The harvest is at hand, vvherin the tares shall be bound, and cast into the fyre and brent. [...]

The harvest is at hand, vvherin the tares shall be bound, and cast into the fyre and brent. [...]

Table of contents

¶ THE HARVEST IS AT HAND, VVHERIN THE TARES SHALL BE BOVND, AND cast into the fyre and brent. Math. xiii. D. G

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☞ To the reader ☜

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Lyke as all men which be of god moueth and procureth one another to seke the true knowleage of all godly leuynge onely of god by assistaunce of his grace in ye holy scriptures, other in hearynge or readynge therof, accordyng to y• cōmānde ment of god both in the old testament and also in the new. Esai. xxxiiii. Iere. ii. f. Iohn. v. c. Col. iiii. d. Tim. ii. a. and iiii. b. So likewise our shameles mōsters wolde haue men to beleue, that their clerkly sophistical doctrīe should sufficiently instructe the people, in the knowlage of the holy scriptures, for they them selues know not what the regeneracion of ye spirite of christ is, but what the deuel and the subtiltie of mans wit by out warde [Page] nynge knoweth, yt many of thē be perfect in, and therby they set foorth their doctrine. Wherfore I haue rudly in this litill botke set furth the trouch as it is written in the holy scriptures, in a witnes against their clerkly sophistical cōueiaunce, knowyng perfectly yt all people whiche be of the elect of god & regenerate in christ, doth delit more in eueri part of the truth being neuer so rudely writen or spoken, then they doo in aclerkly sophisticallye, although he be neuer so pleasantly vttred, how be it our markte men set them foorth apase, for now that they perceiue yt the highe powers, wyll not suffer them to vse their old abhominacions, they set foorth newe Ipochritish doctrin to bringe their [Page] children aslepe, and so to kepe them out of the way, how be it if the childern did knowe perfetly what nurscis thei be that rocke them, they wolde slepe no more in their cradels, but wolde rather ly in ye bare playn groūd wt the electe people of god i christe, amōg whom god sayth bi ye prophite Esai. xxxiii. c. ye shall not se people of astrange tounge, to haue so diffuse alangauge that it may not be vnderstande neyther so strange aspeche but that it shalbe perceued, for al that be the true ministers of christ and haue his sperite in thē as saint paule and wother the appostles had, dispise their out warde holynes and clerckly lernynge as saint paul did. philipp. iii. b. for sainct paul beynge lerned wold [Page] in no wise precahe or wryte any thynge cōsernynge the gosple of christ, after ye maner of outward lernynge. i, cor. iib. and gala. i. c Wherfore be ware of y• doctryne that is be syde this, for to make mani bokes it is an ēdles work. preacher. xii, d. but all scripture geuen by inspiration of god, is profitable to reach, to improue, to amend, & to instruct, in rightuousnes, that the mane of god may be perfite, & prepared vnto all good workes. the ii timo. iii. d. for all the wordes of god are pure & cleane, and he is ashelde vnto all them yt put their turst, in hym. Wherfore friste knowe this that no prophicy in the holy scripture hath any priuate interpretation, for the scripture cam not by the wyll of man, but [Page] holy mene of god spake as they were moued by the holy goste. y• ii. peter. i. d. and euen so nowe ye thynges of god knoweth no māe but y• sperit of god, which sperit sercheth althynges euen the bottom of goddes secretes, wherby we knowe the thynges that are geuen to vs of god, whiche thynges also wee speake not withe wordes whiche mans wysdome or lernynge teacheth, but withe wordes which the holi gost doth teache. i. cor. ii. c. praynge alway in sperit for grace merci & peace from god our father, and frome our Lorde Ihesus Christe. to be with all them whiche loue the profession of his gosple vnfaynedly. Wherfore oure faythfull prayers beynge mad to god, for the vnyersal assystaunce of his [...] [Page] graces, our moste bounden duty is, to pray, for the preseruatyon of the moste Royall estate of the Kynges maieste, my Lord protectors grace and all other of y• kinges most honorable Coūsell that the kynges highnes procedynges maye prosperusly take good effect to ye glory of almyghty god, to the kynges honor and to the encrease of all godlynes, in ye vtter dystructiō of y• whole Incorporatiō and power of all marckt prest hod, and to restore the people of god within all his realmes and dominions, again frely in to the true lebertie of ye gosple of christe, lyke as the godly Kyng Iosias beyng yong of age in the begynynge of his time, distroyed all the preestes & prophites of baall, & of other [Page] false goddes, and also restored the people beynge Iewes to the true worshippynge of god after the lawe of moyses. As we reed the iiii kynges xxiii. and the .ii. of cronicles xxxiiii. Wher with al god was well pleased, and is alway with all Kynges & hygh powers, which seke his glory, and the deposition & vtter suppression of all suche tirannous Ipocrires as all our markt mē be, which in tim past hath caused Kinges & other high powers to assist thē to execut their abhomīable deuelish tirani, & to maī tayne al other of their abhomynations, which doth fare exced all other abhominations, yt any man mai read of in ye holy scriptures ye hath beenn sence ye begynynge of the worlde, both for [Page] long continuaunce and also for great delusion, namely it doth fare exceed the abhominations of the prestes and prophites of baal, for wher baales prestes be fore the raygne of the sayd godly king Iosias, caused y• people to worshipe Idoles, our markt men haue bothe caused y• people to worshipe many mo Idoles, then euer baalles prestes did, & be lyke wyse worshipped themselues as Idoles, and be also named the ministers of the gosple of christe, although they delite in habōndance of temporal possessiones, hauynge names of dignitie lyke tēporall Princes and rulers, cleane contrary to the doctrine of christe. math xx. d. &. xxiii. v. mark. x. [...]. luke. xxii. c Iohn. xiii. v. Pet. v. a. Whiche [Page] is an open presūptuōs blasfemi of ye gosple. and like as baalles prestes procured ye death of many of the true prophets of god, so haue our markt mē procured and sougth the death of all maner of people whiche profeste ye true religyon in christ, & lyke as baales prestes dyd cōtrary to ye ordynancis of god wrytten in the lawe of moyses, so haue our marked mōsters don & yet dayli doth so fare forth as thei dare for fere of the temporall power cleane contrary to all the ordynaūcis of chryst wrytten in the gosple. and yet wold stil be naēd to be the ministers of christe, be cause they can talke of goddes worde, and haue many crafty argumētes & sophystycall dysputations therof, and therfore [Page] thei say thei know god, but with their dedes thei deny him. Cit. the fyrst chap. b. hauynge but a similitude or vayne shadowe of godlynesse, but haue openly denied the power therof, the .ii. of Cim. iii chap. a. wherby they ar plainly knowne to be the chyldren of the deuyll and dampnacion. Ihon. viii. f and the first epistle of Ihon. iii. b. Wherefore God sayth by the Prophet Esa i the .xiiii. chap. e. Let there be a waye sought to destroye theym which be in their fathers wyckednesse that they come not vp agayn to possesse the land. And it is also writē in the Psalmes. cxxxvii. b O daughter of habilō, happie shall he be that rewardeth the as thou hast serued vs: blessed shall he be that taketh [Page] thy chyldren, & throweth theim against the stones: for the tyme is come that whosoeuer wil not receyue the trewe doctrine of Christ shalbe destroyed from amonge the people. Actes. iii. d. And the vngodly transgressors & suche as are become vnfaithfull vnto the Lorde, must all together be vtterly destroyed. Esa. i. g. For the Lorde Ihesus shal shew himselfe from Heauē with the Angelles of his power with flamyng fyer, which shall render vengeaunce vnto theim that knowe not God, and that obey not vnto the gospell of our Lorde Ihesus Christ, whiche shall be punyshed with euerlastynge dampnacion, frome the presence of the Lord, and from the glorie of his power. The seconde [Page] to the Thessalonyans the fyrste Chapiter. d. In whiche power he is now come in spirit to be glorified in his Sayntes, and to be magnified in al them which beleue. The second to the Thessaloniās, the first chap. d. which is the bynding of Satan and the fyrst resurrection spoken of in the Apocalipses the xx. chapiter. a. b. that is, where as the trewe professyon of the Gospell hath ben so moche persecuted & hated euer synce the Apostelles tyme, that no man myght be suffred opēly to folow it. Now God wyll glorifye all theim that loue it, for euer and euer, thoroughoute all posterities. Esai. lx. c. And wyl clerely destroy the whole power of all the enemyes thetof. Esay. lx. b. [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] O consyder this, ye that forget God. Psalm, l. d. And holde you styll in the Lorde, & abyde paciently vpō him yet a lytle whyle, and the vngodly shall be cleane gone. Psalm. xxxvii. b. wherfore put nothyng to the woordes of God lest he reproue thee, & then thou be founde a lyer. Prouerb. the .xxx. a as all our markt men be, therfore kepe alwayes in remembraunce, and submyt your selues to the cōmaundementes of god. Deut. iiii. a. xii. d. where he sayth: you shall put nothyng vnto the wordes which I commaūde you, neither take ought therfrom: for if any man shall adde any thīg to the holy scriptures, God shal adde vnto hym the plages that ar writtē therin: And if any man shal minish [Page] any parte therof, God shal take away his parte out of the boke of lyfe. Apoc. xxii. d, Neuerthelesse suche is the disposicion of man: for the fyrst man Adam Man. bare a wicked hert, trāsgressed and was ouercome, and so be al they that ar borne of hym, The iiii of Esdxas the .iii. chap. c. for the imaginacions of mans hert is euyll euen frō his youth, Gene. viii. d. And is but earth, earthly. i. Corin. xv. f. Endued with wyt and reason. Genes. i. And subiect to affection & lust. Gene. iii. And no man hath attayned to the whole knowledge of his owne synne. Psal. xix. d. For in the flesh of man remayneth no good thyng. Roma. vii. d. Wherfore those thīges which men haue in hygh estimacion be [Page] abhominable in ye sight of god. Luke. xvi. d. For the naturall man perceiueth not the thinges whiche belong to the spirite of God. i. Corin. ii. chap. d. Wherfore it is vndoubtedly to be beleued, that all people remaynyng in the olde Adam, beyng of naturall discressyon, whiche be not yet regenerate of God, with the spirite of Christ, are thus farfurth vntyl this tyme. the subiectes of the deuyll & abiectes from God. Roma. viii. b What wisdome or learning soeuer thei haue, or what outward lyfe soeuer thei lyue, & knoweth nothyng of the thynges of god. i. Corin. ii. c, the .iiii. booke of E [...]dras the .iiii. b. Neuerthelesse reason and learning by the workes frō the creasion declareth [Page] and confesseth God, so that they are without excuse that so know God, and glorifye hym not as God. Romayns the first c. Howbeit no man, by any gyft of nature may glorifye God, or do any thyng which is godlye: for it is God which worketh al goodnesse in vs, bothe the wyll, and also the deede, the Philippians the seconde. c. Wherfore, the onely trewe & perfect remedy is for all reasonable people to seeke of God in prayer, the regenaciō promysed in Christ. Esaie. liiii. d, Ihon vi. c. Mat. vii. chap. b. and Luke the .xi. b. Wherby they shal haue both the true vnderstāding of his word, & also power in spirite to lyue alway accordyng to the trewe professyon of the Ghospell: for [Page] otherwyse no mā may be acceptable with God and a partaker of euerlastyng lyfe with Christ. Math. xiii. c. and Luke. viii. b. For neither reason nor learnīg can declare the true religion in Christ wherwith onely God is pleased and pacified by Christ: wherfore wo be vnto them that are wyse in their owne syght, & thynke themselues to haue vnderstanding. Esay v. e. And precheth or setteth furth anye doctryne of the holye Scriptures, without the spirite of god, Esai. xxx. a. And cursed be ye mā that putteth his trust in man, & that taketh flesh for his arme: & he whose hert departeth from the Lorde, he shalbe lyke the heath that groweth in the wildernes: and as for the good thyng that [Page] is for to come, he shall not see it. Ieremy. xvii. b. But shall be as ignoraunt of the comyng of the glorye of the Gospell, as the most parte of the Scribes and Phariseis were of Christ: for God hath wrapped all nacions in vnbeliefe, that he might only haue mercye on all his electe. Romaines the .xi. Chapiter. e. for in the tyme of the Law, the Lawe. hygh learned Scribes & Pharyseis beyng ignoraunt of God for their vnthankefulnesse sake thought to establysh their owne righteousnesse by the law. Romaines the .x. chapiter. a. Lyke as our marked men now beyng destitute of the spirit of Christ, thynketh to minister the gospel by their outward learnyng: for other knowledge thei haue not, [Page] but doo therin now lyke as the Scrybes and Phariseys dyd, which knew not that the lawe was spirituall, and that it required more perfectiō then mai be obserued of any erthly man, namely in that that it cōmaundeth, that we shoulde not lust. Exodus. xx. chap. c. Deut. v. b, For who soeuer lusteth or desyreth in herte any thyng whiche is his neyghbours, is condemned by the law. Math. v. c. For they knewe not that the lawe was geuen to vtter synne, and to shew the imperfection of our flesh, and that therby no flesh shall be iustified in the syght of God. Rom. iii. c. Wherfore they were ignoraunt also of the promyse made to them in the law: for there was neuer no promise [Page] of euerlastyng lyfe made vnto man therin, but only that those Isralites which dyd the thīges of the lawe, should lyue therin, Gal. iii. b. Receiuyng the benedictions promysed in the lawe. Exo xxiii. d. Deau. vii. b. where Moyses sayde vnto them: if ye hearken vnto these lawes & obserue & do them, the Lorde thy God wyll loue thee & blesse thee and multiply thee, and he wyll also blesse the fruit of thy wōbe, the fruit of thy land, thy corne, thy wyne, & thyne oyle, & the encrease of thy oxē, & the flockꝭ of thy sheepe, & ce. These & such other lyke were the benedictiōs promysed of GOD to theym, which lyued in the law, so that the receiuyng of these benedictiōs declared what righteousnesse was in theim concernyng [Page] the law, neuertheles the doinge of the thynges of the iawe dyd not helpe them to euerlastynge lyfe, for that was geuen before to Abraham, & his seede by promis, Gen. xii. a. the .xviii. c. xxii d. so that all people after that tyme, which were partakers of euerlastyng lyfe, dranke of the same spirituall rocke of faithe which Abraham did, i. Cor. x. a. both in the tyme of the law and also before the lawe, for the inheritaunce of euerlastynge lyfe, commeth to all people onely by grace, through fayth, Ephe. ii. b for the law was but only added because of transgressiō, tyll the seed came to whom the promise was made (whiche is Chryste) Gal. iii. c. So that what so euer the law saithe, it saithe to them [Page] whiche are vnder the lawe, Ro. iii. c. for the lawe was a scolemaister, till the tyme of chryste, but syns that tyme, all people whiche be regenerate in chryst, are no lenger vnder the lawe, galath. iii. d. for the lawe is not gyuen to no personne whiche is made righteous in chryste, by a true faith, hauyng the power in spirite by the gyfte of the holy ghost, to loue al the elect people of god, accordynge to the commaundement of chryst, Ioh. xiii d. for the hole commaundemēts of the lawe are included in the perfection of loue, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of a faythe vnfayned from the which thinges because the whole multytude of our markt men haue erred, thei are turned [Page] to bayne iangelynge about the law, & would be techers therof, & yet vnderstand not what they speake, neither wherof they affirme. i. Tim. i. chap. b. But be euen suche lyke teachers, as we reade of Act. x b. that troubled the cōgregaciō in the Apostles tyme, which wold haue had sircumsicion & the cōmaūdemētes of Moses law kepte, which neuer no man els in his flesh was able to kepe, but onely Christ: wherfore the Apostles by one assent, wrate a cōtrary cōmaūdement that we shoulde beleue no such doctrine, but to abstain frō thynges offred to ymages, & frō fornicacion & such vnclennes, & that so doing we should do wel. for our markte mē which teach the lawe, obserue not the lawe. [Page] Gala. vi. c. Neither they know not that Christ is thendt of the lawe, to iustify all that beleue. Rom. x. a. But they be very desyrous of the benedictiōs of the law, & thynke them selues to be in the fauor of god, because they haue habundance of al worldly thynges, the fyrst of Tymothy the vi. chapiter. b. Unto whom saynt Paule sayth. Galat. v. a. That al those which trust in the law (and seke the beuedictions therof) are fallen from grace, & woulde that all such teachers were clearely seperated frome the companye of all Christen people. Galathas the .v. chap. b. For they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ, whose ende is damnaciō, whose belly is their God, and glory to their shame, [Page] whiche are worldelye mynded, philipiās. iii. d, wherfore let vs wholly depend of Christ, which hath fulfilled all thynges that [...] was written of hym, in the law of Moyses & in the prophetes, and in the psalmes, luke. xxiiii. E. which also hath all power in heauen and in earth, and hathe made a generall peace betwene god the father and vs, and hath also put away through his flesh the cause of hatred euē the lawe of commaundementes, conteyned in the law written. ephe. ii. c. so that he hath clerely put out the hande wrytynge that was agaynste vs, conteyned in the law wrytten, & that hath he taken out of the way, and hath fastened it on his crosse, collos. ii. c and hath also established a new [Page] testmaent, not lyke vnto the old accordynge to the promysses of god, spoken of by the prophetes Ieremye. xxxi. f. xxiiii, b. xxx. d. Ezechiel. xi. d. xxxvi. e. where he saythe, I will put my lawes in their myndes, & in their hertes I wil write them, and I wilbe their god, and they shall be my people, and they shal not teache euery man his neighboure, and euery man his brother, sayeng: knowe the lorde, for they shal al knowe me, from the least to the most of them, Ebre. viii. c. & x. c. Here ye mai se & perceiue plainli that the promise of this testament, is made onely to thē that be regenerate in christ, & therby knoweth ye true professiō of ye gospel, accordyng to the doctryne of christ, mat. xiii. c. luke. viii. b [Page] For whosoruer knoweth it not beyng of naturall discression, hath no promyse made within any parte of the new testament to be saued by Christ, if he departe this present lyfe in suche ignoraunce: wherfore god sayeth by the Prophet Esay the .ix. chapiter. c. All they whiche enforme the ignorant people, that they be in a ryght case, they be disceiuers, and suche as men thynke to bee perfecte amonge thē, are but cast awayes, For it is also wrytten. Esay the, liiii. d That all those people whiche shalbe saued in Christ, shall be taught of God, which wordes Christ himself doth also verify. Ihon. vi. b. and sayth lykewyse, that they shall be all taught of God. And saynt Paule sayth. ii. [Page] Corin. iiii. a. That the Gospell is not hydd, but onely amonge them that are loste, whom the deuyll hath deluded. Wherfore Knowsege to know who theibe that knoweth the gospell, and who they be that knoweth it not, & wherby ye shal know them, as the scripture teacheth: ye shal haue it exprest in this treatyse hereafter folowyng, specially who be the true ministers of the gospell of Christ, and also who be the disceiuers of the people: for Christ sayeth. Math vii. c, A good tree can not bring furth bad fruyte: neyther can a bad tree bringe forth good fruyte: wherfore he sayeth, by their fruytes ye shall know thē: for either the tree is good & his frute good, orels the tree is euyll and his fruite euyl [Page] Math. xii. c. for it is not a good tree that bryngeth furthe euell fruite neither is that an yll tre that bryngeth furth good frnte luke. vi, g. wherefore it is expedient and necessary to knowe, first what fruites these be that christe speketh of, whereby all people may be knowen, that is to know, what good dedes they be which an euil mā cannot do, and also what euill dedes they be which a good man cannot do First christe saith Iohn. xiii. E, that all his electe people shalbe knowē bi loue, which thei haue one to an other, and saithe also luke. xiiii. f. If a man come to me and hate not his father, and mother and wyfe and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, & his owne lyfe also, he cannot be [Page] mi disciple, and whosoeuer doth not beare his crosse likewise & com after me, can not be my disciple. And furthermore saithe luke. xviii. d, who so euer receyueth not the kyngdom of heuen as a childe, shal not entre therī. And saith also. mat. xviii. a. Except we turne & become as children, we shal not enter in to the kyngdome of heauē, wherfor by these thynges before rehersed both ye people of god & ye people of ye deuil, are perfitly knowen, Fiyst all the elect people of god, are knowen by godly loue, one to an other according to the saienges of christ before mencioned, which godly loue commeth only by the gift of the holy gost. Rom. v. a. And falleth neuer away from them which be regegenerate [Page] in Christ. i. Corin. xii. b. So that enuye and malyce be synnes which the people of God beyng regenerate in Christ, can not be infected with all: wherfore they be the principallyst euyll fruytes that Christ speaketh of. Math. vii. c. whiche no good tree can beare: for the spirit of God remaineth alway in theym that be regenerate in Christ. Esay lix. c. Ihon, xiiii. b wherefore they can not do contrary to the cōmaundement of Christ. Ihon. xiii. e. whiche is loue, because they are borne of God, & his seede remaineth alwayes in theym, the Epistle of Ihon. iii. chap. b. But the people of the worlde can haue no suche perfection of loue to the people of God. Ihon. x. c. For perfecte [Page] loue is the moast principallest gift of the holi ghost. i. Cor. xiii. c. wherfore it is also the principalest good fruyt which Christ speaketh of. Mat. vii. c. Whiche no yll tree can beare: & likewise as ther remaineth in the people of God a perfect loue to al them that be obedient to the Gospell of Christ, so is there also in thē a spiritual hatred according to the saiyngs of Christ. Luk. xiiii f. Agaynst all worldly affectiōs & lnstes, both in them selfes & in al other people, but specially against the whole conuersaciō of almarked mē, & other which dispyse or refuse the true doctrine of the gospel. ii. tim. iii. c. so that ye vnfained hatred of al worldly affectiōs & lustes, & the hole conuersaciō of al merkt mē & other [Page] which refuse ye true doctrine of chryst, is also a gyfte of the holy ghost, onely to theym whiche be of the electe people of God, for worldly people can not hate all worldly affections and lustes, wherfore the vniuersall hatred thereof is also an other good fruite whiche no euyll tree can beare, howbeit by this fruit the electe be not perfectly knowen but only to them selues, neuerthelesse by doyng of the contrary, as by louyng and delyting in worldly affections & lustes: the people of the world ar plainly knowen to be the subiectes of the deuil, for who so euer loueth the world, or the thinges of the worlde the loue of god is not in him, the first epistle of Ihō. the seconde chap. c. And as for the [Page] bearyng of the crosse of Christ before mencioned, whiche is to haue alwai a spiritual pacience in all aduersyties, tribulacions and persecucions, & to reioyce only in them. Gala, vi c, Beyng therbi assured in a stedfast hope the secoud of Tim, ii. chapter. b Roma. v. a, Knowyng also vndoubtedly the occasyō why god sendeth such aduersyties, tribulacons and persecusyons to all his electe people, is lykewyse a principall gyft of the holygost, and also the spirituall conforte and ioye which the elect people of God haue therin, vnto that tyme the gospell be fully glorified, is cleane contrarye to the natural disposiciō of al worldli people: wherfore it is lykewyse an other good fruyte whiche no [Page] yll tree can beare. And where Christ sayth. Luke. xiii. d. That who so euer receyueth notte the kyngdome of God as a chylde, shall not enter therin: & sayeth also. Mat. xviii. a. Excepte we turne & become as chyldren, we shal not entre into the kingdom of heauē. This doth manifestly declare vnto vs, that all people which shal be saued in Christ, & receyue euerlastyng lyfe, shall receiue it only by grace geuē of God, in the mercifull promyse made in Christ, without any assystance ther vnto of any of our owne workes. Ephe. ii. b. For euery one that entereth into the true rest of the Saboth of God, ceasseth frō doing of their owne woorkes. Ebrues iiii. b. And submitteth them selfes as elect [Page] chyldren, wholly to be taught & lead in their conuersacion only by the spirite of Christ, vnto whom they geue the honor of al godly enstructions, so that thei do not after their owne ymaginacion, neither seke their owne wyll, nor seke their owne wordes. Esay the .lviii. d Which the Scripture sayeth, Apoc. xiiii. a In suche a songe as no earthly persones could learne synce the tyme of Christ, but onely the nombre appoynted, of whome there bee some reserued by the mercifull goodnesse of God, to declare the trewe euerlastynge gospell of Christ, to the glorye therof through out the vniuersal world. Apo. xiiii. b. wherfore it is also a principal gyft of the Holy goste, whiche no worldly person hath neither knoweth of [Page] Thō. xiiii. b. And an other good fruit which no yll tree can bere, so yt by these fruites before mencioned and not otherwyse by any other outward appearaūce, both the people of God, & also the people of the deuyll be perfectly knowen to all theim that knoweth the trewe doctrine of the spirite of Christ. Howbeit the worldly people which worship the beast & his ymage, yet vnto this tyme, thynkethe to know & to deserne what sortes men be of by other outward hipocritish workes, wherfor they condempne the people of God in their iudgementes, as the scribes & pharise is dyd Christ. Tho ix. c Because thei seme not to theym to be so holye in their outwarde appearaunce, as the [Page] worldly hipocrites do. Howbeit the best meane & way to knowe who be the true ministers of the gospell, and who be the disceyuers of the people, if they bee straungers vnto vs, so that we can not know them by their spiritual fruites before mēcioned: then the surest way is to serche diligently whether they preach the gospel in lyke maner as the Apostles of Christ dyd, and as Christ cōmaunded al his electe ministers to do, that is only by the instruction of the holy gost, & not otherwyse. Luke. xxiiii. e. For that, that the excellency of the power of the ministraciō of the gospell myght be Goddes, & not ours. ii. Corin. iiii. chap. b. So that all the elect ministers of Christ, geue the glorye and [Page] praise of the ministraciō of the gospell, wholly to the spirite of Christ, which is geuen to euery one of the electe people of God, which shall be saued in Christ. Act. ii. f. & the fyrst. Corin. xii. b. Wherfore whosoeuer preacheth the Gospel after any other maner then onely by thinstruction of the spirite of Christ, is a disceiner, whom the spirite calleth Ihon. x. a. A theife and a murtherer, for that that he taketh vpō him to entre into the sheepe folde of GOD, whiche is his woorde conteyned in the holye Scriptures, by another meane and waye then by the most holy Spirite of Christ, which is the only dore wherby all the electe people of GOD entre into the trewe knowledge of the holye [Page] scriptures, so that all our marked men which preach without his spirite, are spiritually both theues & murtherers: for they are theues, because they take from Christ that which is his, that is the ministracion of the woorde of God, whiche ought onely to be ministred by the power of the spirite of Christ: for otherwyse as by outward learnynge, or anye other meane or waye, no man can minister it purely and truly, the first to the Corinthians, the seconde chapiter. b. c. Accordynge to the Commaundement of Christe. Wherefore, oure Markte men are also Murtherers, because they dooe as moche as in theim lyeth, spirituallye to murther all those soules to whome they [Page] haue so preached. For likewyse as we haue but one Christ, so is there but one trewe doctrine of Christ, and but one spirituall conuersacion for all people to keepe, whiche be regenerate in Christ. Ephe. iiii. a. Phil. iii. c. For all our marked men which inclyn not vnto ye good wordes of our Lorde Ihesus Christ, & to the doctrine whiche accordeth to godlynesse, are pufte vp with the delusion of the deuyll, and knoweth nothyng that is good, but wasteth their braines about questions & argumentes & stryfe of wordes, with many vayne disputacions after their corrnpte myndes, beyng clerely destitute of all true knowlege. i. Tim. vi. a. Neuerthelesse all true ministers of the gospell of [Page] Christ, seketh with most diligence to haue all people to come to Christ: that is, to beleue all the promyses made in Christ, and to seke of God by Christ, all thinges that he hath promised. Whereof the mooste principall thing is to be regenerate of god with the moste holye spirite of Christ, without the which spirite no man can entre the kingdome of God. Ihon. iii. a. That is, no man can know the thyng that is godly, nether wherwith GOD is pleased. i. Corin. ii. c. Wherfore it is most nedefull & expedient for all people hauing the gyfte of naturall reason to examyn their conscience surely and plainly by Goddes worde, either in hearynge or readynge therof, & so to know them selues [Page] what estate they be in: or who soeuer hath not his conscience agreable ther vnto, wholly & directly without other wrestyng or writhyng thereof, hathe no promyse made within any part of the holy scripture to be saued in Christ, but the wrath of God remaineth vpō him. Ihon. xii. g For although that the apostles woulde that the Elders of the congregaciōs in the primatiue Church of Christ, should be are with the wekenes of the Iewes whiche receyued the Gospell at the begynnyng of their conuersion in their scrupulosytie for etyng of meates and other lyke thinges, yet neuerthelesse they would not suffre any of them to continewe in the congregation which conuerted not, after certayne [Page] admonicions frō al kynd of such bondage. Tit. iii. c. But vtterli expulsed them out of the congregacion, & al that taught any such doctrine to lai any maner of yoke of bondage vpō any of the congregacions. Gal. ii. a. more then that which the Apostles theim selues had taught: wherfore thei cōman̄ded, that if any mā preached or taught any other doctrine although it wer ā Angel from heauē, we should hold him acursed. gal. i. b Wherfore here is to be noted, that all thei which minish ani thing fro or addeth any thynge more to ye Apostles doctrine, then yt which they and the Euāgelistꝭ and the Patriarkes & prophites haue written vnto vs, ar accursed of God. Apoca. xxii d. which saynt [Page] Paule calleth other doctryne, because there is other thingꝭ in it, then that which the holygost teacheth: For the Apostles of Christ wer the last people that God appoynted to write scripture, whose doctrine shall remayn to the worldes end. Act. i. a. Roma. x. d Wherfore, whosoeuer beleueth any mans imaginaciō consernīg the doctrine of the holy scripture, thinkyng that by anye exposicion, other written or preached, he maye haue the true vnderstandynge therof, may be well lykened to such a blyude man, which being withoute eyes thynketh to see with an other mans eyes if thei were set in to his head, and consydereth not that the syghte of the eyes is a gift of nature, only [Page] to theym, in whome naturally they be, & that no mans cūning can do any such workes: muche lesse then maye any mans doctryne either writtē or preached make them whiche be but naturall men to see & perceyue the spirituall lyght of gods worde. Before that tyme they be regenerate of God, & after regeneraciō, all those people in whom the spirite of Christ remaineth, haue no more pleasure in mans clerkely curiosytie in the doctryne of the holy spirite, then a naturall man hathe beyng vnlearned, & is very desyrous to haue the knowledge withoute boke by hert, of some thing that is written, & one that shoulde reade it: & so teache him, dothe syng it to hym in prickesong, [Page] hanyng much fyne descant ther in, by the meane wherof he doth not perceyue the wordꝭ perfectly whiche he desyreth to learne by hert: in this case he that wer so taught, would thinke that he had a frowarde scolemaister, & euen so lykewyse do al the electe vnlearned people thynke, when any man maketh long clerkely protestacion & sircumstaunces in the doctrine of the holy scriptures, because it hindreth them from that whiche they woulde learne by hert, that is the true literall sence of the holy scriptures as they be written. For the true vnderstandyng therof is geuē them of god. Esa liiii. d Ihon. vi. e. and. x. a. whensoeuer they heare the true literal sence ther of spokrn, being written for [Page] our instruction. Wherfore they delyte not in suche clerkely curiositie of men, but do vtterly abhorre it, because so many mē haue ben disceyued by it, and do note also much presumption in all theym that vse it, because saynt Paule & all other whiche were godly refused it, the fyrst to the Corinthians the seconde chapiter. a b. and to the Galat. the fryst. b. c. For lyke as the naturall reason of man discusseth all reasonable erthly thynges, so doth the spirite of Christ only discusse all godly thynges necessary to be knowē vnto Galat. the fyrst Epistle of Ihon. ii. c d. & the fyrst to the Cort̄. the secōd Chapi. c. Wherfore lyke as reasonable men do not cōmenly vse to shutt the dores & wyndowes [Page] of their houses in the middes of the fayre day lyght, & so burne candles and other lyghtes: no more do the electe people of god beyng regenerate in Christ, refuse the spirituall lyght which they haue of Gods worde by the spirite of Christ, and seke it by mens ymaginacions. And furthermore, lyke as reasonable people thynke it foly to burne candles & other lyghtes where the day lyght maye sufficiently serue: So lykewyse all people which be regenerate in Christ doth thinke it deuelish madnes for any man to trust in mans doctrine, because Christ hathe promysed. Mat. vii. b. Luke. xi. b. Ihon. xvi. f. a good spirite, & all thinges els nedefull for our saluacion, to euery man whiche [Page] saketh it in faythfull prayer of his father in his name: wherfore it semeth to vs which be regenerate in Christ, that al such men which saketh it not of god, according to the doctrine of the gospell, do not regarde the lyfe to come, orels mystrust the promyses of Christ. & beleue men better then they do Christ: For no man lyuyng is able to proue that he hath sought it of God in a true fayth which hath it not: for at this present tyme god is so mercyfull too offre it to all people, which haue not openly blasphemed the holy ghost, and yet but a small nombre in comparison to the multitude do receyue it, wherfore his wrathe wyll shortly be knowen. Howbe it, in all those people whiche be [Page] be regenerate with the spirit of Christ. the wonderfull workes of God are sene at this present day. For what is a gretter miracle then the whole & cleare alteraciō of the hert of mā, which may vndoubtedly be perceyued in al them which be regenerate in Christ: For the olde stonye heart is cleane taken out of all the people of God, & they haue a new hert geuen them of God, which is always obe diēt to the spirite of Christ. Ezechiel. xi. d. & the .xxxvi. l. & the Ebrues the viii. c. and the x. c. So that in whome so euer the Spirite of Christ is, that persone can not be vnfruitful: For by their spirituall fruytes that they minister one to another, whiche is loue, ioye, peace, longsuffryng, [Page] gentlenesse, goodnesse, faythefulnesse, mekenesse and temperancy, they maye bothe knowe them selues, & also be knowen to all other godlye people, and not otherwyse. For no man is knowē by any outward appearance after the flesh. Ihō. vii. c. ii. Corin. b d Therfore if any man be in Christ, he is a newe creature. ii. Corint. v. d. whose whole delyte and conuersacion is in heauen, frome whence we looke for oure Sauiour Iesus Christ, Phillippians the .iii. Chapiter. d. For wee confesse our selues to be as straungers in this lyfe, vsyng the thynges of the worlde as though we vsed them not, the first to the Corinthyans the .vii. Chap. e. Not doyng our bodely labour with [Page] the respecte of our owne lucre, but for that we woulde not lyue idely, & also to haue wherwith to help the impotent membres of Christ, neyther louyng the worlde, nor the thynges of the worlde, but receiuyng all nedefull necessyties of the bodye in worldly thynges, geuyng God thankes, withoute any scrupulosytie or grudge of conscience: For al the creatures of God ar good, & nothyng to be refused, if it be receyued with thankes geuing. i. Timo. iiii. a. For lyke as God doth forbyd all men from the louyng & inordinate vsyng of worldly thinges, so lykewise dothe hee permit all his electe people their bodily necessities of all worldly thynges, & when soeuer of two euyls, the one can [Page] not be auoided, God permitteth the lesse for the eschewing of the greatter in all earthly thinges. Mat. xii. a. Mar. ii. d. Luk. vi. a Gen. xix. b. Wherfore the scriptures sayeth. i. epist. of Ihon. ii. chap. e. If ye know that Christ is righteous, ye know also that euery one which foloweth righteousnesse; is borne of hym: for euery one which loueth Christ, loueth also all people whiche be regenerate in Christ. Ihon. v. a not only in wordes, but in actu all deedes. ep. Ihon. iii. c. for all people which doth the contrary be the children of the deuyll. ep. Ihon. iii. b. By whose delusyon our Markte men haue so long disceiued vs: for the iust proufe whereof, if it maye please the Kynges maiestee, by the godly [Page] godly aduyse of my lorde Protectors grace and other of his Pelicion. honorable coūsel, to graunt and permit like libertie to some one of them being of smal reputaciō & learnyng, which be now regenerate with the spirit of Christ: as was graunted to Elias, in the tyme of Ahab, Kyng of Israhell, as we reade the thyrde boke of Kynges, the xviii. chap. That lyke tryall as was beetwene the sayde Elias, and all Baals prophetes, bi the offring of sacrifice, may be now openly and only by the holy scriptures written, after the trew litterall sence: betwene one suche of the elect in Christ & the whole multitude of our markt ministers: that lykewyse al the multitude of them, nowe may confer their lernyngꝭ together: or seuerally [Page] whether thei lyst, & then to be openly & plainly knowen & sene, whether thei can shew the word of God written after the trewe litteral sence, for the cleare discharge of their conscience, for their doctrine & conuersacion, ye or no: and if they can not, all men ought to refuse & to dispise their doctrine, how clerkely or eloquently soeuer it be vttered: and none otherwyse to accepte them but as the mynisters of the deuyll and the Beast, whose marke thei beare. ii. Corin. xi. c. Iude. c. d. e. And on ye other side if the cōpiler hereof, a poore lay man, & of small litterature, be not able by godꝭ assistaūce, only by the power of the Spirite of Christ, to shew the word of God writtē in the true literal sence, [Page] both for the cleare discharge of his owne conscience & conuersacion, & also of all other that be regenerate in Christ, let it bee death vnto him. Wherfore in so muche as the people beyng present with kyng Ahab, conuerted, & confessed God, when they saw that he sent fyer from heauen to consume that Sacrifice which Elyas offred, & wereful certified that he alone was the true Prophet of God, and that Baals Prophetes beyng. ccccl. were all false teachers, because their Sacrifice which they had offred remayned whole vnbrēt. Howe muche more then nowe shoulde the worde of God written, be a sure vndoubted tryall in the playne literall sence for all Christen men to beleue, and [Page] so therby also to knowe, who be the true ministers of the gospel of Christ, & who be the disceyuers of the people. Wherfore if suche tryall may be permitted in maner afore sayde, who so euer should then mistrust it to be a good & a sure tryall, & worthy to be belened of all people, his blyndnesse were very wonderfull, because wee haue no certaintie of the trut he but by the holy scriptures as thei be written vnto vs, and by the gyfte of the holyghost. Wherfore if our marked men, hauyng much lernyng, had also the gyfte of the holyghost in them, as they haue not, it were not possible for any man to disproue their doctrine and conuersacion with the holy scriptures written, which wer [Page] ordeyned & preserued vnto vs by the holy ghost Wherfore the cleare confutacion of them and also of their doctrine & conuersacion, with the holy scriptures written, by one man of small literature, shall manifestlye declare the incomprehensible power of God. Deuteron. xxxii. e. agaynste whom nothynge can preuayle, & in whose doctrine lyke as he that fulfylleth the whole lawe, & yet fayleth in one poynte is gyltye in all. Iames.. ii. c. So lykewyse he that hath a faythe to beleue parte of the holy scriptures in the literall sence as they bee written vnto vs, & beleueth not all his faythe is vnperfecte. For Christ promysed not that any man should be saued for the belenīg of parte [Page] of the gospell, but for the beleuyng of all thynges whiche he promysed therein, dooyng all thynges also in spirit which he cōmaūded in the establishment therof. mat. xxviii. d. Whervuto the promyse of euerlastyng lyfe is made, and not otherwise: for God doth abhor all vaine hope, Ieremy. ii. g. which is not establysshed in a perfecte faythe, wholly agreable vnto hys word Ephesians the .iiii. chapiter. c. Wherfore if we shoulde beleue any mans opinion to be good & godly doctrine, in any thynge more or lesse then is written within the holi scriptures, or in any thing contrarye to the true literall sence thereof, whereby shuld we know whose opiniō we ought to beleue. For euery part [Page] of the holy scripture spoken by the holigost. for our instructiō is of lyke aucthoritie. and may no more be altered from the literall sence in one place then in an other. But I speake not of the parables which christ spake to the hygh learned Scribes & Phariseys, the predesessors of our marked men, to whom thei do succede in lyke power of the Beast, beyng of a long tyme ascended oute of the bot homlesse pit. Apoca, xiii. a. and. xvii. b. But I speake of the plain declaraciōs which Christ made of al parables to his Disciples: For he declared all thynges plainly vnto them. Mar. iiii. c. And so lykewise all other partes of the holy scriptures be euident and playne to all them whiche haue [Page] the same gyste of the holyghost, which the holy scriptures were spoken by. Ihon. xvii. c. d. Howe beit if any parte therof be altered from the true meanyng of the literall sence, we are vncertayne what to beleue more of it, for because that then diuerse men might make diuerse interpretacions, as thei haue doone in tymes past. And few of them agree one with another, & yet euery man coloured his opiniō with the holy scriptures. And he that had most sophistical conueiaunce & temporall power to maintain his opinion with all, was best beleued: So that our marked men hauyng the vpper hand, supprest the truth alway by terible imprisonmente and death: For they made the fyer [Page] to defend them agaynst al those people which professed the true religion of the gospel of Christ. Wherefore whosoeuer beleueth any part of their doctrine to be good & godly in any thīg which is contrary to that that is written within the holy scriptures after the playne literall sence thereof, is clearely destitute of al true belefe. For no man hath aucthoritie to alter the literall sence of the holy scriptures contrary to ye other manifest scriptures written. For that was the inuention of the deuyll, and executed by our marked men, & other such his ministers: wherby they deluded all people. For of the holy scriptures there is but oue true sence whiche is directly & plainly expressed in the [Page] letter thereof, beyng compared together: so that ther is no part of it repugnant one agaynst another. But because that naturall men can not do that which the scripture cōman̄deth in the letter, therfore they beleue not that the literal sence is always true: For thei eonsider uot that there is a new creacion by God aboue nature, and yt euery man whiche in Christ is a new creature. ii. Corin.. v. Chapiter. d. shapen and fourmed in righeteousnesse and trew holynesse, to the Ephesians the .iiii. Chapiter, c. And that thereby they doo that which the letter of the holye Scripture cōmaundeth. For they vnderstande not that Article of their faythe, that the true catholyke people in Christ [Page] do the wyll of God by the power of the holy gost. Ihō. iiii. c. And that onely by that lawe of the spirite of lyfe, Christ hath delyuered vs from the lawe of syn & death. Roma. viii a. Neither they perceyue not the deuision betwene the spirite & the flesh, because ye spirit of Christ is not in theim. For it is not possible for any mā to discerne the operaciō of that which he knoweth not of: Wherfore that was the most principallest parte of our markte mēs doctrine, to make the people to beleue that there was no such spirite geuen vnto man wherby he should remaine righteous alway in Christ, the Epistle of Ihon. iiii. a. Whiche is the most deuelysh error that maye be, because it breedeth a [Page] a doubte in all them that be infected there with, whether the Holy Scripture be true or not, beyng written by men hauyng but the very selfe same Spirite of Christ that all other reasonable people hath, whiche shall be euer lastingly saued in christ. Act. ii. f. the first Corin. xii. b. Notwithstandyng in outward ministracion, the Apostles had power to doo that whiche other membres of the same misticall body of Christ can not doo: as in doyng of miracles, & other thynges. Lyke as in a corporal bodye, euery membre hathe not one office, neither one membre can doo the offece of an other, neuertheles, euery liuely mēbre of a corporall bodye hath lyfe & felyng in them. And euen so lywyse [Page] euery membre of the misticall body of Christ hath one spirite & one intelligence of the worde of God and one purpose of herte in all godlynesse, the fyrst to the Corinthiās the xii. chapiter d. Ephesians the .iiii. a. c. Ezechiell. xi. d, aud. xxxvi. f. So that, aduisedly & willyngly they dooe nothyng agaynst the wyll of god. the Epistle of Ihon the .iii. chapiter. v. Therfore the holy Scriptures in the trewe literall sence is sufficiente for their outwarde instruction in all godly doctrine. For within the letter of the New Testamēt there is sufficient instruction concernyng the true Religion of the gospell, among all them which beleue it to be true in the literall sence. And who so euer [Page] dothe not so beleue it, beleueth nor knoweth nothynge that is good. Luke. xvi. g. i. Tim. vi. a. but may goloke for vnwritten veryties among these vnnedefull ministers oure Marked Preesthod. For what lesse deuelish presūption is it to thinke the holy scripture vnsufficient or vnperfect in the literal sence for all godly instruction, but euen a playne deniall of Christ. For Christ is included in the worde, and the word in Christ. Ihon, the fyrst chap. a. Wherefore to thynke the worde insufficient, is to thynke Christ is insufficient, & also the holy gost to be vnperfect, which wrought alwayes in them that wrote it. by whō also it hath ben alwaies preserned, & shalbe to ye worldes [Page] ende. Ihō. xv. c. Act. i. a. Ro. x. d. Which scripture doth also manifestly & plainly declare vnto vs, that the Apostles lefte nothynge vnwritten whiche was proffitable to oure faythe, but haue declared the whole coūsell of God, beyng nedefull for vs to know. act. xx. d. e. g. neuertheles lyke as wee haue promyses of mercy in Christ, so haue we war nyng by Christ. Math. xxiiii. Marke. xiii. Luke. xxi. that many should come in his name saiyng: I am Christ: & shoulde disceiue many. & cet. Wherfore note this, that Christ ment not that many shoulde name them selues Christ, as it wer by their proper names: but this worde Christ hath this significacion, to be anoynted of GOD, or to [Page] haue a godly power: For Iesus was anoynted of god: and had also the godlye power in hym. Wherfore he is called Ihesus Christ, an only sauyour anoynted of God, for the iustificacion of all his elect people from syn. Mat. i. So that all those men, which hath taken vpon them any parte of his office in remission of synne, saiyng they haue power geuē them so to do, hath in so saiyng said thei were christes theim selues, because they take that vpō them which was appoynted by GOD onely for Christ to doo. Neuerthelesse by the regeneracion of the spirite of Christ, all the electe people of God haue power to knowe & to declare whose synnes GOD hath forgeuen in Christ, & also [Page] whose synnes he dothe retayne to iudgement. For the Spirite of Christ is the onely key of the Kyngdome of Heauen, whiche was promysed to the faythe of saynt Peters confession. Mat. xvi. c. For fayth is the gyfte of God & maketh vs righteous. And the gyfte of the holy ghost which is the Spirite of Christ, maketh vs perfecte bothe in knowledge and power to dooe the wyll of God in spirite. But faythe of it selfe hathe neither perfecte knowledge of the holy Scriptures, neither power to doo that whiche the Scripture cōmaundeth: for that cōmeth onely by the gyfte of the holye ghost after fayth, sometime immediatly, as we reade. Act. x. g And of the good theife, Luke. [Page] xxiii. d. and some tyme longe after. For there were dyuerse congregacions in the Apostles tyme whiche were baptised and receyued faythe in Christ, long before they receyued the gyfte of the holy gost, as we reade in the Actes the .viii. chapiter. c. the xix. a. Howe be it, their knoweledge was alwayes vnperfecte vntyll that tyme they were regenerate wyth the Spirite of christ. i. cor. iii. a. viii. a. For his Spirite is the oyle whiche the wise Uirgins shal take in their lampes of fayth, to meete with the trwe Bridegrome Christ. Mat. xxv. a. And is also ye oyntmēt, which techeth vs all godly knowledge. Ep. Ihō. ii. d. wherfore. s. Iames. v. c. wold that the people which wer disesed, shuld [Page] anointed ther with, which ointment cometh most comenly vpō the elect people of God, by praier in fayth, and by laiyng on of handes of the electe ministers of God in Christ, in lyke maner as we reade, Act. viii. chapter. c In which chapiter is also mencioned the request of one Simō which offered the Apostles money, to haue had lyke power to haue geuen the Holy Ghoste to whom he woulde, by the laiyng on of his handes. Notwithstandyng the Apostles refused hys money, and also declared vnto him that he had no part of that ministraciō. Neuertheles synce that tyme, our markte mōsters hauynge the full power of the Beast in theim, haue ordeyned other thynges in stede therof to [Page] minister to sycke people, & aske ye ministers of Christ no leaue. And doo vse also to minister to theim in chyldhod, a certayne oyle or grease, which is cōmenly called the Confirmacion of their Baptysme, makynge the ignorant people to beleue that that is the gyft of the holy gost, lyke as Mahomet made the people to beleue that the holy gost in the lykenes of a doue. taught hym what doctrine he shoulde teache the people. Howbeit, the delusion of Mahomet ꝭ preestes now at this present tyme is not so muche to be merueyled at, as the delusiō of our markte men. because Machometes preestes doo liue according to their profession, & also th [...] doctrine is agreable to those Scriptures [Page] whiche bee written vnto them: but our marked mē liue cleane contrary to the true professiō of the gospell, and contrary to the example of Christ, & of all his Apostles, & also ministreth crafty doctrine, cōtrary to the holy Scriptures written. Wherfore the acceptyng of them as trew ministers of the Gospell, is not onely a declaracion of ignorance in godly knowledge, but also a declaracion of blyndnesse of naturall reason. For howe may reason conceyue truthe to be in them, in whome so muche falshed is founde. Wherefore what worldly affectiōs so euer we haue to them, we ought only to be ruled by the worde of God written, vsyng them but lyke as natural mē do vse the membres [Page] of their naturall bodyes. For a natural man which hath rotten teethe in hys head, that dothe neuer rest from paynfull ache, wyll seeke a remedy: but if he canne haue none, he wyll haue hys rotten teethe drawen out of his head, rather then to haue all his bodye continuallye disquyeted. And euen so lykewyse our Marked men are lyke vnto rotten teeth: for they can not minister the woorde of God as they ought to doo. And as for the spiritual ache, which al godli people haue bi them, we see playnly that the hyghe powers haue soughte as muche the reformaciō of them as may be, & yet they be as craftye as euer they were, disguisyng themselfe [Page] with sophisticall hipocrisy, either new or olde, as fast as euer thei did, & the deuyl is as familier with them as euer he was: Wherfore God send vs remedy of them shortly. Howbeit, most men be in lyke case with theim as women bee with their Parrottes: for women vse muche diligence to make theire Parrottes to speake, & yet with all their diligence. they canne not make them to talke so reasonabli as a resonable creature can. And no more can no man make those ministers which be onely appoynted by mē to declare the true meanyng of the woorde of God, so playnly and truly as it ought to be, whatsoeuer be deuised for them. For the true vnderstandyng of the holy scriptures [Page] is as dyffuse to theim, as the wordes of a clasped booke, which no man openeth. Esaie. xxix. c. For God hath sent them strong delusiō, that they should beleue lyes, because they receyued not the loue of the truthe, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse. ii. Thess. ii. chap. c. For they ar cloudes without water & trees withoute fruyte at gatheryng tyme, beig twise dead. wherfore god shal plucke them vp by the rootes: For they are lyke the ragynge waues of the sea, fomynge oute theire owne shame: They ar the wandering starres, to whome the myste of darkenesse is reserued for euer. Iude. d. For in so much as God promysed but one Ihesus to be Christ. Gala. iii. c. A full satisfaction, [Page] redemption and sustificacion of all his electe people from synne. Ebrues. x. c. As is before mencioned, all men may see and perceyue playnly, what shamelesse Antechristes all our Markte men bee, whiche haue taughte the people to beleue in others satisfactions, other instificacions, and other remissiō of syn, deniyng also the power of the Holy Ghost, saiyng that the spirite of Christ was insufficient without outwarde learnyng, to discerne the true meanyng of the holy Scriptures, when the electe people of God dyd heare them or reade them, whiche is an open blasphemy of the holy gost, which Christ saith shall neuer be forgeuen. Mat. xii c. Marke. iii. b. Luke. vii. b. Wherfore, whosoeuer trusteth [Page] vpon their conuersion, sheweth himselfe to mistrust the trew literall sence of the holy scriptures spoken by Christ, & written for our instruction. For lyke as God is mercifull, accordyng to his promyse, so is he righteous accordyng vnto his worde, and thereby shall iudge the worlde. Ihon. xii. g. And by his worde declareth also al thinges nedefull to be knowen to his people before it come to passe, Amos. iii. b. iiii. d. Whiche the worlde canne not perceyue. For what worldly man in the Primatiue Church dyd beleue that it was the wyl of god, that al his elect people in Christ, should be persecuted & hated of all nacions of men, vntyll that tyme wherin God wyll glorifie the gospel: whiche tyme is also manifestly [Page] declared in the holy scriptures, both by the Prophetes and also by the Apostles, neuertheles all worldly people bothe learned & other, are as ignoraunt therof, as the hygh learned Scribes & Phariseis were of Christ. For the deuyll being chaunged into the likenes of an Angel of light bath geuē his power vnto marken men hys ministers. Apoca. xiii. a. By whome all earthely people haue bē disceiued, whose incorporacion and power, the holy scripture calleth the beast, because the spirituall whore of Rome, which corrupted all the people of the earth with her fornicaciō, dyd syt vpon their doctrine, & was maintayned therby Apo, ca. xvii. a. Whose abhominacion God hathe disclosed [Page] to dyuerse Kynges and hyghe powers, and hathe put in their hertes to abhorre & dispyse her. Neuerthelesse they haue geuen her kyngdome and power vnto the Beast, vntyll that tyme the wordes of god be fulfilled. Apo. the .xvii. d, That is nowe in the dayes of the voyce of the seuēth Angell, whiche begynneth to blowe, in which tyme, the mistery of God shalbe openly publysshed, as he preached by hys seruantes the Prophetes. Apo. x. chap. b. That is, that the elect people of God shall onely with the spirite of Christ & the worde of God written, clearely confute and confound the abhominable cauteilous delusion of all markte men. ii. Thes. ii. chap. b. Whose power ascended oute of [Page] the bothomlesse pytte, and shall nowe be distroyed with all the glori therof: for the whole beast shall be taken and confounded and come to nought, Esaye, the xxviii. a. and the Apocalipses the .xix. Chap. d. So that they shall be hated and abhorred of all flesh. Esaie. the .lxvi. g. For the tyme is come that God wyll vtterly distroye theim, because they haue distroyed the godlye people of the earth, the Apoca. the .xi. chap. d. Wherfore they shal be cast into the great wyne fat of the wrathe of almightye god. Apo. xiiii. d. For their cauteilous delusion shall preuayle no longer, but shall be vttered to all men, the seconde of Tim. the seconde Chapter, v. For the lyght of Israell shal be the fier, [Page] and his Sanctuary shall be the Flame, and it shall kyndle and burne vp his thornes & bryers in one day, Esaie x. d. That is, that the spirite of Christ, which is the onely true lyght of all the electe people of GOD, shall so lyghten and kyndle knowledge in his electe high powers & ministers, that with the holy scriptures written, whiche is their onely sanctuary, thei shal clerely confute and confounde all imaginacions of Marked men, which is signified by the bryers and thornes, because thei be the most noious & vn pfitable trees that groweth, lyke as Marked men be the most falsest and deuelish people that lyueth. And where it is said that they shalbe burned in one daye: that signifieth that they shall be vtterly [Page] confoūded now at this present tyme, in the appearaunce of the second comyng of Christ, accordyng to the saiyng of s. Paule, ii. Thess. ii. chap. b. And also agreyng to the other scriptures before mēcioned in that he half, so that iniquitee shalbe taken a way out of the earth, and righteousnesse Ioyfull tyme. shall reigne amonge the people, the .iiii. of Esdras xvi. e Psal. xlvi. b. lxxvi. a. For God sayth by the Prophet, Esai ii. chap. a. and Micheas. iiii. a. In the later dayes it wyll come to passe that the hyl of the Lordes house shall be set vp hygher then any moūtaynes or hylles: yea, the people shall preasse vnto it, and the multidude of the Gentyles shall hast theim thyther, saiyng: Come let vs go vp [Page] to the hyll of the Lorde, and to the house of the God of Iacob, that he may teach vs his ways, and that we may walke in his pathes. This shall the Heathenysh markte men see, and be a shamed Micheas. vii. c. For the earth shalbe full of the knoweledge of the Lordes honor, Abucuc. ii. c. And all the Ilandes of the people shall worship him euery man in his place. Sophony the .ii. c. And God wyll make his people to haue a good name and a good reporte amonge all people of the earthe, Sophony. iiii. d, Therfore thus sayth the N [...]t [...] Lorde of hostes: let your handes be strōg, you that now here these woordes by the mouthe of the Prophetes, and be lyuynge in the earth in those dayes. zachari, [Page] viii. v. For the power only of the spirite of Christ shall reigne ouer al the earth, so that ther shalbe none other sauyour named vpon the earth but only Christ. Wherfore men shall go about the whole earth, as vpon a fielde. zachary the .xiiii. chapiter. c. And as for all rule, power, and myght that is vnder heauen, it shall bee geuen to the holye people of the moste hyghest, whose kyngdome is enerlastynge. yea, all powers shall serue and obey hym, Danyell the .vii. Chapiter. g. For God wyll make his people glorious for euer and euer, and ioyfull thoroughoute all posterities. Esaie. lx. c. Thus shall the hand of the lorde be knowen amongest his electe people, and [Page] his indignacion among hys enemyes, Esaie. lxvi. e. For all maner of people which by grace haue gotten the victorye of the beast, & of his image and of his marke, & of nombre of his name shal syng the song of Moses the seruaunt of God, and shall also syng the song of Christ, saiyng: Great and merueilous are thy workes, lord God almigty, iust & trew ar thy wayes, thou king of sayntes, who shall not feare the, o lord, & glorify thy name, Apo xv. a. For al thendes of the world shal remembre themselues, & be turned vnto the lorde, & al naciōs shal worship before hi, Psal. xx. f. Wherfore, be glad ye righteous and reioyce in the lorde, & be ioyfull all ye that be of a true hert. Psalme. xxxii. c. [Page] For the Temple of God shalbe open, and the Arke of his Testament seene therin. Apo. xi. d. That is, that the people shall conuerte to the Gospell. & haue cleare consciēce to god, hauyng his worde for a wytnesse, which is the Arke of Christes Testament. For vnto theim whiche haue the Lorde before theire eyes, strength shalbe increased Esay. xl. g. Wherefore God sayth also by the Prophet Esay, to all Markte men, the .xli. f. Stand at your cause, and bring furthe your strongest grounde, & shew openly what scriptures ye haue in the true literall sence, to deferde your doctrine and cōuersacion with all. For your subtyl argumentes maye take no longer place, because the scripture [Page] sayeth, the fyrste of Timothie the .vi. chap. d. your study therin is a false science and nought, and so be al you that vse it, in any thynge concernynge the doctryne of the holye Scriptures. Wherefore nowe shewe your selues as cōfirmable to the plaine truthe of the holye Scriptures written, when ye shall fortune to comen thereof, as the deuyll your fyrst prouincial dyd, when he was confuted by christ, mat. iiii. v. For in so muche as he beyng the aucthor of that profession of your incorporacion, dignitee, and power, confessed the truthe of Christ & of his Apostles. Mat. viii. d. Luke. viii. d. Actes. xvi. d. after that he was ones confuted with the scriptures written. Be not you no longer [Page] more comberous and obstinate agaynst the truthe therof now, then the deuil was at that tyme, and alleged other thynges to be ment in the holy scriptures, then is expressed in the true literall sence therof. For if ye do, all men wyl know shortly that you ar worse, & more worthy of condempnacion then the deuyll is: for belyke he had not so muche falshed, orels he was not so folyshe when he tempted Christ by the scriptures, to allege other meanynges therin, then was expresse in the letter therof: neither he defended not his owne imaginaciōs agaynst the holy scriptures written, as all you markte men haue done a longe tyme. Wherefore nowe frō hencefurth suffer the people [Page] of God, wholly to pourge oute your olde rottēleuen, for other wise we can not be new dowe in Christ: for a lytle of your leuen Ab [...]osucion sowreth a great peece of dowe. i. Corin. v. b. For your salte hathe lost his saltnes, wherfore there may nothing be seasoned therewith: for it is neither good for the lande, nor yet for the donghyll. Luke. xiiii. g. That is, that all you markte men which haue taught and affirmed doctrine agaynst the power of the spirite of Christ, whiche all the electe people of God dothe receyue, shal not be forgeuen, neither in this lyfe, nor in the lyfe to come. Mat. xii. d. Mark. iii. d Luke, xii. cha. b. Which is ment by youre salte that hathe loste his saltenesse. And where the [Page] Scriptures sayeth, that it is neither good for the lande, nor for the donghyll. By the lande is signified, doctrine for the people: and by the donghyll, is signified temporall worldly businesse: so that your doctrine & counsell is not good nor meete to be receiued amōg the people, neyther in the doctrine of the gospell for their instructiō, neither yet in temporall matters: For Christ sayth, Mat. v. b. It is good for nothynge, but to be cast out and trodden downe of men. For who so euer fauoreth any of you, which blasphemeth the spirit of christ, is a partaker of your yll. ii. Epist. of Ihon. c. Wherfore God cōmaundeth all his electe people to departe out of your company, & to seperate [Page] them selues clearely from you, and not to touche any of youre vnclennesse. Esaie. lii. c. ii. Cor. vi. c. the first. Timo. vi. b. Apo. xviii. b. For your shame shall be discouered, and your preuye abhominable delusiō shalbe sene. For God wyll aduenge hym on you, and wyll shew no mercy to you, as he doth to other people, Esaie. xlvii. a. For you are the people whom god hath appointed to his wrath, within the Ilādes of this part of the world, wherby the name of the Lorde myghte be feared, Esaie. lix. b. Wherfore we ought to haue no more in nombre of you, to remayne as ministers of the gospeil, but euen so many as Elias suffered of Baals Prophetes to liue when he had confounded [Page] them, by offeryng of Sacrifice, the thyrd of the Kynges. xviii. g Howe be it, it is to be thought, that Baals Prophetes had not so much sophisticall conueiance to make theire excuse at that tyme, as you Markte men haue now, orels subtyll excuses were les regarded at that tyme, then they be nowe: for your abhominacion & crafty delusion, dothe farre excede, and is much more then hath ben found in any maner of people, synce the begynnyng of the worlde. The particulers partly wherof, by Gods assistence, shalbe more playnly expressed in another booke here after this.

Finis.

The worde of the Lorde remayneth for euer. ☞ ✚ ☜

¶ THE HARVEST IS AT HAND, VVHERIN THE TARES SHALL BE BOVND, AND cast into the fyre and brent. Math. xiii. D. G

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VUherfore here the worde of the Lorde (O ye gentiles) preache in the iles that lie farre of, and saie he that hath skatered Israel, shall gether hym together againe, and shall kepe him as a sheperde doeth his flocke, for the lorde hath redemed Iacob, & tidde hym from the hand of the violent, & they shall come and reioyce vpon the hils of Syon, and shall haue plentiousnesse of goodes: whiche the lorde shall geue theim, and their conscience shalbe as a well watered garden, for they shall no more be hungrie, and whan it is new builded and set vp on this facion, it shall neuer be broken nor cast downe any more. Ieromi. 31. B. B. Neuerthelesse wo be vnto them that calle euill good, and good euill. whiche make darkenesse lyghte, and light darkenesse. Esaie the .v. D.

§

§

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[Page] The contentes of this voke wherin is mē cioned, the policy of popyshe Prestes, & what wee oughte to pray fore, and a comparison betwen them & the prestes of baal also diuers textes and sentēses of the holy scripturs, to put mē in remembraunce of the wrath of god to com agaynst al vngodly people. declarynge also what man is of him selfe in the olde Adam. what ye Lawe is, & wherfore it was geuen. what Christ hath done for vs, what promys he hath made and to whom, and who be the true ministers of his gossple. and also who be the deceyuers of the people. and an hū ble peticion desyred of ye kynges maiestie, and a discouerynge of [Page] titud of antichristes & likwise abrefe declaracion of ye Ioyfull tyme to come. with ageneral absolucion for oure fayned speritualtie, whome I doo most cō monly name in the proces here of markt mene or marckt mōsters, not onely because they are marcked in their bodies & somtimes weare disguysed mōstrus garmētes, but because their doctrine is marked also, for yt that they wold haue the people to beleue part of the holy scriptur as it was spoken and writtē vnto vs, and som other partes therof they wolde not haue them to beleue in the true litterall sence, but wolde haue the people to beleue it & receiue it, only as they do marke it & appoynt it out vnto thē, and wher as soumtimes [Page] do also name them marked mō sters, it is because they are soo shamles & so far waxen in their abhomynacions, that they dare do al vnspekable myschefe. Ose. vi. c. wherfore because no man knowyng the word of god, may iustly & withe out offence name thē to be any of ye people of god, therfore I name them by suche names, as be moste agreable to their conuercaciō, know ynge yt all they whiche hath bene of the marke, and be nowe truly cōuerted, perceiueth this to be true, wherfore none of them, whiche knoweth true godlynes ☞ wylbe offended ☜

☞ To the reader ☜

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Grosely compyled withoute any clearkly Eloquēce by Iohn Champneys, an vnlearned laye mane borne in the countie of Somerset, alytyl besydes brystowe, haueynge more affection in the playne settynge fourth of y• troth, then in alonge Sophystycall Ipocrystishe tale craftily vttered. wherfore I desyre you to beare with my rudenes, in that yt I haue so grosly gathered certayne places of ye holy scriptures, and haue euen so lykewyse written thē herein, to put such men in remēbrance as be of god, and yet dothe not muche excersyse thē selfues neither in readyng nor hereyng of the holy scriptures, that by the [Page] mean hereof I mai partli moue them to vse more diligence ther in and also to be more earneste to god in their faythful prayer, for the assistaunce of his grace, both to attayne spiritual power therby to lyue acordenge to the true relygiō of ye gosple of christ and also to haue the true vnderstandynge of his worde, by the gyft of the holy goste, in aperfyt fayth, beynge establyshed in anvndouted hope, of all thynges promysed therein, and not to be of awauerynge mynd, and so be desceaued by the sophistical ipocrytishe doctrine, wt our markt monstres of their owne mindes doth set forth, but vtterly to abhōre and dyspyse it. gal.

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God saue the Kyng. my Lord Protector, the Nobilitie, and all those, which vnfainedly loueth the gospel: The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with vs all. Amen.

Imprintyd at London, by Humfrey Powell, dwellyng Aboue Holburne Londuit.

Cum priuilogio ad imprimendum solum.

AN. Do. 1548.

Information about this book

Title statement

The harvest is at hand, vvherin the tares shall be bound, and cast into the fyre and brent. [...]

Champneys, John, fl. 1548.

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1548

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Text Creation Partnership,

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2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A18389

ID [STC]

STC 4956

ID [STC]

ESTC S109141

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99844791

ID [PROQUEST]

99844791

ID [VID]

9635

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A18389)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 9635)

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— The harvest is at hand, vvherin the tares shall be bound, and cast into the fyre and brent. [...], Champneys, John, fl. 1548..

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[104] p.

By Humfrey Powell, dwellyng aboue Holvurne Conduit. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum,. [Imprinted at London :: An. Do. 1548]. (By John Champneys---cf. STC.) (Imprint from colophon.) (Caption title.) (Aii missigned Bii.) (Signatures: A-F G⁴.) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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