death hell sinne and sathan cancel the hande writing against vs triumphe ouer all our enemies transforme vs into a new man enter into heauen like a victorious conquerer in our behalfe and purchace for vs the hope of a better inheritance sende vs downe the holy ghost to comfort and strengthen vs in our iorney thether make vs haue bolde accesse vnto God the father and call him our father and clayme sonship of him No man no woman no angell no creature no earthly or heauenly bodely or spiritual thing could haue wrought these mighty works for vs but only the only begotten sonne of God. Nor any thing that we can cōceaue could so haue set forth the fathers loue in these doings as this that he vouchsafed to geue his only begotten sonne to do it What madnesse then hath bewitched the Papists mindes to seeke other mediatours than the sonne of God other satisfactions other gifts other reconciliations other means to saluation and pardon of their sinnes than that which God him selfe of sutche highe loue and fauoure hathe geuen vs as a most excellent and effectuall worker of all these things the only begotten sonne of God Is not this a greate vnthankefulnesse a foule beastlynesse a very follie or by what worthie name maye I cal their vnworthy demeanour to GOD to them selues to the sonne of God to the world to refuse so notable a loue and forsake so fre and riche a gifte to seke trifles and let go the principall to run to puddles of errour and goe from the flowing streame of grace and fountaine of life to cleaue to them selues and to renownce the sonne of god O brutishe Papistes and vnsensible or rather ledde too much by sensualitie O horse and Mule in whome there is no vnderstanding O Image makers howe lyke bee yee vnto your images Of whome sayeth Dauid they are lyke to them that made them hauyng eares to heare and heare not eyes to see and see not noses to smell and smell not For if ye hadde eyther hearyng seeyng smellyng or sauouryng of anye thyng petteynyng to GOD yee coulde not bee thus senselesse But this sheweth ye are but fleshe and blood whiche canne not reueale the sonne of the liuing god Good Lorde what is manne if hee be caste off of God and lefte to him selfe gyuen ouer to his owne lusts and a reprobate sense ▪ But the saying of Esaye is verified on them He hath blynded their eyes and hardened their heartes that they shoulde not see wyth theyr eyes nor vnderstande with their heartes and shoulde bee conuerted and I shoulde heale them For were it not that God had sent them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes and be damned whiche beleeued not the truthe but hadde pleasure in vnryghteousnesse they wold neuer so like swine haue trod vnderfote this most precious perle the sonne of God and delight to wallowe in the mire of mens traditions and durtie deedes of their owne righteousnesse as they doo and had rather like Grillus that was bewitched of Circes be still a swine and sosse in swil than returne to the forme of a manne and be with wise Vlisses had rather liue in Egypte with sclauish bondage and foode fit for sclaues onions leekes and garlike than liue in libertie trauailyng to the lande of promise and be fedde with angels foode Here is a notable gifte if we value it well all the riches in the worlde is but drosse vnto it How do the Papists value this excellent iewell Lette vs see yf they be good iewels yea or no or if they bee as wyse prysers of the valew hereof as Esops donghyll Cocke who fynding a precions stone hadde rather haue had a sillye barley corne to cramme his croppe than all the precious stones in the worlde And doo not the Papistes as fondly esteeme and worse handle this precious Iewell that GOD the Father hath gyuen vs His onely begotten sonne Howe doo they value Christe That traytour Iudas valued hym but at an easy price when hee solde hym for thirtie pence to the Priestes Thys was too mutche vnder foote in conscience for sutche a Iewell But theeues haue no conscience they wyll make Robyn Hoodes penywoorthes to dispatche and away wyth all that they can come by Well Iudas solde hym for thyrtie pence to the Priestes but the Priestes since that haue esteemed him at a greate deale lesser value than Iudas did They beare vs in hande that that little rounde white cake whyche the Priest at his Masse dothe consecrate as they call it is Christe hym selfe But ye shoulde haue hadde any morrowe Masse priest haue solde ye thyrtie Masses thyrtie consecrations for thirtie groates a whole Trentall for a royall and so the price of Christ was come downe to foure pence mutche vnder Iudas price But there was a reason of the fall of the price For why the makyng of Chryste was so easye and there were sutche a companie of those Christmakers and of those Christes Here is Christe and there is Christe that thys pulled downe the markette But yf that were Christe howe ordered they hym Forsoothe they ordered hym euen as they prysed hym that whiche they might haue of so easie a price a fourepenie matter was ordered euen thereafter Fyrste they turned Chryst out of his owne likenesse and made him looke lyke a reunde cake nothyng lyke to Iesus Christe no more than an apple is lyke an oyster nor so mutche for there appereth neyther armes nor handes feete nor legges backe nor belly heade nor body of Chryst but all is visoured and disguysed vnder the fourme of a wafer as lyghte as a feather as thinne as a paper as whyte as a kerchiefe as round as a trenchour as flat as a pancake as smal as a shilling as tender as the Priestes lemman that made it as muche taste as a stycke and as deade as a dore nayle to looke vppon O blessed GOD dare they thus disfigure our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ or can they make suche a strange Metamorphosis of the sonne of God They saye they doo thys But now what do thei with him hauīg thus trāsformed him Forsoth euen as the cat doth with the mouse play with it dandle it vp downe hoise it euer her head tosse it hither thyther then eate it cleane vp euen so for al the world did they order Christ. Mark a Priest at Masse and marke a Cat with a mouse tel me then what differēce Now if Christ were not eaten vp of the Priest did he so escape the Priests handes Nay euen as a mouse kept in a trap till she pine to death as a birde in a pitfal til she be st◅rued as a caytif in a dungeon til he be famished so was Christ thrust vp into a copper pixe and there hanged vp tyll euen the wormes did eate hym and scraule all ouer hym and the very hoarie moulde dydde rotte him and then was he
also Quae culpa saith Pigghius ê™ peccatum possit esse animae adhuc innocentis recens nati paruuli c. what fault what sinne can there be of the innocent soule and of the litle child newe borne who for that he hathe not receyued the vse of reason and the facultie of freewil is not yet vnder the law nor can be obliged by any law whereof he may be made a transgressour But as this is a most false errour the cleane distruction of the Christian faith so is this a most true principle that what soeuer they be yong or olde Deus conclusit omnes sub peccato God hath shut vp all vnder synne neyther vnder the sinne of an other only and not of theyr owne synne but of Adams theyr first father imputed vnto them Naytheyr sinne is euen their owne sinne In quo omnes peccauerunt In whom all haue sinned neyther is al sinne to be measured by age of man or wil of man or reson of maÌ„ only but PeccatuÌ„ est iniquitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Iohn sinne is the swaruing from Gods law whiche sithe it bindethe all mankinde and none not regenerat in Christ are answerable thervnto it followethe they muste nedes be sinners old or yoÌ„g bicause without regeneration in Christ not Adam only himselfe of whome we came but all thâ—… whole substâ—…nce externall and internall of mankynd is so infected defiled with sin that no thyng but God câ—…n clense it Quis potest facere muÌ„duÌ„ de immundo coÌ„ceptuÌ„ semine nisi tu qui solus es Who can make a clean thing of a thing that 〈◊〉 ceyued by foule sâ—…de but only thou that art alonâ—… There is none cleane beefore him from sinne Ne infans quidem vnius diei No not the infant that is but one day olde 〈◊〉 that is lesse than a day olde while he is yet in his mothers wombe Ecce saith Dauid that was an holy prophet in iniquitatibus coÌ„ceptus sum in peccato coÌ„cepit me mater meâ—… Beholde sayth he I was begotten in wickednes and my mother conceaued me in sinne Was Dauids father an hoorehunter and his mother an harlot Was Dauid a bastard and misbegotten no suche thyng he was the lawful sonne of I sat Why then is the acte of matrimonie sin and wickednesse no suche thing neyther thou sinnest not if thou takest a wife sayth S. Paule and if a virgin marie she sinneth not yea mariage is honorable among all men and is a bed vndefiled Howe was then Dauid gotten and conceyued in synne For so the he came of sinful seede euen the sede that begat and conceyued Dauid was corrupt staynd with synne And as the seede was so was the chylde Quòd natum est ex carne caro est What that is borne of fleshe is flesh of Adam is Adam of a thorne is a thorn of a brieris brier of a crab is a crabbe and euery thyng yeldethe fruite after his owne kynd qualitie And therfore of a sinful father the chylde is borne a sinner euen the fyrst day and moment the chyld is born yea a sinner before it is borne Well say the Papistes admit all this in old and yong were sinne yet I trust ye wil make a distinction of sinne all sinne is not mortall synne Is no synâ—…ne venyall If there be peradueÌ„ture then the worlds synnes were not so great as that they deserued to peryshâ—… for their synnes and so myghte the easâ—…yer bâ—…e forgâ—…uen bycause theyr sinnes were veniall Nay Papist this helpeth thee not no more than thy other shiftes For although we graunte nor â—…uer denyed that there is distinâ—…tion to bee made of synnes of the whyche some bee originall some bee actuall some be in thoughte some be in worde some be indede some be of negligence som be of wilfulnesse some be of ignorance some be of malice some be more heynous than other some sinnes be yea and wee admit also this distinction of mortal sinne and veniall synne yet admit wee it not in suche sort as the Papistes do that thys difference is in the nature of synne whereby any is veniall as though it were bycause it is lesse synne therefore it shold bee veniall For be it more or be it lesse or of what sorte of synne so euer it be if it be synne it is mortall in the nature of it and deserueth no forgiuenesse but euen death for recompence For without all distinction sayde GOD to Adam When soeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalte dye And from hym it hathe followed that Vnius delicto omnes mortui fumus By Adams offence we are all deade Per peccatum introijt mors Death eâ—…tred by syn and therfore Stipendium peccati mors est The rewarde of synne is death For why it came from the dyuell Qui facâ—…t peccatum ex dia bolo est and the diuell is a murtherer from the begynnyng and therefore yf yee liue after the fleshe Moriemini yee shall dye Neyther is thys to bee vnderstoode of horrible synnes onely but euen Affectus carnis mors est The affection of the fleshe is Death also Neyther is thys to be eluded as thoughe the Apostle spake onely of a bodyly and temporall death but hee speaketh plat and playne of condemnation Iuditium quidem ex vno in condemnationem The faulte came of one offence vnto condemnation And agayn The faulte came on all menne to condemnation Why then saye the Papistes shall all menne bee damned And where is then youre Uenyall synne Forsooth euen it followeth at the harde heeles Gratia autem ex multis delictis in Iustificationem But the grace is of manye offences to Iustification Heere are manye offences named and all deserue damnation but they become Uenyall yea they hynder not Iustifycation How commeth thys of theyr owne nature nay but by grace by fauour by the gifte of God and not by the nature of the sinne in which respect all stande in the state of damnation But to those that are in Iesu Christe nihil est condemnationis there is no damnation vnto them not that the sin or sinner deserued this but for that they haue receaued the attonement made by Iesus Christe Yea but dydde not God saythe the Papist forsee that they shold receyue Christ and although they were all sinners and subiect to damnation yet did not he foresee that they wold repent them of their sinnes and become faithfull and amende their lyues when hee should call them and peraduenture therfore he wold they should not perishe but haue eternall lyfe euen bicause he foresaw they shoulde become good men although they were euill Nay Papist this is no cause no more thaÌ„ the other nei ther their workes presente neyther their workes to come For the scripture simply comprehendeth all workes whether they be past or they be present or they be to come Vocauit nos Deus
enstruete them in it The Papists doe knowe these two endes of heauen and hell but they are not cōtent with these two endes but will make for lucre a thirde ende of Purgatorie betweene them bothe If they replie they make this no ende as it is apparaunt to the contrarye they make it a state after thys lyfe betweene Hell fyre and Eternall lyfe and saye it differeth nothing from Hell fire but onely in continuaunce so in this poynt of continuance they imagine Hell fyre to bee sutche an ende also as they with their Masses can deliuer from it not only those that are aliue an are not yet f◅lne into this ende but also the soules that already are damned the rin As they write how Gregory with a Trentall deliuered his mother that came whisking crying in the aire whē she was alredy dāned hauing bin in her life time a priuie whore and murderer of her bastards And likewise how T◅aiā that was an hethē Emperor an enimie of Christ and damned in hell fire that their Masses deliuered him But the Scripture is manyfest to proue thē liers the fire of hell is vnquencheable Discedite a me maledicti in ignem aeternū the worme that gnaweth there shalneuer die In inferno nalla est redemptio in hell there is no gaole deliuerie Est magnus hiatus There is a greatspace saith Abrahā to the cōdemned glutton betwene you and vs in so muche that they which would go hence to you can not neither can they come from thence to vs. These therfore are but Popishe lyes as they shall fynd by experience when they come thyther excepte they repent betimes For it is impossible for them to taste of eternall lyfe if that they walke in darknesse and ignorance as they do the blinde leading the blynd both fall in the ditche together If that they go otherways than Christ that sayth of him self Ego sum via if that they enter not by the doore of Christ that sayth of himself Ego sum ostiū they must nedes perish and shall neuer enter into eternall lyfe Neyther is hell the place prepared for pagans Turkes Iewes Heretikes and Papists only but also for false Gospellers It shall not auayle the Papistes to saye Templum Domini Templum Domini The Churche of the Lorde the Churche of the Lorde Our holy mother the Churche Neyther shall it profite the faise Protestantes to saye Verbum Domini Verbum Domini The worde of the Lorde the worde of the Lorde the Gospell of Iesus Christe wherein we lerne the true knowledge of these endes for what are wee the better or not rather mutche worse by the knowledge of these endes if oure lyuing bee suche as eyther knoweth them not or carethe not for them To what securitie Lorde bee mercyfull to vs are wee growne euen on whom the endes of the worlde are almoste comme and feare not the case nor prepare oure selues therto hell syre is euen at hande both for body and soule and we fare as though there were no suche thing towardes Wee buylde as though it were at the Cowre of Babel wee purchasse as thoughe the worlde shoulde laste for euer wee ruff◅e in apparell as though oure carryons shoulde neuer turne to dust we gather and whoorde as though we should neuer die we liue in pleasure as though oure heauen were here To conclude in what poynte doe wee shewe that wee knowe these endes or wee consyder these endes or regard these endes or prepare our selues agaynst these endes but euen in a retchelesse securitie rather saye eyther there are no sutche endes at all as the meckers that Saincte Peter prophecyed to comme in the last days shall say Where is the promyse of his comming for since the Fathers died all things continue alvke since the begynning of the creation or else wee saye with the wicked seruaunt Tushe the ◅ndes are fa◅re of the Lorde differreth his comming and so eate and drink and strike our felows but thou naughtie seruaunt in an houre thou lookest not for him thy Lord shall come to giue thee thy wretched ende with hypocrites Take him and binde him hande and foote and cast him into vtter darknesse Thou shalt perishe and be beaten with many stripes Behold the ende is euen at hande eyther of perdition or eternall lyfe The Lorde is comming and hee will not slacke his comming hee standethe euen at the doore and knocketh and biddeth thee watche and looke for the ende Happie is hee that looketh for the ende with the wise virgins Woe woe worth him on whom the ende commeth vnlooked for Blessed is he that abideth to the ende that prepareth hym selfe to the end that setteth euer before him the horrour of eternal death that hath euer in his eies the hope of eternall lyfe that directeth to that lyfe that is eternall all the actions of this lyfe that is so transitorie Thus in this fyrst parte as fyrst of all we muste cōsider these two ends the scape of eternal death the obtayning eternall lyfe so must wee consyder these two parties God and the world God that deliuereth from eternall death and giueth eternall lyfe The worlde that is deliuered from eternall death and receaueth eternall lyfe For in the nature of these two is as much difference of them selues God and the world as is euen betwene eternall death and eternall life For first where as God is al holinesse puritie righteousues goodnesse the worlde is all wickednesse vncleanuesse vnrightuousnesse euen a sinke of sin Totus mundus in maligno positus Al the world is set on mischiefe Omne Quam est in mundo aut est concupiscentia carnis c. Al that is in the world is either the lust of the fleshe the luste of eyes or the pride of lyfe Where as God is eternitie perfection the fountaine of all lyfe yea lyfe it selfe both of grace and glorie the world is ouerrunne with death what is in it but vanitie instabilitie miserie and wretchednesse and what in the ende deserueth it but perdition and condemnation To conclude the kingdome of God is not of this worlde the wisedome of this worlde is follie to god Laste of all God the Father hath drowned the worlde God the Holy Ghost shall reproue the worlde of sinne of Iustice and of Iudgement And the Sonne of God that the worlde refused shall come in the end to iudge the world So that betwene these twain God and the worlde is a great contrarietie Now then proue ye this your fyrst part will ye say that God would the world should not perish but haue eternall lyfe Here welbeloued we must consider what this worde the Worlde in this place dothe signifie for by mistakyng thereof great erroures haue growne The worlde hath diuers significations but foure in principall First the worlde betokeneth vniuersally all Creatures that God the Creator hath created visible and inuisible what soeuer Heauen and earth and
those thinges that pertaine to the spirite of god Here Simonides was at his witts ende and required respite Here Anaxagoras poynted vp to heauen with his finger but he coulde tell what it was in hys heart Here Democâ—…itus eyes so lette him that hee put them bothe out Here Cato cried Mitte arcana dei coelumque inquirere quid sit here Socrates durst affirme nothing but this one thing that he knew nothing Heere Aristotle confesseth he hadde but owles eyes And shall wee then make his metaphysiks good diuinitie as our Scholemen more blynde than those phylosophers did to confirme this matter withal but they haue so rooted them in the diuinitie of their god Aristotle that they can not lift vp themselues from themselues to search this cause of Gods benefite in God from whom it proceedeth but will seeke in them selues to fynde the causes of it Lette vs looke on them therfore a litle and see how busily or rather howe bussardly they looke in them selues to fynde oute the cause thereof For if they ransacked well all corners in themselues they shuld fynde many a slouenly corner and a full sluttish house many a fylthy synke of durt many an heape of dust raked vp many a rotten post many a foule copweb many an adders nest and euen a caue of Cacus a Cerberus denne a foule carrion of the body a fouler horrour of the soule frâ—…ught with sinne and wretchednesse how soeuer lyke a Phariseys cup like a painted sepulcher it carrie an outwarde countenance But doo they not se this in serching them selues or if they see it howe can they abyde the syght thereof nay verily they se it not Ther is a beame in their eyes called Philautia selfe loue and this little preatie moate dothe so hinder their syght forsoothe that they see no suche thing nor smell any such stench they are so acquainted with it nor fynde any suche fault in themselues neyther is that the thing they seke for and therfore although they sawe it they let that alone and passe by it with the Priest and the Leuite as though they sawe it not but they seeke for the contrary What merite what vertue what cause is in them selues wherefore God should bestow this so great a benefite vpon man No doubt there is a cause in man say they wherfore God did thus vnto man He sawe some thing in man that moued him thervnto peraduenture we haue founde the cause euen here had not the worlde done some good turne to God and so gifte gafte one good turne asketh another clawe me clawe thee the worlde might haue done so muche for God that God was indebted to the worlde he coulde not but euen of his Iustice Merito digni vel condigni vel congrui By the merite of dewty or worthinesse or congruitie requite the world with this benefite Stoode the case thus betwixte the worlde and God for then here is cause inoughe in man no Papist the case was nothing so nor so NoÌ„ ex operibus quae fecimus nos not of the works that we haue wrought Non secunduÌ„ opera nostra not acording to our works Ex operibus legis non iustificatur omnis caro no flesh shal be iustified no not by the works of Gods law for why ê™ erat legi impossibile The la we could not performe it it wrought but wrathe in vs and encreased our sin bicause we were sinners coulde not fullfil it and therefore became giâ—…ty and accursed by it If God then should worke by iustice Domine quis sustinebit Lorde who should abide it we had not done any good to him before at all that he shoulde recompence Quis prior dedit illi et retribuetur ei Who gaue him ought aforehand that he shoulde make him retribution in a pitifull case were we before he vouch safed for to choose vs wilt thou see what thou wast before God chose the either for any thing in thy parents or in thee euen from the first houre thou waste borne Looke the sixteenth chapter of Ezechiell before cited The woorde of the Lorde came vnto me saying Sonne of manne cause Hierusalem to knowe hâ—…r abhominations and say Thus sayeth the Lorde God vnto Hierusalem thine habitation and thy kinrede is of the lande of Canaan thy father was an Ammorite and thy mother an Hethite and in thy natiuitie when thou waste borne thy nauell was not cut thou waste not washed in water to soften thee thou wast noâ—… salted with salte nor swadled in cloutes none eye pitied thee to do any of these things vnto thee for to haue compassion vpon thee but thou wast cast out in the open fielde to the contempte of thy persone in the day when thou wast borne and when I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thyne owne bloud and I sayde vnto thee when thou waste in thy bloud thou shalte liue euen when thou waste in thy bloud I sayde vnto thee Thou shalte liue Lo the pickle that euen the Churche and choyse of GOD was in beefore the Lorde dydde choose her If thou sayest yet peraduenture hee dydde thys for her frendes sake shee came of good parentage and was well allyed to those whom God hyghly fauoured and to whom God made a great promise to be good to them and to theyr seede after them True in deede hee dydde so but yet in this respecte see howe hee renounceth thys for anye cause also and vpbraydeth to her euen her father and mother and all the whole stocke shee came of Thou arte thy mothers daughter that hath caste off her husbande and her chyldren and thou arte the syster of thy systers whyche forsooke theyr husbandes and theyr chyldren youre mother is an Hethite and youre father an Ammorite and thyne elder syster is Samaria and her daughters that dwelle at thy lefte hande and thy yong syster that dwellethe at thy ryghte hande is Sodome and her daughters And as more sharpelye in Esaye hee callethe the Iewes the seede of the wycked corrupte chyldren the sonnes of Witches the seede of the adulterers and of the whore rebellious children false sede the egges of the Aspis the webbes of Spyders the generation of Uipers boasting in vaine of Abrahams parentage who himself also before he was called was an heathen was an idolater till God redemed and called him and therfore neither they nor he had deserued this benefite of eternall lyfe that God dyd purpose to them What then was the cause that moued God herevnto was not this the cause therof that although they had done no such good turnes to God by dutie or coÌ„gruitie to moue him to recompence yet they had not offended him nor displeased him And therfore God mighte the easyer be induced to bestow this benefit on them But had not euen the electe of God offended God were they not of olde Adam In quo omnes peccauerunt in whom all haue sinned that came of him are
is 〈◊〉 causantiuÌ„ causarum the cause of al causings and of all causes when we here it is Gods purpose so to be shal we not think eâ—…en this purpose of god the causer to be cause sufficient but we will seke for other causes in the causes inferior things that themselues are caused What absurditie were this in man and what presumption ahainst god sith we heare it is gods purpose and we are not content therwith Well say the Papists be it the cause be only in God and not in man nor any creature that he purposed to bestowe this benefite on the world yet she we me a cause in god himselfe that moued him hereunto Why is not this a sufficient cause of it selfe that we haue sayd al this while it was Gods purpose If this will not suffise thee what will suffise thee Shall I say it is Gods determination that is al one with purpose Shal I say it is Gods appoyntmente this is all one also Shall I say it is his good wil and pleasure what is this but in effecte the same also what shall I saye then that shall contente them Surely neyther I nor all the world shal be able to say any thing that can satisfie a warbling Papist in this matter For how should we satisfie him that is not satisfied with the purpose determination appointment wil and pleasure of God but he will needes know why God purposed determined and appointed why it was his will and pleasure But see euen here if this will content the Papist wee haue a further cause expressed in the firste begynnyng of this sentence Sic dilexit So God loued the Worlde Lo loue is the cause therof Yea but what made him loue the worlde saith the Papist nothing yes euen bycause hee would vouch safe so to doo Why sayeth he this commeth to the former cause hee loued it bicause he would But wherfore woulde he loue it Here the Papist setteth mee I confesse neyther will I search nor can I find any further cause than this neyther am I ashamed to be so sette of a Papist that I can go no further wheÌ„ I come to the loue good wil of God of which if it were so easy a matter to shew a further cause why was not S. Paul ashamed when he came to the alleaging of Gods will to crye oute that the Iudgementes of God were vnsearchable and durste goe no further after he had alleaged it to be Gods wil bycause beyond this cause he coulde fynde no cause hygher his fadome coulde reache no further Heere was abyssus abyssum inuocat Here was sette the Cherubin and the flamyng sworde to stoppe the entrie into this vnsearcheable Paradyse Here were the boundes of Gods Mountayne Sina limited that the people nor the Priestes nor any else durste or coulde enter into but onely our heauenly Prophete lyke to Moyses Iesus Christe not only man but GOD himself also And wil a beast a Papist a brutishe fleshly man presume to come neare thys mountayn yea to go beyond the boundes appoynted Shall not a dart be cast through him that dare presume thus beastely What is man that he should not be content when he heareth platte and playne it is Gods wyll but he wil demaund a reason of the same Iob neuer durste presume thus farre as the Papists doo yet when in the anguishe of his mynde hee wente beyonde hys reache The Lorde out of the whyrle wynde sayde Whoe is thys that darkeneth the counsell by woordes without knowledge Gyrde vp now thy loynes lyke a manne I wyll demaunde of thee and declare thou vntoo mee Where waste thow when I layde the foundations of the earthe Declare yf thou haste vnderstandynge c. Wylte thou disanull my Iudgemente or wylte thou condemne mee that thou mayste bee iustified or haste thou an arme lyke GOD or doest thou thunder wyth a Voyce lyke hym Decke thy selfe nowe wyth Maiestie and excellencye and arraye thy selfe wyth Beautie and glorye Caste abroade the indignation of thy wrathe and beholde euery one that is prowde and abase hym looke on euery one that is arrogante and bryng hym lowe and destroye the wycked in theyr place hyde them in the duste together and bynde theyr faces in a secrete place then wyll I confesse vnto thee also that thy ryghte hande can saue thee Thys presumption then not to bee content wyth the expressed good wyll of GOD but to searche further causes of his wyll then hee hath expressed that is his loue is euen to make our owne right hande our Sauiour as the Papistes doo Let vs therefore be content with this cause of Gods purpose that it is his good wil and procedeth of his mere loue And that his loue is the very and onely cause hereof as oure Sauioure Chryste hathe sayde Sic Deus dilexit mundum GOD so loued the worlde The loue of God is the cause of the Worldes saluation than the whyche what can bee a more notable cause and more comfortable herein than the loue and good wyll of god But the Papist whose mouth is not yet stopped nor hys ambitious mynde contented groynethe hereat that all shoulde proceede from the good wyll and loue of GOD Did not wee saithe he loue him before and then he loued vs No Papist we loued him not wee hated him as is already she wed In hoc est charitas non ê™ nos dilexerimus Deum sed quod ipse dilexit nos Loue consisteth herein sayeth S. Iohn not that we loued him but that he loued vs Prior dilexit nos he loued vs before and not we him before for then were all this in vayne then were the cause in vs not in God then were it no godamercie to God that we are saued but gramercie myne owne selfe for God requited me but loue for loue What a pawne checkemate were this to the loue of God But herein commendat charitatem suam Deus in nobis quoniam cum adhuc peccatores esâ—…emus God not onely loueth vs but herein he maruellously setteth out the glory and praise of his infinite loue vnto vs that euen when we were sinners when we were enemies he loued vs The only and whole cause then of Gods purpose to our saluation is the fauour loue of god Wherfore was Iacob preferred before hys brother Esau Iacob dilexi I loued Iacob Wherefore chose he the seede of Abraham Isaac and Iacob to be hys people for any merite of these their fathers which were holy patriarkes No Quia dilexit patres tuos forbicause hee loued their fathers Wherfore saith God vnto the Israelites The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a precious people vnto hym selfe aboue all people that are vpon the earthe The Lorde did not set his loue vpon you nor chose you bicause ye were mo in number than any people for ye were the fewest of al people but bicause the Lord loued you Wherfore is the
endorsed with a curâ—…e on the contrary not only of putting the disobedient childe to death but if this lawe were not at all yet the parents curse should pull vp the house by the roots â—…nsaÌ„ple the cursed seede of Cham ensample the late storie if it bee be true that is written of credible authors to be done in Germanie within this twenty yeres of a father that hauyng â—…idden his chylde goe on his his errand when the chylde stoode still and would not goe the vnaduised father in his fumish anger cuâ—…sed him and said Standest thou still stand still then so still standing I pray God thou mayst abide And euen sodeinly so soone as the curse was spoken the childe stode still and so standing there aboade till the day of his death A terrible ensample of the wrathe of GOD against childrens disobedience and to the confirmation of the authoritie that God hath giuen the parentes ouer their children For of our parents we haue not only our bodily goods but euen our bodies and al. And shal we not then loue them by whose loue we haue our being our life our norishing and vnder God the beginnings of all wee haue Many fathers and mothers now a days complain of the disobedieÌ„ce wilfullnesse and lacke of loue in their children more than they had wont to do What is the cause here of first this is a general obseruatioÌ„ although in particulers it be not altogether true that the parents loue is greter to his child than the childs loue is to his parents where of the townsmen of 〈◊〉 set vp a monument For wher as on a time they had condemned a father and his sonne for certain notorious crimes committed on muche entreatie made to the senate for theÌ„ it was at length graunted that but one of them shoulde die and that on this condition that the one shoulde do the execution on the other and he that executed the other shoulde him selfe escape agree on the matter as they could which of them should suffer The sonne being asked refused to die for the father and had rather execute his father thaÌ„ his father shold execute him The father being demaunded was conteÌ„t to suâ—…fer death him self of his sonnes hand though his sons vnnaturalnesse did greue him rather thaÌ„ he wold put his sonne to death Whervppon this monument was erected for a perpetuail memorie the pictures of bothe father and sonne the son behâ—…dding his father engrauen in marble and this poesie writen vnderneth Amor descendit nâ—…n asceÌ„dit Loue descendeth but not ascendeth And so the ryuers course descendeth but not ascendethe A stone naturally descendeth not ascendeth And the scripture coÌ„mendeth many fathers vnto vs that ful entierly haue loued their sons but few sons like Isaac Ioseph and Tobie are commended vnto vs for the like loue againe vnto their fathers This naturall loue wrought not in the vnnaturalâ—… sonne Absalon but it wrought so deepe in the father Dauid that he cryed out againe Absalon fili mi fili mi Absalon fili mi c. O Absalon my sonne my son Absalon my sonne woulde to God I myghte die for thee O Absalon my sonne my sonne The seconde reason of the sonnes disobedyence is the fathers cockeryng And that was the cause of Dauids weepyng and Absalons destruction euen hys fathers indulgence Thys destroyed Hely and his sonnes also And hathe broughte many foolyshe fathers to their graue with heauinesse and hath brought many sonnes to the Gallowes wyth wrâ—…tchednesse Remember the Fable of the chylde that bitte of his mothers nose when hee went to hanging bicause she would not bite his breche with a good rod when he went to filching A great many mothers nowe a dayes can not abide to 〈◊〉 their children beaten and a number of fathers as wise as the mothers the Schoolemaster that shoulde fetche bloudde of theyr chylde oute alas It were a pityfull syghte But were it not a more pitifull syghte to see howe myserablye the one destroyeth the other they thinke it loue it is more than mortaâ—…l hatrede this foolyshe coâ—…heryng of theyr chyldren Whiche if they feele not in the miseries of this life wherby repentance may saue the soule howesoeuer the body abye the follie of this hatefull cockering loue if not yet after this life the father and mother may mete the sonne in helle and there repeate those heauie and horrible curses that Gregorie teâ—…s of Cuâ—…sed be the houre sayth the father that euer thou wast borne Cursed be the tyme sayeth the sonne that euer thou begattest me and thus the one shall curse baâ—… the other and al bicause of this their cursed cockering Dye fathers and morhers especially you of this noble citie of London shaâ—…e not youre Citie vndoe not youre children and youre selues also We are thorough out all the Realme called cockneys that are borne in London or in the sounde of Bow bell this is your shame recouer this shame as god be praised ye do more than euer was wont to be done It had went to be an olde saying that fewe or none but were vnthâ—…ifts and came to nothing that were cockneys borne for so are we termed abroade But God be praised this is nowe a false rule and hath ben a good while since chiefly since the Gospels light hath shined on this noble citie it hath brought for the many worthy gouernors â–ª not able preachers godly pastors wise couÌ„selors pregnaÌ„t wits graue students welthy citiâ—…ens and is ful of maruellous towardes youth God blesse them and I trust will euery day more and more so blesse this renoumed citie that where before for wâ—…nton bringing vp it hath bene althoughe in other thyngs famous inâ—…ug he yet in this poynt of our births place a speck of blushing a terme of cockney a note of nipping vs It shall hereafter by Godly education be a thing to glory in that we borne in sutche a glorious citie as not only God hath made the hed of other in welth and honor but also a myrror of other in godlinesse and religion And that this may be loue your children but hate cockering Read and reade ouer twentie times and write it in steele and iron as Iob saith that is graue it in youre memorye that woorthie chapter in this pointe the thirtie chapter of Iesus the sonne of Syrach and there thou shalt see what the cockering of the chyld will bring bothe father and chyide vnto and what the contrary The third cause of childrens disobedience is the yll ensample of their parentes soone crookes the tree that good camocke will bee It soone prickes wil be a thorne the yong cockrel will learne easily to crow as he heareth the old cocke A great many suche crauen cockes there are that crowe full yll fâ—…uoredly and teach their cockrels to do the same scarse ere they be out of the shell We are prone inough and to proue of our selues to all vice without a teacher and
alas shal the father and mother teache it them nay it is no meruaile how coulde the olde Crabbe teache the yong Crab to goe but a byas They haue nousâ—…ed vp them selues in all wickednesse and so they teache their children so that as it were they clayme hel by inheritance It is a world to see how â—…oone wee are decked vp to be proude or ere we knowe what pride meaneth What a laughter and sport it is to the parentes to se their yong chyld do any vnhappy touch But Extrema gaudij luctus occupat this wicked beginning must nedes haue a wretched endyng Wilte thou loke thou foolish father to reape vertue and sowedst nought but vice thou wast disobedient to God and wilt theu loke thy chyld shal be obedient to thee Nay loke how thou hast done to thy children thy children wyll doo the lyke to thee What measure yee mete withall shal be met to you againe Beware therfore of nourishing them in vice of giuing euill ensample to them tinder wil not so sone take fyre as the child wil take hold of euil ensample And he that offendeth one of these little ones sayth Christe that beleueth in me it were better a mylstone were tied about his necke and he throwen into the bottome of the sea Neyther dothe Christe here excepte father mother or any other but who so euer he be that is occaâ—…ion of sinne to the childe by ensample instruction encoraging or by any other meanes this heauie sentence is pronounced on him Thou father therfore if thou loue thy childe yea if thou loue thy selfe bothe for his parte and for thine owne parte beware of euel ensample The fourthe cause of disobedience is the lacke of knowledge of his duety Thou bringest vp thy sonne in ignorance and idely and howe can he then but proue a stubborn pece chiefly when he hath no knowledge nor fear of god Now wil he stande in awe of thee or know his duetie to thee Dost thou loue in dede thy child loue thaÌ„ the more principall parte of him loue his soule more than his bodye loue the eternall life of him better than this temporall lyfe For else thou louest him not For proofe that thou louest hym thou shewest me what riches thou hast gathered for him what laÌ„des and rentes thou hast purchased for him what lyuings and offices thou haste prouided for him what payne what coste what trouble what sute what trauel what cares and God knowes withall what conscience thou haddest to compasse these things for thy chylde and is not all this a sufficient argument to proue thou louest him No surely is it not But I will healpe thee with a better argument Thou art content for thy chyld to goe lyke a carle to the dyuell before that thy chylde may come after to the diuel like a gentlemaÌ„ This is a token thou louest thy child that art content so thy chyld may be daÌ„ned thou wilt be damned too Now likest thou this loue is it not more worthy to be called hatred and worse it thou canst deuise â—… worser name for it this preposterous loue of thine to thy child Ah saist thou shal I not then prouide for my childe then were I worse sayeth Saincte Paule than an infidel I deny not but thou mayst yea and oughtest to prouide for him by all conuenient and godly meanes thou canst But the principall thyng that thou oughtest to prouyde for thy chylde is the Riches of the soule the knowledge the feare and the loue of god Primum quaerite regnum Dei 〈◊〉 omnia adijcientur â—…obis Fyrst seeke that thy chylde maye bee a Citizen of the kingdome of God that thy sonnes as Dauid sayeth maye bee As plantes growyng vp in thâ—…yt youthe in all Grace and Uâ—…ttue that thy daughters may bâ—… polished lyke the corner stones of the temple of God shining in the cleere beawty of shamefastnesse and modestie and become olde mothers in Israel And then all other things shall be cast vnto them by Gods prouidence When thou art dead and faire buried they shall haue inoughe to liue on and doe full well although thou hadst lefte them neuer a penie I was yong and now am oldâ—… saithe Dauid as who should saye I haue sene greate experience of many things in my dais yet neuer saw I the rightouse man forsaken and his seed beg their bred No though his father die yet is he as though he were not dead for he hath left one behinde him that is like him In his life he saw him and had ioy in him and was not sory in his death neither was he ashamed before his enemies he left behinde hym an auenger agaynst his enemies and one that should shew fauour to his frends Lo thus shall they be blessed that feare the Lorde bycause they bring vp their children in instructioÌ„ and information of the Lorde This is the true loue of the fathers and mothers to their children And this shall make if any thing wil make this loue of the parents descending to the children to ascende againe from the children to the parents so effectually that no earthly loue can be of greater force But be this loue also neuer so excellent when it once entreth this comparison of gods loue bicause it is so tied with the linkes of nature and bounden dewty on either parte although it somwhat resemble this loue of God our Father in heauen to vs his adopted sonnes in earth Wherby Dauid saith Sicut pater miseretur filioruÌ„ misertus est nostri dominus As the father hath mercie on his children so God hath had mercy on vs Can the mother forget her infant that she should not pitie the childe of her wombe although the mother coulde forget hir child sayth the Lorde yet will not I forget thee for I haue grauen thee vppon the palmes of my hands thy walles are euer in my sight Therfore I conclude on this loue as of the other that So God loued the worlde that no naturall loue of fathers and mothers to their children of children to their fathers and mothers is lyke this loue of God out heauenly father to vs. We reade of greate loue that seruauntes haue borne theyr maysters that maisters againe haue born theyr seruants the one hath suffred death to saue the other This was a notable loue Where are suche maisters and seruants now become nay it is now the old prouerbe vp downe trim tram such maister suche man suche cuppe suche couer neyther barrell better herring bothe maister and man may go in a line together for a great many of men and maisters now a dayes In many places where I come I heare the maisters complaine of their seruantes stubbornesse and vnfaithfull dealing of their seruantes dissolutenesse and lacke of awe But the maister seeth not howe God punisheth hym with his owne rodde howe his owne selfe is the cause here of He would haue his seruant all for
sonne than vs but only he did it for the loue of vs yet his loue of vs is onely in and for his sonne The Prince might seeke glorie and renowne by this strange fact as the Philosophers did in al their sufferings but Christ sought ignominie due to vs to bring vs to raigne in glorie with him In the ende the Prince must nedes die and his sonne also and how soone either of them God knowes And whether by not so famouse a deathe or no God knowes And how they shold haue liued with what troubles feares and changes God knows These things might moue them to be the willinger to suffer death that once they must nedes suffer and this they know But the sonne of God was not subiecte vnto deathe he neded neuer to haue died for death had no power ouer him as he truly sayd Habeo potestatē ponēdi animam meam iterum sumendi eam I haue power to geue ouer my life and to take it againe It lay in his owne power to die or not to die but that of his mere loue he vouchesaued for to die Moreouer the Princes death could worke but a small and trifling benefit the sauing of theyr bodily life for a whyle that perchaunce myght die body and and soule within a minute of an houre after But the death of oure vnspotted Lambe the sonne of God is become suche a sweete and acceptable sacrifice to GOD the Father and so effectuall vnto vs that if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for oure sinnes onely but for the sinnes of the whole worlde To conclude there is as mutche difference betweene this or any other case that can be put of any creature husbande wife parentes children frend enemie neighbour stranger maister seruant prince subiect or whose loue soeuer it be as is betwene the creature creator as is betwene the person of a wretched mortal man the person of the liuing and immortall god The loue of God therefore whereby he so loued the worlde that he gaue his sonne for it doth excell all comparison doth excede all speache doothe passe all vnderstanding Wee speake but in a darke speeche theron we vnderstand it but as chyldren we see it but thorough a gl◅sle we know it but in part yea the angels meruaile at it and cannot fully conceaue the breadth the length the depthe the heigthe of this incomprehensible loue of God to manne and to knowe this loue of Christe whiche go◅th beyonde all knowledge But that we may haue some taste of this sweete loue of God some ioy of this his excellent gifte let vs deare beloued as we maye a little beholde the same He gaue his only begotten son Here are two things to be considered The one is the thing it self that for this loue he bestowed vpon vs The other is the maner of his bestowing it The thing that he bestowed was euen his sonne not his seruant but his sonne not his frende but his sonne euen his true begotten sonne and that his only begoten son Such as the father is suche is the sonne the Father is God the sonne is God God of the substance of his father very God and equall to his father in substance eternitie grace glorie power and euery thing For all that the Father hathe hee hathe giuen to him and he and the father are one Hee is the expresse image of the inuisible God the first begotten of all creatures the wisdome of his father by whome the world was made the light of the worlde the way the truth and the life the authour and fynisher of our faithe the prince of pastours and great shepeherd of our soules the true vine the bread of lyfe the rock and fountayn of the liuing waters the corner stone of the building and foundation therof the king of glorie the prince of peace the anoynted of God the high priest the mediator of the new Testament the lamb of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world the reconciler of God and man the Emanuel the Messias the blessed seede the hope and redemption of Israell The lord sauior Iesus Christ in whome is the fulnesse of the diuinitie in whom only is layde vp the vnsearchable treasorie of all the riches of the glorie grace fauor of this infinit loue of God euen the only begotten son of god So muche more excellent than the angels in as much as he hath obteined a more excellēt name thā they For vnto which of the angels sayde he at any tyme Thou art my son this day haue I begotten thee And agayne I will be his father and he shall be my sonne and againe when he bringeth in his firste begotten sonne into the world be saith And let al the angels of God worship hym c. to the Son he saith O god thy throne is for euer euer the scepter of thy kingdom is a scepter of righteousnes thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie wherfore God euen thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellows And thou Lord in the beginning hast established the earth and the heauens are the workes of thine handes they shal perish but thou dost remayn and they al shall waxe old as doth a garmēt and as a vesture shalt thou fold them vp they shal be changed but thou art the same and thy yeares shal not fayle Vnto whiche of the angels sayde hee at any tyme Sitte thou at my right hād til I make thy enemies thy foote stoole And hath he then poured foorth on vs poore and wretched synfull misers sutche treasures of hys blessings that he hath giuen vs euen this his son in quem desiderant angeli prospicere on whom the angels desire to looke yea saithe the same sonne him self Dedit vnigenitum filium suum He gaue his only begotten sonne O infinite and vnspeakable loue O most preciouse gifte O most orient pearle O most happie marchant that can get this iewel The price of this gifte can not be tolde the value of this iewel is inestimable siluer and gold pearle and stone is nothing comparable to this wonderfull gifte of god No we are not bought with corruptible things as siluer and golde but with the precious bloud of Christ the sonne of God The sonne of God why could no lesser gift haue serued vs might not he haue geuen vs an angell But euen his sonne And that his only begotten son Might not he haue gyuen vs one of his adopted sonnes some notable man or womā some patriarche some Prophet some apostle or some holy sainte of god No God spared not to giue his his onely begotten son for man Yea nothing coulde sufficiently pacifie the wrath of God satisfie his iustice make due recompence for our vndue offence reconcile vs to the fauour of GOD againe vanquishe
him that pretende and vaunte to be his chiefest seruitors and most holy catholike childreÌ„ But they lie the more that haue the more to answeare for I meane the cancred Papist and mayntener of these wicked doings against God his anointed Christe and with the bare name of Christ abused the credulous and simple people But let vs dere Christians now that the mistery of iniquitie wrought by them is opened them aÌ„ of sin disclosed euen the child of perditioÌ„ which is an aduersary and exalteth him selfe against al that is called god or that is worshipped sitting as God in the temple of God and bosting him selfe as god Let vs now be no loÌ„ger be deceued by him but be rather ashamed y we haue bin so fowly so long missed And sith God hath lightned vs sitting in darknesse the shadow of death with the light of his truth yea with his owne son the true light of the worlde Let vs goe forth of their tents let vs be bold to enter into the holy place by the bloud of Iesus let vs draw neere with a true hearte in the assurance of faith since wee haue an high priest which is ouer the house of God let vs acknowledge to be our only lorde and sauiour this most excellent gift of God that all the world is not able to counteruaile to be that king that only is able doth rule defend and preserue his Churche throwout the world to be that priest that hath made of his owne body a ful perfect sacrifice once for al sufficient for all the sinnes of the worlde To be that only mediator that only intercessor that is able to stande betwixte God and vs Vnus est deus vn ' mediator homo Iesus Christus There is one God and one mediator the man Iesus Christ. He only trode the wine presse he onely iusteyned Gods wrathe he onely fulfylled Gods iustice he only reconciled Gods loue and fauoure he is the only meanes that God hath vsed to work our saluation by And here welbeloued see and dreade the iustice of God againste sinne nothyng could pacifie it but his son It is not suche an easie matter to put away sin as the papists pretende if any such thing could haue don it to what purpose neded God haue geuen his only begotten son To what purpose neded his son haue suffred the sharp stoures of sutche a bitter and reprochefull deathe if sinne our deliuery from sinne had bin so smale a matter But sinne is most horrible in the sight of God seuereth vs from god Iniquitates vestrae diuiseruÌ„t inter vos Deum vestrum Your sins haue made a diuision betwen you and your God saithe Esaie In how infinite places doth God threatten his wrath against sinne and sinners that prouoke him to anger that styrre vp his indignation that kindle his furie that heape wrath on them selues But how sore a matter this is to susteine Gods wrath reade the eight twenty and nine twenty chapters of the Deuteronomie how the wrath of the Lorde shall smoke against the sinner How his wrath is a consuming fyer Who knoweth the power of thy wrath saieth Dauid Horrendum est incidere in manus dei It is a dreadful thing to fall in the hands of god No saynt no angell no creature can abide his displeasure The heauens shall flee the elementes melt and the earth shall burne before him Only Iesus Christ sustained the brunt of his wrath and that with a most hard bicker It made him sweate euen dropps of bloode with water it made him cry out on the crosse My God my God why haste thou forsaken mee Thys greate wrathe susteyned hee because he tooke on him our sinnes that were the sonnes of wrathe to 〈◊〉 vs children of grace To make vs righteousnesse 〈◊〉 was accounted sinne that knew no sinne To make vs blessed he became accursed He is our peace and hath reconciled vs to god by the crosse in his blood Euen because hee loued vs he gaue him selfe for vs to bee a sacrifice of sweete smell to God that was appeased with his obedieÌ„ce Ecce veniâ—… who moste redily offred himselfe to his father for vs Behold I come and am ready to doe and suffer thy will with which oblation the Father is so wel pleased that he hath not appointed vs to wrathe but to obtein saluation by the means of our lord Iesus Christ whiche died for vs. Let vs not therfore wallow in this securitie if God spared not his sonne for vs will he spare vs that neither feare his wrath nor yet are moued by his loue if the greene tree were thus ordred shal the rotten tree stand nay the axe is euen at the roote therof to hewe it downe to be cast into the fire that brings not forth good frute For although Christ be made vnto vs of God our wisedome our righteousnesse oure holynesse and our redemption yet must we be wise as serpentes not be children in wit but walke wisely redeming the time he is our righteousnesse but we must bee righteous also for sayeth S. Iohn If yee know that he is righteous knowe ye that he whiche do the righteously is borne of him and therefore giue not youre membres weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto synne but of ryghteousnesse vnto GOD. Wee must put on the brestplate of righteousnesse and suffer for righteousnesse sake and then shall we be blessed Chryste is oure holynesse yet followeth it not we must therfore be vnholy but on the coÌ„trary Sancti critis quoniam ego sanctus sum You shall be holye bycause I am holy Non enim vocauit nos Deus ad immundiâ—…iem sed ad sanctificationem For God hath not called vs to vnholynesse but to holynesse Thys is the will of God euen your holynesse Hee is our redemption and hath redemed vs not from all kynde of seruice but from the seruice of sinne vt vltra non seruiamus peccato From the cnrse of the lawe Christus redemit nos à maledictione legis He tooke away the force from dearh and broughte lyfe to lyght He destroyed throughe death him that hadde the power of deathe that is the diuell and that he myght delyuer them whiche all their lyfe tyme were subiecte to bondage Hee gaue hymselfe for vs to delyuer vs from all vnrighteousnesse What shall wee saye then shall we continue styll in sinne that grace maye abounde God forbidde How shall we that are deade to sinne lyue yet therin c. Shall wee sinne by cause wee are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace God forbidde Naye wee are not so redeemed but styll remayne in bondage and debte to GOD hys chyldren and seruants hauing our frute in holinesse and the end euerlastyng lyfe Whiche lyfe wee shall haue by Christe yf we dye with Christe if wee forsake euyl and
the worlde may know that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued me What a ioyfull state what a notable gift is this Christe reioyceth in his gifte let vs reioyce in our gifte God repenteth hym not of his gifte GOD graunte vs so to keepe and enioy this gifte that Christ may be ours and wee may be his for euer And then as God hath giuen all power to Christe Sicut dedisti ei potestatem omnis carnis As thou O Father sayeth Christe haste gyuen power of all fleshe vnto the sonne Vt omne quòd dedisti ei det eis vitam aeternam That all that thou haste giuen to him he maye giue them eternall lyfe So sayeth Christ for the assurāce of his good wil herein Pater quos dedisti mihi volo vt vbi sum ego illi sint mecum vt videant claritatem meam quam dedisti mihi Father those that thou haste gyuen mee I will that where I am they be also with mee that they may see the glorie thou haste giuen vnto me Thus being giuen to Chryste and Christe to vs hee will bee with vs till the worldes ende and wee agayne worlde withoute ende shall bee wyth hym and followe the Lambe and reygne in that euerlastyng lyfe of glorye whereof hee hathe made a gloryons purchase for vs and of hys free gyfte shall giue the same vnto vs Thus mutche then also for the thyrde parte the meanes that God wrought it by the efficient and formall cause of oure saluation Dedit vnigenitum filium suum He gaue his only begotten sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour The fourthe parte THE fourthe parte is of oure receipte hereof whereby wee applye this effectually to oure benefite of Saluation ▪ For bee a gyfte neuer so franke neuer so liberall neuer so ryche in it selfe yet if it bee not taken what auayleth it to the refuser Bee a playster neuer so excellente if it be not suffered to be layde to the sore it healeth not If a medicine haue neuer so greate vertue of helping the sicke if it be not receiued it recouereth him not if meate be neuer so much a strengthening to the body if it be not eaten and disgested in the stomack it norisheth not If a pardon be neuer so gracious free if the giltie renounce it it saueth him not Euen so this most excellent gifte of God Iesus Christ this souerain plaister of our woūds by whose stripes we are healed this phisition of our soules that hath raised vs from death to life this bread of life that cam down from heauē that al that eate his fleshe and drinke his blood should haue life euerlasting this true and only pardoner of all our offences If he and his pardon and his meate and his medicine and his plaister and his gifte be refused and not receaued what profit get these refusers by him Nay to them he is Lapis offensionis a stone whereat men stumble a rocke whereat they be offēded Behold this Child saith Simeon is set to be the fall and vprising againe of many in Israell and for a signe which is spoken against To the Iewes offence to the gētils folly To bothe of them that refuse him euen the sauiour of death to death So that none but the receauers haue these benefits by him Who then are the receyuers hereof Omnis qui credit in eum saithe Christe All that beleue in him All those that put their trust and confidence not in themselues nor in any other thing or person but only and altogither in him that is in Iesus Christe those onely receyue the benefit of this gift Al that beleue on him Here are three speciall words in the consideration of this receit that would require to be diligently weighed than time will now permit me hauing ben so large in the other that I muste needes for shame be briefe in this last part The first of these three is this worde All comprehending the persons to whome this gifte is offered The seconde Qui credunt is a restraint of this word Al to them that beleue comprehendyng the persons that receyue it and the meanes wherby they take it that is beleefe or faith The thirde in eum sheweth the person on whome they shoulde beleue and is the ground foundation forme scope and direction of theyr beleefe Of this word All I haue already spoken somewhat to shewe howe farre it stretcheth and howe it is restrayned Of it selfe it is a generall worde and excepteth nothing but by that whyche followeth it is straighter laced and that with a very precise bounder wherby so many euen at the fyrste choppe are quite dashte out that this worde All is restrayned to a maruelous small numbre in cōparison of All those that are none of all these which receyue this benefite Howbeit bicause this gift is offered by the preaching of the woorde vnto all to all nations tongs and people to all sortes ages sexes degrees and all kynde of persons what so euer And that the worde of God beeing thus generally proclaymed to all neuer returneth agayne in vayne as God by his prophet Esay testifieth but euermore more or lesse some receiue this gifte so freely by the worde offred vnto them and that this some is of all these sortes and kyndes of persons whose numbre althoughe to vs as appeateth in the seuenth of the Reuelation it be greate and infinite although to the world and those that treade the broade path it be a small number and a very little stock although to God smal or great it be determinate and appointed Firmum fundamentū Dei stat habens signaculū hoc cognouit Dominus qui sunt eius The sure foundation of God standeth fast ▪ hauing this seale the Lord knoweth who are his yet bycause wee are not deuisers of Gods priuie councel but voyces of criers and proclaimers of Gods open offer therfore so farre as our commission stretcheth we trauel to all we cal all we preache to all we teach all we exhort all we reproue all we labour to win all we exempt none we driue away none we debarre it from none nor none from it we bid none despaire but all to truste and beleue in God and to take this gift thus freely offered to them whereof wee be appointed the bringers and the offerers In omnem terram exiuit sonus eorum their voice sayth the Prophet hath gonouer all the yerthe not that we know not before that a great many wil not receiue it Domine quis credidit auditui nostro Lord who hath beleued our preachings But we know not who these shall be that will refuse it nor who those shall bee that shall receiue it we know not who shal be saued nor who shall be damned but this we know all those shal be saued that beleue and he that beleueth not so cōtinueth shal be damned Here ther fore foloweth the
to beleue not as he wil him self beleue for that is no belefe In vanū colūt me docentes doctrinas praecepta hominū They worship me in vain saith god teching the doctrins precepts of men But what a belefe is that in God that will not be leue the very voice of God that openly not priuily aloude not like a Priest in his Memēto did manyfestly sownd out this most comfortable voice from heauen This is my wellbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased here him Now if they will beleue God in whom they say they beleue thē must they here what Iesus Christ saith to them who playnly proueth him selfe the sonne of God that none knoweth the sonne but the father nor the father but the sonne and he to whom the son will reuele the father And that he is in the father and the father is in him and he the father are one This must he here of Christ and beleue in him And if he will not beleue for the words he spake let him beleue for the works he did These argumēts serue also against the Iew y simply denieth not Christ as doth the Turk but denieth Iesus the son of the virgin Ma ry to be Christ loketh for Christ yet to com But the law Prophets that he admitteth cleane con fute him and yet of a blind zeale and obstinate defence of his auncesters wicked murder of Christ he still denieth him And therefore he hath no part in this businesse till God shall call him to the knowlege faith of his son Reliquiae tamen saluabūtur we trust God will call the remnant of them And as Iews and Turks that beleue not in him receaue not this benefite by him so no hereti◅s that beleue not aright in christ For not to beleue aright is not to beleue at al A false belefe is no beleefe for God is true and it muste bee true that must haue true saluation Here the Papists crie out to the simple people that we be heretiks that teach this doctrine but till they can proue this doctrine heresie or any other that we teache it will be harde for them to proue vs to bee heretikes In th◅ meane season thus mutche we are able to proue agaynst them that they are none of these Qui credūt in eum that beleue in him But by what name they may be called that are neither heathen Turks nor Iewes neither beleue on Christ and yet pretēde to beleue vppon him by what name these may be called besides heretiks mainteining their not belefe in him so obstinatly as they doe let other geue them other names I know not what els to cal them Now if I proue not this that they beleue not in Iesus Christ alwaies I presuppose a true and right belefe for els it must folow they be heretiks then hardely let the Papist say or thinke that I do him open wrong and fowly sclander him Here I let goe that I haue alredy proued against him whiche were inoughe and more than inough to proue he hath no true faith in Iesus Christe that wold so order him But besides al those errours doctrines and abuses thus I proue it To beleue in other creatures besides him is not to beleue in him But the Papists beleue in other creaturs besides him Ergo they beleue not in him The argument is euidēt and then the conclusiō must nedes follow excepte the Papist can improue any one of the premisses or any part therof If he denie the Minor that the Papists beleue in other creatures besides him and crie out I sclaunder him in his this saying that how fowly soeuer otherwise he erred yet he kept the head sure and always beleued only in God How shal I know the certeintie of this I would it were so for his owne sake and that I lied on him herein But what shall I trust his false faithe there is little holde in it although he had sworne it and written it and sealed it Example their faithe to Iohn Husse and their generall rule Nulla fides haereticis est habenda No faith must be kepte with heretikes And he before hand iudging me an heretike and protesting to be false vnto me how shall I beleue him neither wil he beleue mee and both he and I are parties Let then an indifferent iudge be vmper to see whether they beleue in any other creatures besydes Iesus Christ or no. Why who can iudge the hearte but God that is true where the hart sheweth no outwarde declaration but Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos By their frutes sayeth Christe ye shall know them belefe can not be hidden Credidi prop ter Quam locutus sum I beleued and therefore I spake saith Dauid S. Paule then except the papist wil refuse him shal be this vmpier that maketh this question of the effectes of faith Quomodo ergo inuocabunt in quem non crediderunt Howe then shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleued As who should saye if they had not beleued in God they wold not haue made inuocation on him But they haue made inuocation on him and therfore it must nedes follow that they beleued in him For how could they haue called vppon him on whom they beleued not And this rule of S Paule is a general rule in al belefes For ensample how shall I know a Gentiles belefe Marke the Gentils inuocation He maketh inuocation to Iupiter Iuno Mars Venus Mercurie and suche other idols Ergo he beleueth in them Howe shall I knowe a Turkes and Saracens faith marke his inuocation he maketh inuocation to Mahomet Ergo he beleueth in Mahomet How shall I know the Indians fayth at Calecute marke his inuocation He maketh inuocation to the diuell inthronized and crowned like the Pope it followeth then he beleueth in the diuell How shall I know the faith of the wyld heathens and sauage pagans in Scythia Affrica and America mark their inuocations they inuocated the Sun the mone the starres beastes byrdes fishes serpents and such like it foloweth thē they did beleue in them And euen so to know a papists faith marke a papists inuocation He maketh inuocation to Saintes Ergo the Papist beleueth in Saints but to beleeue in Saints is to beleue increatures besides Christe therfore he beleueth not in God only as he sayd he dyd Now if hee denie the maior of my argument whiche was this to beleue in other besydes him is not to beleue in him and affirme that he doth and may beleue in bothe but principally in him and secondely in Sainctes then presse I him with this sayng of Christ Qui credunt in eum not in eos they that beleue in him not they that beleeue in them But the Papistes credunt in eos they beleeue in them therfore Non credunt in eū they beleue not in him neyther is this emphasis that Christe here vseth of
imputed to him but couered as thoughe he had it not and so is sodeynly transformed into another man Who is able to do so straunge and miraculous a woorke the iustifier Who is that god Doothe God iustifie the vngodly Dothe not God say Wo be to them that make euill good c. and that iustifie the wicked True he sayeth so of them and woorthyly that approue that for good whiche is euill but this manne is not now euill but was euil and of euil is made good And therfore woe againe to them that make good euill Why what goodnesse hathe hee to make hym good Forsoothe euen the greateste goodnesse that can bee deuised or wyshed for and that is euen the Sonne of GOD himselfe That is goodnesse inough But what hath he to doo with that Christes righteousnesse is not his ryghteous nesse Yes sayeth the synner thoughe that I haue none of myne owne I haue Christes He is my ryghteousnesse that I might be made the righteousnesse of God bycause I haue put on Iesus Christe bicause I haue receyued him by faith and so with him his righteousnesse is in mee And he and his righteousnesse being in me though I bee of my selfe a sinner Iam non ego viuit verò in me Christus quòd autem nunc viuo in carne in fide viuo filij Dei qui dilexit me tradidit semetipsum pro me Now it is not I but Christ dothe liue in me as for that I nowe liue I lyue in the faith of the sonne of God that loued me and gaue himselfe for me Why is thy faith of such vertue then to work this matter No my faithe onely apprehendeth Christ that is my righteousnesse and God of his fauourable mercy accepteth this my faith that is the apprehender for his sake that is apprehended as though the righteousnes of Christe were euen myne owne God dothe not this for my sake nor for my workes sake nor for my faithes sake but for his owne sonnes sake whome I flee vnto and flee from my selfe and from all other and catche holde only vpon him by faith And this my faithe in him is imputed to me for rightuousnesse Thus was it imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse it shall be like wise imputed to you for righteousnesse if yee beleeue in hym that raysed vp Iesus Christe So y this belefe deserueth it not no more than any other worke deserueth it though beleefe be the onely receyte and apprehension of it yet all consisteth but in imputation acception in vouchsafing and accompting this to bee ours that in it selfe is not ours we do but onely receyue by faithe Iesus Christ offered of GOD the Father vnto vs whome if wee doo receyue Cum filio suo nobis omnia donat He giueth vs all things with his sonne and so are we counted righteous Well sayth the Papiste were there no more in vs but euen thys yet lyeth it in vs to receaue Christe into vs here is some thyng and that no small matter euen the receauing of it See welbeloued so sain the Papist wold haue some thing to boast vppon he will play small play rather than he will sitte out What a hearing were this in a miserable caitife begger that had not one pennie in all the world to blesse hym but lieth in the stretes an outcast in extreme wretchednesse an honest mans comes by and euen vnasked of mere pittie biddeth him holde out his hande and giueth him a good liberall aâ—…mes the begger where he should had he any grace render at the leaste his humble hartie reuerent thankes vnto him that so freely gaue him this reliefe goeth craking awaye and â—…osting of him selfe that except he had put foorthe his hand 〈◊〉 it the other had not geuen it him Were this proude begger worthy his almes that thus impudently would blemish the liberalitie of the geuer bicause hee was the receauer He had doone a great matter had he not trowe you for letting the almes to fal into his hand A theef condemned to death and euen ready to bee executed findyng in himself no cause wherfore he shold be pitied nor in any other any meanes wherby he mighte be healped and seeth euen before hym the horrour of death that he hath deserued sodeynly vnlooked for vnsued for vnasked vnthought vppon moste of all vndeserued commeth the Queenes Maiesties pardon that shee of her owne voluntarie of her owne gracious mercy and pitie sendeth hym sealed and written wyth her owne hande and freely without any condition or exception offereth it vnto him biddeth him take it and he shall not suffer death but bee freely pardoned cleane forgiuen and be accompted as no suche felon euen as though he had euer bene a good subiecte and be receyued agayne into as muche grace and fauoure yea and greater than euer hee was before He putteth out his hande and receyueth it And as soone as he hath it he boasteth by and by what a myghtie deede hee hathe doone to receyue this pardon for otherwise saith he if he had not so done the Queene could not haue saued him it laye in his owne choise and power whether he wold be pardoned yea or no I praye you were sutche a fellowe woorthy to bee pardoned But thus deale the Papistes wyth thys pardon of Iesus Christe naye they deale farre woorse in this matter with GOD and Christe his sonne than any man is able to deale wyth manne For as this offer and gyft of GOD excelleth all comparison of Princes offers so manne in respecte of GOD whome he hath offended is in farre more wretched estate of synnes captiuitie and daunger of eternall deathe than all the beggers ' and prysoners in the worlde Neyther can he yf he well consyder and weyghe hys case doo so muche as the begger or prisoner maye for though he may resemble them in the refusall and so with them bee moste vnwoorthie eyther of almes or pardon yet hath not he that libertie in this matter of the soule to receyue it of his owne free will as they haue libertie to receyue that is offred them in bodily matters For although this gyfte â—…e offered vnto all yet none doo nor can receyue this gyfte but those to whome the meanes also to receyue it is gyuen The meanes is Faythe but euery manne hath not Faythe nor fayth is not of vs though it bee in vs Faythe is the gyfte of GOD fleshe and bloude reueales it not but he Qui diuisit vnicuique secundum mensuram fidei That hathe deuided to eche manne accordyng to the measure of Fayth Vnto you sayeth Saincte Paule to the Philippians it is geuen that ye shold not only beleeue in Iesus Christe but also suffer for him And for his owne parte sayeth hee Misericordiam consecutus sum vt sim fidelis I haue obtayned mercie that I might be faithfull And therefore it is not a voluntarie matter of our choyse to put oute the hande of