Z. PE T IT I O 1V. von the Lords Prayer. that if the Lord will, it may be vouchfafed Mattyrdome alfo. When the Captain heard this, he flayed his courfe, commaundedhis Charettoreturne, and to the Emperour prefently he goeth,told him, ifit pleafed his Maielbe tocommaund him death, he was ready, but to dowhat hecommaunded he couldnot : for thus and thus had hefeene it, and fo declared vnto theEmperor all this ilorye. Who by and by was appealed, flayed his Ilan d,and reitrayned his intended will to fuch zealous loners of their God. Se now haw true it is that the Apoftle faith, it is the power ofGod, thatis, poteminflrumentum, the mightiein ftrumentof God to get men Rem.i 16. and-keepe men to the Lord. T hey were accompted the men that troubled all the world, yet were they not difcouraged. Lgabantur, includebantur ,cadebantur,torque- Aa r7.6. banter,& tamenmultiplicabantur. They were bound, faith S. Aufie,, they were De cuit..- tormented and racked, and yet for all this they multipliedand increafed. So was Dei. zt it euen in there latter daies ofours, when allpittie and truth was buried as it.were in the bottome of the Sea, and Antichrift of Rome in his ruffe, power, and ftrength, exalting hinfelfe aboue all that was called God, and madePrincesand Emperours to kilfe his feet, yea, when it was death almofi to thinke of the resto- ring of trueReligion, euen then I fay did this wordofthe Lord in the mouth of one Pimple man at the first against the clamors of Monkes and Fryers,againll the fcorning of Bilhops, against the power ofthePope, agaipit the alliance oftem- porall Princes, again ft all torments by fire, by fagot, by fli ord,by imprifonment: light filch a candle as now fhineth to all the Countrie of Europe, and by the po- werofmanitcannotbeputout .Wherefore,iudge whether the Apostle faid not z.Cor, t3; true, when fpeaking of this word, he faid, It mataweaponnet carnal!, but mighty through God, to call dome holdr,caffing down the imaginations, and emery high thing that 4' S is exalted againf the knowledge ofGod,and bringing into captivity every thought to the o -. bediente of Chrifl,' c. Wherefore we fee by this,firit proofe plaineenough,. that a means & a moll mingtythong and powerful!meanes to erect this kingdome of God in our harts, which here wepray for, is the word of God.For there is no wife - dome, no counfell, no ilrength againft it. But though all the Heathen rage molt horribly, and the people imagine continually, yet, it is but a vainething. Thogh Kings and Princes,and al the powers of this earth bend themfelues again(' it,yet will it not ferne. For he that, dwelleth in theheauen Urall laugh them to fcorne, & this word ofhis preuailerh where he will, to whom he will,when he will, and as long as he will.Other plaine profes,that this isa means to eres thiskingdome,are km/. t s, thefe:lir(t Saint lames, where it is faid, Ofhaoownewill hebegat .vswith the worehrf truth,that wefbould be u the fir t fruits of his creatures, The author of all good,faith Saint lamer in general!, and of this good in fpeciall, namely our new birth, is the Lord, and the meanes is the word, euen the word oftruth. So faith our Sauiour Job r7 himfelfe in the Gofpell,Sanflifie them O Father with thytr,akk,and what is that? thy . word is truth. So faith Saint Paul, Though ye base pen thoufandinflrubiersin Chr :, t.Cer.4r5 yet haueye not many Fathers.: for, in Chrifi le l haste begotten you. (And by what means) through the Gofpell. Andagaine, Iheftechtheefor myfortne Onefimu whom l haue begotten in my bonds, to v it, by the word. And againe, This one thing Gajam Io. veold Ilearne ofyou, O foolsjh Galathiant, receitsed a the Spirit by the works of the Law,or 4' 9 by the hearingoffaithpreached lint °you LikewileSaintPeter,Being borne anew,notof Galat3.s mortal!feed, but immortall by the word of God. And lafllyfather Abraham from heaué' Peter r. t s, They haue (Mores andthe Prophet s, let themheare them, &c. as ifhe Ihould haue faid °k0 t 6.3 t if thou wouldit liauethy brethren begotten to the Lord, that hee ruling in them they may rule heere with him, and efcape that place of torment where thou now iuftly art: the meanes truely is Mofes and the Prophets, that is, the word ofgod, for if that ereft not the Kingdonie ofGod in them it Ihall not be ereed by any dead, if they should rife and be tent vnto them. For that is the meanes which the Lord bath ordained,. and which to this day bath had power to beget to him fo manyas hee would haue. Wherefore, when theLord will promifea bleffrng to a Efay. 51. t. e 5 King- +5
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