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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17121	An historicall narration of the iudgement of some most learned and godly English bishops, holy martyrs, and others (whereof III; viz. Archbishop Cranmer, B. Latimer, and Bishop Hooper, suffred martyrdome, in the dayes of Q. Mary, for the truth and Gospell of Christ Iesus) concerning Gods election, and the merit of Christ his death, &c.	J. A., of Ailward.; Ailward, John, attributed name. aut; Andrewes, John, fl. 1615, attributed name. aut	1631 (1631)	STC 4; ESTC S100399	62,871	120

asfirme and confesse That Man So hath Freedome or Choice that Neverthelesse he hath continually need of the Helpe and Grace of God Who they are I say which in This point also ought worthily to be called Pelagians let All men Iudge The Case is so cleare that No lacke of knowledge but onely wilfull Blindnesse may helpe to Cloake the Matter There followeth the Tenth and Eleuenth Errours which are these That our Victory commeth not of Gods-Helpe but of Free-Choice And that Remission of sinnes is not given to them that repent according to the grace and Mercy of God but according to the Deserving and labour of them which by Repentance are worthy of Gods Mercy O Blasphemie Intolerable O Filthy Puddle and Sincke most Execrable full of stinking Errours full of Damnable Presumption like to the Pride of Lucifer most Abominable The detestable vilenesse whereofis such that rather by Exclamation I thought it Good to Re●●unce it Than with Scripture or Reason to Confute it Seeing All Reason and All Scripture giveth All glory vnto GOD and this Blasphemous Errour raketh away all the glory of all Goodnesse from the Father of all Mercy and GOD of all Consolation and giveth it unto vile and wretched Man which hath of Himselfe Nothing that is Good but doth altogether receive it from the mercy and goodnesse of GOD. Heere concludeth St Augustin with the Errours of Pelagius and saith That All these Errours He Revoked and Renounced in the generall Councell of Palestine Thus have I set forth in English these Errours of Pelagius together That thou which art willing to know the Trueth and understand the Matter even as it is mayest bee Able to Iudge who they are that hold Any of these Errours and not credit the Malice of certaine which to cloake their owne False Opinions accuse Other to bee Pelagiaus who indeed from their very Heart and Soule abhorre All these wicked Opinions and have beene many yeares willing to bestow their lives against all these Abominable Errours Yet there is One thing whereunto Pelagius was Compelled to Subscribe which I haue not rehearsed among the Errours aforesaid because the Deniall thereof is of all our Gospellers as I suppose received for no Errour The Article is This Quòd Infantes non baptisati non solùm Regnum Calorum verùm etiam vitam aeternam habere non possint Hereunto did Pelagius subscribe That Infants which are not Baptized cannot have the Kingdome of GOD nor Eternall life Which cruell Opinion That All un-baptized Children are damned St. Austin in many places of his workes doth boldly and vehemently maintaine But Calvin saith Explodendam esse Illorum Glossam palàm est qui Omnes non-Baptizatos aeternae morti adiudicant It is cleare saith hee that their Glosse is worthy with hissing and clapping of Hands to bee driven out of Doores which Condemne unto everlasting Death all those which are not Baptized And because Calvin is with so Many of us which are Gospellers in Authority fully-sufficient to encounter with Augustine I thinke it good for shortnesse in this Article to say no further There remaineth then as before I promised briefly to Note those things which I thinke worthy to be reprooved about the Doctrine of Predestination as it is Now-a-dayes taught of many VVHerein lest I should seeme to speake without assured Ground and because wordes in Preaching in Talke or Disputation wherof I have heard great abundance in this Matter may rashly passe with small advisement and eyther easily bee Denyed or soone forgotten I am determined to touch Nothing but their very words which are set forth in Print And because the taking and answering of their whole Bookes were a matter long and tedious Being commonly stuffed on the oneside with an heape of Opprobrious and outragious wordes against such Private persons as they tooke in hand to write And on the other side filled rather with obscure Subtilties than with plaine Affirmations I have thought it best therefore to take certaine Sentences which contayne manifest Affirmations out of Divers late Printed English Bookes wherin the Summe effect of this Doctrine which Many doe for iust cause mislike is Fully plainely and simply declared I reade in an English Booke set forth by Robert Crowly and entituted THE CONFVTATION OF 13. ARTICLES c. These words viz. Adam therefore being so perfect a Creature that there was in Him no lust to Sinne and yet so weake that of himselfe hee was not Able to withstand the assault of the subtile Serpent No Remedy the onely Cause of his Fall must needs bee the Predestination of GOD. Thou seest Dearely beloved in the Conclusion of this Sentence one Point declared wherein the Contreversie doth consist For where Hee plainely affirmeth That GODS Predestination is the onely Cause of Adams Fall which is the Fountaine of All sinne Others having much more Reverend opinion of GOD and of his Holy Predestination doe set their Foot or rather their Heart and Soule against their said Conclusion Esteeming it farre better to bee Tor●e in many thousand pieces than to thinke or say that Gods fore-Ordinance or Predestination is the Cause of any Sinne or Evill I beseech Thee Let not thine Eyes bee blinded nor thy Mind muffled with malice eyther against the One party or the Other but in the Ballan●e of an upright Iudgement weigh the Difference The One saith as in this Conclusion manifestly appeareth And as afterward yet more plainely hee affirmeth That the Predestination of GOD is the onely Cause of Adams sinne and so Consequently of All evill The other affirmeth directly Contrary that GOD or his predestination is the Cause of No Sinne or Evill but the onely Cause of all Goodnesse and Vertue And Herewith agreeth the Holy and Divine Apostle S. Iohn in his Epistle saying All that is in the world as the Concupiscence of the Flesh the lust of the Eyes and the Pride of life is Not of the Father All Good things that are in the world are no doubt of GOD our Heavenly Father But what soever in the world is Concupiscence Lust Sinne Evill or Wickednesse That same it not of GOD our Heavenly Father as S. Iohn doth plainly and precisely affirme The like plainnesse useth also the holy Man Iesus the Sonne of Syrack in these words Say not Thou It is the Lords Fault that I am gone by For thou shouldest not doe the thing that GOD hateth Say not Thou Hee hath caused me to goe wrong For He hath no Need of the Vngodly The very same thing is plainly declared in these Scriptures following and in other places almost innumerable Psal 5. a. Prov. 19. a. Ierem. 7. c. 19. B. Ose 13. c. Iob. 34. b. 36. B. Rom. 7. b. c. 1. Cor. 4. F. Iam. 1. c. Exod. 34. A. Deut. 5. D. 2. King 14. b. Psal 81. c. 144. b. Prov. 1. c. Wisd 1. c. 2. D. 11. D. 12. B. C D. 15. A. Eccl. 2. D.

keepe the VNITY of the Spirit in The Bond of Peace And I am perswaded that upon the deliberate and considerate Reading of these following passages Many who are not too-much Byaced in Iudgment and Affection will as I my selfe have done out of meere Conscience forbeare uncharitably and contumeliously to stander and condemne as Broachers of NEW Doctrine Those Men who labour faithfully to preserve as They concerve the OLD DOCTRINE and which I am sure was anciently taught by These first Fathers in the First times of the Blessed Reformation So desiring God by his Holy and blessed Spirit to increase his Graces of Illumination and Sanctisication in every One of us I commend These Following Pages to thy Christian Consideration and Thy selfe Body and Soule to GODS most gracious Protection and direction in the Trueth resting Thine in CHRIST IESVS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Courteous Reader In some places of this Copie the right Pointings are missed by reason of the Collectors absence which the Printer requests thy Gentlenesse to pardon and to mend these places following with thy Pen. PAge 13 Line 31 32 blot out H 〈…〉 i 〈…〉 peccatum vitare non posse quam i 〈…〉 os quieum Io●iniano asseru●● Pag. 50. l. 24. read Ado●ai From pag. 66 to pag. 89 in the Title read The Iudgement of B. Hooper● Pag. 71. l. 10. blot out as read By whose Passion we are made whole Pag. 73. l. 5. read Though by the Scriptures Page 73. l. 26. r. Not in the persons themselves Pag. 74. l. 20. read That Epistle Pag. 76. line 10. read Cleane delivered Pag. 76. l. 14. read His owne Body Page 79 l. 3. read They that be led and line 10. blot out Yet Pag. 82 l. 1. read Poore creature Pag. 86 In the Margin blot out First Pag. 86 line 24. read Except it be Helped Pag. 87 line 12 read Simple and plainly and line 14 read The same neere unto us Pag 88. l. 27. read Others that be Learned Pag. 95. l. 13. read Then to hearken Page ●8 l. 17. blot out H●● Pag. 100 l. 16. read For there are None THE Copie of an Answere unto a Certaine Letter Wherein the Answerer purgeth himselfe and others from Pelagius Errours and from the Errour of Free-will or Iustification of Workes wherewithall He seemeth to be Charged by the said Letter And further He sheweth wherein he differeth in Judgement from certaine English Writers and Preachers whom he chargeth with Teaching of False Doctrine vnder the Name of Predestination Published about the Second or Third yeare of Q. ELIZABETH by a Protestant Divine who florished both in the time of K. EDVVARD and Q. ELIZABETH and in the time of Q. MARY for his Conscience endured voluntary exile I desire of GOD by his Grace and Mercie to settle strengthen and establish you in the Truth of his holy Word for ever Dearely Beloved WHere you write vnto Mee that you haue often heard that I and others should hold the Errours of Pelagius whose errors you say are almost vnknowne vnto you what they are● and whereas further it is reported of us as you say that we should deny the Prede 〈…〉 ina●ion of GOD and seeke a Iustification by Free-will and by * Deserving of workes which matter you doe both understand and also have found good proofe as you suppose that wee are guilty in the same laying the whole Foundation of your Proofe upon this saying set forth in Print viz. Although there bee but Few on Earth That Rightly They * Deserve Yet Thou ô LORD for their good life The Residue Preserve With which Filthy saying to burthen Mee and others whom you Name I marvaile greatly that you could be so much abused not considering by whom it was written and se● forth in Print For by the Intituling you see it was Printed beyond the Seas in Q. MARIES time For that it is entituled A Prayer to GOD for hi● Afflicted Church in England and as it there appeareth manifestly it is the worke of one WILIIAM SAMV●L which is a Man to Mee of very small acquaintance But a Preacher Hee is And as for his saying that a Man may Deserve God c. which you des 〈…〉 mee to proove if I can It is a Doctrine so Abominable and Blasp 〈…〉 s as I am sure Neyther Papist nor Pelag 〈…〉 nor any other Heretique eyther Old or New hath ever written or maintained a more filthy and execrable saying For it is the flat and manifest Denying both of GOD the Father and of his Sonne CHRIST IESUS Neyther doth it require any Confutation to him that doth but Confesse that there is a GOD. And as for My selfe I doe not love my Life so dearely as I Hate this vile Saying Deadly But wonder it is that such a Sentence containing the very filthiest Dregs of all Pelagius Errors could so long stand printed and neither bee forbidden nor by any man Written against And although I deny not but some other there are which maintayning the power of Mans F 〈…〉 will and the Meritorious worthinesse of Mans deseruings doe deny the Free gift of Gods Grace in Christ Iesus and For his sake onely comprehended in the Eternall Predestination and Fore-ordinance of God and Declared vnto us in his most-Holy word Yet because I see there be many in these Dayes wrongfully and falsly accused to be the Enemies of that Blessed Predestination to bee Pelagians Iustisiers of themselves and such like and with Those bitter Termes are in Open-Auditories defaced and brought into Contempt among the Multitude who being deceived with giving over-has●y Cred●t unto such men not throughly-understanding the Matter doe use to giue Sentence before the Cause bee heard I have thought it good therefore Most-dearely Beloved Not to Them which take more Delight in the Defamation of other than in knowing the Truth themselves but to Thee which art willing to vnderstand the Matter before Thou Condemne or Iustifie eyther partie in as Few words as I possibly can to shew what shamefull Doctrine under the Name and colour of Gods Predestination is Now-a-dayes set forth and taught of Many which both I and many others mislike and have divers times with some of them in Private and Friendly talke perswaded to leaue Both because wee Iudge the Doctrine to be False and also the Destruction of all vertue to Follow thereupon For which Cause as the Manner is of Them that Feare not so much the Shipwracke of a good Conscience as they doe the losse of worldly estimation least any such Disfavourers of their Fantasie should hap to have some credit among the People with boisterous breath they blow abr●ad That the Mislikers of this their Doctrine are Enemies of Gods holy Predestination But right well they know that those whom they now so specially accuse to be such Haters of Gods Predestination are indeed Most intire lovers of the same and Many of Those whom They accuse to bee Popish Pelagians and Iustifiers of themselves have bestowed

c. And although it be true according to the Scriptures That God so loved the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne c. Yet did he neyther love the World nor give his Sonne without the interoession and mediation of his Sonne For if God loved the world without the Reconciliation and Mediation or before he was reconciled intreated and pacified by Christ then is Christ in vayne come too late to be out Mediator seeing God the Father is without him already reconciled But horrible false is this Opinion for like as the Sonne of a King might intreat his Father for the Servant whom for his offences the King in his displeasure were ready to cast not onely out of his service but also into perpetuall Prison Even so Christ our onely Saviour and GODs onely Sonne did offer up Himselfe as a Ransome unto his Father for Vs whereby hee pacified the wrath of his Father and adioyned us with himselfe to be Sonnes and Heyres of his Fathers glory And this hath Christ done not onely now in time but also Everlastingly in the most high and Eternall purpose of God before the Foundation of the World was layd Thus I end thinking it sufficient for this present that I have in these few wordes ●urged my selfe of those thinges which you lay to my Charge and set forth unto your Iudgement the Errours of Pelagius that you may the better discerne who they are which are worthy to be called after that Sect and also plainely declared in what points my Conscience differeth from certaine Teachers of our time and upon what ground I am mooved so to mislike some part of their Doctrine which things if you diligently weigh and consider reading the same without Partiality then have I my desire THE TESTIMONY OF B. HOOPER Vnto the Christian Reader I Commend heere unto thy Charity and Godly love Christian Reader the tenne Commandements of Almighty GOD Exod. 20 and Deut. 5. the which were given to this Vse and End diligently to bee learned and religiously observed My minde and commentaries in them I beseech thee to reade with Iudgement and give sentence with Knowledge as I doubt nothing at all of thy Charity or good willing heart towards mee and all well meaning persons But forasmuch as there can bee no Contract Peace Alliance or Confederacy betweene two persons or more except first the persons that will contract agree within themselves upon such thinges as shall bee contracted as thou right well knowest also seeing these tenne Commandements are nothing else but the Tables or Writings that conteyne the conditions of the peace betweene GOD and Man and declared at large how and to what the persons named in the writings are bound unto the other Gen. 17. 22. Ierem. 7. I 〈◊〉 be your GOD and you shall be my People GOD and Man are knit together and united in one It is necessary to know how GOD and Man was made at one That such conditions could bee agreed upon and confirmed with such solemne and publike evidences as these Tables bee written with the finger of GOD. The contents whereof binde God to ayde and succour keepe and preserve warrant and defend man from all evill both of body and soule and at the last to give him Eternall blisse and everlasting felicitie Man is bound of the other part to obey serve and keepe GODS Commandements to love him honour him and feare him above all things Were there not love and amity betweene GOD and Man first the one would not binde himselfe to be Master neyther the other to bee Servant in such a friendly and blessed society and fellowship as these Tables containe Before therefore they were given GOD commanded MOSES to goe downe from the mount Sinai to the people to know of them whether they would confederate and enter alliance with him or not Exod. 19. Moses did the message as GOD bade him Whereunto the people all together consented So that it was fully agreed upon that GOD should be their God and they his servants with certaine conditions contayning the Office of them both GOD to make them a peculiar People to preferre them above all Nations of the Earth to make them a Princely Priesthood and a Holy people Their Office to Obey and observe his Holy will and pleasure Heere see wee the alliance and confederacie made betweene GOD and Man and the writings given likewise how it was made But wherefore it was made and for whose merites yet by these Texts wee see not why GOD should love Man that so neglected his Commandements favoured and loved beleeved and trusted better the Divell than GOD so farre offended the divine Majestie of GOD and degenerated from grace and Godlinesse by custome of Sinne and Contempt of GOD that hee bewayled and repented that ever He made Man and Decreed to destroy the creature Man that hee Created as hee did indeed Not onely thus destroying Man but also protested openly that better it had beene IUDAS never to have beene borne And in the 25.th of Mathew the displeasure of GOD is declared so great that hee appointeth Man to another end than hee was Created for saying Depart yee dooers of iniquity from me unto Eternall fire prepared not for Man but for the Divell and his Angels What is now more contrary one to the other and farther at debate than GOD and Man Whom now wee see bound in league together as very friends MOSES sheweth That onely Mercy provoked GOD unto this alliance to receive them into Grace deliver them out of Egypt and to possesse the plenteous land of Canaan further that God found iust matter and occasion to expulse the inhabitants of that Land and found no merites in the Israelites to give it them for they were a stifnecked people and intractable as Moses layeth to theyr charge Howbeit GOD having respect onely unto his Promises made unto Adam Abraham and his posterity measured not his Mercy according to the merites of Man who was nothing but Sinne looked alwayes upon the Iustice and deservings Innocency and perfection of the blessed seed promised unto Adam and unto Abraham GOD put the Death of CHRIST as a meanes and arbiter of this Peace For the Testament availeth not except it bee confirmed by the Death of him that maketh the testament the which Death in the iudgement of GOD was accepted as a satisfaction for sinne from the beginning of Adams fall as Paul sayth CHRISTS Priesthood was and is like unto Melchisedeeh that had neither beginning nor ending bound neyther to time nor place as the Priesthood of Aaron but as God accounted in Adams sinne all Mankind beeing in his loynes worthy Death so hee accounted in Christ all to be saved from death as Adam declareth by the name of his Wife calling her HEVA the Mother of the Living and not of the Dead All these promises and other that appertained unto the salvation of

reason desireth not onely to live iustly in this world but also to live for ever in eternall felicity without end and that commeth by the similitude of God which yet remaineth in the soule after the sinne of Adam Whereby we see plainely that those excuses of ignorance be damnable when man seeth hee could doe well if he followed the iudgement of his owne conscience So that we see that the law of God is eyther outwardly or inwardly or both wayes opened unto man and by Gods grace yee might doe the good and leaue the evill if it were not of malice and accustomed doing of sinne The which excuseth the mercy and goodnesse of God and maketh that no man shall be excused in the latter judgement how subtilly soever they now excuse the matter and put their evill doings from them and lay it uppon the predestination of GOD and would excuse it by ignorance or say he cannot be good because he is otherwise destinied This Stoicall opinion reprehended Horace No man is so cruell saith he but may waxe meeke so that he give a willing care to Discipline Although thou canst not come to so farre knowledge in the Scripture as other that beleeved by reason thou art unlearned or else thy vocation will not suffer thee all dayes of thy life to be a student yet maiest thou know and upon paine of damnation art bound to know the Articles of thy faith to know God in Christ and the holy Catholike Church by the word of God written the tenne Commandements to know what workes thou shouldest doe and what to leave undone the Pater Noster Christs prayer which is an abridgement epitome or compendious collection of all the Psalmes and prayers written in the whole Scripture In the which thou prayest for the remission of sinne as well for thy selfe as for all other desirest the grace of the holy Ghost to preserve thee in vertue givest thankes for the goodnesse of God towards thee and all other Hee that knoweth lesse than this cannot be saved and he that knoweth no more than this if hee follow his knowledge cannot be damned There be two common verses that all men in manner know and doubtlesse worthy that teach us that to know Christ though we know no more is sufficient That is to say To be ignorant is to know many things without Christ If thou know Christ well it is sufficient though thou be ignorant of all other things Thus farre the Iudgement of B. HOOPER THE IVDGEMENT OF B. LATIMER B. LATIMER Sermons Part. 3. Fol. 213. In his Sermon upon Septuagesima MVlti sunt vocati pauci verò Electi That is Many are called and few are chosen These wordes of our Saviours are very hard to understand and therefore it is not good to bee too Curious in them as some vaine fellowes doe who seeking Carnall liberty pervert tosse and turne the Word of GOD after their owne mind and purpose Such I say when they reade these wordes make theyr Reckoning thus saying What need I to mortifie my body with abstaining from all sinne and wickedneis I perceive God hath Chosen some and some are reiected now if I bee in the number of the Chosen I cannot be Damned But if I bee accompted among the condemned number then I cannot be Saved For GODS Iudgements are immutable Such foolish and wicked reasons some have which bringeth them eyther to Desperation or else to carnall Liberty Therefore it is as needfull to beware of such reasons or Expositions of the Scriptures as it is to beware of the Divell himselfe But if thou art desirous to know whether thou art chosen to Everlasting life Thou mayest not begin with God for God is too high thou canst not comprehend him the Iudgements of God are unknowne to Man therefore thou mayest not begin there But begin with Christ and learne to know Christ and wherefore that hee came namely that hee came to save Sinners and made himselfe a Subiect to the Law and a fulfiller of the same to deliver us from the wrath and danger thereof and therefore was Crucified for our Sinnes and rose againe to shew and teach us the way to Heaven and by his Resurrection to teach us to arise from sinne So also his Resurrection teacheth and admonisheth us of the generall Resurrection Hee sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us and giveth us the Holy Ghost that comforteth and strengthneth our Faith and daily assureth us of our Salvation Consider I say Christ and his comming and then begin to try thy selfe whether thou art in the booke of life or not If thou findest thy selfe in Christ then thou art sure of everlasting life If thou be without him then thou art in evill case For it is written Nemo venit ad patrem nisi per me that is No man commeth unto the Father but through me Therefore if thou knowest Christ then thou mayest know further of thy Election But when we are about this matter and Troubled within our selves whether we be elect or no wee must ever have this Maxime or principall Rule before our eyes namely that GOD beareth a good will towards vs. God loveth us God beareth a fatherly heart towards us But you will say how shall I know that or how shall I beleeve that We may know Gods will towards us through Christ God hath opened himselfe unto us by his Sonne Christ. For so saith Iohn the Evangelist Filius qui est in sinu Patris ipse revelavit that is The Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath revealed Therefore we may perceive his good will and love towards us hee hath sent the same his Sonne into this world which hath suffered most painefull death for us Shall I now thinke that God hateth me or shall I doubt of his love towards me Here you see how you shall avoyd the scrupulous and most dangerous question of the Predestination of God For if thou wilt inquire his counsayles and enter into his consistory thy wit will deceive thee for thou shalt not be able to search the counsailes of God But if thou beginne with Christ and consider his comming into the world and doest beleeve that God hath sent him for thy sake to suffer for thee and to deliver thee from sinnz death the Devill and Hell Then when thou art so armed with the knowledge of Christ then I say this simple question cannot hurt thee for thou art in the booke of life which is Christ himselfe Also wee learne by this sentence Multi sunt vocati That many are called c. That the Preaching of the Gospell is universall that it appertaineth to All mankind that it is written In omnem terram exivit sonus corum Through the whole earth their sound is heard Now seeing that the Gospell is universall it appeareth that hee would have all Mankind saved and that the fault is not in him

if wee be Damned For it is written thus Deus vult owmnes homines salvos fieri God would have all men to bee saved his salvation is sufficient to save all Mankind But wee are so wicked of our selves that wee refuse the same and we will not take it when it is offered unto us and therefore he sayth Pauci verò electi Few are chosen That is few have pleasure delight in it For the most part are weary of it cannot abide it and there are some that heare it but they will abide no danger for it they love more their riches possessions than the word of God therfore Pauci sunt electi there are but a few that sticke heartily unto it and can finde in their hearts to forgoe this world for Gods sake and his holy word There are some now adayes that will not be reprehended by the Gospell they thinke themselves better than it Some againe are so stubborne that they will rather forsweare themselves than confesse their sinnes and wickednesse Such men are cause of their owne Damnation for God would have them saved but they refuse it like as did Iudas the Traytor whom Christ would have had to be saved but hee refused his salvation Hee refused to follow the Doctrine of his Master Christ. And so whosoever heareth the Word of God and followeth it the same is Elect by him And againe whosoever refuseth to heare the word of God and to follow the same is Damned So that our Election is sure if we follow the word of God Here is now taught you how to try out your Election namely in Christ. For Christ is the accompting booke and Register of God Even in the same Booke that is Christ are written all the names of the Elect Therefore wee cannot find our Election in our selves neyther yet in the high Counsell of God for Inscrutabilia sunt iudi cia altissimi where then shall I find my Election In the counting booke of GOD which is Christ For thus it is written Sic Deus dilexit mundum that is God so intirely loved the World that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne to that end that all that beleeve in him should not perish but haue life Everlasting Whereby appeareth most plainely that Christ is the Booke of Life and that all that beleeve in him are in the same Booke so are chosen to Everlasting life for only those are ordained which beleeve Therefore when thou hast faith in Christ then thou art in the booke of Life and so art thou sure of thy Election And againe If thou bee without Christ and have no Faith in him neyther art sory for thy wickednesse nor have a minde and purpose to leave and forsake Sinne but rather exercise and use the same then thou art not in the booke of Life as long as thou art in such a case and therefore shalt thou goe into Everlasting fire namely if thou dye in thy wickednesse and finne without Repentance But there are none so wicked but hee may have a Remedy what is that Enter into thine owne heart and search the secrets of the same Consider thine owne life and how thou hast spent thy dayes And if thou find in thy selfe all manner of uncleannesse and abhominable sinnes and so seest thy Damnation before thine eyes what shalt thou then doe Confesse the same unto thy Lord GOD be sory that thou hast offended so loving a Father and aske mercy of him in the name of Christ and beleeve stedfastly that hee will bee mercifull unto thee in the respect of his onely Sonne which suffered Death for thee and then have a good purpose to leave all sinne and wickednesse and to with-stand and resist the affections of thine owne flesh which ever fight against the spirit and to live uprightly and godly after the will and Commandement of thy heavenly Father If thou goe thus to worke surely thou shalt be heard thy sinnes shall bee forgiven thee God will shew himselfe true in his Promise For to that end hee hath sent his onely Sonne into this world that hee might save Sinners Consider therefore I say Wherefore Christ came into this world Consider also the great Hatred and wrath that God beareth against Sinne and againe consider his great Love shewed unto thee in that hee sent his onely Sonne to suffer most cruell Death rather than that thou shouldst be damned Everlastingly Thus speaketh that Learned B. and Blessed Martyr in that place And in another place hee saith O What a pittifull thing is it That a man will not consider this and leave Sinne and Pleasure of this world and live godly but is so blind and so mad that he will rather have a momentary and a very short and smll pleasure han to hearken to the Will and pleasure of Alnighty God that might avoyd Everlasting paine and ●oe and give unto him Everlasting felicitie For that a ●reat many of us are Damned the fault is not in God for Deis vult omnes homines salvos fieri GOD would have all men to bee saved But the fault is in our selves and in o● owne madnesse that had rather have Damnation th●● Salvation And fu●her in another passage the same Holy Marty writeth in this manner viz. VVEe rode in the Actes of the Apostles That when Saint Paul had made a long Sermon at Antioch then beleeve sayth the Evangelist as many as were ordaind to life Everlasting With the which saying 〈◊〉 great nu●ber of people have beene offended and have sayd We perceive that onely those shall come to beleeve and so to everlasting life which are chosen of God vnto it therefore it is no matter whatsoever wee doe For if we be Chosen to Everlasting life we shall have it And so they have opened a doore unto themselues of all Wickednesse and carnall liberty against the true meaning of the Scripture For if the most part bee damned the fault is not in God but in themselves For it is written Deus vult omnes homines salvos fieri God would that all men should be saved But they themselves procure their owne damnation and despise the passion of Christ by their owne wicked and inordinate living Heere wee ma● learne to keepe us from all curious and dangerous questions When we heare that some bee chosen and some●ee ●ee damned let us have good hope that we shall be among he chosen and live after this hope that is uprightly and godly then thou shalt not be deceived Thinke that God hath chosen those that beleeve in Christ and Christi the booke of life If thou beleevest in him then thou ar●ritten in the booke of life and shalt be saved So wee need not to goe about to trouble our selves with curios questions of the Predestination of God But let us rater endeavour our selves that we may be in Christ for ●hen wee be in him then are

we well and then we my bee sure that we are ordained to Everlasting life But you will say How shall I know that I am in the bookof life How shall I try my selfe to be Elect of God to evelasting Life I answere First we may kn●w that wee may and time be in the booke and another time come ●t againe as it appeareth by DAVID which was writen in the booke of life But when he sinned hee at that same time was out of the booke of the favour of God until hee had repented and was sory for his faults So we●ay ●ay bee in the booke one time and afterward when we ●rget God and his word and doe wickedly we come out of the booke that is out of Christ which is the booke And in that Booke are written all beleevers But I will tell you how you shall know when you are in the booke And there are three especiall notes whereby wee may know the same The first note is if you know your sinne and feele your owne wretchednesse and filthinesse which is a great matter for the most part of people are so drowned in sinne that they no more feele the same for sinne greeveth them no more According to the saying of Salomon Impius quum in medium peccatorum venit contemnit That is The ungodly man when he entreth into the middest of all sinne and mischiefe despiseth the same he regardeth Sin nothing at all neither is he sory for it But as I said the first note is when you know your sinne and feele the same then are they heavy unto you and greeve you Then followeth the second point which is faith in Christ that is when you beleeve most stedfastly and undoubtedly that God the Heavenly father through his Sonne will deliver you from your sinnes When you beleeve I say that the bloud of our Saviour is shed for you for the cleansing and putting away of your sinnes and beleeving this most stedfastly with an unfained heart then you have the second Point The third point is when you have an earnest desire to amendment and hatred against Sinne study to live after Gods will and Commandements as much as is possible for you to doe then have you the third Point And when you finde these three Points to bee in you Namely first when you know your sinne and be sory for the same and afterwards beleeve to bee saved through the passion of Iesu Christ And Thirdly have an earnest desire to leave sinne and to fly the same when you find these three things in your hearts then you may be sure that your names are written in the booke and you may be sure also that you are elect and predestinate to everlasting life And againe when you see not your wickednesse and that sinne grieveth you not neither have you faith or hope in our Saviour and therefore are Carelesse and study not for amendment of life then you are in a heavy case and then you have cause to cry and lament your wretchednesse For truely you are not in the booke of life but the Devill hath power over you as long as yee are in such a state Here you see now how you shall try your selves whether you be in the booke of life or no c. And againe THe Evangelist saith hee when Iesus was borne What is Iesus Iesus is an Hebrew word and signifieth in our English tongue a Saviour and Redeemer of all Mankind borne into this world This title and name to save appertaineth properly and principally unto him for he saved us else had we beene lost for ever Notwithstanding the name of Saviour is used in common speech as the King is called a Saviour for he saveth his subiects from all danger and harme that may ensue of the Enemies Likewise the Physitian is accompted a Saviour for hee saveth the sicke man from the danger of his disease with good and wholesome medicines So Fathers and Mothers are Saviours for they save their Children from bodily harme that may happen unto them So Bridges leading over the waters Likewise Ships and Boates great and small Vessels upon the Seas are Saviours for they save us from the fury rage and tempest of the Sea So Iudges are Saviours for they save or at least should save the people from wrong and oppression But all this is not perfect saving for what availeth it to bee saved from Sicknesse Calamities and Oppression when wee shall bee condemned after our death both body and soule for ever to remaine with the Devill and his Angels Wee must therefore come to Iesus which is the right and true Saviour And he it is that hath saved us from sinne Whom hath hee saved His people how saved hee them First by Magistrates he saveth the poore from oppression and wrong The Children hee saveth through the Tuition of the Parents from danger and perill by Physitians hee saveth from sicknesse and diseases but from sinne hee saveth onely through his Passion and bloudshedding Therefore he may be called and is the very right Saviour for it is hee that saveth from all infelicitie all his faithfull people and his salvation is sufficient to satisfie for all the world as concerning it selfe but as concerning us hee saved no more but such as put their trust in him And as many as beleeve in him shall bee saved The other shall be cast out as Infidels into everlasting damnation Not for lacke of Salvation but for Infidelitie and lacke of Faith which is the onely cause of their damnation He saved us from what even from sinne Now when he saved us from sinne then hee saved us from the wrath of God from affliction and calamities from Hell and Death and from Damnation and everlasting paine for Sin is the cause and fountaine of all mischiefe Take away sinne then all other Calamities wherein mankind is wrapped are taken away and cleane gone and dispersed Therefore hee saving us from sinne saved us from all affliction But how doth he save us from sinne In this manner that sinne shall not condemne us Sinne shall not have the victory over us He saved us not so that we should be without sinne that no sinne should be left in our hearts No he saved us not so For all manner of imperfections remaine in us yea in the best of us so that if God should enter into Iudgement with us wee should all be damned For there are more nor ever was any man borne into this world which could say I am cleane from sinne except Iesus Christ Therefore he saved us not from sinne in taking cleane away the same that wee should not be inclined unto it but rather the power and strength of the same sinne he hath so vanquished that it shall not be able to condemne those which beleeve in him for sinne is remitted and not imputed unto the beleevers So likewise he saved us from sinne not taking

it cleane away but rather the strength and force of the same So he saved vs from other Calamities not taking the same cleane away but rather the power of the same So that no Calamity nor misery should be able to hurt us that are in Christ Iesu And likewise he saved us from Death not that we should not dye but that Death should have no victory over vs nor condemne us but rather to be a way and entrance unto Salvation and everlasting Life for death is a gate to enter into everlasting life No man can come to everlasting life but he must first dye bodily But this death cannot hurt the faithfull for they are exempted from all danger through the death and passion of Iesus Christ our Saviour who with his death hath overcome our death And in another place the same Father writeth as followeth viz. THe Holy Scripture maketh mention of a Sinne against the Holy Ghost which Sinne cannot bee forgiven neyther in this world nor in the world to come And this maketh many men unquiet in their hearts and consciences For some there be which ever bee afraid least they have committed that same sinne against the Holy Ghost which is irremissible Therefore some say I cannot tell whether I have sinned against the Holy Ghost or not If I have committed that sinne I know I shall be damned But I tell you what yee shall doe Despaire not of the Mercy of GOD for it is immeasurable I cannot deny but there is a Sinne against the Holy Ghost which is irremissible But wee cannot iudge of it afore-hand we cannot tell which man hath committed that sinne or not as long as he is alive But when he is once gone then I can Iudge whether hee sinned against the Holy Ghost or not As now I can judge that Nero Saul and Iudas and such like that dyed in sinnes and wickednesse did commit this sinne against the Holy Ghost for they were wicked and continued in their wickednesse still to the very end They made no end in their wickednesse But we cannot judge whether one of us sinne this sinne against the Holy Ghost or not For though a man bee wicked at this time yet he may repent and leave his wickednsse to morrow and so not commit that sinne against the Holy Ghost Our Saviour Christ pronounced against the Scribes and Pharises that they had committed that sinne against the Holy Ghost because Hee knew their hearts he knew that they would still abide in their wickednesse to the very end of their lives Further the promises of Christ our Saviour are generall they pertaine to all Mankinde hee made a generall Proclamation saying Qui credit in me habet vitam aeternam Whosoever beleeveth in mee hath everlasting life Likewise St. Paul saith Gratia exuperat super peccatum The Grace and Mercies of God exceedeth farre our sinnes Therefore let us ever thinke and beleeve that the grace of God his mercy and goodnesse excedeth our sinnes Item consider what Christ saith with his owne mouth Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis c. Come unto me All yee that labour and are laden and I will ease you Marke here hee saith Come all yee Wherefore then should any body despaire or shut out himselfe from these promises of Christ which be generall and appertaine to the whole world For he saith Come all unto me and then againe he saith Refocillabo vos I will refresh you you shall be eased from the burdens of your sinnes Therefore as I said before he that is blasphemous and obstinately wicked and abideth in his wickednesse still to the very end he sinneth against the Holy Ghost as St. Augustine and all other godly writers doe affirme But he that leaveth his wickednesse and sinnes and is content to amend his life and then beleeving in Christ seeketh Salvation and everlasting life by him No doubt that man or woman Whosoever they be shall bee saved For they feed upon Christ upon that meate that God the Father this Feastmaker hath prepared for all his guests Such another passage to This same purpose you may Reade in his sixt Sermon upon the Lords Prayer Some two passages before the End of the Sermon Speaking against Novatus the Hereticke CHrist onely and no man else merited Remission Iustification and eternall felicity for as many as will beleeve the same They that will not beleeve it shall not have it For it is no more but beleeve and have For Christ shed as much bloud for Iudas as for Peter Peter beleeved it and therefore he was saved Iudas would not beleeve and therefore he was condemned The Fault being in him onely and in no body else Againe The same blessed Father writeth Thus as followeth SIc Deus dilexit mundum So entirely hath GOD loved the world that hee sent his onely begotten Sonne to that end that all that beleeve in him should not perish but have life Everlasting this is now a Comfortable thing and a great promise which GOD maketh unto the whole world and no doubt he is as able to fulfill that promise of Grace as hee was able to fulfill His wrathfull word against the Iewes So likewise hee saith Vivo ego dicit Dominus nolo mortem Peccatoris sed ut convertatur vivat As truely as I live sayth the Lord God I will not the death of a Sinner but rather that hee shall turne and live It is not his pleasure when wee be damned therefore hee sweareth on Oath wee ought to beleeve him without an Oath yet to satisfie our mindes and to the intent that wee should beleeve him and be the better assured of his goodwill towards Vs hee sweareth this Oath Now therefore if wee will follow him and leave our wicked living convert and turne our selves unto him be sory for that which is past and intend to amend our life now forward If wee doe so no doubt we shall live with him everlastingly without end Therefore let every one of us goe into his owne heart and when he findeth that hee hath beene a Wicked man an Irefull man a Covetous or a sloathfull man Let him Repent and be sory for it and take a good purpose to leave that same sinne wherein he hath lyen before Let us not doe as the Iewes did which were stiffe-necked they would not leave their Sinnes they had a pleasure in the same they would follow their old Traditions refusing the Word of GOD Therefore their Destruction came worthily upon them And therefore I say let us not follow them least we receive such a Reward as they had least everlasting destruction come upon us and so we be cast out of the favour of GOD and finally lost world without end Furthermore in another Sermon hee saith as heere followeth I Say there be two manner of Men Some there be that are not Iustified not Regenerate nor yet in State of