sworde of the word of God The Diuil vnder him is temptation being ouercome by faith in Christ Iesus FAith is a sure cōfidēce of things which are hoped for and a certainty of things which are not seene By it the Elders were well reported of Through fayth we vnderstand that the world was ordayned by y e word of God And things which are seene were made of thinges which are not seene By faith Abell offred vnto God a more plenteous sacrifice then Cayne by which he obtayned witnes that he was righteous God testifiyng of hys giftes by which also he being dead yet speaketh By faith was Enoch translated that he shoulde not see death neither was he found for God had taken him away Before he was takē away he was reported of that he had pleased God but without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cōmeth to God must beleue that God is and that he is a rewarder of thē that seeke him By faith Noe being warned of God eschued the thinges which were as yet not seene and prepared the Arke to the sauing of his houshold through the which Arke he condempned the worlde and became heyre of y e righteousnes which is according to faith By faith Abraham when he was called obeyed to goe out into a place which he shoulde afterward receiue to inheritaunce and he went out not knowing whether he should goe By faith he remoued into the land of promise as into a straunge countrey whē he had dwelt in tabernacles and so did Isaack and Iacob heires with him of the same promise for he looked for a Citie hauing a foundation whose builder and is God Through faith Sara also receaued strength to conceaue and be with childe and was deliuered of a childe when she was past age because she iudged him faithfull which had promised therefore sprang there of one euen of one which was as good as dead so many in multitude as are the starres of the skye and as the sand the which is by the sea shore innumerable These all dyed according to faith when they had not receiued the promises but sawe them afarre of and beleued them and saluted them and confessed that they were straungers pilgrimes on the earth for they that sawe such thinges declare that they seke a Countrey and if they had bene mindefull of the countrey frō whence they came out they had leasure to haue retourned agayne but now they desier a better that is to say an heauenly wherefore God hymselfe is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a Citie By fayth Abraham offered vp Isaac when he was proued and he offred him being his onely sonne in whome he had receiued the promises and to him it was sayde in Isaac shall thy seede be called for he considered that God was able to rayse vp agayne from death therefore receiued he him also for an example of y e resurrection By faith did Isaac blesse Iacob and Esau concerning thinges to come By fayth Iacobe when he was a dying blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph and bowed hymselfe towarde the toppe of his scepter By fayth Ioseph when he dyed remembred the departyng of the children of Israell and gaue commaundement of his bones By faith Moyses when he was borne was hidde three monthes of his father and mother because they saw he was a proper childe neither feared they the kinges commaundemente By fayth Moyses when he was great refused to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season and estemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egipt for he had respect vnto the reward By fayth he forsoke Egipt and feared not the fiercenes of the king for he endured euen as though he had sene him which is inuisible Through fayth he ordayned the passouer and the effusiō of bloud least he that destroyeth y e first borne should touch them By faith they passed through the red sea as by dry land which whē the Egiptians had assayed to do they were drowned By faith y e walles of Iericho fell downe after they were compassed about seuen dayes By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that were disobedient when she had receiued the spies to lodging peaceably and what shall I more saye for the time wilbe to short for me to tell of Gedeon of Barach and of Sampson and of Iephtaph of Dauid also and Samuell and of the Prophets which through faith subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obtayned the promises and stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fier escaped the edge of the sword out of weaknes were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the armes of the aliantes the women receiued their dead raysed to life agayne Other were racked would not be deliuered that they myght inherit a better resurrection Againe other were tried with mockkinges and scorninges moreouer with bondes and prisonment and were stoned were hewen a sunder were tempted were slaine with the sworde walked vp and downe in sheepes skinnes and goates skinnes being destitute troubled and vexed which men the worlde was not worthy of They wandered in wildernes and in mountaynes and in dennes and caues of the earth and these all through fayth obtayned good report and receiued not the promise because God had promysed a better thynge for vs that they without vs should not be made perfect By faith we resist the Deuill and ouercome him in the worlde Finally my brethren be stronge in the Lord and in the power of his might put on the armour of God that ye may stand stedfast against the crafty assaultes of the Deuill for we wrestle not against flesh and bloude but against rule against power and against worldely rulers of the darckenes of thys worlde against spirituall wickednes for heauēly thinges for this cause take vnto you the armoure of God that ye may be able to resiste in the euill day and stand perfect in all thinges They that haue receiued the faith and the holy Ghost and also tasted the gospel of God if they do forsake it and blaspheme it willing to be saued by other sacrifice then that by Christ do abide the iudgement of God wythout mercy we y t beleue Christ let vs follow Christes liuing The faith of a Christian is ioyned with charitie and without charitie is the faith of the Deuill Like as the bodye is deade wherein is no spirite so faith is dead where there lacketh workes Fayth not exercised soone waxeth sicke and being vnoccupied is assaulted with sundry displeasures Well may he be counted right valiaunt in dede which in ioy nor in sorow doth not exceede the faithfull man possesseth his treasure whose modestie moueth still to minde measure He that teacheth the liuely faith
shall keepe my commaundementes Let loue be without dissimulation hate that which is euill and cleaue vnto that which is good Be kinde one to an other wyth brotherly loue We shoulde not loue one an other as Cayne which was of the wicked and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his owne workes were euil and his brothers good He that loueth not his brother abideth in death who so euer hateth his brother is a man slayer and ye know that no man slayer hath eternal life abiding in him ¶ Our loue towardes our enemies WE ought to loue our enemies ye haue heard how it is sayd thou shalt loue thine neighbour and hate thine enemy But I saye vnto you loue your enemies blesse them which curse you do good to them that hate you pray for them which do you wrong and persecute you that ye may be the children of your father that is in heauē for he maketh his sunne to arise on the euill and on the good sendeth his raine on the iust and vniust for if ye loue them which loue you what reward shal ye haue do not the publicans likewise and if ye be frendly to your brethren only what singular thinges do ye do not the Publicans also ye shalbe therefore perfect euen as your father which is in heauen is perfect Let not the wrath and gelosye moue thee to follow the wicked and vngodly why the wicked shall haue no posteritie and the candle of the vngodly shalbe put out My sonne feare the Lord and the kyng and keepe no company with them that slide backe from his feare for their destruction shall come sodainly and who knoweth the aduersity that may come of them both Goe not from the doctrine of the elders for they haue learned it of their fathers for of them thou shalt learne vnderstanding so that thou mayst make answere in y e time of neede kindle not the coles of sinners when thou rebukest them least thou be burnt in the fiery flames of their sinnes resist not the face of the blasphemer that he laye not wayte for thy mouth Thy children shalbe taught of God and I will geue them plenteousnes of peace in righteousnes shalt thou be grounded and be farre from oppression for the which thou needest not to be afrayed neither for hinderaunce for it shall not come nigh thee beholde the aliant that was farre from me shall dwell with me and he that ioyneth battayle against thee shall pearish and as for all tongues that shall resist thee in iudgement thou shalte ouercome them and condemne them this is the heritage of the Lordes seruauntes and their righteousnes commeth of me saith the Lord. A wise iudge will order his people with discretion and where a man of vnderstanding beareth rule there goeth it well as the iudge of the people is himselfe euē so are his officers and loke what manner of man the ruler of the Citie is such are they that dwel therein also An vnwise king destroyeth his people but where they that be in authority be men of vnderstanding there the citie prospereth I say vnto you whosoeuer confesseth me before men euen him shall the sonne of man confesse also before the Angels of God he y t denieth me before mē shalbe denied before y e Angels of God whosoeuer speaketh a word against y e sonne of mā it shalbe forgeuē him but vnto him y t blasphemeth the holy ghost it shal not be forgeuen Also when the Apostles of Christ were forbidden to preach they would not but shewed thēselues more obedient vnto God then men such was the enuy of the Iewes to y e professours of God his worde And it came to passe as he sate at meat with them he tooke bread blessed it brake and gaue to thē and their eyes were opened and they knew him and he vanished out of their sight Our Sauiour Christe shewed himselfe after his passion vnto two disciples as they went toward Emas and after that standing in the middest of the eleuēth as they were together saying that he was the light of the world and the sauiour of all those which beleued in him such loue had our Sauiour towardes the enuious Iewes and yet they woulde not beleue Also when the martyr S. Steuen rebuked the stifnecked Iewes for their cruell oppression and putting to death of al the prophets before the comming of that iust whome ye haue now betrayed and murthered and ye also haue receaued a law by the ordinaunce of Angels and haue not kept it and when they heard his wordes they gnashed their teeth vppon him and ranne all at once and stoned him In like sorte hath the enemies of Gods Gospell sought to kill to destroy the professours of hys truth God graunt for his mercy if it be his will to open their eyes that they may perceiue the truth and sory their for offences Who so euer shall not receiue you nor will heare your preaching whē ye depart be out of that house or that citie shake of the dust of your feete Truely I say vnto you it shalbe easier for the lande of Zodom and Gomorra in the day of iudgement then for that Citie There is nothing so close that shal not be opened and nothing so hide that shall not be knowen a worde spoken in due season is like apples of golde in a grauen worke of siluer Be not wise in your own opinions recōpence to no man euil for euill prouide afore hand thynges honest in the sight of all men if it be possible howbeit of your part haue peace with all men dearely beloued auenge not your selues but geue roome to y e wrath of God for it is written vengeaunce is myne I wil reward sayth the Lord. Therfore if thyne enemy hunger feede him if he thirst geue hym drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape cooles of fier vppon his head be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with goodnes When the profit Dauid heard that an Amelikite had slayne his enemy King Saule he was very sory and mourned for him and caused y e Amelikite for his rewarde also to be slayne because he had killed the Lordes annoynted When the Lord purposed to destroy Zodom and Gomorra Abraham sayde vnto hym Lorde what if there be 50. righteous wilte thou spare the rest for their sakes so that it came to the number of tenne and there coulde none be founde but onely Lotte and his householde the which were preserued thus oughte euery man to forgeue and to pray for his ennemy and so shall we bee the seruauntes of God ¶ Of fayth and the wonderfull working of the same and stedfast beliefe of the fathers in olde tyme. The signification THe man in armour signifieth all stedfast beleuers of the veritie being armed with constant zeale of Christianitie and weaponed with the shielde of liuely faith the spere of continuaunce and the
in Christ buildeth the building and doctrine of God For faith in tribulation causeth patience Let euery man see therfore whether he continue in the same Faith also maketh vs to obtayne that whiche we desire in prayer and by the which we are by the number of saintes in receauing remission of our sinnes Thus faith is our vâ—â—tory for all that is borne of God ouercommeth the world and this is the victory that ouercommeth the worlde euen our faith Who is it that ouercommeth the worlde euen he which beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God Christ is risen from the dead and is become the first frutes of them that slepe for as by man came death euen so by man also came life euerlasting to all that faythfully beleue ¶ Of Hope The signification THe troubled seas signifie the temptations of mankinde the shippe beyng rent signifieth the dispersed churche of God who beyng tossed to and fro by the force of temptations and throwne out yet they not fearyng the boysterous windes of aduersitie but thorough assured hope in Christ they flie to the rocke of endles felicitie which is Christ. BEcause therefore that we are iustified by fayth we are at peace with God thorough our Lorde Iesus Christ by whom we haue a way in through faith vnto his grace where in we stand and reioyce in hope of the praise that shalbe geuen of God neither do we see onely but also reioice in tribulation for we know that tribulatioÌ„ bringeth pacience pacience bringeth experience experience bringeth hope and hope maketh not ashamed for the loue of God is shed abrode in our hartes by the holy ghost which is geuen vnto vs. All suche as be right Christians are not ashamed of this hope for they are well assured that by the death of Christ God loueth vs and will bring the hope of all Christians to passe Hope here is not alone but is ioyned with fayth and charitie so that the one cannot be without the other neither the one to haue the lacke of the other For as Faith cannot be iustified without workes no more can hope without charitie for as faith without workes is deade so is hope without charitie deade also Therfore it is necessary for all christians to ioyne theÌ„selues to these foure and although they be named in foure seuerall names yet but two in effect as may be very plainly vnderstanded Faith workes hope and charitie workes in the name of a plurall number signifieth all as well the euill as good But I meane those workes in the which all faithfull Christians ought to arme themselues withall and all those that with willing mindes doo further any of these vnto such the rewarde is most happy and fortunate with faithfull hope there is alwayes constant charitie the which worketh so diligently that she neuer seaseth but is still labouring by all meanes to helpe and relieue all such as of her hath neede Example herein may be compared vnto all diligent preachers furtherers of Gods worde the which neither for persecution nor preferment of liuing will once leaue of froÌ„ teaching the poore of whom they haue cure charge of such there is very fewe which signifieth most euident and playne that charitie is nere blynde and can not very well see Therefore I wishe or desire all estates so to bridle their affections that with sufficiencie eche man may so liue in this world that in y e world to come he may haue euerlasting felicitie Hope thou in the Lorde and kepe his way and he shall promote thee that thou shalt possesse the land WheÌ„ the vngodly perishe thou shalt see it But my hope hath bene in thee O Lord. I haue sayd thou art my God God is our hope and strength a very present helpe in tyme of trouble For thou lord art my hope thou hast set thine house of defence very hye My soule hath longed for thy saluation and I haue a good hope because of thy worde Thou O God art the thyng that I long for thou art my hope eueÌ„ from my youth I also cried vnto the Lord and sayd thou art my hope and my portion in the land of the liuing Blessed be the Lorde my strength which teacheth my handes to warre my fingers to fight my hope and my fortresse my castle and deliuerer my defender in whome I trust which subdueth my people that is vnder me for I suppose that the afflictions of this lyfe are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vpon vs also the feruent desire of the creatures abideth loking when y e sonnes of God shall appeare because the creatures are subdued to vanitie against their wyll but for hys will which subdued them in hope for the very creatures shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God for we know that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauaileth in payne euen vnto this time not they only but euen we also which haue the first fruites of the spiritie mourne in our selues and waite for the adoption and loke for the deliueraunce of our bodies for wee are saued by hope but hope that is seene is no hope for howe can a man hope for that which he seeth but and if we hope for y t which we see not then doo we with patience abyde for it for where fayth is there is hope and where as there is no sure hope there is no christian fayth wherefore it may be right well sayd we are saued by hope That is by the most certayne and sure faith in Christes promise whiche causeth vs to hope certainly that at the tyme appointed we shall be deliuered from this great burden of the flesh The desire of y e righteous is acceptable but the hope of the vngodly is iudgement The vngodly is cast a way for his iniquitie but the righteous hath a good hope euen in death The hope that is put in a false man in tyme of neede is like a rotten tooth but let not thy soule be moued to slay him Also as there is a good hope vnto the godly which before is expressed so is there a fayned hope among the wicked and very seldome can be redressed whiche is when a man in worldly causes hopeth to bring to passe that thyng which by no meanes may be entertayned or gotten Example of one Iphis the sonne of Theucer kyng of Mesia a countrey ioyning to Hungary the which for the loue of a damosell called Anaxareten hanged him selfe Wherefore the Poetes haue fayned the saide Anaxareten to be turned into a stone because that she loued not him the which for her loue had hanged him selfe Moreouer what ensued of the Princes whiche sought the death of the Prophet Daniell their folishe vayne hope was vtterly frustrated for they thought that Daniell being once among the lyons could