¶ The Demaundes of holy Scripture, with answeres to the same, wherein are defined, and declared the cheefe, and principall poyntes of Christian doctrine: very profitable for the right vnderstanding of holy Scriptures: made by T. Becon, and dravven out of his great vvorkes.

Matth. 7.

Aske, and it shall be geuen you. Seeke, and ye shall finde. Knocke, and it shall be opened vnto you.

Iames. 1.

If any of you lacke vvysdome, let him aske of hym that geueth it: euen God, vvhich geueth to al men indifferently, and casteth no man in the teeth, and it shall be geuen him. But let him aske in faith, and vvauer not: for he that doubteth, is like a vvaue of the Sea, vvhich is tost of the vvindes, and caryed vvith violence. Neither let that man thinke, that he shall receiue any thing of the Lorde. A vvaue­ring minded man, is vnstable in all his vvayes.

AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Day. 1577. Cum Priuilegio.

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1. Peter. 3.

Be ready alvvayes to geue ansvvere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, and that vvith meckenesse and feare, hauing a good conscience, that vvhere as they backbite you as euyll dooers, they may be ashamed, that falsely accuse your good conuersation in Christe.

Apocalips. 3.

Thou sayest, I am riche and encreased vvith goods, and haue neede of nothing, & knovvest not hovve thou art vvretched and miserable, and poore, and blind, & naked. I counsell thee to bye of me, gold tryed in thesyre, that thou mayest be riche: and vvhite rayment, that thou mayest be clothed, that thy filthy nakednesse do not appeare: and annoint thyne eyes vvith eye salue that thou mayst see.

¶ To the godly, and right woorshipfull Senate, the Mayre and his brethren of Sandwich in Kent, Thomas Becon vvysheth long life, continuall health, and prosperous felicitie.

SO oft as I consider the blessed state of your tovvne, vvhereof God by his deuine prouidence and vnsear­cheable counsell, hath made you ru­lers vnder the Queenes Maiestie, our Soueraigne liege Lady: I am entirely prouoked and stirred vp to geue most entire thankes, to the Prince of Princesses, and Lorde of Lordes, that mighty GOD of Hostes, for his so great and singuler be­nifites, so bounteously and largely poured vpon you, and other the inhabitauntes of your tovvne. For I doo not vvell knovve, yf any thing may any vvhere be found, meete to beautifie a common vveale, that iustly may be counted to lacke in you, so plentifully hath GOD poured his blessinges vpon you. VVho is able to expresse, vvhat a good­ly ornamente, precious ievvell, and noble ouche, Christian doctrine is, to a Christian common vveale? The sage and prudent Philosophers, and o­ther vvyse and expert men of this vvorlde, iudged these common vveales most blessed, happy, and for­tunate, most noble, beautifull, and florishing, vvhere the Princes and Rulers thereof, vvere eyther Philo­sophers, or studious of Philosophie. But hovv much is that common vveale to be counted happy and blessed, vvhere not humaine Philosophie, vvhether [Page] vve respect naturall, or morall, but diuine Philoso­phie, brought from the hie Heauens, by him vvhich is the vvysdome of the father, prospereth, florisheth, triumpheth: vvhere also not vaine and curious Phi­losophers, but true, faithfull, and godly Philoso­phers raigne, and beare rule? VVhatsoeuer the Phi­losophers taught, although neuer so much enforced vvith sugred eloquence, probable reasons, and ap­parent argumentes, it vvas the fruite of the earth, and of mans braine: but that vvhiche Christe deli­uered vnto vs, came out of the bosome of his Fa­ther, so that looke hovve much the noble Heauens surmount & passe the vile & base Earth in higth, & indignitie: so much, and incomparable vvyse more, doth the heauenly Philosophie, vvhereof the holy Ghost alone is the aucthour, exceedeth the earthy Philosophie, vvhereof man is the deuiser. He that cometh from an high, sayth that blessed Iohn Bap­tist, is aboue all. Iohn. 3. He that is of the earth, is earthy, & speaketh of the earth. He that commeth from Hea­uen, is aboue all, and vvhat he hath seene and heard, that he testifieth: and no man receiueth his testimo­nie. He that hath receiued his testimonie, hath set to his seale, that GOD is true. For he vvhom GOD hath sent, speaketh the vvoordes of God. VVhat other thing is this diuine Philosophie, vvherof vve novve speake, then the holy vvoord of God? And vvhat other are these faithfull and godly Phi­losophers, then the true preachers and professours of the sacred Scriptures? All these are to be founde among you plentifully. The Christian Philosophie, I meane the vvoord of GOD, raigneth, ruleth, and triumpheth among you, so that according vn­to [Page] to it, all things are ordered among you in that your Tovvne. In other places, this diuine and Christian Philosophie, is counted heresie, nevve learnyng, straunge doctrine, the mother of errours, the cause of rebellion, sedition, insurrection, &c. and the plaine subuertion of common vveales: but vvith you, & that most iustly it is reperted & taken for the alone trueth, for the ancient doctrine of the Patriarches, Prophets, and Apostles, for the mother of all godlynes and vertue, for the onely & alone cause of vnitie, concord, quietnesse, amitie, obedience, and for the alone stay, vpholding, and maintenance of all Christean, and vvell ordred common vveales, so that vvhere this is not, there is a Chaos, and plaine confusion of thinges. This holy vvoord of GOD among you, svvimmeth not in your lippes only, but it also shineth in your lyfe and conuersation, vnto the good example of all them that are conuersant vvith you. By this vvoord, according to the com­maundement of GOD geuen to Iosua, ye do not only frame your ovvne life, but ye also gouerne your Tovvne, and iudge al causes that come before you, as a rule, from the vvhich it is not lavvfull for you by any meanes to depart. Of this vvoord ye re­uerently talke, commune, conferre, sing, and haue continuall meditation, as your chiefe ioy and com­fort. Matth. 13. This vvoord is vnto you, that noble treasure hydde in the Feelde, the vvhiche a man found and hydde, and for ioy thereof, goeth and selleth al that he hath, and byeth the Feelde. This vvoord is to you more svveete, then the Hony, or the Hony Combe, and more precious then Gold, or Precious stone. And as this most blessed and holy vvoorde [Page] dooth occupie the principall and highest place a­mong you: so haue you both godly professors, and faithfull preachers of the same, vnto the great ioy aud singular comfort of all the inhabitauntes of your Tovvne. For as there can not be a greater ievvell in a Christian common vveale, then an ear­uest faythfull, and constant preacher of the Lordes vvorde: so can there not be a greater plague among any people, then vvhen they haue raigning ouer them blind guides, dumme dogges, vvicked vvolues hypocriticall hyrelinges, popishe Prophetes, vvhich feede them not vvith the pure VVheate of Gods vvoord, but vvith the VVoormevvod of mens try­fling traditions, and vvith the sovvre leauen of the Papisticall Pharisees, as Salomon sayth: VVhen the preaching of Gods vvoord fayleth, the people pe­rishe, and come to nought. Veryly as there is not a greater blessing geuen of GOD to any nacion, then the gift of his vvoord: so I knovve, not yf a greater cursse from GOD can be cast vppon any people, then vvhen the vvoord of GOD, and the true preaching thereof is taken avvay from them, as these vvoordes of GOD spoken by the pro­phete, Amos. 8. doo manifestly declare. Beholde, the tyme commeth (sayth the Lorde GOD) that I shall send an hunger into the earth, not the hunger of bread, nor the thyrst of vvater, but an hunger to heare the vvoord of the LORD: so that they shal goe from the one sea to the other, yea from the North, to the East, runnyng about to seeke the vvoord of the Lorde, and shall not finde it. In this behalfe therfore, are ye the inhabitauntes of Sand­vviche greatly blessed of the Lord our God, vvhich [Page] hath not onely very richelv geuen you his vvoorde to be preached, taught, and read among you, but al­so hartes to receaue and beleeue the same, as yf vve reade of Lydia, Actes. 16. vvhose hart (sayth blessed Luke, the Lorde opened, that shee attended to the thinges vvhich Paul spake. Out of this your feruent zeale and burnyng loue tovvard this diuine and heauen­ly Philosophie, many godly and Christen fruites of Gods spirite, haue issued and plentifully come foorth, as brotherly concord, and vnfained ami­tie among your selues, not your selues onely, but also among all the inhabitauntes of your Tovvne, so that all contention, strife, debate, discord, emni­tie, variaunce, tumultes, quarelles, lavvynges. &c. banished, and auoyded: beneuolence, loue, con­cord, agreement, vnitie, amitie, freendship, gentle­nesse, humanitie, and vvhatsoeuer maketh vnto the bond of peace, ruleth and raigneth among you, vvhich godly vnitie and concord dooth so euident­ly declare you to be of God, Iohn. 13. as nothing more. In this shall all men knovve, that ye are my Disciples (sayth Christe) yf one of you loue an other. As dis­cord bringeth al thinges to hauocke: so dooth con­cord conserue, keepe in good order, and make to increase vvhat so euer is good and profitable to a common vveale, or to any part thereof. As Salusti­us sayth: By concord, small thinges encrease and grovve: but by discorde, mighty and great thinges decay, and come to nought. It vvas very vvittely and learnedly ansvyeared of Terence, vvhen the noble Senate of the most noble Romanes demaun­ded of him after the destruction of Carthage, vvhat he thought to be the cause of the subuertion if so [Page] ample, populus, and florishing citie, vvhether the puissaunce of the Romans, vvhose force seemed to be incomparable, or the feeblenesse of the Car­thaginenses not being able to resist, No, sayth he, neyther your valiance, nor our vvant of puissance, vvas the subuersion of our citie, but the discorde of the Citizens. The mightiest fortresse, and strongest Bulvvarcke, that eyther Citie or Tovvne can haue, is the concord of Citizens, vvithout the vvhich, all puissaunce, all force, all vvytte, al pollicie, all castels, all martiall armonies are vayne, and vnprofitable, verely in this behalfe, are ye also greatly blessed of God, vvhich both in godly & vvorldly affaires, are of one mind, & of one meaning, vvithout al diffen­cion among you. O blessed fruite of Gods spirite. Moreouer, hovve idlenesse that chiefe maistres of vices all, vtterly exiled, and banished out of your Tovvne? No man liueth there idlely. All degrees of persons are godly, vertuously, and profitably occu­pied, euery man according to his vocacion and cal­ling. All studye to be quiet, Luke. .3. and to meddle vvith theyr ovvne businesse, and to vvorke vvith theyr ovvne hands, that they may not only eate theyr ovvne breade according to the commanndement of God, but also through those their laboures haue vvhereof they may geue vnto such as haue neede, as Saint John saith, he that hath tvvo coates, let him geue one to him that hath none. And he that hath meate, let him doo likevvise. Certes diligent, and vertuous trauaile, vpholdeth the Citie: but idle and sluggysh hands, roote vp the foundacions thereof.

Furthermore, vvho can yenough prayse and suffi­ciently [Page] commende your studious, carefulnesse, and painefull trauaile, in making prouision for the poore members of Christe, vvhich haue not of them selues, vvhereof to liue? Verely yee haue a fa­therly care for your poore', that none of them should vvant. Ye count their lacke, your ovvne lack: neyther are ye lesse moued vvith theyr miseries, 1. Ioan. 3. then yf ye your selfs vvere touched vvith the same, according to this saying of Saint Iohn. He that hath the substance of this vvoorld, and seeth his brother haue neede, anb shutteth vp his compassi­on from him, hovv dvvelleth the loue of God in him? Vnmercifulnesse tovvard the poore, vvas one of the chiefe causes, vvhy that florishing and to much vvealthy Citie Sodome (as the Prophet tea­cheth) vvas destroyed vvith fire, an brimstone from heauen. Ezech. 16. Verely euen so contraryvvise, vvhere the vvorkes of mercie are diligently practised vpon the poore, there is the blessing of God, conseruati­on of the Tovvne, or Citie, encrease of goodes, and fortunate successe in all honest and godly trauayles, as Salomon sayth: He that geueth to the poore, shall not vvant. He that lendeth to the Lorde, that shevveth mercie to the poore, and it be recompen­ced him to the vttermost, as our Sauiour Christe sayth: Geue, and it shalbe geuen vnto you: good measure, and pressed dovvne, and shaken togeather, and runnyng ouer, shall men geue into your bo­somes: For he that geueth but a cuppe of cold vva­ter for Christes sake, Luke. .6. shall not loose his revvard. Yf thou vvylt breake thy bread to the hungry, sayth GOD by the Prophete, Esay. 58. and leade the needy vvay­faring man into thy house, & couer the naked man, [Page] and not turne avvay thy face from the poore: thy lyght shall breake foorth as the mornyng, and thy health florishe right shortly: yea, thy righteousnesse shal goe before thee, and the glory of the Lord shal embrace thee. Then yf thou callest, the Lord shall aunsvvere thee: yf thon cryest, he shall say: Here I am. O blessed is the man, sayth the Psalmographe, that considereth the poore and needy: the Lorde shall deliuer him in the time of trouble. The Lorde shall preserue him and keepe him aliue, that he may be blessed vpon earth, and not be deliuered into the vvyll of his enimies. The Lorde shall comfort him, vvhen he lyeth sicke vpon his bedde, yea and make his bedde in his sieknesse.

Agayne, vvhat shall I speake of your gentle and louyng enterteynement of strangers and forreners, vvhich for the testemony of Christes most glorious Gospell, and for the quietnesse of theyr conscience, that they may the more freely serue GOD vvith a pure mind, are not only content to suffer vnvvor­thy banishment vvith the losse of their goodes, but also day and nyght to labour vvith their ovvne handes for their liuing, that they may be no burden to any man. These most vvyllyngly and gladly ye admit, receaue, and embrace, cherishe, entertayne, and comfort. These ye lodge & place among you, not as strangers, but as Citizens, not as forreners, but as your dearely beloued Christian brothers: for vvhom also ye are no lesse carefull then for your selues, that nothing be lacking vnto them, but that they may haue sufficiently of all good and necessa­rie thinges. This is the true hospitalitie, I meane, the gentle enterteynement of godly straungers, vviche [Page] are afflicted for the vvordes sake. Of these speaketh GOD on this manner: Exod. 22. Leuit. 19. Yf a straunger soiourne vvith thee in your land, ye shall not vexe him. But the stranger that dvvelleth vvith you, shalbe as one of your selues, and thou shalt loue him as thy selfe. Of these speaketh Christ on this vvyse: Matth. 25. Romans. 12. I vvas har­bourlesse, and ye tooke me in. Of these speaketh Saint Paul thus: Distribute to the necessitie of the Saintes. Hebru. 13. Gene. 19. 1. Peter. 4. Be redy to harbour. Agayne, Be not for­getfull to lodge straungers: for there by haue diuers men lodged. Angels vnvvares Of these speaketh S. Peter on this sort: Be ye harberors one to another vvithout grudging. Leuit. 19. and. 23. Deut. 24. 1. Tim. 4. Titus. 1. Of these speaketh Saint Iohn on this manner. Thou dooest faythfully, vvhatsoe­uer thou dooest to the brethren, and to the straun­gers. Of these, GOD in his lavves geueth a speci­all charge both to the riche men, and also to the Byshoppes and spirituall Pastors of his congrega­tion, that they should see to them, and make pro­uision for them, that they lacke nothing. Highly in Gods fauour must the godly straungers be, seeing GOD geueth to his people so great charge ouer them. VVho therefore can othervvyse, then highly commend the louing gentlenesse, and gentle loue, the bounteous liberalitie, and liberall bountie, vvhich ye shevve to the poore scattered members of Christe? These be vvoorthy fruites of the Gos­pell. These vvoorkes shevve, that ye haue not re­ceiued the grace of God in vayne: and that ye be not of the company of those Gospellers, vvhiche vvith their mouth professe GOD, but vvith their deedes deny him, being abominable, and disobedi­ent, and vnapt vnto euery good vvoorke. Such pro­fessours [Page] or rather peruersers of the Gospell, are like to that Sonne, vvhich promised his father to vvork in his Vineyard, and vvrought nothing at all. Yea they are, Iude. Epist. as Saint Iude termeth them in his Epistle, cloudes vvithout vvater, trees vvithout fruite, ra­ging vvaues of the sea, foming out their ovvne shame, vvandring starres, to vvhome is reserued the mist of darknesse for euer, fleshely, hauing no spirit. &c. and in deede like to those fiue foolish Virgins, vvhich had Lampes, Matth. 25. but in theyr Lampes no Oyle, and not vnlike to the Figge tree vvithout fruite, vvhich Christ cursed for her barrennesse.

But God (right vvorshipful and dearely beloued) hath geuen you an other minde, and grafted in you a better spirite, that yee do not only knovve God, but also earnestly labour to do his holy and blessed vvill, that by this meanes, yee may be founde not only fauorers, but also follovvers, not only talkers, but also vvalkers, not only louers, but also liuers, not only professoures, but also practisers, not only vvorders, but also vvorkers of the holy scripture, and so become blessed, as our Sauiour Christ saith. If yee knovve these thinges, and doo them, blessed are yee. For not euery one that saith vnto me Lord, Lorde, shall enter into the kingdome of heauen, but he that doth the vvill of the father, vvhich is in heauen, he shal enter into the kingdome of hea­uen. Yee are my freendes, yf you doo those thinges that I commaunde you. He that hath my com­maundements, and keepeth them, he it is that lo­ueth me. Romans. .2. For in the sight of god, as The apostle saith they are not righteous, vvhich heare the lavve, but the doers of the lavve shall be iustified. If any man [Page] be in Christ, Galat. 5. Ephe. 2. he is a nevve creature. They truly that are Christes, haue crucified the flesh, vvith the af­fections and lustes. VVe are the vvorkmanship of God, created in Christ Iesu vnto good vvorkes, vvhich God hath ordayned, that vve should vvalke in them. Tit. .3. Let our eares learne saith Saint Paul, to excell in good vvorkes, as farre foorth as neede re­quireth, that they be not vnfruitefull. Ioan. .15. Herein is my father glorified (saieth our Sauiour Christ) that ye beare much fruite, and become my Disciples. Ye haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you, and ordayned you to goe and bring foorth fruite, and that your fruite should remaine.

Goe therefore foorth (right vvorshipfull and dearely beloued) as ye haue begun, in the vvay of righteousnesse. Receaue the Gospell of Christe, vvhich is the vvorde of your saluacion, and bread of life, vvith greedy, and desirous mindes. Call on God dayly (as ye doo) vvith feruent prayer, and cease not to be thankfull vnto him, for his benefits. Be an example in life and conuersacion, to them that are vnder you. Seke the quietness, and com­modity of your Tovvne, and of the inhabitauntes of the same, rather then your ovvne gaine, and profite: study rather to be loued, then feared. To the vvicked and sinfull, be seuere and sharpe: but to the good and godly, be gentle and louing. Con­tinue your goodnesses and liberalitie to the poore strangers vvhich are exiled for the testimony of the Lorde Iesus, and tender them, as your selues. Suffer not idlenesse to creepe vvithin the bounds of your tovvne, but rather prouide that al be vvell & vertu­ously occupied. Of the poore, haue diligent consi­deratiō, [Page] but as for the sturdy & lasie lubbers, vvhich gladly lyue of the labour of other mens handes, and hate to be vvell occupied them selues: eyther com­pell to vvoorke, or els banishe them your tovvne. Looke diligently to the bringing vp of your youth, eyther in good letters, or els in some vertuous ex­ercices, that in time to come, they be not vnprofi­table members of the common vveale. But aboue all thinges, see that they be brought vp in the nur­ture and feare of the Lorde, and in the knovvledge of his holy vvoord, that they may learne euen from their Cradles to serue their Lorde GOD in holy­nesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of the Lorde. And that this thing may the more conueniently be brought to passe, as ye haue earnestly entended, and to that end haue prouided large summes of money among your selues: so vvith al expedition prouide, that your Schoole may be erected and set vp, for the godly and vertuous education of your youth. So shall you both doo a noble sacrifyce vnto God, deserue vvell of many, and also leaue to your po­steritie a vvoorthy monument of a most vvoorthy enterprise. And to helpe forvvarde some poynt of godly doctrine to be taught in your nevve erected Schoole. After I had finished this little treatise, en­tituled, The Demaundes of holy Scripture, I thought it not vnsitting, nor vnvvorthy our frēd­ship, to dedicate the same to your vvoorships, and so by you, to commend it to the Christian youth of your Schoole. In it they shall learne to knovve and vnderstand, the principall and cheefe poyntes of Gods doctrine: so that by this meanes they shal be able to render a reason both of theyr fayth, and [Page] doctrine, vvhich they professe, and not be like Hor­ses & Mules that haue no vnderstanding. The book is little, yf the number of the leaues be considered: but yf the matter therof be diligently pondered, it shalbe found both great, & profitable. Thus for this present, taking my leaue of you, I vvysh to you, and to the vvhole Tovvne, all good and prospe­rous things, both for your bodyes & soules, most humbly beseeching God, to fi­nishe that good vvoorke, vvhich he hath begun in you, vnto the glory of his name, & vnto the profite of his holy con­gregation. Amen.

From my house at Caunterbury, the fyrst of September. 1563.

The Demaundes of holy Scripture.

WHO did create vs? Gene. 1. Eccle. 18. psalme. 146. Acte. 14.17. Romans. 5. Gene. 3. God who also made al y e world of nought.

What things damned vs? Sinne. In so much as Adam did eate, What sin is. by the perswasion of Eua, of the Apple forbidden him of God. For sinne is the breaking of the commaunde­mentes of GOD.

Who redemed vs, and set vs in the fauour of GOD againe? Gene. 3. Romans. 5. 1. Timoth. 2. Romans. 5. Ephe. 1.2. Collossi. 1. 1. Ioan. 3. Ioan. 1. Galathi. 4. Iesus Christ, by takyng our nature on him.

What is God vnto vs? Whereas before he was a seuere & straight Iudge: through Christe he is become our most louing, tender, and mercifull father.

What are we? His dearely beloued chil­dren.

What thing is GOD? An infinite sub­staunce, What God is. which onely with his word of might, did create and make all thinges, and with his most high and incompara­ble wisedome gouerneth all thing, and of his inestimable goodnesse, suffereth and preserueth all thing. God is infi­nite. I call that infinite [Page] both which hath neyther beginning nor ending, and that which can not be compre­hended, nor compassed by mans braine, what thing it is. And in both these signifi­cacions God is infinite. Furthermore that is to euery man god or a god, that he loueth, dread [...]th, and worshippeth with all his hart. Exodus. 22. Psalme. 82. The Scripture also calleth the Iudges and Officers of the earth gods.

What a strange God is. What is a strange God, or an other God? What soeuer thing we worshyp besides the very lyuing God. And that also that doth alienate and turneth our harte from Gods worde, is called a strang or an other God.

What faith is. What thing is fayth? It is a full and per­fite confidence and trust in God through Christe, Romans. 10. Hebru. 11. ingendred in our harte, by hearing the worde of God, and as Paul defineth faith: Faith is a sure confidence of thinges which we looke for, and the certaintie of promises.

What hope is. What is hope? A styffe and firme expec­tacion, of such thinges as be promised vs of the worde of GOD.

What charitie is. What is charitie? The principall fruite of faith, a prompte and redy wyll to doo [Page] good to our neighbour. Math. 25. Otherwhyles the workes of mercie are called charitie.

What is the lawe? What the law of god is. It is the liuely wyll of God, geuen vs by commaundement, as well in the newe testament as in the olde, whose worke and operacion is to shewe sinne, The office of the law. to shewe that God is angry with vs for our euill doing, Ioan. 7. Romans. 7. 2. Cor. 3. Galat. 3. and dayly transgression of his commaundement, whose duty is to accuse vs in our conscience, to cast vs downe, and make vs seeme vyle & nought worth in our sight, and by this meanes, ey­ther bringeth vs to vtter desperacion, or els leadeth vs (as it were by the hande) to Christe, the only true pacifier of the con­science.

What is the Gospel? What the Gospell is. It is a glad tiding. Or els you may call it euery promise that God made of Christe, and of other his good benefites, wherby the cloudes of the conscience be put awaye, and mans minde erected and made mery, whether these pro­mises be in y e new testament, or in the old: Paule, Romans. 1. saith it is the power of God, where by all that beleeue are brought to healthe and sauegarde.

What is it to be a godly man, or who is [Page] godly? Who is godly. He or shee that hath faith, and the feare of God before their eyes.

Who is vngodly. Who is wicked, or vngodly? He or shee that beleeueth not the promise of God, and that hath not the dreade of God before them.

Who is a Christian. Who is a Christian man? He that belee­ueth on Christe, and liueth according to his worde.

Who is an Ethnike. Who is an Ethnike or Miscreant? He that vseth not those lawes, and ordinaun­ces, and hath not the faith that we haue. Or els he that seeketh to be saued by some other meanes then by Christ.

An Here­tike, who. Who is an Heretik? He which think­eth, and styfly mainteineth any thing a­gainst the doctrine of faith (that is to say) the word of God. The word of God is the doctrin of faith. Marke here the word of God, to be called the doctrine of faith, be­cause faith, draweth from no whence els her principles: then from the worde of God. Because she only learneth, marketh, and beareth away the word of God.

The king­dom of Heauen what it is. What is the kingdome of Heauen? It is where the word of God is truly prea­ched and receiued, and where it beareth fruite meete for the doctrine, whose king [Page] and Lord, is Christ.

What is the worlde? The world what it is. An heape and mustre of men, without the word of God, among whom the word of God is despised and persecuted: where is a rablement of al vices, whose Prince and God is Sathan. In some place it is called an hot boyling Sea, which can not rest and be asswaged.

What is the word of God? The word of God what it is. It is the de­creed sentence, word, and will of God, ex­pressed and left behind of the Prophetes and Apostles to vs, in y e canonical bookes of the newe testament and the old, whiche word he that reciueth (that is to say know­ledgeth in his hart to be true and holy, and liueth according to it) receiueth God, and he that refuseth it, despiseth God, and as much as lieth in him, he maketh God a lyer. The nams of the worde of God. The word of God hath sundry names in Scripture: as the sword of the spirite, a two edged sword, a fire sword, an iron wal, a strong hold, a well fensed towre, consu­ming fire. Ephe. 6. Heb. 4. Iere. 22. 2. Thess. 2. It is also called whete, the rod of the mouth of the Lord, the breth of the mouth of the Lorde, a mysterie, an oracle, the print or secreat wyll of the Lord.

What are mans tradicions? What mens tra­ditions are What so­euer [Page] mans reason hath or doth imagen without the word of God, and ordeyneth and wylleth it to be reputed and taken as good, Math. 13. Iere. 23. Math. 15. Marke. 7. Math. 19 godly, and pleasant in the sight of God. They be called in Scripture Cocle, and Chasse. Of these speaketh Christe, where he saith. They do serue me in vaine, whyle they teach such doctrine as are no­thing but the commaundementes of men.

How men are good. Who be good? Only God is good. Notwithstanding, because all they that haue the spirite of God, and are ruled by his word, be of the flocke of God, and vn­der his keeping: therefore God doth com­municate and imparte his goodnesse to them, and so they be called good, as theyr Father, Lord, and Gouernour is.

Who be euill. Who be euill? They that haue not y e spi­rite of God, nor be ruled by his word, whe­ther they liue vpright outwardly, and ac­cording of the letter of the lawe: as Cato, Socrates, and they that be counted good and vertuous among the Turkes, and Iewes, or els they that be open transgres­sours of the lawe. Acte. 4. Ephe. 2. For in Christ only is saluacion and remission of sinnes. And vn­to that time that our sinnes be remitted, [Page] we be euill, vncleane, and vnder dampna­cion. And on this fashion we are all euyll, and sinners by nature.

Who is iust or righteous? Who is righteous. He that hath faith. What it is to be iustified. For through faith we are iustified. To be iustified is to haue our sinnes not imputed vnto vs, but to haue them forge­uen in Christ, and for Christ. Euen as Da­uid saith: Psalm. 32. Rom. 4. blessed are they whose vnrighte­ousnesses are forgeuen, and whose sinnes are couered. Blessed is that man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne. Now because the faithful man only receiueth and enioy­eth this mercie forgeuenesse, and this no imputing of sinne through faith, therefore he is called iust, and we through faith said to be iustified. Rom. 4.5. Gal. 2.3. Sometime in Scripture the Hipocrites, and they that thinke to be saued by their workes, are called iuste or righteous as we rede. I came not for the righteous, &c.

Who is vnrighteous? Vnrighte­ous who. He that hath no faith.

What is euerlasting life? Euerlas­ting life what. It is the tast of the fauour and manifold mercies of God, the peace of the conscience, a feruent desire of heauen, and to be with Christ, [Page] which the holy Ghost doth kendle in the hartes of the faithfull. Ioan. 17. Ioan. 5. Otherwhiles euer­lasting life is called to knowe the very li­uing God, & Iesus Christ, whome he sent downe. As it is sayd: He that hath the Sonne and beleeueth in him: hath euer­lasting life.

Hell, or euerlasting death, what it is What is euerlasting death, or hell? In this life it is the perpetuall grudge and horrible feare of conscience, the distresse and tediousnesse of the minde, dreding the wrath of God, which the deuil increaseth in the vnfaithfull: Hell di­uersly ta­ken. as it is plainely decla­red. Also hell is taken for extreme tempta­cion, which almost ledeth vs downe to des­peracion: as we rede: The Lord leadeth vs downe to hell, 1. Reg. 2. Esay. 66. Apoc. 22. Math. 13.22.25. and bringeth vs vp a­gaine.

After this life it betokeneth the fire of Hell, where the damned soules be. It is called also a fyrie furnesse, and the vtter darknesse, where is wayling and gnash­ing of teeth, and vtter desperacion of the mercy of God.

What the blessing of God is. What thing is the blessing of God? It is the fauour, the grace, the helpe and be­neficence of God▪ &c.

[Page] What is the curse of God? What the curse of God is. It is the an­gre, extreme wrath, and the lacke of al the good benefites of God.

What is a good conscience? What a good con­science is. It is the peace of the mind, a spirituall ioy, and a plaine feeling and perceiuing of the good­nesse of God towardes vs, through fayth in Iesus Christ, which is described and set out. And is no more to say, but that when we perceiue that through faith in Iesus Christ, Rom. 5. our sinnes be forgeuen, Esay. 57.35. and that we be in the fauour of God: we be harte hole, mery, and found.

What is an euill conscience? What an euyl con­science is. It is an inward boyling heate, and tossing of the minde, for a mans wickednesse, and when for pure anguish of the sight and horrore of sinne, the hart fainteth and failleth him. It is called in Scripture the worme of the conscience.

What is veritie, and truth? Christ himselfe, the word of God, and what soeuer els agreeth with the word of God. For as Christ saith I am the way, the truth, and the life. Also, thy wordes be the truth. There is also a Ciuile truth, or veritie (as it is called) and that is when with that [Page] which is sayd, Ioan. 14. Ioan. 17. the thing agreeth, & when we find words agreeing with the thing itselfe.

What fal­shod is. What is lesing, or falsitie? What soe­uer thing is enemie, and not agreeing to the truth and the word of God: as mans tradicions, or doctrines that serue not to the same word of God.

The feare of God what it is. What is the feare of God? Suche an humblenes and lowe behauiour as natu­rall sonnes haue towardes their louing fa­thers. It is also a redy, glad, and wylfull warenesse in ordering our selues, that we do not commit any thing against God, and his word, for feare least we should of­fend so louing and tender a father. Which feare as it springeth only out of faith, so it is only in y • faithful. Then we feare God wisely: when with hart and mind, we so endeuer to liue and order our selues: as yf we had God a witnesse and looker of all our deedes, wordes, ye and of our preuie thoughtes and cogitacious. This louing dreade ingendereth wisedome and bring­eth Gods blessing on vs, and driueth out sinne out of the brest. The seruile and bond feare, is the amasing, drede, and abasshing [Page] of the mind, Rom. 8. that the wicked men haue of the wrath of God, ingendred by laying the lawe to their euill liuing.

What is the contempt of God? What the contempt or despy­sing of God is. A dispi­sing, or a light regarding of the doctrine and the commaundementes of God, pro­ceeding of an vncleane hart and wicked minde, a pleasure and delight in sinne and ignoraunce, the roote of all mischiefe, which fruite of incredulitie, God neuer left vnpunished, as it appeereth. Exo. and Nume. &c.

What is thankes geuing? Thankes geuing what it is. It is a re­membraunce, and a thankful acknowledg­ing of the benefites of God: Psalm. 50. when we sure­ly thinke all that we haue commeth of him It is called in the Scripture, sacrifice of prayse geuing.

What is vnkindnesse, Vnkind­nesse and murmu­ring against God what it is. and priuie murmu­ring against God? It is to grudge, and not to be content with the workes of God, and to forget his benefites. Examples hereof we rede.

What is it to haue the holy Ghost? Exod. 16.17. To be godly disposed, and to haue an heauen­ly burning in the mind, To haue the holy Ghoste what it is. euer vpright, whole, sincere, and pure, vertuous, alway [Page] iudging the best, willing and wishing wel to euery body, the fruites of whome be all vertues, Galat. 5. which ye may see in the Gala­thians.

To be euill minded, or to haue the deuil what it is. What is an euill mind, or to haue the de­uill? It is to haue an euil concard mind, to be against God and his word, to be ge­uen all to wickednesse, to misdeeme and iudge all to the worst.

A good Angell, what it is. What is a good Angell? The messen­ger of God, or what soeuer ye wyll, by which God worketh vs, and in vs that that is good, profitable, and commodious.

An euill Angell what it is. What is Sathan, or an euill Angel? An aduersary and enemy of God, a worker of al mischefe & death vnto vs. Otherwhiles it is put only for the deuill.

The Crosse what it is What is the Crosse? It is all manner of greuaunce geuen to euery manner of vocacion & kind of life, grounded on faith and the word of God, & what that we doo, goeth not forward as we would. It is also the teaching, warning, chastising rod, and staffe of the Lord, which names be for to be seene in the prouerbes and psalmes. The Crosse of Christ, What the Crosse of Christe is. is his Passion and the preaching of the same, and the persecu­tion [Page] that followeth the preachers and be­leeuers of the same.

What is pleasure, and the ease of this life? What the pleasure and ease of this life is. It is when we haue all at will, when God leaueth vs to our selues, and troubleth vs not with any aduersitie for faith and the word of God.

What is sinne? What sinne is. It is the transgression, and breaking of any of Gods commaun­dementes. It is also a naturall propencion and inclinacion to noughtinesse, ingendred with vs at our byrth. What soeuer is not of faith, is sinne. It is also the distrust in God, and the ignoraunce and contempt of him, and a trust and confidence in our owne workes.

What is originall sinne? Originall sinne what it is. It is the poy­son and corruption that we haue in our birth, through the infection of our nature in Adam, which doth bring foorth in vs the fruite of incredulitie, and all wickednesse, and maketh vs vnable to the workes of the lawe, as the lawe requireth them to be done of vs: vntil Christ and his word hath made vs a newe creature.

What is originall Iustice? Originall iustice what it is. The inte­gritie, holenesse, & soundnesse of the pow­ers [Page] of the body and the soule, whereby both the soule and the body could verely o­bey, doo, and fulfill the lawe of God. Wherefore after the poison of sin entred: nature lost her integritie and soundnesse, and the venim of sinne made weake, faint, and feeble the whole nature of man, so that it could not in no wise wil or do the worke, that it whole before could do. Rom. 7.2. Cor. 3. And not this only, but it infected and corrupted the flesh and the soule, and all the powers of them both, which infection ingendred in the na­ture of man hus febled, the ignoraunce and contempt of God, The cor­ruption of the nature of man. the distrust in God, the murmuring against God when he sendeth aduersitie, or sicknesse. It causeth furthermore man to be without the feare of God; to hate the iudgement of God, to flee and runne away from God when he chasteneth vs, to be angry with him and dispayre, and to trust in thinges corrup­tible, &c. These be the horrible biles, sores, pockes, and carbucles that disfigure the face of man. Which though they be neuer so high, yet our schole men and canonistes (I meane the professours of the Byshop of Romes lawes) coule neuer see, or per­ceyue. [Page] These Chiste through faith at our baptisme doth suppresse and abate theyr power, and at the last by death doth vtter­ly vainguishe and kill.

What meane you by these wordes, What this word Cul­pa signi­fieth. Poena, and Culpa? This word Culpa, which is in english a faute, or trespasse properly, in this place betokeneth the gilt (as we call it) or the trespasse, and that which the law punisheth in the deede or fact: as in an act of felony, the law punisheth not the comming to the Horse, nor yet the bride­ling, no nor the leading of the Horse from the stable, medowe, or common, for all these may be doone without the euill and vnlawfull desire of the Horse, and agayne with the owners leaue. But the lawe pu­nisheth the comming, the brydeling, and taking away the Horse against the ow­ners wyll, and with the mind of stealing him, and calleth the facte thefte, or felony. This word, What this word Poena signifieth. Poena (which is in Englyshe payne) is the wages and punishment ta­ken for the faute. And thus some kinde of vices, al hurtes, damages, sicknesse, pest i­lences, perils, errours, and the lacke of Gods word that we haue among vs: be [Page] paines, and punishmentes of sinne. That God punisheth sinne with losse and daun­ger both of body & goodes, with sicknesse, pestilence, and such other (none I thinke doubteth) but that he punisheth sinne by sinne, and sinne by errours and heresies: the worlde can not so clerely perceiue. Howe be it Paul, Rom. 1. doth playnly declare it, where he sayth: because the Gentils tur­ned the glory of God, and worshiped the creature more then the maker, &c. There­fore (saith he) God gaue them vp vnto shameful lustes, &c. Which iustes be there straight after expressed. And this punish­ment (I meane to punish sinne by sinne) is a very sore punishment.

He punisheth sinne by errours and here­sies thus. When the word of God is plen­teously and sincerely preached (as it is nowe) and yet men still kicke against it, or in case many receiue it, yet fewe or non regard it, or liue according to it, but with their wordes make on it only for a fleshly libertie: then (I say) God taketh his word away from thence (as who be not worthy of it) and letteth the worlde preuaile a­gainst his preachers, and suffreth Ante­christe [Page] (who must nedes succeede Christ) to kill them, Math. 5. so that Antichriste peaceably enioyeth his kingdome (as he hath doone all ready this great while) and he must needes haue like doctrine to him selfe. So did he punishe the Iewes his owne elec­ted people at sundry times more then .ii. M. yeere, Note wel. and suffered them to worship false Gods, or els to set vp their owne tra­dicions, Gods preceptes neglected. So also hath he punished our fore fathers these viii. or ix. C. yeeres. And now except we thankefully receyue his woord, and liue thereafter in the newnesse of life, ac­cording as we are called (no doubt of it) he wyll, not only revolue and cast vs downe againe to our old ignoraunce, cap­tiuitie and bondage: but also shortly take such vengeaunce on vs, as he threatened Bethsaida, Corazin, &c.

Nowe God remitteth the crime, gylte, and trespace to his electe through faith in Christe: but he reserueth (after a certayne manner) a little porcion of the paine (not to counterpeise therewith, or satisfy his iustice for the crime, as the Byshop of Rome with his complices hath taught vs [Page] this great while) but to chastise their flesh with all, God puni­sheth sinne in this worlde, not after thys life in pur­gatory, as the Papis­tes faine. and sometime to be an example vnto other to forbeare like crimes, for fear of like punishment, or to declare the yre of God for such crimes. So that what trou­ble, vexacion, griefe, losse, sicknesse so euer the best men that be, haue: they deserue it with much more. Howbeit (no not thus) GOD would beate, scourge, and trye his: and it were not for their owne profite and auayle. For by this meanes he nour­tereth, reineth, and humbleth his electe, that they may knowe them selues the bet­ter, and lest they runne at large after the world: as it appeareth by the aduoutry of Dauid, 1. Cor. 11. 2. Reg. 12. and many other storyes in the Byble.

Innocencie what it is. What is innocencie? The purenesse of the minde, and when the conscience is not giltie, or findeth it selfe culpable in any thing. This innocency only the faythe in Iesus Christe ingendereth in vs. In this state was Paule (after many interpreters mindes) when he sayd. I knowe nought by my selfe. &c. He sayd not this, that he thought not him selfe a sinner, and that he trespassed not afore God (for then had he [Page] ben a lyer. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Ioan. 1. Exod. 34. For Moyses saith to the Lord: it is thou that takest away trespasse, ini­quitie, and sinne, and none innocent before thee) but he meaneth of his conuersacion. In this state also was Ezechias the good King, when he turned him to the wal, and wepte. 4. Reg. 20. Here we call, not to be giltie, or cul­pable, to haue the peace of the conscience, and y e is when we beleeue through Christe that our sinnes be hid, for vnto that time, the lawe ceaseth not to accuse vs in our conscience.

What is the spirite? What the spirite is. It is a Heauenly sence, or vnderstanding, springing out of the worde of God (or els the selfe word of God) exceeding the sence of the fleshe and reason. Ioan. 6. The wordes that I speake vnto you, they be spirite and life: meaning they amount and passe the fleshe and sence of reason, they be spirituall and heauenly. It is sometime put for what so euer liueth and breatheth: Psalm. 150. Ioan. 3. as all the spirits prayse ye the Lorde, sometime for the breath and winde

What is the fleshe? What the fleshe is. Euery affection, the hart, the minde, and thought of man, and what so euer els man doth, or can do [Page] by al the powers of his reason, destitute of the worde of God. Ioan. 3.1. Cor. 2. Ioan. 6. For Christe saith. That which is borne of the fleshe, that is, it vn­derstandeth not thinges that be spirituall. Fleshe other while betokeneth the letter and fleshly vnderstanding. The fleshe pro­fiteth nothing, it is the spirite that quicke­neth.

What the newe man is. What is the newe man? It is the man that is renued and borne againe by faith and the worde, through the spirite of God. Except a man be borne a new, Ioan. 3. he can not se the kingdome of heauen. To be borne a­newe he calleth, where as before we were but carnall and fleshly, not vnderstan­ding the misteryes of the spirite, we must be borne agayne in spirite (that is) to be­come spirituall and more meete to vnder­stan [...]e espirituall thinges.

What the old man is. What is the olde man? Our affections, appetites, and vnderstanding according to reason, without faith: euen as we be all naturally borne of our mother, as it ap­peareth in diuers places of the Scripture. Also the whole body of sinne is called the old man in Scripture, and they liue accor­ding to the old man, Psalm. 51. that liue in igno­raunce, [Page] and followe the lustes of their hart, Ephe. 2. Coloss. 2. not walking in the newnesse of lyfe.

Who is blessed, Blessed, or happy who. or happy? All be it I may aunswere with Christ: blessed is he, that heareth and kepeth the woorde of God: Luke. 12. yet is he otherwyse defined in the Scripture. As he is to be thought hap­py, who holdeth him selfe well content with his fortune, and thankefully recey­ueth whatsoeuer God sendeth him, and who is at one with God and al creatures, that is, doth not murmure against God, and on the other side enuieth nor dispiseth any man.

Who is a wretch, Who is vnhappy. or vnhappy? He that holdeth not him selfe content with that that God hath sent him. He with whome nothing goeth forwarde, nor agreeth not with God nor man.

Who is poore? Poore who is. He that can not make any great boastes, or crakes of himselfe, and who is destitute of all helpe, as be they, of whome Christe saith: blessed are the poore in spirite, in Scripture he is called lowe, Math. 5. humble, and hungry, and he who is nowe in aduersitie.

Who is riche? Ritch who is. He is called riche in [Page] Scripture, Luke. 1.6. which needeth no helpe con­cerning his saluacion, but hath workes y­nough, and more then ynoughe to bring him to heauen. Luke. 16. Iac. 5. And (as a man may call it) full vp to the throte of the righteousnesse: as be all Hipocrites, Phariseies, and ius­tifiers of them selues, they also be called riche in Scripture, which be proud, migh­ty, and dronken with fortune and prospe­ritie, euer polling the poore.

Wise and circum­spect who. Who is wyse, and circumspect? He which knoweth God and his worde, which (when he doubteth) as keth counsell, and doth all thing thereafter.

A foole who. Who is a foole? He that rashly is cari­ed hither and thither, with euery mocion, that considereth nothing, regardeth no­thing, nor suffereth himselfe to be correc­ted, and warned of his euill doing, but headlong runneth as he began: forsing not whether he sinke, or swymme, or what be­commeth of him, and who as he knoweth not the worde of God, so he passeth not on it. The wisedome of God taken as foolish­nesse before the worlde, is the preaching of the Crosse of Christ, and the iustifiing by faith (that is to say) though to suffer [Page] persecution for the worde of God, and to preach that we iustified by faith, be godly and the wisedome of the spirite: yet the world laugheth it to scorne, 1. Cor. 3. and counteth it highe foolishenesse. The wisedome of the fleshe, is foolishnesse before God.

What is a childe, A child what. or to be a childe? A childe in Scripture, is a wicked man, or he that is ignoraunt, and not excercised in godlynesse and Gods word be he olde, or be he young. Or he that lacketh spirituall iudgemēt in discerning & chosing things. Wo be to the countrey whose King is a childe. Eccl. 10. Esay. 65. Math. 18. And he shall die a childe of a .C. yeere olde. A child also is sometime taken for humble or meke. Who soeuer hūbleth him selfe as this childe, is greatest in the kingdome of Heauen.

What is an olde man, What an Elder is. auncient, or elder? He which is well taught and instructed in the worde of God, and exercised therein. He which liueth honestly, and without re­prose hauing horenesse of maners, autho­ritie, grauitie, What Christe is. and high knowledge in the worde of God.

What is Christe? The annointed king and priest of God, sitting on y e right hande [Page] of the father, Exod. 19. 1. Pet. 2. Apoc. 1. hauing full power to defend and warrant his flocke, and being a ready aduocate for his at their neede. And by him all Christen men be annoynted kings and priestes. They be called kinges, when in Christe, and through Christe they sub­due their wylde affections, the diuell, and death. They be called priestes, and sacrifi­cers, when they offer vp their bodyes in­to a liuely, holy, and acceptable sacrifice vnto God, Romans. 12. which is our reasonable ser­uing of God.

What An­tichrist is. What is Antichriste? The adnersary of Christe, and he which goeth about to obscure, or vtterly to abrogate and pull a­way his glory: teaching, defining, and de­termining, that Christe is not the king, priest, and aduocate of his flocke.

Prayer what is is. What is prayer? A brenning desire, or peticion of the minde, lift vp and directed vnto God (springing and comming of the neede and lacke that we find in our selfe) as farre foorth as faith and the promise of God suffereth and permitteth vs, where marke that we aske such thinges as be honest and lawfull. Sometime it is taken for the lifting vp of the handes, the desire, [Page] trying and sighing of the poore, and such as stand in neede. And some doth call it more generally the lifting vp of the mind to God.

What is temptation? Tempta­cion what it is. The profe and trial of our faith, and an exercise and prac­tise of the worde. Otherwhiles it is called the rod and staffe of the Lorde, and the dis­cipline whereby we see our selues, and perceyue how well we haue profited and gon forwarde in the word which may best be tryed, then when that we goe about doth not goe forward as we woulde.

What is desperacion? Despera­tion what is is. It is when in temptacion, and such trying of vs (whei­ther it be by aduersitie, or any other thing) we fall downe distrust, and cast away all hope of the mercie and goodnesse of God: then (I say) when of no side appeareth any hope, or succor, and when we be, as seemeth to vs) vtterly forgotten and cast away of God. Iob. 7. Of which temptacion we may see a manifest example. To speake properly desperacion is the vtter and finall dispayre and distrust of helpe.

VVhat is vocacion, Vocation, or calling what it is. or calling? It is the manner of life, vnto which God hath cal­led [Page] thee. Or els the common consent (as Mayres and other Officers) or els thou hast appoynted and purposed thy selfe vn­to, by thy owne accorde. Or els ye may call it euery kinde of life, in which we ex­ercise faith and charity. Math. 20. To be called to the kingdome of heauē, is to heare y e worde of god. To be chosē or elected, is to beleue it.

Predesti­nation what it is. VVhat is predestinacion? It is the se­crete election of the wysedome of God to eternall life, Rom. 9.10.11. without our deseruing. They be predestinate and called to euerlasting life which heare & receiue the word of god.

Free wyll what it is. VVhat is free wyll? It is the libertie that man hath in doing outward thinges, and the naturall worke of man in suche thinges as be not spirituall: as in orde­ring him selfe after a ciuill and politi­call fashion, and outwarde fulfilling of the moral vertues. Howbeit, he hath not the power, no nor yet the wil to loue God, dreade God, and to know him: vntill that he be renued, and that Christ hath set him at libertie. For then (as Iohn saith) If the sonne hath made ye free, then are ye free in deede. For vnto that time that we know God, Ioan. 8. we can not loue him nor dreade him. [Page] And when we loue him, Eccl. 1 [...]. and dreade him, then haue we power through him, to kepe the lawe. Yet when man was in the state of originall iustice, that is to say, when he had the integritie, wholenesse & soundnesse of the powers of the body and soule, then might he obey, doo, and fulfill freely the lawe of God, but after the poyson of sinne entred, it made weake and feble the whole nature of man.

VVhat is the temple of God? The tem­ple of God what it is. A pure, cleane, and single hart, without all gyle, fraude, and doublenesse. Also the Church, wherein God is worshipped. 1. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 6.

VVhat is the Church, The church what it is. or congregation of Christe? It is the company, assemble­ment, and consent of good men on the worde of God, and in the faith of Iesus Christe. The church of Christe.

VVhat is the Church of Sathan? The Church of Sathan. It is the multitude of wicked men conspiring against God and his word.

VVhat is the Sabboth day, To keepe holy day what it is. or to keepe ho­ly day? It is to abstayne from the out­ward workes of the fleshe, and to pray vn­to God in spirite, heare his word, and to haue our minde set on his lawe, Esay. 56. after what [Page] manner true Christians euer keepe the lawe. You may els say, that the holy day is wherein we remember the benefites of God, and geue him thankes for them.

Grace, what it is. VVhat is grace? The good wil of God towarde vs, his fauour and bounteous goodnesse, freely employed on vs without our deseruing.

Merites & workes what. VVhat be merites and workes? They be called and counted in Scripture to be the refusing and contempt of the fauoure of God, and a confidence to be saued by a mans owne power, strength, & desertes.

The name of God what it is. VVhat is the name of God? It is whatsoeuer pertaineth to God, or els to euery name which we assigne vnto God & cal him by: as the God of hostes, the strong and gelous God.&c. Also his glory honor and maiesty. To shewe the word of God, is to preache sincerely the Gospell, What it is to shew the word of God. that is to say, that all that beleeue haue theyr sinnes forgeuen them, that they be deliue­red from death and hell, and hath geuen them euerlasting life freely through Iesus Christe.

To serue God what it is. VVhat is it to serue God? To liue ac­cording to his word, to beleeue and put [Page] trust in him, to referre all thinges vnto his glory, and to loue and helpe our neigh­bour.

VVhat is it to serue the deuill? To serue the deuill what it is. It is to resist the word, to serue Mammon, his belly, his fleshly appetites, the world, and carnall affections.

VVhat is to worship God? To wor­ship God what it is. It is not on­ly to pray vnto him, but also to shewe and exhibyte in the outward gesture honour and reuerence vnto him.

VVhat is to beleeue in God? To beleeue in God what it is. It is wholy to commit a mans owne selfe in all mat­ters to him, and to haue a sure hope in him selfe, that what soeuer God promiseth shall be perfourmed.

VVhat is to fast? To fast what is is. To beware lest we ouer lade our body with surfetting, in meates or drinkes, Luke. 21. that we liue chastly and soberly, to abstayne from vyce, to kepe our body lowe, geuing it that only that is necessary.

VVhat is it to folow Christe? To folowe Christ what it is. It is to beleeue in him, to marke and followe his doctrine, and to followe him whether soe­uer he leadeth vs, or calleth vs, and to suf­fer wyllingly what soeuer he layeth on [Page] our backes.

What it is to leaue all things for Christes sake. VVhat is to leaue and forsake all that a man hath, to sell all, and to denye a mans selfe? To leaue, forsake, and sell, is to repute & recken such thinges as we haue, as none of ours, yea, gladly to forsake and leaue for Christes sake (if the matter came to that poynt) wyfe, chyldren, parentes, countrey, house, land, and all other suche, in so much that (yf neede required) we woulde (for Christes sake and the Gos­pels quarell) offer our selfe to all dangers, and death at conclusion. To deny a mans selfe what it is. To deny a mans selfe, is frankely and freely to graunt his workes, and all his other good indeue­ringes to be vnable to his saluacion, and vtterly to kill the old Adam in him with all his affections.

To visite what it is. What is it to visite? When it is taken in the good part, it betokeneth that God looketh vpon, and sendeth his benefites some whether. The Lord hath visited his people. Luke. 7. When it is taken in the euil part, it betokeneth as much as the Lorde puni­sheth and scourgeth wicked and cursed, when he taketh vengeaunce on them for their wickednesse: Exo. 20. as I the Lord thy God [Page] am a iealous God, visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children, vnto y e third & fourth generatiō of them y e hate me.&c.

What is the hand of God? What the hand of God is. It is the power, or strength of the Lord, whereby he helpeth and doth good vnto the godly, and whereby he worketh mischiefe and taketh vengeaunce on the cursed.

The arme of God betokeneth the pow­er of him, The arme of God. and Christe him selfe, whereof ye may read abundantly. Esay. 54.

The finger betokeneth the holy Ghoste. The finger of GOD.

What be the eyes of God? Luke. 13. The respect, care, The eyes of God. and regarde that he hath vpon the good, and his gentilnesse, mercy and redi­nesse to defend them.

His countenaunce is taken for y e straight and narowe looking of the wicked to their destruction and perdition. The coun­tenance of God. The eyes of the Lord be on the righteous, and his eares attend vnto their prayers. But the coun­tenaunce of the Lord is vpon the sinners. Psalm. 33. His face betokeneth fauour, beneuolence, and the gladnesse in the Lord. But as sone as thou hast turned thy face, The face of GOD. they shall be confused, and wyll turne againe vnto their earth. Psalm. 103. The mouth of the Lord hath great [Page] vehemency and pythe in it, The mouth of the Lorde. for the Pro­phetes when they will haue theyr wordes marked and regarded say: the mouth of the Lorde hath spoken this. Esay. 1.

The outwarde appereaunce of any thing is also called the face: as we say, Iudge not according to the face and out­warde sight.

What the face of the anger of God is. The face of y e anger of God, is y e feling of the curse & wrath of God, also y e presence, sight, & iudgment of God is caled his face as. Let al y e earth hushe or be stil before the face of the Lord. Abac. 2. Psalm. 67. As the Waxe vadeth and consumeth in the face of y e fire: so shal all sinners perishe before the face of God.

The eye of man, what A single eye. What is the eye of man? It is reason, or the wysedome of the flesh. A single eye, is reason instructed with y e word of God.

A wicked eye, is reason depraued and corrupt, A wycked eye. & enuye engendred against their neighboure for the gyftes of God. Otherwhiles the eye, Math. 21. Math. 5.18. hand, right foote. &c. betoken our kinsmen and best belooued freendes.

Feete what they signify. What betoken feete in Scripture? The feete be and betoken the affections, desire, and will of the harte. Psalm. 25. My foote stode [Page] straight foorth, Psalm. 25. that is to say, I haue ney­ther hurt any man, To wash one an o­thers feete what it is. nor would hurt. And though perchaunce I haue hurt any: yet I willed none euill, or hated any. &c. To washe one an others feete, is one to loue an other, and to wyll well one to an other.

What is a slaunder, Slaunder, or offendi­cle what it is. to offende, or to be of­fendicle to any man? It is whereby the faith or charitie of our brother is offended or hurt. The faith of the brother is offen­ded when any man preacheth & teacheth other thinges then the word of God. Of this kind of slaunder speaketh Christ. Math. 18. Who soeuer offendeth one of these little ones. &c.

The charitie of our neighbour is offen­ded or hurt, when we helpe not the poore, when we be not glad of our neyghboures prosperitie, and sory in his aduersitie. &c.

It is the obstacle and let, whereby we fall and stomble in the way of the Lorde, that is to say, we haue not a life vpright and worthy the Lorde, I meane when we stagger in the faith or loue towardes our neighbour, in which two euery christian ought stoutly and still to walke. Phil. 3. Forget­ting with saint Paule the thinges that be [Page] behind our backes, endeuering to come to the marke set before our eyes.

Math. 13.14.15.Otherwhiles slaunder, or offending is taken in Scripture for the offending wher by the wicked can not beare the word.

Hipocrite. Enuious man. What is an Hipocrite? It is the wic­ked man coloured and cloked with godly­nesse. Wherefore hipocrisy is called fay­ned holynesse.

Gen. 4. 1. Reg. 18. 2. Reg. 20. Ioan. 3.1. Reg. 18. What is an enuious man? He whose hart for anger burneth at an other mans pros­peritie, nor can suffer (with his will) any other to be enriched with the benefites of God. So did Cayn enuy Abell his bro­ther, Saul Dauid, and Ioab Amasas. But Iohn did not enuy Christ his succes­sour, when he sayd. He must increase, and I decrease. Nor Ionathas Saules sonne did not thus hate Dauid his loyall and trusty freende and companion.

God to sleepe what it is. What is for God to sleepe? When he seemeth to vs to forsake vs in our temp­tation, nor helpeth vs. So slept Christe in the ship, his Apostles being in daunger and ieoperdye. Math. 8. And so doth Dauid call vpon God to awake: saying arise & wake Lorde, Psalm. 44. why doest thou sleepe so long?

[Page] What is it for men to sleepe? Men to sleepe what it is. When they without all care of the word of God, slugge and sleepe in sinne and ignoraunce, when they refuse, contemne, and regarde it not.

To rest and sleepe in the Lord: is to dye in fayth. Math. 13. Ioan. 7. &c.

What is to be awake? To be a­wake. To exercise and put in vre the word of God, and our faith.

What is fortune? Fortune. It is fate, or destiny chaunsing to any man by the will of God, without mans prouidence.

Who is my brother? Brother. He that hath one father with me, Math. 23. that is to say, God.

Who is my weake brother? Weake brother. He that hath one faith with me in God, and fauou­reth the Gospell: Rom. 14. but yet wauereth and doubteth in his conscience of some things: as meates and difference of dayes.

Who is my neighbour? Neigh­boure. He on whom I exercise charitie and loue, or hee who needeth my helpe.

Who is a Lorde or maister? Lorde, or Maister. He that hath a seruant, gouerneth and ruleth ano­ther: as he whiche keepeth vnder vices and lewde appetites, is Lord and maister ouer them, so through faith in Iesus [Page] Christ, we be Lordes ouer the Deuill, Death and sinne. Also he that vseth the Sabboth or holy daye as he seeth neede: that is to saye, doubteth not (if he see the loue of his neighbour requireth the con­trarie) to breake it, Mark. 2. that man I say, is the Lorde of the Sabboth day.

Seruaunt. Who is a seruant? He that hath a mai­ster, and is not his owne man: Ioan. 8. or else he that is at the becke and commaundement of another.

Thus Paule calleth himselfe the ser­uant of Christ, as he that doth and accom­plisheth the will of sinne, he is a seruaunt to sinne.

A true and faithfull seruaunt. What is a true and faithfull seruaunt? He that hath fayth, and doth his duetie with all diligence, Matth. 24. according to his voca­tion and calling.

A slouth­full and vnfaithfull ser­uaunte. Magis­trate. What is a slothfull and vnfaithfull ser­uant? He which beleeueth not in God, negligently ordereth himselfe in his voca­cion, and refuseth to beare his crosse.

What is an officer or ruler? Euery law­full power among men, ordeined of God to the defence and protection of that that is good, Roma. 13. and to prohibite and to punishe that [Page] that is euill, according to right and equity.

Tirant. What is a tyraunt? An vnlawfull and vniust ruler, which administreth all things as he list, and laieth great burdens & yokes vpon y e people, doing against all conscience & equity. Exod. 1. Such a one was Pharao to the children of Israell. Note well. Howbeit, suche be not to be resisted of Christian men, but obeyed in all thinges saue where they wil haue vs doo that that God forbiddeth vs, and haue vs not to do that that god biddeth. And we must tarye till God deliuer vs out of suche tyrauntes handes: as the children of Isra­el did.

What is matrimony, or wedlocke? Matry­mony. The lawfull coupling and resort of man and woman, Gen. 3. according to the ordinance and commaundement of God.

What is adultery? Adultery. The vnlawful com­pany of man and woman: as is the mari­age with the mother, sister, aunt, brothers wyfe, and such other, wherein Moyses treateth. To that perteyneth stupre, incest, fornicacyon, and like abhominacions, touched in the foresaid Chapiters.

What is properly mans worke, Mans worke. or that man can doo? What soeuer that reason [Page] and the nature of man can inuent and doo: as to rule his house well, to gouerne the common weale, buylde, and searche the na­ture of thinges, and dispute and reason vp­on them.

Workes passing mans pow­er. What is that that is aboue mans power, otherwise called spirituall and heauenly? What soeuer surmounteth reason, and that man can not attaine vnto, except God graunteth it and geueth power to obtaine it: as that our sinnes be forgiuen through faith, and that we be saued by Iesus that dyed on the crosse. That God is our defen­der and louing father, yea in aduersitie and trouble. That God is iust, yea whē he suf­fereth the good men to be persecuted and troubled. And on the otherside, letteth the euill men to enioy and haue all their plea­sure and will here, and preuaile against the good men.

Fleshe and blood, what it is. What is fleshe and bloud? The circum­locution and very descripcion of man. For man of him selfe is nothing but fleshlye and carnall. Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas, Ioan. 3. Math. 16. for fleshe and bloude hath not opened this vnto thee, but my father that is in heauen, sayth Christ.

[Page] What is care and thought? Care and thought, what it is. A playne token of diffidence and distrust in God. It is an vnfaithfull care & pensifenesse of the minde for meate, drinke, clothing, and suche other necessaries, which, in whome soeuer you doe see it: surely it can not bee denied, but that he is destitute of fayth in God, and that his minde is set ouermuch to worldly things. Therefore I saye vnto you, be not carefull for the life, &c. After all such things doe the heathen seeke, Math. 6. sayeth Christ.

The care and thought of faith is prohi­bited by Gods worde. For faith onelye looketh and leaneth to Gods worde and promises.

Nowe to take thoughte and care least God will not fulfill his worde and promi­ses, is to mistrust and not beleeue God, and so much as lyeth in vs, to make God a lyer. Wherefore, as I saide before, all thought and care of matters pertaining to faith, is vtterly to be put away.

The care and sorowe in thinges belon­ging to charitie and loue in euery mans vocation, is commaunded by Gods word, as one to be sorie for anothers mischaunce [Page] and miserie.

Gladnesse of harte what it is. What is the gladnesse of the heart? A token of confidence in God, when in ad­uersitie, trouble, or affliction, wee wayle not, frowne or fret within our selues, but reioyce, looke stoutly on it, and holde our selues well apayde, hauing this euer be­fore our eyes: Prouerb. 3. Heb. 12. The sonne whom GOD loueth and receyueth, he vseth to chasten and beate.

Cōtrariwise, it is also a token of worldly welthinesse, and delight in pleasures of the fleshe, Luke. 6. whom God threatneth: Wo be vnto you that laugh here, for ye shall wepe and wayle, sayth Christ.

Sinne a­gainst the father and the sonne. What is to sinne against the father, and the sonne? It is to resist and persecute the worde of God: but yet by ignoraunce, and of a good zeale: 1. Timo. 1. as Paule did before he was conuerted.

Sinne a­gainst the holy Ghost. What is the sinne against the holy ghost? It is when any resisteth the open, manifest and knowne truth, when any beleeue not the open and playne promises of God, and when any dispaireth finally in the mercie of God.

Zeale what it What is ment by this word Zeale in Scrip­ture? [Page] Zeale, signifieth. is anger medled and mixte with loue: as when the louing father is an­gry with his childe for doing amisse: he doth it not because he hateth his sonne, but in doing so he signifieth his fatherly loue towardes him, willing by that, that shall do no more so, but endeuer to better. For when the childe is thus chidden or beaten, he taketh heede that he doth not so againe, for feare of a more grieuous pu­nishment. It betokeneth also the anger that chaunseth betwixt them that loue har­tely togeather. &c.

From hence commeth iealousy, Iealousy. Why God is called a iealouse God. whiche springeth out of vehement loue. God is called in Scripture a iealous God, not that because any should thinke that any such affections were in God? But that we might learne that God dooth all the things that are done, for nothing else, but for their sake onely, whome he loueth so tenderly, euen his elect. Not bicause he looketh for anye vauntage by it, but that they may be saued, and enioye the king­dome prepared for them.

What is the bodie of Christ? The body of Christ what it is. The con­gregation of all faithfull, and of all that [...] [Page] dinesse of the will to naughtinesse. Rom. 7. Iac. 1. There dwelleth not in me (that is to saye, in my flesh) ought that is good. Wherfore what soeuer is in vs that is good, commeth of GOD.

Sacra­mentes what they are. What be Sacraments and Signes? Good assurances and confirmations of the word of God.

Some define them thus: Sacramentes be signes and witnesses of the will of god towardes vs, by whiche hee moueth and stirreth our heartes to beleeue. Gen. 3.9.17. Such were the skinnes wherwith God clothed Adam and Eua, the Rainebowe, Circumcision, &c. Such be with vs, Baptisme, and the Sacrament of Christes bodie and bloude.

Baptisme. What is Baptisme? The dipping into y e water, in token of repentance, and new­nesse of life to followe. Tit. 3. It is also defined to be the badge and cognizaunce whereby not onely we be knowen to be of the flocke of Christ, but that also wee bee stablished in our conscience, that we be in the fauor of God, and our sinnes forgiuen. It is called the cleane and pure water, the la­uacre of our regeneration, or fountayne of the newe birth.

[Page] What is the Sacrament of Christes bodie and bloude, The sup­per of the Lorde. or of thankesgiuing? An holy mysterie of the bodie and bloude of Christ, institute of Christ, to be eaten of all Chri­stian men, in token of remission of sinnes through Christ: That euen as sure as we take the bread, and eate it with the mouth of the bodie, and drinke the wine: so verily and certainly euē at the same instant, with the mouth of our faith, we receyue the ve­rie bodie and bloude of Christe, and there it doth as actually comforte and sustayne the soule, as dothe the breade and the wyne nourishe and comfort the heart, and the outwarde man.

And as verily as the most souereign pla­ster and salue layde to a wounde or sore, draweth oute the filth, and healeth it: so verily and really doth the bodie and bloud of Christe thus receyued, put awaye the sores and deformities of the soule, and not alonely maketh it whole, but also pure, cleane, without scar, wrinkle, and spot, and so maketh it a delectable, louely, and fayre spouse in the sight of God. Lo what it is to receyue the bodie and bloude of Christ in faith.

[Page] Repen­tance. What is penitence or repentance? We reade of two manner of kindes of repen­tances. One was a Legale in the olde lawe vsed of the Iewes and Israelites, This kinde of repentaunce is a certaine contricion of the minde, Ionas. 3. 2. Par. 33. and hatred and detestation of our sinne, with a sorowe and compunction of the hart, which springeth and ryseth as soone as we begin to feele and perceyue the abhomination of oure sinne, by laying our deedes and desires of our heart to Gods lawe. Suche was the repentaunce and penitence of the Nini­uets, and of Manasses, and of other, which were greatly sorie and compunct in their hart, what by cōsidering their offences on one part, & the anger & iust wrath of God hanging ouer their heade for these of­fences.

The signes of repen­tance.The tokens and outward signes of which repentaunce amongest the Iewes, was commonly clothing in sacke cloth, sprinkling and casting asshes vpon theyr heare, and fasting a day, two or three. This kinde of penitence may also the wic­ked men haue. Math. 27. For Iudas that betrayed Christ, afterward when he perceyued how [Page] wickedly he had done, toke such care, so­rowe, and pensifnesse, that for pure an­guish he hanged himself. So horrible and dreadfull were in his sight hell gates, the wages & payment of his iniquity. There is also an euangelicall penitence: whiche is a continuall study, purpose, and ende­uerment, and wilfull meditacion of morti­fieng our fleshe, and fashioning our liues to the wyll of the Lorde.

And this kind of penitence is onely in them that are renued, and vnto whom the forgiuenesse of sin through Christ is giuē.

As for this word penaunce, because the Popes clergy hath iugled with it so craf­tely, and deceyued the poore innocentes eyes, it is well done to reproue the euill vse and handling of it, as the mainteyning of the same is wicked.

What signifie the latter times in Scrip­ture? The latter tims what they sig­nifie. The Prophetes signifie by them commonly the dayes wherein the prophe­sies, and the figures of the olde testament going on Christ, toke effecte, and were perfourmed. For when Christ came, both the prophesies & figures ceased. And euer sence, Christ is openly sincerely, clearely, [Page] and without all shadowes set out and preached, and so shall continue vnto the worldes ende.

1. Timo. 4. 1. Cor. 10.Paule calleth The latter dayes, y e time a little before the end of the worlde, and the day of the iudgement of the Lord. In which we be euen nowe.

The ende of the worlde. What is the consummation and ende of the worlde? It is when the state and forme of the worlde shall passe by. And when this chaunge of Winter, Sommer, and spring shall cease: when there shall be neyther night nor day.

The day of the Lorde. What is the day of the Lorde? The greate assemblement, court and parita­ment of all men that hath ben from Adam to the last man: at what day our Lorde Iesus Christ shall come with great pow­er and maiesty and pronounce the last sen­tence and dome, Math. 25. both to the good, and to the euill, adiudging the euill to euerlasting punishment with the deuilles, and graun­ting the good and godly man euerlasting ioye and felicitie: to the which that we may come, God through our Sauiour Ie­sus Christ graunt, to whome be all honor and prayse. Amen.

Geue the glory to GOD alone.

¶ An other booke of De­maundes of holy Scriptures: verye profitable to all Students of Diuinitie.

WHO is the author and maker of the most beauti­full frame of this world? Gene. 1. Iere. 10. Eccle. 18. Act. 4. God: whiche by his al­mightie power, wisedom, and goodnesse, doth now also order, gouerne, and preserue the same.

What is God? Ioan. 1. An endlesse vncreated substance, without both beginning and ending: Which by his worde alone first created all things, and nowe disposeth and ruleth▪ yea, and conserueth all things: one substance distinguished, Math. 3.28. 1. Ioan. 5. but not deui­ded into thre sundrie persons, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, and not­withstanding remayning one alone, true, and perfect God.

What is his word, Ioan. 1. whereby he first crea­ted, and nowe preserueth and gouerneth all things? It is the decreed sentence, ap­pointment, will, Psalm. 41. power, and wisedome of [Page] God. Eccle. 40. Esay. 55. 1. Pet. 2. Psalm. 119. Ioan. 10. Psalm. 80. 2. Thess. 2. Ioan. 6. Math. 13. Gen. 2. Sap. 2. Eccle. 15. Gen. 3. Rom. 5. Rom. 14. The Sonne is also called the word, bicause he is the wisedome and might of his father, the word in the Scripture is oftentimes called by a metaphore, or simi­litude, water, wine, milke, a lantern or can­dle, the voyce of the shepeheard, the ryght hand of the Lord, the breath of the Lords mouthe, the bread of life, a pearle or preci­ous stone, and such like.

In what state did God create man? Per­fect, righteous, and good according to his owne image and likenesse: hauing fier and water set before him to take which he would, being endued with free will to doo euill, or to continue still in goodnesse,

What then condemned vs? Sinne by the lawe.

What is Sinne? Sinne is the trans­gression, or breaking of the whole lawe, or of any one commaundement of God. And all that is done without fayth, is sinne: and therefore the good workes of the in­fidelles doe nothing profite them.

What is the Lawe? A learning tea­ching vs with authoritie what ought to be done or auoyded, Gal. 3. Ephe. 2. Ioan. 1. in thought, worde, or deede, with rewardes and punishmentes [Page] for doing or omitting the same. This law is our schoolemaister to teach vs the waye to Christ, by whome the violence, sting, power, and the shadowes of the lawe bee takē away: in whose place he hath brought in grace and truth.

Howe chaunced we to synne? Eccle. 15. By the choyce of our free will, graunted to vs ei­ther to doe good or euill: whereby we lost both our felicitie that we were first placed in, and that our free will also.

Howe then were both we and our forefa­thers reconciled to the fauour of God, which wee lost by our disobedience, Rom. 4 [...] being as vn­fruite full branches of the rotden roote of Adam? By the performance of the merci­full promise of God giuen to Adam, that the seede of the woman shoulde breake the serpents heade: Gen. 3. Renued to Abraham, that in his seede all Nations shoulde bee blessed and perfourmed by Christ, which by his death payd our raunsome: whiche promise and perfourmaunce conueyed vn­to our forefathers and vs, and vnto all the Church by faith, hath ben and is the com­mon and general meane of saluacion: 1. Timo. 2. they (that is to say, our forefathers) beleeuing [Page] that Christ was to come by whome alone they should be saued: & we with no doubt­full faith confessing that he is come, 1. Pet. 2. dyed and rose againe for to regenerate vs to God, to mortify vs to sinne, the fleshe and the world, to rayse vp againe at the laste day, and so to take vs vnto him selfe, pla­cing vs in the glory of his father.

Who receyueth this benefyte? The church of Christ only.

What is the church of Christ? The whole number of the faithfull beleeuers in Christes comming, 1. Pet. 2. Ephe. 1.5. Coloss. 2. Psalm. 118. Ose. 2. sufferance and resur­rection: members of the misticall body of Christ, Graines to make one loafe, Graps to make one wine, liuely stones to buylde on a spirituall house, in Christ to offer spi­rituall sacrifices acceptable to God tho­rowe the same Christ Iesus, which is the head of the same body, the corner stone of the sayd house, Ioan. 1. the Lord and husband to the sayd church his spouse maried to him by faith.

Who bestoweth this benefyte vpon vs? God through Iesus Christ his sonne, Galat. 3. Rom. 8. by whome he hath made vs his children also and fellowe heyres with Christe of hys [...]

[Page] What sygnifyeth this name IESVS? A Sauiour, Math. 1. which is the chiefe poynt of his office, and cause of his comming into this worlde, as appeareth by the wordes of the Aungell to Ioseph, shee (meaning Marie) shall bring forth a sonne, and thou shalt call his name Iesus: For he shall saue his people from their sinnes.

What signifyeth this name CHRIST? Christ is. our king. Annointed whereupon it may be gathered that our Sauiour Christ is a king, Heb. 2, a priest and a Prophet, which .iii. were accusto­med by the lawe ceremonial to be annoin­ted. A king, bicause by inheritance he be­ing the sonne of God, ought to be Lord, and Ruler of all thinges, and bicause he hath conquered and subdued vnto him selfe by death, by bearing our sinnes, by redee­ming vs his inheritance out of the power of the deuill, all the whole kingdome, pow­er and aucthority ouer death sinne and the deuill. A priest bicause he once for all hath entred In Sancta Sanctorum into the most holy and innermost tabernacle of God, Christ is our priest. and hath offered once for all a perpetuall suffi­cient facrifice to satisfy for al mens sinnes, Heb. 7.9.10. and to purchase all mens redemption, not [Page] ceasing nowe still to be a perpetuall Medi­ator and Intercessor to God his father, for man, he himselfe being both God and man, making an ende of, and abolishing all sacrifices and ceremonies, which were but shadowes and significations to put the Iewes in remembraunce of his com­ming before he came. Christ is our Pro­phet. A prophet, for the true and onely sufficient doctrine whiche he preached being here in earth, and lefte behinde him, written by his Apostles for our learning, binding our conscience to be subiect to none other doctrine, but to his alone.

2. Pet. 2. Apoc. 1. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Pet. 2. Heb. 13. Rom. 12.By his kingdome hee hath made vs kings, and heires of his kingdome by a­doption, and conquerors through his most valiant victorie of oure enimies, sinne, death, hell, and the deuill.

By his Priesthoode, with the holy oyle of his spirite he hath made and annoynted vs Priestes, to offer to God the father acceptable sacrifices thorowe him, whiche are y e sacrifices of righteousnes, of praise, of thankesgiuing, of an humble and con­trite heart, of fayth, and wholye to cruci­fie and offer vp our selues vnto him: and [Page] by the same office, we being made parta­kers by him of the same, maye be bolde to come to the sight of God, to offer vp our sacrifice and prayer.

By the office of his prophecie or schole­maistership, he doth lighten vs with the true knowledge of his Father, instructeth vs in the truth, and maketh vs the Disci­ples of God. By this annoyntment recey­ueth he these three offices to communicate them with vs, wherevpon we are called Christians.

What is a King? Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2. A rightfull magi­strate, or heade power vnder God among men, ordeyned of God for the defence of the good, and keeping downe of the euill, according to right and iustice.

What is a Priest? Heb. 5 [...]. An officer appointed and licenced of God, to presente himselfe to the sight of God, for to obtaine his fa­uour by intercession, or to pacifie his wrath by offring vp of sacrifice acceptable to him.

What is a Prophet? A messenger of God, to declare the will of God, eyther in shewing the threatenings, or opening the promises, or expounding and declaring [Page] the mysteries conteyned in his holy worde or will to vs his children.

Christe by nature is the sonne of God, we by adopti­on. Why doest thou call vs his children, see­ing that Christ is his only son? We are not by nature the childrē of god, as Christ on­ly is, but by adoption & grace, or fauour of God. As for Christe he is of the same substance and essence with his father.

By what meanes doe wee receyue at the hande of God these heauenly treasures: Or by what meanes are they conueyed vnto vs? By Faith.

What is Faith? An assured confidence and trust in the truth of God, in the me­rites and promises of Christ, conceyued thorowe Christ, Rom. 10. by hearing of his worde, hoping still for the performaunce of the sayde promises, in the meane season not ydle, but still working by charitie: Or as S. Paule defineth it in his Epistle to the Hebrues: Heb. 2. Faith is a sure confidence of things that are hoped for, and a certainty of things that are not seene.

What is Hope? A constant looking for of those things, which we haue conceyued thorowe faith by the worde of God.

What is Charitie? A godly vertue, a [Page] louely and gentle affection of the minde, Math. 25. whereby we loue God aboue all thinges, and our neighbour as our selfe. Charitie also is taken for the fruites of faith, and workes of mercie.

Who is my neighbour? Luke. 10. Any man, vpon whome I doo execute the workes of mer­cy, or that standeth in neede of my helpe.

Were we predestinate by the grace of God through Christ to his vocation, Ephe. 2. Rom. 8. election, iustification, and saluation before the begin­ning of the world. Yea verely: so sayth S. Paule, he chosed vs in Christ Iesu before the foundacions of the world were layde. Agayne he sayth: we know, that al things worke for the best vnto them that loue God, which also are called of purpose. For those which he knewe before, he also ordayned before, that they should be like fashioned vnto the shape of his Sonne, that he might be the first begotten sonne among many brethren. Moreouer, whome he appoynted before them also he called. And whome he hath called, them also he iustified: & whom he iustified, them he also glorified.

What is the grace of God? Ephe. 1. Gods fa­uour, beneuolence, and kinde minde, that of [Page] him selfe without our deseruing he beareth toward vs, whereby he was moued to be­stow vpon vs his Sonne Christ, and all o­ther his good giftes, with free imputacion of his goodnesse, and vndeserued remission of our sinnes.

What is Predestinacion? The secret [...] vnchaungeable appointment of God before all beginninges by his counsell and wise­dome to life euerlasting concerning his e­lect and chosen people: or any other be­ginning, ordering, or ending of all things.

Math. 11. What is vocation? To be called of the Lord to any manner of benefite, office, or ministracion. There be two kindes of vo­cation: generall, as thus in S. Mathewes Gospell: come vnto me all ye that laboure and are laden, and I will refreshe you. Particular, as the calling or appoint­ment of Kings, Prophetes, Apostles. &c.

What is election? The choyce or ap­poyntment of God to anye ministration, office, dignitie, or preheminence, whiche immediatly followeth the particular cal­ling, as for an example: He that heareth the word, Math. 22. is called: but he that beleeueth, is chosen. By this hearing and beleeuing [Page] may this place be expounded: Manye are called, but fewe chosen.

What is Iustification? Of vnrighteous to be made righteous by the rigteousnesse of Christ, which we conceyue by fayth.

What is Saluation? To enioye the feli­citie prepared of Christ for the faythfull: to be of the number of the glorified saints.

Whereby art thou certified of this libe­ralitie, and of these benefites of God to­warde mankinde? By the office of the Apostles and Preachers appointed for the same purpose.

What is the office of the Apostles and Preachers? Math. 28. Marc. 16. 1. Cor. 4. To preach the worde of God, or the Gospell of Christ, and to minister the sacraments, which Christ himself hath ordeyned to be vsed in the Church.

Howe is that proued? Christ sayd to his Apostles: Math. 28. Mar. 16. Math. 26. go and teache all nations, bap­tizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost. Againe: Go throughout the whole world, and preache the Gospell to euerye crea­ture. And of the Supper of the Lorde, Christ sayde: Doe this in the remem­braunce of me.

[Page] What is the Gospell? It is a doctrine conteyning the promise of free remission of sinnes purchased by Christ alone.

What is a Sacrament? A visible signe of an inuisible grace: or an outwarde ele­ment or corporall substaunce, appointed of God to certifie our fayth, wherewith onely wee receyue it, of the promises of God annexed therevnto.

Of howe manye partes doth a Sacrament consyst? Of two partes: that is to saye, of the element and of the worde.

Howe manye Sacramentes are there? Two: Baptisme, and the Lordes sup­per.

What is Baptisme? The washing of e­uerye beleeuing Christian in water, 1. Pet. 3. Tit. 3. Ioan. 3. Rom. 6. that taketh vppon him to professe the name of Christ, whiche water certifieth our fayth of the inwarde washing and clensing of our soules by the spirite of God: a token of our regeneration, of the mortification of our fleshe, of our buriall with Christe, and of our resurrection vnto a newe lyfe.

Mark. 16. If the beleeuing Christians onely be bap­tised, according to this saying of Christe: He that beleeueth and is baptised, shall bee [Page] saued: Why shoulde the Infantes be bap­tised, which for imperfection of age are not able to beleeue? Though Infantes haue not power to beleeue, or to confesse their beliefe, yet haue they fayth imputed vnto them for the promise sake of God, bicause they bee the seede of the faythfull, as hee sayde to Abraham: Gen. 17. I will be thy God, and the God of thy seede. Seeing then that they also haue y t promise of saluation, why should they be forbiddē y e promised pledge, or seale of y t same promsied saluation: The Sacraments of the Iewes diffred nothing from ours in effect, but onelye in the out­warde element, and forme of executing the same. Why then shoulde oure Infants be more forbidden Baptisme, than the Iewes infantes were forbidden Circumcision at the eyght daye: Gen. 17. Seing we reade that the Apostles baptised sundrie housholdes, as of Stephana, 1. Cor. 1. Act. 16. 2. Tim. 1.4. Lidia, Onesiphorus. &c. (if a man may gesse at a thing, whereof wee haue no certaintie) it is lyke inoughe, that they baptised some Infantes also. But to leaue all gesses and vncertain coniectures, we are sure, Exod. 13.14 that the Iewes infantes pas­sed with their parentes out of Egypt tho­row [Page] the red sea, 1. Cor. 10. and vnder the cloud, which were tokens of our baptisme.

What if the infants die, before they re­ceaue the Sacrament of Baptisme? Gods promise of saluacion vnto them is not for default of y e Sacrament, minished or made vayne, Gen. 17. and of no effect. For the spirite is not so bound to the water, that it can not worke his office, where the water wanteth, or that it of necessitie must alway be there, where the water is sprinckled. Simon Ma­gus had the Sacramētal water, Act. 8. but he had not holy Ghost, being in dede an Hipocrit and filthy dissembler. In the Chronicle of the Apostles Artes we reade, Act. 10. that while Peter preached, the holy Ghost came vpon them that heard him, yea and that before they were baptised: by the reason whereof Peter brast out into these: wordes, & saide: can any man forbyd water, that these should not be baptised, which haue receaued the holy Ghost, as well as we: True Christi­ans, whether they be old or young, are not saued bicause outwardly they bee washed with the Sacramentall water, but bicause they be Gods children by electron through Christ, yea and that before the foundacions [Page] of the world were layd, and are sealed vp by the spirite of God vnto euerlasting life, Ephe. 2. Rom. 11. the giftes and calling of God being such, that it can not repent him of them. Note wel. Notwith­standing, the Sacrament of Baptisme ought not therefore to be neglected, but with all reuerence to be embraced both of old and young. For he that despiseth the Sacrament, despiseth not the Sacra­ment only, but the authour of the Sacra­ment, which is Christ Iesus the Lorde.

What is the Supper of the Lord, or the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ? Bread and Wine consecrated, that is to say, made and appoynted of God to bee a Sacrament to put vs in rememberance, that as the bread is broken, and the wine powred out: so Christes body was broken, and his blood shed for our redemption. And as the bread receaued through our mouth, and digested in our stomacke, driueth away our hunger, and norysheth our body: the wine likewise receiued and digested quen­cheth our thirst, and quickeneth our bloud: so Christes bodie and bloude receyued by fayth, digested with worthie continuaunce therein, not disagreeing from the right [Page] receyuing thereof, slaketh our hunger and thirst, that is to saye, our emptynesse of grace, and drynesse of fayth, nourysheth and quickeneth both our bodye and soule, making vs partakers of the whole merites and dignitie of the bodie and bloude of Christ. And as the bread of many granes is made one loafe, 1. Cor. 10. and the wyne pressed togither of sundry grapes: so wee being many, are one body in Christ: And bicause we are of his body, we must needes also be quickened by his bloude, and lyue of hys spirite.

Remayneth there the substance of breade and wine after the wordes of consecration (as they terme them) or but the accidentes of them onely, as the authors of Transub­stantiation haue heretofore taught? If the substaunce of breade and wyne shoulde bee denied to remayne in the Sacrament of the bodie and bloude of Christ: so shoulde it cease to be a Sacrament. For euery sa­crament, as we haue tofore hearde, consi­steth of the word, and of the element. Now yf we take away water from Baptisme, so is there no Sacrament: verely euen so in like manner take away Bread and Wine [Page] from the Lordes Supper, so ceaseth it to be a sacrament. To declare that bread re­mayneth after the wordes of consecra­tion, Saint Paule calleth it breade di­uers times, as we may see in his first E­pistle to the Corinthians. 1. Cor. 10.11. Act. 2.20. S. Luke also in his Chronicle of the Apostles actes, whē ­soeuer he maketh mention of the Lordes Supper, calleth it y e breaking of breade. And it is to bee thought that so worthye learned men woulde haue presumed to call, so honourable a mysterie, breade, if there had bene no breade remayning but onelye the accidentes of breade, as oure Transsubstantiators teache: Matth. 26. Marc. 14. Luke. 22. Doth not our Sauiour Christe after the wordes of consecration call the misterie of his bloud, the fruite of the vine: And who is so farre estraunged from the right rule of reason, whiche knoweth not that the fruite of the vine is wyne: Here doth it euidently ap­peare by the authoritie of Gods worde, that in the Sacrament of Christes bodie and bloude, there remayneth after the wordes of consecration, the substance both of breade and wine: whereof it truly follo­weth, that the Popishe doctrine of Trans­substantiation [Page] is nothing else than a vaine dreame and foolishe fancie brought in by Antichrist, neuer knowne of y e ancient fa­thers of Christes church, nor yet receyued of the Greekes vnto this day.

Why sayst thou there but two Sacramen­tes, when we haue heretofore bene taught, that there are seauen Sacramentes? Bi­cause Christ in the newe Testament lefte no mo to be occupied in his Churche. As there were giuen to the people of the olde lawe but two Sacramentes: That is to say, Circumcision, and the Passeouer: so likewise in the newe Testament, Christe appointed but two Sacraments: that is, in steade of Circumcision, Baptisme: and in the place of the Passeouer, the Lordes Supper. Therefore as for the rest, they be not aptly called Sacraments. They be honest trades, godlye orders of lyfe, and vertuous, meete to bee exercised of Chri­stians, as Matrimonie, Order, Penance, Confirmation, and extreme vnction.

Gen. 2. Math. 19. 1. Cor. 7. What is Matrimonie? A lawfull ioy­ning togither of one man and one woman to liue chastlye togither, forsaking all o­ther, for to bring forth children in the [Page] feare of God, and to auoyde fornication, contayning an vnseparable fellowship of lyfe togither.

What is Order? Order hathe bene wrongfully taken both for a Sacrament, and for the annoynted order of Priest­hode, which Christ tooke awaye. But in deede, a godly, holy, and reuerende state of Ministers, Preachers, Pastors, or A­postles, is of Christ allowed in the newe Testament, to be louingly and reuerent­ly receyued of vs, as shepeheardes of the flocke. Of whome sayeth Saint Paule: They that rule well, are worthie of dou­ble honour, 1. Tim. 5. but namely they that laboure in worde and doctrine.

What is Confirmation? A godlye al­lowance by the Bishop or Preacher, of the children when they came to age, into the congregation of Christ, as a due exami­nation or triall of their continuance in the same fayth, whiche their Godfathers or sureties in their name professed and pro­mised for them at their Baptisme to kepe. And this Confirmation is as it were a discharge of the Godfathers bondes.

What is penaunce, or repentaunce? A [...] [Page] nowe, what is our dutie towarde him. To loue him, feare him, honour him, followe him, serue him, beleeue in him, to fight vnder his standarde with all fayth, cha­ritie, truth, despising of worldlye things, thanksgiuing, innocencie, fasting, pray­er, obedience, humilitie, and pacience, to put of the olde man, and to doe on the newe, to denie our selues, to take the Crosse vpon vs: to forsake all that wee haue for his sake, and to set forth the glo­rie of his name, that we maye become a worthie Temple for the holye ghost, and meete heyres for the kingdome of hea­uen, the true land of promise flowing with milke and honie.

What is it to loue God? To cast oure whole minde and affection vppon God with all reuerence, and earnestly desire to followe his will.

What is it to feare God? The feare of the Lorde is a lyke reuerence as children owe to their parents: a willing and faith­full heede, that wee committe nothing a­gainst him or his worde, that we offende not so louing a Father, but rather dili­gently apply our selues to liue according [Page] to his commaundement, alway thinking that God doth presently see and beholde all our deedes, words, yea, and thoughts. This feare is the beginning of wisedome. This feare maketh him blessed that hath it. This feare is the fountayne of life. This feare keepeth vs from sinne. Prou. 1. Eccle. 25. Pro. 14. Eccle. 1. Esay. 29. Ionas. 1. And besides a number of other commodities, this feare maketh vs more warely to take heede of the craft of Satan. The feare of the Lorde is also taken for the worship­ping of the Lorde, as it is written: They feare mee in vayne with the commaunde­mentes of men. Ionas the Prophet also sayde: I am an Hebrue, and feare the God of heauen.

If these manye profites and commodities come of the feare of God: Iac. 2. howe chaunceth it that the deuilles doe not enioye the same, which feare the Lorde as much as we? As much in deede, but not as well. For there be two kindes of feare: A childishe or re­uerent feare, Two kinds of feare. whereof I haue alreadye spoken: and a seruile, bonde, or slauishe feare. The feare of the vngodlye by the consideration of the lawe, and feare of pu­nishment, as likewise is the feare of the [Page] deuils, is bonde, seruile, and thrall. 1. Ioan. 4. Of this feare speaketh Saint John in hys Epistle, on this maner: Feare is not in charitie, but perfect charitie casteth feare out of the doores. This feare is called a mightie feare in the Psalme, Psalm. 90. bicause all things by it are done in vnfaythfulnesse, in such ignorance and lacke of knowledge of the mercie of God, as thoughe God were no naturall fatherly God, but a se­uere narrowe eyed Iudge, or cruell ty­rant. These two kindes of feare are well described of the Poet Horace on this ma­ner:

Oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore:
Oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae.

Which may thus be translated into En­glishe:

Good men doe well of a vertuous entent:
Euill men do well for feare of punishmēt.

What is it to honour and worship God? Both with our whole mynde and strength thereof, and with the bodie and power thereof, as subiect to the mynde, and both to God, to reuerence and prayse God, to to declare our loue and feare towardes [Page] him.

What is it to followe God? To beleeue in him, to keepe his doctrine and obey it, to follow him whithersoeuer he leadeth or calleth vs, to beare what burden soeuer he layeth vpon vs, to doe as he hath done be­fore vs, and giuen vs an example to doe after him.

What is it to serue God? To liue accor­ding to his word, to beleeue in him, to re­ferre all thinges to his glorye, to helpe our neighbour, to obey him as our Lorde and maister, whose seruice is no bondage but freedome, Math. 11. 1. Ioan. 5. whose burden is light, whose yoke is pleasant, as Christ sayth: take my yoke vpon you, and learne of me: for I am mecke and lowly in hart, and ye shall finde rest to your soules. For my yoke is easye, and my burden is light. Saint Iohn also saith: his commaundements are not gre­uous.

What is it to beleeue in God? To receaue his seede and doctrine into our hart: to cō ­mit our selues wholely vnto him in all thinges, and certainely to assure our selues that all thinges are true, and shall vn­doubtedly be performed, which he hath pro­mised.

[Page] What is it to fight vnder his standarde? To followe the example of our captaine Christ. As he by death hath conquered sin, death, hell, and the deuill: so we by morti­fiing of our flesh ought to suppresse, subdue, and conquer the same, with the helpe of our sauiour and captaine, whose standarde the crosse vnles we follow, we perishe and be­come a praye to our enemies, neuer to bee redemed, yf he doe not raunsome vs.

What is truth? Christ him selfe the word of God, and what soeuer agreeth with him, Ioan. 14. Ioan. 17. which can neyther deceaue, nor be deceaued. I am the way, the truthe, and the life, sayth Christ. And in his prayer to God the father he sayth: thy worde is the truth. The ciuill truth is an agreemente of wordes and deedes, to say as the thing is, and as we know it to be. Ephe. 4. Of this truthe speaketh the Apostle in his Epistle to the Ephesians, saying: put away lying, and speake euery man truth vnto his neigh­bour, forasmuch as we are members one of an other. Zach. 8. Also the Prophet Zacharie: speak euery man the truth to his neighbour: let none of you imagine euill in his hart a­gainst [Page] his neighbour, and loue no false othes. &c.

What is it to despise worldly thinges? Wholly to set our minde vppon heauenly thinges, not regarding the transitorie and vncertaine vanities of this world, 1. Pet. 1. Esay. 40. Iac. 1. Heb. 13. accor­ding to the wordes of S. Peter: all fleshe is as the grasse, and all glory of man as the floure of the grasse, &c. Knowing and acknowledging with S. Paule, that wee haue here no certaine abyding place, but seeke for one to come: againe, that as we brought nothing into the world, so shall we cary nothing out of it: 1. Tim. 6. but hauing meate, drinke, and cloth, we ought to be content and abundantly satisfied, forasmuch as godlynesse is great riches: yf a man be content with that he hath.

What is thankes giuing to God? To re­member the benefites of the Lord, confes­sing and acknowledging al to come of him, offryng him our whole hart, loue & seruice for the same.

What is innocencie? A mind or consci­ence giltie of no sinne, which commeth through faith in Iesus Christ, as the Apo­stle sayth: we being iustified by faith, are [Page] at peace with God through our Lord Ie­sus Christ: Rom. 5. by whome also it chaunced vn­to vs to be brought in through fayth vnto this grace, wherein we stand, and reioyce in the hope of the glory of God.

What is fasting? To beware that wee oppresse not the bodie, and so by that meanes the minde also, with surfetting, drunkennesse, and excesse, as our Sauiour Christ sayth: Luke. 21. Take heede to your selues, least at any time your hearts be ouercome with surfetting, & drunkennesse, & cares of this lyfe. &c. Agayne, to liue chastly, pure­ly, and soberly: to abstayne from vices, to bring oure bodie into bondage to the spi­rite, and the spirite to God: to minister to the bodie only y • that is necessarie, to mor­tifie the flesh with the affections and lustes of the same. The right abstinence from meates taken as a way or helpe to the ab­stinence from sinne, consisteth not in the qualitie, but in the quantitie of y e meat, not what, but how much meat & drink thou re­ceyuest. For whether fasteth more aright, he that moderately receyueth of flesh, or he y t cloyeth himselfe with fish▪ Tit. 1. All things are pure to them y t are pure, sayth the Apostle. [Page] All the creatures of God are good, 1. Timo. 4. and no­thing to bee refused, if it be receiued with thankesgiuing. For it is sanctified by the worde of God and prayer.

Why then is this lawe so earnestlye esta­blished with such penaltie vpon it, that wee eate no fleshe on Fridayes, or other dayes ap­pointed to abstayne from the same? I take that as a ciuile positiue Lawe, lyke to the actes of Parliament, made for sundrie and diliers purposes concerning the state of a Realme, and for the wealth of the same. For if it were anye lawe of God binding our conscience, no King nor Pope myght dispence with the breaking of it.

What is prayer? To call vpon the name of the Lorde, assuredly trusting to obtayne that we require, so that wee aske of him in his sōnes name and none other, that thing whiche he will to bee required and none o­ther, that eyther for obtayning of good things, auoyding of euill, or releasing and forgiuenesse of euill and sinnes past. Whatsoeuer ye aske in my name, sayeth Christ, that will I doe, Ioan. 14. that the Father maye bee glorified by the Sonne: If ye shall aske a­ny thing in my name, I will do it. Again: [Page] verilye, Ioan. 16. verilye, I say vnto you: Whatsoe­uer ye shall aske the Father in my name, he will giue it you. And Saynt Iohn in his Epistle sayth: 1. Ioan. 5. This is the truste that we haue in him, that if we aske any thing according to his will, he heareth vs. And if we knowe that he heareth vs, we knowe that we haue the petitions that wee desire of him.

What is obedience? A lowlye and har­tie submission of our selues to God, and af­terwarde to oure Parentes, to the Magi­strates, to oure Superiours, and to all those, to whome God hath committed the rule and gouernance of his flocke and peo­ple in this worlde, or in iust causes, to all them, to whome we be by anye title infe­riour.

But what yf our Superiours wyll enforce vs to obey them in vniust causes? In this behalfe we owe them no obedience. God is the highest Magistrate. If any inferiour Magistrate commaundeth any thing, con­trary to his godly commaundement and blessed wyll, we must aunswere with the a­postles. Act. 5. Oportet deo magis obedire quam hominibus. We must obey God more then [Page] men. Examples hereof we haue many and diuers both in the olde and in the newe Testament.

What is humilitie? A subiection of the proud hauty courage of our mind, shewing our selues inferior to all men, presuming in nothing, esteming our selues worse then all men in our owne conceates. And this is that, Rom. 12. which the apostle saith. In gi­uing honor goe one before an other. A­gaine, be not hye minded, but make your selues equall to them of the lower sorte. Be not wyse in your owne conceates. Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Peter: submit your selues euery man one to an other. Knit your selues togeather in lowlynesse of mind. 1. Pet. 5. For God resisteth the proud, and giueth grace to the humble. Submit your selues therefore vnder the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you when the time is come.

What is pacience? Willingly without resistance eyther in thought word or deede to suffer vndeserued punishment after the example of Christ, Luke. 23. which prayed for them that persecuted and moste cruelly tormen­ted him. This pacience is described of S. [Page] Peter in his first Epistle, 1. Pet. 2. where he sayth: seruauntes, obey your maisters with feare, not only yf they be good and courteous, but also though they be froward. For this is thanke worthy, yf a man for conscience toward God endure griefe, and suffer wrong vndeserued. For what prayse is it, yf when ye be buffeted for your faultes, ye take it paciently. But and yf when ye doo well, ye suffer wrong, and take it pacient­ly, then is there thanke with God. For hereunto verely were ye called: for Christe also suffered for vs, leauing vs an example, that we should follow his steppes, whiche did no sinne, neyther was there guile found in his mouth: which when he was reuiled, reuiled not againe: when he suffred, he threatned not, but committed y e vengeance to him that iudgeth righteously &c.

What is the olde man, that we must put of? The naughty, corrupt, and rotten nature, which sithens the fall of Adam we haue lineally at our first generation recea­ued of our parentes through the corrupti­on of the first roote Adam. Or thus: the noughty concupiscence, lust to sinne, and affection of our fleshe, without faith, of this [Page] olde man speaketh our Sauiour Christ on this maner: Ioan. 3. That which is borne of flesh is fleshe. And except a man be borne from aboue, he cannot see the kingdome of god. Also the Apostle: Ephe. 4. Laye from you the olde man, which is corrupt according to the deceauable lustes. Coloss. 3. Againe, put of the olde man with his workes.

What is the newe man, that we must doo on? The renewyng of man by fayth and the word of God: the spirite of God ge­uen by Christ our spirituall and second A­dam: Agayne, to tame the old man our fleshely and first Father Adam: to beget vs agayne and adopte vs to God, whiche Spirite we receaue by Christ at our re­generation. Of this newe man speaketh our Sauiour Christe thus: Ioan. 3. That whiche is borne of the spirite, is spirite. Also S. Paule: Be renued in the spirit of your minde, and put on the newe man, whiche after God is shapen in righteousnesse and true holynesse. Ephe. 4. Coloss. 3. Againe: put on the newe man, which is renued in the know­ledge and image of him that made him.

What is it to denye our selues? Playn­ly to professe, that all our laboures and [Page] works profit nothing vnto saluatiō: to slea the old Adam with al his lusts & affectiōs.

What is it to forsake all that we haue for Christes sake? To esteeme al that we haue not to be ours for his sake, and wil­lingly (if neede so require) for the professi­on of his name to depart from wyfe, chil­dren, parentes, freendes, countrey, house, landes, and all thinges els that we doo or may enioye, yea and to put our selues in danger of all perill for the name of Christ, and profession of the Gospell. He that lo­ueth father or mother more then me (saith Christ) is not worthy of me. And he that loueth sonne or daughter more then mee, Math. 10. is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his crosse and followeth me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life, shall lose it: Luke. 14. and he that loseth his life for my sake, shall finde it. Agayne, if a man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wyfe and children, and bretheren or sisters, yea & his owne life also: he cannot be my disciple. And whosoeuer doth not beare his crosse, and come after me he can­not be my disciple.

What is the crosse, that we must take vp­on [Page] on vs? Any sorow or payne that belong­geth to any vocation or trade of life for the tryall and profe of our faith and pacience. Also it is the correction, chastening rodde and staffe of the Lord, wherewith he puni­sheth them, whome he loueth, not to theyr damnation or vtter casting away from his fauour, but to saluation, and to teach vs to flye vnto him in our trouble & aduersity, as children to our most deare & louing father.

What is ment by the name of the Lorde whose glory we must set forth? The glo­ry, prayse, wysedome, might, power, wor­ship, honor and maiestie of the Lorde. Or the knowledg, preaching and aduaunce­ment of his holy worde.

What is the temple of the holy Ghost? An honest, godly, and faithfull christian hart, Ioan. 4. in the which God is rightly worship­ped in spirite and truth: wherein are offe­red spirituall sacrifices of prayse, innocen­cie, thankes geuing, of an humble and con­trite hart, whose chiefe corner stone is Christ. Knowe ye not, saith Saint Paule, that ye are the temple of God, and howe the spirite of God dwelleth in you▪ 1. Cor. 3. If a­ny man defile the temple of God, him shall [Page] God destroye. For the temple of God is holy, 1. Pet. 2. which temple ye are. Saint Peter also sayth: Ye as liuing stones are made a spirituall house, an holy Priesthode, for to offer vp spirituall sacrifices, acceptable to God by Iesus Christ.

What is the kingdome of heauen? The kingdome of heauen is diuerslye taken in the Scriptures. First, for the holy Gos­pell and worde of God, bicause that is the scepter and yron rodde, whereby God ru­leth, reygneth, and dwelleth in the hearts of the faythfull. Of this kingdome spea­keth Christ in the Gospell on this wise: I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, Math. 16. that is to saye: I will commit vnto thee the office to preache the Gospell of saluation, which openeth and vnlocketh vnto men the waye and doore, Math. 13. by the whiche they may be saued, and enter into the kingdome of heauen. Item, the king­dome of heauen is lyke vnto leauen, which a woman tooke and hydde in three peckes of meale, tyll it were all leauen­ned.

Rom. 14.Secondlye, the kingdome of heauen is taken for fayth it selfe, as Saint Paule [Page] sayeth: The kingdome of heauen is not meate and drinke, but righteousnesse, and peace, and ioye in the holy ghost.

Thirdlye, the kingdome of heauen is expounded the whole congregation of the faythfull abyding in this lyfe, in whome the Lorde by his worde and spirite, doth inuisibly dwell and reygne. Of this king­dome speaketh Christ in the Gospell on this maner: Math. 25. The kingdome of heauen is lyke to ten virgines, whiche tooke their lampes and went to meete the Bryde­grome. Fyue of them were wyse, and fiue were foolishe. &c.

Fourthlye, the kingdome of heauen is taken for the ioye, felicitie, and pleasure, which the soules of the beleeuers enioye, when they are departed out of this world: and their bodies also ioyned with the soules at the day of Iudgement shall en­ioy, euen in that place, which Christ hath prepared for them to possesse: where they shall bee comforted with the sight of his Maiestie and Godheade, and with the fruition of his perpetuall felicitie with him. Of this kingdome speaketh Christ in the Gospell: When ye shall see Abra­ham, [Page] Isaac, Luk. 13. and Iacob, and the Prophets, in the kingdome of God, and you to bee driuen out of the dores.

Finallye, the kingdome of heauen is wheresoeuer Gods worde is preached: from which kingdome they onely are ex­cluded, Ioan. 8. Ioan. 10. Ioan. 19. whiche beleeue not the worde, ac­cording to this saying of Christ: He that is of God, heareth the wordes of God. But yee heare not, bicause yee are not of God. Agayne, My sheepe heare my voyce. Item, Euerye one that is of the truth, heareth my voyce.

What meanest thou, by a lande that flow­eth with milke and honie? Pleasaunt, a­bundance of all things, both sweete and profitable. By the honie is vnderstoode sweetenesse, ioy, gladnesse, and pleasure. By the milke, pure nourishment, whereby we still continue, growe, and increase in fayth and godlynesse vnto the measure of Christ.

When shall we enter vppon, and enioye this kingdome, this promised lande, that floweth with milke and honie? The church militant in this worlde, gouerned by the spirite of their most mightie, valiant, vic­torious, [Page] and triumphant Captayne Christ already enioyeth after a certayne maner in spirite, thorowe fayth in this kingdome and blessed lande, as it is writ­ten: He that beleeueth on the Sonne, Ioan. 3. hath euerlasting life: Hee that beleeueth not on the Sonne, shall not see lyfe, but the wrath of God abydeth vpon him. But when they are ioyned togither both bodie and soule with the reast of the faithfull congregation, which are departed out of this world in the faith of Christ, to make one whole tryumphant congregation, when they haue by the power of Christe conquered the malignant church of the de­uill, which shall be at the last day of iudge­ment, which we doo dayly looke for nowe in these latter times: then shall they true­ly and perfectly enioye and possesse all the ioyes and pleasures of that most ioiful and pleasant lande: Psalm. 17. whereof Dauid speaketh on this manner: I beleeue to see the good things of the Lorde in the land of the li­uing. Nowe we see in a glasse, sayth the Apostle, 1. Cor. 13. euen in a darke speaking: but then shall we see face to face. And as S. Iohn saith: It dooth not yet appeare [Page] what we shall be. But we knowe, that when it shall appeare, 1. Ioan. 3. we shall be like him. For we shall see him, as he is. The eye hath not seene, 1. Cor. [...]. and y e eare hath not heard, neyther haue entred into the hart of man the thinges, which God hath prepared for them that loue him. And all these thinges shall the elect congregation of God enioy and possesse immediatly after the ende of these latter times wherein we now liue.

What callest thou the latter times? The first times were vnder the lawe of nature, till the lawe of Moyses. The seconde vn­der the lawe of Moses, till (the kingdome thereof abolished) Christ entred into this worlde. Nowe the thirde and last time is, and hath bene, sithence the entring of Christ into this worlde, to take out fleshe vpon him, by ioyning in him togither both Godheade and Manheade with an vnseparable knotte to reconcile and knitte togeather God and man, nowe that all the prophecies & figures of Christ be brought to an ende. The last times also are the times, that goe immediatly before the day of the Lord, and ende of the world. Saint Iohn saith: 1. Ioan 2. Little children, it is the last [Page] time. 1. Cor. 10. Iac. 5. Saint Paul saith: We are they, whom the endes of the world are come vp­on. Saint Iames saith: The comming of the Lorde draweth nigh. The Iudge standeth before the doore. And our Saui­our Christ himselfe sayth: The time is at hande. Apoc. 22 [...] Beholde, I come shortly, and my rewarde is with me, to giue euerye man according as his deedes shall be.

Howe farre thinkest thou that daye to be hence? No man can pronounce any cer­taintie of the time, when that day shall be, as our sauiour Christ sayth▪ Math. 24. Of that day and houre knoweth no man, no not the Aungels in heauen, but my father onely. Agayne: Act. 1. It is not for you to knowe the times and seasons, which the father hath put in his owne power. 1. Thess. 5. Saint Paule saith that the day of the Lorde shall come euen as a thiefe in the night. For when they shall saye: Peace, peace, all things are safe: then shall sodayne destruction come vpon them (as sorowe commeth vppon a woman trauayling with childe) and they shal not scape. Notwithstanding although the holy Scriptures doe passe ouer with silence the certaintie of the time when [Page] Christ shall come to iudge the worlde, as a thing more curious than profitable for our saluation, that by this meanes wee might set our selues in the more readinesse against his comming, Math. 24. bicause we are not certaine of the day and houre: yet we may plainely perceyue, that it is not farre of, both by the comparison of our dayes with the dayes of Noe (For thus saith Christ as it happened in the dayes of Noe: so shal it be also in the dayes of the Sonne of man. Luk. 17. They did eate and drinke: they ma­ryed wyues and were maryed euen vnto the same day that Noe went into the Arke: and the floud came and destroyed them all. &c. Euen so shall it bee in the day, when the sonne of man shal appeare) and by the shortening of the dayes promi­sed in the Scripture for the electes sake, Math. 24. and diuers other argumentes besides. Nowe when that day shall once come, (which vndoubtedly shall come out of hand) then shall the Lord seperate the Sheepe from the Goates, Math. 25. rewarde the vngodly with punishment due to their vn­beleife: and the godly he shall put in pos­session of that most glorious and blessed [Page] kingdome, whiche he purchased for them by the crucifying of his bodie, and shed­ding of his bloude. To this Lorde Christ, our alone Sauiour, with the Father and the holy Ghost, be all ho­nour and prayse, both now and euer. A­men.

Giue the glorie to God alone.

¶ To the Christian Reader.

VPon vewe of these our demaunds, Chri­stian reader, if thou further demaunde some question of the boke, of the towne for which it is, of the Author, and of the Prin­ter, no answere I suppose so fully iust (be it that the question double it self twice and a­gaine) as to adiudge the one both in name and deede holy, the other in life godly, the third in his worke learned, the last in his in­tent carefull for them, and not vnmindefull of thee. For in whatsoeuer true religion, christian example, godly inuention, and stu­dious enterprise coulde be beneficiall, in that haue they all ioyntly, and seuerally eche, by doctrine, practise, wit, with paynfull and no lesse chargeable endeuour, serued, if not sa­tisfied thy godly contentation. And for that in doctrine, all thinges are written for in­struction, rightly to vnderstande, faithfully to beleeue, and readily to confesse that rea­son of hope which we haue, demaunde who will frende or aduersarie, aunswere who shall skilfull or vnlearned: to eche of these Christian dueties, with respect of their per­son, [Page] and eche capacitie, this little Pamphlet ministreth, readilye sufficient furniture by playne explication of the principall grounds of our religion, worthy of thy diligence, thou if not vnworthy of the knowledge. But I la­ment with alas. What is it to talke rightly or smothly, and to walke crookedly? Is not the sweete Christian harmonie in consent of saying and doing? For what discorde ma­keth eyther of these by it selfe, or what a­greement? To apply or pleade very olde and almost deade example, hath some force to vice or vertue, in priuate talke, or publike sermon. And the late allegations of Fraunce or Flaunders, purporting noueltie, doe spe­dily quicken our dull sense of hearing: but the home made mention of our familiars, whose affection doth it not moue to eyther side? What can you more greedily heare, or I long, as with child, to tel. The great grace and gift of God on Sandwich towne, by the sound of the Gospel, hath it wrought in vain with the townesmen? are they taught wel, & not wel gouerned? shew thei forth gods prais with mouth, and plucke it down with hand? or rather they expresse their fayth by their works, and their works by faith, in brotherly [Page] loue eche to other, in liberalitie to the poore, in hospitalitie to the Straunger, in erection and maintenance of schooles, in most care­full prouision that no one among them lyue ydle. Which godly proceedings, when the father of this booke, that painfull and god­ly instrument of Christ his church, maister Thomas Becon did with priuate comforte beholde, be coulde not with safe dutie but acknowledge & soūd out the same publikly, to the great prayse of God, the increase of their beginnings, and example of all others, who by reason of decay through sande and shelf albeit they cannot so happily ēter their welnere stopped hauen, yet by view of their race in Iesus Christ, maye finishe the same course by repayred lyfe to their hoped hea­uen. And therefore this worke he tooke in hande, in order and matter excellent, edify­ing by question, playne for capacitie, and briefe for memorie, not as the Seraphicall and Sorbonicall Doctors of the schole, who giue sucklings in religion vinegar for milk, the stronger hard stones for hartie meat: but following the precept of Saint Paule, tea­cheth and confirmeth them in such as bee good and profitable. But least the author of [Page] his intent, the Senate and towne of Sand­wich of their benefite shoulde be frustrate, and the commendation of their godly exam­ple hidden from such as contende to followe, wee haue thought it good nowe first sepa­rately and alone to print the same, whiche before, without greater charge in buying the whole workes of Thomas Becon, coulde not be bad. This our labour if thou shalte accept, it cannot be otherwise, God giuing grace, but that in all profitable maner wee shall be further carefull and diligent for thy Christian vtili­tie. Farewell in Christ.

R. D.

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