whole Bul he hath one only place out of the Scripture only one place I say and no more the same he setteth downe to mainteine his owne authoritie to vphold his power wherby he setteth vp deposeth the Kings Princes and states of the worlde The words be y e first Chapter of Ieremie Behold this day haue I set thee ouer the nations and ouer the kingdomes to pluck vp and to roote out and to destroy and throw downe to build to plant If hée abuse this place of Scripture which hée hath aduisedly chosē sent ouer to make thereby some shew
Did not our hearts burne within vs while he talked with vs by the way and opened to vs the Scriptures His words did possesse all our senses this talk was not like common talk we felt it forcible in vs as the worde of Israel hearde Peter declare vnto them at Ierusalem by proofe of the Scriptures that Christ was come they were not able to resist the worde of God but were pricked in their heartes and saide vnto Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do we acknowledge our errour the words which you speake are most true they are the words of life teach vs and instruct vs what we shal do They felt the force of it and yéelded vnto it they did acknowledge it was the word of God S. Augustine after he had continued long in errour and withdrewe himselfe into a secret place where he might make his prayer and bewaile his ignorance hearde a voice say vnto him Tolle lege tolle lege Take vp and reade take vp and reade And hee foorthwith tooke vp the Epistles of Saint Paul and opened them and secretely read the Chapter which he first lighted on euen these words Not in gluttonie and drunkennesse neither in chambring and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuying but put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the fleshe to fulfill the lustes of the same Nec vltra volui legere saith he nec opus erat Statim quippe cum finâ— huiusce sententiâ—e quasi luce sâ—curit atis infusa cordi meo omnes dubitaâ—ionis tenebrae diffugerunt I woulde reade no farther for I needed not For when I had read to the ende of this sentence all the darkenesse of doubtfulnesse vanished away as if some cleare light of securitie were powred into my heart It was as if it had béene saide O man acknowledge thy miserie thou art naked couer thy filthinesse put vpon thée Iesus Christe And forthwith I felt a fire within me my heart was lightned the scales fell from mine eyes I was able to sée Thus was he comforted and staide by this the worde of God This profite of the worde S. Cyprian declareth Si ad diuinae tradiâ—ionis caput originem reuertamur cessat omnis error humanus If wee returne to the heade and the beginning of the Lordes traditions all errour of man must needs giue place Theophilactus writing vpon these wordes in the Gospell by Sainct Iohn Hee that entreth not in by the doore into the Sheepefolde but climbeth vp an other waye he is a theefe and a Robber sayth non ingreditur per ostium hoc est per Scripturas Non enim vtitur Scripturis testibus neque Prophetis Nam profecto scripturae ostium sunt per quas adducimur ad Deum illae lupos non permittunt intrare prohibent haereticos vt nos securi simus de omnibus rationem dant de quibus voluerimus Fur igitur est qui non ingreditur per scripturas in stabulum ouium ita per illas deprehenditur Sed ascendit aliundè hoc est aliam sibi viam insolitam parat Talis erit Antichristus He entreth not in by the doore that is by the Scriptures For he doth not vse the Scriptures nor the Prophets as witnesses For indede the Scriptures are the dore by which wee are brought to God and they suffer not the Woolues to come in they kepe of heretikes that wee may be in safetie they teach vs the reasoÌ„ of any thing wherein we woulde be instructed therfore he is a theef which entereth not into the shepefold by the Scriptures And by the Scriptures it apeareth he is a a theefe that climbeth vp an other way that is maketh himselfe an other waye a way which was not knowen nor beaten Such a one shall Antichrist bee What greater profite they bring vs to God teache vs the trueth and giue vs reason of all things they kéepe vs in safetie suffer not Wolues to deuour vs kepe off Heretiques bewray a théefe and make knowen who is Antichrist Therefore vppon the Gospell by Sainct Luke he expoundeth these words Let your lights bee burning that is haue not your being in the darkenesse and bee yee not voide of Iudgement but take vnto you the light of Gods word which wil teach you what things you shoulde doe and what things you ought not to doe And as the worde of God is the light to directe vs and to bewray errours so is it also the standerde and beame to trie the weightes of trueth and falsehoode Chrysostome writing vppon the foure and twentith of Sainct Mathew sheweth it were vnpossible for a maÌ„ to stay himselfe and finde out which is the true Church but by the worde of God For it could not be tried by working of myracles bicause the gift of working miracles is taken away and such false myracles as carrie some shewe are rather to be found among false Christians nor yet by their conuersation and life because Christians liue either as il or worse than Heretiques Nulla probatio potest esee verae Christianitatis neque refugium potest esse Christianorum aliud volentium cognoscere fideâ— veritatem nisi tantummodò per scripturas There can be no triall of true Christianitie and Christians which desire to know the trueth wherevpon they may builde their faith haue no other refuge but to trie and learn this by the Scriptures For sayth he Heretiques haue the counterfaite and likenesse of those things which are proper to Christ. They haue Churches they haue the Scriptures of GOD they haue Baptisme they haue the Lords Supper and al other things like the true Church yea they haue Christe himself He therefore that will knowe whiche is the true Churche of Christ howe maye he know it but by the Scriptures Therfore our Lord knowing that ther should be such confusion of things in the latter dayes commaundeth that Christians whiche liue in the profession of Christian faith and are desirous to settle them selues vppon a sure grounde of Faith shoulde goe to no other thing but to the Scriptures Otherwise if they had regard to other things they shoulde bee offended and perishe and not vnderstande whiche is the true Church The maister of the Ship when he is on the maine Sea casteth his eye alwayes vpon the Loade Starre and so directeth and guideth his wayes Euen so muste we which are passengers and straungers in this world euer settle our eyes to beholde the worde of God So shall no tempest ouerblowe vs so shall we be guided without danger so shal we safly arriue in the hauen of our rest The Prophet Dauid therefore saith Blessed are they that keepe his testimonies and seeke him with their whole heart Their faces shal not be ashamed they shal not bee confounded which haue respect vnto his commaundement Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord and in that lawe do the
exercise himselfe daye and night The Lawe of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lorde is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple This is the rule of our faith without this our faith is but a fantasie and no faith for faith is by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Therefore Christe saith Search the Scriptures they are they that testifie of me There shall ye finde testimonie of my doctrine there shal ye know what is the wil of my heauenlye Father and there shall you receiue the comforte for euerlasting life Againe He that followeth mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life If a man keepe my word he shal know the truth hee shall neuer see death Therefore Baruch saith O Israel wee are blessed for the things that are acceptable vnto God are declared vnto vs. This is thy blessednesse herein hath God shewed his fauour vnto thée he hathe reuealed the secreats of hys will vnto thée and hath put his worde in thy mouth He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israell hee hathe not dealte so with euerie nation neyther haue they knowen hys Iudgementes Therefore the Prophet Dauid teacheth vs to pray vnto God for the knowledge of his worde Shewe mee thy wayes O Lord and teache me thy pathes Take not thy holie spirite from mee and incline my hearte vnto thy testimonies Giue mee vnderstanding that I maye learne thy commaundementes open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Lawe And Lighten mine eies that I sleepe not in death that I maye discerne betwéene safetie and daunger that I may knowe truth to be the truth and error to be error Thus I haue declared parte of that profite which groweth to vs by the word of God but it doeth not onelye directe our iudgement in the triall of truth but dothe also graffe in vs a boldenesse and constancie in the defence of the truth Salomon saieth A foole chaungeth as the Moone He is alwayes vnstable and inconstant he knoweth not neither what to do nor what to beleue he is somtimes ful sometimes emptie turneth and changeth as the Moone He buildeth and layeth his foundation vppon the sande therfore his house falleth to the ground He halteth on both sides somtimes worshippeth God and sometimes worshippeth Baal he is neither hotte nor colde he ebbeth and floweth like the waues of the sea he doubteth and staggereth resteth in nothing He knoweth not the truth he knoweth not that the scripturs are the word of God so he wandereth in the darke and knoweth not the way in which he walketh He hath no féeling no hart no vnderstāding He is vnfaithful towards God and kepeth no faith towards man he is wauering in all hys wayes And why because he knoweth not the wil of God nor hath the light of his word to guide his féete But a wise man is one and stedfast as the sunne He buildeth his house vppon a rocke and that rocke is Iesus Christe the sonne of God Therefore his house is neuer shaken downe Be the storme or tempest neuer so rough yet it shall stand faste like Mount Sion because his truste is in the name of the Lord. He knoweth that his name is written in the Booke of Life he knoweth that he belongeth to the Lords Shéepefolde and that no man can take him away out of the Lordes hand In this boldenesse Dauid sayeth Thoughe I shoulde walke thorough the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou arte wyth mee thy rodde and thy staffe they comforte mee And againe the Lord is my light and my saluation whome shall I feare And againe Except thy lawes had bene my delight I should now haue perished in mine affliction when Ezechias heard y ◠proud message of Sennacherib sent to him his people by Rahshaketh that they should not obey Ezech. nor trust to him when he said The Lord wil deliuer you and let not thy GOD deceiue thee in whom thou trustest hee wente vp into the house of the Lord and prayed vnto the Lorde to saue hym and hys people out of their handes that al the kingdomes of the earth might know that hee is GOD alone Euen so the Apostle Whether wee liue or die wee are the Lordes And in this boldenesse our sauiour Christe setled himselfe to beare their reproches and to carry his Crosse Father if thou wilte take away this cup frō me neuerthelesse not my wil but thine bee done Thus they that are taught by the word of God to put their trust in the Lorde and are thereby rooted and setled in him can not be remoued by any practise of Sathan but stand fast and continue for euer Which shal more plainely appeare if we looke backe into the times of persecution and beholde the boldenesse of constancie of the Sainctes of God They were brought before Magistrates caste into prisōs spoiled of their goods cruelly murthered Some were hanged vppon gibbets some run through with swords some torn with wild horses some drowned in the water and some burnt in the fire They were hated of all men for the name of Christ. They were despised as the filth of the worlde and dung of the earth Yet continued they faithfull and constant They armed their heartes with the comforte of Gods worde therby wer they able to resist in the euil day They were faithfull vntil death therefore GOD gaue them a Crowne of glorie When they were called before Kings and Princes and others of auctoritie and commaunded to forsake the trueth they had learned and the comfort which they tooke in the truth they aunswered in this manner O my gratious Lorde I would faine do your commandement I am your subiect I haue done faithfull seruice with my body with my goods but I cannot serue you against God He is King of Kings Lord of Lords He is my Lord before whom I stande I haue put my life in his handes He hathe forbidden me to doe this thing whiche you commaunde I cannot therefore doe it Iudge vprightly whether it be méete to obey you rather than God My liuing my wife my children and my life are deare vnto me I am a man like others and haue mine affections Yet neither liuing nor wife nor children nor my life is so deare vnto me as the glorie of God I am but a pore worme yet am I the worke of his handes God hathe putte his worde in my mouth I may not deny it I may not beare false witnesse against the Lord. My life is not deare vnto me in respect of the trueth I knowe if I shoulde deny him to saue my life I shoulde lose it and if I lose my life for his sake I shall finde it That which your auctoritie shal lay vpon me is not done without his will All the haires of my head are
theirs and the writings of others that we should so read them credite them as they agréed with the worde of God Hoc genus literarum non cum credendi necessitate sed cum iudicandi libertate legendum est This kinde of writings is to bee read not with a necessitie of beleeuing them but with a libertie to iudge of thē S. Paul saith though that we or an Angel from heauen preach vnto you otherwise than that which we haue preached vnto you let him bee accursed Out of which place S. Augustine speaketh thus Siue de Christo siue de eius Ecclesia siue de re quacunque alta quae pertinet ad fidem vitamque nostram non dicam si nos sed si Angelus de caelo nobis annuntiauerit praeter quam quod in Scripturis legaltbus Euangelicis accepistis anathema sit Whether it be of Christ or of his Church or of any thing else whatsoeuer perteining either to our life or to our faith I will not say if I my selfe but if an Angel from heauen shall teach vs otherwise than ye haue receiued in the bookes of the lawe and in the Gospels hold him accursed Now to conclude this matter y e same father saith Ecclesiastici iudices vt homines plerumque falluntur The iudges or Doctours of the Church as men are often deceiued They are learned they haue preheminence in the Church they are Iudges they haue the giftes of wisedome and vnderstanding yet they are often deceiued They are our fathers but not fathers vnto God they are stars faire and beautifull and bright yet they are not the Sunne they beare witnesse of the light they are not the light Christ is the Sunne of righteousnesse Christ is the light which lighteneth euery man that commeth into this worlde His word is the word of truth He is the day-spring which hath visited vs from an high he came downe from the bosome of his father he shal guide our féete into the way of peace Of him God the father spake This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him He is the Lambe without spot out of his mouth goeth a two edged sworde This is he in whom all the endes of the world shalbe blessed heare him giue héed to his saying embrace his gospel beleue his worde Thus much touching the credite and authoritie which is to be giuen to the writings of auncient fathers S. Paul speaking of the worde of God saith The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse To teach the truth to improue falshoode to correct all vice to instruct in all vertue Again I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christe for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleueth S. Basil saith The Scripture of God is like an Apothecaries shoppe ful of medicines of sundrie sortes that euery man may there chuse a conuenient medicine for his desease There are salues and ointmentes to cure all maladies Whosoeuer can not be cured by the word of God his disease is growne desperate and past cure Many thinke the Apostles spéech is hardly true of the whole Scripture that all and euery part of the Scripture is profitable Much is spokē of genealogies and petidegrees of lepers of sacrificing goates and oxen c. these séeme to haue litle profit in them but to be vaine and idle If they shewe vaine in thine eyes yet hath not the Lord set them downe in vaine The wordes of the Lorde are pure wordes as the siluer tried in a fornace of earth fined seuen times There is no sentence no clause no worde no syllable no letter but it is written for thy instruction there is not one iote but it is sealed and signed with the bloude of the Lambe Our imaginations are idle our thoughts are vaine there is no idlenesse no vanitie in the worde of God Those Oxen and Goates which were sacrificed teach thée to kill and sacrifice the vncleannesse and filthinesse of thy hart they teach thée that thou art guiltie of death when thy life must be redéemed by the death of some beaste they leade thée to beléeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes by a more perfect sacrifice because it was not possible that the bloud of Bulles and Goates should take away sinnes That leprousie teacheth thée to know the vncleannesse leprousie of thy soule Those Genealogies and Petidegrees leade vs to the Birth of our Sauiour Christ. So that the whole worde of God is pure and holye No worde no letter no syllable no poynte or pricke thereof but is written and preserued for thy sake Art thou a King Reade the Scriptures thou shalt finde who hath stablished thyne estate and what dutie thou owest to God God there telleth thée By me Kings rule Princes decree iustice I haue giuen thée authority thou cariest my sworde I haue put a crowne vpon thy head thou art my seruant walke before me let thy heart bée perfecte in my sight Art thou a subiect Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée to knowe thy dutie There Paul biddeth thée giue tribute to whom tribute custom to whom custome feare to whome feare honour to whom honor is due Ye must be subiect not because of wrath onely but for conscience sake For he beareth not the sworde for naught for he is the Minister of God to take vengeaunce on him that doth euil Art thou a Minister Read the Scriptures they will teach thée thy duty The Prophet saith to thée Cry aloud spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their trāsgressions The Apostle sayth vnto thée Preach the word be instant in season and out of season Watch in all things doe the worke of an Euangelist make thy ministerye fully knowen Thou shalt giue an acompt for the soules of the people their bloud shal bée required at thy hands Art thou a Father hast thou children Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée if thou haue sonnes instruct them Againe Hee that teacheth his sonne grieueth the enemie and before his friends he shall reioyce of him Giue him no libertie in his youth and winke not at his folie Chastise thy childe and bee diligent therein least his shame grieue thee Ely the Prophet by sparing his wanton children cast away himselfe and his children They were slaine the Arke of God was taken and olde Ely fel downe and brake his necke Art thou a Child hast thou a Father Reade the Scriptures they wil teache thée Children obey your Parents in the Lorde for this is right Honour thy father mother whiche is the first commandement with promise that it may bee wel with thee and that thou maiest lyue long on earthe And agayne Chyldren obey youre Parentes in all thinges for it is wel-pleasing vnto the Lord. The wise man
warneth thée The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother let the Rauens of the valley plucke it out the yong Eagles eate it Hath God blessed thée in Wealth Art thou rich Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée Be not high minded and trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs aboundantly all things to enioy Againe Trust not in oppression and robberie be not vaine if riches increase set not your hart thereon Thou shalt depart and leaue them behinde thée they shal forsake thée Thou shalt dye thou knowest not howe soone Salomon sheweth thée Riches auayle not in the day of wrath but righteousnes deliuereth from death Art thou poore and sufferest scarsitie in this worlde Reade the Scriptures they will teache thée Say with Iob. Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe Learne of Salomon Better is little with righteousnes than great reuenues without equitie And againe Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse than he that peruerteth his wayes though he be rich S. Paul saith Godlinesse is great gaine if a man be content with that hee hath for wee brought nothing into the world and it is certaine that we cary nothing out And againe Let him that is poore labour and worke with his hands the thing which is good that hée may haue to giue to him that néedeth Art thou a Marchant Usest thou to buye and sell Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée This is the will of God that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter Thou shalt learne that diuers weights and diuers measures are abhomination vnto the Lorde and deceiptfull balances are not good Art thou an Vsurer thy case is harde yet heare the Scriptures they wil teach thée God commaundeth thée thus If thou lende mony to my people to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer vnto him yee shall not oppresse him with vsurie Againe if thy brother be impouerished and fallen in decaye with thee thou shalt relieue him thou shalt take no Vsurie of him nor vantage thou shalt not lend him thy vittailes for encrease but thou shalt feare thy God that thy brother may liue with thee And Whatsoeuer yee woulde that men should do vnto you eueÌ„ so do ye to theÌ„ And He that giueth his money vnto Vsurie shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Art thou a Fornicatour liuest in adultery Reade the Scriptures they will teach thée He that committeth fornicatioÌ„ saith S. Paul sinneth against his own bodie Know you not that your bodie is the TeÌ„ple of the holy Ghost Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ Shal I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot God forbid As hee which hath called you is holy so bee â—e holy in all maner of conuersation saith S. Peter The reason is set downe by S. Paul For this is the will of God euen you holines and that you shoulde absteine from fornication that you may be holy both in bodie and in spirit And Whoremongers adulterers God will iudge They shall haue no inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God Art thou a seruant Reade the Scriptures they wil teach thée Seruants be obedient vnto theÌ„ that are your Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eie seruice as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God And whatsoeuer ye do doe it hartely as vnto the Lorde and not vnto men Againe please your Maisters not aunswering againe be no pickers but shewe all good faithfulnesse that you may adorne the doctrine of God our sauiour in al things Art thou proude Reade the Scriptures they wil teach thée Be not high minded but feare What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioicest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it and learne of me that I am meeke humble in hart And God resisteth the proude but giueth grace to the humble Art thou in aduersitie Read the Scriptures Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord will deliuer him out of them all And he shal call vppon me and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him And Saint Peter telleth thée the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous his eares are open to their prayers God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but will giue the issue with the teÌ„tation that yee may bee able to beare it The Lorde is neare vnto all them that call vpon him yea to all that call vppon him in truth Art thou A sinner hast thou offended God reade the Scriptures they will teach thée Hate the euill and loue the good And againe flie from euill and do good and dwell for euer Rise vp and go to thy father and saie vnto him Father I haue sinned against Heauen against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Doest thou dispaire of the mercye of God reade the Scriptures they will teache thée Christ telleth thée I came not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance Againe Come vnto me al ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you At what houre soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord. Againe I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his waye and liue And the Lorde is good to all and his mercies are ouer al his workes Art thou going out of this life reade the Scriptures they will teach thée I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeueth in me though he were deade yet shall hee liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in mee shall neuer dye Saye with Sainct Paule Christe is to mee bothe in life and in death aduauntage I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ. What shoulde I saye more of the Scriptures how profitable and comfortable they be in all cases and parts of our life in aduersitie in prosperitie in life and in death they are our especiall comfort If we must fight they are a sworde if we hunger they are meate if we thirst they are drinke if we haue no dwelling place they are a house if we be naked they are a garment if we be in darknesse they be light vnto our going They are comfortable to kings to subiects to old men to yong men to maÌ„ and to wife to father to childe to maister and seruant to captaine and souldiour to preacher and people to the learned to the vnlearned to the wise and
to the simple They are comfortable in peace in warre in heauinesse in ioy in health sicknesse in aboundance in pouertie in the day time in the night season in the towne in the wildernesse in companie and when thou art alone For they teach faith hope patience charitie sobrietie humilitie righteousnesse and all godlinesse They teach vs to liue and they teach vs to die Therefore hath Paule said well The whole Scripture is profitable It is full of great comforte It maketh the man of God absolute and perfect vnto al good workes Perfect in faith perfect in hope perfect in the loue of God of his neighbour perfect in his life and perfect in his death So great so large and ample and heauenly is the profite whyche we doe reape by the worde of God Nowe it followeth we consider howe necessarie and needefull it is for vs to be guided by the word of God in the whole trade of our life The worde of God is that vnto our soules whiche our soule is vnto our body As the body dyeth when the soule departeth so the soule of man dyeth when it hath not the knowledge of GOD. Man liueth not by breade onely but by euerie worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Beholde saith God I will sende a famine in the lande not a famine of breade nor a thirst of water but of hearing the word of the Lord. Their tongue shal wither their heart shall sterue they shal dye for hunger They shall wander from sea to sea and from the North vnto the East shall they runne to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord and shall not finde it They shall stumble at noone dayes as at the twilight they shall grope for the wall like the blind and truth shall fall in their streetes For howe shal they be saued vnlesse they call on the name of the Lord how shal they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Howe shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard how shall they heare without a Preacher howe shall they preach except they be sent Chrysostom therefore saith Neither can it be I say it can not be that any man shall attaine to saluation except he be alwayes occupied in spiritual reading The wise man faith Where there is no prophecie the people decay Where the Scriptures are not opened when there is none that can edifye and exhort and comfort the people by the word of God they must néeds perish for they knowe not the waye in whiche they shoulde walke they know not whome to honour nor vpon whose name they shoulde call they know neyther what to beléeue nor what to do Hel hath enlarged it selfe and hathe opened hys mouth without measure and they that are wilfull and ignorant and the children of darkenesse goe downe into it They become thrall and captiues vnto Sathan Their hearte is bounde vp they vnderstande nothing theyr eies are shutte vppe they can sée nothing their eares are stopte vppe they can heare nothing They are carried away as a pray into Hel because they haue not y â— knowledge of God So doth Christe tell the Sadduces Yee are deceiued because you know not the Scriptures nor the power of GOD. Thus he teacheth that error is the child of ignorance The cause why you are so deceiued is because you knowe not the Scriptures You haue hated the light and loued darkenesse You haue neyther knowen the Father nor mée Hée that knoweth not the truth of God knoweth not God Herein in this case there is no plea of ignorance Ignorance shall not excuse vs. Chrysostome saith Dices non legi non est haec excusatio sed crimen Thou wilt saye I haue not read the Scriptures this is no excuse but a sinne Againe he sayeth This is the working of the Diuels inspiration hee woulde not suffer vs to see the treasure leaste wee shoulde gette the riches Therefore hee counsaileth vs that it vtterly auaileth vs nothing to heare the Lawes of God least that vppon the hearing hee may see our doing folowe Gregorie saieth Qui eâ—quae sunt domini nesciunt à domino nesciununtur Who so know not the things that pertaine vnto the Lorde be not knowen of the Lorde Origen also giueth reason of this practise of Sathan Vnto the Diuels it is a torment aboue all kindes of torments and a paine aboue all paines if they see any man reading the worde of God and with feruent studie searching the knowledge of Gods Lawe and the mysteries and secretes of the Scriptures Herein standeth all the flame of the Deuils in this fire they are tormented for they are seased and possessed of all them that remaine in ignorance Carneades a Philosopher was wont to say of his Mayster and Reader Chrisippus if it hadde not bene for Chrisippus I neuer hadde béene any body He was my Maister and teacher he made mée learned whatsoeuer I haue I haue it of him How much better may we vse the like words of the Scripture and say vnlesse it were for the worde of God our wisedom were nothing our knowlege were nothing Whatsoeuer we haue we haue it by the worde Without it our prayer were no prayer without it our Sacramentes were no Sacramentes our Faith were no Faith our Conscience were no Conscience our Churche were no Church Take awaye the light of the Sunne and what remaineth but darkenesse Heauen and Earth are darkned No man can sée his way or discerne the things about him Euen so if y â— word of God be taken away what remaineth but miserable confusion and deadlye ignoraunce When the Philistines had shorne the haires of Sampson they fell vppon him tooke him bounde him and plucked oute his eyes they daunced aboute him and made scorne and games of him We are Samson the strength of our haires is the knowledge of the will of GOD It is laide vp in our heades in the highest and principal part of vs if that be shorne off if we be kept from hearing reading and vnderstanding of the worde of God then will error superstition and all wickednesse get the vpper hande and fall vpon vs and bind vs and plucke out our eies and make scorne of vs and vtterlye destroy vs. When the people of Ierusalem were besieged and wanted foode to eate they fedde on Rats and Mice and many vnwholesome and filthie things A woman was driuen for wante of meate to doe a cruel part vpon hir own child she tooke hir own babe which was the fruit of hir own bodie killed it cut it in péeces dressed it and fed vpon it a lothsome meat especially for a mother to eate hir owne childe But she was driuen to it by extremitie and hunger it was so cruell a thing to lacke wherewith life mighte be preserued Euen so fared it with vs and our Fathers after it pleased God to take away his Gospel to send a
things in the Scriptures are harde I deny it not It is very expedient that somewhat shoulde be couered to make vs more diligent in reading more desirous to vnderstand more feruent in prayer more willing to aske the iudgement of others and to presume the lesse of our owne iudgement Gregorie sayth Magnae vtilitatis est ipsa obscuritas eloquiorum Dei. Facit enim c. The hardenesse whiche is in the worde of God is verie profitable For it causeth a man to take that profite by paines which hee coulde not take with negligence If the vnderstanding were open and manifest it woulde be litle set by Cyrillus saith Omnia plana recta sunt illis qui cognitionem inuenerunt fatuis verò etiam facilimaâ— ob secura videntur All thinges are plaine and straight to them that haue founde knowledge but to such as are fooles the most easiest places seeme harde And againe Eaequae perspicua sunt difficilia sunt haereticis Quomodo enim in maleuolam animam intrabit sapâ—entia Those thinges which are plaine are harde vnto Heretiques For howe can wisedome enter into a wicked heart It is true which S. Peter hath saide some thinges are hard to be vnderstande But it is also true that they which peruert them vnto their own destruction are vnlearned and vnstable that is they to whom they are hard haue not their eyes opened that they may sée the light of the worde or they be wicked and turne the truth of God into lies and abuse the Scriptures to their owne damnation The Howlet séeth not by the brightnesse of the Sunne not because the Sunne beames are dark but for that his eyes are weak and cannot abide so cleare light it is therfore but a pretence and a colour for their ignorance and a meanes to deceiue the people more boldly with their errours when they charge the worde of God wyth darkenesse and hardnesse For how many hundred places are there which be as cleare as noone day God saith I am the Lord thy God thou shalt haue none other gods before me Thou shalt make thee no graueÌ„ image neither any similitude of things that are in heauen aboue neither that are in the earth beneath nor that are in the waters vnder the earth thou shalt neither bow downe to them neither serue them Againe he saith that is cursed that is made with hands both it and he that made it hee because he made it and it because it was called God being a corruptible thing And againe Cursed be al they that worship carued images and delight in vaine Gods This is the word of God What darkenesse is in any of these sayings God saith If thou lend mony to my people to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer vnto him yee shall not oppresse him with vsurie Againe If a man hath not giuen forth vpon vsurie neither hath taken any encrease c. hee shall surely liue but hee that hath giuen forth vpoÌ„ vsurie or hath taken encrease shall he liue He shal not liue And the wages of sinne is death And the soule that sinneth it shall die And againe This yee knowe that no whoremongers neither vncleane person nor couetous person which is an Idolater hath any inheritaÌ„ce in the kingdome of Christ of God Let no man deceiue you with vaine wordes for for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the childreÌ„ of disobedience These are the words of God and what darkenesse is in them Saint Paul saith If it be possible as much as in you lieth haue peace with all men Abhorre that which is euill and cleaue to that which is good auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath Againe Let euerie soule bee subiect to the higher powers there is no power but of God He is the Minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doe euill feare for he beareth not the sworde for naught These bée the wordes of God what darkenesse is in them Saint Iohn saith Christ is the Lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the world And the bloud of Iesus Christ his son clenseth vs from al sinnes Saint Peter saith His owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree that wee being deliuered from sinne should liue in righteousnesse Christe saith Aske and it shall bee giuen you seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you And againe Come vnto me all ye that are weake and laden and I will ease you The Prophet saith Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shall bee saued These bée the words of God What darkenesse is in them What eye so simple but he may sée them The wayes of the Lorde are straight and his wordes plaine euen vnto the simple Câ—rysoft saieth Omnia clara plana sunt in scriptures diuinis quaecunque necessaria sunt manifest a sunt All things are cleare and plaine in the holy Scriptures Whatsoeuer things there is necessarie for vs is also manifest Some thinges are couered as men couer pretious stones and precious garmentes They are couered and yet we sée them Wée sée them and yet they are couered Yet all thinges that are necessarie are plaine and open Clemens saith Nullis caelatum est verbum lux est communis omnibus illucescit hominibus nullus est in verbo Cymmerius The worde of God is hid from no man It is a light common vnto all men there is no darkenesse in Gods worde Marke it is a common light and shineth to all men It is as bright and beautifull as the Sunne there is no dungeon or darknesse in it So sayth Irenaeus Scripturae in aperto sunt sine ambiguitate similitâ—r ab omnibus audiri possunt The Scriptures are plaine without doubtfulnesse and may be heard indifferently of all men All men may heare them euen all sortes of men without exception Where be they then which say it is not lawfull for the people to haue the worde of God and that the Scriptures are not méete for their reading they are breade they are drinke they nourish vnto euerlasting life great crueltie it is to sterue Gods people to death Are they vnfit to haue the Scriptures because they bée poore Christ sayth The poore receiue the gladde tidings of the Gospell And Blessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen They want riches and worldly glorie but God giueth his feare and grace to them as well as to the rich Are they vnfit to reade the Scriptures because they are not bred vp in other learning S. Paul saith I esteemed not to know any thing among you but Iesus Christ and him crucifyed The Prophet Dauid saith Blessed is the man ô Lord whom thou teachest in thy lawe And Christ saith Thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding
the fruit therof appeare but reiect it and make it a reproch and cast it away from vs and therfore is it that the Lord doth cast vs away that we are vnwise that we please our selues with our own deuises and follow our owne imaginatiōs and perish because we haue not vnderstanding to heare y e instruction of the Lords word but like ignorant mē disallow it and cast it behinde the backe The consideration hereof moueth mée to say somewhat of the holy Scriptures whyche are the bright Sunne of God whiche bring light vnto our wayes and comforte to all parts of our life and saluation to our soules In whiche is made knowen vnto vs our estate and the mercie of God in Christe our Sauiour witnessed That we may the better sée the path whiche wée haue to walke in my meaning is truely and plainely and shortly to shewe you what Auctoritie and Maiestie the worde of God beareth then what Profite we maye reape by it also howe needeful it is that we be wel instructed in the holy Scriptures and what Pleasure and Delectation a Christian conscience may finde in them and lastle whether they be darke and doubtfull or plaine and easie for youre vnderstanding that when we know the Maiestie and Auctoritie of the worde and what comforte and profitte GOD giueth vs by it we depriue not our selues thereof by oure vnthankefulnesse nor close vp our eyes that we sée it not but heare it in reuerence and in feare that it may be fruitfull in vs and we receiue it not in vaine The Scriptures are the worde of God What title can ther be of greater value what may be said of them to make them of greater auctoritie thā to say The Lord hath spoken them That they came not by the wil of men but holie men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost At the worde or Proclamation of an earthly Prince we stand vppe and vaile our bonnets and giue good eare to it we are bounde so to doe it is oure duetie such honour belongeth to the powers that are placed to rule ouer vs for they are ordained of God And who soeuer resisteth them resssteth the ordinance of God If we shoulde haue a reuelation and heare an Angell speake vnto vs how carefull would we be to marke and remember and be able to declare the words of the Aungel yet is an Aungel but a glorious creature and not God And what is a King greate and mightie yet mortall and subiecte to death creature and not God And what is a King great and mightie yet mortall and subiecte to death His breath departeth and his name shal perishe Bothe he and his worde his power and his puissance shall haue an ende But the word of the Gospell is not as the worde of an earthly Prince It is of more Maiestie than the word of an Angel The Apostle sayeth If the worde spoken by Aungels was stedfaste and euerie transgression disobediēce receiued a iust recompence of rewarde how shall wee escape if wee neglecte so great saluation whiche at the firste beganne to bee preached by the Lorde and was confirmed vnto vs by them that hearde him God saith by the Prophet Esay My word shal accomplish that whiche I will and it shal prosper in the thing whereto I sent it And the same Prophet saith The worde of God shall stand for euer And It is more easie that Heauen and Earth passe awaie than that one title of the Lawe shoulde faile sayth our fauiour For it is the worde of the liuing and almightie God of the God of Hostes whyche hathe done whatsoeuer pleased him bothe in heauen and in earth By thys worde he maketh hys will knowen I haue not spoken of my selfe sayeth Christe but the Father whiche sente mee gaue mee a commaundemente what I shoulde saye and what I shoulde speake And againe If I hadde not come and spoken vnto them they shoulde not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne No man hath séene God at any time He is inuisible no eie can reach vnto him The onelye begotten sonne whyche is in the bosome of hys Father he hath declared him he hathe shewed vs the throne of grace that wée may seeke for mercie and finde grace in time of néede he hath disclosed vnto vs the will of his father He hath lefte vnto vs and ordained that we should heare his holy worde Thys word the Angelles and blessed spirits vsed when they came down from Heauen to speake vnto the people when they came to the blessed Uirgine and to Ioseph and to others they spake as it was written in the Prophetes and in the Scriptures of God they thought not their owne auctoritie sufficient but they tooke credite to theyr saying and auctoritie to their message oute of the worde of God This Worde the Prophetes vouched and alleadged to the people Albeit they were sanctified in their mothers wombe albeit God had endued them with his heauenly spirite although a Seraphin came vnto one of them and touched his mouth with a hote coale albeit he sawe the Lorde sitting vpon an high throne yet they woulde not speake as of themselues but onelye in the name of the Lord for thus they vsed to say The Lord hath spoken this is the worde of the Lorde Heare what the Lorde saith Sainct Paule albeit hée was taken vppe into the third Heauen and into Paradise and hearde wordes that are not lawefull for man to vtter yet he wrote not his owne words to the Churches of Rome of Corinth and Thessalonica and of other places but deliuered which had receiued and taught them according to the Scriptures This word is the true Manna it is the bread which came downe from Heauen it is the key of the kingdom of heauen it is the sauour of life vnto life it is the power of God vnto saluation In it God sheweth vnto vs hys mighte hys wisedome and his glorie By it he wil be knowen of vs. By it he will be honored of his creaturs Whatsoeuer truth is brought vnto vs contrarie to the word of God it is not truth but falsehoode and errour whatsoeuer honour done vnto God disagréeth from the honor required by his worde it is not honour vnto God but blasphemie As Christ saith In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrines mens precepts By Esay God saith Who required this at your hands And by Ieremie I spake not vnto your Fathers nor commaunded them when I brought them out of the lande of Aegipt concerning burnt offerings Sacrifices But this thing commaunded I them saying obey my voice and I will bee your God and yee shall be my people and walke yee in all the wayes whiche I haue commaunded you that it may bee well vnto you Againe What is the Chaffe to the Wheate saith the Lord What are your dreames to be weighed with the truth of God Search the
Scriptures In them yée shall learne to know me and howe you should worship me in them you shal finde euerlasting life the wordes of the Lord are pure words as the siluer tryed in the fornace ther is no filth nor drosse remaining in them They are the store-house of wisdome and of the knowledge of God In respect whereof all the wisedome of this world is but vaine foolish Numa Pompilius King of the Romanes Lycurgus King of Lacedemon and Minos King of Creta were wise men of great gouernment they deuised lawes to rule the people and bare them in hande that they were taught by reuelatioÌ„ that so their ordinances might win the more credite and be established for euer But where are they nowe Where is Numa Minos or Lycurgus where bée their Books What is become of their Laws They were vnwise and had no knowledge nor vnderstanding of God they and their Laws are dead their names forgotten But the lawe of God came from Heauen indéede GOD wrote it with his finger it is the fountaine of al wisedome and therefore shal it continue for euer and neuer haue an ende Here let vs beholde the great power and worke of God When Moses receyued the Law God hymselfe came down in person wyth thousande thousande of Aungels the Aire was darkened at hys presence the MouÌ„t stoode al couered with fire the earth shooke the heauens thundered the people stood a farre off and fled for feare and said vnto Moses talke thou with vs we wil heare but let not God talk with vs least we die This was the first proclayming publishing of y e law such force and credite God gaue to his word warraÌ„ted himselfe to be y â— Lord. Since that time so manye thousande yeares are already passed In the meane time y e people of Israel were oppressed by Tyrantes were spoiled and chased out of their Countrie Firste by Nabuchodonosor into Babilon after that by Antiochus into Syria and lastly were as vagabondes driuen from countrie to countrie Thyir Citie Ierusalem was sackte their houses ouerthrowne their Temple razed and not a stone lefte vppon a stone theyr Librarie destroyed theyr Bookes burnte the tabernacle loste the couenaunt broken No vision no reuelation no comforte for the people left nor prophet nor priest nor any to speake in the name of the Lorde In all those times of decayes of sackings of darkenesse of miserie what was done with the word of God It was wickedly burnt by Ioachim King of Iuda and Antiochus burnt the Bookes of the Lawe and cutte them in peecesâ— No man durste be knowen to haue them and auouche the hauing So thought they vtterly to deface the glorie of God and abolish al remembraunce of his Lawes Then came the Phariseis they drowned the worde of God with their traditions they tooke away the key of Knowledge and entred not in them selues but forbade them that came in After them came Heretiques they denyed some one parte and some an other parte of Scriptures They razed blotted corrupted and altered the word of God of the word of God they made it their own word or which is worse they made it the word of the Diuel By the space of so many thousaÌ„d yers the word of God passed by so many dangers of Tyrants of Phariseis of Heretiques of fire and of sworde and yet continueth and standeth vntill this day without altering or chaunging one letter This was a woÌ„derful work of God that hauing so many so greate enimes and passing thorough so many so greate daungers it yet continueth stil without adding or altering of any one sentence or worde or letter No creature was able to doe this it was Gods worke He preserued it that no Tyrant should consume it no Tradition choake it no Heretike malitiously should corrupt it For For his names sake and for the elects sake he would not suffer it to perish For in it God hathe ordained a blessing for his people and by it he maketh couenant with them for life euerlasting Tirants and Phariseis and Heretiques and the enimies of the Crosse of Christe haue an end but the worde of God hath no ende No force shall be able to decay it The gates of Hel shal not preuaile againstâ— it Cities shal fal Kingdoms shall come to nothing Empires shal fade away as the smoake but the trueth of the Lord shall continue for euer Burne it it will rise againe kill it it wil liue againe cut it downe by the roote it wil spring againe There is no wisedome neither vnderstaÌ„ding nor Counsel against the Lord. Let vs behold the nations kingdoms which somtimes professed Christ are now heathnish Iâ—â—yricum Epyrus Peloponnesus Macedonia others Againe let vs behold such kingdomes countries whiche wer in times past heathnish knew not God As England Ireland Rome Scotland diuers other They were al without y â— Gospel without Christe without God without hope of life They worshipped Idols euen y e work of their own hands To them they appointed Priests for their seruice dayes and places for the people to resort togither to worship theÌ„ Here in EnglaÌ„d Paules Church in LondoÌ„ was the Temple of Diana Peters Churche in Westminst was the Temple of Apollo In Rome they had y e Temple of the great God Iuppiter in Florence y e Temple of Mars and in other places they had Temples dedicated to other Idols Iupiter Mars Apollo Diana wer vncleane spirites filthie Diuels yet gaue they thanks to them for their peace and prosperitie prayed to them in war in miserie commended vnto them their wiues their children themselues y e safe keping and custody of their soules They built gorgeous Churches Chappels set vp images of siluer gold to theÌ„ prayed lifted vp their haÌ„ds did sacrifice offred vp their children to theÌ„ A horrible thing to say yet true it is y e darkenesse of those times were such that meÌ„ slew their own offered them vp to Idolles They saide greate is Iupiter greate is Apollo and greate is Diana of the Ephesians These are the Gods of our Fathers our Fathers trusted in them they made vs and haue defended vs and haue giuen vs victorie againste our enimies Whosoeuer denyed theÌ„ were thought worthy to die Thus were the Kings and the Princes and the people persuaded And so coÌ„tinued they by the space of some thousand yeares without controllment or contradiction They had greate proppes of Antiquitie Vniuersality and Consent Antiquitie of all times Uniuersalitie of al places consent of al the people So strongly and so mightily were they fouÌ„ded Who woulde thinke suche a religion so auntient so vniuersall and so defended by common consent should euer possibly be remoued But when the fulnesse of time came God sente forth his worde and al was changed Errour fell down truth stode vp meÌ„ forsooke their Idols and went to God The Kings and Priestes and