The Governance of Virtue
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A06832.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
The Gouernaunce of Uertue, teaching all faithful Christians, how they ought daily to lead their life, & fruitfully to spend their time unto the glory of God & the health of their own souls. Newlye corrected & augmented by Thomas Becon. 1566
Imprinted at London by John Day.
CVM PRIVILEGIO Regie Maiestatis.
AETATIS SVAE. 41 AN o . DN̄I. 1553.
To the Godly Reader.
3. Regum 1.
If a man be virtuous, there shall not an hear of his fall to the ground. But if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die for it.
Tobi. 4.
Love virtue all the days of thy life, and walk not in the ways of wickedness For while thou studiest for virtues, thou shalt have good success in all things that thou goest about and so shall all they that love goodness.
A Table to find the principal matters contained in this book.
- AN exhortation to the Reader.
- The Epistle dedicatory.
- How a man should be have himself in the morning when he riseth.
- A prayer in the morning.
- A confession of our sins unto God the father.
- How thou shouldst behave thyself before thou go to dinner.
- A prayer before dinner.
- Of the behavior at the Table in dinner time.
- A thanks giving after dinner.
- What is to be done after dinner.
- Of Supper.
- A prayer before Supper.
- Of the behavior at the table in supper time.
- A thanks giving after supper.
- Of going to bed.
- A prayer to be said when we go to bed.
- A prayer to be said▪ when thou art in bed.
- Remedies against all kinds of temptacions.
- Against Idolatry.
- Against infidelity or misbelief.
- Against the heresy of such as deny Jesus Christ •… to be god.
- Against the heresy of them, which hold that Jesus Christ the son of God, took no flesh of Mary his Mother.
- Againste the gross and fantastical opinion of the Papists, which affirm that Christ's natural body and blood is carnally eaten and drunken in the Lord's supper.
- Against the plucking away of thy trust and confidence from Christ and his merits, to put in the merits of other creatures, or in thine own good works, or in the intercession of Saints, or in sacrifice of the popish Mass.
- Against such as go about to diswad •… the Christian people from the studiing, reading or hearing of God's word.
- Against strange religion, or new found worshipping of God.
- Against men's traditions and unwritten verities
- Against the following of ungodly forefathers.
- Against the wicked old customs & longe usages.
- Againste such as slander Christ's gospel by cal linge it new learning.
- Against pensiuenes and thought taking for the life.
- Against hunger poverty, or carefulness of living.
- Against keeping of evil company.
- Against idleness.
- Against swearing.
- Against lying, slandering▪ and filthy or unclean talk.
- Against pride or vayneglory.
- Against feasting glotony, and drunkenness.
- Against fornication and adultery.
- Against covetousness.
- Against rebellion and disobedience.
- Against malice, grudge, envy, hatred, and anger.
- Against the temptation of the faithful in considering their own misery, and contrariwise the wealth of the wicked.
- Against the most horrible and damnable sin, the sin against the holy Ghost.
- Against the despising of gods word: and of the plagues that follow the same.
- Against carnal security and fleshly living without the fear of God.
- Against the flacknes of doing good works.
- Against the troublous tempests of sickness, of loss of goods, or any other kind of adversity
- Against the temptation of the Devil for no •… t satis fieng the law of God, and for thy sinful living▪
- Against desperation for thy late conversion and tur ning unto God.
- Against sin, death and hell •…
To the right honorable and moste virtuous young Lady Jane Semer, daughter to the high and mighty Prince Edward Duke of Somerset his grace, Thomas Becon wisheth increase of godly knowledge in Christ Jesus our Lord.
T Here are no Parents (most godly Lady) that deserve better of the Christian public weal, then they which thorough gods gift having Children, employ all their endeavours to train them up even from their very cradels in good letters & in the knowledge of gods moste blessed will, that with their young years, learning, virtue and godliness, may grow and increase and the younglinges by this means be made at the last ancient and perfect scholars in the mistery of Christ's school. This careful study and studyous care for the virtuous bringing up of youth, god in time paste earnestly required of all Fathers and Mothers in the common weal of his people the Israelites, and according to gods holy commandment such as vnfainedlye feared the Lord their God, and wished well to their country, refused no labor, no pain, nor cost that their children might be made profitable members of the public weal. As I may pas over the ancient and holy Patriarchs which were before the law of Moses (of whose diligence in the virtuous bringing up of their yonglinges, it is more than double wickedness to doubt, seeing we have this evident testimony of Abraham even of gods own mouth. Shall I hide frō Abraham saith god, that thing which I intend to do. Seeing that Araham shall be a great and a migh •… ye people, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? I know this also, that he will command his Children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, and do after righte and conscience. What earnest diligence did the moste noble and virtuous King David show in the godly bringing up of his Children, specially of Solomon, that he might become a Prince worthy both for his godliness, learning, wisdom and pollicye, to rule in the common weal after him? What godly instructions also gave he him, when he was at the point of death? Behold (saith he) I must walk by the way of all the world, nevertheless be strong and quite thy sel •… manfully, and se thou keep the appointment of the Lord thy god, that y • walk in his ways▪ and keep his commandment, ordinances, laws and testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses. &c.
Likewise rede we of the ancient Father Toby which taught his young Son Toby to f •… are god from his infancye, and to abstain from all sin. His exhortations are to godly and so meet for all persons to learn, that I think it not convenient to pass them over with silence. His words are these.
Herken my Son what I will say, and lay my words in thy heart as a foundation. My Son when I am dead bury me and after despise not thy Mother, but honor her all the days of her life, and do to please her, and not to displease her. My Son remember howe great peril she suffered bearing thee in her womb, and when she is dead, bury her in the same grave by me. Son reverence our Lord God at all times, sin not, nor break not his commandments▪ but love virtue all the dates of thy life, and walk not in the ways of wickedness For while thou studiest for virtue, thou shalt have good success in all things that thou goest about, and so shall all they that love goodness. Do alms of thy substance and be no •… igard in doing of it.
Turn not thy face away from any poort man, as thou wouldest that God should not turn away his face from thee. Geue as thou shalt be able, if y • have much, give much, and if thou have little, give of that little. For thou shalt lay up for thee a good treasure against the day of necessity. For alms delivereth from death, and suffereth not the soul to come into darkness. Alms is a great comfort before the highest to all that use it.
My Son beware, keep thee from all whoredom and use no evil company besides thy wife, Suffer pride never to rise in thy mind no not in word for death is joined to pride and much trouble, and to hautines is joined displeasure and great poverty, and she is mother of hunger. Let no man's hire remain with thee, whose service thou hast had, but forthewith pay his wages, for unto thee also serving God, reward shall be given.
Son be circumfpect and ware in all thy deeds and in all that thou dost, while thou livest, be wise and do not to any man that thou wouldest not to be done unto thee. Drink not wine until thou be drōk nor carry it not with thee by the way, give thy bred to the hungry, and with thy clothes cover the naked. What soever thou hast more then is sufficient give it to the poor, and never grudge to be liberal, set thy bread upon the Sepulcres of the just▪ and bestow it not upon the noughty, Ask council always of the wise, and despise no good council. Be always praying unto the Lord, and beseech him that he willorder thy footesteppes and ways, and prosper thy devises, for no people are wise, but the Lord him self is the giver of all good things, and thrusteth down whom, and who he listeth. My Son be not afraid, we lead a poor life in this world, notwithstanding if thou fear god, and study to please him, thou shalt have goods enough. Therefore my son remember my precepts, and put them not out of thy mind. Again being redye to die, he called unto him his son and his sons Children, and among all other things he spake unto him on this wise: keep thou the law and cōm •… un dements, and show thyself merciful and just, that thou mayest prosper. Have god ever in thy remembrance, and praise him at all times w t all thy might
In like manner read we of the Parentes of that most godly and chaste woman Susanna, which be ing righteous thē selves, taught their young daugh ter to fear the Lord her god, even from her very cradle, and diligently brought her up, according to the law of Moses
Luke also in his boke of the Apostles, maketh mē cion of the four daughters of Phillip the euangelist, which did Prophecy (that is to say) were so godly brought up in the knowledge of gods moste blessed law, that they were able to declare and expound the holy Scriptures and mysteries of God according to this prophecy. I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons & your daugh ters shall prophecy, Dooth not blessed Paul also commend Timothy because he had known the holy scriptures even of a child.
Divers histories mo might be alleged out of the holy Scriptures to declare the careful studies and earnest labors which the holyfathers in time past took for the godly and virtuous bringing up of their younglinges, that they might be fathers not only of the body but also of the mind and for their power satisfy the good will of God which re quireth of all parents, an earnest diligence & a watching ye in bringing up their children in his nou •… ture and fear, in his word and doctrine, but these for this present may seme aboundauntlye to suffice. Furthermore as touching the heathen, which of them all even from the lowest both amongst the Romaines and the Greeks, with diverse other na tions although having respect not unto the glory of God, whereunto the end of all studies ought to be directed, but only unto the auauncement of thenselves unto the maintenance of good politique civil and honest orders, unto the hability of rulinge in a comom weal unto the polishing of their wit vn to eloquence, unto immortality of their name: Enforced not both them selves to be learned, but also sought all means possible to have their children brought up in good letters. That their yonglings might become learned, what pains or costs refu sed the parents? They sent their children from country to country, from one learned man to another. Many of them called learned men home unto their houses, gave them honorable intertainmente great gifts and large stipendes for teaching their children. There was no burden to heavy, no labor to painful, no cost to charge able for them so that their children might prove learned. If they obtained that, they thought themselves worthy and righteous parents, and to deserve well both of their children and of the public weal. And as everyone of them excelled in worthiness and authority, so labored they that both themselves & their children should excel and pass the baser sort in lear ninge, iin knowledge, in virtue & honest behavior in so much that if any wer unlearned, and wanted the godly qualities of the mind, albeit he wer of an honorable parentage, he was counted of no re putation, & called a stone, a block, a beast, a golden slave, a sheep with a golden Flcese, an horse trapped with silver, an asse covered with purple with such other despytefull names, so little regarded (even among the Heathen) was noble blood, worldly substance, sumptuous apparel, gorgeous building, delicate fare, and whatsoever besides the folly she world wondereth at, and moste highlye extolleth, if learning and virtue were absent. By this means, came it to pass that Philip king of the Macedonians, and his son Alexander, Julius Caesar, Darius, Antonius Philosophus the Emperor, Hieron, Attalus, Magones, I •… , Dion Siracusanus, Thebanus Epaminondas, Pompeius, Augustus, Traianus, Antonius Pius, Claudins▪ Tiberius, Titus Uespasianus, Domicianus, Aelius, Adrianus: Galerius, Maximus▪ the sonues of Tiberius Gracchus, with other innumerable, became both learned, and the unfeigned favorers of learning, yea and the diligent promoters of learned men. Many of them which were right excellent Emperors and noble kings thought themselves more noble and more worthy of renown for their learning and virtue then for their imperial dignity and princelike authority. When king Alphonsus heard a certain man say, that learning was not semely for a prince, or for a noble mā, he cried out and said, vox bouis non hominis. Thys is the voice of an ox and not of a man: When a certain man demanded of Isocrates whether he thought the king of the Persians happy and blessed or not, he answered, I know not howe much learning and virtue he hath, meaning that the true felicity, happiness, and wealth consisteth not in the flitting and uncertain goods of fortune, but in the constant & immortal treasures of the mind. The bringing up of youth in learning and honest qualities, was so much regarded among the Lacedemonians, that they made a law, who soever did not study for the honest & virtuous training up of their children in good letters and other necessary arts profitable for a common wealth: the same should be deprived of all such privileges and liberties, as were due to true and faithful Citizens. Our auncetors both among the people of God, and among the heathen, did consider, that the health, prosperity, & safeguard of the common weal, •… th principally consist in the godly and virtuous bringing up of youth. If they be learnedly & fruitfully brought up, then shall they afterward prove, 〈◊〉 •… ble Magistrates, some wise and faithful counselors, some godly spiritual ministers, some learned scholemaisters, some diligent laborers, some cunning artificers, some, yea and ail obedient subjects to the high powers, and profitable members of the common weal. Contrariwyse, if they be brought up in barbarous rudeness and w t out any civility or knowledge of good letters & such other necessary arts: it must needs come to pass y t they shall be rather pestilēces thē preseruers of y • common weal. Therefore did our elders above all things show earnest diligence about y • godly training up of their youth, in honest & virtuous exercises, ever setting before their eyes, that learning to a noble man, is a joyful jewel, to the baser sort, a sure defense and a mighty bulwark, against the stout storms of froward fortune, & to a common weal a precious preservative. In like manner my Lord's grace your father a prince of noble renoune in whō •… s in a true mirror lively shyneth y e beautiful bea mes of right nobility, considering that the office of a worthy Parent appeareth in nothing so manyfestly as in the Godlye bringing up of youth in heavenly mysteries, that is to say, in the knowledge of good letters and in the study of God's moste blessed word, hath with my Ladies grace your mother a Lady of a notable godliness, and of singulere pity toward y • poor menbers of Christ even from your cradels studied to trayne & bring up both my Lord's your brothers, and my Ladies your Sisters and you likewise his graces children in good literature, and in the knowledge of God's most holy laws, that ye may learn from your infancye to fear the Lord your God, and to walk in his godly ordinances, and so be come truly noble, not only for births sake, but also for learning and virtue, and for the Godly qualities of the mind. In the which Godly exercises ye have so profited even in these your tender years, that ye •… aue not only answered but also overcome the expectation of many. If ye go forth according to your beginnings, I doubt not, but that ye shall get to my Lord's grace, and to my Ladies grace your most honorable Parents, much renoune, and to yourself noble fame and glorious immortalitye. And albeit your good Ladyship's breast is so furnished withal godly doctrine, that ye need not my simple and homely exhortations to move you unto godliness and virtue, whereunto of your own disposition ye are moste willinly bente and inclined, yet to declare some parte of my good will toward your Ladishippe I thought it not good to let go the occasion offered unto me. Certayn wekes past considering the miserable face of this to much wretched and lamentable world, and weighinge with myself that the next and most ready way to redress our miseries, is to fly unto God with continual & hearty prayer. I made a boke entitled: The Floure of Godly prayers, dedicated to my ladies grace your mother, wherein ar contained pray yers not only for all degrees and states of men, but also for all other things necessary to be asked of God, either for the body or for the soul, which prayers I would with daily as occasion shall serve, to be used of the faithful. Immedyatly after the setting forth of these prayers, certain of my friends came unto me, and earnestly required of me to peruse and correct the Gouernaunce of Virtue, which about viii. years paste, even in the bloody wysterous burning time, when the reading of the holy Bible, the word of our souls health, was forbidden the poor lay people, I gathered out of the holy scriptures, and caused to be printed for the edifying of the simple and unlearned Christians. Yet suppressinge my name which at that time was odious to those ou •… s that could not abide the glorious light of gods blessed word, that the boke might have the better success, and be the more free frō Antichrists thonderbolt •… I knowing myself debtor to all good men and to all their godly requests, perused the boke, wherein I found so many faults thorough the negligence o the hongry printers, that very pity without any request of friends, might have been thought sufficient to have given me occasion to correct the boke which hitherto hath been so greatly desired and gre dely red almost of all men, yea and that not w t out great profit, as the often printing of the boke doth rightwell declare. I have diligently perused the boke corrected the faults changed diverse things and added many necessari instructions with diverse godly prayers for the edifying of the readers. This little boke recognised and augmented (moste virtuous Lady) I give unto your Ladyship as a testimony of my good will toward you desiring you to take this my poor gift in good part. And I shall moste humbly beseech the Lord our God to preserve my Lord's grace and my Ladies grace your honorable parents in good health longe life and increase of honor, and to give my Lord's, youre Brothers and my Ladies youre Sisters, and you also grace to go forth in your godly enterprises and Christian studies, that ye may true lie know the Lord your God & the salvation which ye have by his sonne Jesus our alone Savior, whoever preserve your good Ladyship in continual health and prosperous felicity.
[illustration]
THE GOVERNANCE of Virtue.
How a man should behave him self in the morning when he riseth.
When thou risest in the morning, look that thou with all humbleness of mind knelest down, and lifting up thy heart, thy hands and thine eyes into heaven unto God the father almighty, pray on this manner.
A prayer for the morning.
O Lord God my heavenly father I most humbly thank thee, y • thou of thy fatherly goodness hast vouchsafed to defend me this night from all evil: I most entyrely beseech thee, to preserve me also this day, both from suffering and doing any evil, and to give me grace so to walk in the light of thy holy word, that I may bring forth y e fruits of y • same unto the glory of thy blessed name, and the profit of my neighbor.
After thou hast prayed on this manner, seeing we be all sinners, it shall be expedient (if thou hast convenient leisure) to confess thyself to God on this manner.
A confession of our sins unto God the father.
MOst greuouslye have I wretched sinner offended thee my Lord God and heavenly father, both in thought word and deed, in so much that in myself I ūnde such unworthiness, that if I did not behold thine exceeding great mercies, set forth in thy dearly beloved son our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, I could not but despair and wholly give myself into the hands of Satan that old enemy of mankynd. But when thorough thy grace and holy working, I loke upon thy mercies offered freely to all faithful penitent sinners in thy son Christ Jesus, for whose sake thou art well pleased with man, and of thy own good will forgeuest us all our sins whē soever we flee unto thee in his name, I cease to despair, & begin to conceive an earneste faith and an undoubted hope of obtaynyng forgiveness of all my sins in Christ's blood for thy loving and fatherly promise sake. I therefore poor and wretched sinner, most humbly beseech thee for Christ's sake, to forgive me all my sins, where with from the day of my birth unto this present time I have most grievously offended thy fatherly goodness, and to give me grace so to resist the devil, the world, & the flesh▪ and so to order my life according to thy blessed will, that thou mayest delight in me as a father in his son, de fend me frō all evil, and work in me all good things unto the glory of thy holy name.
After the confession, say the Lord's prayer called the Pater noster, and so commendyng thyself unto God, faule in hand with some honest and virtuous exercise, according to thy calling. But whatsoever thou doest, do it with pureness of heart & singleness of eye▪ yea, so do it, as though God wer present and look upon thee, as undoubtedly he doth.
Of Dinner.
Whē the time cometh, that thou shouldest refresh thy weary and hongry body, approach unto the table with reverence, and when thou art set, lyft up thy heart, thy hands and thy eyes unto heaven, and pray unto God on this manner.
A prayer before dinner.
O Most gentill God and loving father, which mercifully •… edest all lie uing creatures, we beseech thee bless us and all these thy gifts, which we at this present shall receive of thy beū teous hand, for the refreshyng of our hungry bodies, and give us grace to do all things unto the glory of thy name, thorough Jesus Christ our Lord.
Of the behavior at the table in Diner time.
Whē thou hast thus prayed unto god eat thy meat soberly and christenly: esche wyng all superfluity, surfeiting and drouckenship. Consider that thy meat and thy drink, are the gifts of God, & are reverently & thank fully to be received▪ Remember that in the time of thy repast, thy behavior be honest & comely in all things. Let thy communica tion, as the Apostle saith, ve well savored and powdered with •… t: that is to say, seasoned with godly wisdom, that thou mayest know how to answer every man. Let no fil thy talk proceed out of thy mouth, but that which is good to edify, when need is, that it may have favor with the hearers, remem bring that thou shalt give accounts at the day of judgment, for every idle word that thou speakest. Eschewe all dissolute and uncomely laughyng, least thou be thereby counted wild, wa •… ton, foolish, & without good manners. Let thy coūtenaūce he grave, sober, modest, gentle, and •… ouyng, toward all that be at the table, and so fashion thyself in gesture, word and deed, as though God and his angels we •… visibly present at the table: And when Dinner is done, give thanks to God for his benefits on this manner.
A thanks giving after Dinner.
WE thank thee O heavenly father for this our food, which being sāctif •… ed by thy word, thou hast vouchsafe at this present to give us: we beseech thee, that thou wilt also feed our souls w t the lively bread of the word, which cometh out of thy mouth, that we receiving at thy merc •… full hand, meat both for our bodies and souls▪ may live and grow in all godliness unto the glory of thy blessed name, though row Jesus Christ our Lord.
What is to be done after dynner.
After thou hast given thanks unto God for thy repast▪ return unto thy labor, & virtuously exercise thyself, according to thy voca tion and calling. Employ earnest diligence about thy business, and always in thy mind desire God to bless, to prosper, and to bring to pass all thy counsels, devises, travails, labors and enterprises. Do not thy work negligently and deceitfully, but so labor as though God were present and beheld thee, as unfeignedly he doth. Cursed be he saith Hiere mye, that doth the Lord's work deceitfully. Saint Paul also exhorteth, that whatsoever we do we should do it hartly, as though we did in unto the Lord, and not unto men: for as much saith he▪ as ye know that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ. Yea verily so many as labor or travail in any virtuous enterprise, they serve God, and of God shall they receive their reward. Therefore in thy calling labor earnestly and diligently, whatsoever thou be, seeking not only thine own lucre & •… uaunt age: but much more the glory of God, and the profit of thy neighbor, as the Apostlesayth: do all things unto the glory of God. Agayne, let every man look not for his own profit, but for the profit of other. Charity seeketh not her own.
Of Supper.
When the time is come▪ that thou shalt leave of thy work, and prepare thyself unto supper, evē with the same reverence that thou camest unto the table at dinner, come again now: but before thou doest taste any meat, pray on this manner.
A prayer before Supper.
THe eyes of all things look unto thee, O Lord, and thou givest thē meat in due time, thou openest thy hand, and fillest every living creature with the blessing: vouchsafe, O heavē lie father for Christ's sake, mercifully to loke upon us, lovingly to bless us, & liberally to give us grace so to taste of these thy creatures, that our bodies being satisfied with the moderate use of them, we may be the more able to serve thee our Lord God, and to profit our neighbor, thorough Jesus Christ our Lord.
Of the behavior at the table in Supper time.
After thou hast thus prayed unto GOD▪ eat thy meat with a cheerful and thankful mind using the same modesty and honest behavior, that thou diddest use at dinner. And whē thou hast supped, give thanks unto god for his benefits on this wise.
A thanksgiving after Supper.
FOr these thy benefits, wherewith thou hast refreshed our hungry bodies, we thank thee (most merciful fa there) desiring thee that thou wilt also feed our souls with y • lively faith in the blood of thy son Jesus Christ our Lord, that we believing steadfastly, and working diligently thy holy will, may obtain thy glorious kingdom, thorough the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
What to be done after Supper.
When thou hast on this wise give thankes unto God, thou mayest do what thou wilt, so it be godly and honest▪ until thou goest to bed▪ If thou canst rede, rede thou thyself or else here some other rede parte of the holy scriptures, that may be to the comfort of thyself, and of so many as be with thee, or pass the time by friendly and honest talk with some of thy lo •… yng and trusty familiares, or else debate with thyself, how thou mayest most conveniently bring that to pass, that thou hast to do the next day following.
Of going to bed.
And whē the time cometh, that thou must go to bed thou being in thy chamber, to cal remembrance how thou hast spent the day past. If thou perceivest, that y u hast offended God in any thing at all, confess thy fault unto him with a repentant and sorrowful heart▪ and desire him of his great mercy for Christ's sake to forgive thee, and promise that unto the uttermost of thy power, his grace woorkyng with thee, thou wilt amende that wherein thou hast offended, and walk more diligently in the rules of thy profession. Cry with the Publican. O God be merciful to me a sinner. Cry with that lost son: Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. Pray with David: for thy names sake. O Lord, for give me my sin for it is exceeding much. Thus with a faithful heart believing that thy sins are for given thee, content thyself and quiet thy conscience. If thou perceyuest, that thou hast that day committed no notable crime▪ then give to God right hearty thanks, which by his holy spirit hath wrought the same in thee: and desire him to increase his gifts in thee, that his glory may be shown in all thy acts & deeds. This done, prepare thyself to bedward, and when thou art ready to lie down, lift up thou heart, thy eyes, and thy hands unto heaven, & pray to God on this manner.
A prayer to be said when we go to bed.
I Thāke thee (O heavenly father) by thy dearelye beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, that of thy free mercy thou hast preserved me this day from all hurtes, and dangers.
Uouchesafe also I most humbly beseech thee to keep me this night, and to save me ftom all mine enemies both bodily and ghostly. Gyue to my body quietness and fleepe, but let my mind continually watch unto thee, think on thee, and on thy holy law, that whē the cheerful light of y • day shall spring and appear. I being whole both in bo dy and mind, may joyful rise again: be thankful unto thee, and diligent lie walk in my vocation unto the glo ry of thy blessed name, and the commo ditie of my neighbor, thorough Jesus Christ thy son. Amen.
When thou hast thus prayed, lie down in thy bed and say on this manner.
The Prayer.
O Lord God and my heavenly Father, I commend my body and soul into thy hands, that in Christ which is our life and resurrectiō, thou mayest defend me from everlasting death, and give me that blessed and joy full life of immortality, and that he which is the true light, may pour out the brightenesse of his grace into my heart, & preserne me both body & soul unto that day of the glorious resurrection where the faithful with joyful harts shall see thee face to face, and forever reign with thee in glory.
Remedyes against all kinds of temptations.
Against Idolatry.
If that old enemy Satan goeth about to persuade thee, that there be •… o gods then one resist him with these Scriptures.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
I am the Lord thy God. Thou shall •… have none other gods in my sight.
Understand and mark well that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath, neither is there any other God besides him. Here Israel, the Lord our god is one Lord.
Se howe that I, yea that I am the Lord and that there is no god but I.
Hear O my people I will charge thee, O Israel, that if thou wilt her •… en unto me, there shall no strange god be in thee, neither shalt thou worship any other god. For I am the Lord thy God.
I am the lord, & there is none other.
I am the Lord, & there is else none, It is I that created light and darkness I make peace and trouble, yea even I the Lord do all these things.
Am not I the Lord? is there any god but I? A god that is righteous, & such one as saveth, there is none besides me.
Turn unto me all ye coasts of the world and ye shall be saved, for I am God, and there is else none.
Sentences out of the new Testament.
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy god, and him only shalt thou serve.
We have but one god, which is the Father, of whom are all things, and •… e in him, and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things, & we in him.
There is one Lord, one faith, one ba ptisme, one god, & father of all, which is above all, & thorough all, & in you all.
There is one god, and one mediator between god and man, even the man Christ Jesus, which gave himself a ra •… nsome for all men.
There are three which bear record in heaven, the father, the word, & the holy ghost. And these three are one.
Agaynst infidelity or misbelief.
IF Satan at any time moveth thee, unto in fidelity or misbelief, either toward God or his word, by no means lean unto him, vnt against his temptation enarme thy selfwith these holy scriptures.
Sentences out of the Old Testament.
If ye do not believe, there shall no promise be kept with you.
Thy eyes, O Lord, loke upon faith.
The righteous shall live by faith.
I will mary thee unto me in faith, •… thou shalt know that I am the Lord.
The wrath of y • Lord came upon I raell, because they believed not in god, nor trusted not in his saving health.
The Lord doth appear unto them that hath faith in him.
Woe be to the dissolute in heart, that •… eleue not god, & therefore shall they not be defended of him.
In all thy works put thy trust in god from thy whole heart, for that is the keeping of the commandments. Who so believeth gods work taketh •… ede to the commandments: and he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall want nothing.
Examples out of the old Testament.
Abrahā believed god, & it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
David being a young man and of •… itle stature thorough faith in the name of the Lord of hoastes, fought with that proud monstrous gyante Go •… iath the Philistine, and slue him.
Sidrach Misach, and Abdenago thorough faith, chosed rather to be cast into a hot burning furnace, then at the kings commandment to commit Ido latry, and to worship strange gods.
Daniel thorough faith wished rather to be cast quick into the den of Lions, then by the space of thyrty days, not to pray unto the Lord his god, according to the kings commandment.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
He that believeth & is baptized shall be saved. But he that believeth not, shall be condemned.
As many as received christ he gave them power to be the sons of god, in that they believe on his name.
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness: so must the son of mā be lyfted up, y e so many as believe in him may not perish, but have everlasting life. For god hath so dearly beloved the world, that he gave his only begot ten son, that everyone that believeth in him, may not perish, but have everlasting life.
He that believeth in y • son of god, is not condemned. But he that believeth not, is already condemned, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of god.
He that believeth in the son hath everlasting life, but he that believeth not in the son, shall not see life, but the wrath of god abideth upon him.
This is the will of him that sent me that everyone that seeth the son & believeth on him, should have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
I am the resurrectiō and life, he that believeth in me, although he wer dead yet shall he live, and everyone that lie ueth and believeth in me, shall not die euerlastyngly.
Ye believe in god, believe also in me, saith Christ.
Be i •… know̄ unto you, ye mē & bre thren, that thorough the name of Christ is preached unto you y e forgiveness of sins, and that by him are all that believe justified from all things, from the which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
With faith doth God purify our hearts.
The righteousness that is allowed before god cometh by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all, & upon all that believe
We being justified by faith are at peace with god, thorough our lord Jesus christ by whom we have a way in, though row faith unto this grace, wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the praise that shall be given of god.
Christ is the perfect fulfillyng of the law, to justify everyone y • believeth.
If y u wilt knowledge with thy mouth that Jesus is the lord, and believe with thy heart, that God raiseth him from death, thou shalt be saved. For the belief of the heart justifieth, and to knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe. For y e scripture saith: who soever believeth on him, shall not be ashamed.
What soever is not of faith is sin.
All ye are sons of god, because ye have believed in Christ Jesus.
In Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything worth, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.
By grace are ye saved thorough faith, ye & that not of yourselves. It is the gift of god, & cometh not of works, because no man should boast him self.
Above all things take unto you the shielde of faith whereby ye may be able to quench all the fire darts of the devil.
Without faith it is not possible to please god. For he that cometh unto god, must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder to thē that seek him.
Be ye sover and watch, for your adversary the devil goeth about like a ro aryng Lyon, seeking whom he may devour, whom see that ye resist with a strong faith.
This is the victory which overcome meth the world, even our faith.
Examples out of the New Testament.
The woman that was diseased by the space of. 12. years of the bloody issue, thorough faith was made whole.
The woman of Canane thorough faith, obtained of Christ health for her daughter.
The father of the child possessed w t a devil from his childhoode, obtained of Christ thorough faith, perfect health for his son.
Bartimaeus the blind man thorough faith recovered his sight.
A certain sinful woman thorough faith obtained of Christ forgiveness of all her sins.
The Apostles of Christ thorough faith notwithstanding y • hye priests cōmaūdment, continued in the preaching of Christ's gospel, and both patiently, joy fully, & thankefully, suffered all kinds of displeasure for y • name of y • Lord Jesus. Rede y e . 11. chap. of the Epistle unto the Hebrews, where thou shalt find plenty of examples concerning this matter.
Agaynst the heresy of such as deny Jesus Christ, to be God.
IF Satan at any time moveth thee to doubt of the godhead of Christ as though he were only man & not God, a creature or a thing made, and not the creator and maker of all things, enarme thyself against him with these scriptures.
Sentences out of the Old Testament.
VNto us a child is borne, and unto us a son is given, upon his shoulder doth the kingdom lie, and he is called w e his own name, wonderful, the giver of council, the mighty god, y • everlasting father y • prince of peace. & •…
In that day it shall be said: Lo, this is our god, we have waited for him, & he shall save us. This is the Lord, in whō we have hoped, we shall be merry and rejoice in the salvation that cometh of him.
They shall see the glory of y • Lord, & the majesty of our god. And therefore strength the weak hands, & comfort the feeble knees, say unto thē y • ar of a fear full heart, be of good chere & fear not.
Behold your god cometh to take vēgeaunce, & you shall see the reward y e god giveth. God cometh his own self, & will deliver you. Thē shall the eyes of the blind be lightened, and the ears of the deaf opened. Then shall the lame mā leap as an heart, and the dumb man's tongue shall be losoned.
O that thou wouldest cleave y • heavens in sonder, and come down.
Behold, I see four men going lose in the midst of the fire, and nothing hurt, and the fourth is like the son of god to look upon.
Out of Egypt have I called my son.
This is our god, & there shall none other be compared unto him. It is he that hath found out all wisdom, and hath given her unto Jacob his servant, and to Israel his beloved.
Afterward did he show him self upon earth, and dwelt among men.
The Lord said unto me, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.
Thy seat (O god) endureth forever, the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter.
The Lord him self had me in possession in the beginning of his ways, or ever he begā his works afore time. I have been ordained from everlasting, and from the beginning or ever the earth was made.
When I was borne, there were net there depths nor springs of water. Be fore the foundaciōs of the moūtaynes, were laid, yea before all hills was I borne. The earth and all that is upon the earth, was not yet made, no not y e ground it self. For when he made the heavens I was present, when he set up y • depths in order, whē he hanged the clouds above, when he fastened the springs of the deep, when he shut the sea within certain bounds, that the waters should not go over their marks that he commanded. When he laid the foundacions of the earth, I was with him, ordryng all things, deliting daily, and rejoicing alway before him.
I came out of the moste hyest, first borne before all creatures.
I caused the light that faileth not to arise in the heaven, and covered all the earth as a cloud.
Examples out of the Old Testament.
WHen god created the earth and all things therein, he said: Let us make man in our Image, after our own lykenesse: this word, us. doth evidently declare that there be three persons in the godhead, the father, and the son, and the holy ghost. Wherof it manifestly followeth, that as the father is god, and the holy ghost god, so likewise is the son god, yea true and natural god, hegotten of god the Father from everlasting.
Abraham saw three, and worshipped one, saying: Lord I beseech thee, if I have found favor in thy sight, go not away from thy servant.
Here it is evident also, that there are three persons in the deity, and yet notwithstanding they three are one God. Therefore like as the first and the second persons in the deity are ve ry God (I mean the father & the holy ghost) so likewise is the second person in, the trinity, I mean the son, true & natural God, worthy all honor and glory for evermore.
GOd said unto Moses I am the god of thy father, the god of Abrahā, the god of Isaac, and the god of Jacob.
Here also is evidently declared the blessing and glorious trinity, and that there be three persons in the godhead, and yet one God: so that as the father is God and the holy ghost God: so likewise is the son God.
IN the same year that king Osiah died, I saw the Lord, saith the Pro phete Isaiah, sitting upon an high and glorious feat, and his trayne filled the temple. And about him stood Seraphim, whereof everyone had. 6. wings With twayne eche covered his face, with twayne his feet, & with twain did he flee. They cried also eche one to another on this manner. Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts. The whole world is full of his glory.
This word holy, thryse rehearsed, doth also manifestly declare that there are three per sones in the godhead, and that they three are one God: Christ therefore the second person in the Trinity, is very God.
Kyng Nebuchadnezzar commanded these three men, Sidrach Misach and Abdenago, to be cast into an exceeding hot burning oven, because they would not become Idolators and at his commandment, fall down and worship the golden Image. And whē they were bound in their coats, bosen, shoes, with their other garments and caste into the hot burning oven, the king looked into the oven, & said unto his counsel: did ye not cast these three men bound into the fire? They answered unto the king, yea, O king. He answered and said, lo for all that, yet do I see four men going lose in the midst of the fire, and nothing corrupt, and the fourth is like the son of god to look upon.
Here is a manifest testimony y t Jesus Christ is the son of God, and God himself, as we shall evidently learn of the histories of the New Testament.
Sentences out of the new Testament.
Hys name shall be called Immanuel, which is by interpretation, God with us, or God and man.
This is my well-beloved son, in whom I have great pleasure.
Thou art Christ the son of the living God.
Without all doubt this was the son of God.
He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the most highest.
That holy thing which shall be born, shall be called the son of God.
In the beginning was the word, & y • word was w t god & the word was god
We saw the glory of the word, as the glory of the only begotten son of the father.
No man hath seen god at any time, the only begotten son: which is in the bosom of the father, he hath declared him. Thou art the son of god, y • art the king of Israel.
He that believeth not, is condemned already, because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten son of god. The father loveth the son and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth the son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not on the son, shall not see life, but the wrath of god abideth on him.
I am that living bread, which came down from heaven.
Except ye believe that I am the son of god, ye shall die in your sins.
I believe that y u art Christ the son of god, which should come into the word.
Doest thou not believe, that I am in the father. and the father is in me?
This is everlasting life, even to know thee the alone true God, and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ.
O father thou louedst me before the world was made.
These things are written, that ye might believe, that Jesus is Christ the son of god: and that in believing ye life thorough his name.
Jesus Christ was declared to be the son of god with power of y • holy ghost.
Christ is the image of the invisible god, first begotten of all creatures. For by him were all things created, things that are in heaven and things that are on earth, things visible and things invisible, whether they be majesty or lord ship, either rule or power. All things are created by him and in him, and he is before all things, and in him all things have their being.
We look for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great god & our savior Jesus Christ.
God in time past diversely and many ways spake unto the Fathers by the Prophets, but in these last days he hath spoken unto us by his Son, who he hath made heir of all things, by whom also he made the world. Which Son being the brightness of his glory, and very image of his substance, bearing up all things with the word of his power, hath in his own person purged our sins, & is sitting on the right hand of the majesty on hie, and is more excellent then the angels, in as much as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they have. For unto which of the angels said be at any time. Thou art my son, this day begat I thee. And again, I will be his father and he shall be my son.
And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten son into y • world, he saith: & all the angels of god shall worship him. And of the angels he saith: he maketh his angels sprites, & his ministers flames of fire. But unto the son he saith: God, thy seat shall be forever and ever. The scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter.
Jesus Christ yesterday and today, and the same continueth forever. Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is Christ? The same is the Antichrist that denieth the father & the son: who so ever denieth the son, y • same hath not the father. Let therefore abide in you that same, which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning shall remain in you: ye also shall continue in the son and in the father, and this is the promise that he hath promised us, even everlasting life.
For this purpose appeared y • son of god, to lose the works of the devil.
This is gods commandment that we believe on the name of his son Ie sus Christ.
In this appeared the love of god towards us, because y • god sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live thorough him.
Who is it, that overcometh the world, but he which believeth that Jesus is the son of god.
God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his son. He that hath the son, hath life, and he that hath not the son of god, hath not life.
We know that the son of god is come, and hath given us a mind to know him which is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his son Ie sus Christ. The same is very god and eternal life.
Examples out of the New Testament.
God the Father proclaimed Jesus Christ both when he was baptized and transfigured, his only begotten, natural and well-beloved son, saying: this is my dearly beloved son, in whō I have great pleasure.
Two men possessed w t devils called Jesus the son of god saying: O Jesus the son of god, what have we to do w t thee
The men which were in the ship, se yng that the wind ceased so soon as Christ was come into the ship, said unto him, truly thou art the son of god.
When Christ demanded onf his dis ciples, whom they thought him to be, Peter in the name of all the disciples answered and said: thou art Christ the son of the living god.
When bishop Caiaphas said unto Christ, I charge thee in the name of y e living god, that thou tell us whether thou be Christ the son of god, Christ answered: thou hast said. Neuertheles I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the son of man sitting on the righte hand of power, and come in the clouds of the sky.
Whē the Centurion and they that were with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, & those things which happened they feared greatly, saying: Of a surety this was the son of god.
They brought to Christ a mā sick of the palsy, lying in his bed, & whē Jesus saw the faith of them, he said to the sick of the palsy, son be of good chere. Thy sins be forgiven thee. And behold certain of the Scribes said in thenselves, this man blasphemeth. And when Jesus saw their thoughts, he said: wherefor think ye evil in your hearts? Here Christ proveth himself god against all his enemies two manner of ways. Fyrst, in that he forgiveth sins. For no man can forgive sin but god alone. Secondly, in that be knoweth the very hid and secret thoughts of men. For who searcheth the hearts and rains of men but god only.
When a certain man possessed w t an unclean spirit saw christ a far of, he came running and worshipped him, and cried with a loud voice, saying: What have I to do with thee, O Jesus, thou son of the most hyest god?
The high priest asked Jesus •… and said unto him, art thou Christ the son of the blessed? He answered, I am. And ye shall see the son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Christ said unto Nathanael: Before that Philip called thee, whē thou wast under the •… ygtree, I saw thee. Na thanaell answered and said unto him, Rabbi, thou art even the very son of god, thou art the king of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him: Bicause I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, thou believest: thou shalt see greater things then these. And he said unto them, verily verily, I say vn to you, hereafter shall ye see heaven open, and the angels of god ascēdyng and descending over the son of mā.
The miracle which Christ wrought at the marriage in Cana by turning water into wyne, proveth him manifestly to be god.
After the sermon that Christ made of the eating of his flesh, and the drinking of his blood, many of his Disciples understanding his words grossly (as the papists do understand the words of the Lord's Supper) went back and forsook him, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus to y • twelve, will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord to whom shall we go? Thou haste the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure that thou art Christ the son of the living god.
Jesus heard that the Jews had excommunicate the blind man, whom he had made to see, and when he had found him, he said unto him: doest thou believe on the son of god? He answered and said: who is it Lord y • I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, thou hast seen him, and he it is y • taketh with thee. And he said, lord I believe, and he worshipped him.
Martha said unto Christ, I believe y • thou art Christ the son of god which should come into the world.
Jesus said to Thomas, bring thy finger hither, and see my hands and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be no more faithless but believing. Thomas answered and said unto him: My Lord and my god. Jesus said unto him: Thomas, because thou hast seen me thou hast believed, blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
The Enuche said unto Phillip: see here is water, what doth let me to be baptized? Phillip said unto him. If thou believe with all thine heart thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe y • Jesus Christ is the son of god.
The restoring of y • blind to their sight the raising up of the dead unto life, the clēsing of the leapers, the healyng of thē that were diseased with the palsy, the restoring of men possessed with devils & unclean spirits to their whole mind, the making of the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak, with the other mi racles that Christ wrought, do evidently prove Christ to be the natural son of god, yea and god himself.
Against the heresy of them which hold that Jesus Christ the son of God toke no flesh of Mary his mother.
I feyther Satan with his subtle suggesti ons, or any of his decetifull work men with their crafty reasons and falsifiyng the holy scrip tures, go about to persuade thee that Jesus Christ the son of God, took no flesh of that blessed virgins Mary his mother, but brought his body with him from heaven, enarme thy sel •… e with these authorities of gods word against their pestilent and damnable darts.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
I will set enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed. The very self same seed shall tread down thy head, and thou shalt tread upon his hele.
In thee all kynreds of the earth shall be blessed.
In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, and a law giver from between his fete, until S •… lo come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. He shall bind his fole unto the vine, & his Asses colte unto the branch. He washed his garment in wyne, and his man till in the blood of grapes. His eyes are redder then wine, and his teethe whiter then milk.
There shall come a star of Jacob and raise a Scepter of Israel. Out of Jacob shall he come that shall have dominion.
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethreb like vn to thee, & will put my words in his mouth, & he shall speak unto them all that I shall cōmaūd him, and whosoever will not har ken unto the words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons, and will stablish his kingdō. He shall build me an house and I will stablish his seat forever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son, and I will not put away my mercy from him, as I did from him y • was before thee, but I will set him in my house, and in my kingdom forever, & his seat shall be sure forever.
I have sworn once by my holiness, y • I will not fail David. Hys seed shall endure forever, and his seat also like as the sun before me. He shall stand forever more as the moon, and as the faithful witness in heaven.
The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and he shall not shrink frō it, out of the fruit of thy body shall I set upon thy seat.
Behold a Virgin shall conceive & bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Unto us a child shall be borne, & unto us a child shall be given, vpō his shoulder shall the kingdom lie, & he shall be called with his own name, the wonde rous giver of council, the mighty god the everlasting father, y e prince of peacer he shall make no ende to increase the kingdom and peace, and shall sit upon the seat of David, and in his kingdom to set up the same, to establish it with equity and righteousness from henceforth forever more. This shall the gelousy of the Lord of hosts bring to pass.
There shall come a rod forth of the kin dred of Jesse, & a blossō out of his root. The spirit of the Lord shall light upon it, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of council & strength the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of god, &c.
Behold the time cometh saith the Lord, that I will raise up the righteous branch of David, which shall bear rule, and discuss matters with wisdō, and set up equity and righteousness again in earth. In his time shall Judah be saved, and Israel shall dwell without fear. And this is the name y t they shall cal him, evē y e lord our rightous maker.
Behold the time cometh saith the lord, that I will perform the good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel, and to the house of Judah. In those days and at the same time. I will bring forth unto David the branch of righteousness, and he shall do equitye and righteousness in the lande. In those days shall Judah be helped, and Jerusalem shall dwell safe, and he that shall call her, is even god our righteous maker. For thus the Lord god promiseth: David shall never want one to sit upon the stole of the house of Israel.
I will raise up unto them one only shepherd even my servant David, he shall feed them and he shall be their shepherd, I the Lord will be their god, and my servant David shall be their prince. Even I the Lord hath spoken it.
Understand this and mark it well, that from the time it shall be concluded to go and to repair Jerusalem again, unto Christ, there shall be seven wekes. Then shall the stretes & walls be built again, 62. wekes, but w t heard trou blous time. After these 62. wekes shall Christ be slain, and they shall have no pleasure in him.
Thou Bethlehem Ephratah art little among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come unto me, which shall be the governor in Israel, whose out go ing hath been from the beginning and from everlasting.
Be glad and rejoice O daughter of Zion: for lo, I come to dwell in y • midst of thee, saith the Lord. At the same time there shall many heathen clean to the Lord, and shall be my people.
Behold I will send my messenger which shall prepare the way before me and y • Lord whom ye would have, shall soon come to his temple, ye even the Messenger of the covenant whom ye look for.
This is our god, and there shall none other be compared to him. It is he that hath found out all wisdom, and hath given her unto Jacob his servant, and to Israel his beloved. Afterward did he show himself upon earth, and dwelte among men.
Examples out of the old Testament.
AFter that Adam and his wife thorough the crafty persuasions of Satan had transgressed gods commandment, god in the presence of them both, even for their comfort and for the quietness of their conscience, said unto the ser pent. I will set enmity between thee & a woman, between thy seed & her seed. The self same seed shall tread down thy head, and thou shalt tread upon his heel.
These words of God the father spokē unto the serpent, show evidently and manifestly prove, that Jesus Christ our Lord is the true and natural son of Mary, and vnfainedlye took his flesh and humanity of her. For this word seed, in this place signifieth the whole substance of Christ's manhood, and proveth evidently, that whatsoever Christ was being man, he truly and naturally received it of the corporal substance of Mary his mother the virgins. Cursed therefore is the heretic Appelles, which thought that Christ had received his body of the elements in the air, and passed through the virgins, as the water passed through a pipe. Cursed are these heretics Cerdo, Marcian and Manes, which hold that Christ had a fantastical body, appearing to be man, & pet having no parte of manhood in him. Cursed is that heretic Ualentinus with his Apes the Anabaptists, which hold that Christ took no flesh of Mary his mother the virgins, but brought his body with him frō heaven. God the father calleth Christ the seed of the womā. He therefore is the natural son of Mary his mother, and received his whole bodily substance of the most pure virgins or else should God greatly have erred, which called him the seed of a womā, but let God be true and all heretics liars.
TO Abraham god the father said: in thy seed all nations of the earth shall be blessed.
This seed is Christ, as S. Paul decla reth to the Galatians, which borne of the virgins Mary, came of the seed of Abraham.
Now if Christ had taken no flesh of Mary, how could he have come of the seed of Abrahā? But that we should be without all doubt concerning Christ's humanity, and be certain that he was the true and natural son of Mary, re ceiuyng his manhood neither of the elements of the air, nor yet bringinning it with him frō heaven, but taking it of the true and natural substance of Mary his mother. God saith expressly: In thy seed. Let us note well this pronown. Thy. In thy seed saith he, and not in the seed that Christ shall bring from heaven, or out of the air. Howe could Christ justly haubene called Abraham's seed, if he had never taken any part of Abraham's substance? But the Apostle saith: Christ toke the seed of Abraham, and not of the angels, so that he must be like to his brothers in all things. Let God therefore be true, and all heretics liars.
In like manner the Lord swore a truth unto David, and will not go from it. I will saith he, set upon thy seat one of the fruit of the womb. Here Christ, which before was called the seed of a woman, & the seed of Abrahā, is called the fruit of David's womb.
What cā be spoken more plainly, to declare and prove, that Christ came of the seed of David as concerning his flesh? If Christ be the fruit of David's belly, I mean concerning his posterity (for Mary the mother of Christ, came of the stock and kindred of David) so doth it evidently follow that Christ passed not thorough the womb of his mother without any part •… king of y • natural substance of his mother as y • wa ter passeth and runneth thorough the pype, and yet receiveth no part of the pypes substance, but rather that he took a perfect body of substance of his mother, and so became true and perfect man. Otherwise should not he have ben the fruit of David's belly, neither should God have kept his oath and promise made unto David. But let God be true and all heretics liars.
THe Prophet Isaiah doth lively describe, painte & set forth both the mother of Christ, and Christ him self in these words: The Lord, saith he, shall give you a token. Behold a virgins shall conceive and bear a son, and thou shalt cal his name Immanuel, But ter & honey shall he eat, y • he may know to refuse the evil and chose the good.
First as concerning Christ's mother, we learn here that she was a pure and vnde •… yled maid, and that she, and not the heaven nor the air conceived and brought forth Christ her son. In that she conceived and brought forth Christ, it is evident that she was unfeignedly Christ's natural mother, ministres part of her •… bstaunce to the perfourmyng and making a •… her son thorough God's operacion, and did the duty and office of a true mother in all points. And where as the Prophet calleth Christ her •… on he declareth manifestly. that Christ took his flesh of the substance of his mother Mary the virgins, and is her true and natural son, or else to what ende should he be called he son? And that we should be as assuredly persuaded of his humanity of Mary his mother, as of his deity of God his father. The Prophet calleth him Immanuel, that is to say, God and man, true God of God his father, an •… true man of Mary his mother. And because there should want nothing unto the true perfect and full dis cription of Christ's humanity, but that Christ should be declared to be a true and a natural child, and not fantastical nor celestial the Pro phet as it were with certain notes and marks both lively set forth, and showeth that he after that manner of other children shall eat butter & Honey, that is to say, refuse buter and unsavory meat •… s, and chose those that are sweet and plea saunt in taste. This were vainly put in of the Prophet, if Christ had no been a natural child, taking his flesh or the substance of Mary his mother, and not bringing his body with him from heavē, or I know not from whence, as the ungodly Anabaptists in these our days do most fastly dream. But let God be true, and all heretics liars.
IN another place the Prophet saith, there shall come a rod forth of the kyndred of Jesse, and a flour shall florishe out of his root.
In this place the Prophet doth so openly declare Christ to be true man and the natural son of Mary the virgin, that it is won der that any Heretic can have so w •… oryshe a forehead once to deny i •… . Thys rod and •… loure, which spryngeth out of rod and kint •… 〈◊〉 Jesse, is Christ the Lord▪ The root out of the which flour undefiled virgins Mary. Christ's mother, which came of the kynred of Jesse, king David's father. Can any man deny, but that the flour is of the same nature and substance that the tree is of, which beareth the flour? If we grant the flour to be of the na ture and substance of the stock that beareth the flour, why are the Anabaptists more wicked and cruel against Christ the flour and fruit (by God's ordinance) of the holy virgins, then unto the stock and root of every flour of the field? Can the flour of an Orāge spring out o •… an Oke? No more can the humanity of Christ which is the blossom and flour of Mary, take his original of the air, of heaven, or of such other matter they know not what. But as the flour of the Orāge springeth out of the Orāge tree, and is of the very same nature and substance that the Orāge tree is, so likewise Christ being the flour of the most blessed Virgin took his beginning of her, and is of the very same substance and nature that she is. Let God therefore be true, and all heretics liars.
AFter the. 62. weeks, saith the Prophet Daniel, shall Christ be slain, and they shall have no pleasure in him.
The sleyng of Christ evidently proveth that Christ was v •… y man, yea and a ma •… mortal and subject unto death, so well as we. If he had brought his body with him from heaven▪ so had been a celestial body▪ an impassible and immortal body. But for as much as Christ feared death▪ •… uffed the pains of death, yea and died in ded •… , according to the Scriptures, it followeth that Christ was true and unfeigned man, taking his humanity of that holy virgins Mary his mother, and lived in all pointes like man, sin alone extep •… e, and at the last died for our sins▪ as the Apostle saith. Let God therefore be true, and all heretics liars.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
THe book of the kyndred of Jesus Christ the son of David the son of Abraham.
Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was borne that Jesus which is called Christ.
The birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise. Whē his mother Mary was married to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child by the holy ghost. Then Joseph her husband being a perfect man and loath to defame her, was minded to put her away secret lie. While he thus thought, behold the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying: Joseph the son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife. For that which is conceived in her, is of the holy ghost. She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins. All this was done to fulfil y • which was spokē of the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah, saying: behold a maid shall be with child, & shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which is by interpretation GOD with us, or God and man.
The angel gabriell was sent from god unto a city of galile named Nazareth, to a virgin spoused to a mā whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgins name was Mary. And the aūgel went in unto her, & said: Hayle full of grace, y • Lord is with thee? Blessed art thou among women.
When she saw him, she was abashed at his saying, and caste in her mind, what manner of salutation that should be. And the angel said unto her: fear not Mary, for thou hast found grace with god, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bear a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, & shall be called the son of the hyest. And the Lord god shall g •… ue unto him the sea 〈◊〉 of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom shall be none ende. Then •… aid Mary unto the angel: howe shall this be, seeing I know not a mane And the angel answered and said unto her: the holy ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the hyest shall ouershadowe thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be borne of thee, shall be called the son of god.
Elizabeth was filled with the holy ghost, and cried with a loud voice and said: Blessed art thou among women, •… blessed is y • fruit of thy womb. And whence happeneth this to me, that the mo there of my Lord should come to me. &c.
It fortuned while they wer there, her time was come y • she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first begot̄ son, & wrapped him in swaddling clothes, & laid him in a maunger, because there was no room for thē within y • Inn.
Behold I bring you tidings of great •… oy, y • shall come to all y • people. For unto you is borne this day y • city of David •… savior, which is Christ the Lord.
The child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was filled with wisdom & the grace of god was with him.
Jesus increased in wisdom and age and in favor with god and man.
Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the papes which gave thee suck.
The word was made flesh & dwelt among us.
David was a Prophet & knew that god had sworn with an oath to him, y • the fruit of his loins, that is to say Christ, should sit on his seat.
God did set up David to be their king, of whom he reported, saying, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, he shall fulfill all my will. Of this man's seed hath god according to his promise, brought forth to the people of Israel a savior, even Jesus.
Jesus Christ the son of god was be gotten of the seed of David as pertaynyng to the flesh.
Christ as concerning the flesh came of the Israelites.
To Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not in the sedes as many, but in thy seed, as in one, which is Christ.
When the time was full come, God sent his Son borne of a woman, and made bound unto the law, to redeem them, which were under the law, that we thorough election might receive the inheritance that belongeth unto the natural son.
Christ being in the shape of GOD and thynkyng it no robbery to equal with God, nevertheless made him self of no reputa •… ion, & toke on him y • shape of a servant, & became like unto men & was found in his apparel as a man.
Without doubt great is this mystery of godliness, God was shown in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, was seen of angels, was preached unto the gentiles, was believed on in earth and received up in glory.
Remember that Jesus Christ being of the seed of David, rose again from death according to my gospel.
He that sanctifieth, and they which are sanctified are all of one. For which causes sake he is not ashamed to cal thē brethrē, saying. I will declare thy name to my brethrē, and in the mids of the congregation will I praise thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, behold here am I, & the children which god hath givē me. For as much then as the children were partakers of flesh & blood, he also him self likewise took part with them for to put down thorough death him that had Lorshyp over death, that is to say, the devil, and that he might deliver them, which thorough fear of death were all their life time in danger of bondage. For he in no condition taketh on him the aūgels, but the seed of Abraham taketh he on him. Wherefore in all things it became him to be made like unto his brethrē, that he might be merciful and a faithful his priest in things concerning god for to purge y • people's sins. For that it fortuned him self to be tempted, he is hable to succor them also that are tempted.
Dearely beloved, believe not every spi rit, but prove the spirits whether they are of God, or not. For many false Pro phetes are gone out into the world. Hereby shall ye know the spirit of god. Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in y • flesh, is of god. And every spirit, which confesseth not y • Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of god. And this is the spirit of Antichrist, of whō ye have hard, how y • •… e should come, & even now already is he in the world.
Many deceyuers are entered into the world, which confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist.
Examples out of the New Testament.
WHen the time was come y • the blessed promised seed should be borne. God sent his messenger Gabriel vnt •… that holy Virgin Mary, which was of the house of David which among ma ny other things said unto her: fear not mary. For thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bear a Son. &c.
Note that the angel saith, thou shalt conceive. He saith not, heaven shall conceive. And the angel like as the Prophet used this word conceive, to declare that the flesh which Christ had, was truly and naturally taken of the substance of his mother Mary the virgins. For to conceive, is none other thing, than a woman to be a very true & natural mother by ministryng parte of her corporal substance to her child, whereof also the child is formed and made. Now on this manner by the working of the holy ghost without the seed of man did this blessed virgins conceive Christ, it therefore truly followeth, that Christ brought not his body with him from heaven but received it of the natural substance of his mother Mary. And because we should not doubt of this thing, the angel calleth Jesus Mary's son. If Christ had not ta ken his humanity of the blessed Virgin, of her nature and substance, and so be made very true and perfect man, the angel had not said truth, when he called Christ her son. For neither should Mary have been Christ's mother, nor Christ Mary's son. And so should the angel have brought a false and a lying message from God, which is the self truth. But let God be true, and all heretics liars.
The godly and virtuous womā Elizabeth, wife to •… acharie the priest, said to Mary her Co sen, being newly conceived with child, thorough the operacion of the holy ghost: blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence happeneth this unto me, y • the mother of my lord should come unto me? whatsoever this holy woman saith here, it must needs be believed as an infallible truth. For she speaketh not of her own head, but as she was filled w t the holy ghost. In this her salutacion: she calleth Christ the fruit of Mary's womb. If Christ be the fruit of Mary's womb as vndobutedlye he is, then is Christ made of the substance of Mary, and is her true and natural son, or else were it a manifest lie to call Christ the fruit of her womb. Who is so mad, to call a thing the fruit of a tree, that never had the nature of a tree? Were it not double madness to call a peare the fruit of a chery tree? so great a fondness and a greater lie had it been to call Christ the fruit of Mary's womb, if he had brought his body with him from heaven or from any other place. But as it is truly said this peare is the fruit of a peare tree, because it had his being and natural substance of the nature and substance of a peare tree, so likewise is it truly said Christ is the fruit of Mary's womb, because he had his being and natural substance as concerning his humanity of the nature and substance of Mary. Let God therefore be true, and all heretics liars.
IEsus saith Luke, grew in wisdom and age, this also declareth Christ to to be true man, seeing he grew in age and strength of body yea and also in wisdom after the manner of other children, all though in the gifts of the mind he far excelled all other men, as the Scriptures testify. God saith David, even thy God hath annointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. S. John the Baptist also spea keth of Christ on this manner. God giveth not the spirit by me sure unto him.
If Christ had brought his body with him •… ō heaven so could not Christ's body have ben a natural body, nor have grown after the man ner of other children but should have been as bygge when it came from heaven into the Uirgines womb, as it was on the same day that it was put to death. But the holy Scriptures teache us, that Christ is the fruit of Mary's womb, that he is her son, that he was borne a little child, and grew in age after the manner of other children until he became a perfect man. It therefore truly followeth, that he brought not his body with him from heaven, or I know not from whence▪ as the wicked Anabaptists teache at this present, but that he unfeignedly, took it of Mary his mother▪ and is her true and natural son formed & made of the nature and substance of her body. Let God therefore be true, and all Heretics liars.
Christ calleth him self many times in the gospel the son of man to declare that as concerning the flesh, he is the son of Abraham▪ & of David, forasmuch as he took his manhode of Mary, which was of the stock & kynred of Abrahā & David▪ to whō God promised, that of their seed & of the fruit of their womb one should be borne in whom all nations of the earth shall be blessed. So is it evident, that Christ is the natural son of Mary the virgins. Let God therefore be true, and all heretics liars.
Christ in many places of the holy scripture is called the son of David▪ not only because he was promised unto David, but because he came of his kynred, and took flesh any blood of his stock and family even of the most vndefi •… ed virgins Mary his mother Christ therefore is true and perfect man of the blessed virgins▪ & had no fantastical nor heavenly body. Let God therefore be true, and all heretics liars.
Christ was borne, wrapped in cloths, laid in a maunger, seed, circumcised, embrased in arms, grew, was made strong in spirit, profited in wisdom and age, hungered, thyrsted, eat, drank, wept, was weary, slept, rejoiced, was moved with wrath and indignation, sorowed, was heavy, sad, was in such an agony, that his sweat was like drops of blood trickelyng down to the ground, feared death, and at the last suffered the most spytefull death of the cross, and was buried. All these are manifest tokens and evident signs of Christ's true man hoode. Neither could he have done or suffered these things▪ if he had a fantastical body or a body brought from heaven. Let God therefore be true, and all heretics liars.
CHrist after his resurrectiō appeared unto his disciples & said unto them peace be unto you. The disciples being abashed & afraid, & supposing that they had seen a spirit, he said unto them, why are ye troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my fete, that it is evē I myself handle me & see. For a spirit hath not flesh & bones, as ye see me have.
Here Christ after his resurrection proveth and shown him self not to be a fantastical but a very man, not to have an heavenly body, but a body of flesh and bones. And to declare him self true and perfect mā, he did eat before them •… piece of a broiled fish and of an honye tomb. Let God therefore be true and all heretics liars.
PEter in a certain sermon declared unto the Jews, that Christ as concerning the flesh came of the fruit of David's loins.
In the which words he manifestly declareth his faith concerning Christ's humanity, which is, that Christ is very •… an coming of the seed of David, & taking his manhood of the blessed virgins, which came of the stock of Da uid. Hereof may we also learn, that the true and Christian faith is to believe, that Jesus Christ took his flesh of Mary his mother, & brought not his body with him from heaven, as the wicked Anabaptists hold.
PAul in his Epistle to the Romaines plainly teacheth that Christ as concerning the flesh came of the fathers of the Old Testament, that is to say, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David. &c.
In this Epistle to the Galatians he saith, that whē the time was full come. God sent his son, made of a woman.
He saith not, that he was made afore of the elements in the air or that he brought his b •… •… y with him from heaven, but that he was made of a woman, that is to say, took his beginning and natural substance of Mary his mother, concerning his humanity.
AGaine in his first epistle unto Timothy, he nameth the man Jesus Christ a mediator between god & man.
This name Mediator, proveth Christ both God and man. For he that should be a mediator between God and man, set them at one y • were at debate, make peace among them that before did disagree, and conjoin them to perpetual amity, which before were enemies one to another, yea and by his own dignity, worthiness and justice, make a love day forever and ever, between God and man, must have in him both the nature of God and the nature of man. Christ is that one and alone mediator, which hath by his death ad passion set God and man together in an everlasting peace and quietness, which before thorough sin we are at strife and debate. As Christ therefore is true God, so is he true man, God I say, of God the father, and man of us, of our flesh and of our blood, or else should blessed Paul err, which calleth him a mediator▪ But let God be true, & all heretics liars.
Finally, in his epistle unto the Hebrews, after that he had spoken much of the divine nature of Christ, proving Christ to be very god, he also setteth forth Christ's humanity, and pro ueth him to be true and natural man, made of our flesh and of our blood, this alone excepted, y • we received our nature with sin, and in sin and by natural conjunction, Christ received his humanity of his mother without sin, without the company of any man by the operation of the holy ghost. But let us hear the words of the Apostle.
For as much as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he also him self likewise toke part with them.
Here as S. Paul declareth evidently, that as the children, that is to say, men be partakers of flesh and blood, so likewise Christ (because he might destroy him that had lordship over death: that is to say, the devil by the death in his own body) was made partaker of the same, that is, of flesh & blood. No man doubteth that our flesh is of the nature and substance of a womā, no more is it to be doubted that Christ toke his flesh of the nature and substance of Mary his mother, seeing the epistle saith that Christ was made per taker of flesh and blood with us. This could he not have ben if he had brought his body with him from heaven, or had taken it of any other then of a natural woman, although a pure and undefiled Virgin.
Therefore like as a man taketh his nature of his parents, so likewise toke Christ by human nature of the blessed Virgin his mother. He sai eth moreover (He) meaning Christ, in no place taketh on him the angels, but the seed of Abraham taketh he on him.
Here the Apostle manifestly confuteth the wicked opiniō of them which teach that Christ had a celestial body or a body made of the air, and plainly affirmeth that he toke the seed of Abraham, that is to say: was made and became ve ry true and natural man of the kinrede of Abra hā according to God's promise. So that all that ever he had, concerning his humanity, he had it of the blessed Virgin, which came of y • stock of Abraham.
Agayne he saith in all things it became him to be made like unto his bretheren. Here saint Paul confesseth that Christ was made like vn to us in all things, which thing by no means could be true, if he had not taken upon him our nature and substance. If he belike unto us in all things (sin alone except) so followeth it that he is of the same nature, & of the same flesh and blood that we are, or else could not he be like unto us in all things. And so should this holy apostle and all other godly writers and teachers have brought us in error. But let god be true and all heretics liars.
Now have we learned both truly and fully of the holy scriptures, which are infallible verities, that Christ was conceived by the holy ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary. By the which word (of) we believe that he toke his humanity of her substance, and had none other beginning as touching his humanity than in her and of her, by the operation of the holy ghost: so that we may truly conclude, that as Christ is very God of God the father without a mother, so is he very man of Mary his mother without any Father. Therefore may his God head be as justly denied, as his manhood and flesh taking of the blessed virgins Mary. But Christ abideth very god and very man whatsoever the wicked hiretikes hable. Cursed therefore be Cerdo, Marcian and Manes, which taught that christ appeared as man, and yet had no parte of true manhood in him, but only had a fantastical body.
Cursed be Cerinthus, which taught that Jesus was begotten of Joseph and Mary, after y • manner of other men, and that Christ came down from above unto Jesus▪ Cursed be the Ebionites, the Theodosians, the Antimonians and the Photinians, which affirmed that Christ was borne of the virgins only man & not God. Cursed be Appelles which taught that Christ had his body of the elements in the air. Cursed be Ualentinus which said that Christ brought his body with him from heaven, and took no flesh of the Virgin Mary: but passed through her as water through the pype. Cursed be his Apes the Anabaptists▪ which in these our dais have raised up that most detestable and horrible heresy. Cursed and confounded be all they which with their hearts do not believe, & with their mouths unfeignedly confess, that Jesus Christ is both God and man, to whom be glory forever.
Against the gross and fantastical opinion of the papists, which affirm that Christ's natural body and blood, is carnally eaten and drunken in the lords supper.
IF the devil or the pope, or any of their imps go about with sophistical reasons to persuade thee, that Christ is natural in the sacramental bread and wyne, or that the bread and wine is turned unto the real and natural body & blood of Christ: even as he received it of the blessed Virgin: suffer not thyself to be beguiled and mocked, but valiantly resist them with these sentences and histories of God's moste holy word.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
THe Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's seat is in heaven.
The Lord lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that would understand and seek after god.
God is gone up with a merry noise, and the Lord with the sound of the trumpet.
God sitteth upon his holy seat.
Thou art gone upon hie (O Christ) thou hast led captivity captive, & received gifts for men.
Syng unto God (O ye kingdoms of the earth) O sing praises unto the lord, which sitteth in the heavens over all.
He looked down from his sanctuarye, even out of heaven did the Lord behold the earth, that he might hear the mourninges of such as be in captivity, and deliver the children appointed unto death.
The Lord hath prepared his seat in heavē, and his kingdom ruleth over all.
O Lord my god, thou art become exceeding glorious, thou art clothed with majesty and honor, thou deckest thyself with light as it were with a garment, and spreadest out the heavens like a curtayne. Thou layest the beams of thy chambers in the waters, & makest the clouds thy chariots, and walkest upon the wings of the wind.
The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footestole.
The Lord is hie above all heathen, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the lord our God, that hath his dwelling so hie, and yet humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth.
Wherefore shall the heathen say, where is now their god? As for our god he is in heaven, he hath done what so ever pleased him.
Unto thee O Lord, lift I up my eyes, which dwellest in the heavens.
Whither shall I go from thy spirit, or whether shall I flee from thy presence? If I clime up into heavē, thou art there, &c
Will god dwell on the earth. Behold the heavens and heavens of all heavens, are not able to contain thee. And how should then this house do it, that I have built.
The house which I build shall be great for great is our god above all gods. But who is able to build him an house, whē that heaven and heaven above all heavens, is not hable to receive him?
God is hyer then heaven, what art thou able to do? Deper then hell, howe wilt thou then know him? His length excedeth the length of the earth, and his breadth the breadth of the sea.
Thus saith the Lord, heaven is my seat, and the earth is my footstool, where shall now the house stand that ye will build unto me? And where shall be the place that I will dwell in?
Sentences out of the New Testament.
IF any man say unto you: Loe, here is Christ, or there is Christ, believe it not. For there shall arise false annointed, and false teachers, and shall show great miracles and wonders: in so much, that if it were possible, the very elect should be deceived. Behold, I have told you afore. Wherefore if thei say unto you, behold he is in the desert, go not ye forth, behold he is in y • secret places, believe it not. For as the lightnyng cometh out of the east, and appeareth into the West, so shall the coming of the son of man be.
Ye have the power always w t you but me shall ye not have always.
And when the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received into heaven, and is set down on the right hand of god.
It came to pass as Christ blessed thē he departed from them, and was carried up into heaven.
I go to prepare a place for you: And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you even unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.
If ye loved me, ye would rejoice because I said, I go unto the Father.
Now I go my way to him that sent me, and none of you asketh me whether I go. But because I have said such things unto you, your hearts are full of sorrow. Neuertheles I tell you y • truth it is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away that comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will. send him unto you.
I went out from the Father, & came into the world. Again, I leave y e world and go to the Father.
It is Christ which died, ye rather which is risen again: which is also on the right hand of God.
So often as ye shall eat of this bread, and drink of the cup, ye shall xemēber the Lord's death til he come.
God the father raised Christ frō the dead, and set him on his right hand in heavenly things, above all rule, power, might, dominiō, and above all names that are named, not in this world only but also in the world to come.
Christ is gone vpō high, & hath led cap tiuitie captive, and hath given gifts unto men.
That he ascended what meaneth it, but that he also descended first into the lowest parts of the earth.
He that descended is even the same also that ascended up▪ even above all heavens to fulfil all things.
God hath exalted Christ on high & given him a name, which is above all names, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow both in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.
If ye be risen again with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Whensoever Christ (which is our life) shall show himself, then shall we all so appear with him in glory.
The Lord him self shall come down from Heaven with a shout, and the voice of the archaungell and trompe of God. &c.
Christ the Son of God, being the brightness of his fathers glory, and the very image of his substance ruling all things with the word of his power, hath by his own person purged our sins and sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on hye.
This man Christ after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, sitteth down forever on the right hand of God, and from hence forth tarrieth till his foes be made his fotestoole.
Let us run with patience unto the battayl that is set before us, looking vn to Jesus the captain and finisher of our faith, which for the joy that was set before him abode the cross and despised the shame, and is set down on the right hand of the throne of god.
Jesus Christ is on the right hand of God, and is gone into heaven, Angels, powers and might subdued unto him.
Examples out of the new Testament.
When Jesus had spoke these things, while the Disciples beheld him, he was taken up on hye, and a cloud received him up out of their sight.
And while they looked up steadfastly to ward heaven, as he went, behold two men stood by them in white aparell, which also said: ye men of Galyle, why stand ye gasyng up to heaven? This same Jesus which is taken from you into heaven, shall so come, even as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Stephen being full of the holy ghost, looked up steadfastly with his eyes into heaven, and saw the glory of god, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said. Behold I see the heavens open, & the son of man standing on the right hand of God.
When Saul iornyed, it fortuned that as he was come nye to Damasco, suddenly there shyned round about him a light from heaven, and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, what art thou Lord? and the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. &c.
Against the plucking away of thy trust and confidence from Christ and his merits, to put it in the merits of other creatures or in thine own good works, or in the intercession of saints, or the sacrifice of the Popish Mass.
IF Satan by this subtle and crafty suggestion seeking thy damnation, go about to pluck thy faith, confidence, and trust from Christ his blood, and his merits, to repose it in the merits of men, or in thine own good deeds, works and merits, or in the intercession of saints, or in the sacrifice of the Popish mass, so that thy whole salvation shall not hang on Christ▪ & his deseruīgs only but rather on some other stran̄g means: lean not to his temptations, but manfully resist them, steadfastly abiding in this pers •… asion that Christ alone is thy righteousness and that all thy salvation dependeth on him alone and on none other thing, neither in heaven nor in earth. And that thou may est be confirmed in this faith, let these scriptures which are vn •… ubted verities, ever be before thine eyes & suffer not thyself neither by y • crafty assaults of Satan, nor by the subtle and fleshly reasons of any man to be plucked from them.
Sentences out of the Old Testament
Christ is that seed, which did tread down Satan's head.
Christ is that seed, in whom all nations of the world shall be blessed.
Christ is the ruler, duke and captain, whom all nations have so long looked for, which also defendeth his people from the power of Satan.
Christ is that Son of God whom we are commanded to kiss and embrace, least we pearish from the right way.
Christ is our upholder, our glory, & our strong shield.
Christ is the Lord, from whō all health and salvation cometh, and he it is y e blesseth his people.
Christ is the Lord that never forsaketh them that trust in him and seek after him.
Christ is our strength, our sure rock, our bulwark, our refuge, our defense, our buckeler, and our mighty saving health, and our sanctuary.
Christ is he that saveth us, because it is his pleasure.
Christ saveth the poor oppressed, and layeth full low the high looks of the proud.
Christ is the Lord, in whom alone our fathers trusted, they trusted, I say in him, and he delivered them.
They cried unto him, and they were made safe, they trusted in him and they were never confounded.
Christ is that Lord, whose ways v niuersall are mercy and truth to them that seek after his Testament and ordinances. He it is that will be merciful to our sins, even for his own names sake, be they never so great.
Christ is our light & our saving health whō thē shall we fear? Christ is the defē der 〈◊〉 our life, of whom then shall we •… e afraid?
Christ is the strength of his people and the defender of the health of his anointed.
Christ is our refuge in all tribulations that assail us.
Christ's eyes are upon them that fear him, and upon them that trust in his mercy, he may deliver their souls from death▪ norishe them in the time of hunger.
Christ is gentle, blessed is that man that trusteth in him.
Christ beholdeth the righteous, and heareth their prayer.
Christ is at hand for them that are troubled in heart, & he shall save the hum ble and meek spirited.
Christ giveth salvation to the righte ous, and he is the defēder in the time of trouble. He helpeth thē and delivereth them, and maketh them free from sinners, and saveth them because they trust in him.
Christ pardoneth all our iniquities, and healeth all our dyseases, he delyuereth our lives from destruction, and crowneth us in iuercye and loving kindness.
Christ is righte mylde and merciful, flow unto wrath, but ready to forgenenes. He chydeth not ever, neither is he angry always, he dealeth not with us after our sins, nor rewardeth us according to our wickedness. The height of the heavens is not so present over the earth, as is his merciable goodness over them that worship him. He setteth our sins as far from us, as is the East frō the West.
Never was there any father so tender unto his children, as is the Lord unto them that worship him. For it is he that knoweth our making, he remembereth that we are but of dust.
That the age of man mortal is like grass, that he flourisheth like a flower of the field. Which as soon as any sharp wind toucheth it, it is gone being no more found in his place. But the merciable goodness of the Lord is forever and ever, preseruyng his worshippers, and the form of his rightwise m •… king is present with their chylders children, so long as they keep his covenant and hold his commandments inmynd to do them.
Christ is the Lord, with whom there is both infinite mercy, & plenteous redētion: For he it is that redeemeth Israel from all their sins.
Christ is that Lord, yea Christ is that Lord in deed which putteth away our iniquities for his own sake, and will remember them no more. Neither have we any thing whereby we may be iusti fied in his sight.
Christ alone is that savior, in whom Israel is saved with an everlasting health.
Christ can no more forget us, then a mother can forgette the child of her womb. And though she forgetteth her child, yet cannot he forget us: For he hath written up us in his hands, so that we are always in his sight.
Christ hath taken upon him our dyseases, and borne away our sorrows.
Christ was wounded for our iniquities, and bruised for our sins.
Christ was offered for us, because it was his pleasure.
Christ alone hath trodden down the vynepresse, neither was there any at all that helped him.
Examples out of the Old Testament.
When God determined to slay all the first borne in the land of Egypt both of man and beast, he commanded his people every man in his house to slay a Lamb of a yere old, and without spot, and with the blood thereof to annoynte the upper door post, and the two side posts, that whan the Angel, which smote the land of Egypt, should see the blood, he might pass over them & not destroy them. This pascal Lamb of the Jews, is a figure of the true Paschal lamb, Jesus Christ the Lord, which is the pure and undefiled lamb of God, which offered him self a sweet smellynge sacryfice unto God for us, which never committed sin, and in his mouth no gyle was found. For as the blood of the Lamb sprynckled on the door posts of the Israelites did drive away the avenger, and kept harmless the first begotten of the Israelites: so likewise the blood of Christ sprinckeled in the hearts of men by •… aythe, dryueth Satan, sin, death, desperation, and hell from them, puryfieth their consciences, maketh their hear tes merye, setteth them at one with God, and bringeth ouerlastyng life as Saint John saith. Behold that lamb of god, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paul: christ our passover is offered up for us.
Christ was figured by Manna which God gave from heaven unto the Israelites to eat in the desert.
For as that bread was very plesaunte, and good of taste, and had in it the savor of all sweet and deintye meats, so that they which did eat of that, needed none other meat.
Even so likewise is Christ the moste sweet and pleasant bread, that came down from heaven.
He that eateth of this bread, shall live forever, neither needeth he to follow ani other strange repast. For in Christ the soul of a christen man through faith findeth enough to feed upon.
The rock, out of the which plenty of sweet waters gushed out for the comfort of the thirstye Israelites in the wilderness, signified Christ also as Sainte Paul doth declare. For as that rock gave out abdundance of sweet and plea sant waters to the great comfort of the people of Israel, which otherwise should have pearished: so likewise is Christ y • rock, out of the which floweth plenty of heavenly waters, comfortable for the thirsty soul, which otherwise cannot be succoured but must needs pearish. And he that drinketh of those heavenly waters which come out of the rock Christ, shall not need to seek after the •… inking & dirty puddles of other. For in this Christ, he shall find plenty of waters to drink, yea and that unto the uttermost for his souls health, as Christ himself saith.
Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him, shall never more be a thirste, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
The brazen serpent in the old law was a figure also of Christ.
For as those which were stricken of y • fyry serpentes were made whole, whē they looked upon the brazen Serpent for their faithes sake which they had in the promise of god annexed unto the ser pent: so likewise they that are wounded with the fiery darts of Satan, are made whole, when so ever they behold with the eyes of the inward man by faith. Jesus Christ which was crucified for our sin, as Christ himself testifieth, saying: As Moses lyfted up the Serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lyfted up: that none that believeth in him perish, but have ever •… astyng life.
Sentences out of the new Testament.
Christ is so called a Savior, for he it is that saveth his people from their sins.
Christ came not to call the iusticiaries but sinners to repentance.
Christ calleth all them that labor and are laden, and he promiseth that he will refresh them.
Christ is that true light, which light neth every man that cometh into this world.
Christ is our Lord of whose fullness all we have received, even grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ
Christ is that lamb of god, which taketh away the sins of the world:
As Moses lyfted up the Serpent in wilderness, so must the Son of man be lyfted up, that every on that believeth in him, may not perish but have everlasting life. For God loveth the world so fervently that he gave his only begot ten son that everyone that believeth in him may not pearish, but have everlasting life.
For god sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved by him. He that believeth in the son, hath everlasting life, but he that believeth not in the son, shall not se life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him.
Christ geuethe that living water, whereof whosoever drinketh, shall neuermore thirste, but that water shall be unto him a fountain of water that springeth up into eternal life.
Christ is that bread of life, which came down from heaven. If any man eat of that bread, he shall live forever.
Christ alone the Son of God maketh us free.
Christ is the door. If any man enter in by him, he shall be safe.
For he shall go in and come out and •… nde pasture.
Christ is that good shepherd which gave his life for his sheep.
Christ is the resurrection and life, he that believeth in him although he were dead, shall live and everyone that liveth and believeth in him shall never die.
Christ is the light of the world, and came into the world for this purpose y • everyone that believeth in him should not abide in darkness.
Christ is the way, truth and life. No man cometh unto the Father but by him.
Christ is that mighty prince which hath overcome the world.
There is none other name given unto men under heaven where in they must be saved, but only that name of Christ. Neither is there any salvation in any other, but in him alone.
Christ is ordained of God a judge of quick and dead. To him give all the pro phets witness, that thorough his name all that believe in him, shall receive remis sion of sins.
Thorow Christ, is preached unto us the forgiveness of sins, so that by him all y • believe, are justified from all things from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses.
The righteousness no doubt, which is good before God, cometh by y e faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all that believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned, and want the glory of God, but are justified freely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, to whom God hath made a •… eat of mercy thorough faith in his blood, to show the righteousness, which before him is of valoure.
Christ died for our sins, and rose •… gain for our justification.
We being justified by faith, are at peace with god thorough our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have away in thorough faith unto this grace, wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the praise that shall be given of God.
God setteth out his love that he hath to us, forasmuch as while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Muche more then now (being justified in his blood) shall we be saved from wrath thorough him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son: much more seeing we are re conciled, we shall be preserved by his life. Not only so, but we also joy in God by our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the atonement.
Rede the whole Chapter.
Euerlastinge life is the gift of God thorough Jesus Christ our Lord.
There is no damnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, which walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. For the law of the spirit that bringeth life thorough Jesus Christ, hath made us free frō the law of sin and death.
We know that all things work for the best unto them that love god, which also are called of purpose. For those which he knew before, he also ordained before, that they should be a like fashioned to the shape of his son that he might be the first begotten son among many brethren. And whom he appointed before, them also he called. And which he called, them also he justified, which he justified, them also he glorified.
What shall we thē say to these things? If God be on our side, who can be against us, which spared not his own son, but gave him for us all, how shall he not with him give us all things also? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's chosen? It is God that iustifyeth, who then shall condemn? It is Christ which is dead, yea, rather which is risen again, which is also on the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for us.
Christ is the end of the law to iustifye all that believe. Whosoever believeth on Christ, shall not be ashamed. There is no difference between y e Jew and the Gentile. For one is Lord over all that cal on him, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be safe.
Christ is made of God our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and redemption
Christ our Easter Lamb is offered up for us.
We are washed, we are sanctified, yea, we are justified by the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God.
The liberality of our lord Jesus Christ is great, which though he were riche, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.
If righteousness come of the law, then died Christ in vain.
Christ hath delivered us frō y e curse of the law, and was made accursed for us.
S •… ande fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and wrap not yourselves again in the yoke of bondage.
Ye are gone quite frō Christ as many as are justified by the law, and are fallen from grace. For we look in spirit to be justified thorough faith. For in Jesus Christ neither is circumcision anything worth, neither uncircumcision, but faith which by love is mighty in operation.
God forbid y • I should rejoice in anything, but only in y • cross, death & passiō, of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be god the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which hath blessed us with all manner of spiritual blessings in heavenly things by Christ.
By christ we have redemption thorough his blood, even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace which he shed on us aboundauntlye in all wisdom and prudence.
God which is riche in mercy thorough his great love, wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sin, hath quic kened us to gether in Christ (for by grace are ye saved) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly things thorough Christ Jesus.
By grace are ye made safe thorough faith and that not of yourselves. For it is the gift of God, and cometh not of works, least any man should boast himself.
We were strangers and far of, but now we are made nigh by thy blood of Christ.
Christ is our peace.
By Christ Jesus our Lord are we bound to draw nigh in the trust which we have by faith on him.
Christ is ascended up on high and hath led captivity captive, and hath givē gifts unto men.
In Christ have we redemption thorough his blood, that is to say, forgiveness of sins.
By Christ thorough the blood of hyscrosse are all things reconciled to God the father and set at peace both in heaven and in earth.
This is a true saying and by all means worthy to be received, that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners.
There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, which is the man Christ Jesus which gave himself a ransom for all men.
God hath not saved us for the deeds of righteousness which we have wrought, but of his mercy hath he saved us.
We are not redeemed with corruptible silver and gold, from our vain conuer sation, which we received by the traditions of the fathers, but by the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb undefiled and without spot.
Christ is the shephearde and bishop of our souls
The blood of Jesus Christ God's sonne, maketh us clean from all sin.
If any mā sin, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ that righteous one, and he is a mercy stock for our sins: not for our sins only, but also for the sins of all the world.
Our sins are forgiven us in y e name of Christ.
For this purpose appeared the son of God to loose the works of the devil.
In this appeareth the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live thorough him. Herein is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be a sacrifice for our sins.
Christ in his own person hath purged our sins.
Christ thorough death put down him that had rule over death, that is to say, the devil, and hath made us free from the danger of bondage. In that Christ himself suffered and was tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.
We have not an high priest which can not have compassion on our infyrmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, but yet without sin. Let us therefore go boldelye unto the seat of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Christ hath an everlasting priesthood. Wherefore he is able also ever to save them that come unto God by him, forasmuch as he ever liveth to make intercession for us.
Christ being Bishop of good things to come, came by a greater and a more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this manner building, neither by the blood of Goats, and Calves, but by his own blood he entered in, once for all into the holy place, and found eternal redemption. For if the blood of Oxen and Goats, and the ashes of an Heyfer, when it was sprinkled, purified the unclean, as touching the purifyeng of the flesh: howe much more shall the blood of Christ which thorough the eternal spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living god.
And for this cause is he the mediator toure of the new Testament, that thorough death which chanced for the redētion of these transgressions that were in the first Testament, they which were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Christ now in the end of the world hath appeared once for all, to put sin to flight by the offering up of him self.
We are sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. With one offering hath Christ made perfect forever them that are sanctified.
Christ loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests unto god his father.
Christ liveth for evermore, and hath the keys of hell and death.
Christ is Lord of Lord's and king of kings, and they that are on his side, are cal led and chosen, and faithful.
Examples out of the New Testament.
Christ is that well-beloved Son of god, for whose sake the heavenly father is well pleased with man.
Christ is that king which forgave the servant the ten thousand talentes that be ought.
Christ is that moste loving Samaritan, which healed the wounded man that was half dead.
Christ is that tender shepherd which fetched home unto the shepefolde even upon his shoulders the lost sheep.
Christ is that most gentle father which with so great joy and with embracinge arms received home again the lost son.
Against such as go about to dissuade the christen people from the studying, reading, or hearing of gods word.
IF Satan or any of his imps go about to dissuade thee, and to pluck thy mind from studying, reading or hearing gods word, that thou mayest walk in darkness, and never come to the knowledge of the truth, least by this means thou shouldest be saved: lean not unto him, but enarm thyself against his wicked temptations with these scriptures following.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
THou shalt tell thy son at the same day, & say: because of that which the lord did for me, whē I departed out of Egypt. Therefore shall it be a sign unto thee in thine hand, and a token of remembrance before thine eyes, that the law of the lord may be in thy mouth, how that the Lord brought thee out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
Speak to the children of Israel, and say unto them, that they make thē gardes upon the quarters of their garments amongst all your posterities, and put yellow r •… hands upon the gardes in y e quarters. And the gardes shall serve you that ye may look upon them and remember all the commandments of the lord, and do them, y • ye order not yourselves after the meaning if your own heart, nor go a whoryng after your own eyes. Therefore shall ye remember, & do all my cōmaun dements, and be holy unto your God.
Take heed to thyself now, and keep well thy soul, that thou forgette not the things which thine eyes have seen, and that they depart not out of thy heart all the days of thy life. And thou shalt teach them thy children, and thy childers children.
Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord only. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, & with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day shalt thou take to heart, and shalt rehearse them unto thy children, and shalt talk of them, when thou sittest in thine house, and whē thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou rysest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be a token of remembrance before thine eyes, & thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house, and upon the gates.
If ye hearken unto my commandments which I command you this day, that ye love the Lord your God, and serve him with all your heart, & with all your soul, then will I give rain unto your lande in due season, earlye and late, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, thy wine, and thine oil, and I will give grass upon thy field for thy cattle, that ye may eat and be filled. But beware that your heart be not deceived, that ye go aside, and serve other gods, and worship them, and then the wrath of the Lord wax hot upon you and he shut up the heaven, that there come no rain, and the earth give not her increase, and ye perish shortly from the good land which the lord hath given you.
Put up therefore these my words in your hearts and in your souls, and bind them for a sign upon your hands, that they be a token of remembrance before your eyes, and teache them your childrē, so that thou talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, or walkest by the way, when thou liest down and when thou risest up, and write them upon the posts of thine house, and upon the gates, that thou and thy children may live long in y e land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give them as long as the days of heaven endure upon earth.
Let my doctrine increase as rain, and my speech flow as doth the dew. Even as the rain upon the grass, and the drops upon the herb.
Take to heart all the words which I testify unto you this day that ye cōmaūd your children to observe and do all these words of this law. For it is no vain word to you, but it is your life, and this word shall prolong your life.
Be strong and very bold, that thou mayest keep and do everything according to the law that Moses my servant commanded thee.
Turn not aside from it, neither to the right hand nor to the left, that thou mayest deal wisely whether soever thou goest And let not the book of this law depart out of thy mouthe, but exercise thyself therein day and night that thou mayest keep and do everything according to it that is written therein.
Then shalt thou prosper in thy ways and deal wisely. Lo I have commanded thee to be strong and bold. Fear not and be not afraid, for the Lord thy God is with thee, wheresoerver thou goest.
Blessed is the man that delighteth in the law of the Lord, and exerciseth himself in his law both day and night.
Lay hand on the learning lest the Lord be angry, & so ye perish frō the right way.
The law of the Lord is pure, it turneth souls. The witness of the Lord is faith full it giveth wisdom even unto babes.
The statutes of the Lord are right they rejoice the heart, the commandment of the Lord is bright, and lighteneth the eyes
The fear of the Lord is holy, it endureth forever, the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether, they are more pleasant and worthy, more to be desired then gold and precious stone, yea they be sweter then the honey and the honey comb.
The Lord shall tell in the Scriptures of the people and of those Princes that were in her.
Blessed is the man whom thou hast nur tered, O lord, and taught him thy law.
He hath sent his word & healed them & delivered them from their destructions.
Blessed are thei y e search his testimonies & seek after him with their whole heart.
Thou hast given strait charge that thy commandments should be kept.
Oh that my ways were stablished to keep thy statutes, then should not I be cō founded while I have respect unto all thy commandments.
Where with all, shall a young man clenfe his way? Verily by ruling himself according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee, oh let me not go wrong out of thy commandments.
Thy words have I hid within my heart that I should not sin against thee.
Thou rebukest y e proud, cursed are they that depart from thy commandments.
In thy testimonies is my delight, yea thy statutes are my counselors.
Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the ende.
Oh give me understanding and I shall keep thy law, yea I shall keep it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of thy commandments, for that is my desire: Enclyne my heart unto thy testimonies, and not vn to covetousness.
The law of thy mouthe is better unto me then thousands of gold and silver.
The wicked mē have told me tales but nothing agreeable to thy law. For all thy commandments are true, yet have the ungodly persecuted me.
If my delight wer not in thy law, I should perish in my trouble.
Oh how sweet are thy words unto my throat, yea more then honye is unto my mouth. Thy word is a lantern unto my feet, and a light unto my pathe.
It is hie time for thee O Lord to lay to thine hand. For they have destroyed thy law. For I love thy commandments above gold and precious stone.
The preaching of the word giveth sight, yea and bringeth forth understanding even unto the very babes.
Helthe is far from the ungodly, for they regard not thy statutes.
But great is the peace that they have which love thy law, and they are not offended at it.
My Son, if thou wilt receive my words, and keep my commandments by thee, that thine ear may hearken unto wisdom, apply thine heart then to under standing. For if thou criest after wisdom and callest for knowledge: if thou sekest after her as after money, & diggest for her as for treasure, then shalt thou understand the fear of the lord, and find the knowledge of God.
For it is the Lord that geeueth wisdom, out of his mouthe cometh knowledge and understanding. He preserveth the welfare of the righteous, and de •… ēdeath them that walk innosētly, he keepeth thē in the right path, and preserveth the way of the saints? Then shalt thou not under stand righteousness, judgment and equi tie, yea and every good path. If wisdom enter into thine heart, and thy soul delight in knowledge, then shall council preserve thee, and understanding shall keep thee.
That thou mayest be delivered frō the evil way, and from the man that speaketh froward things, from such as leave the high streat & walk in the way of darkness, which rejoice in doing evil, and delight in wicked things, whose ways are crooked, and their paths slanderous. That thou mayest be delited also from the strange woman, and frō her that is not thine own, which giveth sweet words, forsaketh the husband of her youth, and forgetteth the couenaunte of her God. For her house is inclined unto death, and her paths unto Hell. All they that go in unto her come not again, neither take they hold of the way of life. That thou walk in the good way, and keep y • paths of the righteous. For the just shall dwell in the lande, and the innocents shall remain in it, but the ungodly shall be rooted out of the lande, and the wicked doers shall be taken out of it.
Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and obtaineth understanding, for y e getting of it is better then any m •… rchandise of silver, and the profit of it is better then gold. Wisdom is more worth then precious stones, and all the things that thou canst desire, are not to be compared unto her. Upon her right hand is long life, and upon her left hand is riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths ar peaceable. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and blessed are thei that keep her fast.
My son let not these things depart frō thine eyes, but keep my law and counsel so shall it be life unto thy soul and grace unto thy mouthe.
Then shalt thou walk safely in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble. If thou slepest, thou shalt not be afraid, but shalt take thy rest and sleep swetely. Thou shalt not need to be afraid of any sudden fear, neither for the violent rushing in of the ungodly whē it cometh.
For the lord shall be beside thee, and keep thy foot that thou be not taken.
Let thine heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt •… live.
Get the •… wisdom, get thee understanding, forget not the words of my mouth, and shrink not from thē. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee, love her, and she shall keep thee. The chief point of wisdom is, that thou willingly to obtain wisdom, and before all thy goods to get understanding. Make much of her and she shall promote thee, yea if thou embracest her, she shall bring thee unto honor.
She shall make thee a gracious head & garnishe thee with the crown of glory. Hear my son, & receive my words, that the years of thy life may be many: I will show the way of wisdom and lead thee in the righte paths. So that if thou goest therein, there shall no straitnes hinder thee: and when thou runnest thou shalt not fall. Take fast hold of doctrine, let her not go, keep her, for she is thy life.
The commandment is a lantern, and the law is a light and the way of life.
Wher no knowledge of gods word is, the soul is not well,
Apply thy heart unto learning, and thine ear to the words of knowledge.
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, his prayer shall be abhorred.
When the preaching of God's word faileth, then perisheth the people.
Euerye word of GOD is pure and clean, yea it is a shield to them that trust in it.
Uaine are all those men, in whom no knowledge of god is.
Neither herb nor emplasture hath healed thē, but thy word O Lord, which healeth all things.
The fountain of wisdom is the the word of god.
Be make and lowly to hear the word of god, that thou mayest understand, and bring forth a wise and true answer.
Have all thy pleasure in the commaun dements of god, and in his laws be thou most of all occupied, and he shall give thee an heart, and a desire of wisdom shall be ge uen thee.
Be not slack to believe the word of God.
Learnig is a precious jewel to a wisemā.
Nothing is better then the fear of god, and nothing is sweter then to have a respect to the commandments of the Lord
My people is led captive because they have no knowledge.
They have caste away the law of the Lord of hosts, and the word of the holy one of Israel have they blasphemed.
Therefore is the wrath of the lord who •… against his people, and he will stretch out his hand, and destroy them.
Make hast unto the law and witness. If they speak not according to this word they shall not have the morning light.
All ye that are a thirst; come unto the waters, and ye that have no money, make haste, by and eat. Come I say, by without money and without any •… xchaunge, wyne and milk. Why lay ye out your money for that that is not bread in deed, and spend your labor about that that shall never satisfy you? Hear me, hear I say, and eat that which is good, that ye may be well liking. Geue ear and come unto me, hear me I say, and your soul shall live.
As rain and snow cometh down •… rom heaven and returneth not th •… there again, but watereth the earth and maketh it to bud, and bring forth the fruit, so that it giveth seed to the sower, & bread to the eater: so shall my word be that shall come out of my mouth.
It shall not return unto me boyde, but shall do whatsoever I will, and prosper in them, to whom I send it.
Let not the wise man rejoice in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor yet let the riche man glory in his riches, but let him that rejoiceth, rejoice in this thing that he know me, that I am y e Lord which doth mercy, judgment and righteousness in the earth.
Withdrawe not the word from the people, if peradventure they hear & turn from their wicked way, so that it may repent me of the evil which I have determi ned to do unto them for the malicioiusness of their councils.
Hear Israel the commandments of life, give ear that thou mayest become wise. Howe chanced it O Israel, that thou art in the lande of thine enemies? Thou art worn out in a strange lande, thou art defiled with the dead. Thou art •… reputed with them that go down to Hell. Thou hast forsaken the fountain of wisdom. For if thou haddest walked in the way of god, undoubtedly thou haddest dwelt in rest upon the earth: Learn therefore where wisdom is, and understanding is, that thou mayest also know where continuance of life is, and all things necessary for to maintain the same, again where the light of the eyes and peace is.
This is the book of the commandments, and the law which abideth forever. All that keep it, shall come unto life, but they that forsake it, shall come unto death.
Behold, the day is come, saith y • Lord that I will caste an hunger upon the earth, not the hunger of bread, nor the thirst of water, but of bearing the word of the Lord. And they shall go from sea to sea, and walk about from the South to the East, sekinge the word of the Lord, and yet shall they not find it.
Examples out of the 〈◊〉 Testament.
GOd the Father wrote the law of the ten commandments in tables of stone with his finger, and commanded Moses to declare them unto the people.
The people are commanded of God, not only to rede his holy law, but also diligently to exercise them selves in the me ditation thereof so long as they live, and to teach it their childrē, yea to talk of it, both in their house, and when they go abroad, and to write it upon t •… e thresholds, doors and posts of their houses, that it may be •… er in their sight. For man shall not live with bread alone, but with every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.
A king is commanded to read the boke of the law of the Lord all the days of his life, that he may fear the Lord his God.
Joshua was commanded that the boke of the Lord's law should not depart from his mouth, but that he should study in it day and night, that he might keep and do all things that are written in that boke.
King Saul was cast down from his roy all estate, because he was negligente and disobedient to the law of God.
When David lay on his death bed, he said to Sallomon: thou shalt prosper and come to great renown, if thou kepest the commandments and ordinances, which the Lord commanded Moses.
Joash, when he was crowned in y • temple, had the law of the Lord delivered unto his hands, that he should keep and maintain the same.
Jehoshaphat that walked in the commandments of the Lord & loved God's word so entierly, that he sent his princes, Levites, and priests to teach in all partes of Judah, which had the book of the Lord's law with them, and went about in all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
Hezekiah diligently walked in the law of the Lord, purged his realm of all idolatry, set up again the true worshipping of God, & exhorted all his subjects to follow the law of their Lord God.
Iossas that most godly king which walked so purely in the ways of the lord, that he declined neither on the right hand nor on the left, when the boke of the law was delivered unto him, did not only cause the book to be red before him, but he himself also red it before all his people, both small and great, and (all idolatry destroyed) restored the true religion to his kingdom.
Esdras red the law of the Lord plainly and distinctly to the people, & they gave very earnest and diligent attendaunce to the bearing of it.
Susan from her infanci •… , was so diligently brought up of her parents in the law of God, that she did not only fear god, but also chose rather to be stoned vn to death, then she would once transgress the law of god by committing adultery.
Sentences out of the new Testament.
Man shall not live with bread alone, but with every word that cometh out of the mouth of God.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, this age shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Blessed are they that hear the word of god and keep it.
Blessed is he that eateth bread in the kingdom of God.
They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they believe though one should rise from the dead.
Thys is condemnation, that light is come into the world, and that men loved darkness more then light, because their works were evil. For every man that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh he to y • light, least his works should be reproved, but he that doth truth, cometh to light that his deeds might be known how they are wrought in god.
Search the scriptures for ye think to have eternal life in them, and these are they which testify of me, neither will ye come unto me that ye may have life.
The words that I speak to you, are spirit and life. Lord to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of everlasting life.
He that is of god heareth the words of god. But ye hear not because ye are not of god. If a man keepeth my word, he shall never see death.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and thei follow me, and I give them everlasting life.
Walk while ye have light, least darkness overwhelm you. He that walketh in darkness, knoweth not whether he goeth. While ye have light believe in the light: that ye may be the children of light.
He that hath my precepts and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. If any man loveth me, he will keep my word, and my father will love him, and we shall come to him, and dwell with him.
This is everlasting life, even to know thee the alone true God, and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ.
Everyone that is of the truth, heareth my voice.
The gospel of Christ is the power of god unto salvation, for so many as believe.
Except the Lord of bostes had left unto us seed, that is, his most blessed word, we had been as Sodom, and might well have been likened to Gomorrah.
Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Whatsoever things are written afore time, are writ̄ for our learning, that we thorough patience & comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
The word of the cross, is to them that perish, folishnesse, but to us▪ that obtain salvation, it is the power of God.
If the gospel of Christ be yet bid, it is bid among them that are lost, in whom y • god of this world hath blinded y • minds of them which believe not, least the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the image of God, should not shine unto thē. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly with all wisdom. Teach and monish one another.
Quench not the spirit. Despise not the studies and preachings of the holy Scripture. Prove all things, and that is good, hold fast.
God will all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Geue thy mind to reading, exhortation, and doctrine, continue in these things.
Continue in reading the holy scripture, which is able to make thee wise unto saluatiō, thorough the faith which is in Christ Jesus: For all Scripture givē by inspiration of God, is profitable to teache, to improve, to amend, and to instruct in righteousness, that the man of god may be perfect and prepared to all good works.
The word of God is liuishe and mighty in operation, and sharper then any two edged sword.
Lay a part all filthiness, all superfluity of maliciousness, and receive with meek •… es, y • word that is grafted in you, which is able to save your souls. And see ye be doers of the word, and not hearers only, disceauinge yourselves. For if any hear the word and do it not, he is like to a man that beholdeth his bodily face in a glass: For as sone as he hath looked on him self he goeth his way, and forgetteth forthwyth what his fashion was. But who so looketh in the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein (if he be not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work) the same shall be happy in his deed.
Lay a side all malice, & guile, and dissimulation and envy, and all backbityng, and as new borne babes desire that milk not of the body, but of the mind, which is without corruption, that ye may grow therein.
We have a right sure word of prophecy: whereunto if ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, ye do well until the day dawn, and the day star arise in our hearts. So that ye first know this, that no prophecy in the scripture hath any private interpretation. For the scripture came never by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy ghost.
Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not god. He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the father and the son.
If there come any to you, and bring not this learning, him receive not to house, neither once bid him god speed, for he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds.
Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of the prophecte, and keepeth these things that are written therein.
Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book.
Examples out of the New Testament.
THe people preased so greatly upon Christ to hear the word of God, that he was compelled to enter into a ship, and so to teach them.
Mary the sister of Martha, sat at Jesus feet and heard his preaching. And when Martha being greatly combred about much serving and other worldly business, said to Christ: Master, doest thou not care that my sister hath leste me to minister alone. Byd her therefore that she help me. He said: Martha, Martha, thou carest and art troubled, about many things, but one thing is needful. Mary hath chosē her that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Whan Christ preached in the temple, all the people did hange of his mouth, hearing him.
Peter turned three thousand at one of his sermons.
The Eunuch chamberlain, and of great authority with Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians, read the Prophet Isaiah, sitting in his charet, to whom the holy ghost sent Philip, which did both expound the Scriptures unto him, & also baptized him. So dere are they to God which delight in the reading of his holy word.
The noblest of birth among them of Thessalonia, which received the word with all diligence of minds, searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were even so as Paul & Silas preached.
Apollos was an eloquent man & mighty in the scriptures, He was informed in the way of the lord, and he spake fervently in the spirit, and taught diligently the things of the Lord, and yet knew he but the baptism and doctrine of John only, whom whē Aquila and Priscilla his wife being lay persons, had herd, they toke him unto them, & expounded unto him the way of God more perfectlye, in so much that afterward he mightily overcame the Jews and that openly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
Philip the Euaungelist and preacher of the gospel, had four daughters excellently learned in the holy scriptures.
Timothy was brought up in the holy scriptures from his young age.
Against strange religion or new found worshipping of God.
IF thou be moved unto strange religion or new found worshipping of God, either by Satan, by the pope, or by any subtue hypocrite, loke that thou by no means doest lean unto their wicked motions, but rather valiantly withstand thē, with these sentences and examples of the holy scripture.
Sentences out of the Old Testament
HEare Israel, your Lord God is one God. Thou shalt love thy Lord god with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. Thou shalt fear thy Lord God, and serve him alone.
And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou fearest the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways, and love him, and serve the Lord thy Godwith all thy heart, & with all thy soul, and keep the commandments of the Lord.
Do that which is pleasant in y • sight of the Lord thy God. Sacrifice to the Lord the sacrifice of righteousness, and trust in him.
I will not reprove thee in thy sacrifices, saith the •… Lord, for I am full of thy burnt offerings. Offer to God the sacrifice of praise, and pay to the most highest thy vows. Call on me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt honor me.
Hear O my people, I will give thee a charge O Israel: If thou wilt hear me, there shall be no strange nor new found God in thee, neither shalt thou worship any foreign God. For I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the lande of Egypt. To do mercy and judgment pleaseth the Lord more than sacrifice.
A sacrifice well pleasing to the Lord isto attend to his commandments, and to depart from all iniquities and unrighteousness.
What shall I do with all these your sacrifices, saith the Lord: I am full of them. The burnt offerings of Weathers and fatlynges, the blood of Calves, Lambes, and Goats, I will none of them. When ye come before my sight, who required these things at your hands, that ye should walk in my courts? Bryng me no more sacrifice on this manner in vain: Your sensing is abomination unto me. The feasts of the new Moon, and the Sabbothes, and other holy days I cannot abide. Your congregations are wicked: Your Kalendes and your solemn feasts, my soul hateth. I am even werye of them. It greueth me to the heart for to suffer them. When ye shall pray many prayers: I will not hear you. For your hands are full of blood. Be ye washed and clean. Take away your evil thoughts from mine eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do well. Seek judgment, help the poor oppressed: be favorable to the fatherless, defend y • widow, and then come & prove me, saith the lord. If your sins be as red as scarlet, yet shall they be made as white as snow. And if they be made like purpell, yet shall they be made as white as wolle. If that ye will be contented & hear me, ye shall eat the good fruits of y • earth. If that ye will not, but provoke me to anger, the sword shall devour you, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
Put your burnt offerings to your sacrifices & eat the flesh. For when I brought your Fathers out of the lande of Egypt, I spake not one word unto them of burnt offerings and sacrifices, but this I commanded them, saying: hear my voice, and I shall be your God, and ye shall be my people. See ye walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that ye may prosper.
I hate and utterly defy your holy days, and where as ye sense me when ye come together, I will not accept it. And though ye offer me burnt offerings, yet will not I receive your gifts. Awaye from me with the noise of thy songs, for I cannot abide the hearing of thy playeng at the Organs. Prouide that equity may follow as the water, and righteousness as a mighty stream, for in these things have I delight and pleasure saith the Lord.
I will mercy and no sacrifice, saith the Lord, and the knowledge of God do I set more by, then burnt offerings.
What shall I offer worthy the Lord? Shall I bow my knee to y • hie god? Shall I offer unto him burnt sacrifices & calves of a year old? May the Lord be pleased with a thousand fat Weathers? Or with many thousands of lusty Goats? Shall I give my first begotten for my wickedness? Even the fruit of my womb for the sin of my soul? I will show the •… (Oman) what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee: verily to do judgment, to love mercy, and carefully to walk with thy God.
How long will ye halte on both partes. If the Lord be God, follow him. If Baal be God, follow him.
Examples out of the Old Testament.
NAdab and Abihu of a good intent offered incense to the Lord w t strange fire, yet for all their good zeal, they were consumed with fire, so that they died before the Lord.
King Saul thought that he had done great worship unto God, when in the absence of Samuel he offered burnt offerings, but Samuel said unto him: thou hast done foolishly, neither hast kept the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I commanded thee.
Saul also of a good zeal contrary to the commandment of God, spared Agag the king of Ameleche alive, with the best and fattest flocks of sheep, oxen, •… c: Pretending, that he reserved them for to offer unto the Lord. But Samuel said unto him: for as much as thou hast caste away the word of the Lord, the Lord hath cast away thee: that thou be no more king. Willeth the Lord burnt offringes and sacrifices, and not rather that it may be obeyed unto his word? Obedience is better then sacrifices: and to give ear to the lords commandment, is more then to offer the fat of Weathers.
Oza thought y • he had done God high service, when he stayed the Ark of God in the wane, being in ieoperdie of falling: but yet was y • Lord angry with him, because he touched it contrary to his word, in so much that he was stricken and suddenly died.
King Ozias toke upon him to burn incense unto the Lord, thinking that by this means he should highlye please God, but for all his pretensed holiness he was strikē with leaprosie: and so being cast out of the house of the Lord, he continued a leper even unto his death.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
THese people draw nigh unto me with their mouths, & honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Behold, they worship me in vain, teaching doctrines, even the commandments of men.
Woe be unto you ye Scribes & Pharisees, yea very ipocrites: which devour widows houses under the pretence of long prayer, ye shall therefore receive the more grievous damnation.
God hath delivered us from the hand of our enemies, that we should serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.
The hour cometh and now it is, whē true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the father seeketh such, that should worship him.
God is a spirit, & they y • worship him, must worship him in spirit and truth.
The time shall come, that whosoever killeth you, shall think that they do unto God an hie good service.
God is my witness whom I serve in my spirit.
Be ye fulfilled with the spirit, speaking with yourselves in psalms and hymns & spiritual songs, and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks always for all things unto God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Unto god king everlasting, immortal, invisible and wise only, be all honor and glory forever and ever.
Examples out of the New Testament.
OUr Savior Christ whan he lived in this world, did all things according to his heavenly fathers commandments as he him self saith, as my father hath given me commandment, so do I: this did he to give us example, that in matters of religion we should attempt nothing as due service unto god, but that only which we have learned out of his holy word.
The apostles of Christ both taught and wrought that only, which they had received of their Lord and master Jesus Christ.
Of these aforesaid Scriptures & histories, mayest thou learn that God is not worshipped as carnal reason and fleshly wisdom imagineth and prescribeth, but as god by his holy word biddeth, appointeth, and commandeth. A Christian man ought to follow Christ's steps and to walk, as he hath walked.
Against men's traditions and unwritten verities.
IF Satan or any of his imps unto the derogation of God's glory. shall at any time tempt thee with man's traditions or unwritten veryties, for to give no les credit unto them, than unto the word of God: avoid him with these scriptures.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
YE shall not ad unto the word that I speak, nor take ought from it.
Ye shall not turue unto the right hand nor unto the left hand: but by the way that the Lord your god hath commanded you ye shall walk: that ye may live and have good luck.
Keep the commandments of the Lord thy god, and the testimonies and ceremonies, which he hath commanded thee: and do that which is pleasant and good in the Lord's sight, that thou mayest have good luck.
That I cōmaūd thee, do y • only neither put to anything, nor take ought away.
Put nothing to his words, least thou be reproved and found a liar.
Woe be unto them that cal evil good, & good evil: which make darkness light, and light darkness: that make sower sweet and sweet sower.
Woe be to them that are wise in their own sight, and think them selves to have understanding.
Woe be unto you that make unrighteous laws, and devise things which be to hard to be kept: through which the poor are oppressed on every side: and the innocents of my people are therewith robbed of judgment.
Woe be to those shrīking childrē saith y • lord which seek counsel but not at me: which take a web in hand, but not after my will y • they may heap one sin upon another.
Thus saith the Lord, my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways: but as far as the heavens are higher then the earth, so far do my ways exceade yours, and my thoughts your thoughts.
Your lips speak leasinges: and your tongue setteth out wickedness.
No man regardeth righteousness, and no man judgeth truly.
Every man hopeth in vain things: and imagineth disceite, conceiveth wickedness, and bringeth forth evil.
They breed Cockatrices egs, & weave the spiders web: Whosoever e •… eth of their egs dieth, but if one tread upon them, their cometh up a serpent. Their web maketh no cloth, and they may not cover them with their labors. Their deeds are the deeds of wickedness, and the work of robbery is in their hands: their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood. Theyr councils are wicked councils, hate and destruction is in their ways: but y • way of peace they know not. In their goings is no equity, their ways are so crooked y • who so goeth therein, knoweth nothing of peace.
My people have committed two great evils. They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and digged them pits, pits I say that are broken, and can hold no water.
Take b •… de saithe the Lord ye trust in co •… sels that begile you & do you no good.
Hear not the words of the Prophets, that preach their own dreams.
Hear O ye house of Israel, saith the lord. Is not my way right, or ar not your ways rather wicked?
The children of thy people, say, tushe the way of the Lord is not right, where as their way is rather vnright.
Examples out of the old Testament.
Jeroboam king of Israel, contrary to gods word, made two calves of gold and set them up to be worshipped of people as their gods, but both he and his posterity were grievously punished for it.
How grievously god punished all such as brought in strange worshippings of god, or any matters concerning Idolatry or ought else contrary to y • word of God, although y • authors of thē made the simple people to believe y • they were verities, although vnwrittē as the Papists do nowadays, y • holy scriptures in diverse places do evidently show, namely in the books of the kings and of the chronicles.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
Except your righteousness doth exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Beware of false Prophets which c •… me unto you in sheep's clothing, and inward lie are ravening wolves.
Why do ye transgress the commaunden •… ent of God for your traditions.
Every plant y • my heavenly father hath not planted, shall be plucked up by y e rotes.
This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him,
Teache them to keep all things that I have commanded you.
Ye leave the commandment of god, and maintain your own constitutions. Well, ye do caste aside the commandment of god, to keep your own traditions.
If ye abide in my word, ye are my disciples in deed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
He that is of god, heareth the words of God.
My sheep hear my voice & I know them and they follow me: neither shall they at any time pearishe, nor yet shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: If any man loveth me, he will keep my words.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my law.
Ye are my friends, if ye do those things that I command you.
Everyone that is of the truth, heareth my voice.
I dare not speak of any of these things that Christ hath not wrought by me.
I beseech you brethren, mark them that make division and give occasions of evil, contrary to the doctrine y • ye have learned, and avoid them. For they that are such, serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies: & with sweet preachīgs and flattering words, deceive the harts of the simple.
Though we our selves or an Angel frō Heaven, preach any other Gospel to you then that which we have preached unto you, hold him accursed. As I said before so say I now again, if any man preach any other thing unto you then that ye have received, hold him accursed.
Thoughe it be but a man's testament yet no mā despiseth it or addeth anything thereto, when it is once allowed: How much more ought nothing to be added to the tes tament of the moste high God, nor yet be taken from it.
Be no more children from henceforth, wandering and carried with every wind of doctrine, by the wiliness of men & crafts: whereby they lay awaite for us to deceiu •… us, but let us follow the truth in love, and in all things grow in him which is thy head: that is to say Christ.
Caste away ungodly & old wives fables, exercise thyself unto godliness.
If any man teache otherwise, & is not content with the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine of godliness: He is pufte up & knoweth nothing, but wasteth his brains about questions & strife of words, whereof spring envy, strife, railing, evil surmisinges, and vain disputations of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, which think that lucre is godliness: From such separate thyself.
If any man speak, let him speak as though it came of gods own mouth.
Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not god He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the Son.
If there come any unto you and bring not this learning, him receive not to house neither bid him god speed. For he that bid death him god speed, is partaker of his evil deeds.
Be not carried about with diverse and strange learninges.
If any man addeth to these things, god shall add unto him the plages that are written in this book, And if any mā shall minish of the words of this boke of this Prophecy, god shall take away his parte out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from those things which are written in this book.
Examples out of the new Testament.
Christ rebuketh the pharises for bringing their traditions into the church of God, by that means defacyng the glory of God's most holy word.
Blessed Saint Paul reproveth them which be dead with Christ, from the commandments of the world, and yet suffer themselves still to be led with traditions, as these for an example touch not, taste not, handle not, &c. Which all perish through the very abuse after the commandments and doctrines of men which things outwardly have the similytude of wisdom by superstition and humbleness of mind. &c.
Thapostles of Christ would not burden the christen congregations with new and superfluous traditions, but only charged them with such things as were necessary.
Saint Paul in his Epistle unto the Galatians inueieth against them, which after they have known god, turn again unto nedie and beggerlye ceremonies, traditions or ordinances observing dais months, times and years.
Against the following of ungodly forefathers.
If thou through temptation of the Devil or the •… alse persuasions of Antichrists Prophets be m •… •… ed at any time to doubt of the truth of gods word which the papists at this day cal seditious doctrine, new learning and heresy, because thy forefathers have both beloved and done the contrary▪ call these scriptures to thy remembrance.
Sentences out of the old Testament:
Folow not the multitude to do evil.
Doo not you these things that they have done, which were before you neither be ye defiled in them: I am the Lord your God keep my commandments.
The Lord sent his prophets to his people, saying: return from your unrighteous ways, and keep my precepts and ceremonies, according to all the law that I commanded your fathers. But they would not hear, but became stiffnecked, even as their forefathers were stiffnecked, which would not obey the Lord God.
Let them put their hope in God, & not forget the works of the Lord but seek after his commandments, Let them not be like their forefathers, which were a froward and a spiteful nation, a nation that would never be true hearted, nor bear an upright mind toward God.
Be not hard hearted as your forefathers were, saith the Lord which chyde and rebelled against me.
We have sinned with our forefathers we have done unjustly, and committed iniquity.
Trust not in rulers nor in the sons of men, in whom is no health. For whē their breath goeth away, they return vn to their earth: In y • day shall all their thou •… hts, counsels, devises and imaginations come to naught. I have always said unto your forefathers since I brought them out of the land of Egypt even unto this day hear my voice, but they would not hear nor once bow their ear unto it: But everyone of them is gone astray in the fr •… wardnes of his wicked heart, ye the people of Judah and the men of Jerusalem are also fall̄ unto the wickedness of their fore fathers which would not hear my words: Insomuch that thei ar already gone away after strange God's and serve them. The house of Israel & the house of Judah, have brokē y e covenant which I made w t their fathers. Therefore thus saith the lord: Behold I will bring in extreme punishments upon thē, so y • they shall not escap frō thē.
They shall cry v •… to me but I will not hear them. The cities of Judah and th •… inhabiters of Jerusalem, shall go & cry unto them, to whom they offered sacrifice: and yet shall they not save thē in the time of their trouble. According to the number of thy cities were thy God's, O Judah, and after the number of thy ways, O Jerusalem, haste thou set up altars of abomination to do sacrifice unto Baalim.
Your forefathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord, and they are gone away after strange God's, and have served thē and worshipped them: yea, they have utterly given me over, and have not kept my law. But you have wrought more abomination, than all your forefathers have done.
For behold, everyone of you walk after the lewdness of his own wicked heart, and will not hear me.
Their forefathers have broken my covenant even unto this day, and they to whom I send thee, are children without all shame, and of such an heart, as cannot be reclaimed.
Walk not in the commandments of your fathers, nor keep not their ordinances: neither pollute yourselves with their idols. For I am the lord your God.
Therefore walk in my precepts, and keep my judgments, and do them.
Confusion of face and utter shame be unto us, unto our kings, unto our rulers: & to our forefathers, which have sinned.
Be not like your forefathers, unto whō the Prophets in times past cried, saying: thus saith the Lord of hosts, turn from your evil ways, and from your abhominable thoughts, but they would not hearken nor give any attendaunce unto me, saith the Lord.
Our forefathers have sinned, and have done evil in the sight of the Lord our god. For they have forsaken him, and turned away their faces from the tabernacles of the Lord our God.
Be not like your forefathers and brethren, which rebelled against the Lord God of their fathers, and he gave them over into desolation, as ye see yourselves. Be not ye hardnecked now as were your forefathers, but offer your hand unto the Lord, and come to his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, so shall the indignation of his wrath turn away from you.
Examples out of the old Testament.
CAin •… lewe his brother Abel, and followed his forefather the devil, which was a mansleyer from the beginning.
Nadab king of Israel followed his forefather Hieroboam, committing idolatry against the lord his God. Therefore Baasa destroyed him and his kingdom, & all the house of Hieroboam, so that one of the stock remained not alive.
Ozochias king of Israel followed his wicked forefather Ahab, & grievously sinned against the lord his God. He therefore reigned but a little time, and also died a miserable death.
Amon king of Judah, followed his Idolatrous forefather Manasseh, and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. He reigned but two years, and was slain of his servants in his own house.
Joakim king of Judah for •… oke the godly ways of his moste virtuous father king Josiah, and followed the steppes of his wicked forefathers. The Lord therefore suffered him to reign but three months in Jerusalem, and gave him over into the hands of his enemies.
Sedechias king of Judah followed his wicked forefathers, and provoked y • lord his God unto anger. He therefore was deprived of his kingdom, saw his children slain before his eyes, and afterward he having his eyes plucked out of his head, was bound in chains, and miserably carried away into Babylon.
Sentences out of the ne •… Testament.
All that come before me are thieves and robbers, but my sheep have not heard them.
O ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised of hearts and ears, ye have always resisted the holy ghost▪ as your forefathers did, so do ye.
Which of the Prophets have not your forefathers persecuted.
See that ye pass the time of your pilgrimage in fear, for as much as ye know how that ye were not redeemed with corruptible silver and gold from your vain conversation, which ye received by y • traditions of the forefathers: but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb undefiled and without spot.
Examples out of the New Testament.
THe Pharisees and the Scribes following their ungodly forefathers, observed the traditions of their elders, and neglected the commandments of God.
The Jews fulfilling the measure of their forefathers, which slew the Prophets that were sent unto them frō God, killed Christ and his blessed Apostles.
Paul before his conversion following his wicked forefathers the Jews, persecuted the congregation of Christ, even as his elders persecuted Christ and the Prophets.
Agaynst the wicked old customs and long usages.
IF Satan or any of his members labor to pluck thee from gods word unto wicked old customs and longe usages, avoid him with these scriptures following.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
ACcording to the custom of the land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the manner of the land of Canaan, whether I will bring you shall ye not do, neither walk in their ordinances, but do after my judgments, & keep my ceremonies to walk therein. I am the lord your God. Ye shall keep therefore mine ordinances & my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them. I am the lord.
Take heed that ye commit not one of these abhominable customs, which were committed before you, and loke that ye defile not yourself therein. I am the Lord your God.
An example out of the old Testament.
EUen unto this present day do they still follow their old customs.
They fear not the Lord, neither keep they his ceremonies, his laws and commandments. The Prophets cried, worship no strange God's, but fear the Lord your God, and he shall deliver you from the power of all your enemies. But they would not hear, but still committed wickedness according to their old custom. They pretended as though they served the Lord and yet nevertheless did they also service to their idols.
For as their forefathers did, so do their sons, & neuewes unto this present day▪
Against such as slander Christ's Gospel, by calling it new learning.
IF the adversary of true godliness go about to persuade thee, that Christ's gospel is new learning, and that therefore thou oughtest to geu •… no care unto it, nor believe it: look that thou by n •… means consent unto them, but rather remember that this is no new blasphemy, but used many years before of wicked hypocrites, as thou shalt perceive by these examples following.
Examples out of the New Testament.
WHen Christ preached in the Sinagoge at Capernaum, and healed the man that was possessed with an unclean spirit, the people cried out and said: what new learning is this.
When Paul preached at Athens the resurrection of the dead, certain belly gods as the Epicures & Stoics, straue with him and said: what meaneth this pratler? Other said, he seemed to be a preacher of new devils. An other company said, may we not know what new learning this is, that thou showest? Thou bringest in new things in deed unto our ears. Our old fathers never taught us any such gear. We will know what these things mean.
Agaynst pensiuenesse and thought taking for the life.
IF thou be troubled for the preservation of thy life either in sickness, trouble, persecution, emprisonment, or otherwise, comfort thyself with these scriptures.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
THe Lord killeth and giveth life again. He bringeth even to hell, and back again.
The Lord is my light and my health whom then should I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom then should I be afraid: though an host of men were laid against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid. And though there arose up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him.
He hath given his Aungells charge of thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
The Angel of the Lord shall be sent among all them that fear him, and shall deliver them.
The sourges of the sea are marvelous, yea the lord on high is rather marvelous.
They consented all against me, they conspired to take away my life, but in thee (O Lord) have I trusted, and I said, thou art my God, In thy hand are my destenies.
Many tribulations fall on y • righteous, but from them all, the lord delivereth thē. The Lord keepeth all their bones, so that not one of them shall be broken.
The health of the righteous is of the Lord, and he defendeth them in the time of their trouble. Yea the lord will help them and deliver them, and set thē harmless from the ungodly: and save them because they have trusted in them.
Thou haste limited the waters these bounds: which they may not pass.
The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man do unto me. The Lord is my deliverer, therefore will I set naught by mine enemies.
The Lord hath given a commandment: and none shall go beyond it, Fire, Hayle, Snow, Ise, and vapors, stormy winds accomplish his word.
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh for to sin, neither say thou before the Angel, there is no providence: least peradventure the Lord being angry against thy words do destroy all the works of thy hands.
Thy providence (O father) governeth all things frō the beginning.
Thou (O Lord) art he which hast power of life and death. Who can say that anything can be done without the Lord's commandment? From the mouth of the highest, goeth there not good and ill?
Examples out of the old Testament.
ESau burned with an immortal hatred against his brother Jacob: because of the blessing wherewith his father had blessed him: and purposed fully in his heart to kill his brother. But Jacob prayed unto the Lord, and he mollifyed Esau's heart, in so much, that whan Jacob thought that both he and his should be slain, his brother Esau came gently unto him, louinglye embraced him, kissed him friendly, and for very joy wept: so mighty is God to mollify tira •… ntes hearts, whan it pleaseth him, and to make them gracious and favorable to his servants.
Saul persecuted David cruelly, purposing to kill him, but his labor was in vain.
Jezebel threatened and sware to sley Helias, but the Lord preserved him.
Satan could do nothing to Job, till God suffered him: neither exercised he his cruelnes any further against Job, than he was appointed of God.
The godly woman Susan through the false accusations of y e two wicked judges was at y • point to be stoned unto death, but God wonderfully delivered her from the hands of her enemies.
Examples out of the New Testament.
FEare not them which kill the body, and be not able to kill the soul. But rather fear him, which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparowes sold for a farthing? And none of them fall on the ground without the will of your father. Yea all the hairs of your head are numbered. Fear not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparowes.
Ye be come out as unto a thief with swords and staves. When I was daily with you in the temple, ye laid no hand upon me, but this is your hour and the power of darkness.
Thou couldest have no power at all against me (said Christ unto Pilate) except it were given thee from above.
All things are of him, by him and in him.
If we live, we live to be at the Lord's will. And if we die, we die at the Lord's will. Whether we live therefore or die, we are in the Lord's hand.
Behold, I am alive saith Christ, for evermore: and have the keys of death •… nd hell.
Examples out of the New Testament.
THe ship, wherein Christ and his Disciples were, was greuouslye tossed with the waves of the sea, through y • wind and the tempest that arose, in so much that it was at the point of drowning. Notwithstanding, neither water, wind, nor tempest, did once hurt it.
The devils had no power to enter into swine till Christ gave them leave. If thou cast us forth, said they, suffer us to enter into the herd of swine. Christ answered, go ye, and they went.
The Jews did seek to kill Christ, but his time was not then come. No man did set his hands on him because his hour was not yet come.
They went about to take Christ, but he escaped from the midst of their hands.
There came certain of y e Pharisees and said unto Christ, get thee out of the way, & depart bence. For Herod will kill thee. And he said unto thē, go & tell that Fore: behold I cast out devils, and heal y • people today and tomorrow, and the iii. day I make an end. Neuertheles, I must walk today, and tomorrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish any other where then at Jerusalem.
Herod threw Peter in prison, bound him fast with chains: and set certain soldiers for the more assurance to keep him, purposing after Easter to bring him forth unto the people, and so to have slain him. But God being mightier then all the tyranny and power of the world sent his Angel, and delivered Peter out of prison.
Paul being at Milete gathered a bundel of sticks, and put them in the fire, and suddenly there came a venomous adder, otherwise called a Uiper, out of the heat, and lepte on his hand. The men
The men that were present and saw this thing waited when he should have swollen or fallen down dead sodynly.
But Paul shoke of the vermin into the fire and felt no harm.
Against hunger, poverty, or carefulness of living.
IF at any time thou be tempted with the carefulness of living, comfort thyself with these holy scriptures.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
THey that fear the Lord, shall have no scarcenesse. They which seek the Lord shall want no good thing.
Behold the eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him, and upon them that trust in his mercy, y • he may deliver their lives from death and norishe them in the time of hunger.
I have been young and am wax̄ old, and I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging their bread on the earth.
Lay thy care on the Lord, and he shall norishe thee.
All creatures depend upon thee (O Lord) that thou shouldest give them meat in due time. For thou giving it them, they take it, and thou opening thy hand, they are well satisfied.
But thou hidinge thy face they are sorrowful, & thou taking away their breath, they are but dead, and turned into y • earth that they came of.
The eyes of all things loke upon thee, (O Lord) and thou givest them meat in due time. Thou openest thy hand, and replenishest all things living with thy bless singe.
The Lord giveth meat to the hungry.
The blessing of the Lord maketh men riche: and there shall no grief accompany them.
The Lord will not let the soul of the righteous suffer hunger, but he putteth the ungodly from his desire.
He that tilleth his land shall have plē teousnes of bread, but he that followeth idleness, is a very fool.
Good and evil, life and death, poverty and riches are of God. Trust in god, abide in thy place. For it is an easy thing in the sight of God, quickly to enrich a pore mā.
Fear not my son, we lead a pore life, notwithstanding we shall have plenty of all good things, if we fear the Lord depart from all sin, and do well.
Examples out of the old Testament.
GOd fed the people of Israel with meat from heaven, and gave them drink out of the rock.
God sent meat by the Ravens to Helias.
The Angel of god took Abacuk by the top, and bare him by the hear of the head, and thorough a mighty wind set him upon the den where Daniel was prisoner: and gave him that meat, which the Prophet had prepared for his reapers,
Sentences out of the New Testament.
MAn shall not live with bread alone, but, with every word that cō meth out of the mouth of god.
Take no thought, saying what shall we eat? or what shall we drīk? or wherewith shall we be clothed, after these things seek y • heathen. For your heavenly father know eth y • ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of god, & the righ teousnesse thereof: and all these things shall be caste unto you.
Against keeping of evil company.
When the Devil, the Fleshe or the world move thee to resort unto any evil company, defend the self from it with remembering these scriptures.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
HE shall dwell in the Lord's tabernacle and rest upon his •… oly hill which setteth not by the ungodly, but maketh much of them that fear the Lord.
With the holy shalt thou be holy, and with the innocent thou shalt be innocent. With the clean thou shalt be clean, and with the froward, thou shalt be froward.
A froward heart, shall depart from me, I will not know a wicked person.
Who so hath a proud loke and an high sto make, I may not away with him. Mine eyes shall look for such as be faithful in the lande, that they may dwell with me, and who so leadeth a godly life, shall be my servant. There shall no deceitful person dwell in my house.
He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight,
I hate the ungodly, but thy law O Lord do I love.
My Son, if sinners entice thee unto wickedness, lean not unto them.
If they say, come go with us, let us lay awaite for blood, and convey our selves privily to trap the innocent. Let us swallow them up quickly like hell, and devour the perfect like a whirl pit. For thus shall we find great riches, and garnishe our houses with oil. Cast in thy foot among us, and let us make a common purse.
My son, walk not with them, but refrain thy feet from their ways, for their feet run unto mischief. In vain are nets spread abroad for birds before their eyes. For even these men lay awaite among them selves one to shed another's blood.
Neither are their own lives in sauegard among thē selves. These are y • paths of covetous men among whom one spareth not the life of another.
Come not in the path of the ungodly and walk not in the way of the wicked. Eschue it, and go not therein, depart aside, and pass over by it. For they cannot sleep except they have first done some mischief. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of robbery. The path of the righteous shineth as the light, and is ever brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. But the way of the ungodly is as y • darkness wherein men fall or they be aware.
Who so accompanieth the wise, shall have wisdom, but he that is a companion of foles, shall prove like them.
Trauail not by the way with him that is brainles, least he do thee evil.
For he followeth his own willfulness and so shalt thou pearish thorough his folly.
Strive not with him that is angry and cruel, go not with hī into the wilderness, for blood is nothing in his sight, and where there is no help, he shall murder thee.
Loke not upon a woman that is desirous of many men, least thou fall into her snares.
Use not the company of a woman that is a player and a daunser, and hear her not least, thou perish through her enticing
Behold not a maiden, that thou be not hurt in her beauty.
Bring not every mā into thine house for the disceitfull layeth wait diversely.
Who will have pity on the charmer that is stinged of the serpent, or of all such as come nigh the beasts? Even so is it with him that keepeth company with a wicked man, and lappeth himself in his sins.
He that toucheth pitche shall be defiled of it, and he that keepeth company with a proud person, shall also become proud and stately.
Examples out of the old Testament.
ABraham because he would not be partaker of their Idolatry, fled from the▪ people of Chaldea, being his native country.
Lot at the commandment of the An gels, departed out of Sodom, least he tari yng with y • Sodomites, should have ben consumed with them.
Sara would not suffer Ishmael which was given to mocking, to keep company with her Son Isaac, least he also should become a mocker.
Jacob would not keep company with his Brother Esau, although greatly entreated least some wickedness should thereof have happened.
Moses at God's appointment commanded the people to depart from the dwellinge places of Chore, Dathan, and Abiron, least they also be wrapped in their sins and so pearishe among them.
Jehoshaphat king of Judah, was almost slain in the bartail, because he kept company & went unto the wars w e wicked king Ahab.
After his return also he was greatly rebuked of Jehu, for so doing.
When all the people went to worship the Golden calves which Jeroboam had made: Tobias only fled away from the company of them all and went to Jerusalem unto the Lord's temple, and there worshipped the Lord God of Israel.
So long as Judas Maccabeus did put his trust in the Lord, all things prospered well with him: but when he begā to join friendship and to keep company with the he thē & the Romaines, shortly after he was overcome and slain in battle.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
GO not into the ways that lead unto the hethen, and into the Cities of the Samaritans, enter ye not.
I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause division and give occasions of evil, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them.
Do ye not know that a little leavē sow reth the whole lump of dow. Purge therefore the old leaven, that ye may be new dow •… s ye are sweet bread.
I wrote unto you that ye should not keep company with whoremongers
If any that is called a brother that is to say (a Christian man) be a whoremonger, or a covetous person, or a worshipper of images, either a railer, or a dronkarde, or an extorcioner: with him that is such se ye neither eat, nor yet keep company.
Put away from among you that evil person.
We require you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh inordinatlye, and not after the institution which ye received of us.
If any teach otherwise, and is not content with the wholesome words of our lord Jesus Christ, & with y • doctrine of godliness, he is puffed up, and knoweth nothing, but wasteth his brains about questions and strife of words, where of spring envy, strife railings, evil surmisinges, and vain disputations of men with corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, which think that lucre is Godliness: From such separate thyself.
A man that is given to heresy, after the first and seconde admonition avoid. Remembering that he that is such, is perverted and sinneth, even dampened by his own judgment.
If there come any unto you, and bring not this learning, hī receive notto house, neither bid him GOD speed. For he that byddeth him god speed is, partaker of his ill deeds.
Examples out of the new Testament.
Peter so long as he kept company with Christ and Christ's disciples, he concinued in the truth, preached the truth, confessed openly Christ to be the son of the living god: and promised that he would not only go into prison, but also unto the very death with Christ, but when he once came into the court into the Bishops house, he straight ways was stricken with such fear, that a poor maid and a simple Simme Shakebuckler, made him both to deny and also to forswear Jesus Christ his Lord and master: whom before he had boldly so oft confessed before the world. Saint Peter preaching to the believing & repentant Jews among other his godly exhortations, commanded them, to save themselves from the untoward generation of the unfaithful, and to flee the company of such as deny Jesus to be Christ and the son of the living God.
Saul keeping compani with the vnfaith full Jews as with the bishops, the priests the pharises, &c. became a grievous persecutor of the christen congregation, but being delivered from their fellowship he be came a worthy Apostle, and a fervent prea cher of gods truth.
Against Idleness.
IF Satan move the unto idelnes, which is the well spring and rote of all vice, •… et before the eyes of thy mind both these sentences and examples of the holy scripture.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
The Lord toke Adam, and put him into the garden of Eden, that he might dress and keep it.
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, until thou teturnest into the earth, from whence thou wast taken. For dust thou art and into dust thou shalt be turned again.
A man is borne to labor, and a byrde to fly.
Thou shalt eat the labor of thy hand.
Go to the Emmet (thou fluggarde) consider her ways, and learn to be wise. She hath no guide nor ouersear, nor ruler: yet in the summer she provideth her meat, and gathereth her food together in the harvest. How long wilt thou slep thou sluggish man? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yea sleep on still a little, slum ber a little, fold thine hands together yet a little that thou mayest sleep: •… o shall poverty come unto, the as one that traualeth by the way, and oppress thee like a thief.
If thow be not stouthful thy harvest shall come as a springinge well, and poverty shall fly far from thee.
Who so gathereth in summer is wise, but he that is sluggishe in harvest, bringeth himself to confusion.
The sluggard would •… aine have, and cā not get his desire, but the soul of thē that work shall have plenty.
A •… outhfull body will not go to plow for cold in Winter, therefore shall he go a begging in summer, and have nothing.
Delight not in sleep, least thou come vn to poverty, but open thine eyes, that thou mayest have bread enough.
He that tilleth his lande shall have plēteousnesse of bread, but he that followeth idleness, shall have poverty enough.
Idlensse hath been the occasion of much evil and wickedness.
Behold the sins of Sodom were these pride, fullness of meat, abundance, and idleness.
Examples out of the old Testament.
Adam gate his living with the labor of his hands, and the sweat of his brows.
Cain was a plowman and tilled the earth.
Abel was a shepherd and kept sheep.
Iubal was a Musicion and exercised Musycke.
Thubal Cayne was a Smithe, and a graver in metal.
Nohe was a Planter of Uineyardes.
Abraham, Lot, Isaac, and Jacob, were Plowmen and shepeheardes.
Joseph was a magistrate and a public minister in the common weal of Egypt under king Pharaoh.
Moses was a shepehard and kept the sheep of Jethro his Father in law, Priest of Madian.
The Children of Israel got their living with hard and painful labor in Egypt under king Pharaoh.
David before he was anointed king of Israel, was a shepherd.
All the priests and Levites of the old law, every man according to his vocation labored by giving attendaunce in the tē ple, by killing of beasts and offering of sacrifices, by studiyng the scriptures of god and teaching the same unto the people.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
LEt us not be weary of well doing. For when the time is come, we shall reap without werines.
Let him that stole, steal no more: but let him rather labor with his hands the thing which is good, that he may give to him that needeth.
We beseech you brethren that ye study. to be quiet, and to meddle with your own business, and to work with youre own hands, as we commanded you.
When we were with you, we gave you this commandment, that if any man will not labor, the same should not eat. Let▪all men work with quietness and eat their own bread.
Examples out of the new Testament.
The Apostles of Christ were fisher men.
Paul labored with his own hands, and get both his own living and others that were with him.
Saint Luke was a Phisicion, and as some write a painter also.
Aquila was a maker of tents, of the which occupation saint Paul was.
Simon S. Peters host was a tanner.
Dorcas that virtuous woman made garments with her own hands & gave them to the poor people
YE have heard how it was said to them of y e old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord those things that thou swearest. But I say unto you swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's seat: nor by the earth for it is his footestole, neither by Ierusalē, for it is the City of the great Kinge: neither shalt thou swear by thy hed, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But your communication shall be yea, yea, nay, nay. For whatsoever is added more then these, it cometh of evil.
Above all things my brethren swear not, neither by heaven, neither by earth, nether any other oath. Let your yea, be yea and your nay, nay, lease ye fall into hipocrisy.
Examples out of the new Testament.
HErod to perform his wicked and devilish oath which he had made to the daughter of▪ Herodias his whore for her pleasant daunsinge, suffered and commanded the head of that moste godly preacher saint John the Baptist, to be cut of. Let all men therefore beware of vain, rash and wicked oaths.
Saint Peter, when it was laid to his chardge, that he was one of Christ's disciples▪ sware that he knew not the mā. But afterward he bitterly wept for his swearing and denying of Christ. Let us also lament and be sory sor our idle and wicked manner of swering and lean it, and praise t •… e name of the Lord our God.
Agaynste lying. slaunderinge and filthy or unclean talk
IF Satan at any time moveth thee to abuse thy tongue contrary to the will of God, either in lying slandering, or other wicked and idle words resist his temptation •… these scriptures following.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
Ye shall not lie, neither shall any of you deceive his neighbor.
Thou (O Lord) shalt destroy all them that speak lies.
There be six things that God hateth, and the seventh he utterly abhorreth. A proud countenance, a lying tongue, hands defiled with innocent blood, an heart imagining wicked councils, feet swifte unto mischief, a false witness, the sower of discord among brethren.
Liyng lips are abhominatiō to the lord: but they that do faithfully, please him.
A false witness shall not escape unpunished, and he that speaketh lies, shall pea rish and come to naught.
He that gathereth his goods with a lie ing tongue shall leese all, and be in peril of his life. He that keepeth his tongue, keepeth his life from troubles.
A lying witness shall perish, have thou no delight to speak lies against thy brother, nor yet against thy friend: have no pleasure in lying, for the use thereof is naught.
Examples out of the old Testament.
SAthan brought forth the first lie, when he made our grandmother Eve believe that if she and her husband did eat of the forbidden fruit, they should be as God's. Therefore, is he a liar and the Father of lying.
The two judges which accused the moste virtuous woman Susanna of uncleanness, because she would not agree to their most filthy & dishonest request: were moste abhominable liars and slanderers, but they received a reward worthy their lying.
All the false prophets of y e old law which •… ained them selves to be sent of God, and yet prophesied lies to please the Princes and rulers withal, were liars ond blasphemers of God.
Sentences out of the New Testament:
LYing set aside, let every man speak the truth to his neighboure for as much as we are members together.
Let no filthy communication proceade out of your mouths, but y • which is good to edify. Let all bitterness, fearcenes, and wrath, roaring and cursed speaking be put away from you, with all malicioiusness. Be courteous one to another and merciful, for geuīg one another evē, as god for Christ's sake forgave you.
Let neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, neither jesting, which are not comely, be once named among you, but rather thanksgiving.
Examples out of the New Testament.
THe Scribes and the Pharisees with y e other enemies of Christ which called Christ a wine bibber, a glotton, a deceiver of y e people, a blasphemer, one possessed w e a devil, such one as forbade the people to pay tribute unto Caesar. &c, were moste ab hominable liars and blasphemers.
Ananias and Sapphira died suddenly, because they lied.
They were liars & blasphemers, which said that the blessed Martyr saint Stephē, spake blasphemous words against Moses and against God: when of God, no man spake more godly, nor of Moses more reuerentlye.
They also that complained of the Aposties of Christ, calling them seditious persons and teachers of new learning, were also liars and slanderers.
So many as make or love lies, shall be cast among murderers and Idolatrers in the lake of hell, burning with fire & brimstone
Against pride or vain glory.
IF thou be tempted unto pride or vain glory of the devil that old enemy of mankind: defend thyself with these scriptures.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
Thou shalt save (O Lord) the people that are humble, meek and lowlye: but the high look of the proud thou shalt bring down.
The Lord will save such as be of an humble spirit.
The Lord hateth a proud countenance
Disoain pride▪ a wicked way, & a mouth that is double tonged, I utterly abhor, saith the Lord.
The Lord abhorreth all such as be of a proud heart, his hand, is against their hand, & they shall not escape unpunished.
Better it is to be of humble mind with the lowly, then to devide the spoil with the proud.
Presumptuousnes goeth before destruc tion, and after a proud stomach there fol loweth a fall.
Why art thou proud, thou earth and ashes? Pride is hated before God and man Pride is the beginning of all sin, and •… e that maynteined that shall be cursed, and at the last he utterly destroyed.
God hath destroyed the seats of proud Princes, and set up meek in their stead.
Woe be unto you that are wise in your own eyes.
I hate the pride of Jacob, and I abhor his palaces, •… ayth the Lord.
Let never pride have rule in thy mind nor in thy word: for in pride began all destruction▪
Examples out of the old Testament
LUcifer for his pride fell down from the glory of heaven into the pains of hell.
Pharaoh for his pride was plagued, and at last drowned.
Sennacherib for all his boasting, pride, and proud crakes, cowardly fled away and afterward was slain of his own son.
Nabuchodonozor was so punished for his pride, that he was made of man a beast til he had given over his pride, confessed himself to be but a man, & that God alone is the Lord, worthy all glory and honor.
Proud Aman was hanged on those ga lowes, which he had set up for good Mardocheus.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
LEarne of me saith Christ, for I am meek and humble in heart.
He that eralteth him self shall be made low, and he that lowely meketh and submitteth himself, shall be exalted.
Be not hie minded, but make yourselves equal to them of the lower sort. Be not wise in your own opinions.
What hast thou, that thou hast not received. If thou have received it, why reioy sest thou, as though y u hast not received it.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Submit yourselves every man one to another, knit youre selves together in lowliness of mind.
For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Submit youre selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you, when the time is come.
Examples out of the New Testament.
MAry that blessed virgen being meek humble, and lowly, was made the mother of our Lord and Sauioure Jesus Christ.
Peter, James, Andrew, John & the other disciples of Christ, were humble and low lie in their own eyes, and estranged frō all pride and arrogancy. Christ therefore chosed them to be his Apostles.
Our Savior Christ disdained not to wash his disciples fete, to give us an example of humility and of brotherly love, The proud Pharisy was rejected and cast away as unrighteous because he boasted himself of his good deeds, and despised the poor Publican.
King Herod upon a day appointed, a rayed himself in royal, apparel, set him in his seat, and made an oration unto the people.
The people gave a shout, saying, it is the voice of a god and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the lord smote him, because he gave not god the honor, and he was eaten of the worms and gave by the ghost.
Against feastyng, glotony, and drunkenness.
TO avoid feasting, glotony and drunkenness▪ set these holy scriptures ever before the eyes of thy mind.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
WYne make folk lecherous and dronkenship causeth braw •… ing and chyding Who so hath a pleasure in them shall not be wise.
He that loveth banketes, shall be brought▪ to poverty. Whoso delighteth in wine and de licious meats shall not be riche.
Accompany not with riotous drinkers and eaters, for such shall come to poverty, and such sluggish slepers shall go all to rag ged. Where is woe? Where is wailing? where is strife? where are traps laid? where are wounds without a cause? where are bloody eyes? Do not all these things chawnce unto them, that sit always at the wyne, and give their minds wholly to gulling and glossing.
Woe be to you that rise up early to give yourselves to drunkenness, and set all your minds so on drinking, that ye sit sweating thereat until it be night. The harp, the Lute, the Tabour, the droumslade, the trumpet, the shalme, and plenty of wyne are at their feasts: but the works of the Lord do ye not behold, neither consider ye the works of his hand.
Woo be unto you that are strong to drink wyne, and are mighty to auaunce drunkenness.
Fornication, wyne and drunkenness, take away the heart.
Thorow feasting many have died, but he that eateth in mean shall prolong his life.
Examples out of the old Testament.
Adam and Eve by satisfying their gred •… appetite in eating the forbidden fruit, did not only transgress the commandment of god, but also throw both themselves, and all their posterity into everlasting dāpnation, if we had not been redeemed by Christ.
The stinking Sodomites by giving thē selves to inordinate eating and drinking, fell unto unnatural lusts, and so most miserably perished.
Thorow drunkenness, Lot committed incest with his own daughters.
The people of Israel giving their mind unto bancketting, fell into Idolatry.
Holofernes that moste Ualeant captain being drunken, was slain of a woman.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
Take heed that your heart be not overwhelmed with feasting and dronkenship.
Let us walk honestly, as in the day time: not in banketting and dronkennns, not in chambering and wantonness, nor in strife and enuiyng: but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. And make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Banketeing add drunkenness are the works of the flesh.
Be not drunken with wine wherein is lechery, but ye be filled with the spirit.
It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, and not with meats, which have not profited them: they have had their pastime in them.
Dronkardes shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Be ye sober and watch, for your adversary the Devil goeth about like roaryng Lion, seeking whom he may devour: whō see that ye resist, being strong in faith.
Examples out of the new Testament.
Herod giving his mind to banketting, granted that the holy man John the Baptist should be beheaded at the desire of his whorishe daughter.
That evil servant, which saith in his heart, my Lord will be long a coming, and so begin to smite his fellows, yea and to eat and drynk with the drunken: The same servants lord shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not ware of, and shall hew him in pieces, and give him his portion w t the Hipocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashyng of teath.
The rich gloton that fared so daintely every day, was cast down into hell, and most grievously punished,
Against Fornication and adultery.
IF at any time thou be tempted of the Devil of the world, and the flesh, to defile thyself with fornication, adultery, whoredom, incest, or with any other uncleanness: call these sentences and examples of the holy Scripture to remembrance, and valeantly resist those most wicked temptacions.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not lie with thy neighbors wife to defile her with seed.
Thou shalt not make thy daughter come mon, that thou wouldest cause her to be an whore.
The man that breaketh wedlock with another man's wife, even he that breaketh wedlock with his neighbors wife let him be slain, both y e aduoterer & y e aduoutres.
If a priests daughter fall to play the whore, she defileth her father: therefore must she be burnt with fire.
If a man be found lying with a woman that hath a w •… dded husband, they shall die either of them, both the man that lay with the wife, and also the wife: & so shalt thou 〈◊〉 away evil from Israel.
Cursed be he that lieth with his neighbors wise, and all the people shall say. Amen.
There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor no whoremonger of the sons of Israel.
An whore giveth sweet words, forsaketh the husband of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her god. Her house is inclined unto death, and her paths unto hell. All they that go into her, come not again, nether take they hold of the way of life.
The lips of an harlot, are a dropping honye comb, and her neck is softer then oil: but in the ende she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as is a swerd. Her feet go down unto death, and her steps hast them into hell.
Wherefore dear child give ear unto me, and swerve not from my words. Fly frō her ways, and come not once so niegh •… s unto her doors.
Kepe thee from the evil woman and from the flattering tongue of the harlot, that thou lust not after her beauty in thine heart and le •… t thou be takē with her fair lokes.
An harlote will make a man to beg his bread, but a married woman will hunt •… for the precious life.
May a man hide fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burnt? Or can one go upon coals, and his feet not be hurt? Even so, whosoever goeth into his neighbors wife, and toucheth her, cannot be vngilty.
He that is an whoremonger, is a fool and bringeth his life to destruction. He getteth himself also shame and dishonor, such as shall never be put out.
He that accompanieth himself with an whore, shall go down unto hell: but he that goeth away from her, shall be saved.
He that meddleth with an whore, is a fool and without wit.
He that maintaineth whores, shall come unto beggary.
If mine heart hath lusted after my neighbors wife, or if I have laid weight at his door: Oh then let my wife grind unto another man, and let other men lie •… with her. For this is a wickedness and sin that is worthy to be punished, yea a fire that should utterly consume and 〈◊〉 out all my substance.
My son, keep thee well from all whor dom, and beside thy wife see that no •… aut be found in thee.
Cast not thy mind upon harlots in any manner of thing, least thou destroy both thyself and thy heritage.
Go not about gasinge in every lane of the City, neither wander thou abroad in the streets thereof.
Turn away thy face from a beautiful woman, and look not upon the fayrenes of other.
Sit not with another man's wife by any means, lie not with her upon the bed, make no words with her at the wine, lest thy heart consent unto her, and thou with thy blood fall into destruction.
A man that breaketh wedlock, and re gardeth not his soul, but saith, tush, who seeth me? I am compassed about with dark nes, the walls cover me nobody seeth me Whome need I to fear? the highest will not remember my sins. He understandeth not that his eyes, see all things, for all such fear of mē, driveth away the fear of God from him. For he feareth only the eyes of men, and considereth not that the eyes of the Lord are clearer then the Sun, beholdinge all the ways of men, and the ground of the deep, and looking even to men's hearts in secrete places. &c. Read forth the Chapiter to the ende.
Examples out of the old Testament.
God drowned once all the whole world (eight persons only excepted) for the sin of uncleanness.
God poured down from heaven water fire, and brimstone upon the Sodomites, Gomorrians and such other, and destroyed them all for their abhominable uncleanness.
When Sychem the son of Hemor had violently deflowered Dinah the daughter of Jacob, her brothers hearing of the matter, slew not only Shechem and Hemor, but also all the men and men children that were in the city, and afterward spoiled the city. And when Jacob their father talked with them of the matter, they answered, should they deal with our sister, as w t an whore?
When it was told Judah, that Tamar his daughter in law had played the whore and with playing the whore was become great with child. Judah her father in law answered and said, bring her forth that she may be brent.
Joseph feared god and would not consent unto his Lord's wife in any pointe of vnclenes, but chosed rather to be cast into prison, then he would commit so great wickedness, and defile his Lord's wife. Therefore did God bless him, and brought him to high degree.
There were slain in one day of y • Jews 24. thousand, for the whoredom that they committed.
For the defloring of a certain Levites wife, there were destroyed mo thē an hun dred thousand people.
David committed adultery with Bethsabe Urias wife, but he escaped not vnplaged
Solomon before he doted in love of womē was wholly given to the setting forth of God's honor, but being once nous •… ed with their love, he did not only neglect the glory of the alone true and living God, but he also thorough the entisment of these women, fell unto the worshiping of strange godes and so he provoked the high displeasure of God against him and his realm.
Susan feared God, and desired rather to be stoned unto death then she should de file her husbands bed or once consent to the two filthy Judges, and so become an whore, god therefore preserved her.
Sentences out of the New Testament:
Ye have heard that it was said to thē of old time, thou shalt not commyte adultery. But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on another man's wife to lust after her, hath committed adultery already with her in his heart.
It seemeth good to the holy ghost, and to us, to charge you that ye abstain from whoredom.
Kepe no company with whoremongers.
If any that is called a brother, that is to say, a christen man, be an whorehunter, with such one se that ye eat not.
Neither whoremongers nor adulterers, nor weakelynges neither abusers of them selves with mankind, shall inherit the kingdom of god.
Knowe ye not that youre bodies are the members of Christ, shall I now take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. Do ye not know that he which coupleth him? self with an harlot, is become one body. For two saith he shall be one flesh. But he that is joined to the Lord is one▪ spirit whoredom. Every sin that a man doth is without the body. But he that is a whoremonger sinneth against his own bo dy. Knowe ye not how that youre bodies are the temple of the holy ghost, which dwell in you whom ye have of god, and how ye are not your own. For ye are dearly bought. Therefore glorify god in your bo dies and in your spirits, which are gods.
To avoid whoredom, let every man have his wife, and let every woman have her husband.
It is better to marry then to burn. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wanton nes. &c. are works of the flesh and whosoever doth them, shall not inherit y • kingdom of god.
Let not whoredom or uncleanness be once named among you. For this ye know that no whoremonger or unclean person hath inheritance in the kingdom of christ and of god.
This is the will of god that ye abstain from whoredom. For god hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
Kepe thyself pure and honest.
Auoyd the lusts of youth, but follow righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with them that call on the Lord with a pure heart.
Wedlock is honorable among all mē: and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers god will condemn.
Whoremongers shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brim stone, which is the second death.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
WHoredome was the occasion that Herodias Herod's whore sought so dilygently the death of godly John Baptist, which reproved them of their abhominable living.
Thorow whoredom and kepinge of riotouse company the prodigal son was ted away his goods, and fell unto such necessity, beggary and misery, that he was glad to keep swine, and would fain have filled his belly with the coddes that the swine did eat, but he could not be suffered
Learn of this history what the ende of whoredom is.
Saint Paul did excommunicate that man of Corinth, which ungodly kept his fathers wife. and would not suffer that any of the faithful should keep him company, nor yet eat or drink with him.
The ende of the whore of Babylon is described of Saint John to be wonderful wretched, miserable and damnable.
Against Covetousness.
If the devil and the world move thee not to be content with that is sufficient and enough, but inordinately add unmeasurably to scrat together the goods of the world, to oppress the pore▪ to join house to house, land to land, lordship to lordship, &c. to take great incommes, to raise the rentes, and to get that may be gotten by right or by wrong, defend thyself against them with these holy scriptures that follow ever remembering that thou art but a stranger and a pilgrim in this world, and that thou must go hence, either unto glory or unto pain, yea and that▪ how sone thou knowest not.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
TThou shalt not covet thy neighbors goods.
Ye shall not trouble, hurt, nor annoy no widow nor fatherless child.
If ye shall hurt them, and they cry unto me, I will surely hear t •… eir cry, and thē will my wrath wax hot: and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
Thou shalt take no gifts, for gifts blind the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
Thou shalt not do thy neighbor wrong neither violently oppress him. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in mete yard, in weight or in measure. True balances, true weightes, a true Epha and a true Hin, shall ye have.
Fire shall consume the houses of such as are greedy to receive gifts.
He heapeth up treasure and yet know eth not he for whom he gathereth it.
O trust not in wrong and robbery, give not yourselves unto vanities▪ and if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
Incline my har •… (O Lord) to thy testimonies and not to covetousness.
Who hordeth up his corn shall be cursed among the people, but blessing shall light upon his hed that giveth food.
He that trusteth in his riches, shall have a fall, but the righteous shall florishe as y e green leaf.
Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, then great and innumerable treasures otherwise. He goeth about to destroy his own house, that giveth his mind to covetousness but who so hateth reward shall live.
Better it is to have a little with righteousness, then great rentes wrongfully gotten.
He that hateth covetousness shall live long.
A man that is suddenly riche, enuyeth other, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.
Who so robbeth his father and saith it is no sin, y • same is like unto a man's •… ear.
O Lord give me neither poverty nor riches: only grant me a necessary living.
He that loveth money, will never be satisfied with money, and who so delighteth in riches, shall have no profit thereof.
Whereas much riches is, there are ma ny also that spend them away. And what pleasure more hath he possessed then saving that he may look upon them with his eyes.
A laboring man sleepeth swetely, whether it be litlle or much that he eateth, but the abundance of the riche will not suffer him to sleep.
There is a sore plague, which I have seen under the son, namely riches kept to the hurt of him that hath them in possession. For ofttimes they pearishe with his great misery and trouble, and if he have a child it getteth nothing.
Read forth the Chapiter.
Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldest give.
Trust not unto thy riches, and say not tushe, I have enough for my life. For it shall not help thee in the time of vengeance and temptation.
Trust not in wicked riches, for they shall not healp thee in the day of punishment and wrath.
Nothing is more wicked and ungracious then a covetous man.
He that with all his carefulness heapeth together vnrightuously gathereth for other folks, and another man shall make good chere with his goods.
A covetous man's eye, hath never enough in the portion of wickedness until the time that he wither away, and hath lost his own soul.
The riches of the proud shall be rooted out.
He that loveth riches, shall not •… e justified.
Manye one is come in great mysfortune by the reason of gold, and have found their destruction before them. It is a tree of fallinge unto them. It is a tree of passage vn to them that offer it up, and all such as be foolish, fall therein.
Blessed is the riche, which is found without blemish, and hath not gone after gold, nor heaped in money and treasures, where is there such a one: and we shall come mende him and call him blessed? For great things doth he among his people.
Woe be unto you, that join house to house, and coopl •… land to land even so long as any can be gotten. Shall ye alone dwell upon the earth? These things are in the ears of the Lord of hosts &c.
Woe be unto them that give sentence with the ungodly for rewards and condemn the just cause of the righteous.
Woe be unto thee that spoilest, for thou also shalt be spoiled.
Woe be unto him that heapeth up other men's goods. Howe long will he lade himself with thick claye?
O howe suddenly will they stand up, that bite and awake, that shall tear thee in pieces? yea thou shalt be their pray.
Woe be unto him, that couetously gathe reth evil gotten goods into his house, that he may set his neste on hye, to escape from the power of misfortune Thou haste devised the shame of thine own house, so that the very stones of the wall shall cry out of it, and the timber that lieth betwixt the joints of the building, shall answer.
Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver thē in the day of the Lord's wrath.
Examples out of the old Testament.
Balaam for luc •… es sake would have cur sed the people of Israel contrary to his own conscience, but he was reproved of the Angel of the Lord, so that his cursing was turned into blessing.
Acham by the commandment of God was stoned to death, because •… e toke of the excommunicate goods.
Saul for the covetousness of the praylost his kingdom.
The covetousness of Nabal & his churlishnes shown unto David, had almost caused that Nabal and all that ever he had, had been utterly destroyed, if Abigail his wife had not pacified the matter. Notwithstanding God shortly punished him with death so that he was taken away frō all that ever he had.
The covetousness of Ahab and Jezebel was the occasion that the good Nabothe was stoned unto death, against all equity and right, that by this means they might have his vineyard. But howe miserable their end was for that their abhominable murder, the holy stories do declare.
Gehesy was stricken with leprosy, because he received money of Naaman.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
BLessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Lay not up treasure for youre selves upon earth, where neither rust nor mothe doth corrupt, and where thieves break thorough and steal.
But lay up treasures for you in heavē where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also.
What doth it prophet a man to win the whole world, if he loseth his soul? A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
It is more easy for a cable rope to go thorough the eye of a nedle, then a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Woe be to you riche men, which have your comfort.
Take heed and beware of covetousness. For no man's life standeth in the aboū dance of things which he possesseth.
Thou fool this night will they fetch away thy soul again from thee. Then whose shall the things be, that thou hast gathered.
Take hede to yourselves, lest at any time youre hearts be overcome with the cares of this life.
If any that is called a brother, that is to say a christen man, be covetous or an ex torcioner, with him eat not.
Neither thieves, neither covetous per sons, nether extorcioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Let not covetousness be once named among you. For no covetous parsō, which is a worshipper of Idols, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Godlines is great riches, if a man be content with such as GOD sends. For we brought nothing into the world, neither shall we carry anything out.
Whan we have food and raiment, let us therw t be content, they that will be rich fall into temptation and snares and into many foolish and noisome lusts which drown men in temptation and destructiō For covetousness is the root of all evil, which while some lusted after they erred from the faith, and tangled them selves w t many sorrows. But thou which art the man of god, flee such things. Folow righteousness, godliness, love, patience, and mekenes.
Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with that ye have already. For God verily hath said, I will not fail thee, nor yet forsake thee.
Examples out of the New Testament.
ACertaine riche and covetous person, made great prouisiō for many years that he might live pleasantly and welthely, but shortly after God took away his life, so that he died.
The riche and unmerciful glotton that fared daintely every day, and was gorgeously apparaled, died and was buried in Hel.
Judas for lucre of money, sold and betrayed his master christ to the bishops Scribes and Pharisees. Afterward he hanging up him self, brast a sunder in the mides and all his bowels gushed out.
Ananias and Sapphira were punished with sudden death, because of a covetous mind, they kept away parte of the money which they received for the possession that they had sold.
Againste rebellion and disobedience.
IF the devil that old enemy of mankind and troubler of all good orders go about to put in thy head, that the maiestrates and hye powers do not their duty in the right gouernmente of a common weal, but to much cruelly oppress thyre subjects and that therefore thou mayest justly rise and rebel against them, and take upon thee of thine own private authority to redress things that are amys in the commone w eale take heed that thou by no means consentest to his most suttle and wicked temptations, whereby he goeth about to throw thee into everlasting damnation both of body and soul, beside the shameful death, that thou shalt have in this world, and the loss of all that ever thou hast, but content thyself with thy vocation▪ labor diligently and quietly for thy •… uing, study to maintain peace, pray for the high powers, th •… k that cross to be laid upon the •… for thy distress, amend thy life, humbly lament thy cause to God which will not leave thee succor •… s, and defend thyself against Satan, and all his crafty suggestions, with these scriptures following.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
THou shalt be over my house, and accor ding to thy word shall all my people be ruled.
Thou shalt do whatsoever they say unto thee that •… e rulers over the place, which the Lord hath chosen.
Al that thou hast commanded us, said the people to Joshua, we will do and whether so ever thou sendst us we will go.
Who so ever he be, saith God, that doth disobey thy mouthe, and will not hear ken unto thy words, in all that thou cōmaundeste him, let him die.
The Lord hath heard your murmurings saith Moses, which ye murmur against him. For what are we? (he speaketh of him self and of Aaron) your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.
They have not caste thee away, but me (said God to Samuel) that I should not reign over them.
Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fat of ram mes. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcrafte, and stubbernes is as the wickedness of idolatry.
By me, kings reign, by me Princes make just laws. By me Lord's bear rule, and all Judges of the earth exercise judgment.
Where no ruler is, there the people decay, but where as many are that can give counsel, there is wealth.
The kings displeasure is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify him. The chereful countenance of the king, is life, and his loving favor is as the eve ning dew
The king ought to be feared as the roaring of a Lion. Who so provoketh him vn to anger, offendeth against his own soul. My son fear thou the Lord and the king, and keep no company withthem that slide back from his fear. For their destruction shall comsodenly. And who knoweth the aduersyty that may come from thē both.
Wish the king no evil in thy thought, and speak no hurt of the noble man in thy privy chamber.
For a byrde of the air shall betray thy voice, and with her feathers shall she bewray thee.
Whosoever will not fulfill the law of God. and the kings law, let him have his judgment without delay, whether it be vn to death or to be rooted out, or be condemned in goods, or to be put into prison.
The king is ruler over sea and lande and hath dominion of all things, & loke what he commandeth is done. The common people▪ and the rulers are obedient unto him.
Examples out of the old Testament.
GOd did strike Miriam with moste grievous and horrible leprosy, because she murmured against her lawful magistrate Moses.
God plagued the Israelites for murmuringe against his servant Moses, w t stinging serpents which stong them unto death.
Corath, Dathan, and Abiron, because they did not obey Moses God's magisstrate, but disdained that he should reign over them, although appointed of God, were swallowed up of the earth, both they, their wives, their children, and all their goods. They went down alive unto •… el, and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the congregation.
Absalom king Daulds son made an insurrection against his Father, and thorough the councaile of wicked Achitophel, wrought most vilany against his fathers honor. What followed? Was not Absalom miserably slain? Did not his untrusty counselor hang himself, were there not also xx. M. men slain in battle, that took Absalom's part.
Seba the son of Bechey had his he •… d cut of, because he conspired against king David, and dissuaded the people from du •… obedience to their liege sovereign Lord.
Baasa the son of Abia conspired a gainst Nadab king of Israel, slew him, & reigned in his stead. But in hat followed •… though Baasa in the sight of the world dy ed no shameful death, yet died he in the dis pleasure of God, and afterward all his succession with all his friends and kinsfolks were all destroyed, so that there was not one left alive.
Zimry conspired against Ela king of Israel, slew him and reigned in his stead. But shortly after he was driven to such misery and straytes that he fled into the kings palace at Thirza, and settng it on a fire brent himself, and so wretchedlye ended his life.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
Let every soul submit himself unto y • authority of the higher power For there is no power but of God. Thepowers that be are ordained of God. Who soever therefore resysteth the power, resisteth the ordi nance of God, but they that resyste shall get to themselves damnation. For rulers are not fearful to them that do good, but to them that do evil. Wilt thou be without fear of the power. Doo well then & so shalt thou be praised of the same. For he is the minister of God for thy wealth. But if thou donst that which is evil, then fear. For he beareth not the sword for nought. For he is the minister of god to take vengeance on him that doth evil. Wherefore ye must needs obey not only for fear of vengeance, but also because of conscience. And even for this cause pay ye tribute. For they are God's ministers, seruinge for the same purpose. Geue to every man therefore his duty tribute •… o whō tribute belongeth, custom to whom custom is due, fear to whom fear belongeth, honor to whom honor pertaineth.
I exhort that above all things prayers, supplications, intercessions and giving of thanks be had for all men, for kings & for all that are in authority, that we may live a quiet and a peaceable life, withal godliness and honestye. For that is good & accepted in the sight of god our Sauyour, which will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Warne them, that they submit them selves to rule and power, that they obey the Magistrates, that they be ready to do every good work, that they speak evil of no man, that they be no fighters, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.
Submit your elues unto all manner ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be unto the king as unto the chief head, either unto rulers as unto them that are sent of him for the punishment of evil doers, but for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of god, that with well doing ye may stop the mouths of foolish and ignorant men, as free, and not as having the liherty for a cloke of malyciousnesse, but even as the sernauntes of God.
Honor all men, love brotherly fellow ship, fear god, honor the king.
Wicked are they and damned shall they be, that despise authority, and •… ear not to speak evil of them that excel in honor.
Examples out of the New Testament.
MAry Christ's mother and Joseph her husband, obeyed the Emperors commandment, and went into their city Bethlehem to be taxed.
Christ paid tribute to Caesar both for himself and for his disciples, and willed o there so to do.
Christ even unto the death obeyed the temporal rulers.
The Apostles of Christ were obedient to the higher▪ powers and taught other so to be.
Saint Paul willingly obeyed the public Magistrates, Felix & Festus. &c
Theudas and Judas of Galilee were two seditious persons. The one boasted to do great things and so allured much people to follow him, the other counseled the Jews by no means to pay tribute to Caesar, but to maintain their old liber ties, and by this means moved great sedition among the people.
What became of them, were they not put to death, and so many as followed th •… either slain or else scattered abroad, and so brought to naught. We read not in all the holy scriptures that any traitor or notable seditious person hath at any time •… scaped without notable and famous punishment. God cannot suffer his magistrates to be disobeyed, his common weals to be disturbed his polytyqne or cyuyl •… laws to be contemned his godly and honest orders to be broken. Whosoever attempteth any such wickedness, God will be a uenged of him, as it is euidente not only in the holy Scriptures, but also in profane histories.
Against maliçe, grudge, envy, hatred and anger.
IF thou be tempted of Satan to break the order of charity, & to malice thy christen brother▪ set these scriptures before the eyes of thy mind.
Sentences out of the old Testament
Thou shalt not hate thy brother inthine heart, but shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor that thou bear not sin ne for his sake.
Thou shalt not avenge thyself nor be myndefull of wrong, against the children of my people, but shalt love thy neighbors even as thyself.
If thine enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirst, give him drink, for so shalt thou heap coles of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.
He that seeketh vengeance shall find vengeance of the lord, which shall surely keep him in his sins.
Forgeue thy neighbor the hurt that he hath don the, and so shall thy sines be forge uen to thee also when thou prayest. A man that bereth hatred against another, how dare •… e destre forgiveness of god? He that show •… th no mercy to a man which is like him self, howe dare he ask forgiveness of his sins. If he that is but flesh beareth hatred and keep it, who will entreat for his sins? Remember thy end, and let enmity pass.
Examples out of the old Testament.
Samuel prayed for king Saul, although a wicked man an enemy to gods servants, a •… d altogether disobedient to the will of God.
Moses prayed for the stubborn and vn faithful Jews, which not withstandinge rebelled against him, and would have slain him.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
Lou •… your enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you. Pray for them which do you wrong and pursue you, that ye may be the children of your father that is in heaven.
Whatsoever ye will, that men should do to you: even so do you to them. That is the law and the prophets.
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Be merciful as your father is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Cō demn not, and you shall not be condemned Forgeue, and ye shall be forgiven. Geue, & it shall be given to you, good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your b •… somes▪ For with the same measure ye meet, with the same shall other meet to you again.
A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love together as I loved you, that even so you love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye shall have love one to another.
Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be brent, yet if I have no love, it profiteth me nothing at all.
Brethren if any mā be fallen by chance into any fault, ye which are spiritual, help to amende him in the spirit of mekenes, considering thyself, least thou also be attempted.
Bear ye one an others burden, and so fulfill ye the law of Christ.
Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.
Be gentle one to another, merciful forgeuing one another, even as GOD for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you.
Let every man be slow unto anger. For the wrath of man worketh not that which is righteous before God.
Above all things have fervent love among you. For love shall cover the multitude of sins.
If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that lo ueth not his brother whom he hath seen god whom he hath not seen how can he love. And this commandment have we of him, that he that loveth god, should all so love his neighbor.
He that loveth not his brother, a •… ideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer. And ye know that no murthe rer hath everlasting life abidinge in him▪ My babes let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in work and truth.
Examples out of the new •… Testament.
Christ so dearly loved us, yea and that when we •… were yet his enemies, that he gave himself even unto the death for our sake. Yea he hanginge on the cross prayed for his very •… enemies, unto his heavenly •… Father.
Blessed Stephen in the midst of his torments prayed for his enemies.
S. Paul wished himself to be cursed from Christ •… , so that his kinsmen might •… be saved.
Against the bitter storms of persecution of God's word.
IF at a •… y time thorough the frailti of nature thou be troubled in thy mind when the cross •… f persecution is laid upon thee for the word of God. look that thou shrink not back from the truth nor discourage thyself. but think thyself blessed of G •… d, call these scriptures that follow unto rei membrance for thy comfort.
Sentences out of the Old Testament.
THe Lord killeth and geeueth life again •… , he bringeth even to Hell and back again.
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is nigh unto them that ar of a troubled heart, and will save such as be of an humble spirit.
Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of thē all
He keepeth all his bones, so that not one of them is broken.
But misfortune shall flea the ungodly, and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
The Lord delivereth the souls of his servants, and all they that put their trust in him, shall not be comfortless.
For thy sake O Lord are we killed all the day long, and are counted as sheep ap pointed to be slain.
Up Lord, why sleepest thou, awake and be not absent from us forever.
Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and for gettest our misery and trouble? For our soul is brought low even unto the dust, our belly cleaveth unto the ground. Arise and help us, and deliver us for thy mercies sake.
Thou O god hast proved us, thou also hast tried us like as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the snare, and laydest trouble upon our loins. Thou suffredest men to ride over our heads, we went thorough fire and water, and thou broughtest us out into a comfortable place.
I believed and therefore have I spoken but I was sore troubled.
Righte dear in the sight of the Lord, is the death of his saints.
The way of the righteous is judged to be utter destruction, but they are in rest. Althoughe they suffer pain before men, yet is their hope full of immortality. They are punished but in few things, nevertheless in many things shall they be well rewarded.
For God proveth them and findeth thē mete for him self, yea as the gold in the furnace doth •… e try them, and receiveth them as a burnt offering, and when y e time cometh, they shall be looked upon.
My son, if thou wilt come into the service of god, stand fast in righteousness and fear, and arm thy soul to temptation. Setle thine heart, & be patient, •… ow down thine ear, receive the words of understanding, and shrink not away when thou art enticed. Hold thee fast upon god, join thyself unto him, and suffer that thy life may increase at the last.
Whatsoever happeneth unto thee, receive it, suffer in heaviness, and be paciēt in thy trouble. For like as gold and silver are tried in fire, even so are acceptable mē in the furnace of adversity. Beleue in God, and he shall help thee.
For righteousness take pain with all thy soul, and for the truth strive thou unto death and God shall fight for thee against thy enemies.
Examples out of the old Testament.
Abel was cruelly slain of his brother Cayne, whom he never offended.
Joseph was cast into prison, because he would not lean to the fy •… thy request of his lords wife.
Moses, Aaron, and the Israelites were grievously entreated & persecuted of King Pharaoh.
Saul with great diligence sought to destroy David.
Queen Jezebel pursued the Prophet Helias.
Zacharias the son of Barachias was stoned to death for telling the king truth.
Achymeleche with certain other holy men of god, was slain at king Saul's commandment because he shown kind nes to David the hearty beloved servant of God.
Sydrac, Misac and Abdenago were cast into a firye furnace, because they wouldnot worship the golden Image, that king Nebuchadnezzar had made, but only the God of Israel.
Daniel was cast into the den of Lions, because that contrary to king Darius commandment he had prayed unto his Lord God, the God of Israel.
At another time also he was caste into the den of Lions, because he said, that Bell and the Dragon were no God's.
The virtuous and chaste woman Susan was at the point to be stoned unto death, because she would not break the commandment of god, and consent to the vn lawful and filthy requests of the two Elders.
Eleazarus was miserably put to death, because at the kings commandment he would not eat swine's flesh, contrary to the law of god.
A certain woman also with her. vii. sons were with moste extreme cruelty put to death, because they would not obey the wicked precept of the moste wicked king.
The prophets were vnmercifullye slain because they rebuked sin, and taught •… the will of God.
The most excellent Prophet Isaiah, for his liberty of speech in re •… uking the sins of the princes and of the people and prophe •… iyng of God's vengeance to fall vpō the country and people, was cut in two partes asunder with a saw, and buried vn der an Oke.
Jeremiah after much enprisonment was stoned onto death of his people at Taphu as in Egipc •… , because he warned them of their wicked living, and exhorted them vn to repentance.
Amos at the commandment of king Amassas for his preching was cruelly bea •… en and grievously formented. At the last Ochozias son of Amasias caused him to be thurste into the temples with a great nail, and being half dead he was carried into his own country, where he sone after died.
Micah was buffeted emprisoned and fed with bread and water.
Examples out of the old Testament.
BLessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye when men revile you & perse •… ute you, and 〈◊〉 speak all eu •… l sayings against you for my sake:
Rejoice and be merry, for great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they the Prophets before you.
The scoler is not above the master, nor the servant above his Lord. If they have called the Father of the household Belzebub, how much more shall they so cal them that are of his household.
Be not afraid of them that •… il the body, but rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell fire.
Everyone that shall confess me before men, I shall confess him also before my fa there which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, I shall also deny him befyre my Father that is in heaven.
Ye shall be hated of all men for my sake
Whosoever will follow me let him forsake himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save hislife shall lose it. But whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospelles the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he win all the world and & lose his own soul, or what shall a man give to redē his soul w t all agaī: whosoever fore shall be ashamed of me and my words in this whorish and sinful generation, of him also shall the son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
The servant is not greater thē his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If the world hate you, know ye, that it hated me before you: If ye were of the world, the world would love that is his. But forasmuch as ye are not of the world but I have chosē you out of the world therefore doth the world hate you.
The time shall come, that who so ever killeth you, will think that he doth God service.
Ye shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice.
In the world ye shall have trouble, but be on a good comfort, I have overcome the world.
If we suffer with Christ, we shall also be glorified together with him.
I suppose that the afflictions of this life, are not worthy of the glory which shall be shown upon us.
Blessed be God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the father of 〈◊〉 and the God of all comfort, which comforteth us in all our tribulations.
As the afflictions of Christ are plenteous in us: even so is our consolation pleuteous by Christ.
We are not weried, but though our out ward man perish: yet the in ward man is renewed day by day. For our trouble which is short and light, prepareth an exceeding and an eternal weight of glory unto us: while we loke not on the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen: For things which are seen, are temporal, but things which ar not seen are everlasting.
We know, that if our earthly mansion of this dwelling were destroyed, we have a building of God, an habitatiō not made with hands, but everlasting in heaven.
Unto you it is given, not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for his sake.
Suffer affliction as a good soldier of Christ.
If we dy with Christ we shall live with him. If we suffer w e him, we also shalreig •… with him: if we deny him, he will also dny us.
All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecutions.
This is thank worthy •… if a man for conscience toward god, endure grefe and suffer wrong vndescrued.
If when ye do well ye suffer wrong and take it patientlye, then is there thanks with God, For here unto verily were ye called.
Blessed are ye if any trouble happen vn to you for righteousness sake.
Dearly beloved marvel not that ye are proved by fire (which thing is to try you) as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's passion, that when his glory appeareth, ye may, be merye and glad. If ye be railed upon, for the name of Christ, happy are ye. For the glory and the spirit of God, resteth upon you. On their parte, he was evil spoken of, but on your parte he is glorified.
If any man suffer as a Christian man, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify god in this behalf.
Let them that be trooubled according to he will of god, commit their saules to him with well doing, as unto a faithful creator.
Jesus to sāctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore out of the tents, and suf fer rebuk with him. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek on to come.
By many trybulations must we enter into the kingdom of heaven.
The holy ghost witnesseth in every city saying, that bands and trouble abide me. But none of these things move me, neither is my life dear unto myself, that I might fulfill my course with joy, and the ministration of the word with I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the Gospel of the grace of God.
I am ready not to be bound only, but also to dy for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, even so saith the spirit, that from henceforth they reaste from their labors. But their work follow them.
Examples out of the new Testamen.
John the Baptist for truth telling to king Herod, was cast into prisō & beheaded.
Jesus Christ our Lord and savior after many blasphemies rebukes, slanders and bitter torments suffered the moste spiteful death of the cross, and so entered into glory.
The holy marter S. Stephen, was stoned unto death.
James y • brother of John was beheded.
What kindness Peter and Paul with the apostles found at the hands of them whose saluatiō they most diligently sought, the histories make mention. Neither I hear speak of those blessed Marters, which sense their days have died for the confession of gods truth, so that the gospel is not without a cause called of blessed Paul the word of the cross.
For all that will live godly in Christ Ie su saith he, shall suffer persecution.
I saw saith Saint John under the altar, the souls of them that were killed for the word of god, and for the testimony •… which they had, and they cried with a loud voice, saying: how longe tarriest thou O Lord, holy and true, to judge and to revenge our blood on them that be on the earth? And long white garments were g •… uen unto everyone of them. And it was said unto them, that they should rest a little season, til the number of their fellows and brethren and of them that should be killed as they were fulfilled.
Against the temptation which the faithful have, when they compare their miseries and wretchedness with the wealth, prosperity▪ and pleasures of the swinish Epicures and wicked worldlings. Where thou also shalt see the misera ble end of the vn godly.
IF Satan our old adversary with his handemaide, the flesh shall at any time move thee to forsake God and his holy word▪ by considering the flourishing and triumphant estate of the wicked worldlings, and the to much miserable and base trade of the Lord's servants and professoures of gods truth, which live in all kind of misery. wretchedness and poverty, and ar piteously oppressed of the tirants of this world, when on the contrary part the ungodly have all things at their own pleasure, and live at their hearts ease without disturbance for lack of temporal things: consent no •… to his subtle assaults▪ but manfully resist them, considering with thyself, that though the ungodly reign in tis world, and have the uppermost hand yet shall their end be miserable when the poor afflicted for God's cause shall altar their manifold temptations be rewarded with perpetual joy, and everlasting glory. and that thou mayest be the more assuredly persuaded in these things▪ call to remembrance these holy scriptures following.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
KNowest thou not this, that from the beginning ever since the creation of man upon earth, the praise of the ungodly hath been short, and that the joy of the hypocrites hath continued, but the twinck ling of an ey? Though he be magnified up to the heaven, so that his hed reacheth unto the clouds, yet he perisheth at the last like dong: in so much that they which have seen him shall say, where is he? He vanissheth as a dream, so that he can no more be found, and passeth away in a vision in the night, so that the eye which saw him before, getteth now no sight of him & his place knoweth him no more.
Wherefore do the wicked men live in health and prosperity, come to their old age, and increase in riches.
Their Childers children live in their sight, and their generation before their eyes. Their houses are safe from all fear for the rod of god doth not smite them. Their bullock gendereth, and that not out of time, their cow calueth, and is not vnfruteful. They send their children forth bi flocks, and their sons lead the dance. They bear with them tabarets and harps and have instruments of music at their pleasure. They spend their days in welthynesse but suddenly they go down to Hell.
O Lord thou art more righteous then that I should dispute with thee. Neuertheles let me talk with thee in things reasonable. How happeneth it, that the way of the ungodly is so prosperous, and that it goeth so well with them which without any shame offend and live in wickedness. Thou plantest them, they take root, they grow and bring forth fruit. They boast much of thee, yet art thou far from their rains. But thou Lord to whō I am well known thou that hast seen and proved my heart, take them away like as a flock is carried to the slaughter house, and appoint them for the day of slaughter.
O Lord, how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear? how long shall I cōplain unto thee, suffering wrong and thou wilt not help: why lettest thou me se werinesse and labor: Tiranny and violence are before me, power over goeth right, for the law is torn in pyeces, and there can no right judgment go forth. And why, the ungodly is more set by then the righteous This is the cause that wrong judgment proceedeth. Thine eyes O Lord, are clean: thou mayest not see evil, thou canst not be hold the thing that is wicked. Wherefore then dost thou look upon the ungodly, & holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is better then himself. Thou makest men as the fysh of the sea, & like as the creepyng beasts that have no guide, they take up all with their angle, they catch it in their net, & do sacrifice vn to their yarne, because that thorough it their portion is become so fat, and their meat so plenteous. Wherefore, they cast out their net again and never cease to slay the people.
Like as the wyne deceiveth the dronkard, even so the proud shall fall and not endure.
Ful miserable, is the death of ungodly, for they that hate the unrighteous shall be plucked up by the root.
Freate not thyself at the ungodly, be not thou envious against the evil doers. For they shall sone be cute down like the grass and be withered even as the grene herb. Greue not thi self at one y • is in prosperity and liveth in abomination. Leave of frō wrath, let god displeasure, let not thy gelousy move thee also to do evil, For wicked doers shall be rooted out, but they that patiently abide the lord shall enherite the land. Suffer yet a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean gone, thou shalt loke after his place and he shall be away.
Read forth the Psalm •… and mark it well.
Wherefore thus arrogantly magnifiest thou thyself at all time. O mischievous gyaunt, wherefor enforceth thy tongue mis chief, fordgyng disceat like a new set Rasour. Wherefore lovest thou malice rather then honesty, rather to lie then to say truth. For thou delightest in all manner of pernicious speech, oh thou desceitful tongue. Wherefore, god shall utterly rend thee up by the roots and destroy thee, and he shall throw thee down out of thy tabernacle, and pluck thy roots out of the land of the living.
Rede diligently and mark well the. 73. Psalm which altogether belongeth unto this matter.
Woe be to the proud wealthy in Zion, even to such as think them selves so s •… re upon the mount of Samarya which hold them selves for the best of the world, and rule the house of Israel at their own pleasure. Ye are taken out for the evil day, even ye that sit in the stool of willfulness: ye that lie upon beds of Ivory and use your wantonness upon youre couches, ye that eat the best Lambes of the flock, & the fattest calves of the drouy, ye that sing to the lute, and in playing of instruments compare yourselves unto David, ye that drink wine out of goblets, and annoynte yourselves with the best oil, but no man is sorry for Joseph hurt, therefore shall ye now be the first of them that shall be led away captive, and the lustye •… hear of the willful shall come to an end.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
CAine the figure of all wicked and blou dy Tirantes, slew his brother Abel, & while he lived he was a runagate, and a vagabound having an unquiet conscience and now being dead he is a dampened soul in Hel.
The Tirauntes and mighty Giaunts with all the world besides 8. persons were drowned, after they had lived long in plea sure and in all the filthy desires of the wic ked flesh without repentance.
The filthy Sodomites lived in all kind of voluptuous abomination, the conclusion was that they were consumed with fire and brimstone from heaven.
Pharaoh handled the people of God very cruelly intending utterly to destroy thē all, but the ende was, that both he and all his army were drowned in the sea, and the people of Israel harmless preserved.
Sisar and Abimelech being grievous enemies of gods people, were slain of woe men.
Holophernes for all his proud lokes en tending to destroy the Israelites, was slain himself of a woman.
Saul persecuted David the servant of God, intending to slay him, but David escaped, & Saul was slain with the sword
Achitophel remembringe what wicked council he had genen Absalom against his Father David, & perceiving that it would not come to pass so mighty is God to destroy the wicked councils of the ungodly he went home and hanged himself.
•… bsolon pursuing and sekinge his Fathers death, in the midst of his fury was hanged, by the hear of his head on a tree, and so died.
Joab was slain, because he killed two good men, even Abner and Amasa.
The house of Hieroboam because he made Israel to sin, was destroyed by the sword of Baasa king of Israel.
Queen Jezebel that great enemy to the servants and Prophets of the Lord, was thrown down hedlonge out of an high windewe, and trodden down with horses feet, and at the last devoured and eaten up of dogs. Jehu slew the house of Ahab for the Prophets that were slain.
King Joash was slain of his own servants, because he slew Zacharias the sō of the high Priest Ioiada, without a cause.
The wicked king Sedechias, which so cruelly handled the Prophet Jeremiah: had both his eyes put out, and being fettered with chains of Iron, he was carried priso ner into Babylon, where he miserablye died.
Amon that most proud accuser and inuentour of mischiefs against the Jews, preparing a pair of galows for good Mar docheous that faithful Israelite, was han ged upon them himself.
They that accused Daniel to y • king and sought his death, were caste into the dongeon, and devoured of the Lions.
The ungracious and wicked Judges, which sought the death of that godly woman Susan, were slain them selves.
Andronicus, which s •… ew that good man Onias, was slain him self.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
WO be to you that are rich, that have therein your consolation. Woe be to you that are full, for ye shall hunger. Woe be to you that now laugh, for ye shall wail and weep. Woe be to you when all men shall praise you, for so did their fathers to the false Prophets.
Many walk of whom I have told you often, and now I tell you weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ who se ende is damnation, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is their shame which are worldly minded.
Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl one your wretchedness that shall come up on you. Your riches is corrupt, your garments are motheaten, your gold and silver is cankered, and the ruste of the •… shall be a witness unto you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. &c.
I heard a voice from heaven saying •… O my people come away from Babylon that great whore and mighty, strompet the mother of the abominations of the whole earth. Come away I say from her, that ye be not partakers of her sins, that ye receive not of her plages, for her sins are gone up to heaven, and god hath remembered her wickedness▪ Reward her as she re warded you, and give her double, accor •… dinge to her work. And pooer in double to her in the same cup which she filled unto you. And as much as she glorified her self and lived wantonly, so much pour ye in for her of punishment and sorrow. For she said in her self, I sit being a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come at one day, death and sorrow and hunger, and shall be brent with fire. For strong is the Lord god which judgeth her.
Examples out of the New Testament
The riche and proud glutton which was gorgeously appareled, and fared daintely every day, and yet would have no pity on the poor Lazare, died and was carried in to hell.
Judas that betrayed Christ, hanged him self.
Herod which greatly vexed the congregation of Christ, and slew James the brother of John: even in the middes of his pomp and glory, was smitten down of the Lord's angel and was eat̄ with worms, and so miserably perished.
Elimas the sorcerer and false Prophet resisted Paul's preaching, but he therefore was stretght ways stricken blind thorough the mighty power of God.
Against the most horible and damnable sin, the sin against the holy ghost.
IF the Devil which seeketh nothing but thy des •… ruction, labor so to harden thy heart that thou contrary to thy knowledge even of a pretensed & willful malice shouldst impugn the truth of Christ's gospel, and persecute the same in his members, and so sin against the holy ghost, and blaspheme the Lord thy God unto the damnation both of thy body and soul, loke that above all things in this be half thou leavest not unto his wicked temptations if thou •… enderest thine own salvation, but rather withal thy power resist him by calling these holy scriptures unto thy remembrance.
Examples out of the old Testament.
I will put him out of the book that sinneth against me.
A man that speaketh evil of his God, shall bear his sin, and he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord •… , let him dy •… the death: All the people shall stone him, whether he be a citezen or a straūger: whatsoever he be that blasphemeth the name of the lord, let him die the death.
If one man sinneth against another, God may be merciful unto him: but if a ny man sin against God, who shall pray for him?
The soul that doth ought presumt •… ously, whether he be an Israelite or a straū ger, the same blasphemeth the lord. And that soul shall be rooted out from among his people, because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his cōmaundemente. That soul therefore shall perish, and his sin shall be upon him.
They rejoice in doing evil, and delight in wicked things.
They make boast of their sins them selves as the Sodomites did, and hide thennot. Woe be unto their souls, for they have rewarded 〈◊〉 unto thenselves. Byd the righteous do well, for they shall enjoy y • fruits of their study. But woe be unto th •… ungodly and vnrigheeous, for thei shall be rewarded after their works.
Thou shalt not pray for this people, thou shalt neither give thanks nor bid prayer for them. Thou shalt make no in tercession to me for them, for in no wise will I hear thee. Read •… fourth.
This said the lord unto me, thou shalt not pray to do this people good, for though •… they fast, I will not hear their prayers: Though they offer burnt offerings and sacrifices, yet will not I accept them. For I will destroy them with the sword and hunger and pestilence.
Examples out of the old Testament.
THe servants and all the army of the proud Sennacherib, were destroyed for their blasphemy against god.
Holo •… rnes blasphemed God when he said, that there was none other god of the earth but Gabuchodonosor, and therefore was he afterward slain even of a woman.
Nabugodonosor blasphemed god, whē he said to the three children, who is the God that cā deliver you out of my hands?
The children of Isarell blasphemed god & therefore perished, when they said to the Prophet Jeremiah: As for the words that thou haste spoken unto us in the name of the lord, we will in no wise hear them: But whatsoever goeth out of our own mouth, that will we do. We will do sacrifice and offer oblations unto the queen of heaven, like as we and our forefathers, our kings, and our rulers have done in the cities of Judah and in the streets and fields of Jerusalem. For then had we plenteousness of vitails, then were we in prosperytye and no mysfortune came upon us. But sense we left to offer and to sacrifice unto the queen of heaven, we have had scarsnesse of all things, and perish with sword and hunger.
Those Jews blasphemed God, which said, let us go and make a couenaunte with the Heathen that are round about us. For since we departed from them, we have had sorrow enough.
Nicanor blasphemed god when he said Is their a mighty one in heaven that commanded the Saboth day to be kept. It was answered, yea even the living god, the mighty Lord in heaven, commanded the. vii. day to be kept. Then said be: and I am mighty upon earth, to command them for to arm themselves, and to perform the kings business.
Sentences out of the new Testament.
He that is not with me, is again me, saith Christ. And be that gathereth not with me scatereth abroad. Therefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but the blasphe mye against the spirit shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the son of man, it shall be forgiven him. But whosoever speaketh against the holy ghost, it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world nor in the world to come.
If any men see his brother sin not unto death, let him ask and he shall give him life for thē that sin not unto death. Ther is a sin unto death, for which I say that a mā should not pray.
It may not be, that they which were once lightened and have tasted of the heau •… nly gift, and were become partakers of the holy ghost and have tasted of the good word of god, and the powers of the world to come: If they fall away 'that they should again be renewed by repentance which in them selves do crucify the son of God making a mock of him.
If we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a fearful looking for judgment, and violent fire which shall devour the adversary. He that despiseth Moses law, dieth without mercy under two or three witnesses: How much sorer suppose ye shall he be punished which treadeth under foot the Son of God, and counteth the blood of the Testament, wherewith he was sanctified, as an unholy thing, and dishonoure to the sprite of grace.
Examples out of the New Testament.
The Jews spake blasphemy against the holy ghost, when they said of Christ: by the power of Belzebub doth he cast out Devils.
They were blasphemers which said to Christ hanginge on the cross, thou that destroyedst the Temple of GOD and buildest it again in three days, save thyself. If thou be the son of God, come down from the cross.
They also spake blasphemy against the holy ghost, which nowadays of a pretensed malice condemn the word of God as herey, and persecute the preachers thereof as heretics and seditious persons.
Against the despising of God's word, of the plagues that follow the same.
IF the devil go about to pluck down thy mind from the love of gods word, and to move thee to despise the doctrine of thy salvation, so that thou shouldest no more delight in the moste comfortable gospel of Christ, which is the power of god to save so many as believe, but rather in things of vanity, •… ache hede that thou leanest not to his subtle suggestions, but standing in awe of gods judgments▪ and fearing his plagues, valeauntly resist Satan with these holy scriptures following.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
IF ye will not hearken unto me saith the Lord nor keep my commandments, but despise them. &c. then will I do this again unto you. I will set my face against you, and ye shall fall before your enemies, and they that hate you, shall reign over you. I will make the heaven over you as hardyron, and your land as hard as bras. I will send my wild beasts upon you which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle. I will send a sword up on you that shall avenge my Testament with you. I will send the pestilence among you. Read the Chapiter to the end.
If thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God to keep and to do all his commandments and ordinances, then all these curses shall come upon thee, & overtake thee. Cursed shalt thou be in the Town, and cursed in the Fielde, cursed shall thine almayrye be and thy store. Cur sed shall the fruit of thine body and the fruit of thy lande be, and the fruit of thy oxen, and the flock of thy sheep. The Lord shall make the pestilence clean to thee, vn til he have consumed thee from the lande: The Lord shall smite thee with madness blindness, and dasing of heart, because thou seruedst not the Lord thy god with joyfulness and with a good heart for the aboūdācs of all things, wherefore thou shalt serve thine enemy which the Lord shall send o •… thee in hunger and thirste, in nakedness, & in need of all things: And he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until be have brought the to naught. Read this Chapiter diligently from the beginning to the end.
They have caste away the law of the Lord of hosts, and have blasphemed the word of the holy one of Israel. Therefore is the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people and he shaketh his hand at thē, yea he shall smite so, that the hills shall tremble. And their carcasses shall lie in the open streate.
They have offended the law, changed the ordinances, and made the everlasting testament of none effect. And therefore shall the curse devour the earth, for they that dwell thereon have sinned, wherefore they shall be brent also, and those that remain shall be very few. The sweet wine shall moorn, the grapes shall be weak, and all y e have been merry in heart shall sighe.
The mirth of tabarets shall be laid down, the chere of the joyful shall cease, and the pleasure of the Lutes shall have an ende. There shall no more wine be dronk with •… irth, the beer shall be bitter to them that drink it, the wicked cities shall be broken down, all houses shall be shut, that no man may come in.
Woe is me saith the Prophet all is full of sinners which offend of purpose & malice: And therefore (O thou that dwellest upon the earth) there is at hand for thee fear, pit, and snare. Whosoever escapeth the terrible cry, shall fall into the pit, and if he come out of the pytte he shall be taken with the snare, For the windows above shall be opened, and the foundation of the earth shall move: The earth shall give a great crake, it shall have a sore ruin, and take an horrible fall: The earth shall stacker like a drunken man, and be taken away like a tent: Her misdedes shall light so heavy upon her, that she must fall and never rise up again: Read •… e whole chapter
These people are obstinate they provoke me unto anger, they are lying childrē and even such children that will not hear the law of God.
They say to them that see, see nothing: and to the Soothsayer, tell of nothing for to come if it be either good or honest, but 〈◊〉 pleasant things unto us, and preach us false things.
Treade out of the way, go out of the path, turn away the holy one of Israel from us. Therefore thus saith the holy one of Israel: for as much as ye have cast away his word, and have comforted yourselves with power and nimblenes, and put your confidence therein: therefore shall ye have this mischief again for your destruction, & fall like an hye wall that falleth because of some rift or blast, whose breakinge cometh suddenly. And your destruction shall be like an earthen pot which breaketh, no mā touching it, but breaketh so sore that a mā shall not find a sheu •… r of it to fetch fire in, or to take water out of the pit. For the God, even that holy one of Israel hath pro mised thus.
Who suffered Jacob to be trodden under foot, and Israel to be spoiled: was it not the Lord himself, against whom we have sinned? we had no delight to walk in his ways, neither were we obedient to his laws. Therefore hath he poured upon us his wrathful displeasure, and strange battle, which maketh us have to do on every side, yet will we not understand. He burneth us up, yet it sinketh not into our hearts.
Because they have sorfaken my law that I gave them, and have not hard my voice, nor yet walked thereafter but follow ed the wickedness of their own hearts, & run after strange gods, as their fathers taught them:
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts the god of Israel: behold I will feed this people with wormewoode, and give them gall to drink: I will scatter them among the Heathen, whom nether they nor their fathers have known. And I will send a sword among thē to persecute them and never leave, unto I bring them to naught
If ye will not obey me, saith the Lord to walk in my laws which I have givē you, and to hear the words of my servants the Prophets whom I sent unto you, and rising up timely, and still sending. If ye will not follow them I say, then will I do unto this house as I did unto Silo, & will make this City to be abhorred of all the people of the earth.
I will send upon them, sword, hunger, & pestilence, because they have not regarded my words, which I sent to them saith the Lord by my servants the Prophets.
They would not take hede saith y • lord, but turned their back, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone, least they should hear the law and words which the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by the Prophets afore time. Wherefore the Lord of hosts was very wroth at thē. And thus it came to pass, that like as he spake and they would not hear, even so they cried and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
NOhe preached to the old world and exhorted them to repent and amend their life, or else god would surely plage them. But they laughed Nohe and his doctrine to scorn, and continued in their abhominable, and wicked living. What followed? was not all the world drowned, right persons only excepted?
Lot seeing the unnatural most filthy uncleanness of the stinking Sodomites coun selled them to cease so to much licentiouslye▪ to offend their Lord God. They would not hear Lot, nor his sermons, but churlishly entreated him: what followed: Wer they not consumed with water, fire and brimstone from heaven? O most dread full plages.
After what sort the Israelites were plagued for their disobedience to gods word, the books of the old Testament do evidently declare.
The despisers of God's word are punished many and sundry ways: as with sword, pestelence, hunger, wild beasts and fire.
- Of the sword.
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Read Exod. 5. Levite. 26. Deut. 22. Job. 19. Isaiah. 1. Jer. 9. 15. 20. 25. 29. 42. 43. 46. 50.
- Of the pestelence.
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Read. Exod. 5. Len. 26. Deut. 18. 32. 1. Reg. 24. Psalm. 104. 1. Par. 22. Ezech. 7. 14 18. 33. 23. 38. Math. •… 4.
- Of hunger.
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Read •… Deut. 28. 32. 1. Reg. 24. Psalm. 104 Eccle. 39. Jer. 1 •… . 14. 18. 54. Amos. 8. Act. 11. Apoc. 18.
- Of Beasts.
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Read Levite. 26. Deut. 22. 1. Reg. 27. 3. Reg. 13. Sap. 16. Isaiah. 18. Jeremiah. 11. 15. 27. 34. Ezech. 4. 5. 14. 20. 32. 13. 39. Ose. •…
- Of Fire.
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Read. Gene. 19. Levite. 10. Nume. 1. 16. 21. Deut. 32. Joshua. 7. 3. Reg. 18. 2. Par. 7. Job. 1. 15. 20. 31. Psalm. 10. 87. Isaiah. 9. 26 66. Ier. 15. 2. 7. Treno. 1. 2. Baruch. 4. Eze. 22 28. 30.. 38. 39. Danie. 3. Ose. 8. Amos. 1. 2. Abd. 1. Mich. 6. Sopho. 2. Nahum. 3. Zach. 11. 12. 13. Apo. 9. 11, 18. 19. 20.
Sentences out of the new Testament.
Whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your Sermons, go ye out of that house or city, and shake the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you it shall be more easy for the land of Sodom and Gomorre at the day judgment, then for that city.
Woe be to the Choraryn, woe be to the Bethsaida. For if the miracles which wer shown in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they had repented long agone in sackcloth and ashes. Nevertheless I say unto you, it shall be easier for Tyre and S •… don at the day of judgment, then for yon. And thou Caparnaum, which art lift up unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell. For if the miracles, which have been done in thee, had been shown in Sodom, they had remained unto this day. Neuertheles I say to you it shall be easier for the land of Sodom in the day of judge meant, then for thee.
The kingdom of God shall be taken frō you, and shall be given to a nation which shall bring forth the fruits of it. And whosoever it shall fall upon it will grind him to powder.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem which killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent to thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together as the hen ga thered her chekins under her wings, and ye would not. Behold your habitation shall be left unto you desolate.
He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that despiseth you, despiseth me, and he that despiseth me despiseth him y • sent me.
This is the condemnacion that light is come into the world and men loved darkness more then, light because their deeds were evil.
He that refuseth me, saith Christ and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him. The word that I have spoken shall judge him at the last day.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they should have had no sin, but now they have nothing to cloke their sin withal.
It was mete that the word of God should first have been preached unto you, but seeing you put it from you, and think yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, low tunre to the gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us.
He that despiseth the preacher despiseth not man, but God which hath sent his holy Spirit among you.
He that despiseth Moses law dieth without mercy under two or iii. witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye, shall he be counted worthy, which treadeth under foot the son of God, and counteth the blood of the testament asl an unholy thing? Uerelye it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
The ungodly shall be so plagued, that thei shall seek death, and find it, they shall desire to die, and death shall fly from them.
Examples out of the new Testament.
THey that were called to the marriage & would not come, but vngently treated the messengers, were destroyed and their city brent up.
When Christ came near to Jerusalem, he beheld the city and wept on it, saying, if thou knewest also even at this day, the things appertayninge unto thy peace, thou wouldest be more diligent to look upon them.
But now are they hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall caste a bank about thee, and besiege and keep thee in on every side, and make thee even with the ground, with thy children which are in thee. And they shall not leave one stone upon another, because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation. Hereof may we learn that Jerusalem was destroyed, because they would not receive Christ nor his word, but despised the doctrine of their salvation, and the preachers of the same. If we do not repent and amend, the same or more grievous plages abide us.
Agaynst carnal security and fleshly living withont fear of God.
IF Satan tempteth thee to live after the lusts of the flesh without all fear of God and to take •… no thought for thy salvation, that by this means he may provoke thee unto all kind of wickedness: loke hat thou by no means givest place to his temptations, but rather watch the more diligently about hyne own health y t he may not prevail agaiust he, enarme thyself with strong faith, & alway et before thine eyes these Scriptures following.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
SEeke after God, and your soul shall live.
Seke the Lord while he may be found, and cal upon him while he is nigh. Let the ungodly man forsake his own ways, and the unrighteous his own imaginations, and turn again unto the Lord, so shall he be merciful unto him. &c. Folow not the lust of thine own heart in thy strength, and say not: tushe, howe have I had strength? or who will bring me under because of my works? for doutles god shall avenge it. And say not: I have committed no sins, & what evil hath happened to me? For the almighty is a patient rewarder. Because thy syn is forgiven thee, be not therefore without fear, neither heap one sin upon another. And say not, tush: the mercy of the lord is great, he shall forgive me my sins be they never so many. For like as he is merciful, so goeth wrath from him also, and his indignation cometh down upon sinners.
Make no tarrying to turn unto the lord & pute not of from day today, for suddenly shall his wrath come, and in the time of vengeance he shall destroy the.
A man knoweth not his time, but like as the fishes are taken with the angle, and as the birds are caught with the snare even so aremen taken in the perilous time when it cometh suddenly upon them.
Let thy garments be always white, and let thine head lack no ointment.
Examples out of the old Testament.
THe people to whom. Nohe preached, would not amend but went forth to nousle themselves in all kind of worldlys pleasures, and even in the mydes of their riotous living, the flood came and drowned them all.
The Sodomites laughing Lot and his exhortations to scorn, and going forth to offend God with their to much beastlike voluptuo •… snes whan they thought themselves to be in moste safeguard and furdest from any misfortune, were consumed unto ass •… es with fire and brimston from heavē.
The Jews setting at naught y • admo nitions of God's Prophets continued in all their wickedness and even in the mids of their carnal security and fleshly quietness, god sent their enemies upon them, which destroyed their country slew a great number of people, and led away most miserable captives so many as pleased them, leaving the residue behind them in moste wretched slavery.
Sentences out of the ne •… Testament.
WAtche for ye know not what hour your lord will come. Of this be ye sure that if the householder knew what hour the thief would come he would surely watch and not suffer his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also redye, for in such an hour as ye think not, will the son of man come.
Watch and pray, that ye fall not into temptation.
Let your loins be gird about and your lights be burning, and yourselves like men that wait for their master when he will return from the weddings, that as foone as he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him. Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord whan he cometh shall find waking.
Take hede, watch & pray: for ye know not whan the time is: As a man which is gone into a strange country, and hath left his house, and given his substance to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch: Watch ye therefore, for ye know not when the master of the house will come, at evē or at midnight, whether at the cockecrow ing, or in the dawning, lest if that he come suddenly, he find you sleping: and that I say unto you, I say unto all: watch.
Take heed to yourselves, least your hearts be grieved with sur •… eting and dron kennes, and cares of the world, and that day come suddenly on you. For as a snare shall it come on all them that sit on the face of the earth,
It is even now hye time that we w •… ke out of sleep.
Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of health.
The day of the Lord shall come even a •… a thief in the night. When they shall say peace and no danger, then cometh there on them sudden destruction, as the trauayling of a woman with child, & they shall not escape. Let us not sleep as other do but let us watch and be sober.
Be patient and settle your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Behold the judge slādeath before the door.
Be sober and watch, for your adversary the devil walketh about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, whom resist being steadfast in faith.
The day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night.
Little children evē now is the last time.
Yet a little while, & he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry.
If thou shalt not watch, I will come on 〈◊〉 as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come vpō thee. Behold I come shortly. Hold that which thou hast that no man take away thy crown.
Behold I stand at the door to knock. if any man hear my voice, and open the door I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
The time is at hand. He that doth en •… let him do evil still. And he which is filthy, let him be filthy still. And he that is righteous, let him be more righteous. And he that is holy, let him be more holy. And because I come shortly and my reward with me, to give every man according as his deeds shall be.
Examples out of the new Testament.
That servant that diligently watcheth at all hours for his masters coming & doth in the mean season such things as his ma ster hath appointed him is blessed: for he shall enter into his masters joy. But the servant that liveth without care is idle, watceth not, looketh not diligently vpō his office thinketh not of his masters coming smiteth his fellows, eateth and drinketh with the drunken that servant I say, shall have his part with Hipocrites, and shall be cast into utter darkness, where wepinge & and gnashing of teeth shall be.
The 5. wise virgins prepared both lamps and oil, tarriing, and watching for the coming of the bridgrome. There fore when he came they being in a redines went in with him unto the wedding. But the five foolish Uergines slumbered and slepte, so that when the bridegroom came they were unprepared and had no oil in their lamps, and therefore were they shut out of the doors, and entered not into the marriage. Let us therefore watch, for we know neither the day nor the hour, when the son of man shall come.
Against the slackness of doing good works.
IF that futtle Satan by his crafty persuasions would at any time make thee believe that thou art so thoroughly justified by faith alone, and so perfectly saned by Christ only, that thou needs •… not do any good works nor yet bring forth the fruits of faith according to thy profession but live as thou lust, and do what thou wilt, so at the full art thou saved thorough faith in Christ, take hed •… thou be not deceived with this painted visar, but rather to the vtteri •… ost of thy power, labor to cō firm thy faith with the plenteous doing of good works working thinc own salvation as blessed Paul saith with fear and trembling. And that thou mayest be the better encouraged so to do, set these sentences and examplee of the holy scriptures ever before the eyes of thy mind.
Examples out of the old Testament.
I am the almighty God walk before me and be perfect.
Kepe the commandments of the lord thy God, and his witnesses, and his couenauntes which he hath commanded thee, and do thou that which is acceptable and good in the sight of the Lord, that thou mayest prosper.
Now Israel, what doth the lord thy god require of thee? but to fear the Lord thy God, and to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and withal thy soul, namely that thou keep the commandments of the lord and his ordinances, that thou mayest do well and prosper.
The faithful man is like a tree planted by the water side, that will bring forth his fruit in due season.
Thou hatest althem (O Lord, that work iniquity.
Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? who shall rest upon thy holy hill? Even he that leadeth an uncorrupt life & worketh righteousness. &c.
Read the whole Psalm.
Departe from evil and do good.
Put thou thy trust in the Lord, and be thou doing good.
Cease to do evil, learn to do good, Seke to do right, deliver the oppressed, help the fatherless to his right, defend the widow.
Break thy bread to the hungry, the needy, and the wayfaring man lead thou into thy house. Whan thou seest a naked man, cover him, and hide not thy face from thy neighbor. &c.
Examples out of the old Testament.
Nohe was perfect and just in his generations, and walked with god, loved god, that is to say, believed in god, leued god, feared god, sought the glory of god, and framed his life according to the will of god, being plenteous in all good and godly works: therefore God preserved him and his, when he dro •… ned all such as were wicked persons and doers of no good works.
Abraham was obedient to the will of god and walked after his holy commandments, ever doing good works: god therefore meruelously blessed him, made him the father of many nations, and promised him, that in his seed all kindreds shoulds be blessed.
God saw the works of the Ninevites (which undoubtedly sprange of faith, for they believed the words of the Prophet) & he had psty on them and spared them.
Sentences out of the New Testament
Now is the axe put to the root of the trees. Euerye tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruits is hewn down & cast into the fire.
Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven
Euerye good tree bringeth forth good fruit. An evil tree bringeth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit nor an evil tree good fruit. Euerye tree that bringeth not forth good fxnte, is hewn down andeast tnto •… he fire.
Whosoever heareth of me these words 〈◊〉 doth the same, I will likē him unto a wise man, which bnilte his house on a rock, &c.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things, and an evil man out of that evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things.
If ye were Abrahams children, ye would do Abraham's works.
We know that God heareth no sinners, but if any man be a worshipper of God and obedyent his will, him heareth he
He that hath my commandments, & keepeth thē, he it is that loveth me. If any man loveth me, he will keep my words.
In the sight of God they are not righteous which hear tee law but the doers of the law shall be •… uste fied.
We are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus, unto good works, which god had prepared that we should walk in them.
Be ye renewed in the spirit of your minds and put on the the new man which after the image of god is shapen in righteousness and true holiness.
walk worthy of y • lord in all things y • please, being fruitful in all good works, & •… ncreasing in the knowledge of God.
Br •… theren be not werye in well doing.
Be to them that believe an example in word, in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith, & puernes.
Thou which art the man of Godfollowe righteousness, godliness, love, patience, and •… eaknes.
The suer ground of God remaineth & hath this seal. the lord knoweth them y • are his: and let every man that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Lusts of youth loke thou avoid & follow righteousness, faith, love, & peare w t them that call on the Lord with a pure heart.
Dearely beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul. And see y • ye have honest conversation among the heathen, that they which backbite you as ill doers, may see your good works, and praise God in the day of visitation.
If we say we have fellowship with god, and yet walk in darkness, we lie, & do not the truth. But if we walk in light, even as he is in light, then have we fellowship with him, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son maketh us clean frō all sin.
He that doth righteousness, is righteus. He that committeth sin, is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning.
See ye be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceauing yourselves.
Read the whole epistle of S. James.
God saith to the false and feigned Christians: I know the blasphemy of them which cal themselves Jews, and are not, but the Sinagoge of Satan.
Examples out of the New Testament.
THe idle were reproved because they wrought not, & they that would labor, were hired into the vineyard, & at night received their reward.
The servants which received talēts of their Lord and occupied them and gained moe by them, are praised and rewarded for well doing. But the idle servant which would not occupy the talent that he received of his Lord but went and hid it in the ground, gaining nothing therewith, was cast into utter darkness, where weeping and gnashing of tethe is.
The fig tree which was unfruitful, & brought for the nothing but leaves, was cursed and withered away.
Zache a ruler among the Publican's gave half his goods to the poor and if he did any man wrong, he restored him four times as much. Therefore said Christ vn to him: this day is health come to this house forasmuch as he also is become the child of Abraham.
Against the troublous tempests of sickness, of loss of goods or any other kind of adversity.
IF Satan when thou art assailed •… any kind of trouble, laboreth to move thee to despair of God's good will toward thee, as though he had utterly forsaken thee, given thee over, and care no more for thee, but sendeth thee that punishment and layeth y • cross upon thy back 〈◊〉 tokē of his anger and heavy displeasure against the, take hede that y • doest not submit thyself to his suttle sugestiōs, but rather persuade thyself that thy cross.
Whatsoever it he cometh of the good will of god toward thee, and is sent unto thee for thy health, comfort, and salvation. Look that thou therefore take it both patiently and thankfully and that thou mayest so do furnish thy breast with these treasures of God's most blessed word.
Examples out of the old Testament.
After y • lord hath punished the & tried the at last he will have pity on the. The lord kileth & maketh alive bringeth down to the grave & fecheth up again. The lord maketh pore & maketh rich bringeth low and heauethe upon high.
Call upon me in the time of thy trouble, & I will deliver the & thou shalt honor me. Blessed is y • man whō thou nurterest, O Lord, and teachest him thy law.
It is for my wealth y • thou haste brought me under, y • I may learn thy righteousness
Naked came I out of my mothers womb & naked shall I turn thither again. The Lord gave & y • lord hath taken away even as it pleaseth y • lord so is it come to pass, blessed be the name of the lord.
If we have receued prosperity at y • hand of god, why should we not also receue and suffer aduersitye.
Blessed is the man whō God punisheth therefore refuse not thou y e chastening of y e almighty. For though he make a wound he giveth a plasture, though he smite, his hand maketh whole again.
My Son despise not the chastening of the lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, him he chasteneth & yet delighteth in him, as a father in his own son.
Whatsoever happeneth unto thee, receive it, suffer in heuines and be patiente in thy trouble. For like as gold and silver are tried in the fire, even so are acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.
Examples out of the old Testament.
Job being grievously plagued not only with the loss of his goods, but also with di •… ers diseases of his dody, praised the Lord •… uen in the midst of his trouble.
Tobye when he had lost his sight grudged not against god that the plage of blindness chaunsed unto him but remained steadfast in the fear of god, and thanked God •… l the days of his life.
Hezekiah being warned of God by the Prophet to prepare himself unto death •… 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 death, prayed unto god in the time of his sickness, and obtained fifteen years longer to live.
Manasseh being afore an Idolatour & a maintayner of Idolatry, after that god had plagued •… i, even whē he was in tribulatiō He besoght y e Lord his god, & humbled himself exceedingly before y • god of his fathers, & made intercessiō to him: He hard his pray er, & brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.
Examples out of the New Testament
IF any man will come after me, let hi for sake himself & take his cross & follow me.
By many tribulations must we enter into the kingdom of heaven▪
We rejoice in tribulatiō, for we know that tribulation bringeth experience, experience bringeth hope, and hope maketh not ashamed.
If we suffer together, we shall be glorified together. For I suppose that the afflictions of this life ar not worthy of y • glory which shall be shown upon us.
If we live, we live to be at the lords will And if we die, we dy, at y • Lord's will, whether we live therefore or dy we are y • lords.
While we are punished, we are corrected of the Lord, lest we should with this world be condemned.
We are not weried, but though our ont ward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our exceading tribulation which is short and light, prepareth an excedinge and everlasting weight of glory unto us, while we loke not on the things which are seen but on the things that are not seenne. For things which are seen, are temporal, but things which are not sēe, are eternal.
Read the fist Chapter of the seconde to the Corinth.
My strength is made perfect thorough weakness. Uery gladly therefore will I rejoice of my weakness, that the strength of Christ may dwell in me. &c.
Read the. 12. chapter, to the Hebrews.
Be patient and settle your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nye.
Take the Prophets for an example of suffering adversity and of long patience: which spake in the name of the Lord Be hold we count them happy which endure. •… e have heard of the patience of Job, and have known what end the Lord made, for the Lord is very pitiful and merciful.
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation.
Examples out of the new Testament.
The prodigal son before he was plagued gave his mind to all kind of riot and vnthriftye rule, but after that he was stricken with poverty, he knowledged his fault, he submitted himself to his fathers will & pleasure, and so was receued again into favor.
A certain man after he had been punished with sickness for his sin by the space of thirty eight years, was made whole of Christ.
There have been many good men both in the old & new testament of whom some were racked and would not be delivered that that they might receive a better resurrection some tasted of mockinges and scourgings some of bonds and emprisonmente some were hewn a sunder, were tempted were slain with swoordes walked up and down in sheues skins in goats skins, in need, in tribulation, and vexatiō, which the world was not worthy of, they wandered in wilderness, in mountains, in dens, & in caves of the earth. &c.
Against the temptation of the deuel for not satisfiing the law, of god, and for nby sinful living.
If Satan at the hour of death or any other timet would pluck the from thine assuered & steadfast faith in Christ's blood, and persuade thee that thou art but a dampened wretch forasmuch as thou hast not so trained thy life that thou hast satisfied the law of God, but rather lived wiakedly and therefore deserved everlasting damnation, be on good comfort, des •… pair not, hearken not to this wicked suggestions, neither have thou respect to thy works & deeds (which whan they be moste righteous and pure) ax as the Prophet saith like a cloth polluted with m •… strue if they be compared to that puritye and cleans which the law requireth, and should be judged of God's righteousness according to their deserts, but settle thine eyes steadfast on Christ and his merits. considering not what thou haste done, but what Christ hath done for thee, if thou repent and beleu •… and always have these moste comfortable Scriptures in thy remembrance.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
AL they that put their trust in thee, shall not be put io confusion. Call to remem brāce (O Lord) thy tender mercies and thy loving kindness which have been ever of old. Oh remember not the sins & offenses of my youth, but according unto thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord, for thy goodness sake. Mine eyes are ever looking unto the Lord, for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Because he hath put his trust in me, I will deliver him, I will defend him because he hath known my name.
Read the. 104. Psalm.
I know that thou wouldst maliciously offend, saith God. Therefore have I called thee a transgressoure, even from my mothers womb. Neuertheles for my names sake I will withdraw my wrath, and it shall be for my honors sake, if I patiently forbear thee and root thee not out.
By the knowledge of him which is my righteous servant saith God the father of christ He shall iustefy the multitude, forasmuch as he hath borne away their sins.
To know thee O Lord, is perfect righte ousnes, yea to know thy righteousness and power, is the root of immortality.
Examples out of the old Testament.
Adam transgressed thē commandment of God in Paradise, and by his transgression made both himself and all us bound to eternal damnation.
Nohe fell into the sin of drunkenness
Lot was not only drunken, but also lay with his own daughters: and so committed the grievous sin of incest.
Moses committed manslaughter. David committed both manslaughter and whoredom.
All these with many other of the old Testament were sinners and offended the Lord their God by breaking of his laws, yet for their faith which they had in that blessed seed which was so oft promised of God the father, even Jesus Christ they were saved.
Sentences out of the new Testament.
We are not under the law but under grace.
The law of the spirit that bringeth life thorough Jesus Christ hath made me free frō the law of sin and death.
Christ is the perfect fulfilling of the law to iustefy all that believe
No man is iustefied by the law in the sight of god. The just, that is the faithful Christian, shall live by faith.
Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the law, while he was made accursed for us.
As many of you as are justified by the law, are fallen from grace. We loke for and hope in the spirit to be iukified thorough faith.
Christ is our peace, he hath broken down the walle that was a stop between us, he hath also put away thorough his flesh the cause of hatred, that is to say: the law of commandments contained in the law written, be so making peace hath reconciled us to God thorough his cross.
Christ hath put out the, band writing, that was against us contained in the law written, and that hath he taken out of the way and hath fastened it to his cross and hath spoiled rule & power, and hath made a show of them openly, and hath triumphed ouor them in his own person.
Be it known to you, ye men and brethren, that thorough this man Christ: Is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and that by him all that believe at justified from all things from the which •… could not be justified by the law of Moses
Examples out of the New Testament.
The Apostles were ambitious and did strive among them, who should be highest and of greatest authority.
Mary Magdalene was a grievous sinner.
Peter denied and forsook Christ thrice.
Paul persecuted the congregation of Christ.
Al these yea and why not? transgressed the law of God (for as Christ saith) Moses hath given you a law and yet none of you do fulfil it not with standing for their repentance and faith in Christ's blood they obtained remission for their sins and are made the sons of God, heirs of God & fellow heirs with christe of everlasting glory.
For if righteousness come by the law, then died Christ in vain but euerl •… sting life is y • gieft of God thorough Jesus Christ our Lord.
Against disperation for thy late conversion and turning unto God.
IF Satan lay to thy charge that thou comest very late and turneste unto God out of time, and therefore there is no hope to be looked 〈◊〉 , set these scriptures before thine eyes, and ever remember that there is no conversion unto God, to late in this life •… f it come of faith, but at whatsoever hour a sin •… repenteth, believeth and turneth unto God, he is well accepted and freely receiveth remission of all his sins.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
Let the ungodly man forsake his own ways, and the unrighteous his own imaginat ions, and turn again unto the Lord, so shall he be merciful unto him, & to our God, for he is very ready to forgive.
Return (O thou rebel Israel) saith the lord, and I will not turn away my face from you. For I am holy saith the lord, & I will not turn away my face from you. For I am holy saith the Lord, and I will not be angry for evermore.
As truly as I live, saith the Lord god, I have no pleasure in the death of the wic ked, but much rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn you, turn you, from youre ungodly ways. O ye of the house of Israel. Oh, wherefore will ye die. The wickedness of the wicked shall not hurt him whensoever he converteth from his ungodliness.
If the wicked shall repent him and turn from all his sins which he hath wrought, and shall keep all my precepts and do judge meant and righteousness, he shall live and shall not die, I will not remember all his iniquities which he hath wrought. In his righteousness which he hath wrought, shall he live. It is not my will saith the lord, that the wicked should die, and not rather that he should turn from his ways and live.
Turn and repent ye from all your iniquities, and your iniquityes shall work you no displeasure. Cast away from you all youre wickedness, wherein ye have offended, & make you a new heart, and new spirit. And wherefor will ye die. O ye house of Israel. For I will not that any man should die, saith the Lord. Return therefore and live.
Turn to the Lord, youre God, for he is great and merciful patient and of much kindness, and redye at all times to forgive yea, evē whē he is at the point to punish.
At all times when a sinner turneth unto me saith the lord. I will no more bear his iniquityes in my mind, but freely forgive them.
God appointeth here no time of our cō uersion, but whensoever we turn, he pro miseth us favor, life mercy, and forgiveness of sin.
Examples out of the old Testament.
After that the Prophet Nathan at the commandment of god, had rebuked king David for his dissolute manner of living. David strait ways with a sorrowful repen taunt heart turned unto the Lord, and humbly confessed his sins, saying. I have offended the Lord. The Prophet immediately answered, the Lord also hath put away thy sin. David did not so sone convert but that he was as sone forgiven to signify unto us, that at what so ever time we unfeignedly turn unto the Lord our god, he will have mercy on us and forgive us.
The Ninevites for their abhominable living were thretned utterly to be destroi ed within forty days but they falling unto repentance and turning unto the lord their GOD were forgiven, spared and not destroyed.
Sentences out of the New Testament
They that are whole, have no need of a Phisicion, but they that are sick? I came not to call the righteous but sinners unto repentance?
Come unto me all ye that labor and are laden, and I shall refresh you. Here Christ prescribeth no time, he only biddeth us come and be the burdens of our sins never so grievous and heavy, yet will be ease us of them.
The Son of man came to seek and save that which was lost.
God will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. If any man sinneth, we have an advocate with god the father, Jesus Christ y e righte ous one. And he it is that obtaineth mercy for our sins, not for our sins only, but for all the worlds.
Examples out of the New Testament
The laborers in the Lord's vineyard that came last of all received their penny s •… well as they that came in the morning, nei there had one more then another.
The history of the thief, which was full of wicked deeds, and never turned unto God, until the very hour of his death declareth manifestly that there is no con uersion in this life to late, if it be accompanied with true repentance and unfeigned faith. The thief hanging on the cross, and at the point of death only said to Christ, Lord remenber me when thou cōmest into thy kingdom. And Christ well acceptīg his conversion, said unto him: truly I say unto thee, this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
Against sin, death, and hell.
IF Satan in the time of sickness or else whā, go about to fray thee & to quench thy spirit, either with the greatness of thy sins or else with the error and fearcenes of death and hell, be not dismayd, but with a lustye courage resist his temptations, with these most sweet and comfortable scriptures.
Sentences out of the old Testament.
I am he indeed saith god he which puteth away thy sins, yea & that for mine own sake, & will remember them no more. As for thine offenses I have driven thē away like the clouds and thy sins as the miste. Turn thee again unto me, for I have redeemed thee.
Where is there such a god as thou art •… that pardonest wickedness, and forgeuest the offenses of the remnaunt of thine heritage. He keepeth not his wrath forever. And why? for his delight is to have compassion. He shall turn again, and be merciful to us, he shall put down our wickedness, and caste all our sins into the bottom of the sea.
Out of the power of death saith the lord will I deliver them, yea from the death itself will I redeem them. O death I will be thy death, O hell, I will swallow thee up.
Examples out of the old Testament.
That holy king and prophet David, being fully persuaded that by Christ which was to come, Satan's head was broken a sunder, sin was vanquished, death was overcome, hell was swallowed up, that they could nothing hurt that faithful man lamented & sorowed, that he continued so long in this vale of misery, and moste hartelye wished to be delivered out of this prison, and to go unto the Lord his God.
That godly and ancient father Toby, knowing that neither sin, death, nor hell, can do anything against gods chosē people which in Christ have gotten the victory over them all, so that they need not to fear death, nor any thing to come after this life, prayed to god on this manner: Now O lord drale with me according to thy will, and command my spirit to be received in peace, for more expedient were it for me to die, than to live.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
CHriste shall save his people from their sins.
Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.
There is no damnation to thē that are graft in Christ Jesus.
Christ came into the world to save sinners.
The blood of Jesus Christ maketh us clean from all sin.
Thorow the name of Christ all Prophets bear witness, that so many as believe in him, shall receive remissiō of their sins. Death is swallowed up into victory. Wher is thy sting O death? Wher is thy victory O hell? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which hath given us the victory thorough our Lord Jesus Christ.
By death hath Christ put him to flight that had lordshippe over death, that is to say, the Devil, that he might deliver them, which thorough the fear of death were all their life time in danger of bondage.
Examples out of the New Testament.
SO sone as the ancient father Simeon had seen and received Christ into his arms, he fering neither sin, death nor hell, shown himself ready to depart out of this world, and spake with a joyful voice O Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace. &c.
Blessed Paul knowing that thorough Christ the power of sin, death and hell is so altogether weekened, that they can do the faithful no harm: wished to be losoned out of this world, and to be with Christ.
Against them that deny the resurrection of the body.
IF that old enemy Satan labor to persuade thee, that there is no resurrection of the dead, but as the body returneth to death, so shall it forever continue in the earth, & never receive life again, nor line either in glory or in peace after this present life, that therefore thou mayest live as thou just, defend thyself against his cruel assaults 〈◊〉 these sentences & examples of the holy scripture.
Sentences out of the old, Testament.
The Lord killeth and maketh alive again, bringeth down to the grave, and stretchet •… up again.
I am sure, that my redeemer liveth, and that I shall rise out of the earth in the latter day, and that I shall be clothed again with this skin, and see god in my flesh, yea I myself shall behold him, not with other but with these same eyes.
These that be dead will I raise up again from their places, and bring them out of the graves.
Thy dead shall live, even with my body shall they rise again. Awake and singe ye that dwell in the dust. For thy dew is even as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out of her them that be under her, the earth shall disclose her own blood, and shall no more hide •… em that are slain in her.
Your bones shall flourish like an herb.
Behold saith god, I will put breath in to you, that ye may live, I will give you sinowes, and make flesh grow upon you and cover you over with skin, and so give you breath that ye may live & know that I am the Lord. Thus saith the Lord god, behold I will open your graves (O my peo ple) and take you out of your Sepulchers
Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to perpetual shame and reproof.
Examples out of the old Mestament.
THe Prophet Helias raised up frō death unto life the Son of the widow of Sarepta, which is in Sidon.
Helizeus obtained of God a Child for his Hostesse, which died, and as afterward by the prayer of Helizeus raised unto life.
Read and mark diligently the 37. Chapiter of Ezekiel.
A certain woman with her 7. Children were cruelly put to death because they would not eat swine's flesh, contrary to gods word at the commandment of the king. The seconde of the brethren said unto the king, thou moste ungracious person puttest us now to death, but the king of the world shall raise us up (which dy for his laws) into resurrection of everlasting life.
The mother of the 7. Children said thus unto them: I cannot tell how ye •… am in my womb, for I neither gave you breath nor soul, no, nor life. It is not I that joined the members of youre bodies together, but the maker of the world, which fashioned the birth of man and began all things. Even he also of his own mercy shall give you breath and life again, like as ye now regard not your own selves for his laws sake.
Sentences out of the new Testament.
AS touching the resurrection of y • dead have ye not read, what is said unto you of god, which saith: I am Abraham's god, and Isaackes god, and god is not the god of the dead, but of the living.
The hour shall come in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth, they that have done good, unto y e resurectiō of life, & thei y e have done evil unto y e resurrectiō of damnatiō.
I know that my brother shall rise again at the latter day.
God hath raised up y e Lord, and shall rais •… us up by his power. If there be no risinge again from death, then is Christ not risen.
If Christ is not risen, then is our preaching vain, & your faith is also vain.
Read and commend to memory the xv. Chapiter of the first to the Corinth.
The Lord Jesus shall change our vlle bodies, that they may be fashioned like vn to his glorious body. &c.
I would not brethren have yon ignorant concerning them which are fallen a sleep, that ye sorrow not as other do, which have no hope. For if we believe y • Jesus Christ died & rose again, even so they also which sleep by Jesus, will god bring again with him. Read forth.
Examples out of the New Testament.
CHrist raised from death the daughter of y • Rular, the Son of a certain widow, and Lazarus, with many other. These are evident examples of our resurrection.
After Christ had given up the ghost, the graves did open, and the bodies of ma ny Saints which slept, arose, and came out of y • graves after his resurrectiō & cane into the holy city & appeared unto many.
Christ rose again from death the third day according to the scriptures, and was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve. After that he was seen of mo then five hundredth brethren at once. &c
S. Peter raised Tabitha from death.
S. Paul restored unto life a certain young man named Euticus.
Christ rebuked the Sadducees, because they believed not the resurrection of y e ded.
The Epicures and Stoykes laughed S Paul to scorn, when as he at Athens taught the resurrection of the dead. But he defended the doctrine.
Against them that deny the immortality of the soul.
IF Satan or any of his, tempt thee to live at thy pleasure, laboring to persuade the •… y sophi sticall reasons of carnal imaginations y • the soul of man is but as the breath of other beasts, & that after the dissolutiō of the body it is nothing, nether liveth afterward, but hath an end with the body, take hede that thou givest no place to such wicked and most damnable doctrine, but enarme thyself a gainst it w t these authorities of the holy Scripture
Sentences out of the old Testament.
GOd created man in his own image, in y e image of god created he him, male and female created he them.
The Lord god shope man even dust frō the ground, and breathed in his nostrils the breathe of life, and Adam was made a living soul.
I should utterly have fainted, but that I believe verily to s •… the goodness of y e lord in the land of the living.
Like as the heart desireth the water brooks, so longeth my soul after thee O god. My soul is a thirste for god, yea even for the living god, when shall I come to ap peare before the presence of god?
The body shall be turned again unto earth, from whence it came, and the spirit that is the soul shall return unto God which gave it.
God made man to be vndestroyed, that is to say immortal, yea after the image of his own likeness made be him. The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and the pain of death shall not hurt them. In the sight of the vnwisethey seme to dy, and their end is taken for very destructiō, but they are in rest.
The hope of the faithful is full of immortality.
The righteous shall live for evermore their reward also is w t the Lord, and their remembrance with the highest. Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, & a bewtiful crown of the Lord's hand. Read the third, fourth and fifth Chapiters of the boke of Wisdom.
We are the children of holy men, and look for the life which God shall give unto them, that never turn their faith from him.
Examples out of the old Testament.
THe holy scriptur testifieth, that Ehore and his complices went down quick unto Hel, and the earth covered them, so that they perished. By this it is evident, that the souls of the wicked are immortal, and live in the pains of hell fire.
If Saul had not believed both the resurrection of the body, and immortality of the soul, he would never have gone about to have had Samuel raised up.
When David saw that his child was dead, he wept no more, but said, I shall go unto him, he shall not come again unto me
Helias prayed for the rasing up again unto life of his hosts Son, saying: O Lord my God, I beseech thee let the soul of this Child come into him again. And he revived.
When Tobias was laughed to scorn of his elders and kinssolkes, which said vn to him: here is thy hope for the which thou hast done almose and buried the dead. He rebuked them and said: say not so, for we are the children of holy men, and look for the life which god shall give unto thē that never turn their faith from him.
Again he prayed unto god on this ma ner. Now O Lord, deal with me according to thy will, and command my spirit to be received in peace. For more expedient were it for me to die, than to live.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
FEare not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear him, which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Ther is no man that hath forsakē house, either father or mother, either brethren or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, which shall not receive much more in this world, and in the world to come life everlasting.
Thys is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the son, and believeth on him, have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give vn to them everlasting life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth on me, yea though he were dead, yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth on me, shall never die.
Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe olso in me. In my fathers house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you even unto myself, that where I am, there may ye be also.
Father I will that they which thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which thou hast given me.
We know that if our earthy man's •… on of this dwelling were destroyed, we have a building of God an habitation n •… t made with hands, but everlasting in heaven. Read forth the Chapter.
When soever Christ our life shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory.
The lord himself shall come down from heaven with a shoot and the voice of the Archaungel and tromp of God. And the dead in Christ shall arise first, then we which shall live (even we which shall remain) shall be caught up with them also in the clouds, to mete y e Lord in the air & so shall we ever be with the lord. Therefore comfort yourselves one another with these words.
The spirit or soul is before God a precious thing and much set by.
Christ was killed as pertaning to the flesh, but was quickened in the spirit. In which spirit he also went and preached unto the spirits that were in prison. &c. Here it is manifest that the spirits or souls of men are immortal, and live either in glory or in pain after they be losoned from the body.
Examples out of the New Testament.
WHen the Sad •… ces denied the resurrec tion of the body, and the immortaliti of the soul, Christ answered thē saying have ye not read what is written? I am the God of Abrahā, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. By this testimony of the holy scripture Christ declareth that though Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all other of the faithful be dead, as concerning their bodies, yet their souls live with God, and are immortal.
The history of the pore mā Lazarus & of the rich unmerciful gloton, proveth evidently that the souls die not with the body, nor yet sleep until the day of judgment (as the ungodly Anabaptists dream) nether are they cast into purgatory, as the papists teach, but that the souls of the faithful go immediately after their departure from the body, unto eternal glory, and the souls of the unfaithful, unto everlasting damnation: so that the souls of all men are immortal and live forever, either in heaven or in hell, in glory or in pain.
The parable of the unrighteous steward setteth forth also the immortality of the soul, as these words of Christ do declare, Make you friends, saith he of the wicked Mammon, that when ye shall depart hence, they may receive you into euerlastig dwell ling places.
The soul came again to the widows son, to the rulers daughter, to Lazarus, to them that after Christ's resurrection came out of their graves, to Dor •… s, to Eu tichus. &c. Which thing declareth ma •… festlye that the soul dieth not with the bo dy, but still lived and remained immortal.
The thief that hanged one the cross with Christ, said unto him. Lord remember me, when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. Christ answered verily I say unto thee, this day shalt thou be with me in paradise. The body of the thief died shortly after, and was committed to the earth. The soul of the thief was in paradise with Christ. The soul therefore liveth and remaineth immortal, or else must Christ be a liar. But let God be true, and all heretics liars.
Saint Stephen being at the pointe of death, prayed, saying: lord Jesus take my spirit.
Saint Paul wisshed to be losoned out of his body and to be with Christ. I saw under the altar, saith Saint John, the souls of them that wer killed for the word of God, and for the testimony which they had, and they cried with a loud voice, saiing: howe long tarriest thou O lord, bolye and true, to judge and to avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? and longe white garments were given unto everyone of them. And it was said unto them, that they should rest for a little season until the number of their fellows and brethren, and of them that should be killed as they were, were fulfilled.
Of the glory of heaven, and of everlasting life.
IF Satan go forth to tempt thee that thou mightest lose the inheritance of the kingdom of god, and say unto thee that thou art a sinner & an abhominable liver, and therefore thy faith is frustrate, and thy hope vain in looking for the glory of heaven, for God is a righteous Judge, and rewardeth every man according to his deeds and merits: let all these his crafty •… assaults nothing move or abashe thee, but call to thy remembrance and believe stedfastlye, that the heavenly kingdom is not given thee for thy merits and desartes (for so shouldest thou receive nothing but eternal damnation) but for the promises which god the father hath made thee in Christ's blood, if thou repent & believe. Therefore cast away that righteousness which the hypocrites challenge by their good works, and lay hands on that which cometh by faith of Jesus Christ, so canst thou not be deceived, so can Satan win nothing at thy hand, so can it not but come to pas, that thou shalt enjoy the glory of heaven thorough Christ Jesus. And that thou mayest doubt nothing in this behalf, imprint these sentences and examples of the holy •… scripture diligently and earnestly in thy mind.
Examples out of the old Testament.
THe Lord hath saved me because it was his pleasure.
Praise the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, which forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth all thine infirmities, which saveth thy life from destructiō and crowneth the with mercy and loving kindness.
They that put their trust in me shall inherit the land, and possess my holy hill.
Thy damnation (O Israel) came of thyself, but thy salvation cometh of me.
Examples out of the old Testament.
That princelye Prophet David being thoroughly persuaded that the inheritance of the glory of heaven and the possession of everlasting life is the free gift of god thorough Jesus Christ, and is denied to none, although never so sinful and wretched, if they repent: being nothing appalled with his former sinful liuig, as though y • should pluck him from the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom, knew what blessed felicity and joyful quietness the souls of the faithful do enjoy after their departure frō the bodies: lamented, he carried so longe in this vale of misery, and no less fervently desired to come and appear before the face of god, than the thirstye heart desireth to come to the water brooks.
The godly ancient Tobye knowing gods exceeding great liberality in the gift of everlasting quietness after the humble submission of himself unto the Lord his god, wished rather to dy than to live, and beseched god that his spirit might be received in peace.
Sentences out of the New Testament.
FEare not little flock, for it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a kingdom.
Euerlasting life is the gift of God thorough Christ our Lord.
Whome god hath predestinate, them hath he also called, whom he hath called, them also hath he justified whom, he hath justified, them hath he glorified.
The eye hath not seen, and the ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things god hath prepared for them that love him.
By grace are ye saved thorough faith, and that not of yourselves. For it is the gift of god, and cometh not of works, least any man should boast himself.
God saved us, not for the deeds of righ teousnes which we wrought, but for his mercy and loving kindness.
God hath given us everlasting life, and this life is in his Son, he that hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of god, hath not life.
Be faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life.
To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my seat, even as I overcame and have sitten with my father in his seat.
Examples out of the new Testament.
The reverent & ancient father Simeō being nothing apalled with y • remembrance of his sins, after he had seen and embra sed Christ in his arms, knowing him to be the alone Savior of the world, shown himself ready, glad and willing to die, that he might enjoy that heavenly enheritance purchased by the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
S. Paul being fully persuaded that all his sins were washed away in Christ's blood, desired to be loosoned from that his mortal body and to be with Christ.
Virescit vulnere virtus.
Geue the glory to god alone.
Here followeth certain godly prayers, for sundry & diverse purposes.
A prayer for the Queens Majesty.
O Lord our heavenly father high and mighty king of kings, lord of Lord's, the only ruler of Princes, which doest from thy throne behold all y • dwelllers upon earth most heartily we beseech thee with thy favor to behold our •… moste gracious sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth, and so replenish her with the grace of thy holy spirit, that she may always incline to thy will, and walk in thy way. Indue her plentifully with heavenly gifts, grant her in health and wealth long to live, strength her that she may vanquish & overcome all her enemies. And finally y • after this life, she may attain everlasting joy and felicity, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
A general confession.
O Lord God almighty, father of mercy, and God of all comfort, we thy poor creatures resort unto thee, knowledgyng and confessing our selves before thy glorious majesty, that we are all grievous sinners, and can of our selves do nothing but sin. For all our imaginations, intents and thoughts are inclined and disposed unto evil from our youth up. Our damnation cometh of our selves, we our selves are not able to think a good thought. It is thou only that doest work in us both the will & the deed.
We are but earth and naturally the children of wrath. We of our selves are but vain, yea lighter then vanity itself. We can do nothing without thee, theris not one of us whole, we are all unclean, & all our righteousness is but as a filthy cloth. We have no more power to do good of our selves then a man of Inde hath power to change his skin, or the leoparde her spots. Now according to this evil and corrupt inclination of our nature so have we lived in thought •… word and deed. We have finned, we have offended, we have gone back from thy law, & have not hearkened unto thy word. We have not loved th •… , O Lord with all our strength, with all our heart, with all our power. We have been sore transgressors of thy commandments, we have not putt our whole trust, and confidence only in thee. We have in our troubles and need, not sought for help only in thee. We have not called only upon thy name, but with false confidence, with vain superstition, and unlawful oath •… , have we blasphemed thy name. We have prayed and made intercession unto stocks & stones, & made the creatures our advocates & mediators contrary to thy word. We reposed our trust and affiance in our own deeds▪ and in such works as have been devised by men's fantasies besides the scripture. We have wandered on vain pil gremages, offering up money, candles, and tapers to Images and relics, with such like superstition. We have been slouthful in our business. We have not been fervent and diligent in doing of our duty. Special lie on such days as be appointed for the preaching of thy word, we have not plied our selves wholly to learn it, nor occupied our time in prayer, & giving of thanks unto thee. And as touching the love that we ought to have unto all men & women for thy sake, we have not been ernest in it at all times. We have not loved our neigh hour as our selves, we have not done as we would be done unto, we have been ungentle, vnpaciēt, uncourteous, froward, angry and displeased: we have rejoiced in our neighbors hurt and been sory of his welfare. We have been led with false doc trine & errors from the way of thy truth. We have sinned w t our fathers, we have don amiss, we have dealt wickedly, therefore our most dear father which art in heavē, forasmuch as we have blasphemed thee & not sought always the glory of thy name, grant now that from henceforth thy name may be sanctified and hallowed in us. Grant now that thy kingdom may come, and that in steed of sin and error thou only mayest reign in us: grant now that our will may be conformable unto thine, and that in all adversity we may be heartily well content to suffer thy will to be done in us. Grant now, that we be never destitute of our daily food, but that we may always be nourished w t thy word in our souls, and have such a competent living in this life as is necessary for our body Graūt now that we may even from our heart roots, forgive one another all manner of trespass, as y • for Jesus Christ's sake thy Son, haste mercifully forge •… us. Graūt now that where the world the devil, and our own flesh, doth daily tempt and provoke us to sin, we may thorough thy strength be able to resist all their temptation, Graunte now that thorough thy help and grace we may be delivered from all evil, from all danger, and peril of soul and body, from all sin, hell, and damnation, from all pride, and enny, from all wrath, and slothfulness, frō covetousness, immeasurable and filthy living. Grant now, that from hence forth we may be content with such fatherly pro uision as thou haste made for us already, grant now that we may be temperate in eating and drinking. And of so honest and cleanly conversation, that we give no man occasion of evil. Graunte now that in stead of our old feigned works we may be occupied with such fruits of thy holy spirit, as thy word maketh mention of. Graūte now, that according to the wholesome monition of thy blessed apostle Peter and of all the scripture beside, we may be faithful true & obedient unto the king our sovereign Lord and Supreme head immediately under Christ. And not only unto all such officers as be sent of him, but also unto all such wholsō laws & iniunetions as by his authority be made for y e tranquilt ty and wealth of us his subjects. Grant now that we all may increase in y e knowledge of the, that our youth may be brought up in virtue, that children may obey their fathers & mothers, that servants may be true to their masters, that landlordes may be gentle to their tenantes, that husbands may be loving to their wives, and wives likewise to their husbands, that men may keep their household in the fear & knowledge of thee, y e idle people may be set to labor, & that all such as be poor in deed, may be well and lovingly provided for. Grant y e for the love of thee we may feed y • hungry, give drink to y • thirsty cloth y e naked, give lodging to thē that be harborless, •… urye the dead, visit thē that be in prison, & help such as be in sycknesse. Finally, grant now most merciful father, that whatsoever thou forbiddest, we may forbear it, and whatsoever: thou▪ cōmaundest, we may everyone in his calling perform the same, and so continue in thy service till our lives ends, that all our thoughts, words & deds may redound vn to y e glory of thee, now & evermore Amē.
For the Cytie or town wherein thou dwellest.
EXcept thou (O merciful lord God almighty) keep the city, the watchmen wake but in vain that keep it. Therfor O lord god, send thy holy spirit into y • harts of them which rule our city or town, to the intent that we with them & they with us, may live in thy godly fear, so that it may go well with us. And suffer us not good Lord to put our trust anymore in worldly power, as money, horse, weapon artillery, gunnes or strong walls, but much rather in thee, which art adefender of all them that put their whole affiaunce and trust in thee.
For kings, Princes, and Rulars.
O Lord of Lord's, Jesus Christ thou art an example and glass or myror of thē which govern and bear rule of realms, coūtreis & cities whom they ought to follow, for thou art the best and the wisest, and therefore canst thou not err nor do any other thing but well. Uouchsafe with the light of thy clearness, and with the fire of thy love, to kindle the hearts of all such as thou through thy godly providence hast instituted and ordained to be rulers over the people, to the intent that they through thee as by a fore going light, may see and perceive what is best to be done, and fulfyl the same, and that they taking thee always for a sure mark of their eye, do not that thing which only seemeth good in their sight, but that which may be to thy honor, to our profit, and to their health and salvation, to the intent also that they may justly and duly minister, & execute their office givē unto thē of thee, so that we with thē, & they with us, may lead a peaceable, virtuous, and quiet life So be it.
Wheu thou goest to thy labor or work.
O Most kind and gentle heavenly father thou knowest and hast taught us how great the weakness of man is so that no man without thy godly help, can do anything. Thus vo •… chiafe to send us thy ho lie spirit, y e he may strength̄, stir & indu our understanding & reasō in all things, y e we this day outwardlye shall go about. & take in hand, or it that we in wardlye shall think or have in mind, to the intent that it may be done to thy glory, and to y • profit of our neighbor.
A Prayer for a godly life
IT greatly greueth us, O merciful Father and everlasting God, that we thorough the gre •… ous and continual assaults of our enemies are not able to pass over our years in this world with such purity of life, as we ought, and as thou requirest of us. Verily we are on every parte so besieged and compassed round about of our adversaries, that scarcely at any time we can be free from their pestiferous & deadly darts, nor yet have so much respite as once to breath toward true godliness. Oh moste loving Lord, thou art our Father and we thy children: convenient therefore is it that we thy children represent and openly declare in our conversation the manners of thee our father.
Thou art good, gentle, loving suffering holy, righteous, faithful. &c.
It therefore becometh us thy children in our living to practice goodness, gentleness love, charity, mercy, patience, longe suffering holiness, righteousness, faith. &c
Thou haste given us an example that even as thou hast done, so we likewise should do. If we say we dwell in thee, we ought to walk as thou haste walked.
For thou hast called us not to uncleanness, but unto holiness.
Thou hast delivered us from y • power of our enemies, that we being w t out fear should serve the •… , in holiness and righteous nes all the days of our life.
The blood of thy son Jesus Christ hath cleansed us from all sin, net that we should continue in darkness, but rather walk in the light, as thou art in light. Thy loving kindness hath appeared unto all men, not that we should follow ungodliness and worldly iustes, but that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.
Thou diddest chose us in Christ before the foundacions of the world were laid, that we should be holy and without blame before thee through him.
We are thy workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto all good works which thou ordayneste afore, that we should walk in them. Forasmuche then as all the benefits which thou haste bestowed upon us, are given unto this e •… de, that we should walk worthy of thy kindness, represent thy manners in our conversation, mortify the flesh and the lusts thereof, have nothing to do with Satan, nor the world, but lead a good life garnished full of good works, and in all pointes fashioned after the rule of thy blessed words: we moste heartily pray thee to endue us with thy holy spirit, which may take away our stony heart, and give us a new fleshly and soft heart, kill that old man in us which is corrupt thorough deceivable lusts, and fashion in us that new man which is made after thy image and likeness in righteousness & true holiness. Suffer us not to give over our selves again unto our old lusts and conc •… piscences, where with we were led when we knew not thee nor thy So •… Christ, but evē as thou which hast called us art holy, so likewise grant y t we may •… be holy in all our conversation. O merciful god, not the hearers of thy law but th •… full •… llers of it shall be justified. Neither sha •… everyone that saith unto thee: Lord, Lord enter into the kingdom of heavē, but the that do the will of thee our Father which art in Heaven. To confess thee with our mouth, and to deny thee with our deeds, worketh rather our damnation then salvation. For the true knowledge of thee consisteth not in talking, but in working, not in fauouringe, but in following, not in loving, but in living. To promise thee by mouth, that we will work in thy vineyard, and yet work nothing at all, declareth not us to be thy sons, but rather bastards. To brag of the justification of faith, and not to bring forth the fruits thereof, to glory in the merits of thy son Christ, in his blood, death and passion, and not to live worthy in his kind nesse, to profess thy holy gospel, and not to walk according to the doctrine thereof, to be baptized in thy name and not to morti •… y our members which are of the earth, nor to walk in a new life, to be partakers of the divine mysteries, and not to be made one spirit with thee: what availeth it? We are thy friends, if we do those things that thou commaundest us. We are thy servants, if we be obediente to thy will. We are thy Sons, if we honor and reverence thee according to thy word. We seek thy glory, if we attempt nothing, whereof thou shouldest be dyshonoured. Leadinge a life confirmable to thy blessed will, we shall provoke the ve ry enemies of thy truth to praise thee, but contrariwise, thou shalt be evil spoken of. Grant therefore we beseech thee, that our life may answer to our professiō: and that the light of our good works may so shine before men, that they seeing our godly conversation, may gloryfye thee our heavenly father.
A short prayer to be said at the receiving of the mystery of Christ's body at the holy communnion.
O Heavenly and blessed father, I render unto thee most hearty thanks for all thy benefits, which thou hast shown unto me most wretched sinner, but specially for y • most sweet smeling sacrifice which thy only begotten son offered unto thee on the altar of the cross, by giving his most pure and undefiled body unto the death for the redemption of mankind, in the remenbraunce whereof according to thy welbeloned sons ordinance, I now receive this holy bread, most entierly beseching thee, y e I may both be partaker of the merits of thy dear sons body breaking, and also lead a life worthy of so great a benefit, unto the glory of thy name.
A Prayer to be said at the receiving of the mistery of Christ's blood in the holy communion.
O Blessed and merciful Father, thy love toward me sinful creature is so exceading great and unspeakable, that I cannot but give unto thee most humble thanks▪ namely for the shedding of the moste precious blood of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, by the virtue whereof thy wrath stirred up against me wretched sinner, is pacified: My ransom is paid, the law is fulfilled, my enemies are overcome and put to flight. In remembrance of this so noble a victory and of so great a benefit, I am come to this thy table, O merciful father to drink of this cup. Desiring thee, that as my outward man is comforted by the drinking of this wine: so likewise, my inward man may be comforted and made strong by true faith in the precious blood of thy moste dear son. O Lord my heavenly, father, give me thy holy spirit, which may so rule and govern my heart, that I never be unthankful nor forgetful of this thine exceading great kindness: But so train my life according to thy blessed will, that whatsoever I do speak or think, may be unto the glory of thy blessed name, and the health of my soul: thorough Jesus Christ our Lord.
For all them which lie in the extreme pangs of death or otherwise.
O Pitiful Phisicion and healer both of soul and body, Christ Jesus: Uouch safe to cast thine eyes upon this poor sinful creature. N •… who lieth here captive and bound with sickness, turning his weakness to thy glory and to his health. And bout safe good Lord, to send him patience and sufferance, that he may with a true and perfect faith fight manfully against all tētations of the Devil, that he may no longer continue. So be it.
A confession for all people to be said in the morning.
O Merciful and most loving father, whose love is infinite, whose mercy endurethe forever: We sinful creatures trustinge in thine unspeakable goodness, and love towards us, do appear this morning before thy divine majesty, most lowlye confessing our manifold sins and in innumerable transgressions of thy commandments and fatherly will. Against thee only against thee, O Lord, have we sinned, therefore we confess our sins, we knowledge our offenses, we accuse our selves unto the O merciful Lord, and will not hied our unrighteousness. We find in our selves nothing but ignorance of thy will, disobedience, mistrust, doubtfulness in thy goodness, incredulity, hatred, and con tempt of all spiritual things, selfloue, con fidence in our selves, and f •… ruent lustinge after carnal things of this world. And this tree of our corrupt nature, bringethe forth continually in us none other fruit, but rotten and unsavory works of the flesh, in thoughts, words▪ and doings, unto condemnation. Wherefore, we humbly beseech thy fatherly goodness, even for thy son Jesus Christ's sake, whom thou hast set forth for a purchaser tōwards us of mercy through faith in his blood: to make our hearts clean: Take away our stony hearts, and give unto us a true and a lively taith, whichshal work continually by love, through Christ. Have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, for thy sons sake: Certefy our conscience of remission of the same, by thy holy spirit, by whose operation we may so mortefye in us our old man the whole body of sin that we continually dyinge unto sin, may walk in newness of life, to the glory of thy name, through Jesus Christ our lord. So be it.
Then say this 86. Psalm treatably.
BOw down thine ear O Lord, and hear me, for I am pore and in misery.
O preserve my soul, for I am holy: my God save thy servant, that putteth his trust in thee.
Be merciful unto me (O Lord) for I will call daily upon thee.
Comforte the soul of thy servant, unto thee O lord, do I lift up my soul.
For thou lord art good and gracious, and of great mercy unto all them that cal upon thee.
Geue ear Lord to my prayer, and ponder the voice of my humble desires.
In the time of my trouble, I will cal up on thee, for thou hearest me.
Among the God's there is none like vn to thee O lord, there is not one that can do as thou doest.
Al nations whom thou hast made, shall come worship thee, O lord: and shall gloryfy thy name.
For thou art great and doest wondrous things, thou art God alone.
Teach me thy way O lord, and I will walk in thy truth. O knit my heart unto thee, that it may fear thy name.
I will thank thee, O Lord my god with all my heart, and will praise thy name forever.
For great is thy mercy toward me, and thou hast delivered my soul from the neithermost hell.
O God, the proud are risen against me, and the congregations of naughty men, have not set thee before their eyes.
But thou O lord god art full of compassion and mercy, long suffering, plenteous in goodness, and truth.
O turn thee then unto me, and have mercy upon me, give thy strength unto thy servant, and help the son of thine handmaid.
Shew some tokē upon me for good, that they which hate me may se it, and be a shamed, because thou Lord haste helped me, and comforted me.
Glory be to the father, and to the son and to the holy ghost.
As it was in the beginning. &c.
Lord have mercy upon us.
Christ have mercy upon us.
Lord have mercy upon us.
Then say the Crede and the Lord's prayer. &c.
Lord show thy mercy upon us.
And grant us thy salvation.
O lord save the Queen.
And mercifully hear us when we cal upon thee
Indue thy ministers with righteousness.
And make thy chosen people joyful.
O Lord save thy people.
And bless thine heritaunce.
Geue peace in our time O lord.
Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou O god.
O god make clean our hearts within us.
And take not thy holy spirit from us. Let us pray.
O God which art author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom: defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies, that we surele trusting in thy defense, may not fear the power of any ad uersaryes, thorough the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.
O Lord our heavenly father almighty & everlasting god, which hast safelye brought us to the beginning of this day: defend us in the same with thy mighty power, and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither rune into eny kind of danger, but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
GOd preserve Queen Elizabeth, god destroy all her enemies, God preserve her most honorable counselors, God aid the clergy with his spirit in setting forth of his truth, God preserve all the nobelity of this realm, and the commones of the same, God defend the favorers of the gospel, God change the harts of our enemies and send them better minds. The power of god destroy Antichrist with all his wicked kingdom. God send the gospel a joyful and a free passage throughoute the whole world. God send unto all degrees such grace, that they may walk worthyly in their vocation and calling. Amen.
The peace of God which passeth all understanding, keep our harts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his son Jesus Christ our Lord: And the blessing of God almighty, the father, the son, and the holy ghost, be amongst us and remain with us always
Imprinted at London by John Day, dwelling over Aldersgate, beneath S. Martins.
Cum priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis.