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
worlde but for a fewe The heauen was made but for a fewe The mercie and loue of God was but for a fewe But the mercie of God is ouer al and vpon al and for all Al haue right to heare the word of God al haue néede to know the word of God Al haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God Therefore Christe calleth all Venite ad me omnes c. Come vnto mee all yee that bee wearie and laden Yong men and olde men men and women rich and poore come to mée God is no accepter of persons It is not the wil of your Father which is in Heauen saith Christ that one of these little ones shold perish Who wil that al men shall be saued come to the knowledge of truth God wil loke to him that is pore of a contrite spirite and trembleth at hys wordes God wil regard such a one and make him a fitte vessell to receiue hys truth Upon him that is suche a one shall the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of God reste Not only vppon the rich the wise and the learned but vpon him that is pore and of a contrite heart and trembleth at his words Upon hym that humbleth himselfe vnder the mightie hand of God He is the temple and the Tabernacle of the holy Ghoste He that is humble in heart shall be saued God resisteth the proud but giueth grace to the lowly Therefore Christe saide I giue thee thankes O father Lorde of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstaÌ„ding and hast opened them vnto babes Euen to suche as haue no learning whych reioice in nothing but in thée The wise and learned of the worlde can not heare them can not sée them but they to whome it pleased thée to giue vnderstanding It is thy mercie Flesh and bloud cannot reach the knowledge of thy will The spirite of the Father hath reuealed it Christe saith My sheepe heare my voice and I knowe them and they followe mee They will not follow a stranger My people are simple as shéepe they are rude and knowe not what they doe Yet they knowe my voice and followe me they knowe their Shéepheard from a théefe they followe not the call and voice of a straunger So we sée that God chaceth no maÌ„ away from hearing his worde he loatheth not the pore because of his pouertie he refuseth him not for he is the God of the pore they be his creatures S Augustine saith Deus in Scripturis quasi amicus familiaris loquitur ad cor doctorum indoctorum Almightie God in the Scriptures speaketh as a familiar friend without dissimulation vnto the hearts both of the learned and of the vnlearned He abaseth hymselfe and speaketh to their capacitie for his will is that all shoulde come to the knowledge of the truth and be saued Nowe let vs consider with what fearâ— and reuerence we oughte to come to the hearing or reading of the worde of God The Aungel of the Lord appeared vnto Moses in a flame of fire out of the middest of a bushe When Moses turned aside to sée God said vnto him Come not hither Put thy shoes off thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holye ground Againe when God had appointed to speak vnto the people from Mount Sion he said to Moses Go vnto the people and sanctifie them to day and to morow and let them wash their clothes let them be readie on the. 3. day for the. 3. daye the Lorde will come downe in the sight of al the people vpon mount Sinai The worde of the Lorde is the Bush out of which issueth a flame of fire The Scriptures of God are the mount from which the Lord of Hostes doth shew him selfe In them God speaketh to vs. In them we heare the words of euerlasting life We muste be sanctified and washe out garmentes and be readie to heare the Lorde We muste strippe off all our affections we must fal do 〈…〉 with fear we must 〈…〉 speaketh Euen God 〈…〉 and Earth God 〈…〉 Lord Iesus Christe God 〈…〉 iudge the quicke and the dead 〈…〉 whome al flesh shal appeare His worde is holie Let vs take 〈◊〉 into what hearts we bestow it 〈◊〉 euer abuseth it shall be founde guilti 〈◊〉 high trespas against the Lord. We may not receiue it to blow vp our harts and waxe proude with our knowledge We may not use it to maintaine debate and coÌ„tentioÌ„ we may not vse it to vaunt our selues or to make shew of our cunning The word of God teacheth lowlinesse of minde it teacheth vs to knowe oure selues If we learne not humilitie wée learne nothing Although we séeme to knowe somewhat yet knowe we not in such sorte as we ought to know The Scriptures are the mysteries of God let vs not be curious lette vs not séeke to knowe more than God hath reuealed by theÌ„ They are y e sea of God let vs take 〈…〉 drowned in the. They 〈…〉 let vs take comfort by 〈…〉 take héed they burne 〈…〉 gaze ouer hardly vpon 〈…〉 blemish in their eye sight 〈…〉 the people of Israel sawe the 〈…〉 in the desart they said Man Hu◠〈…〉 this so they reasoned of it wheÌ„ 〈…〉 it vp in their handes and behelde it They asked one an other what good it woulde do The Scriptures are Mannaâ— giuen to vs from Heauen to séede vs in the desart of this worlde Let vs take them and behold them and reason of them and learne one of an other what profit may come to vs by theÌ„ lette vs knowe that they are written for our sake and for our learning that through patience comfort of the Scriptures we may haue hope They are giuen vs to instruct vs in faith to strength vs in hope to open our eies and to direct our going If we withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse if we know our Masters wil do it not if the name of God be ill-spoken of through vs the word of God shal be taken away from 〈…〉 nation which shal 〈…〉 thereof God shall send 〈…〉 on that we shall beléeue 〈…〉 heart shal condemne vs an 〈…〉 beaten with many stripes Therefore we ought 〈…〉 giue héede to those thinges 〈…〉 heare we must coÌ„sider of them 〈…〉 chew the cudde Euerie beast that 〈…〉 not the cudde is vncleane and noâ—â— for sacrifice Let vs be poore in spirit 〈◊〉 méeke in heart let vs be gentle as be commeth the Lambes of Christ and as his shéepe let vs heare his voyce and followe him Let vs be of a contrite spirit tremble at the words of God let vs when we know God glorifie him as God So shall God looke vpon vs so shal the spirit of wisdome vnderstanding and of couÌ„sel of knowledge and of the feare of God rest vpon vs so shall we be
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
this case Christe saith Neâ—oice and be glad For so persecuted they the Prophets whiche were beefore you Origen sheweth howe all that be like minded vnto Pharao crie out that men are seduced and led out of theri way if Moses and Aaron that is if the spéeche of the Preachers call vpon them to be diligent in the Lawe of God and to followe hys worde And Chrysostome telleth vs this is no newe thing Ne admiremur quod spiritualibus instantes multa patiamur aduersa c. Let vs not maruell if we abide many aduersities because we follow after and desire those thinges whiche are spirituall For as the théefe diggeth not nor layeth his waite at the place where straw and chaffe and feathers are layd but there where is golde and siluer so is the Diuell moste out of quiet with those whiche take in hande spirituall businesse These things saith our Sauior haue I saide vnto you that ye should not bee offended They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that whosoeuer â—â—â—leth you wil think that he doth God 〈◊〉 And these things will they doe vnto you bicause they haue not knowne he Father nor me But what are the effectes and force what successe take the Popes blessings his cursses he stirred vp the K. of France to plague his subiectes to that purpose he blessed him and his folowers they their Countrie were brought to greate miserie He blessed Philip King of Spaine he hath bin wonderfully troubled by the Moeres at home and liueth in continuall turmoyle with his subiectes in other his dominions abroade He blessed the states of Venice they are still disquieted by the Turke On the other side he hath accurssed England thankes be to God it was neuer better in worldly peace in health of bodie in abundance of corne and victuals He hath accursed the Princes and states of Germanie they were neuer stronger He blesseth his own side but it decayeth and withereth He cursseth the Gospel but it preuaileth prospereth The more he cursseth the more it prospereth This is the Lordes doing it is maruellous in our eyes So doeth God turne the Popes cursse into a blessing vnto vs. And so we maye well saye with Seneca Caelestis ir a quos premit miseros facit humana nullos The anger of God maketh those meÌ„ miserable vpon whom it lighteth but so doth not the wrath of man Quin etâ—iaÌ„ ipsam pret enso regni praedicti iure necnon omni quocunque dominio dignitate priuilegioque priuatam We also make it knowen that wee haue depriued hir from that right she pretended to haue in the Kingdome aforesaid and also from al and euerie hir auctoritie dignitie and priuiledge This is the other part of the Popes sentence In this his vaine fantasie and by this childish mockerie hée thinketh to depose Queene Elizabeth from hir kingdome O vaine man as though the coastes and ends of the world were in his hands or as if no prince in y â— world might rule without his sufferaÌ„ce So haue the proude Prelates of that Sée these manye yeares troubled the states of al Christendome therby béen cause of much slaughter sheding innocent bloude And so at this present he seeketh to disquiet Elizabeth Elizabeth I say our soueraigne and moste gratious Lady a Uirgin ful of wisedome vertue grace and compassion she is vnto vs as a comfortable water in a drie place as a refuge for the teÌ„pest and as the shadowe of a greate rocke in a wearie land The greatest blessing whiche God gyueth to any people is a godly Prince to rule ouer them The greatest miserie that can fall vppon a people is to haue a godly Prince taken from them For by a godly Prince he doth so rule the people as if God himselfe were with them in visible appearaunce The Prince walketh in the wayes of the Lorde the Nobles folowe the steppes of the Prince the people fashion them selues to the example of the Nobles The face of a godly Prince shineth as the Sunne beams and bringeth ioy and comfort to his subiectes When the Lord was displeased with the people of Israell he tooke Samuell from them gaue them Saul to be theyr King Saul did wickedly without Iustice without Mercie He deuoured the people like a Lion he ouerthrew the tabernacle and slewe the Priests Then was there no Reuelation None that did Prophecie or care for the name of the Lord. But when God tooke mercie vpon the people he gaue vnto them Dauid a man after his owne heart He deliuered hym from daunger and tooke him out of the Lions mouth He crowned him and did set a crowne of pure golde vpon hys head Dauid loued the people he taught them the wayes of God he put downe Idolatrie and destroyed the Groues he set vp a Tabernacle to the God of Iacob Under him the people had great prosperitie in their houses and abroad in their Uines in their Corne and in their Cattell in time of Peace and in tyme of Warre When it pleased God to send a blessing vpou vs he gaue vs his seruant Elizabeth to be our Queene and to be the instrument of his glory in the sight of all the worlde Who is so blind which séeth not who is so vnthankful that remembreth not what things God hath wroughte by hir who séeth not the glorious beames of the trueth who séeth not the wonderfull peace in which wee haue liued who séeth not the wise and safe guiding of the people one of those alone were a great blessing but al togither are such a blessing as our Fathers before vs neuer enioied so happily As touching religion let vs thinke of that time of ignoraunce wherein wée were before How miserable a case was it to sée suche deadlye dumbenesse in the Church of God to sée the people ledde away in the darke they knew not whether to sée the word of life taken away to sée the people fedde with fables to sée an Idol sette vppe in the place of God to sée Iesus Christe our Sauiour putte to silence In this case were we This we did sée we did féele this Out of this deadly dungeon GOD deliuered vs by the hand of our Queene By hir hée restored the trueth by hir he sente vs the light of his holy worde by hir he hathe reléeued the heartes of the people God himselfe hathe bene the worker hereof Elizabeth hath bene his instrument and the meane by whome he hath done thys worke And marke the tyme when shée attempted this Euen at the firste entrie into hir kingdome at whiche time the King of Spaine the King of Fraunce the Quéene of Scottes and many of the Nobles and the Bishoppes of thys Realme were against it She had larned First to seeke the kingdome of God she hadde learned to séeke hys glorie and not hir dwne shée had learned to saye as Dauid saide I wil not suffer mine eyes
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
people were changed the Temples and Sacrifices and Praiers were chaunged mens eyes and heartes were chaunged They forsooke their Gods their Kings their Priests they forsooke their antiquity customes consent their Fathers and themselues What power was able to work these things What Emperour by force euer preuailed so much what strength could euer shake down so mightie idols from their seate What hand of man could subdue and coÌ„quer the whole world make such mighty nations confesse they had done amisse This did the Lord bring to passe by the power of his word and the breath of his mouth This was it y t lead captiuiâ—ie captiue threw downe euery high thing that lifted it self vp against the Lorde brought all powers vnder subiection vnto the Lord It is the image the power the arme y e sword and the glorie of God It is mightie of great force and vertue of authoritie and maiestie because it is the worde of God therefore the glorie thereof is great Now let vs stand a farre of and humble our selues and in reuerence and feare learne to take the fruite and comfort of the same for so is the wil of God that we may be partakers of his glorie But where shal we finde enterance into this matter And howe shall we bée able to come a land For this is the Sea and the depth of all the workes of the iudgementes and mercies of the kingdome of God This is a Sea that hath no shore a pit that hath no botome The holy Scriptures are the mercie seate the registry of the mysteries of God our Chartre for the life to come the holy place in which God sheweth him selfe to the people the Mount Ston where God hath appointed to dwel for euer The more comfort in theÌ„ so much the more gréedily let vs desire them the more heauenly and glorious they are with so much the more reuerence let vs come vnto them For consideration of this mater of the fruite comfort which God worketh by the worde what may we better call to minde than that is réecorded by S. Paul Whatsoeuer thinges are written aforetime are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope All that is writteÌ„ in the word of God is not writteÌ„ for Angels or Archangels or heauenly Spirites but for the sonnes of men for vs and for our instruction that by them we may receiue strength and comfort in all aduersities and haue hope of the life to come It is the word of God God openeth his mouth and speaketh to vs to guide vs into all truth to make vs full and readie in all good workes that we may be perfect men in Christ Iesus so rooted and grounded in him that we bee not tost to and fro with euery tempest The profite which the worde of God bringeth shal best apeare if we first take a viewe of our estate what we are in what place we stande what enemies make force against vs. We are y e sons of Adam stubborne children the children of vanitie and of wrath The châ—ldren of those fathers which forsooke God and haue erred in their hearts were deceiued God which created man breathed into him the breath of life saith The imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Such are we eueÌ„ by the iudgment of God and his iudgement faileth not What errour what idol what wickednes euer hath bene heard which hath not bene forged and wrought in the heart of man wée can neither doe nor speake nor thinke the thing that is good our vnderstanding is heauie our will froward our eyes blinde and our heart vncleane We go astray through this worlde as lost shéepe euery man after his owne way Euen as a leafe is caried vp and downe with a blast of winde so are we easily driueÌ„ into errour in our selues we finde no stay no succour nor helpe Such are we and so weake of our selues But where are we in the world And what is the world Some thinke it to be a place full of all delights and pleasures a goodly strong and gorgious palace and a paradise of ioy Let no man deceiue vs nay rather let vs not deceiue our selues the world is a shoppe of vanities it is a dungeon of darkenesse a potte full of poyson a shippe full of leakes a way full of snares It blindeth our eyes beguileth our senses and helpeth vs forwarde into all daungers We are blinde our selues and the place wherein we are is nothing els but darkenesse Wherunto may I resemble our case Ieremy the Prophet was cast into a duÌ„geon There he sate without light and without comfort His case was miserable and the place lothsome yet he knew where he was he knew what he lacked he cryed vnto the Lord and was deliuered Daniel was cast into the den of Lions there to bee torne in péeces and deuoured But he sawe his misery and the daunger in which he stoode he sawe the Lions the pawes which shoulde gripe him and the téeth which shoulde teare him His case was miserable yet is ours more miserable We are in the déepe dungeon of hel and think we are in safetie we are in the middest of darkenesse and thinke it to be light we are compassed with Lioâ—s with Dragons and Scorpions yet think not of our miserie Who hath not heard the story of Ionas Ionas was in a Whales belly The place was very darke the waues beat on euery side he was drowned yet touched no water he was swallowed vp yet not consumed he liued without any sense of life the fish was his death y â— sea was death the tempest was death yet he died not but liued in the mids of death he could not sée he could not heare he knew not to whom he might call for helpe hée was taken carried away he knew not whether Let vs marke well this storie it is a true pattern of our estate sheweth what our life is in this worlde We are beset w t like dangers we are driuen w t teÌ„pests we are drowned in like flouds we liue in y e middest of horrible darknes we are caried we know not whether The Philosopher telleth vs trueth falsehode are nigh neighbors and dwell one by the other the vtter porch of y e one is like the porch of the other yet their way is contrarie the one leadeth to life the other leadeth to death they differ little to the shew saue that oft times the dore of falshod is faire painted grauen and beautifully adorned but the dore or fore front of trueth is plaine and homely Therby it hapneth that men be deceiued they mistake the dore and goe into errors house wheÌ„ they séeke truth They call euill good falsehoode truth darkenesse light They forsake that is good deny the truth and loue not the light This moued S. Paul to say of his brethren the Iewes I beare them
recorde that they haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge they haue the care and feare of God they are zelous in their doings they haue deuotion they pretend conscience they think they do wel and that they please God When they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles They knew not what they did for if they had knowlege they wold neuer haue crucified the Lorde of glorie But they knowe not the trueth of God they know not God they are caried away in y ◠vanity of their own hart Their prayers are no prayers The truth they holde is falshoode their faith is no faith they are shéepe without a shephearde Thus we haue heard what we are and in what place Nowe let vs sée what enemies bende their force against vs. We fight against the gates of hell with the Diuell the prince of darkenesse the father of lies with the Diuel which hath power ouer the children of disobedience by whose malice death came into the world Euen that Diuel bendeth his force against vs which deceiued Adam in Paradise which hath deceiued the learned Philosophers and beguiled the Princes and wisemē and the worthies of the world Which doth abuse and entice our hands our eyes our learning our wit and our owne heart to deceiue vs. He rampeth as a Lion and raungeth ouer the worlde séeking whom he may deuour This is his delite and studie Hée hath bene a murtherer from the beginning If this were euer true at any time our times haue founde it most true We are they vpon whom y e ends of y e world are come Nowe is this Scripture fulfilled in our eares Now sée we the dayes whereof Christ warned his disciples so earnestly They shal say Loe here is Christ and there is Christ This is the truth that is the truth There shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall deceiue many they shal betray the truth Many shal be offended by them if it were possible the verie elect They whose names are written in y e booke of life shold be deceiued And except those dayes should bee shortned there should no flesh be saued but for the elects sake those dayes shal be shortned The sun shalbe darkned the moone shal not giue hir light The sun is the word of God the moone signifieth the Church The powers of heauē shal be moued all the kinreds of the earth shal mourn Abhomination of desolatiō shal stand in the holy place Let him that readeth consider it This is the mysterie of iniquitie of which S. Paul speaketh to the Thessalonians Which worketh among them that perish Thus are we forewarned God hath giuen vs his worde to aduise vs that we be not caste awaye vnawares They that walk in the darke know not whether they go if the blinde leade the blinde both fall into the ditch he that is ignorant shal not be knowen Christ shall say vnto him I knowe you not departe from mée yée curssed into euerlasting fire Their worme shall not die and their fire shal not be put out In this case what shal a godly disposed simple man do How shall he settle himselfe To which fide may he safelye ioine himselfe If he make reconing of learning there are learned men on both sides if he make reconing of vertue and godly life there be vertuous men and of godly life on both sides if he make reconing of zeale either side is zelous in y ◠religion they hold if he make reconing of y e name of y e Church they take it as wel to the one side as to the other if he make reconing of the multitude there are many on either side but neither side hath so many as hath the Turke Whether then may a man turne himselfe and to which side may he safely ioine In this case we find the comfort and profite of the word of God In this case S. Paule telleth vs whatsoeuer things are writtē aforetime are written for our learning to lighten our eyes to resolue our doubts and to guide our féete This lighte God hathe kindled in his mercie to lighten them that sit in darkenesse Except he had left vs a sparkle of this light we hadde perished becom like to Sodoma Gomorrha Dauid saith Thy word is a Lantern to my pathes and a light to my feete By it I may sée the way which is before me by it I can escape danger and by it I can kéepe the path wherein I ought to walk When Christ perceiued that the Capernaites the Iewes misliked his doctrine went back walked no more with him he said to y e xij Wil ye also go away You are my disciples whō I haue chosen out of this world wil you also go away Simō Peter answered him Maister to whō shal we go thou hast the word of eternal life If we forsake thée who shall instruct vs thy word is the word of eternall life With this word Christ cōfounded the Scribes and Phariseis and put them to silence Yee reiect saith hée the commaundement of God that yee may obserue your owne tradition For Moses said Honor thy father and thy mother whosoeuer shall curse father or mother let him die the death But ye say if a man say to father or mother Corbam that is by the gifte that is offered by mee thou maiest haue profite he shalbe free With this word he confounded them for misusing of the Temple by buying selling It is written mine house shall bee called the house of praier but yee haue made it a denne of theeues With this worde he put them to silence confounded their error in y ◠they thought it lawfull for a man to put away his wife for euerie fault From the beginning it was not so With this worde he confounded the Diuel and chased him from him It is written man shall not liue by breade onely but by euery word that procedeth out of the mouth of God And againe It is written thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God And againe It is written thou shalt worshippe the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue This word confounded the Arians all sects of heretiks What is become of Marcion of Nestorius of Valentinu◠of Menander of Sabellius of Eutyches and others they are blowen away as smoke before the winde the word of God hath confounded them and beat them away As Dagon fell and brake his hands and necke and coulde not stande in the presence of the Arke of the Lord euen so shall all falshode fall and hide it selfe in the presence of the truth of God As the Rod of Moses deuoured the Rods of the Charmers as the beames of the Sunne driue away and consume darknesse so shal the word of God chase away errors When the two Disciples walked by the way with Christ they said betwéene thēselues after their eyes were opened that they knew him
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
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
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