serued as the sworde of God to plague Dauid expulse him Contrarye wyse when as one dothe pyttie and praye for an other then God dothe pardon the faultes and remedye the myseries of bothe As Dauid séeing the people perishe and the angel with the sword of the plague ready to procéede to stryke the citie dyd fall downe in greeuous sorowe confessing his owne faulte and pittifully bewayling and praying for the plagued people so that then Dauids sinne was pardoned the plague among the people ceased and bothe partes of God chearished and comforted Likewise the people after the death of Absalon perceyuing and féeling their owne faulte were gréeued with the expulsion and desired restitution of Dauid their King so as they reuerently receyued him he louingly did pardon them and God graciously did agree and blesse both him and them together in a peasable and prosperous kingdome So surely whensouer men will sorrowe and confesse their owne sinnes pittie and praye for the myseries of other then wyll God forgiue the sinnes remedie the miseries comforte the consciences and blesse and prosper the countreyes and kingdomes of such godly persons And therfore all mē had nede to beware of suche vngodly mindes as desire and delite to sée or heare the mischief and miseries or faultes and euils in other For all they that haue so euil disposed mindes shal soone be forced to fynde and feele in them selues the same euils whiche they nowe will and wishe vnto other No man shoulde imagin bycause hée can finde a faulte in other that therfore he himself is not giltie or bycause other bée plagued that hee shall bée blessed Adam in Paradise founde faulte with the woman and the woman with the Serpent and GOD did not take the faulte of one to be an excuse for an other but rather as cause of greatter offence and of more iuste condemnation vnto them all The Pharisie did finde faults in the Publican and had nothyng in hym selfe that coulde please god The Publicane féeling and confessyng his owne faultes obteyned mercye and grace of god And also note that those whyche had theyr bloude mixt with sacrifice beyng cruelly killed of Herode and those whiche were miserably ouerwhelmed with the fall of a Toure in Siloe were not the greatest sinners afore God but ráther shewed as notable examples to giue warning vnto all men that if they woulde not repent and amende them selues beyng then spared they shoulde perish and be destroyed with suche vengeance and plagues as they did sée poured vppon those other that then suffered So the moates in other mennes eyes should make vs diligent to pul the beames out of our owne eyes and the plagues of other mennes punishmentes bée good warnings for vs of repentance amendment But when as menne lightly regarding the good counsel of Gods word and boldly presumyng vppon false prophecies and vayne worldly policies doe imagin that faultes founde in other make muche for the discharge and prayse of them and the destruction of other for the deliuerance or assurance of them then doe their blynde eyes whiche will not sée and sorowe their owne sinnes and other mennes miseries despise the long sufferance and mercifull pacience of God alluring them by al maner of meanes vnto repentance amendment their hard harts which can not repent doth heap store vp against thēselues the wrath and vengeance of God in the day of his displeasure whiche commeth so sore and sodaynly vppon them that they shall fynde no way to auoyde it nor be able to abyde it O Englande take héede For when God dothe beginne to iudge those that hée of hys house and familye then doothe hée make ready and threaten vengeaunce and perdition vnto suche as bée strangers and enimies vnto hym and vnto his house hys churche his Gospell his truthe As surely as the Lorde liueth if thou wilt not soone sée take good héede repent and amend thou shalt not long be without féeling and experience that carnall libertie sclaundering the Gospell can bee no couer nor cloake for superstitious Papistrie refusing the Gospell Nor worldely couetousnesse taking and abusing any landes or goods perteyning vnto the churche of Christe and to the common wealth shall not excuse or defend abhominable idolatrie agaynst the honor of God and saluation of mens soules Fayned flatterie to get and kéepethe fauor of man shall not serue or saue manyfeste and manyfolde periuries from the plague and vengeance of god Foolishe pittie wéeping for the plages poured vpon the gréene trée bearing fruites vnto the glorie of God in heauen shall not serue to excuse the hard hearts which can not sorowe for their own sinnes themselues and their frends which be dry trées vessels to be filled with wrath and vengeaunce fyre brandes to bée burned to kindle and kéepe a continuall fier in hell Wherefore be warned by gods worde 2. Cor. 6. come from emongs them and be ye seperated from them sayeth the Lorde and touche ye not the vncleane and I will receiue you and I will be vnto you as a father and ye shall be vnto me as sonnes and daughters sayth the Lord almightie CHAP. X. The best way for euery man to sorrow for his owne sinnes to pitie other mennes miseries and altogether in vnitie of Faythe and Charitie too call and truste vntoo God for mercie and grace in Christ. O Englishman womā who or where so euer thou arte behold sée how the merciful goodnesse of god by many euils miseries and daungers doth driue théefrō hope trust in thy self in man or in any worldly thing that he may the better by the light of the Gospell allure and winne thée vnto his mercie grace and saluation in Christ Iesu. Thou mayst learne by the law of God and experience of all ages that there is nothing of mannes minde and imagination but the euill of sinfull abhomination The woorde of God doothe witnesse that what ceremonies sacrifice or seruice any man at any time did of theyr owne zeale and deuotion deuise to honour and please God was in déede superstitious idolatrie and abhomination afore god Thou maist see by the light of the Gospell through the power and presence of Gods spirite spred and preched in euery place that such shadowes figures in sacrifices and ceremonies yea suche bodily presence of Christes humanitie vppon earth as God ordeyned to serue in their time and place be nowe 〈◊〉 terly abolished as vnprofitable for that they could not haue continued or bene renued but that the cléere lyght of the Gospel should by them be sore blemished and hindered Nowe by the grace of the holy Ghoste sent and come to declare teache and witnesse the truthe of God in playne preaching of the Gospel thou mayest heare sée and perceiue the world so reproued and rebuked of sinne of righteousnesse and iudgement as maketh it playne and euident that suche horrible sinnes as seuerally in certaine times did euer prouoke some sore plagues and vengeance
no holinesse nor nothing holie vnto any man For it is not only the holy ghost in the heart and minde of man that sanctifieth that maketh and kéepeth pure and holy The holy catholicke church I knowe and thinke assuredly that I and all Christians be one church one congregation in suche vnitie of liuely faithe whiche worketh by charitie as dothe euer kéepe vs togither as members of one bodie in Christe although wée be farre asunder by reason of diuers times and places in the worlde and by the holy spirite worde and sacraments of God in this church is such holinesse as doth euer striue and preuaile against vngodlines such holinesse as is the continual purging of men from their sins to furnishe and garnishe them with godly righteousnesse in christ This Church or congregatioÌ„ is so catholike so made one of many so made one mysticall bodie in Christ of many men in all places as is one mannes naturall body of diuers members euery one seuerally hauing their own places and proportions all together ioyned accordingly in one body of one person And so the communion of Sainctes The vnitie of them that be sanctified redemed and deliuered from the seruice of the Diuell the flesh and the worlde to glorifie God in holinesse and righteousnesse is by Christ and in Christ a common comfort and coÌ„moditie vnto al them of euery thing that is good or profitable vnto any of them which although many times they caÌ„not bée séene and perceyued of worldely men nor well knowne one to another yet being all of one faith be euer altogether afore god in one mind as members of one body to haue communion comfort and commodity euery one with al other in Christ their head And as it was sayde they haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them so haue wée always in this holy catholike Church the foundatioÌ„ of the Prophets Apostels Christ being the beade corner stone albeit not their personsin bodily preseÌ„ce yet their examples of liuing and truthe of doctrine in their wrytings so that euer therein wée may sée and perceyue that face and fashion of the holie catholicke Churche which God hath ordayned to be so shewed as moste expedient and sufficient vnto all men at al times and all places The Remission of sinnes In this Church of Christ and companie of Saintes I knowe and receiue freely by fayth forgiuenesse of sins which be so great and gréeuous debts as do deserue death and damnation and as the least of them could neuer haue bene dyscharged but onely by the precious passion and oblation of Christ once for all The resurrection of the body I know and loke that our bodies by sin of man deseruiug death to decay in corruptioÌ„ shall by the might and merite of Christ be raised to receiue glory immortalitie And life euerlasting And finally that bodies and soules in ioy and glory shal liue for euer in the kingdome of god when as we shall receiue our inheritaunce with Christ in whom according vnto Gods promises and our fayth al these things be most sure and certaine that is to say Amen So be it Now thus beleuing and comparing the kingdome of heauen with the pleasures of Paradise and the holinesse of regeneration with the purenesse of creation I finde and féele how that I do get more and better by faith in Christ than that which I did loose by sinne in Adam Yea I haue good vnderstanding and comfortable experience how that God hath concluded al men vnder sin to be mercyful vnto all how that the scripture truely describing declaring the righteousnesse of God and the sinfulnesse of man hath concluded all men vnder their owne sinnes that righteousnesse which coÌ„meth of the faith of Christ might be giuen vnto the beléeuers howe that through the righteousnesse of the lawe and infirmities of mannes flesh God doth make greate aboundance of sinne to appeare in all mens beedes and deseruings that more aboundaunce of grace might bée graunted and giuen by the merits of Christ vnto all that receyue and beleeue the Gospell O blessed be God for the gifte of this beléefe by the which he maketh the losse of the plesures of Paradise through maÌ„s sinne to serue vnto the inheritance of the kingdome of Heauen by gods grace And the sinfull sorowes in mans conscience to be coÌ„fortable signes and tokens of sauing health by Christes Phisicke and medicines And all dangers plagues and vengeance for sinne in the world to driue men to assurance of health and wealth by faith in the Lorde There can be nothing so sure certaine as this faith which commeth by hearing of Gods worde which is the worke of Gods spirite whiche is confirmed by the life doctrine and death of al that euer were Prophets Apostles Euangelists Martyres to teach and witnesse Gods truth For this faith is not only a knowledge of the grace mercy goodnesse of God but also an assurance of the same vnto mannes self by the word sprite of god So that it is the ground worke stay of al good hope the argument and euideÌ„ce of all such mysteries as be hid and couered from worldlings to be reserued and reueled only vnto Gods children Therefore any man may easely learne to speake these wordes but the goodnesse of God towards maÌ„ by these words signified is such as can not be knowne or perceiued of them which be of bloud or of the will of the Flesh or of the wil of man but only of them whiche be borne of God whiche be priuiledged by Christ to be the children of god For this beléef is not of the fréewill of man â—ut of the holy spirit of God not by keping customes or traditions of men but by hearing the word of God by hearing or reading the glad tidings of the Gospell in such sorte as can not be reueled but onely in Christ of the heauenly father by the holie ghost vnto Gods children The blind eyes of wittie worldlings in séeking for worldely wealth contemning Gods worde can sée and finde in déede nothing but the wrath and vengeance of God in al things and especially in sicknesse plagues wars and losse of any lands or goods but the cleare eyes of faythfull christians by the light of the Gospell seeking the kingdome of god and the righteousnesse therof in all things and especially in losse of anie góodes or suffering any paynes do euer sée the mercifull pitie and tender loue of their heauenly father alwayes keping them vnder the rodde of correction and the crosse of persecution â–ª as his most deare children All Iewish persons wil haue such a Messias as shall make them Princes and prelates in a worldely kingdome faythfull christians haue the sonne of god their Lord and sauior which hath bought and brought them from this world to bee a holie people and kingly priesthode vnto God in his heauenly Hierusalem The Crosse the passion death of Christ is an offence vnto all such
is that thou mayest learne to see the dangers of thyne owne deseruings by the lawe of God and to finde and take the right way to gods sauing helth welth kingdome by faith in Christe For euen as God did once driue his people out of Egipt by many greeuous euils to be allured towardes the holy land by moste comfortable promises so dothe hee nowe by many dangers driue thèe from the wickednesse and vengeance in this worlde to be called and guyded by grace vntoo all godly comfort and commodities in Chryste iesu Amen So be it At Geneua 1556. ¶ A Treatise of the way from daunger of Sinne and vengeance in this wicked world vnto godlie wealth and saluation in Christe Chapter I. This time filleth the worlde full of daungerous euils too driue men from the worlde and most comfortably offereth the beste way too allure them vnto Chryst. THE Lord bée mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs shewe the light of his countenance on vs so that we may know and kéepe his way vpō erth with speedy passage intoheauen For nowe doth sinfull wretchednesse diuelishe darkenesse and daungerous vengeance ouerflow the face of the whole erth to driue them from desire and loue of earthlie things Nowe is the way the truthe and the life prouided of God and profered vnto men to allure guide bring them through all earthly daungers vnto heauenly ioyes Nowe bee the euill dayes and perillous times and nowe is the day of saluation the acceptable time For euen nowe God calleth most earnestly vnto men seeing them in greatest dangers offring them his exceeding mercies saying Come vnto me all ye that trauayle and be burdened and I shall ease and refresh you Come nowe when as I do call walke nowe while yée haue light Now is the world worthily condemned to bée vtterly destroyed bycause that lighte is come into the worlde men louing worldly darkenesse more than godly light doe refuse gods mercies and prouoke Gods vengeance Nowe is suche calling and crying to enter with Chryst the bridegrome into the chamber of comfort as thretneth the shortly shutting vp of the gates of grace against al them which will not come when as they bée called but tarrie to take their partes and portions with hypocrites in outwarde darkenesse which is for the Diuell and his angels prouided Nowe the prince of darkenesse knowing his time to bée shorte ▪ doeth moste furiously rage to destroy man and God therfore seing man in greatest danger and necessitie doth nowe most euidently offer his sauing health vnto man in the face of Iesus Chryste his sonne Not in the face of Chrysts bodie which is falsly fygured in colours caruings but in the face of Chrystes conuersation and doctrine whiche is so truely and clearly reuealed in holie Scriptures that it can not be couered and hid frō any mā but alonly frō them whose faithlesse vnderstanding the prince of this worlde hathe so blinded that they can not nor will not beholde the cleere light of the Gospell of the glorie of Christe most comfortably shining vnto the saluation of man For the gracious goodnesse of God dothe appeare in al his words and works howbeit towards man sufficiently vnto saluation it can no otherwise be séene and perceiued but by the light of the gospel shewing the face of Christe God and man the fauour and grace of God towards man in the déedes and doctrine of Christ Iesu whiche is the way the life and the truth which is by the gospell so shewed and set forth before al men as maketh most to the shamefull confusion and vtter perdition of them that wil refuse it and to the exceeding comforte assured saluation of them that do receiue it For the same sorte of sins which caused sundrie plages in sundry places afore times bée altogether fully flowing into this wicked worlde at this time and the same saluation that was promised vntoo the fathers witnessed by the lawe and the Prophetes signifyed by sacrifices sealed by sacraments and shadowed in ceremonies afore time is nowe playnly and plentifully by the light of the Gospell through power of gods spirit presented and profered vnto vs in this time Therefore to escape from vnder many daungers and to come vnto great comforte to walke in the way of saluatiō promised vnto the fathers and perfourmed vntoo vs shadowed in the lawe and reuealed in the Gospell a man must not sléep in slouthfulnesse vnder dangers nor trust and stay in the signes and shadowes of sacrifices and ceremonies nor in the letter of the lawe nor in the persons of Prophets and preachers but vse al these things as meanes to make him mindfull of Chryst only in whome by fayth man may euer finde and obtayne mercie and grace help comfort plētifully For be that feleth by fayth howe that the Father hathe giuen Christ his déere sonne to die for mā he shal finde by experience howe that God hathe made and doth guide and giue all creatures as is best for the necessitie commoditie of man And as the wonderfull wisedome of god doth neuer make any prouisiō but such as is necessarie so the great mercifull goodnesse of God doeth euer prouide sufficiente succour for all them that be in danger of extremitie Therfore God hath nowe sent the light of the gospell so clearly and openly abolishing sinne shadowes and figures as is sufficient to put away any manner of darknesse as shoulde not haue bene necessarie if god had not foreséen vs to haue now come vnder many moe greater dangers at this our time thā other men did in their times CHAP. II. The light of the Gospell sheweth comfortable commodities in all things THERE is but one way of saluation in Chryst onely and that hath euer béen at diuers times diuersly reuealed as God hath forseene to bée moste expedient and necessary And this saluation can not be gotten by mans workes in kéeping of the lawe but it is fréely giuen by Gods grace to the beleuers of the Gospell The righteousnesse of the lawe of God is so heauie a yoake by reason of the infirmitie of mans flesh as no man is able too beare the glad tidings of the gospell of Christ by reason of the grace of god be so cléere and comfortable vnto the faythfull as causeth all things to bée vnto them pleasant and profitable So Abraham hearing and beléeuing the promise in his séed which was the glad tydings in Chryst to come felt no losse nor lacke neyther of his natiue countrie kinred from whence hée was called neither of bis deare sonne which was commaunded to be sacrifised but had great abundance of all riches with a sure promise of blessed succession and large landes of possession and was by imputation of righteousnesse taken and named to be the friende of God and the father of the faythful So Adam whiche did not by any abilitie of free will perfitly obey Gods commaundement to continue in the pleasures of Paradise did
trauell and many troubles in wildernesse where as their bodies and carkases all died and perished their wiues children were ofte and gréeuously plagued And euen so when as a man is called in witnessing of Gods truth by any deathe to come spedily out of this world into heaueÌ„ then if for feare or loue of freÌ„des goods hée vtterly wil refuse deny so to forsake all come vnto God he shall deserue that God with long wretchednesse in this worlde shold destroy him and plage all that is hys For in fleeing from spéedie passage by a fierie fagot which is sodenly ended hee shal fall in daunger of a fiery feuer or of some such sicknesse as shal most miserably consume his body euer biting and burning by a little a little to make him to feele long sorowes of life vnder a slow deathe Yea in refusing to come with a courage beyng louingly called of God vnto life euerlasting he runneth in danger to dispaire when as by fearful death hee shal be forced to forsake this world this life and euery suche thing as hée nowe lyketh and loueth Many fearing to bée shutte vp in a stinking prison where as godly men haue euer found most swéete consolations of Goddes spirit doo flée from the truthe and fall into snares and banâ—s of the diuell drawne with grudge grief of conscience vnto moste vile and filthie seruice of sin superstition and idolatry Many also bee so addicte vnto their owne countrey there abiding in the shadowe of death vnder Idolatrie that they will not desire séek and find the churche of Christ in other places openly assembled in suche sincere profession of Christen Religion as God dothe blesse and beautifie with the riches and grace of his cléere truth comfortable countenance Many knowing and liking the truth inwardly in their mind yet frame themselues in outwarde apperance to please the world hauing their owne conscience to witnesse that in purposing so to please bothe God and man they can not long escape the iudgement shame confusion of vnfaithfull flattering dissembling bothe with God man For in halting vppon both sides they can not vprightly stand or go with either party but in bowing vnto Baal they fall from god And hauing good knowledge of God and yet giuing occasion of offence to the simple that lacke knowlege they deserue worse than a milstone to be tyed about their necke and to be drowned in the sea bycause they seeing vngodlinesse doe wittingly presume afore the face of God to bring them selues and others folowing their example in danger of the same that they sée is vngodly by going to Masse and pretending a loue and knowlege vnto the gospell they make the simple ignorant to think that the Masse is not vngodly or that for policye a faythfull Christian may company with the vngodly at vngodlynesse A man may haue iust occasion to kéepe or change any place but neuer to yelde or agrée vnto any euill and vngodly thing It is not the flying from place to place only but from the vngodly fashion of this worlde vnto newnesse of life that can profite man and please god So therefore vse all places as may helpe beste to the amendment of your liues And where as ye do sée Idolatry mainteined forced by authoritie fary not in that countrey except God haue so there prouided for you that ye shall not be forced for feare of man to bowe vnto Baal for to flatter please worldly powers to heare or say the vngodly Masse And if ye come forth of youre countrey for loue of youre pure religion reste not but in suche places as haue the riche blessings of sincere godly doctrine and discipline If yée forsake your countrey for Christes cause doe not leaue Christes Churche Gods blessings grace and chéerful countenance to please Christes enimies When as God shall sende his messanger in the spirit power of Helias then they that halte vpon both sides shall bée sharply rebuked they that be neyther hote nor colde shall bée cast vp vomited and spued forthe as moste vngodly and wicked They that flatter Princes and mock and persecute prophets and preachers shall bée in daunger of fire from heauen to destroy them The priests of Baal shall not escape the rage of the people stirred of zele in seing howe abhominably by them they haue of long time ben deceiued God dishonored All suche as bée of the house and kinred of the kind conditions of Achab Iesabell in getting vnrighteous possessions in sheding innoceÌ„t blood in vsing and maynteyning idolatrie shall féele zelous Iehu executing wrath and vengeaunce of God vppon them vnto the third and fourth generation of them WheÌ„ suche as Peter that before a woman was afrayde to confesse Christe bée so recouered and encouraged by Gods spirite that boldly they wil charge the chiefe rulers the high Priestes and all the people euen to their faces that they haue forsaken and condemned the Gospell of Chryste whiche is the power of God vnto saluation of all that do beléeue and required taken the masse whiche is the author and maker of sedition murder of mens soules then shal ye heare and see that there is no way to escape the wrath and vengeance of God but by fléeing now from this frowarde and peruerse generation vnto that sauing health whiche God in Christe by the light ministerie of the Gospel doth shew send offer to you Therfore now when as God doth shew vnto you the abhomination of desolation standing in the holie place When as hée dothe giue you warning of vengeance that is coÌ„ming flée from ignorance vnto knowledge froÌ„ vice vnto vertue from worldlinesse vnto godlinesse and loke not backe at the losse of any thing as the wife of Lot did and was turned into a salt piller nor looke not aside at any terrible stormes and raging waues which might cause you like vnto Peter to fainte for feare and sinke in worldely wretchednesse as in the water but set your eyes and your heartes wholly vpon the promis and prouision of God as Abraham did so shall ye be strong in faith and take and kéepe the right way eueÌ„ vnto the ende For thou shalt see finde and féele in leauing or loosing any thing to take and beare the crosse of Christ manifold recompence héere and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting and paynful death vpon earth spéedy passage vnto the ioyes of heauen in close prison and bonds of the body libertie of conscience to solace the minde in heauenlie meditation and in expulsion or fléeing from kindred and countrie entrance into a christen congregation garnished with all godlinesse belonging vnto Christes kingdome And for the loue and desire to sée and enioy the restitution and aduauncement of this kingdome rather than of any worldy wealth vain glory or tyrannous emperie do not woorke or wish vengeaunce vnto other least that it fall vppon your selues or else least that