mightye hande and outstretched arme delyuer you Whose pacient perseuerance the same Iehouah approoued when moste tryumphantly he caused the senceles seas in the faithfull answere of his merciful promise to obey his voice in the mouth of a man far inferiour to Pharaoh at whose commaundement they became against their nature seruiceable to his people Exo. 14.21 for they reared themselues as a loftie wall on either side and the sincking sandes were turned into a most firme ground and pleasaunt gréene path Hebr. 11.29 for the Israelites safetie in this their moste miraculous passage After whose ariuall on the other shore the saide Sea did returne to her former course and in the sight of the Hebrewes gaue to the Egiptiacall Tiranny his iust rewarde by the hand of God which herein drowned Pharaoh and all his host And déere Reader thou hast no lesse promise Exo. 14.27.28 but much greater to thée being a christian Israelite Namely that by faith thou shalt be deliuered from the power of spiritual Pharaoh the power of darkenes Col. 1.13 Rom. 3.24 bée translated into the kingdome of the Sonne of God in whom thou shalt be iustified and shalt haue forgiuenes of thy sinnes shalt be at peace with God shalt haue Christ thy sanctification iustification and redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 Thy Lord thy peace thy saluation thy light and thy glorie Thy selfe shalt approch the throne of grace with quiet conscience beholden of the father for his blessed and therefore beloued sonne for a citizen of the heauenly Ierusalem Ephe. 2.19 Rom. 8.17 an heire of that kingdome yea a fellowe heire with Christ Iesus And this is that peace which Symeon felt and saw with the eies of his faith when hée saide hée now went to his Fathers in peace But euerie opinion receiued in or of Christ is not this regenerating fayth There is a fayth attributed to the Deuils The Deuils beleeue saith S. Iames but they tremble and quake Iam. 2.19 There is a faith said to be in the hypocrits of the earth but Iames calleth that a dead faith And Paule to Timothy Iam. 2.17 Fides ficta a fained faith a faith all one with the Diuels and of some called an historicall fayth Iames ioyning them together saieth of them thus speaking to the counterfeite Christian Thou delightest in thy selfe and takest pride herein that thou art perswaded that there is but one God and the same thou holdest for thy God against the error of Paganisme which defend many Gods Thou doest this right and hereby thou doest farre excell them but yet art not thou ascended one step from the Deuils fayth who beléeueth euen as much and that Iesus Christ is the holye sonne of God also and the Redéemer of the world But in that he beléeueth God and Christ to be God and cannot beléeue in God that is as Augustine hath it to loue God and to walke in his feare with obedience they do al tremble at this name as the théefe before the Iudge and so do Hypocrites which haue but fictam fidem a fayned fayth Let no man obiect that the godly also doe feare God For it is easily answered their feare in God is coupled wyth fayth and loue in GOD with hope and perseuerance in constant faythfulnesse and obedience to his worde But in Deuils in wicked men and in hypocrits there is nothing but feare and desperation For as they beléeue they loue not they obey not wyllingly wherfore wanting his Spirite they haue no boldnesse they hope not but feare and looke for his anger not for his mercy bicause they cannot but be most cruell against his beloued members But the fayth which Symeon and all the iuste haue in God and Christ is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an opinion True fayth descrybed which leaneth to one parte yet so as he standeth something doubtfull of his side but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so fyrme stable so sure an assente and consent to the worde of truth by the working of the holy ghost that no doubt can driue vs from our Ancor holde in Christ And this gracious fayth is the gift of God which by the bright beames of his truth in his holye spirite doth not onely shyne and presse into our harts the worde of our saluation and fayth in Christ but doth enflame and transforme them and maketh them of an old substance a newe creature that thus knowing God they loue him as their father they worship and honor him as God they tremble at his worde least they offende such a most louing father they walke in his statuts and ordinances to doe them and put their whole truste in hym and in the worde of his truth though their synne their conscience and Satans malice doe accuse them yea though infynite temptations to the contrary of Gods louing fauour do assault them As that their synnes might alter his good purpose or that their weaknesse in fayth might chaunge hys mynde and loue towards them yet hauing this promise by Symeon 1. Cor. 1.30 1. Pe◠2.24.25 Heb. 9.12 Christ is our peace our light our saluation our glory by Paule our sanctification iustification and redemption by Peter our Byshop and high Priest by whose strypes we be made whole by the Epistle to the Hebrewes our sacrifice which once for all offred hath founde eternall redemption Hebr. 10.26 1. Ioh. 2.2 after whose Oblation there remayneth no more offering for sinne Finally our Mediator and Aduocate and the full reconciliation for our sinnes and the sinnes of the whole worlde yet I say notwithstanding such former assaultes these present promises doe seale vs vp and we conclude by our fayth in Christ after the assured word giuen vnto vs in the Pen of Paule There is no condemnation to them which bee grafte in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 which lyue not after the fleshe but after the spirite and we be so stablished by hope that tryumphantly we stande the accusation of Synne Rom. 8.33 34. Satan and Hell saying It is God which iustifyeth who can condemne It is he that is dead yea but which is rysen from death is set at the right hande of God and maketh intercession for vs his spirite teacheth vs to pray and in vs doth worke effectuall suspiration and supplications with hope to receyue moste certainly the loue of God and in this manner with Symeon Ioseph of Aramathea and the rest of Gods elect we daylie wayte for and expect with pacience the redemption of our bodyes Rom. 8.23 Luc. 21.28 that is the day of the last Resurrection And this our liuely fayth hath this loue so conioyned in vs that we do loue our Christ bicause he loueth vs first and walke in the effects therof before him and our brethren 1. Iohn 4.10 through the same his loue and therefore also tryumphantly against Satan Sinne Pope and Hell Desperation and Death we say in hart Who shal seperate vs from
from the people but of Satans Consisers which you Papists are We may say to you as Hierome your great Doctor sayth of your Fathers in tymes past and of the Valentinian Hereticks Barbaro simplices quosque terrent sono With a barbarous vnknown tong and sound of wordes they feare the symple that whatsoeuer they vnderstand not they may the more estéeme and haue in reuerence And least the Reader should be offended that I call the Laten tongue hereby barbarous let hym knowe how the Apostle holdeth euery tongue barbarous that is not vnderstoode of him to whom it is spoken saying Vnlesse I vnderstand the powre and meaning of the wordes I shall be barbarous to him that speaketh 1. Cor. 14.11 and he that speaketh barbarous vnto me But the Lorde in hys great mercy as he hath giuen his Christ to be made knowne to Iewe and Gentyle So hath he in these our happy dayes and present state by the contynuall preaching of his word most worthyly wrought the glory of his name Psalm 8. So that out of the mouthes of sucklings and babes yea from old wythered stocks and as it were dead stones Gods holye spirite floweth in Englande and myghtily setteth forth the prayses of our Christ hys light to vs Gentyls and full glory to Israel that imbrace him to whome therefore be eternall prayse But for that thys lyght cannot be apprehended by humane capacitie it is requisite that we séeke the means by which we may apprehende the same The fyrst hereto is that we haue the true Interpreter of the worde in our hartes euen the spirite of truth whose it is to teache vs and leade vs into all truth This Spirite is obteyned of God for Christ by earnest and vigilant prayer I wil pray the Father sayth Christ and he will giue you another comforter euen the spirite of truth Ioh. 14.16 and he shall lead you into all truth and shall abyde with you for euer So as Christ hath giuen vs example we must daylie pray the father for this Spirite to illuminate our sences that we may vnderstand his word aright Psal 119. Open mine eyes sayth Dauid that I may consyder the wonders in thy lawe Teach me thy iustifications and giue mee vnderstanding and I shall search thy commaundements And Paule the Doctor of the Gentyls in al his Epistles prayeth for the vnderstanding of the wyll and worde of God which commeth by the light of the holy ghost Collos 1.9 I haue not ceased synce the fyrst daye I heard of you Collossians sayth Paule to pray for you and to make peticion that you may be filled in al the knowledge of his will with al wisedome and spiritual vnderstanding Also for the Ephesians he sayth Ephe. 3.14 For this cause I bowe my knees to the father of our Lord Iesus Christ of whom is named the whole family in heauen and earth that he will for his riche gloryes sake giue vnto you mightily to be strengthened by his spirite in the inner man that Christ maye dwell in your hartes by fayth that you being rooted in charitie and grounded may comprehende with all Saints what is the breadth the length the depth and to know the loue of Christ which passeth al knowledge that ye maye be fylled with al the fulnesse of God A most excellent order howe we obteyne the vnderstanding of his worde the light of lyfe which expresseth the great goodnesse of our good GOD set forth by this Metaphor of Geomatrie of bredth length height depth that is to say the excéeding goodnesse of God which in euery place in heauen and earth East and Weast North and South appeareth through his lyght of the Gentyls Christ the Lorde to the sonnes of men Prayer is the fyrst step to this vnderstanding Prayer I saye to God the Father of Christ and vs. Gods mercifull gifte answering our prayer is the next which riche gift reacheth to our harts our light Christ the Lorde to dwell therein which Christ doth shyne by his spirite so in our soules that we by this spirituall power doe vnderstand the mysteries conteyned in his word doe heare his voyce and onely cleaue thereto eschewing al strange spéeches be they neuer so pleasant to the naturall eare 1. Cor. 3.14 For thus made spirituall we iudge al things Assure your selues by your owne desire of doing good to your own borne sonnes of your heauenly fathers gift euen his holye spirite to this ende Iac. 1.6 Luc. 11.11 If ye aske in faith not doubting Which of you fathers if his sonne doe aske him bread wil giue him a stone Or if he aske a Fishe wil giue him a Serpent Or if he aske an Egge wil giue him a Scorpion If you therefore sayth our light and Lord Christ being euil know how to giue your children good giftes How much more shal your heauenly father giue his holye spirite to them which aske of him Whosoeuer asketh receyueth and he which seeketh findeth who knocketh the dore shall be opened to him Pray therefore lyfting vp pure hands The second is the diligent studie and daylie reading in the booke of God Psalm 1. Blessed is he that doth meditate in the law of God day and night and doth conferre place with place and by those that are more playne open the more obscure This was Paules commaundement to Timothie 1. Tim. 4.13 Tyll I come giue thy selfe to reading to exhortation to doctrine Againe Abyde thou in those things that thou hast learned knowing of whome thou hast learned them 2. Tim. 3.14 and that of a little chylde thou hast studied the Scriptures which are able to make thee wise to saluation by fayth in Christ Iesu Yea olde Paule hymselfe Reading with dyligence a gret furtherance to Gods knowledge in vs. being a prysoner in Rome for the Gospell contynued this exercise of reading penning the fruite of his studie Wherefore that he myght haue to do so he sendeth to Timothy for his books and noting Partchment Roles that he left at Troas If thys was néedefull to olde learned Paule it is moste necessary in yong Tymothy if in the teacher 2. Tim. 4.13 much more in the scholer And let no man yrke at the based style of holy Wryt but rather thinke as in homely shelles manye tymes are found most precious stones and in rough inclosing chaffe moste fayre and fruitefull Wheate So vnder the lowe style of Gods sacred Booke the diligent praying Reader if he come not with a preiudiced mind thereto shal gather to his best good the heauenly truth of Gods holye wyll in his writtē scriptures These precious Iewels shal he there fynde A most sure Ancor holde for his conscience against all temptations If thou labor of darke ignorance therein is the brightnesse of knowledge If troubled in conscience and vexed for synne there is the remedy the warrant of quyet minde giuen thée in Christ If oppressed and almost ouer whelmed in
worldly cares and enimies there is consolation and happy euent easely had If destrest and perplexed there is sound counsell and faythfull friendship If doubting of Gods lyfe there is a most sure Towre of defence and well buylded bulwarkes against all such assaultes And truely our second Dauid Christ did not else where 1. Sam. 17.40 Mat. 4. then forth of this Scrip take those little stones which slue the olde Goliath Satanas in his subtile assaulte and cruell temptation Scriptum est c. What wouldest thou haue Hence floweth the Ryuers of God in Christ to the drinking of which Ioh. 4.14 our Christ doth daylie inuyte vs whose nature is absolutely to quenche oure intollerable thyrst The treasures dwelling in the worde of God and to satisfie vs in desire of most happinesse Here is the Storehouse of GOD whether we ought to goe to satisfie oure hungry soules Thys is the Table of the Lorde most amply furnished with all dyshes of necessary dyet dressed by the finger of God wherewith he doth most lyberally féede vs Here is also moste pleasaunt Wyne of consolation and lyfe the Fountayne of Christs bloud daylie open for euery soule that thyrsteth after it to washe away his synnes In this holy Byble is situate the Heauenly Paradise farre passing the Garden of Eden where is all kinde of fruit for vs to eate in which the Trée of lyfe Christ Iesus is most fayre and frée to vs. The trée of knowledge of good and euill is set to our instruction vz the worde of God of which we maye eate and muste eate wyll we be saued But that we eate not as our fyrst Father Adam did in earthly Paradise it is fyt that we come as Bées and not lyke vnto venemous Spyders Let vs search and séeke therein the most swéete lycour of lyfe the knowledge of God and his Christ the knowledge of our synnes the reward of them the forgiuenesse of them by whome and the maner howe The will of God and the strength to serue him orderly the power of Satan and his wylie engins and how to escape them The weapons and armour of God and how to be armed therewith and by battayle in our Captayne Christ to beate downe Satan vnder our féete If on this sort we come and humbly with open hartes pray and reade aduisedly and eftsoones meditate in the lawe of God we shall moste ioyfully returne daylie to our brethren into the Hyue of Gods Churche where we shall become profitable to all men by the honey of lyfe euen his spirite and truth which forth of the Garden of Gods scriptures we haue receyued But if we come with mindes to cauill forestuffed with errors and bent to gather to féede our yll we shall misconster the worde for his truth is open to babes Mat. 11.15 that are content to take the lesson at the parents mouth and not to the worldly wyse and lyke learned resting in their owne wouen webbe of frayle humayne spynning Hence commeth darknesse error heresies schismes backslydings from God and running into Hell without remorse Take héede therfore how thou commest to this holy booke and looke not therein superficially but in great diligence and let the hardnesse thereof procure thy whole industrie as before consydering wyth what paynes men attayne to skyll and how harde things by often vse become both swéete and easie Mortall men take great paines to read prophane but little in gods Booke The mortall bookes of heathen men we toyle and turne ouer with incredible endeuour and contynuall labor beating body and brayne the solace and safetie of health often berefte and contemned hereby that we might attayne the perfection of the wryters will And yet doe such labors but teach or the kéeping or recouery of Natures health or the increase of state and wealth or the ruled lynes of common welths guyde or such other artifyciall poyntes of temporall blessings which in themselues consydered are in deede precious but compared with the treasures of Gods booke the lyght of lyfe there is no comparison For we haue not therein mannes earthy but Gods heauenly wisedome speaking vnto vs to whose worde Gods word wyll make vs apt to all perfection if we giue obedient eare we shall receyue most synguler aptnesse and ability to al heauenly things we shall dryue from vs all heauy depressing pleasures that hinder godly paines in Gospel studie we shall be lightened with consolation in the booke of God and his worde shal become most swéete and easie vnto vs of what estate soeuer Kings shall haue in this booke their rule to gouerne learned Preachers to teache and the matter and Methode Counsellors Lordes and Lawyers matters of health the déepe wyttes and great Clarkes high and déepe mysteries and louing lowly persons plaine and most open doctrine sufficient to their saluation Therfore reade diligently and praye continually and no doubt the Lord according to his promise seeke and you shal finde Luc. 11.10 Math. 6. Ezech. 36. pray and it shall be giuen you c. will giue thée his holye spirite change thy heart of stone into a fleshy heart and teach thée his statutes giue thée the vnderstanding of hys lawe and teach thée himselfe This onely remayneth that we which be Gentyls should cast away our former darknesse and put on this armour of lyghte and embracing Christ for our lead Starre as he is of his father giuen to vs should by his spirite and sacred worde of fayth in his power cast of the power and workes of darknesse Otherwise it shall be to all Recusants their condemnation that light is come into the worlde Ioh. 3.19 and those blynde men loue darknesse rather then the light The Iewe ought to refuse his Righteousnesse by the lawe also and the Pharisey not to bragge glory of his holynesse but sincerely to receyue this our light Christ and in him onely to repose his trust bycause he is giuen him of GOD to be his onely glory And this God graunt to his good pleasure in Christ To the which Christ with God the Father and the holy Ghost be all honor and glory nowe and for euer Amen Laus Deo A. A. ⧠Imprinted at London in Fleetestreate beneath the Conduite at the Signe of Saint Iohn Euangelist by H. Iackson 1581.