News Out of Heaven, Part 1
¶Gabriel the Aungel and Embassadour of god speaketh.
WHerfore are ye sadde o ye men mortall? Wherfore do ye walke as persons desolate dismayd & altogyther conforteles? Wherfore do ye sygh, wepe, sob and take thought. Wherfore do ye wrynge your handes, & teare your heere? Whye rather do ye not reioyce? Why do ye not eleuate and lyfte vp your heades, walkyng plesaūtly? Why do ye not loke wt smylynge countenaunces? Whye do ye not putte oute of youre hertes all thought & care? Why do ye not so cō pose & set youre selues, that all the gesture of youre body maye frāckely & wyth a lustye courage, declare youre ioye, myrth, gladnes, felicite and pleasaūce? Ther is, beleue me, not one cause of sadnes: but of gladnes many ye & innumerable. For God is nowe nomore an enemy vntounto you,The great louelove of god toward vsus but a dere frende. He is become of a cruell iudge, a mercifull sauyour, & of an austere and fearce LORDE, a bounteous and gentle father, of an extreme reuenger, a tender forgyuer, to be shorte, he is now become the very same vntounto you, y• a moost tender, moost gentle, moost louynge, moost bounteous, mooste kynde, moost benefycial, moost liberal, most benygne father is to y• his natural sonne, whome he moost int…erlye loueth, and tenderly inhalseth aboue al the other. Howe therfore can ye be sadde? Howe can ye any otherwyse than reioyce and be mery, seynge that al doloure, all so rowe, all care, all grefe, all payne, al perrell, all trouble, all daunger, all disquietnes, all hatred, all malyce, all emnite, all maliuolence, all euell wyll, all wrathe, all displeasure, all desyre of vengeaunce, and all that euer is cōtrary to your ioye & pleasaunce, to your health and cōforte, to your rest and tranquilitie, is vtterly extinguysshed & so put awaye for euer and euer, that you whiche are of Gods faythful cōgregaciō, obediēt to his word, & redy to accomplysshe his moost holye and deuyne wyll,Ioh. iii. shall neuer after this perysshe & fall out of fauour, but hauehave eternall lyfe. And all this is come to passe thorowe Gods grande mercies by the glorious natiuite &Miche. v. moost blessed byrth of his welbeloued son Iesus Christe,Math. ii. whiche this daye is borne of a pure & cleane virgine in Bethleē a citie of Dauyd,Luke. ii. thorowe the meruaylous and wōderfull operaciō of the holy Ghost,Math. i. ye he shoulde be a sauyoure, yea and an omnisulficient sauyoure to saue his people, that is to saye, so many as beleue in hym, from theyr synnes, and from the daunger of Sattan, that they maye be made inherytours of eternall glory.
These newes out of heauē Luke. i.am I Gabriel the Aungell and Embassadour of God sent for to declare vntounto you,ii. Cor. x. that ye maye vnfaynedly reioyce not in vayne & worldely thynges,Phil. iiii. but fyrste in the LORDE GOD your sauyour, & afterwarde in celestial and heauenly thynges,Collos. iiii & euer more be thankefull for them,i. Thes. ii. followynge worthy this inestimable benignite & vnspeakable goodnesse of God ye father thorow Iesus Christ, that these synguler benefytes may not at any tyme seme to be shewed vntounto ingrate and vnthankeful personnes.
Me thinke I se you nowe begin to reioyse and skyppe for ioye, yea and seriously to triumph as persō nes ful of francke courage at y• hearynge of these moost pleasaunt and ioyfull newes, which thyng certes to me is no vulgare delectacion & smale pleasure.
But that you maye reioyce vnfaynedlye, & knowe that ye in dede hauehave an vrgente & weyghtye cause to be glad, yea and that with a contynuall myrth, and suche a ioye as ought to be immortall & neuer dye: I wyl reherse to you in what damnable state ye were in,The knowldge of our selues maketh vsus to fle vntounto christ for socoure. before these moost confortable newes were sent vntounto you from the mooste glorious and imperial seate of ye mooste blessed Trinite, that you perceyuynge your owne miserable cōdicion, may the more seriouslye reioyse in those swete and delectable newes.
God in the begynnynge,The ereacion on of man as the holy scriptures testifye,Gene. i. created mā accordyng to his owne similitude,Sop. ii. lykenes & ymage,i. Cor. xi. y• is to saye,ii. Cor. iii. he in dued hym with immortalyte,…ol. iii. wyt,Ephe. iiii. reason,Psal. viii. sapience, iustyce, free wyll, mercy, goodnes, holynes, truethe, & all perfeccion, and gaue hym impery and rule ouer all lyuyng creatures, constitutynge hym in ioyefull Paradyse a gardē full of pleasure, that he should worke in it & kepe it, geuyng hym also authorite, power & lybertye to eate of eueryevery tree in ye garden, saue only of ye tree of knowledge of good and euel.Gen. i. yf man dyd eate of that neuer so sone,The death … Adam and what it is. god tolde him before, yt he should dye the deth that is, fall from the glorious state wherin than he stode, become mortal, wretched, synfull, miserable, seruyle, thraull, captyue, & a very bōd slaue to Satan, hated of god, voyd of all goodnes, bent to al myschefe, the sonne of perdicion, a fyre brand of hell, a vessell of yre and wrathe. All these thynges dyd God tell before to Adā,Rom. ii. that he myghte be prudent,Ephe. vi, wyse & circumspecte, and the better inarme himselfe wt courageous valeaūce to fyght agaynst the crafty and subtyle assaultes of his enemy,
Not longe after Satan,Esay. xiiii. whom God before had throwen out of heauen for his arrogācy and pryde,ii. Pet. ii. enuyeng man that blessed & gloryous state wherin he dyd remayne, desyrynge also hys lyke perdicion, full craftely and lyke a wyly serpent,i. Pet. iii. attēpted the womā as ye more frayle vessell, & redy to be deuycte & ouer come, so that at the last thorow hys subtyl and crafty perswasions, she gaue place to y• tortuous & wylye serpent,Ioan. vii. y• father of lyeng,i. Tim. ii. & wyckedly transgressed Gods moost holy cō maundement.Gen. iii. For Satan told her playnly,The crafty assautes of Satan. that there was no daunger in eatyng of that fruyte, which was forbyddē, neyther should they dye the deathe, though they so dyd, yea rather theyr eyes should be opened, and they shoulde be as goddes knowynge good and euell. The woman beyng enflamed with these honylycke and swete entysementes, seyeng also that the tree was good to eate of, fayre to the eye, and plesaunt to beholde,All is not gold that shinethe. toke the fruyte of it, dyd eate, and afterward gaue of it to her husband, whiche dyd eate in lyke maner, so yt streyght wayes both theyr eies were opened, & they saw that they were naked, that is, perceyued ryghte well, yt they were nowe become miserable wretched, synfull, redacte to extreme calamite,behold what syn…e doth. and vtterlye fallen from the fauour of God for the transgressiō of his mooste blessed precepte, whiche thyng made them to be very much ashamed, and to hyde thē selues frō the face of God. O miserable & pitefull chaūge. O chaunse more perryllous than it can be expressed.The miserable …al of mā Nowe is a man become of immortall mortall, of good euel, of righteous wycked, of wyse folysh, of holy prophane of vertuous yll desposed, of fre bōd, of mercyful cruel, of godly deuilysh of faythful vnfaythfull, of spirituall, carnal, of true false, of a vessel of mercy the vessell of wrath, of ye sōne of God the sōne of the dyuell, of the heyre of glory the heyre of damnacion.Psal. xlviii. Alas whan man was in honour he perceyued it not, and therfore is he nowe becomme euen lyke vntounto a brute beast.Gene, vi. He is altogyther wythout the spiryte of God, he is all carnall and fleshelye, therfore can not gods spiryte abyde in hym,i. Cor. ii. neyther can he perceyue those thynges that pertayne to the spirite of God, yea & that is more to be lamented, not Adam alone is fallen into this dāpnable state,Rom. v. but also al his posterite. For thorowe this his faulte & wycked synne,Gene. iii. all the earth with the inhabitātes therof are accursed.All we are dāpned in Adam. So that so many as come of thys olde Adā, are dāpned, cursed & throwen from the fauour of God. This one transgression of Gods cōmaundement hath made you al subiecte to the yoke & tyranny of Satan,ii. Cor. v. and bonde to euerlastynge damnacion. Adam is youre father, and you are his childrē. Loke therfore in what case he is, in the very same are you. Adā is carnall,Ioh. iii. therefore are ye carnall. Adam is wicked,Ephe. ii.. therefore are ye wycked. Adam is the sonne of wrathe, therfore are ye the sōnes of wrath. Adā is a lyer & nothing but vanite,Psal. xv. therfore are ye liers and no thyng but vanite. Adā is captyue & bonde prisoner to Satan, synne, deth & hell, therfore are ye captiues and bond prisoners to Satan, syn, death and hell. Howe can it otherwyse be?Iohn. iii. That whiche is borne of flesshe is flesshe.Math vii, Do mē gather grapes of thornes, or fygges of briers? So lykewyse eueryevery good tree bryngethe for the good fruyte: but a corrupt tree bringeth forth yll fruyte. A good tree can not bryng forth yil fruyte, nother a corrupte tree good fruyte. Euen as it is impossible for a sower crabbe tree to brynge forth sauery and swete apples, so is it impossible for a synfull man drowned and buryed all in synne, I meane Adā, to beget any other thē synnefull, vngodly and wicked chyldren.Luke. vi A good tree oute of the good treasure of his herte,Math. xii. brīgeth forth that which is good. And an yll man out of the yll treasure of his herte, bryngeth forth that which is yll. Nowe was Adam euell, therfore whatsoeuer he brought forth, mu…te nedes be euell.Rom. v. Yea verely by the synne of this one mā Adā, euel was brought forth vponupon all men vntounto dāpnaciō. By the dysobedyence of hym were ye all made synners,Ephe. ii. and by nature the sonnes of wrathe. For this one mānes faulte dyd synne enter into the worlde, & thorowe synne, death, and so came death vponupon all men,Rom. v. in so muche as all ye hauehave synned.Psal. l. Ye were therfore begotten in synne, cō ceyued in synne, & brought forth in synne. None of you al are pure, but eueryevery one is polluted wyth vngodlynes.Rom. iii. Ther is no differēce, all hauehave synned, and want the glory of god. Ye are corrupte and become abhominable in youre studies,Psal. xiii. there is not one that doth good, no not one for the LORDE hath loked from heuen vponupon the children of men, for to se yf there were anye that hathe vnderstandynge or seakethe after God. But all are fallē from y• true waye, they are become all togyther vnprofitable,Rom. iii. there is not one that doth good no not one. Their throte is lyke a wide mouthed graue, they worke deceyte wyth theyr tonges, the poysō of adders is vnderunder theyr lyppes.The frutes whych we bryng forth by Adam. Theyr mouth is ful of cursynge & bytternes, theyr feete are swyfte to shed bloud. Destruction & wretchednes are ī theyr wayes, they knowe not the waye of peace, neyther is there anye feare of God before theyr eyes. Theyse are ye synful, wycked, and dāpnable fruytes which you full of synne, wyckednes and dāpnacion brynge forth.Gen. ix. Your mindes & thoughtes also are prone to euel at al tymes. Ye are not able once to thynke a good thought of youre selues.ii. Cor. iii. Who beyng borne of a woman can appeare pure and cleane in the syghte of God,Iob. xxv. before whome the starres are not pure?
What is thā to be thoughte of mā, which is nothynge but duste and a very worme?…. xx. Who is able to sai, my herte is cleane, and I am pure frō synne? Ye hauehave al synned, ye are all become vncleane,Esai. xlvi. all youre ryghteousnes are lyke a cloth polluted wt menstrue. Ye are fallen as a leafe, and youre iniquityes hauehave caryed you awaye as the wynd.i. Ioan. i. Yf ye say, that ye hauehave no synne, ye deceyue youre selues,Iere. xvii. & the trueth is not in you. For your herte is wycked and inserutable. Ye are vnprofytable seruasites.Luk. xvii Yea ye are Hypocrites and wycked,Esa. ix. and. liii. and the mouthes of you al hauehave spoken folyshnes. Al y• sorte of you hauehave gone astraye as shepe, euerye one hauehave walked after his owne fantasye.Psa. iiii. Ye all are of stuburne harte,Iere. iiii. ye louelove vanities & seke after lyes. To be shorte, ye are folysh people, vnwyse chyldren and madde. To do myschefe ye are wyse ynough, but to do good ye are very fooles.
Here may ye se as in a clere mirroure youre deformyte, youre botches, youre sores, youre greuous woundes.What we are of ourselues. Nowe maye ye learne what ye are of youreselues, certes very fleshe, that is to saye, al that euer noughte is, enemyes to God, louers of your selues, captyues to Satan, and fyrye brondes of hell. What remedy? What shyfte wyl ye fynd: Whyther wyl ye go? to what coast wyl ye turne you?Ps. cxxxviii. Howe wyll ye escape the fearce wrath of God? Whyther wyll ye go from hys spyrite. Whyther wyll ye flye from his face? Yf ye go vp into heauen, he is there, yf ye go downe to hel, ther is he redy also. Yf ye take your flyght in the mornynge, & dwel in the furthest parte of y• see, verely his hand wyll retche you there, yea and hys ryght hand shall catch you. What wyll ye do nowe? to flye profyteth nothynge, to abyde also bryngethe dampnacion. Thus se you that y… can not escape by no meanes. To demulse, mitigate & swage y• deuyne yre & Gods wrath ye are not able. Your syn hath made God angry w^ you. What hauehave ye nowe I praye you, wherwith ye may please him? your selues as ye hauehave hearde here to fore,Ephe. ii. are the children of wrath be gotten in synne,Psal. l. conceyued in syn, borne in synne,Ioan. iii. carnall, wycked and vngodly, your herte is corrupte,Iere. xvii. vncleane, stynkynge, flowynge wythe iniquite, arrogāt, puffed vp, proud hatyng God, louyng it selfe, full of hypocrisy and all euell.Esai. xxxiiii… Your fruytes are lyke vntounto your selues, y• is, detestable in y• syght of God. What …ertu thē can ther come out of such corrupte and polluted place?Iacob. iii. What purenes can ther flow out of a puddle so fylthy, so dyrtye, so vncleane, so stynkyng, so vnsauery? Thus se ye that ye hauehave no waye to pacyfye Gods wrath, whiche ye hauehave styred vppe agaynst youre selues thorowe your owne wickednes.O dolor…us calamitie, … myserable wretched… nesse. What therfore remayneth, but only that you loke for all cruel and greuous thinges. Helles mouthe is open & redye to swallow you vp. The fyre of hel which shall neuer be quenched, tarieth you. Euerlastynge tormentes, Intollerable punishments, perpetual turmoylynges abyde you. Ye are appoynted to the place,Math. xxii. where wepyng & gnasshyng of teth is,Act. xxv where the fyre is inextinguible,Psal. xxxvi where the worme of them that be there, neuer dye. What wyll ye do nowe? What shyf…e wyll ye fynde?Of y• lawe. Wyll ye fulfyl the lawe whiche God gaue you by Moyses,Iohan. iii. and so pacifye his wrath?Gene. vi. But this to do ye are not able.i. Cor. xv. For of your selues ye are nothynge but flesshe and cleane without God.Rom. viii.
Flesshe and bloud can not possesse y• kyngedome of God. They that are flesshly, regarde those thynges that pertayne to the flesshe. And the desyre of the flesshe is death. Yea the desyre of y• flesshe is emnite agaynst God. For it is not subiecte to the lawe of God, neyther canne it be by any meanes. They that are in the flesh, can not please God. Yea they that lyue after the flesshe, shall dye▪ And he that hath not Gods spirite,Gene. … pertayneth not to God. Now hauehave not ye the spirite of god,Gala. v in asmuch as by Adam ye be all flesshe (for the flesshe lusteth agaynst the spirite, & the spirite agaynst the flesshe) howe than wyll ye fulfyl the lawe to apease Goddes wrath.
Moreouer the lawe is spiritual that is,The law is spirituall. it requireth not only polytyke & cyuple workes,Rom…. vii but also the pure affectes, and cleane mocyons of the spirite, and must be fulfylled not with the externall worke only, but also wythe a francke and free herte,i. Ioh. iii… doing the workes of the law, not of constraynte & for feare of punyshment, but of louelove. For perfecte charitie or louelove casteth out feare.
But as the law is spirituall, so are ye carnall, that is, prone and redye to all noughtines, buryed in synne and no lesse bonde to Satan, than a bought slaue is obstricte & bonde vntounto his mayster. Nowe is the law & you of a contrary nature. When then shall ye agre?Rom. vii The lawe, I confesse, is holy,i. Timo. i & the precepte is holy, righteous & goood, but ye are vnholy, wicked & euel. How wil ye thē accomplysh the lawe, that ye maye pacify Gods wrath, & deserue remission of youre synnes thorowe youre owne merytes and desertes? Cā he that is deade erecte & lyfte vp hym selfe? Can he resume & take agayne his armonies? Can he recouer new strengthes? Cā flesshe teach flesshe no more to synne? Cā the Egle commaund her selfe no more to flye? Cā the Dolphynne cease to swymme?Iere. xiii Can the man of Inde chaunge hys skynne? and the catte of the mountayne her spottes? Nether cā ye of your selues cease to be y• ye are, nor yet worke good, which so long hauehave ben exercysed in euel The lawe kylleth,ii. Cor. iii. it gyueth not lyfe.Rom. iiii. The lawe worketh wrath, displeasure & damnacion, it purchaseth not grace, fauoure, mercye, remission of synnes, peace and tranquilite of cōscience. For cursed is euerye one that abydethDeu. xxvii. not in all thynges y• are wrytten in the boke of the lawe that he maye do them.Gal. iiii. No man fulfyllethe the whole lawe, ergo no man is iustifyed by the lawe, but rather cursed and brought to dampnacion.Iacob. ii.
For he that kepeth the whole lawe, and yet offende the in one, is made gylty of them all.Ioan. vii. Moses gaue you a lawe,Act. xv. and yet none of you all do fulfyll it. Neyther ye nor youre fathers were euer able to bere y• yoke of the lawe. Who euer entred into the glorye by the fulfyllynge of the lawe?Gal. v… Wyl ye therfore seke to be iustifyed by the lawe, ye are vtterlye fallen from that which ye soughte. You not knowynge the righteousnesse of God, and sekyng to stablysh youre owne ryghteousnes,Rom. …. can not be made subiecte to the ryghteousnes of God.Why y• law was gyuen. The lawe was gyuen you by Moses from God, not that you shoulde seke to be made ryghteous by it, which is a thynge impossible, but that it shoulde declare to you the wyll of God, proue the obediēce of your her…e, kepe you in an honest and godly trade of lyuynge,… refrayne you from wycked doynge, represse ydolatry, swearing, vngodlines, disobediēce, thefte, māslaugter, adultrye, false wytnesse. &c. set before your eies your abhominable wickednes and synful lyuyng, that you may learne to knowe your selues, and make the more hast to approch vntounto Gods mercy.Romo. ii. For by y• lawe commethe the knowledge of synne:…. xx. Ye should not hauehave knowen synne but by the lawe.Deut. v. For ye had not knowen concupiscence excepte the law had sayd,Gala. iii. thou shalt not co…ytte.Rom. iii. The lawe is a schole mayster to teache you what ye ought to do. Whose admoniciōs, warnynge and instruccions, seynge ye folowe not nor obeye as it teachethe, and as ye oughte, it rather cōdēpne thā saue you, kyll then quicken you. For no fleshe shalbe iustifyed by y• workes of the lawe in y• syght of god.Rom. iii… Your laboure therfore in thys behalfe is vayne,Gala. v. seynge that ye seke Gods fauour, remission of synne, iustifica…ion, saluacion, and eternall glorye by y• workes of the lawe only.The … of the olde law. Whyther wil ye now fly? wil ye pacyfye Gods wrath by offrynge vp the sacrifyces of the ceremoniall lawe?
This also is in vayne. For yf y• workes of y• moral law,… vii. I meane the. x. commaundementes, brynge no mā to perfeccion, and are nothyng lesse thā able to pease y• deuine wrath by cause of theyr vncleanes whiche do y• cōmaūdemētes, yea rather which do thē not, how thā cā this be brought to passe by external ceremonies which are nothing but types fygures,… x. cloudes, & shadowes of good thi… ges to cōe? Here therfore do ye no thing els thā as the commune Prouerbe is, go about to make an Ethiop whyte. For as touchynge youre sacrifyces, it is manyfest by diuers places of the scriptures, that God hath no pleasure in thē.… vi. Wherfore, sayeth he, do ye brynge vntounto me enlence out of Saba, and swete smellynge Calamus oute of farre countrees? Youre burnt offrynges are not accepted, and youre sacrifyces hauehave not pleased me.… vii. Agayne, put youre burnte offringes to your sacrifices, & eate y• flesh, for I dyd not speake with youre fathers, neither dyd I commaūd thē on y• daye, whā I broughte thē oute of the lande of Egypte, any thyng at all of burn…e offringes and sacrifices, but I commaūd thē this word, sayeng: Heare you my voyce, & I shalbe your god, and ye shall be my people, walke in euerye waye that I hauehave cōmaunded you, that ye may prosper. But they would not once heare me, nor geue attendaunce to me, but they followed their owne pleasures, and walked in the lewdnes of theyr malicious hertes, so that they fel clene frō me.Esai. i. To what purpose do ye offer vntounto me the multitude of your sacrifices,A…mos. v. sayeth the LORDE? I am full of them.Mala. i. The burnte offringes of youre wethers, and the fatte of youre fatlynges, and the bloude of youre calues, of your lambes & gotes woulde not I hauehave. Whan ye come before my syghte, who requyreth these thynges of your hādes? Offer I praye you, no more Sacrifyce to me thus in vayne. Your ensence is abhominacion to me. Your Sabbothes and holye dayes by no meanes can I away with. He that offereth an oxe, is lyke to hym that kylleth a man. He yt sleyeth a beast, is lyke vntounto hym that braynethe a dogge.…sal. lxvi. He that offereth an oblaciō, is lyke vntounto hym that offereth swynes bloude. Here le ye yt God hathe no pleasure in these externall sacrifices, but rather abhorreth them.
Then perceyue you full well, that this is no waye to delyuer your selues out of captyuitie, & to obtayne the fauoure of God.Thīges of a good in…ent. What wyll ye now do? Wyl ye inuent new thiges of your owne fātasy, & offer thē to God of a good intent, that by this meanes he maye be the more mercyfull to you? This also is yet mooste vayne. For yf thynges prescribed & commaunded of God himselfe, can not …btaynē for you remyssyon of your synnes, what shall than your dreames, youre fantasies, your inuencions, your good intētes, your godly zeles,Deut. iiii do in this behalfe?Prouer. xx… Uerely ye are in a miserable case.Apoca. xxii. For ye maye not put any thynge to the word of God, nor yet plucke ought from it. Ye muste walke in the way that God hath appoynted you, neyther maye ye declyne on the ryghte hande nor on the lyfte hand.Deut. xii …. xiii. Yea ye maye not do to your LORDE god y•, which ye thynke best in your owne eyes, but that only whiche he commaundeth you. Here therfore is no euasion, nor way to escape y• fearce plages of God. Certes the longer ye wrastle and entāgle your selues in this behalfe, the worsse ye are, so farre as I can perceyue, so vnable are ye of your selues in any poynte to satisfy Goddes wrath, & to make hym your frende.
What refuge then can ye nowe inuente?Our deseruīg is euerlastyng dā nacion yet is there nothynge before your eyes set, but only desperacion & eternall death, for ye hauehave deserued no other, & ye rewarde of syn is death.Rom. vi. Certes the hooke is layde at the roote of the tree that eueryevery tree that bryngeth forthe not good fruyte, shalbe hewen downe & caste into the fyre.Math. iii. Howe nowe wyll ye escape from the wrathe that is to come?…ii…. Es. xv Wo be vntounto them that synne and kepeth not my cōmaundementes, sayeth ye LORDE, surely I wyll not spare thē. Sinners shalbe turned into hell,Psal. ix. yee and all those people that forget God. For God shall raygne snares vponupon synners,Psal. xi. fyre & brymestone,Psa. lxvii. storme and tēpest shall be parte of theyr cuppe. As smoke decayeth, so shall the wycked decay, and as waxe meltethe before y• face of the fyre, so shal synners perysh before the face of God.Eccl. xii. The moost hyest hateth synners, & he wyll be reuenged of the wycked.Ecc. xviii. The soule y• hath synned,psa. xxxiii. shal dye.i. Pet. iii. The countenaunce of the LORDE is vponupon them that do euell,i. Ioan. iiii that he may roote the remembraūce of thē out of y• erth.Deut. iiii.
He that cōmytteth synne,Heb. xiii. is of the dyuell.Eccl. xli. For the dyuell synneth from the begynnynge God is a consumyng fyre. It is a dreadfull thyng to fall into the hādes of the lyuyng god. Wo be to you therfore O ye vngodly men, which hauehave forsakē the lawe of the LORDE that moost high god. If that ye be borne, in cursing shall ye be borne, & yf ye dye, in cursīg also shalbe your part,The miserable captiui… of mā. what wil ye now do? Here ye se nothyng but malediction, cursynge, wrath, vengeaunce, destruction, perdicion, dā nacion. Here perceyue ye no waye to escape the greate displeasure of god, but only to precipitate & caste your selfe headlong into hell pytte to be burnte wt the continuall flames of that moost terrible and greuous fyre. Remedye is there none, all conforte is gone, besydes sorowe and mournyng, nothing here doth appeare, o the miserable case, wherin ye stonde.
Me thynk I se you nowe agayn very sory, much lamentyng, wryngyng your handes, tearyng youre heere, cursynge the tyme of youre byrth, hauyng pleasure in nothing walkyng as persons īdistresse, void of al consolacion and conforte, verely I hauehave broughte you into thys case y• your ioy afterward should be the greater,The knowledge of our selues ledeth vsus to christ. and that you shoulde hauehave the more pleasaunte and ioyefull newes, whiche I nowe bringe to you oute of heauen. For no man knoweth what a precious thyng a Phisicion is, excepte fyrste of all he sealeth hymselfe diseased, & perceyueth that he hath nede of a Phisicion, yf he intende to enioye the benefyte of health.Mat. i… They that are strōge hauehave no neade of a Phisicion, but they that are sycke. Nowe therfore heare agayne your moost pleasaūt newes,Ioan. xv. and. …vi. that youre sadnes maye be turned into ioye, & that youre ioye maye be ful and perfecte.
God, perceyuynge in what myserable case Adam and all his posteriteGen. iii. was set thorowe the brekynge of his moost blessed and holye commaundement,…ap. ii. agayne that by the enuy of Satan, death was come ouer all the worlde,…it. iii. wyllynge of his owne free mercye withoute ony of your merites or desertes, to shewe hym selfe of no lesse puissaunce, to saue man, that the dyuell was to condēpne hym, sayd at that present to Satan, whan Adam had offended:…en. iii. I wyll set emnite betwene the and an woman, betwene thy seede and her seed, and that selfe seed shall treade downe thy heade.The begynning of our saluaciō is Christ here… Promy…. O mooste swete and confortable promyse. O moost heauēly word of grace. Here is ye begynnyng of your ioy & gladnes. In Adam were ye all lost, but ī this seed of a womā are ye al saued But who is thys seede? Not Abell, … …oche, Abrahā, Isaac Iacob, nor Dauid. Who then? Uerely euē the sonne of God, euen Iesus Chryste,Esay. vii. which wtout y• seed of mā by ye wonderful operaciō of ye holy ghost,Mat. i. dyd take very flesh of y• moost pure virgyn Mary,Luke. i Gene. iii Christ …uercōmeth Satan for vsus. & is this day borne īto y• world. He is this seed of a woman, which shal trede downe the head of this serpent, y• is to say, destroy his power, delyuer you out of captiuite, set you agayne at lyberte, reconcyle you to God y• father, purchase remission of youre synnes, obtayne the holy Ghost for you, & make you fellow heyres wt hym of eternall glory. Satan, synne, death & hell, with all theyr armye shall nowe no more agaynste you preuayle.i. Cor. x… For by this seed of a woman Iesus Christ your LORDE, hath God gyuē you the victory. So that nowe with tryumphant hertes and reioysynge spirytes,Dse…. xiii. ye may say, O deth wher is thy styng? O hell where is thy victory? For nowe is he borne, whyche shall …aye death, & delyuer you from the power of deathe, yea from deathe it selfe shall he redeme you. And hell shall he swallowe vp, so that Satā shall hauehave no more domynion ouer you.
Moreouer in this seed alone Iesus Christ shall all nacions be blessed.In christ we are blessed. In Adā ye all were cursed,Gene. xi. i. but in Christe ye be all blessed.Gala. iii. Adam brought to you wrath and displeasure, but Christ bryngeth louelove and …auour.Mark what we are by Adā, & what by Christ. Adā is the author of synne, death and dampnacion, but Christ is the author of goodnesse, lyfe and saluaciō. Adam casteth you downe into hell, but Christ lyfteth you vp to heuen. Adā maketh you fyre brā des of hell, but Christe maketh you inheritours of eternall glorye. By the synne of Adā many were dead, but by the goodnes of Christ, grace hath come vponupon many.Rom…. v. By the wickednesse of Adam synne came vponupon all men vntounto dampnacion, but by the righteousnes of Christ saluaciō is come vponupon al men vntounto the iustificacion of lyfe. By the disobediēce of Adā, many were made synners, but by the obedience of Christe many are made rygtheous. Thus se you y• in Christe ye are blessed, that is, pardoned of your synnes & receiued īto fauour. Furthermore this is he,Gen. xiix. of whome Iacob dyd prophecy that he should come beyng loked for & desyred of all naciōs.Deut. xvii. This is that Prophet whome God promised to Moses that he woulde rayse vp amonge his brothers,…. xvii. & put hys wordes in his mouth, so that whoso euer wyll not heare hym, shall perysshe & vtterly be destroyed.Exo. xii. This is he whyche was fygured in theNu. xxi. olde lawe by so many tipes,Ex. xvi. vii. ceremonies and shadowes.i. Pa. xvii. This is that kynge whose kyngdome God promysed vntounto Dauid to corroborate & establysshe for euermore. This is that euerlastynge preeste,Psal. xxx. Psal. cix. Esa. lxiiii. Psa. cxliiii Luk. x. after the order of Melchisedech. This is he, whome so manye kynges and Prophetes hauehave desyred to se. And now is he cōe which so lōg hath ben desyred. How much blessed & fortunate are ye therfore, vntounto whom it hath chaūsed to se this day? ye maye wel reioyse,Psa. xlvi. & clappe youre handes for ioye.Io. iii. xii. For he is not borne to be vntounto you a tyrant, a fearce LORDE, a cruell iudge, an extreme reuenger, but a swete sauyour, a gentle LORDE, a bountyous fauourer, a mercyfull forgyuer.Mat. i. Whyche thynge ye maye well perceyue by his name, for hys name is IESVS, Iesus by enterpretacion is …gyuen vntounto hym of God hys father by the Aungell, which by true interpretacion, is a SAVIOVR. For he it is that shal saue his people frō theyr sinnes. Marke he shal saue them and not condēne thē. If he had had a rigorous name ye myghte well hauehave ben afearde of hym, but his name is full of swetenes, pleasare, delectacion & cōforte. And because ye shoulde not feare to come vntounto hym,Christe became poore for to make vsus rytche. Luke. i. Psal. viii Heb. ii. Ioan. xvii Mat. viii. ii. Cor. viii beholde he is not borne royallye after ye maner of the wordly Prynces set out wt gallant pompe, but humbly, mekely & lowely. For he lyeth symply, in a maunger wrapped in vyle cloutes, whan not withstandynge he is LORDE ouer all thinges both in heauen and in earth. But his kyngdome is not of this worlde. For he hathe not so much as a place wher he may lay his head. Thus is he become poore, that by his pouertye ye shoulde become rytche. O howe muche are ye bounde to this poure newe kynge & sauiour, which when he was in the forme of God,Philip. ii ye very God himselfe toke vpō him y• shape of a seruaūte, and became very mā for your sake. Yf she had not done thus,Christ alone sauethe, and makethe vsus cleane from all synne. certes ye had ben damned for euer and euer. For youre synne was so haynous & great, that it coulde not otherwyse be taken awaye but only by hym.
By him, yea by hym alone are all youre synnes put awaye. He it is, yea he it is alone, which putteth awaye your iniquities for his owne sake, & wyll remember thē no more. A righteous God,Esaie. xliii Esaie. xlv & suche a one as saueth, is there none but he alone. He is that lambe of God,Iohan. i. which taketh awaye the synne of the world. He is that sauyour, which is come into the world for to saue synners. He it is,Tim…. li Actum. iiii. in whose name and in none others vnderunder heauen, men must be saued.
Moreouer dyuers graue,The vrgent cause of christes byrth. weightye & serious causes are there, why it was conuenient that this youre sauiour should be borne. Fyrst, that in asmuch as ye all are greuous sinners & hauehave broken all the cōmaundementes of God, he shoulde fulfyll the lawe for you,Christ delyuerethe vsus frō the curse of the lawe. delyuerynge you from the curse of the lawe, wherun to ye are bounde, or els saued could ye be by no meanes. And this shall this chylde, whiche is nowe borne, do for you: I meane, satis…y the law before he ascende agayne vntounto his father, & set you free from the malediccion and curse of the lawe.Rome. x. For Christ is the perfecte fulfyllynge of the lawe vntounto iustificacion for eueryevery one that beleueth.Gala. iii. Christ shall redeme you from the curse of y• lawe, whyle he is made accursed for your sake.Deut xxi For it is writtē, cursed be eueryevery one yt hāgeth vpō a tree. O what ioyfull trdinges are these vntounto you for to heare, y• Christe shall delyuer you from the curse of the lawe, and restore you vntounto lyfe, whiche before were dead?
Secondly seyng that the world is without all knowlege of god,Christ teacheth truely the wyll of his Father. corrupte with Idolatrye, poysoned wt theyr owne ymaginacions, drowened with Ipocrisy, and altogyther s…t on wickednes (the head Prestes Bisshops, lawers, Scribes & Pharisees corruptyng the holy scriptures on such maner with theyr pestilent gloses) it is necessary that this Christe the wisdomme of the father come downe, & redresse theise great absurdities, reducyng & bringynge the deuyne Scriptures agayne to theyr true sence, that men maye for sake all Idolatrye, all vngodly doctryne, all wycked customes, & lerne to knowe the true God.…an. iii. And surelye as he is come from God to be a mayster & teacher, so wyll he vndoutedly teache godly thynges. For he that cōmeth from heauen, is aboue al men: And that he hathe sene and hearde, that wyll he testify. For he whome God hath sent, speaketh the wordes of God. For God gyuethe not hym the spyrite,Esay. lxi. Luke. iiii. to a measure. But the spyryte of God is plenteously vponupon hym, because he hath an noynted hym, to preach glad tidynges, to y• poore hath he sente hym, yt he should heale the broken in herte, preach delyueraunce to prysoners, syght to the blynde, and frely set at libertye them that are brused, and declare the acceptable yeare of the LORDE. Esa. xi. Esa. ii.The earth shalbe full of the knowlege of the LORDE. All naciōs shall resorte vntounto hym. They shall saye one to another, come, let vsus go vp to the mount of the LORDE, & to the house of the God of Iacob, & he shall teache vsus his wayes, that we maye walke in his pathes. The people that walke nowe in darkenes, shall se a great lyght,Esa. ix. Mat. iiii. & they y• dwell in the land of the vadowe of death, shal hauehave the lyght shyne vponupon thē Christ shal multiply the people and encrease theyr ioye also. He shall make them to reioyse, euen as men that make mery in heruest, & as mē that hauehave gotten the vyctory, whē they deale the spoyle. For he shall breake ye yoke of yt peoples burden. The wolfe shal dwell with ye lambe,Esa. xi. & the catte of the mountayne shall ly with the goate. The calfe the lyon, & the shepe shall dwel togyther, & the yonge chylde shal not once be afearde of them. The calfe and the beare shall fede one with another, & theyr youngelynges shall take theyr reste togyther. And the lyō lyke as the ore shal eate chaffe. And the in fant so soone as it is wened, shal lye playeng vponupon the hooles of adders and the chylde that is wened shall put his hande into a cokeatrycesnest. They shall not hurte, nor they shal not kyl in al Gods holy mountayne. For the earth shalbe full of the knowledge of the LORDE, euen as though the water of the see flowed ouer the earth. O what a synguler plesure is this for you, which hitherto of blind gides hauehave blyndly be led in all kynd of Idolatrye & wyckednes to the great daunger & peryll of your soules health (for yf the blynd lead the blynd,Math xv. bothe fall into the dytch) to hauehave such an heauenly teacher cōmyng downe from the bosome of god the father,Ioan. iii. Tit. i. which can not ly, but wyl purely & syncerly teach you al trueth,Ioan. xvi… Sap. xv. that ye may vndoubtedly knowe the true God, whych thynge is euerlasting lyfe, & cōsummate or perfecte ryghteousnes. Can any newes be brought vntounto you mor… ioyfull than these? He is truly to much brutal, that reioy seth not at the hearyng of them.Christ confirmeth his doctrine wt myracles.
Thyrdly he shal not onlye wyth all syncerite enforme you of the denyne wyl of his celestial father, but he shal also worke manye straūge & wonderfull myracles amonge you,mat. vii i. mat. …x. …u. xi. mat. xii. Luk. xii. Ioan. xi. mat. ix. Luk. v. to cōfyrme his doctryne, & to shewe that he is vnfaynedly y• true Messias, which so many yeres was promised before to come. For he shal restore the sycke to theyr healthe, the blynd to theyr syght, the deathe to they hearynge, the domme to theyr speakyng, the halte to theyr goyng the madde to theyr whole mynde, y• possessed of ye dyuel to theyr perfect state, the dead to theyr lyfe, the synful to grace & vertue. Then as the Prophet sayeth, shal the eyes of the blynde be made to se, and the eares of the deafe shalbe opened. Thē shal the halte skyppe as the herte, & the tonge of the domme shalbe losoned. They shall wa…ke as persones delyuered & set at liberty of the LORDE. They shal turne and come into Sion with prayse, & euerlastinge gladnes shalbe vponupon theyr head. Ioye & myrthe shall they hauehave, sorowe and mourning shal fly from thē. Whose herte reioyseth not to heare theyse moost plesaūt & cōfortable newes?
Fourthly he shall watch,Christ is oures & al christes good dedes are oure good dedes. Luke. ix. Math. iiii. pray & fast exercysyng all kynde of benefycence and vertue, yea & that not for hymselfe shall he do theise thynges, but for you, for your helth, for your cōmodite, profyte & saluacion. All yt euer he shal do, shalbe done for your sake.i. Cor. i. His watching, fastynge, prayenge, almes dedes, & al that euer he dothe, shall be done for you. All hys good dedes shalbe yours. His ryghteousnes, holynes & godly lyfe shall be youres. Christes dedes muste nedes be youres,Esai. ix Christe is oure newe yeres gyft. for Christ himselfe is youres. This Chylde is borne for your sake, & this sonne is giuen vntounto you. He is your new yeres gifte. He that hathe not spared his owne sonne,Ioh. iii. Esai. …iii Rom. viii. but hathe geuen him for all you, how is it possible but yt wt this his sonne he muste nedes geue you all thynges. Who shall nowe therfore attēpte any synne agaynst you that be the electe and chosen people of God? It is God that iustifiethe & maketh you righteous, who then is he that cāne condempne you? O moost blessed & ioyfull tidynges.
Fyftely when he hath full godly on this maner both lyued verteously,Of y• deth of Christe. and also preached purely the deuyne wyl of his celestial father,Iohan. vii the Bysshoppes, the head Preestes, the Scribes & Pharisees,) whiche thorow theyr obstinate blyndnes & pretensed malyce shall euer hate hym, …aye in wayte to snare him ī his sermōs calūmate his moost godly doctryne,Mat. xxii. Math. xi. Iohn. viii. Iohn. xii. Math, xi Math. xii. obscure his mooste pure & irreprehensible name) shall at y• laste growe into so great a malyce & fury against Christ, that they shall neuer cease vntyll they hauehave cruellye slayne him.Iohn. vii… Iohn. …. Iho…. vii. Iohn. ii. Luke. xxiii Mat. xxvi Luke. xxiii Iohn. xix. For they shall reporte him to be a glotton, a wynebybber, a frende of Publicās & sinners, one that casteth out diuelles by y• helpe of Beelzebull prynce of the dyuels, a Samaritane, one possessed withe a diuell, one all togyther set a maddinge, a seductour and deceyuer of the people, a destroyer of Gods temple, an herityke, a traytoure, & one that forbyddeth to paye tribute to Cesar. They shal make his owne disciple to betraye hym thorowe gyftes & rewardes. They shall brynge in false wy…nes agaynste him for to condēpne him to death, They shall brynge him before the tēporall iudges.Marke. xv. Beholde the payn…s that Christ suffered for vsus. They shall laye many thynges to his charge vniustlye. They shall mocke him, they shall rayle on him, they shall spytte on hym, they shall buffet him, they shall scourge hym, they shal put a crowne of thorne on his heade, they shall nayle hym on a crosse, they shall pricke him euē to ye herte with a speare, they shall for very despyte hange him betwene two theues, and cruell murtherers, as thoughe he were the chefe & princypall. No kynd of torment or vilany can be inuented. but the very same shall they exercyse vpō him.… For frō the sole of the foote, to the toppe of the hed, shall ther be no whole place ī his most blessed body. O cruel fury & furious cruelnes. All these thīges shall he suffer not for his owne, but for your sake, for your health & saluacion,… yea & that wyllyngely. H… shal gyue his body to thē y• stryke, & his chekes to thē yt plucke thē. Hys face shall not he turne awaye from thē that rayle & spyt on hym.Esay. l…iii. Lyke as a shepe shal he be led to be slayne, and lyke a lambe before the clypper shal he hold his peace, nether shal he once opē his mouth. Thus because it is his pleasure, shall he offer hym selfe vponupon the altare of the crosse,Colo. i▪ & by hys moost precious bloude paye our raūsome.Mat. vi…. Esay. lii. By this his glorious passion shal he take vponupon hym your infyrmities, & beare awaye youre synnes. By his moost blessed woundes shal al your iniquities be putte awaye. Al your synnes shalbe layd on his backe. His bloud shall make you cleane from al your synne. By his bloude shal ye hauehave remission of your synnes.i. Ioan. i. Col…. i. i. Pet. i. Tit. ii. By ye precious bloude of this Christ, as of an immaculate and pure lambe shal ye be redemed from the tyrany of Satan. By y• oblacion of Christe shall ye be made free from al wyckednes,Col. i. delyuered from the power of darkenes, & caried into the gloryous kyngedome of God.Ioan. i. For he is the lambe of GOD whiche taketh awaye the synne of the worlde.Mat. xviii Luke. xix. This is that sonne of man, which is come to saue that which was lost, & not to destroy the soules of mē, but to saue thē. And al this shall come to passe by the oblacion & offryng of his owne moost precious & blessed body. For he shal by your Bysshop,Heb. x. not suche one as also shall hauehave nede to offer for hys owne synnes, but for youres onelyonly, nether shal he be like y• bishoppes of y• old law, which offer dayly for y• sinnes of y• people suche sacrifyces, as can neuer take away sinne, nor yet make men perfecte.Heb. vii. But this your Bysshop shalbe godly, innocēt, fautles, segregated from synners, and made higher then ye heauēs, whiche shal not nede, as the other Bisshoppes do, dayly to offer sacrifices first for hys owne synnes, & afterwarde for the synnes of the people.The one … cri…ice of christes deth serueth for euer to put away sines▪ For he beynge without al synne shall once for all offer hymselfe. And this one sacrifyce or oblacion of hys mooste blessed bodye shal be able to saue so many as beleue in him, euen to the vttermoost Christ beynge the Bysshop of good thynges to come shall enter into y• holy place by hys own bloud, & fynd euerlastyng redēpciō. He thorow the holy Ghoste shall offer hymselfe immaculate to God,Heb. ix. & pourge your conscience from deade workes to serue the lyuynge God. Hē once for al offeryng vp him selfe shall take awaye the synnes of many.Hob. x… By the oblacion of the bodye of Iesus Christ done once for all, shall you be sanctifyed. With one oblaciō shall he make perfecte for euermore thē that are sanctifyed. Here se you of what īestimable pryce the sacrifyce of Christ your bysshop is. The vertue of it neuer ceaseth,The vertue of christes sacrifice neuer ceaseth, but endureth in perfect strēgthe for euer and …uer. but endurethe in perfecte strengthe for euer & euer, y• the sinnes of y• faythful repentant maye be forgyuen at all tymes by it. Christes bloud shall not crye for vengeaūce, as y• bloude of Abell dyd, but for mercy, grace & fauour.Gen. iiii. Yea by Christes bloud shall all thynges both in heauen & e…the be pacifyed, apeased, set at a stay,Colos. i. & reconcyled to God the father aboū dātly.Heb. x. So that nowe ye shalbe purged of al your synnes by this one & omnisufficiente oblacion of Iesus Christe your Bisshop.Esa. lxiii. For he alone shal treade downe the wynepresse, & take vponupon his backe the great & importible burden of your synnes all. He by his death shall slaye death & ouercome Satā,Ozee. xii. synne, hel, desperacion, & all y• euer maye be agaynste you. So y• nowe ye shal be made so cleare, as though ye had neuer offē ded. Ye shall now be so set at liberty as though before ye had neuer ben in captiuite. And all this shall come to passe by the deathe alone of thys yonge chylde nowe borne, whose body shall be the alone sacrifyce of all your synnes,Augustinus in Manual, Cap. xxii. vntounto the which as vntounto an holy ancker ye muste alwaye ronne for ayde, refuge & succoure, trustynge assuredly, that his death …s youre whole hope, youre meryte, youre refuge, helth, lyfe & resurreccion.Mark … For youre meryte is the compassion & excedyng mercy of Christ your LODRE, ye are not wtoute meryte, so longe as y• LORD of mercyes doth not fayle, And yf the merytes of the LORDE be many, than are ye plenteous in merites. The more able y• he is to saue, the more safe and wtoute daūger are ye. Thus se you what a great occasiō ye hauehave to reioy se in the deathe of the LORDE Christ your alone sauyour, wherby so many synguler & great commodities shall chaunse vntounto you.…. vi. God forbydde therfore that ye should reioyse in ony thynge at all, saue only in the crosse & death of your LORDE Iesus Christ.
Syrtely but in asmuch as it is not sufficient that this youre newe hynge Iesus Christ do dye for your synnes,Of the resurreccion of Christ. Roma. iiii. except he also ryseth againe for youre iustificacion, therfore do I also declare vntounto you these moost ioyful & cōfortable newes, yt after he be once dead & buried he by y• power of his deite shall gloriouslye ryse again y• thyrd day frō deth to life for your iustificaciō accordīg to y• holy scriptures.Ozee. vi For God his father shal make him alyue after two dayes, & vponupon the thyrde daye he shall rayse hym vp, & he shal lyue in his syght. As Ionas was ī ye belly of a whale thre dayes & thre nightes,Ionas. ii &. iii so shall ye sonne of man be in the herte of the earth thre dayes and thre nightes. And as Ionas by y• power of God came out of y• whalles belly ye thyrd daye,Math. xii so in semblable wyse shall this Christ by ye puissaūce of God his father ryse agayne y• thyrd daye from deathe to lyfe.i. Cor. xv By this glorious resurreccion of Iesus Christ, shall ye gette the victory of Satan, synne, death,Roma. iiii hell, desperacion. &c. By this glorious resurrecciō of Iesus christ shall ye be made ryghteous in God the fathers sight.Ioan. … By this glorious resurrecciō of Iesus Christ shal heauen gates be opened for you, which so longe hauehave ben sparred.Ioan. v. By this glorious resurrecciō of Iesus christ shall ye also ryse agayne, & enter īto euerlastyng lyfe.i. Petre. i. By this glorious resurrecciō of Iesus christ, shal god of his excedynge mercy beget you a new into euerlastyng hope, & an immortall heritage, which is kepte for you in heauē.Ioan. ii. For Christ is y• resurrecciō & lyfe, he y• beleueth in him, al though he be dead, yet shall he lyue, & eueryevery one that lyueth & beleuethe in hym, shall neuer dye. Here se you in howe ioyfull and mery a state ye shall be set by Christes moost glorious resurreccion. What is here but that moueth & styreth vsus to ioye & gladnesse? To muche brutall is he which at the heryng of these moost swete & delectable newes dothe not seriously reioyse.
Furthermore after that thys LORDE Iesus Christ is risen agayn from death to lyfe,Of Chrystes ascencion. & hath continued here vpō the earth certayne dayesmat. xxviii▪ shewyng himselfe vnfaynedly tomat. xvi. hauehave risen vntounto his disciples &Luke. xxiiii. certayne other,Ioan. xx. than shal he by the wō derfull power of his Godhead ascēd vp into heauē very God &Act. i. very mā in the presence of his disciples,Heb. i. that they maye be faythefull wytnesses hereof to other, & sytte downe on y• right hand of God his father, as equal God concernynge his dette wt his father in all vertue, puissaunce strength & power.Ioan. xiiii▪ By this his meruaylous ascencion shall he go & prepare places for you in y• house of his eternal father. For he is ye way, the trueth & the lyfe.Ioan. xii. No man cōmethe to y• father but by him.Ephe. iiii. But this his meruaylous ascēciō shall he drawe you all vntounto him.Psa. ixvii. By this his meruaylous ascēciō shal he gyue diuers spiritual gyftes vntounto you thorowe the sendyng of ye holy ghost y• swete cōfortour,Ion. xiiii. and .xvi. which shal lede you into al trueth. Although he ascēde vntounto his father, yet wyll not he leue you cōfortles.mat. xxiiii. For by his deuyne spirite he wyll be wt you euē to the very cō summacion & ende of the world.Ios…e. i. He wyll not leaue & …orsake you.Heb. xiii. For he is called Emanual,math. i. whych is by interpretaciō,Esa. vi. God is with vsus.Ioan. xiiii. For he is that God which wyl euer accompany you so lōge as ye abyde in his worde. Yea he wyll come & dwell wt you. He wyll offer himselfe to you, euen as a gentle & louynge father doth to his moost tēder childrē.…. xxvi. For this his promyse, I wyll,…. Cor. vi. sayeth he, dwell amonge thē, & be conuersant among thē, I wyll be theyr God, & they shall be my people, yea I wyll be theyr father, & they shalbe my sō nes and doughters.
Agayne though Christ shall syt on ye ryght hand of God ye father almyghty,Christ alone is oure mediatoure and aduocate. yet shal he not be ther ydle & vtterly fallē frō sekyng your profyte.Rom. ix. For he shall ther continuallye pray & make intercessiō to God his father for you.He. vii. &. ix. This mā Christ Iesus is youre alone mediatoure,i. Tim. ii. so y• yf onye of you dothe synne, ye hauehave him to be your aduocate,i. Ioan. ii. euen Iesus Christ y• righteous. And he it is y• obtayneth mercy for your synnes.Ioan. xiiii. and .xvi. Whatsoeuer also ye aske of the father in his name, he wyll surelye gyue it you. What wyll ye desyre more? Are not these comfortable & swete newes to heare,Esa. ix. y• you hauehave this daye so precious a iewel borne amōg you, yea & gyuen you frely? Uerely youre ioye oughte to be so great, yt it coulde not be expressed. B…t let vsus hear mo ioyful tidīges.
Whā y• tyme is ones come y• this world shall hauehave an ende,Of christes cōminge to y• iudgement▪ Mat. xxv. then shal this your LORDE and kynge Iesus Christ come full gloryo…y from the right hand of his father in his maiesty,i. Cor. xv. i. & before him shall be gathered al naciōs.Thes. iiii. For at y• voyce of y• archangell & trōpe of God shall all people ryse out of the erth,Esa. xxvi. wt theyr bodies both faythfull & vnfaythfull.Ioan. v. They y• hauehave done good,Rom. xiiii. shall come forth into ye resurrecciō of lyfe,ii. Cor. v. but they y• hauehave done euell,Rom. ii. i. into y• resurrecciō of dānaciō.Cor. xv. All shal be presēt before the iudgyng place of Christ.…. iii. EueryEvery mā shal receyue accordynge to theyr dedes. Thā shal you which are his faythful people receyue for your corruptible body, an īcorruptible body, for your mortal body an immortal body, & euen such one as shal be lyke to his owne gloryous body. It hath not yet appered that ye shal be.i. Ioan. iii. But knowe ye that yf he ones appeare, ye shall be lyke vntounto him, for ye shal se h…m as he is, This day of iudgement shalbe to the wicked & vnfaythfull,Sop… … Ioel. …i. a daye of wrath, a daye of trouble & heuines, a daye of calamite & misery, a day of darkenes & myst.Amos. v. They shall walke as mē beyng blynde, because they hauehave of fended the LORDE, & theyr bloude shalbe shed as ye dust, & theyr bodies as dūge hylles. Neyther shall theyr syluer & golde be able to deliuer thē in that daye of the LORDES wrath. For to thē it shalbe sayde.Mat. xxv. Departe from me ye cursed into euerlasting fyre, which is prepared for ye dyuell & his Aungels. But ye daye to you, which are his faythfull people, and obedient to his worde, shalbe a daye of cōsolacion, cōforte, ioye & myrthe wt all gladnes. For to you it shal be sayd:Mat. xxv. Come ye blessed chyldrē of my father, inheryte y• kyngdom prepared for you from the begynnyng of the worlde.i. Thes. iiii. For ye shall be taken vp in the cloudes for to mete y• LORDE in the ayre, and so shal ye euer he wt the LORDE in glory. But who is able to expresse what ioy, what pleasure, what myrthe, what gladnesse ye shal hauehave in heauē.Esai. xliiii The eie hath not sene, & the eare hath not herde, neither hath it entred īto ye herte of man y• God hath prepared for them that louelove hī. Ye shall se him face to face, vponupon whom Aungelles desyre to loke.Esai. …xv With sorowe, care, thought▪ payne or deathe shall ye no more be entangled.Apo. v…. & x…i. God shall wype away al teares from your eyes.Esaie. li. Your ioye, your gladnes, youre myrth shall be perpetuall. All the pleasure of this world cōpared to the leest ioy of heuen is nothynge.Apo. xxi For this celestiall citie is of pure gold, lyke vntounto clere glasse, & the foūdacions of the walles of this citie are garnisshed with all maner of precious stones, the gates are of fyne pearle. Yea the streres of this heauenlye citie are pure golde. It hath no nede of the sonne neyther of the Moone to lighten it. For the brightnes of God doth lighten it,Esaie. ix. & the lambe is the light of it.Dani. xii. In this citie shall ye glyster as the shynyng of heauē, & shalbe as ye sterres,Mat. xii. worlde without ende. Ye shalbe as y• aūgels of God y• are in heauē, Ye shall be pyllers in ye tēple of god.Apoc. iii. Ye shall be clothed wt whyte garmē tes, ye shall sytte wt Christe vpō his seate, ye shall eate Māna y• is hyd. ye shall eare of y• tree of lyfe, which is in the myddes of the Paradise of God.Apo…. ii. Ye shall hauehave a whyte stone, & in the stone a newe name wrytten, which no man knoweth sauyng he that receyuethe it.Iacob. i. Ye shall receyue the crowne of lyfe, which the LORD hath promised to thē that louelove him Ye shall receyue the vncorrupty… crowne of glory.i. Pet. v. Ye shal receiue the crowne of righteousnes, which the LORDE a ryghteous iudge in y• daye shal gyue to all thē that louelove his cō mynge.i. Tim. iiii. To conclude, ye shall accordynge to his promyse receyue euerlastynge lyfe,i. Ioh. ii. in the whiche ye shall lyue wt god the father, and this his sonne Iesus Christ your Lord and Sauiour, with the holy Ghost one very God worldes without ende, to whome alone be all honour & glory for euer and euer.i. Tim…. i▪ Amen.