veniall for to bée veniall and remyssible is all one thing and therfore all sinnes which through fayth are forgeuen are veniall wherby the truth of the definition appeareth and hereby it is euident that no sinne can be called veniall in respect of his owne nature for so it is deadly but for that through mercy it is remitted so that one and the selfe same sinne is in diuers respectes both deadely and veniall for in him where sayth is it is veniall and where faith is not it is deadly Whereby it is also euident that vnto the wycked no synne is denyall so then the dyfference betwene veniall sinne and deadlye consisteth not in the nature of the sinne but in the wil of God which to the faythfull remitteth it and to the vnbeleuers reteineth it Now touching the opinion of the scholemen concerning veniall sinne it is a world to sée how they turmoyle them selues about it some of them thinke thē to be called veniall sinnes because they be light and easily remitted or els washt away with holy water as they terme it others thinke it so called because after death it should be remissible by the fire of Purgatorye ▪ others thynke them called remissible or venyall in respect of the sinne agaynst the holy Ghost which is called irremissible or vn forgeueable But the better learned amongst them accompt venyall synnes the dysposition or pronenesse towardes the thoughtes and affectyons whiche leade vnto deadly synne Herein is this one thyng worthy the notyng that howsoeuer they amongest them selues disagrée in diuersitie of opinions about the same yet in this one thyng they all agrée that none of them all taketh either counsell witnes or authoritye out of Gods worde concernyng the same The errour of all whiche can not be hidden from him that considereth what hath bene sayde before And vpon these false groundes thy inferre dyuers opinions of corrupt doctrine whereof I will rehearse one or two First they affirme that some synnes in the wicked be veniall synnes which is proued false Agayne that venyall synnes should be light synnes and not of their owne nature damnable Againe that they should bée washed away wyth holye water or clensed by the fire of Purgatory And yet Iohn Baptist sayd Beholde the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And againe the Angell sayd to Ioseph He shall saue his people from their sinnes Neither sayd Iohn nor the Angel coniured water or Purgatory shall take away the sinnes of the world or saue the people from their sinne These thinges suffice for a faste of their errors herein Now forasmuch as it doth plainly appeare both what originall and actuall sinne is it is therby gathered that the difference betwene them is onely this That in actuall sinne that which is as it were the matter or substance of the sinne remaineth not after it be committed but onely the giltiship or bonde to the penaltie As when a man committeth whoredome murther theft or any such like soe soone as the acte is done the sinne is ended so that the whoredome murther or theft is past and gone but the giltiship and bonde to the penaltie remaineth but in originall sinne both the substance and matter of the sinne and also the giltiship remaineth still for the corruption remaineth still whereby euery man féeleth in his nature repining against all goodnes and a gréedy lust to the contrary Thus by Adam sinne entred into the world death by the meanes of sinne and all naturally are become the children of wrath and all dead in sinne so that death and damnation raigne ouer euery man Thus hauing shewed the excellencie of mans creation and horror of his transgression whereby all his ofspring are naturally rebells vnto God and slaues vnto sinne and death it followeth Cap. 2. ¶ That that transgression made man an apt subiecte for the two properties of God namely mercy and iustice to worke vpon NOw man hauing thus throwne him selfe headlong into the dolorous dūgeon of deadly dispaire ouerwhelmed with swallowing surges of distroyng distres being now dedicate vnto the iust conceiued wrath of God as the coniured foe to his owne former felicitie Now lyeth his caitife conscience displayed before the offended Maiestie of his late louing Creator but now reuenging Lord so farre hath his rebellious outrage banished all grace and stampe of the diuiue nature that no print or image therof remaineth perfect within him In stede of all those glorious ornamentes he hath endued himselfe with peculiar beauties of his own choice namely ignorance enuie pride crueltie carnalitie and all other sinne and that so naturally that the same now lurketh not in him as an accident which may be remoued from his nature but all his whole corrupt nature is now nothing els but sinne it selfe The whole man body minde thought worde and déede vtterly peruerted into the same so that the whole endeuour and disposition of his nature through rauishing sway of insatiable luste vnto sinne trauelleth with vnquenchable thirst the execution of the fruite therof Whereby it appeareth that man is now become a most apt subiect and conuenient matter wherin the iustice of God hath to display the magnificence of his power For he being now nothing els but wickednes it selfe which the iustice of God vtterly abhorreth and hateth in due punishment of him all the creatures of God haue to testifie and magnifie the pure and vnspotted righteousnesse of God which with holy and iust power punisheth most duely the hatefull and rebellious monster sinne and wickednes But as his iustice hath here an apt subiect wherin to manifest to the whole world the holy fearfull and reuerent Maiestie therof so hath his other most victorious proprietie namely hys triumphant and superaboundaunt mercy such a subiect of the same man wherin to manifest the glorious conquest therof as the whole world by vewe of the same shal be enforced to testifie and confesse the infinite largenes of hys mercy farre to excede and surmount all the residue of his glorious workes Wherefore the diuine Maiestie being not onely louing and merciful but in déede loue and mercy it selfe willing yet of his infinite bountie incomprehensible goodnes to loue that which now by nature was most vnworthy hys loue pittying the vtter dissolution and deserued destruction of mankinde God I say vewing beholding with a blincke of vndeserued grace the miserable calamitie of this cursed and iustlye condemned caitife glaunsed by him with a certain dimme slent of comfort concerning his restitution and adoptiou againe into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God in promising that by the séede of the woman the Serpentes head should be brused Thus being apparant that Adams transgression bringing in sinne and death made him and his ofspring rebells to God and consequently an apte subiecte for the mercy and iustice of God to worke vpon It follweth Cap. 3. ¶
brought in sinne and death 2. That that transgression made man an apt subiect for the two properties of God namely iustice and mercy to worke vpon 3. That for the manifestyng of maÌ„s subiection to both those properties the declaration of the law was nedefull wherein the condition of his estate might appeare 4. That the nature of the lawe is to be knowen and what is requisite to the fulfilling thereof and the contrarietie betwene the same the corrupt nature of man. 5. To what end the lawe should be geueÌ„ vnto man he hauing no power to satisfie any part of the same 6. How man regarded the lawe how in Christ the promised seede the couenaunt concerning mans restitution was consummate 7. How the obedience and death of Christ was a full satisfaction for the disobedience and deserued death purchased to al mankinde by AdaÌ„ 8. To enquire the nature of the new couenaunt what on the behalfe of maÌ„ is required to the atteinment of righteousnes in the same 9. To know the certaine tokens of that faith wherunto iustification is imputed the differeÌ„ce betwen the workes of the faithfull the workes required in the lawe 10. To know what iustificatioÌ„ or righteousnes it is which the scriptures attribute to works also what fayth it is against which S. Iames speaketh why iustificatioÌ„ is imputed to fayth and not to workes THE IMAGE of Nature and Grace ¶ That Adams wilfull transgression made him and his ofspring rebels to God and brought in sinne and death Cap. 1. THe eternal wisdome of God hauyng created Adam our first father after the excelleÌ„cie of his owne Image adorned naturally with iustice holines and all perfection to be vnto hym as it were the beauty and glory of all hys workes so aduaunced him by his creation aboue the rest of all his earthlye creatures that vnto him alone he gaue the rule and preheminence in nature to be their Lord and ruler That is to whome all they should obey and serue for the first taste of the which excellent dignitie and prerogatiue he placed theÌ„ all before him as before their soueraign Lord from his mouth to receiue seuerally their titles and proper names according to the whiche they all were called Then geuing Eua vnto hym for his helper he placed him in the garden of Eden the possession of all earthly delightes appointing vnto him the kéeping therof with frée libertie for hys reliefe and comfort to taste eate of all the excellent fruites therein the onely trée of knowledge of good and euill excepted of the whiche he forbade hym to eate affirmyng that what houre soeuer he tasted therof he shoulde dye the death Now forasmuch as the matters here spoken of namely the Image of God in man and mans originall iustice and perfection do iustly chalenge some explication therof as well that the excellency of Gods first benefites towardes man might after a certayne maner bée séene and the glorious estate of his former dignitie more gréedily thristed for agayne and also the outrage of his ingratitude with greater detestation abhorred and the filthines and foule corruption of his nature and miserye of his presente estate by vewe of his former perfection more perfectly paynted out And finally that the triumphe of Gods vnspeakeable mercy in Christe which notwithstanding so huge transgression hath not onely pardoned him but also adopted hym into the fellowship and libertie of his owne sonne that all these I say might be made the more apparaunt those wordes do iustly chalenge some explicatioÌ„ Wherfore where it is sayd that man was created after the image of God it is to bée vnderstand that he was created the most excellent earthly creature being made partener of the naturall goodnes and vertue of God namely holy wise iust pure good true immortall c. hauyng both power perfectly to know God also power and fréewil constantly to beleue him to serue him to obey him to loue him to feare him and to be shorte to perfourme such workes as aunswered to the image of so excellent a Paterne And therefore doth Tertullian writing agaynst Marcion moste excellently and briefly define the Image of of God thus Haec ergo imago censenda est dei in homine quod eosdem motus sensus habeat humanus animus quos deus heet non tales quâ—les deus pro substantia enim status exitus distant Therefore is this to be accouÌ„ted the image of God in man that the mynde of man must haue the same mouinges felings which god hath although not euen suche as God hath for as touching substance of state and ende they differ That is to say that is the image of God which naturally loueth that which god loueth hateth that which god hateth which of very nature iudgeth of all things according to the iudgemeÌ„t of God All which thinges were necessary to the duety of mans office for seyng God had made and created hym as it were his liuetenaunt or vicegerent ouer all his earthly creatures it was necessary that to their gouernement hys nature should participate of the excellent properties of God that thereby in the whole execution of his office hée might haue power not to swerue from his duty and obedience required in the same And hereby appeareth what originall righteousnes was in maÌ„ namely holines knowledge wisedome iustice purenes goodnes truth immortalitie loue temperance chastitie vnlust fréedome from sinne naturall and willing obedience to God hauing power to do good not to sinne not to dye c. and that he in respect of this excellente and glorious condicion of this original nature is called the image of god It is thus out of the Scriptures of God easily gathered Thus writeth Paul to the Ephesians Lay from you the olde maÌ„ which is corrupt through the deceiuable lustes and be ye renued in the spirit of your mynde and put on the new man which after God is shapen in righteousnes and true holines And again the same Paul to the Colos sayth Lye not one to another seyng ye haue put of the olde man with his workes and haue put on the newe which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that made him Now what the putting on of this new willingly forgetfull of his creator from whome he had not onely receyued hys beyng but also the prerogatiue of so excellent dignity He I say missed by deceitfull perswation neglecting the glorye of his creator rather gaue credite to the light perswasion of his wife then to the reuerend and dreadfull maiesty For his wife being deceiued by the serpent supposed the commaundemeÌ„t to haue bene geuen rather of subteltie to hinder their dignitye and as it were a scarcrowe to fray them from the tast of that fruite whereby their excellency might increase or as though God had rather not vouchsafed them that further good happe which by taste thereof was
vnderstanding of the errour of this definition it is needefull to marke thys that in euery sinne there are two thynges to be considered namely the offence it selfe which is as it were the matter or substaunce of the sinne and also the giltiship subiection or bonde to the penalty due to the same As here in originall sinne that which is as it were the matter or substaunce thereof is the corruption which is in nature Now for asmuch as death is the penaltie due vnto the same corruption therefore that bonde and subiection wherein man standeth tyed vnto this penaltie is called the giltiship Now these men in this definition frée and discharge mans nature from all the corruption which is as it were the matter and substaunce of the sinne affirming that originall sinne is now nothyng els in vs but a participation of the bonde or subiection wherin Adam stoode tyed to the penaltie and no participation of the corruption of hys nature The shamefull vntruthe whereof is by that whiche is sayde before more then manifest for as muche as it is there proued that Originall synne is not onelye accordyng to theyir saying an imputation of Adams giltishippe or bonde to the penaltie due to the offence but also a full corruption of hys whole nature Now forasmuch as the Papistes drawe so néere vnto the Pelagians and Anabaptistes as well aboute the nature of originall sinne as the propagation thereof therefore although aboue all thynges I labour to be briefe yet wyll I stay the ouervewyng of one or two of the principall argumentes vsed herein How can it be say they that thys corruption of nature shoulde so be from the fathers conueyed into the chyldren that theyr nature shoulde equally bée poysoned wyth the same infection Where vnto it is aunswered That althoughe Adam was created after the Image of God participatyng hys naturall goodnes and vertue as was shewed before all whiche séede of originall righteousnes shoulde by hym haue bene conueyed into hys posteritie yet were all those excellent qualities not so indiuisibly coherent to hys nature but that to the retayning of them there was a certayne condition annexed the breache whereof shoulde bée hys depriuation from all namely vnder the condition of hys obedience vnto god That séeyng God had crowned hym wyth so excellente giftes fréewill and power eyther to vse or abuse them that conditionally if he by disobedience abused them hée should lose the dignity of his estate and possession of them all Now these ornamentes beyng lost by his disobedience and hys nature wholy spoyled of originall rightâ—â—usnes and whâ—ly ladeÌ„ with corruption and vncleannes it followeth that all his children are by hym infected with the same neither could they by hym be generate in any other condition of nature then that whiche vnto hym was proper â–ª for very nature teacheth this that in all perfect generation that is where generation is betwene creatures of on kynde the lyke doth euer bryng â—orth the lyke neither can a sheepe bryng forth a wolfe nor a wolfe a sheep but one nature is euer common both to the bréeders and to the broode Wherefore Adam hauing hys nature vtterly corrupted through his fall must néedes conuey the same corruption into all hys ofspring accordyng to thys saying of Iob VVho can make hym cleane that is conceyued of vncleane seede And amongst men euen in ciuill iustice if a man that is borne free do by some great offence lose the fréedome of hys estate and become bond all his posteritie are borne in the same thraldom and so remayne likewise bond neyther can they make title vnto that fréedome which once their father possessed seing in hym they haue all iustly lost it But here agayne the aduersaries obiect that as by the fall of Adam nature receiued this foyle to the infection of all hys posteritie so by his iustification he beyng agayne made righteous it shoulde follow that he should conuey a iustified nature into all hys posteritie Unto thys obiection it is thus easily aunswered that in euery sinne as hath bene shewed before two thynges are to be considered namely the acte and the giltiship Now Adams iustification did not for the present state restore hys first originall purenes or clense hys nature from all her corruption but only this it did it assured him that the giltiship of hys corrupt nature was not imputed vnto hym and layd to hys charge so that hys iustification did not purge hys nature from sinne but it dyd frée and acquite hys person from the giltiship and obligation wherein he stoode tyed vnto the penaltie Wherefore Adam still possessed hys corrupt nature wherin all hys ofspryng by hym were generate wherby all theyr natures were laden wyth the same infection An other of the aduersaries obiections is thys that séeyng no acte is sinne vnlesse it bée willinglye done and that chyldren in theyr infancye haue no wyll therefore it shoulde follow that infantes haue no sinne For aunswer whereof it is easily graunted that as touchyng actuall sinne in themselues of theyr owne committyng they haue none but touchyng originall sinne theyr nature therwithall remayneth defiled seyng theyr nature can be of no other condition as is sayd before then the originall nature where of they be bred Should not a man séeyng the yong whelpe of a Wolfe or Tygre call them beastes of a rauenous or cruell nature because that their weakenesse thorough tendernes of age can not expresse in action those properties of nature Yes surely they wante but tyme and age to make them manifest Likewise the Serpent in the harte and colde of the wynter lyeth in hys shrowde so weake that he may be touched without daunger of hys bityng which happeneth by want of strength and not that he shoulde be iudged therfore to haue loste hys venimous nature for so soone as aunswerable tyme furnisheth hym of strengthe hée bewrayeth the same Euen so younge children thoughe they haue no actuall synne in them of theyr owne committyng whiche they call personall sinne yet are they vtterly defiled by the originall corruption of their whole nature and want onely tyme and age to expresse the fruites therof And hereby appeareth the grosenes of thys errour in that they reasonne from A specie to the generall woorde by a Negatiue then whiche kynde of argumente none is falser For this it is infants haue no actuall sinne Ergo they haue no sinne And where theyr argument was grounded hereon that vnlesse it were willingly done it were no sinne thereto it may be truly answered that euen this sinne whereof they are culpable was willingly committed though not in theyr owne persoÌ„s yet in their first father of whose corrupt séede they were bred Others there bée that doe more vehemently vrge the matter thus If say they there be originall sinne it must néedes be that the same cleaueth to the soule for the fleshe beyng of it self of
foretold them by Esay of whom he shoulde be borne namely of a virgine by Micheas where hée shoulde be borne namely in Bethléem both by Moyses himselfe and also by Daniel he declared vnto them the tyme when he should be borne the afflictyons whiche he shoulde suffer for their restitution he painted at large in Esay and Zachery the saluation of hys people glory of his resurrection and kingdome both by Esay Ieremy and Zacharye hée foretold them so that from Adams fall he trayned man to take holde of his promise concerning the séede for their delyuerance All which notwithstanding so farre were they from the true sense and féeling thereof that neither themselues were profited nor by their example the heathen prouoked to seeke after god Wherefore God new for hys truthes sake mynding the consummation of hys promise determyned the finall establishment of thys couenant in the handes of the promised sede whereunto both Iew and Gentile shoulde be inuited that he as the sole mediator betweene God and maÌ„ might make the full reconcilement Wherefore the tyme beyng nowe come of hys long promised determination hée sent his sole and onelye begotten some our Lorde and Sauyour Iesus Chryst who of the virgine takyng fleshe was made man lyke vnto vs in all things sinne excepted who after many afflictyons in publishing declaryng Gods full purpose concernyng the consummation of hys couenaunt sealed vp the same with his owne giltlesse death and bloudshed And after hys risyng agayne from death sent his disciples abrode into all the partes of the earth to publishe that glad tidinges of mans reconcilement to God and deliueraunce from death and sinne by the merites and iust desert of Iesus Chryst Thus hauyng shewed how man regarded the Law and how in Christ the promised séede the couenant was consummate it followeth Cap. 7. ¶ How the obedyence and gyltlesse death of Christ was a full satisfaction for the disobedience and deserued death purchased to all mankinde by Adam Forasmuch as Adams rebellious dysobedieÌ„ce had so swalowed vp the whole nature of man into sinne and wyckednes as is shewed before that hys whole nature is nothing els but a full obedyence wylling desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man vnto sinne and rebellion And contrarywise the law of God is the absolute rule of ryghteousnesse which challengeth to the fulfilling thereof the full obedience willing desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man vnto righteousnesse These two being thus direct contrary which notwithstanding the God of all compassion for the triumphant glory of hys victiorious mercy by the mediation of Chryst the appoynted séede had bound himselfe by promise to reconcile In consideration whereof it was expedient that to thys reconcilement suche a medyator in the promysed séede shoulde be sent as participating in some poynt with both the extremes namely God and man myght haue an omnisufficient habilitie in hym selfe to consummate the absolute reconcilement wherefore Christ the eternall sonne and wisedome of the father commyng downe from heauen beyng very righteousnesse it selfe indewing the similitude of sinnefull flesh became perfect man like vnto vs in all thinges except sinne And so of his diuine nature and of naturall man sinne excepted became one perfect Christ namely that perfect and onely meane which in hym selfe had absolute habilitie to consummate the recencilement in asmuch as he was fully possessed of the natures of both the extremes namely perfect god and perfect man sinne excepted who hauing in himselfe full obedience willing desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man vnto the law he being righte ousnes it selfe passing through many troubles afflictions in proclaiming to stubbern man his nature office cause of his comming the nature of the new â—ouenaunt wher of he was the mediator finally offered vp him self vnto the iustice of God hys father the absolute end consummation and sacrifice of thys reconcilement As he vnto whom all the former promyses law and prophetes had respect and relation who now appearing before the sentence of the law and iustice of God presenteth hymselfe the full raunseme and reconcilement of mans transgression by the iust desert of hys innocent and giltles sufferyng that as by the rebellious acte of one gilty man namely Adam sinne and eternall death was engendered euen so by the obedient acte and giltles death of one gilteles man namely Iesus Christ sinne and eternal death is iustly againe destroyed and eternall lyfe the crowne of righteousnesse absolutely and most truely purchased for maÌ„ So that as the first Adam by corrupting nature made man the slaue of sinne so Christ the last â–ª Adam by adoption hath restored hyni agayne to be childe of righteousnesse Thys is he in whose person it is sayde by the Prophet Oseas O death I will be thy death O hell I will be thy sting so that by hym death is swalowed vp into victory hys lyfe hath deuoured our death hys righteousnes hath subdued our sinne hys saluation hath vanquished our damnation he hath put out the hand writing of the ordinaunces which were against vs he hath taken it out of the way and fastned it vpon his crosse Thus all the promisses as Sainct Paule saith being in him accomplished hee nowe remaineth an aduocate at the right hande of his father making intercession for vs beyng our peace our hope and consolation our wisedome iustice sanctification and redemption our light our waye and our life the accomplishement and end of the lawe vnto whom euen from the creation of Adam vntill his comming all the doing of God hadde respecte and relation Thus the sonne of God became man to make men by adoption the sonnes of God the glorious became abiecte to make the abiects glorious The blessed became cursed to make the cursed blessed The rich became poore to make the poore rich The righteous became condemned to make the condemned ryghteous The frée became bonde to make the bonde free greate was the sore of sinne that neded such a salue as neither 〈…〉 riarke nor Prophet power nor Potentate Aungell nor Archangell nor any other but onelye the sonne of God was able to make And hée not otherwise then by hys death and innoceÌ„t bloudshed Great I say was the sore of sinne Thus hauyng shewed that Christ is the ende of the lawe and hys death the omuisufficient redemption of man it followeth Cap. 8. ¶ To enquire the nature of the new couenant and what on the behalfe of man is required to the attaynement of ryghteousnesse in the same ALthough in the first couenantmade betwene God man concernyng mans restitution namely in the lawe God offered vnto man very much vnto whom in dede he ought nothing yet notwithstanding the offer being vnder such conditions as mans corrupte nature coulde no waye neyther by action nor consent satisfie as is shewed before surely the hope of that offer vanquished into iust feare and horror of the sentence
discerne thynges that differ to iudge betwene good works and counterfeite workes betwene true religion hipocrisie that so through that knowledge they might haue iudgement how to lead a pure and Christian life which without the knowledge of the wyll of God is vnpossible And agayne the same Paule to Philemon See that the fellowship sayth he that thou hast in the fayth be fruitfull through knowledge of all good things which are in you by Iesus Christ Hereby it appeareth that without vnderstanding of the will of God no good workes can be wrought But Paul playnely affirmeth that all thei that be not already iustified in Christ haue no vnderstanding The naturall man sayth he perceaueth not the thinges that belong to the spirit of God for they are but folishnes vnto hym Then if he perceaue not nor vnderstand the thynges that please god It appeareth by that is sayd before that he can by no meanes do the worke that shall please god Hereby it both playnely appeareth that the knowledge of the wyll of God is required to good workes and also that none that is not iustified hath that knowledge Now touching that vnto good works there is also required in the doer affection delight towardes the same that is euident by the definition of good workes expressed in the 8. chapter where it appeareth that they be nothyng but an execution of the commaundementes whereunto the whole affection of man both body and soule is required as in the. 4. chapter appeareth which also is confirmed by the example of those of whose good workes the scripture beareth witnes Thus sayth Dauid If my delight were not in thy law I should haue perished in my trouble And agayne my delight was in thy commaundementes And agayne thy testimonies haue I claymed as mine heritage for euer and why they are the very ioy of my hart And agayne Lord what loue haue I vnto thy law al the day long is my studie therein And agayne my delight shal be euer in thy statutes And agayne for I loue thy commaundementes aboue golde precious stone Thys affection of the hart is required to the performaunce of good workes whereof how greatly they be short that be onely possessed of the naturall man and not iustified in Christ it is more then euident by the playne wordes of God hymselfe In Genesis he sayth thus my spirite shall not alwayes striue in man because he is fleshe And a litle after The Lord sawe that the wickednes of man was great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughtes of his harte were onely euill continually And agayne in the 8. chapter the imaginations of mans hart is euill euen from hys youth Here appeareth that the affection of the naturall man is onely this affection to rebellion desire so contempt and lust to disobedience Thus it is euident that in all those which be not already iustified in Christ their is neither vnderstanding how to please God nor affection thereunto And so consequently no good worke seing it is proued that no worke cā be good but where both they be ioyned together which also is euident by that which is sayde in the fifth chapter Surely if these men had bene as carefull searchers of truth herein out of Gods holy worde as they haue bene of mistes and clowdes out of Aristotles schole to darcken shadow the brightnes thereof they woulde neuer haue sought with so many subtil distinctions and false definitions without al ground of Gods worde to haue builded themselues the labirinth of errour maze of their owne confusion But woulde contrariwise haue humbled themselues vnto the spirite of God and haue considered the ende of hys purpose in mans saluation But they not considering that to be the prayse and glory of hys owne grace and enforcing the rigor of the outward sounde of some wordes in the scripture haue gathered workes to be the cause of mās iustification where if they more narrowly cōsidered they should see that faith is the onely meane by which workes are indued wyth the title of goodnes forasmuch as no good worke can be wrought but by a man alredy by faith iustified and appareled wyth the righteousnes of Christ by meanes whereof the blemishes and imperfections thereof are through mercy couered which otherwise if the same workes were wrought by an vnbeleuyng man they woulde appeare in the sight of God most filthy for of mercy it commeth in respecte of Christ that the most perfecte workes are not layde to mans charge for sinne Out of this ground gathered from God truth this rule of Christian religion is concluded that where soeuer righteousnes or iustification is in the Scripture imputed to workes it is not imputed to them as though they were the cause of righteousnes that is to sayas though they going before iustification did procure or purchase the same but farre otherwyse it is imputed vnto them as vnto the fruit of the righteousnes of fayth which after iustification doth witnes and declare that the doer is iustified by fayth by apprehending of Christ in respecte of whom mercy couereth the spottes of that worke from the sight of Gods iustice so that sinne is not imputed to man for the same Hic murus ahaeneus esto Let this to a Christian conscience be a wall of brasse Now this foundation layde let vs séeke by thys rule to vnderstand those Scriptures which the aduersaryes for theyr filpursse doctrine of iustification of workes haue forced into open combat both agaynst theyr owne naturall sense and agaynst the ende and scope of Gods purpose declared in the Scriptures touching mans iustification wherein to séeke to answere to all theyr subtill and shameles wranglings were more tedious then profitable And touching the multitude of wordes more paynefull then possible Though touching matter Gods truth being iudge inough hath bene sayd already where-fore to auoyde all extremities and kéepe my selfe within my power touching wordes and yet not to passe the reste with silence I will ouerlooke a fewe of their principall ragges which they call reasons wherein theyr errour being opened the smaller of them selues will drop a sunder vntouched Wherefore firste of all that playnnes might be ioyned with the breuitie for which I labor let the Scriptures which they make challengers in thys fraye be gathered together into these sortes In the first sort placyng those which promising reward to workes procure men to labour for the same In the second sort such as by the sound of wordes séeme to take iustification from fayth or geueth the same to workes And in the last sorte those Scriptures wherin the righteous thallenge at Gods handes reward of theyr innocency righteousnes Wherfore by examples of euery of these sorts let vs séeke truely to vnderstand them by theyr agréement with thē selues and the rest of the Scriptures that as of God there is but one spirite and one truth so the same truth by the consent
Fayth in Iesu Christ iustifieth vs. 103. a Fayth apprehendeth ent righteousnes 109. b. 110. a. b Fayth without woorkes is a dead fayth 112. a Fayth that is liuely cannot be without good workes 112. a Fayth iustifieth because it apprehendeth our iustification 117. a Flesh is but a masse or lumpe of iniquitie 8. a Fruites of sinne 20. a G. GOD abhoryed man and refused him for his worke 6. b God cursed all the earth for mans offence 6. b God in his creation of man conditioned that he shoulde not breake his to 〈…〉 ment 12. 〈◊〉 God commaundeth vs to loue him and our neighbor 24. b God cōmaundeth nothing impossible proued false 30. a God him selfe freely procured mans redemption 31. a God is true of his promise 32. a. b God gaue the lawe to the children of Israell 33. a God sent his prophets to declare the promised seed 41. b God trayned man by his prophers to take hold of the promised seed 42. a God loued vs first 50. b God by his grace is the onely worker of mans health and saluation 51. a God and the deuill there is no middle estate betwene them 67. a God for the glory of his name doth freely saue and iustifie vs. 10. 4a b. 105. a. b. 106. a. b God is the worker of all good workes in his iustified children 119. a. b God must haue the whole honor of mans saluatiō 122. a God wroughte in loue in sending Christ to suffer death to redeeme man. 124. a. b God the father a worker in the same deed that Iudas wrought in 124. Gods vnspeakeable mercy declared to vs in Christ 2. b 20. b. 21. a Gods iustice 20. b Gods creatures euery of them vnder heauen inuiolably obserue the lawe of their creation saung man onely 22. a 23. b Good workes are the feuites of good fayth 82. a Good workes are to be done of the faythfull but not as the price of our redemption 82. b Good workes are witnesses to good sayth 83. a. b. 84. a Good workes for owe our iustification 89. b Good workes two thinges are required in them 90. a 91. a. b. 92. a Good workes require affectiō of the hart 92. a Good workes declare vs to be righteous 110. b Grace hath saued vs through fayth in Christ and not of our selues 46. a Grace defined by the Papistes 49. a Grace of God is geuē vs freely and not for merites sake 102. b H. HAbite defined 49. b Holy water nor purgatory can clense vs of our sinnes 19. a I IMage of Nature and Grace 1. a Image of God what it is 2. a Image of God in man. 2. a Infantes haue no actual sinne of their own cōmitting 14. a Inward workes 65. a Innocency of man clerely lost 5. a Iudas wrought in treason 124. a. b Iustification commeth by faith and not by workes 47. a 48. a. b Iustification how it is vnderstand in the scriptures 62. a Iustification taught by the Papistes 63. a. 64. a. b Iustificatiō foloweth not good workes but good workes folowe iustification 89. b Iustification is often pronounced vpon workes for faithes sake 96. b Iustificatiō why it is imputed to faith not to workes 122. a L LAberinth of errour maze of confusion 92. b Lawe declareth them to be vnrighteous that haue lost originall righteousnes 7. b Lawe of God is spirituall 8. b Lawe had two offices 33. b Lawe why it was geuen to man. 30. b. 31. b. 34. a Lawe is able to iustifie a man if man coulde performe the righteousnes of the law 34. a Lawe is vnpossible to man to be obserued his nature being now corrupted as it is 36. a. b. 37. a. b. 38. a. b. 39. a. b. Lawe of God geuen to man in most fearefull and terrible maner 40. b Lawe bringeth terrour feare 41. a Lawe of God is the absolute rule of righteousnes 43. a Lawe might saue vs if we could obserue the law 113. b Lawyer moueth a question to Christ 114. a Loue fulfilleth the lawe 118. a Loue is the fulfillyng of the commaundementes of God. 24. b. 25. a. 26. a. 27. a. 28. a. b M MAn placed in Paradise 1. b Man made soueraigne Lorde euer all earthly creatures 1. a Man created to the excellency of Gods Image 1. a. 2. a. 3. a Man ashamed to confesse hys sinne 5. b Man and all his issue corrupted 7. a. b Man a masse or lompe of iniquitie 8. a Man by nature is the child of wrath 8. a. b. 9. a. b. Man in his first creation was without sinne 10. b Man by hys rebellion and sinne brought forth frutes of his owne choyse 20. a Man made an apt subiect for the mercye and iustice of God. 20. b Man in wicked estate 20. d Man of his owne nature hath affection to rebellion 92. a Man is iustified by faith without workes 107. a Man cannot satisfie the lawe 29. a Man is not myndefull of hys duety towardes God. 32. a Mans originall iustice 1. a Mans glorious state ouerthrowen 5 a Mans workes are sinnefull 9 a Mans corrupt nature 29. a Mans duety towardes God. 31. a Mans nature proue to rebellion and sinne 43. a Mercy and not merites hath preuented our iustification 103. a b. 104. a N NAture of mā is proue and ready vnto sinne 28. a O OBiectiōs with aunsweres 12. a 13. a. 35. a. 118. a Opus operantis 67. b Originall righteousnes 3. a. b Originall sinne and our most heynous infection 6. a Originall sinne defined 7. a Originall sinne defiled the nature of man. 10. a. b Originall sinne defined by the Papistes 11. a. 14. b. 15. a. b Outward workes 65. a P PApistes Pelagians Anabaptistes 11. b Papistes their vnformed fayth 61. a. b Papistes their formed fayth 61. a Papistes errours aboute workes 66. a Papistes builde a labirinth of errour and a maze of confusion 92. b. 93. a. b. 94. a Papistes Argumēt of workes 95. a. b. 96. a. b Papisticall doctrine 18. b. 49. a Pelagiās Papistes and Anabaptistes 11. b Pelagius heresie 50. a. 51. a Penaunce an apt and mete instrument for the Papistes 68. b Perfection denyed 29. b Peter Lombard 108. a Preparyng workes what they are 66. b. 67. a Purgatory nor holy water can not take away sinnes 19. a R RAhabs fayth had frutes 113. a Reward is not properly so called when it is payd to a labourer for his trauell but rather a duety 101. b Righteous persons complayn and cry to God. 120. b Righteousnes commeth not by the law 41. a Righteousnes how it is vnderstand in the scriptures 62. a Righteousnes how it is impu ted vnto vs. 69. b Righteousnes and iustification are diuerstye taken in the scripture 85 a. b. 86. a. b. 87. a. b. 88. a. b. 89. a S SAint James meaning of workes 111. a. b. 113. b Satisfaction is the best officer that the papistes can retaine 68 b Scholemen how they handle fayth 58. a. b. 59 a. b. 60-a b Scholemen what they say of veniall sinne 18 a Scholemē agree in error 18 b Scriptures that seeme to promise reward to workes are expounded 94 b Sense of the Scripture is not in woordes but in the meaning of the same 108 b Serpents kind to be weake and tame in winter 14. a Sinne that is to say euerye sinne that deserueth death is a deadly sinne 17. a Sinne triumpheth ouer man and driueth him from hys glorious state a Sinne the fruits therof 7 a Sinne by the offence of one man entred vpon al mē 8. b Sinne wherin two things are to be considered 11. a Sinne deadly sinne veniall are in diuers respectes but one 18. a Sinne deadly sinne veniall what difference 18. a Sin of man was so grenens an offence as coulde net bee cured but by the death and bloudshedding of innocente Christ the onely Sonne of God. 45. a Sinnes to say there are but. 7. that be deadly is false 16. b Sinnes by fayth are forgeuen therfore called veniall 18. a V Deniall sinnes 17. b. 18. a W WIsedome of God in his creation of man. 1. a Workes good are a testimony of mans election 66. a Woorkes taught by papistes 66 a Workes which the papists cal preparing workes 66. b Worke of the worker 67. b Woorkes of supererogation 67. b. 68. a Workes no not the workes of iustified are able to iustifie before God. 69 a Workes of the law 84. b Workes of the faithfull 84. b Workes of the faithfull are insufficient to fulfill the lawe 85. a. Workes are not the cause of rewarde but God for his own glory accepteth them 96. b 97. a Workes must be done for t 〈…〉 glory of God and not for 〈◊〉 wardes sake 97. b Worke what value they are accompted of in the scriptures 98. a. b. 99. a. b Woorkes when we haue wrought all that we can say that we are vnprofitable seruantes 99. b Workes of supererogation are the popes marchandise and are most superstitious and wicked 99. b Workes how they were estemed of the fathers 100. a. b Workes can iustifie no man. 107. b Workes declare a righteous man. 109. b Workes declare what fayth hath apprehended 109. b Woorkes folowe iustification 109. a Workes may not be done for rewardes sake 123. a. b. FINIS Faultes escaped in Printinge Fol.  Lin.  3. a 14. wrieth read writeth 5. a 17. the read that 9. b  in the margine Luchirid read Enchirid. 15. b 3. perfection read imperfection 18. b 19. thy read they 20. a 10. diuiue nature read diuine nature 38. a 22. miserenitur read miserebitur 53. b 2. then read them 61. a  in the first note vnformed read formed    in the second note formed read vnformed 64. a 15. ay read as 76. b 22. am read tiam 77. b 3. iniquitaids read iniquitates 81. b 8. beway read bewray 97. b 1. shewed read sheweth 98. b  in the note Ier. 1. read Iere. 2. 100. a 12. iustitia read iustitiae 103 b 1 inferretur read inferreretur 104. b 1. of the punishemēt read of thee but punishment 106. a  in the note praesi read p 〈…〉 i. 107. a 〈◊〉 sayth read fayth Ibidem b 16. non medulla read in medulla 110. b 19. put out of 113. b 19. my commaund read the commaunde