made and accomplished all his woorke and that hee namely the sonne of God Iesus Christ for that cause beareth also all thinges with the woorde of his power and maketh the purging of our sinnes throwe him selfe Answeare I Haue sufficiently before declared that Christians are taught to beleeue in Iesus Christ that it is not enough for them to confesse that there is a Christe or that Christ is the sonne of the liuing god And yet notwithstanding H. N. vsually in explaning the articles of our beliefe shunneth as rockes all words of faith and beliefe and embraseth in steede thereof woordes of confessing whereof he hath as it seemeth conceiued some better liking but the cause thereof he is content to keepe secrete to him selfe Where he professeth that Iesus Christ is the very like being of the liuing GOD his father and that GOD the father through him hath made and accomplished all his woorkes that he beareth all things with the worde of his power and hath made the purging of our sinnes throwe himselfe It shall God willing appeare hereafter in my answeare vnto this reason that he meaneth nothing lesse touching Christ then that his woordes seeme at the first sight to giue out of him As for his reason which is that because GOD the father hath made and accomplished all his woorkes by Iesus Christ in the creation of the worlde therefore hee shoulde make the purging of our sinnes through him selfe alone if it were good and sufficient the holie Ghoste might aswell haue the name of the mediatour and redeemer as Iesus Christ For GOD the father accomplished not that woorke without him Moreouer howe absurde is it that his dealing in the creation shoulde charge him with the woorke of our redemption When did H. N. euer see the obligation whereby at his entring vppon the Creation hee stoode bounde to perfourme the woorke of redemption The Scripture telleth vs hee laide downe his life frankly and freely of his owne accord not to discharge any dutie or debt of his owne growing vpon any former couenant hee had made for him selfe to perfourme but that it was to acquite vs thereby from euerlasting death and destruction which otherwise was in iustice to fall vppon vs And for that cause hath he geuen him this name Iesus as we reade in the Gospel after S. Matthewe Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shal saue his people from their sinnes He came not then to rid him selfe from the daunger that any former couenant tharge or duetie of his owne had laide vpon him or bound him vnto but to deliuer his people from their sinnes which had laide holde vpon them and as an heauie burden did presse them downe vnto death So that the reason rendred in the scriptures why he had to name Iesus doth sufficiētly declare that it was no priuate cōmoditie of his owne but the saluation of his people that was sought for and accomplished by him And that wee shoulde not doubt of his authoritie or abilitie to goe through with so great a matter as is the worke of our saluation therefore commeth he from God the father with speciall authoritie and graces in all abundance annointed and enabled therevnto And thereuppon hath this name Christ accordingly ▪ which in our tongue signifieth annointed that our faith might not roaue vncertainely about our saluation but directly looke at one both sufficiently authorized and also fully furnished for that woorke where wee might particularly and cleerely see the grounde of al this good will betweene GOD the father and vs For from hence had this league the beginning and here is the hope and assurance that wee haue for the continuaunce of it Wherein the Lord his dealing is in all mercy towards vs that we should haue such specialtie geuen vs as might put out of doubt and point foorth particularly the occasion of our saluation For the scripture which is our euidence doeth not barely mention this matter of our saluation but telleth vs at large by whom at what time it was purchased for vs what price was paid for it what enimies stoode against it and howe great a woorke it was after the beginning to goe thorowe with it and that Christe Iesus did execute both the office of a Priest and also of a Prophet in the accōplishing therof not onely praying for vs in that he was a Priest as appeareth in the Gospel after S. Iohn so declaring himselfe to be our mediatour of prayer and intercession but also offering vppe him selfe once for all a sufficient sacrifice for al the sinnes of his seruauntes and so became in like maner the Mediatour of our redemption In which two pointes of offering praier sacrifice to God for the people did the Priest his office consist Wherein the comfort of a Christian is exceeding great for that he hath so singular a person the force efficacie of whose prayer and sacrifice is dayly in God his sight for him as it is written to the Hebrues Christ is not entred into the holy places made with handes but into very heauen to appeare nowe in the sight of God for vs. And seeing as the Prophet speaketh The Lorde hath sworne and will not repent that he is a Priest for euer it followeth necessarily that there shoulde ▪ 〈…〉 euerlasting vse and fruite of that Priesthoode towards the faithful He did also execute the office of a Prophet towards vs had special cōmission likewise for that fūctiō as appeareth in the Prophesie of Esay The spirite of the Lorde God is vpon me therfore hath the Lord annointed me he hath sent me to preache good tidinges to the poore c. VVhich speache our sauiour Christ in Luke affirmeth to be verified in him selfe being of all other moste sufficient too make true report of the will and pleasure of the father and to deliuer vs from all feare of not atteyning vnto so high and secrete a thing because as saint Iohn sayth he dwelleth in his bosome and is his onely begotten sonne and therefore not onely of all other most deare vnto him but also most priuie vnto his greatest secretes For which cause hee is called by the Prophet Counsellour And in as much as his kingdome wherin should dwel holines and righteousnesse was to be gouerned by the scepter of his worde and preaching of the Gospel he hath promised his presence euen to the ende of the worlde vnto that office and function Goe therefore and teache all nations to obserue what so euer I haue commaunded you and loe I am with you vnto the end of the worlde For by vertue of this function he hath not onely barely and nakedly to set downe a trueth vnto vs but also to woorke effectually with it to transfourme vs into the same that we might geue credite to the promises and be humbled vnto the dueties commaunded The comfort that commeth vnto a christian for that Christ is made our
Section seuenteene Oh alas how greate contention and vnprofitable disputations hath there bene concerning the conception of Iesus Christ in the wombe of Mary and touching his birth but if they all which contended heere about had knowen the power of God and that also the mysterie of the minde and works of God had bene giuen thē to vnderstand so should they then verily not haue contended there aboute And whereas the Scripture declareth that Christ should come of the seede of Abraham he wipeth that away after his mystical maner saith that the seed out of the faith of Abraham and out of the pure virgin Mary is the true seede of promise to the blessing of all generations of the earth so that otherwise he will not haue him to be Abrahams seede but in that he followeth the faith of Abraham And as for beeing borne of the virgin Mary hee will haue that a matter common to all his illuminate elders and perfect men of his familie Where he saith That the vpright children of the beliefe which had their discent of the seede of the faith of Abraham and of the pure virgin Mary were knowne to be the seede of the promise His reason is rendred before because Mary with him signifieth nothing else but a doctrice They therfore that are taught in his schole from whence only cōmeth as he thinketh pure doctrine are saide to be borne of the pure virgin Mary and for this cause when he had affirmed that the true seede of Abraham should not be conceiued of the fleshe but of the holy Ghoste Hee saith further that this is to bee done through the power of the most highest in the beliefe The word of God teacheth vs another doctrine that Christ was very man borne of a woman as we reade in the Epistle to the Galathians When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his sonne made of a woman that hee might redeeme them that were vnder the lawe And in the firste of Matthewe and thirde of Luke he is so plainly prooued to bee the seede of Abraham and the seede of Adam after the fleshe that there can bee no admitting of H N. his mysticall meaning or allegoricall exposition Which thing the Apostle likewise affirmeth plainely when hee saith I wish my selfe to be seperate from Christ for my brethren that are my kinsemen according to the flesh which are the Israelites of whome are the fathers and of whome concerning the fleshe Christ came who is God ouer all blessed for euer This damnable doctrine of H. N. ouerthroweth all comforte which is giuen to Christian consciences in the worde of god For seeing by man and in our nature sinne was committed and corruption did take beginning the iustice of God did require that he should be very man and haue our nature who was to make satisfaction for the same That as equitie doth require where the offence was committed there the satisfaction might be made Otherwise howe coulde our consciences rest satisfyed that the law in iustice were answeared and for this cause the holie Ghost saith He toke not on him the nature of Angels but the nature of men and the seede of Abraham And therefore in that he refusing the nature of Angels hath taken vpon him the nature of man hee hath in so doing ouerthrowen all H.N. his spiritual constructions and supercelesticall interpretations touching the flesh and humanitie of Christ and forceth him to a true and naturall meaning in that matter It was necessary likewise for our comfort that his conception should be pure and therefore that hee should be borne of a virgine without the help of man For otherwise if hee had not beene pure in and from the conception he had beene no meete Mediatour for others but one that had stoode in neede of a Mediatour him self Neither should the satisfaction make our full and perfect discharge against the iustice of God seeing his best children are not rid of the remnaunts of sinne but stil feele prouocations and motions vnto euill in them if our nature in him who is the peacemaker were not pure and altogether without spotte or staine And therefore damnable is that doctrine of H.N. that would wring this comforte out of our handes and make vs beleeue that Mary signifieth nothing but a pure teacher and that so many are borne of the pure virgine Mary as are brought vp in the doctrine of H.N. which is as full of puritie as Antechriste is of Christianitie And as by his doctrine wee are lefte comfortlesse touching our satisfaction for sinne so are we likewise touching the hope to obtaine any thing by way of Prayer and intercession Let vs goe boldely saieth the Apostle vnto the throne of grace for wee haue not an highe Prieste which can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but one who was in all things tempted in like sorte yet without sinne If the bolde presenting of our selues in Prayer before the throne of grace arise heerevppon that our mediatour is ready to take compassion because he hath our nature in it had tast natural feeling of our infirmities then by the same stroke that H.N. ouerthrowth his humanitie he giueth the deadly wounde to the comforte that wee haue to call vpon God in our necessities H.N. The fourth Article Wee beleeue that this holie seede of blessing namely thissame onely sonne of GOD Iesus Christe our Lorde and Sauior the very like beeing of GOD the Father hath suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended to the hel Wee confesse that thissame sonne of GOD inasmuch as hee beareth all thinges with the worde of his owne power beareth also in vs our sinnes Answeare For as much as this Mathematicall Christe which H.N. discribeth is in the minde of man as a qualitie or affection thereof begotten by his doctrine therefore hee is constrayned to saye that hee beareth our sinnes in vs For he will haue the obedience which his familie doth performe through his doctrine which hee calleth the beliefe to be of that valewe that immediatly vppon the receite thereof they haue a Quietus est of the Lord for all their sinnes are clearely discharged of all their iniquities and stand fully reconciled vnto their God because then in all thinges they doe his will according as is declared in the twelfth chapter of his Euangelie Section 7. where speaking how the Priesthoode of Aaron had place vntill the reuealing of his doctrine hee hath these woordes According to thissame manner had this Testament administred by the elders of the holye vnderstanding the foregoing and his fruitefulnesse with the vnilluminated vntill that the beliefe out of the power of GOD became with childe through the holy Ghost and bare or brought foorth a newe man or a newe creature according to the very like beeing of the heauenly Godheade by the beleeuers and illuminated them euen so in their spirite
resurrection and inherite euerlasting life Answere All the comfort that H. N. doeth assure his familie of by the resurrection of their Christ is that such as shall become obedient vnto his doctrine which thing he expresseth in these woordes such as indeuour themselues in the beliefe vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesus Christ to become implanted into Christ the gracious woorde of the Lord for Christ as you haue heard before signifieth somtimes nothing else with H. N. but this worde and doctrine which he hath brought into the worlde shall by this their slaying and burying of sinne in the flesh become renued in the spirite of their minde obteyne and inioy the resurrection or as he speaketh the making aliue from the deade and inherite the euerlasting life But wee haue not thus learned Christ so manie as haue beene taught out of the woorde of God the truth of him and the true fruite of his resurrection For as Christ Iesus died in our sinnes and went downe into the graue in our iniquities inasmuch as it was our sinnes and no offence of his owne that drewe him vnto death so his resurrection was the perfect absolution and clearing of the faithfull from al their transgressions For had one sinne of his seruants bene vnsatisfied for neither woulde death haue resigned hir right who had arested him as suretie for sinne neither would the righteous Lord by raising him from the dead bringing him out of the danger that he lay vnder for our sinnes haue giuen sentence on his side so iustified vs in him Which thing the apostle cōfirmeth triumphing ouer condēnation not onely because we haue discharged it by his death but also because we haue our Quietus est acquittance to shew for the same euen his resurrectiō Who shal lay any thing to the charge of god his chose It is God that iustifieth who shal cōdēne it is Christ that is dead yea or rather which is risē againe And likewise the same apostle in his epistle to the Corin. affirmeth plainly that if Christ be not risen from the dead we haue nothing to shewe for our discharge against sinne but do remaine yet vnder the danger thereof And in the Epistle to the Romanes he declareth also that wee are by his resurrection cleared from our sinnes and they nowe no longer imputed vnto vs And therefore when he had before declared that not only Abraham his faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse but also that ours shal be imputed vnto vs hee telleth vs more particularly how this commeth to passe to wit because Christe who was deliuered to death for our sinnes is risen againe for our iustification For as God the father in deliuering Christ vnto death did cast all our sinnes vpon him and condemned our sinnes in him so in raysing him frō the dead he iustified and absolued him vs in him inasmuch as but for vs neither sinne nor death could haue any thing to doe with him from all our sinnes and trāsgressions whatsoeuer Now if the Lorde had let him make an escape who was in holde for our sinnes inasmuch as he had once taken vpon hym to satisfie for the same or wrougt his deliuerance and set him at libertie before a ful sufficient satisfaction had bene made then coulde not himselfe haue bene cleared of iniurye offred vnto vs nor his Iustice haue bene vnspotted euen before vs which if once wee suffer to enter but into our thoughtes it maketh vs giltye of high treason against our god This doctrine therefore of H. N. who will haue our dying vnto synne not onelie to preuent but also to procure our rising vnto righteousnesse not mencioning any other benefite that wee haue from Christ his resurrectiō beside the example that is set before vs for our imitation and following after him in the same is at defiance and vtter enmitie with the trueth which is taught in the word of god For Christ his resurrection which H. N. maketh so small an accounpt of not onelie is our iustification from the giltinesse and daunger of sinne but also the head and wel spring of al that righteousnes holinesse and newenes of life that is to be founde ni the conuersation of his seruāts And therfore the Apostle in the 2. to the Ephe. doth fetch our rising vnto righteousnesse frō Christ his resurrection and ioyning them togither speaketh thus God which is rich in mercie euen when we were deade by sinnes hath quickened vs togither in Christ and hath raysed vs vp togither And accordingly to the Collosians draweth his exhortation vnto newnesse of life from the resurrection of Christ as from the fountaine from the which floweth the reformation of our life If ye thē be risen with Christ saith the Apostle seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God set your affection on things that are aboue and not on thinges which are on the earth Which thing is also confirmed out of the Ephesians where we doe reade that the large and liberall distribution of his graces did followe his resurrection and ascention when that notable victorie and conquest ouer sinne death was fully accomplished The resurrection therfore of Christ according to the trueth of his worde is not onely our discharge against sinne but the fountaine and spring also of all that chaūge of life and conuersation which is to be seene in his seruants But according to this doctrine of H.N. it is neither our discharge against sinne nor yet the beginning of our good life therfore without mention either of iustification from sinne by it or viuification and quickening in the wayes of righteousnesse we are sent to make warre with our affections according to the rules of his doctrine that so wee may obteine the resurrection from the deade and the renewing of our spirit and minde So that we haue nothing in H.N. his Creed to be beleeued but many things in our conuersation to be practised nothing to leaue vnto that was once doone by him but al that we may trust to must proceede from our selfe Touching this poynt Whether our dying vnto sin doe both preuent and purchase the renewing of our minde it hath beene answeared in the article immediatly going before H. N. The sixt Article We beleeue that this same Iesus like as the Scripture mencioneth thereof is ascended into Heauen sitting at the right hand of God his almightie Father We confesse that he hath taken in the heauen and reigneth and ruleth essentially in the heauenly beeing with his father vntill that all his enemyes be layde vnder his fete and that he in like maner shall in euery behalfe take in the kingdome and all dominion and power and render it all ouer vnto his father that God may euen so be all in all according to the promises Answeare This confessor H. N. acknowledgeth and confesseth that this same Iesus of
teacheth vs to deny vngodlynesse neither doeth it onely tell vs barely and nakedly what is to be doone But with sweete promises allureth and with great perswasion and most louing councell and aduise doeth exhorte and prouoke vs therevnto crauing beseeching and intreating vs to yeelde and consent not leauing out any thing that is likely to further the matter that is in hand The nature of man beeing as it is destrous of knowledge howe can hee but bee welcome vnto vs that professeth to teache If there were no more but the name of a Teacher it were inough to driue vs to some consideration for the good intertainment of him Albeit we had neuer seene nor hearde the manne before But when these Teachers bring giftes with them the better to perswade and when those become Teachers and perswaders to whome for all our welfare and happy estate wee are wholly beholden may there aduise possibly thinke you bee neglected and not esteemed of any who hath but the least sparke of humanitie or good disposition in him And beholde the grace of GOD that bringeth with it our saluation teacheth and intreateth vs to deny vngodlynesse and worldly lustes and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present worlde If you like Teachers that perswade and enter into the heartes of men by giftes you can not mislike him I am wel assured that bringeth no lesse gift then your saluation If giftes doe commende I thinke he is sufficiently commended vnto vs and most true it is that giftes and benefites canne not but commende their Maisters that bring them Salomon sayth That a gift laid secretly and closely in the bosome of him that is offended with vs is able to asswage anger when it is growen so stronge that it may bee saide to haue sinewes and bones Hee sayth more and besides this That a rewarde is as a precious stone it prospereth and preuaileth whethersoeeuer it turneth Rewardes and giftes receiued holde a man as captiue and Prisoner vnto the giuer so that hee is scarce his owne manne but seeth with an other mans eyes and dealeth with an other mannes handes for he who commeth commended vnto vs by some rewarde and gifte is able as it were by some inchantment to set what coulour he will vppon his matter and that so cunningly as the wisest man that is of vs all shall not bewray it For doe we not reade in Deuteronomie That rewardes blinde the eyes of the wise and peruerte the woordes of the iust And this is the cause why in that same place the Iudges are forbidden to take rewards for such is the corruption of man that he will not stick to perswade his euill cause by those meanes if hee shall vnderstande that the Iudge lyeth any whitte open on that parte But this infirmitie of man who oftentimes furthereth his euill cause by giftes may not so preiudice the holie Ghoste who is without all suspecion to commende euill causes vnto vs but that it shall be alwaies lawfull for him to vse what way of perswasion as shall best like him yea to enter vppon vs euen by giftes and to cause the grace of God bringing with it our saluation to intreate vs to deny vngodlines and worldly lustes to see if that which is so pearcing of it selfe be able to touch vs that which perswadeth so greatly be of force to preuaile with vs that which often times speedeth in euil matters may finde fauour with vs to promote the best things For what hath he not obtayned among men that by giftes hath continued to perswade and among gifts there is some diuersitie some be more able to moue vs then others are some perswade more effectually then others doe For those benefites haue alwaies beene regarded aboue the rest that haue drawen vs out of some great daunger or haue comforted vs in some great extremitie the memorye of such is wont to be of greatest continuance of moste thankful remembrance with vs Whē Dauid would perswade Bethsabe his wife that Salomon should be king after him and put her out of all doubt that shee neede neuer to feare the matter any longer hee pledgeth for the assuraunce of his woorde his thankefulnesse vnto God for suche benefites as coulde not but binde his obedience That is his often deliueraunce out of trouble As the Lorde liueth sayeth Dauid who hath brought my soule out of aduersitie Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me The benefites are not lightly regarded that are receiued in aduersitie For the present sense and feeling of the misery doeth greatly enhaunce the price thereof And therefore Dauid tooke away all occasion of doubting when he pawneth for assuraunce of his woorde so great a matter as was his thankefulnesse for deliueraunce out of aduersitie For it coulde not be that hee shoulde forget to redeeme so great a gage And in this highest degree of giftes commeth this benefite commended vnto vs for it is the grace of GOD that bringeth saluation And bringing of saluation prooueth our estate to haue beene damnable before It is not only misery then that wee were plunged in before this benefite came but a miserie of miseries for wee were holden vnder the thraldome of death and damnation Suche a benefite deserueth thankeful remembraunce it speedeth where any perswasion will preuayle Suche a gift a man woulde thinke shoulde finde fauour and prosper whither so euer it turneth Hauing succeeded so great and greeuous a miserie how can it but haue the taste of most bountifull and sweete mercy We may learne by this that hath beene saide what the cause is why the holy Ghost saith not simply The Gospel teacheth and exhorteth vs but saith the grace of GOD which bringeth saluation teacheth and exhorteth vs for it is the Gospell that hee meaneth and yet he calleth it the grace of GOD that bringeth saluation to make vs more mindefull of the matter This maner of perswading by giftes and benefites vsed of the holy Ghoste may learne vs a profitable lesson howe to withstande temptations vnto sinne what so euer to wit by keeping freshe in memory the seuerall benefites of GOD towardes vs making them as Bulwarks against our sinfull assaultes so that when they allure vs we may thus aunsweare them the GOD who hath redeemed my soule from all aduersitie doeth forbid it mee The grace of GOD to whome I owe my saluation doeth deny it vnto mee the goodnesse of that GOD of whome I haue receiued life health honour wealth delieraunce out of these and these troubles preseruation from the murtherer euill tongue and slaunderer doeth desire mee that for all the good wil that euer hee hath borne mee I woulde not consent vnto it If any Prince shoulde by speciall pardon deliuer a Subiecte from death that by Lawe and Iustice had deserued it and after aduaunce him to some place of honour in the Lande harde and vnthankfull were his heart if those sutes especially of the Prince whiche broughte with them the
passe from me Let vs ceasse to meruel that the Apostles did beare no part in it for this his praier doth declare that Iesus Christ had his hands full of it Let vs not meruaile why the Apostles had no more lust nor affection to deale in it for Iesus Christe him selfe if he had followed the sence and persuasion of his fleshe had flatly refused it fainted at the firste and neuer haue gone thorowe with it O my father if it be possible let this cup passe How heauy a waight of our sinnes was vpon him not onely is bewrayed by his prayer but also by the droppes of blood that fell from his face and by his often passage as a man greatly distressed and in sore anguish from his Apostles to the place where he prayed and from thence to them againe Somtimes waking them and seeking comfort from the sight of them and sometimes againe intreating his father for fauour Neither doth hee this once and away but sundry times doth he renewe it and make often attemptes to haue ease by it This was the beginning of this his conflict Much anguish was in it as you haue heard and little comforte comming from any yet the farther he proceedeth the more his paine increaseth and the lesse comforte he feeleth Before hee had the sight of his Apostles albeit they could not be kept waking for his comfort now they all flee and forsake him saue Peter who did abide by it a while but in the end did forsweare him His father whome before hee did attempt to intreat now standeth foorth taking the place of iustice the seate of iudgement summoneth al his seruauntes to appeare and answeare for their sinnes Then the sonne of man Iesus Christ commeth foorth to the barre appeareth in the person of all sinners there standeth he to receiue sentence afterwards executiō accordingly which coulde be no slender punishment for it muste be a sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of all his seruauntes It coulde be no litle blowe that hee did beare for why it was suche a one that the sinnes of all his seruantes did dye of it Howe coulde it be a litle stripe or stroke that was the death of so many sinnes Nay vniuersaly of all the sinnes in his seruauntes When he went vnder it this speache of his O GOD my God why hast thou forsaken mee did sufficiently testifie what waight and burden hee had of it Before he was forsaken of men and his dearest Disciples had leaft him Now sinne hath set his father against him and hee feeleth him an vtter enemie vnto him For that hee wrestled not with an ordinarie and vsuall kinde of deathe his words to his father doe bewray He was to beare the punishment for sinne which muste touche him els howe should we be perswaded that the punishment was sufficient and meete for suche a matter Beholde a true ballance wherein to waie sinne a Glasse that will geue vs the true sight of sinne Looke vppon this glasse ye which thinke that at your last houre ye shal be well enough able to driue away sinne with a sigh Beholde this spectacle yee that take sinne in young men to be the grace of those yeeres and so slender a matter in olde men that it cannot abide the least breath or sight of one that hath gray heares ▪ You see when sinne is to be aunsweared the Apostles left it and Christe him selfe did sundrie wayes declare that he had enough of it Wee may see sufficiently by this that they neuer felt the sting of it who in their speaches and remedies appointed to redresse it doe geue out so slenderly of it There is one thing whereof we are especially to be admonished that wee neuer make our selues giltie of so great vnduetifulnes against our god as to cal his diuinitie into question because he was hūbled vnto this anguishe and paine in our person and bewrayed such sence and feeling thereof in our nature For how doe we answeare the Lorde if wee will let him haue no longer any honour from vs for that he was so greatly humbled for v◠Hereby we may sufficiently see and discerne what a cursed and counterfayte Christe that is which H.N. hath brought into the worlde For H.N. his Christe was not first God and then after when he was to suffer made man but first man and after by his suffering was Godded with god He gaue no speciall argumentes of good will vnto vs by his passion and suffering for him selfe had the greatest benefite by it insomuche as that he coulde not haue beene saued without it He is not this true Christe who offered him selfe a sufficient price for all the sinnes of his seruantes for he leaueth euery one to answeare for his owne sinne telling him that he him selfe and no other is to answeare for it And therefore looke what the sinnes of H N. his Christe cost him the same price muste they pay for theirs if they will beleeue him All the helpe that they haue from him is that he hath paide his money before them so that nowe they shal not neede to trouble them selues either about the price to spende any long time in learning what is required neither yet about the maner to vnderstande where and howe it is to be paide If anye doe maruelle howe H. N. can make away this so plaine an historie let them vnderstande that it is well knowen to those who bee any thing acquainted with him that to sinke any historie H. N. will require no more then one single shot of an Allegorie The Lorde graunt that they which thus abolishe the true Christe and his office to set vp so cursed a creature in his place may bee looked to in time before they shal drawe others into the same condemnation Christe Iesus gaue him selfe for vs to purge vs that we might be a peculiar people vnto him selfe zelous of good woorkes Heere are all the carnall Gospellers condemned who liue in hope that vnder the countenaunce of their profession all libertie of life will well enough be borne out that make Christe his death to be nothing els but a bande vnto their lewde lyfe Heere may wee see that the Lorde hath not laide downe his life to purchase no other thing at our handes beside a profession of the trueth but that hee bought with his blood a zelous addicting of our selues to christan conuersation It is a woonder to see howe the wicked will boast of the benefite of Christe his blood howe mightie it is to merite how sufficient to saue from sinne But for all that will they not geue ouer anye libertie of life that before they haue enioyed whereas it was geuen to purchase a newe conuersation aswell as a newe profession For hee gaue him selfe for vs that wee might geue our selues vnto him a peculiar people zelous of good woorkes Let vs marke it then my brethren that he gaue him selfe for vs to haue the honour of a Christian life