on either part The Pharises goe about this busines not because they would learne but with a desire to quarel and to destroy but Christ by his question intendeth this thing that he might thorowly bring them to the knowledge and possession of assured saluation Let vs heare therfore what is done on either side Christe demaundeth VVhat think yee of CHRISTE whose Sonne is he They fay vnto him The Sonne of Dauid this answere they gaue because they knew y t Christe should be borne of the seed of Dauid according to y e promise made vnto him But forasmuch as this suffised not to the true knowing of Christ Christ by this question inferreth another by the which hee indeuoreth to lead them into a fuller knowledge of Christe Therfore he saith How then doth Dauid in spirit call him LORD saying The Lorde saide vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enemies the footestole of thy feet If Dauid therfore call him Lorde how is he then his Sonne As if Christ would say The father is superiour to the sonne and the sonne must bee subiect to the father And the Lord is superiour to the seruant and the seruant must be subiect to his Lord How then commeth it to passe that Dauid acknowledgeth Christe to be his Lorde to whome with all lowlinesse of minde he wholly submitteth himself Heere if the Iewes had admitted to counsaile the holye Scripture declaring of Christ and had a little while considered with them selues what the office of Christe should be in the worlde they had easily founde this answere Christe in respect of the humane nature which he tooke vnto him is the sonne of Dauid but in respect of the deuine nature he is the sonne of GOD. As farre foorth therefore as appertaineth to the humane nature he is in appearance base and poore but as farre foorth as appertaineth to the deuine nature hee is Lord of Lords and King of Kings to whome Dauid must giue place and humbly bowe his knees yea of him only and by this onely one receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes righteousnesse and life euerlasting Of this CHRISTE his Lord Dauid speaketh in the Psalme 51. where he saith Thou shalt purge me with Hisope and I shall be cleane Thou shalt wash me and I shalbe whiter then snowe Likewise Psal 130. If thou Lord wilt marke what is done amisse O Lord who shal abide it But there is mercy with thee therefore shalt thou be feared By this MERCYE or peopitiation hee vnderstandeth Christe which after the humane nature should be borne of him but after the deuine nature very GOD from euerlasting After this manner Christe by the question propounded by him would reduce the Iewes to the true knowledge of Christe wherein as I haue saide consisteth eternall life and the wisdome of saluation as Paule teacheth 1. Corin. 1. where he saith For asmuch as the worlde knewe not GOD through wisdome that is to saye through vnderstanding and reason naturally ingraffed in man by God In the wisedome of God that is in the meruelous woorks of God which are wrought by him It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue those whiche beeleeue For the Iewes require signes and the Greekes seeke wisdome but wee preache Christe crucifyed vnto the Iewes an offence and vnto the Greekes foolishnesse but vnto bothe Iewes and Greekes which are called we preache Christ the power of GOD and the wisdome of GOD. Paule in this place disseuereth the wisdome of the worlde or mans wisdome from the wisdome of GOD. For in that that GOD sent his sonne borne of a woman made bonde vnto the Lawe and subiecte to moste bitter passion and death it seemed vnto men not wisdome but foolishnesse forasmuch as GOD by his omnipotencie could easily finde another way to saue mankinde But it seemeth farre otherwise vnto God yea that which men esteemed foolishnesse that GOD esteemeth and accompteth for wisdome But that wee may more fully vnderstande these things let vs seek the foundation of this the so wounderfull counsaile of GOD wherevpon we may builde safely Although GOD if we consider the greatnesse of his power coulde doe whatsoeuer hee would yet notwithstanding it seemed good to him to attempte nothing in this matter but that whiche was agreeable to the iustice and glorye of his maiestie diuine that is to saye that whiche all Angels aswell good as euill and all people yea and all creatures shoulde acknowledge to bee in very deede iuste and praise worthy saying Glory bee to GOD on hyghe For euen as any Kinge or Tyrant when he graunteth vnto one that which hee hath taken away from another may be said to play the part partely of an vniuste and partely of a lyberall man Euen so GOD if vsing his power only he had restored man it had beene on the one parte derogation to his Iustice and on the other parte too muche had beene graunted to mercy therefore it was needefull to finde suche a way to saue man that these foure properties in GOD without the whiche GOD coulde not BEE or be called GOD might stande together and consent in the hyest degrees namely MOSTE HIGH or PERFECT POVVER PERFECTE RIGHTEOVSNESSE PERFECT MERCIE and PERFECT VVISDOME Suche a secret purpose pleaseth God therefore That his onely begotten sonne should take vnto him mans nature and dye to the ende that who so beleeueth in him may obtaine saluation and life euerlasting So that if GOD had vsed his omnipotencie and Iustice hee had for euer condemned all men who through their rebellion had offended the eternall maiestie of God and were therefore subiect giltie of eternall death and Hel. But what had then beene the praise of his mercy Where then shoulde the glory of his wisedome haue had place Man without all fauour condempned had perished and the wisdome of GOD of the ende of his counsaile whereby hee had appoynted manne beeing made according to his owne Image to eternall saluation had beene voyde and frustrate That nothing at all therefore might be derogated from the PERFECT IVSTICE of God It pleased him that euen as by the disobedience of one man wee are all made giltie so by the obedience of one many should be made righteous God him selfe should bee satisfyed and wee beeing deliuered from guiltynesse shoulde bee indowed with life euerlastynge Heere also shineth foorth the PERFECT and great MERCIE of GOD whiche so loued the worlde that he would giue his owne onely begotten Sonne that All which beleeue in him should not perishe but haue life euerlasting Heere withall is also seene the PERFECTE POVVER OF GOD in that that by the death of his Sonne hee hath ouercome Death Hell Sinne and all the power of the Deuil Heere also appeareth the PERFECTE VVISDOME of God in this thinge cheefely that by his Sonne whiche is the naturall Image of him selfe and coeternall with him hee reneweth his owne Image in vs and giueth vnto vs eternall life wherevnto wee beeing in the beginning by his eternall wisedome apopoynted hee hath created vs. All which things are offered with this condition IF VVE BELEEVE IN HIM For so saith Iohn Baptist He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath eternall life but hee that beleeueth not in the sonne shall not see life
Chapter THE sixte thinge which I proponed to bee knowen of our Lorde Iesu Christe is of the applycation of his benefits namely How wee beeing made partakers of them are brought vnto euerlastinge blessednesse Our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe being moued through his deuine goodnesse towarde vs and with a feruent care of our saluation maketh vs partakers of his benefits By the Gospell by Faith and By the holy Sacraments with whiche the holy Ghoste is effectually present and giuen Of these three instruments ordeyned by GOD I will speake in order The first is THE GOSPEL which he hath commaunded to be promulged through y e whole circle of the worlde by the ministery wherof he is effectuall through the holy Ghost and out of all mankinde gathereth vnto himselfe a church which he gouerneth and conserueth by the doctrine of the Gospel the Sacraments Discipline and Ceremonies so that whersoeuer these foure the foūdation beeing vncorrupt are found sound perfect there must of necessitie be the Christian congregation although in that outward company certaine dead members be adioyned whiche doe boast of the title of the Church in vaine In this his Church Christe offereth by the ministery of the gospel his Grace to all men according to this his commaundement Go yee into all the world preach the gospel to al creatures Item Luke 24. Repentance and remission of sinnes must be preached in my name to all nations Therfore when thou hearest by this voice of the gospel forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting through Christe to be offred vnto thee thinke thus in thy minde with thy selfe Heere Christe offreth me Grace and Saluation in his woorde which he himselfe by the voyce of a man speaketh vnto me If I therfore shall obey vnto the same it turneth to may saluatiō but if I shal shew my selfe disobedient to this his voyce this hearing vnlesse I repēt turneth to my destruction and condempnation For euen as a murtherer guiltie of death contemning the fauour whiche he heareth to be offered vnto him of a most merciful king calleth vnto himself y e more greeuous punishment so in likecase if any hearing the gospel of grace imbraceth not y e same is to himselfe the author of heauier punishment and condemnation Diligence is therfore to be giuen of all Christians that with high reuerence and attention they may heare the healthfull Gospell of Christ and by faith imbracing the same declare themselues thankful towardes our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe I will in this place set downe a breefe definition of the Gospel The GOSPEL as I may speake in fewe words is a vniuersall preaching of Repentaunce and remission of sinnes in the name of Christe As he himselfe saith So it is written so it behoued Christ to suffer and rise againe from death the third day and repentance and remission of sinnes among all nations to be preached in his name This preaching Christe calleth The Gopell that is to say A ioyfull message by the which are offered vnto all men beleeuing in him aswel Iewes as Gentiles these good things namely deliuerance from the curse of the law and the wrath of GOD Remission of sinnes saluation and life euerlasting and that without all merite of man for his death passion that whosoeuer are made partakers of these benefites might with heart mouth and life set forth the honour of GOD. This definition of the GOSPEL contayneth foure members The first is The vniuersal commaundement of GOD to all men which who so will not heare contemneth God and maketh himselfe giltie againe of death euerlasting The second is That as the Gospel doth offer vnto men forgiuenesse of sinnes righteousnesse saluation and eternall life so they whosoeuer shall not receiue the same doe remaine in sinne vnrighteousnesse condemnation and eternall death The thirde is That these benefits are offered freely vnto all men without al respect of persons nations and humane conditions For Christe would haue all men saued as many as desyre to obtayne saluation leaste any shoulde despayre eyther for his owne vnworthynes or multitude of his sinnes The fourth sheweth To whome these good things doe come namely to those which in a true fayth turne them selues vnto GOD as now shalbe further said touching the same Let these things suffice concerning the firste instrument namely the GOSPELL by the ministerye whereof GOD offereth saluation to all men It is at large saide before How the lawe is to vs a Scholemaister vnto Christe whiche deliuereth vs from the curse of the lawe The seconde meane whereby Christe applyeth his benefits vnto vs is FAITH For euen as on Christes part the Gospell is in steade of a hand by which he reacheth foorth his benefits vnto vs so on our parte Faith is in place of a hand whiche receiueth Christe beeing offred with all his benefits But that it may bee vnderstoode what the true nature of Faith is I will first set downe so manifest a definition of the same that doubte may be lefte vnto no man what the true and Christian faith is Furthermore I will rehearce the naturall properties of Faith by whiche euery one may easely perceiue whether he hath the true and naturall fayth or no. When Iohn Baptist pronounceth him which beleeueth in the Sonne to haue eternall life he giueth warning that the same is not els where to be sought For hee which hath the sonne hath the way to euerlasting life The sonne is the VVay as he himself saith I am the way Moreouer He which hath the Sonne hath the gate of life according to that saying I am the doore Furthermore hee which hath the sonne hath the merit of eternall life For the sonne did not merit eternall life for himselfe to whom by right it was due but for his that is to say for those whiche beleeue in him Besides this he which hath the Sonne hath with the Sonne all things For he which spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all how should hee not also giue vs all things with him To conclude hee whiche hath the sonne is one with him therfore it can not bee but he is veryly and with the Sonne heyre of eternall life He which hath the sonne hath eternall life it selfe as hee himselfe sayth I am the lyfe Therefore whether thou seekest the way of life or the Doore or the merite or the Fountaine and Lord or euerlasting life it selfe thou haste euery one of these in the Sonne when thou beleeuest in him And contrarywise Hee which beleeueth not in the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of GOD abydeth vpon him Heereby we may esteeme what the excellencie and vtilitie of Fayth is whiche no man can obtayne but hee whiche beeing first admonished by the Lawe of his sinne doth feele the greatnesse of the anger of GOD and iuste condempnation Therefore the Scripture teacheth vs to be sory for our sinne so that we would that we had
and Iustice togeather and sending them vnto him by the Prophet Nathan did both mercifully set him in the right way agayne after hée had repentauntly acknowledged his declining from the same and also therwithal iustly scourged him for his wandring digression The lyke may bée found of Ezechias Manasses Peter and diuerse others which in reading of the holy Scriptures are almost euery where to bee found and here for expelling of tediousnesse are omitted So that albeit the godly man or woman bée sometimes hindred in the walking of this course from goinge forward or be plucked backewarde or séemeth as it were set quite beside the way wherby as the examples aboue recited do declare many horrible offences and wicked actes pleasant to the Deuill are by them committed yet this hope they haue lefte them that God will not suffer them with the obstinate wicked carelesse vngodly to perish vtterly from the right way but that hée will reatch forth his mercifull hand of direction vnto them which they hartily repentinge and taking holde of will set them in the streyght and right way agayne wherin if they shall perseauere and continue vnto the ende they shalbe sure as our Sauiour Christ himselfe hath promised to bée vndoubtedly saued For so hée himselfe sayth in Math. Hee that continueth to the ende shalbe saued And agayne Continue vnto the ende and I will geue thee a Crowne of lyfe Thus wée sée the diuersity of the people which lyue remaine euen amongest vs which professe the name and religion of IESVS CHRISTE how and in what manner they bée affected to the knowledge of this way of eternall lyfe and Saluation Whereof some by meanes of a former false receiued opinion déepely rooted in them bée obstinate and wilfully will not learne it some are negligente and carelesse that they passe not for it the thirde sorte yet imbracing it and reioysing to walke in it are notwithstanding through diuerse and infinite impediments and hinderaunces either stayed or plucked back or aside from it and yet notwithstanding by the mercy of God are called backe againe by earnest repentaunce and are agayne set therin wherein they walke here vpon the earth and continue their course in the same vnto the ende depart this life in walkinge in the same and at the ende of this way enter into the Citie of eternal rest and saluation The true doctrine wherof béeing in this litle Treatise both learnedly and also clearely plainly set foorth by this godly learned man béeing such a one as by the iudgement and opinion of diuerse of the best learned of this our time hath deserued not the least cōmendacion of the Church of Christ when I had perused and conferred with my fréend I thought very méete and profitable to conuert into our vulgare spéeche for the commodity comfortable instruction of all those to whom it shall please God to geue eyes to sée eares to heare hearts to conceiue and féete to walke aright in the ready way to lyfe therin set downe and deliuered as in the diligente reading and meditating of the same shall I hope to the comfort sound instruction of the Christian Conscience more playnely appeare For as the Doctrine therein conteyned is both necessary and as touchinge the substaunce therof is such that the true Christian man or woman may not bée without the knowledge and practise therof in this life if they desire to attayne to the knowledge and vnderstanding of their saluation in the lyfe to come so is it asmuch as is requisite therunto both pithily very playnely and also familyarly aswell in plain spéech as easy Methode set downe and deliuered further with good aduisement and deliberation handled and diuulged Touching the Author himselfe it is sufficiently knowne amongest the learned what hée is as béeinge such a one which hath not the lowest roome amongst the best and moste approoued Christian writers of this our age brought vp from his infancy in the studies and exercises of learning and godlynesse notably qualified and furnished aswell with liberall artes and languages as principally in the study profession of Diuinitie which profession hée hath woorthely and diligently executed as by his owne testimony set downe in his Epistle before this booke is to bée séene by the space and continuance of thyrtie yeares béeinge therunto called by the Kinge of Denmarcke to supply the place of his publique reader and professour of Diuinitic in his vniuersitie of Hafnia where with great fame as I heare hee at this day continueth Touching the perticuler matters conteyned and handled in the booke ther are such as I haue already sayd and in the diligente perusinge therof shalbe better perceiued that the knowledge of them in a Christian may not bée wanting And I doubt not but the Christian reader if hée haue any desire to aspire to the knowledge of Iesus Christ hauing a while busied himselfe therin shall freely in his owne conscience confesse as much as I haue héere spoken For if hée desire in short summe and bréefely and yet sufficiently the perfecte and right vnderstanding of the Law of God what it is how many and what the true vses therof bée to what end it is geuē vnto men also what the Gospell is and to what ende it is geuen what wée must necessarily beléeue of Christ as it is consonant to our common fayth How hée is our Mediatour Redeemer and Sanctifier by what meanes hée declareth and setteth foorth his benefites vnto mankinde what his benefits be toward vs what is to be considered learned of the Sacraments aswel of Baptisme as of the Supper of the Lorde besides diuerse other necessary doctrines of the right woorshippinge and seruice of God of prayer and diuerse other places which as I haue sayd in the diligent perusing of the same shall more euidently appeare to the Christian reader If hee desire I say to bee instructed exhorted or comforted in these thinges hee may here finde them both soundly plainly expounded All which poinctes being by other most godly learned pastoures of the Church of Christe notably and pithily in these latter times set abroade vnto the beholding of the worlde to no small benefit of the Congregation of Christ yet by reason of their buckling with the aduersaries of the trueth in refelling their corruptions and cauilling obiections they were forced to write with greater stile of woordes and more Schoolelyke whereby their woorkes became more conuenient in some poincts for studentes in Diuinitie then for the common peoples perceauerance and Capacitie Which things I speake not that I would dehorte any from the reading and dilygent exercisinge of them yea I doo rather most hartely exhorte them therunto but this I say to the ende to take away the offence which as I my selfe haue heard some haue taken though vndeseruedly when they perceyue thē in some places for the causes afore recyted to write eyther somewhat longer then they thinke méete or sumwhat more
and admit and receiue into his place the spirit of the deuil whose dwelling places they are become againe as they were before What other thinge is heere to be looked for than that which Christe hath pronounced in the 12. of Matthewe and in the 11. of Luke VVhen the vncleane spirit is gone foorth of a manne hee walketh through dry places seking rest and findeth none and then hee saith I will returne into my house whence I came foorth and when he commeth he findeth it swept and garnished The◠goeth he and taketh with him seuen other spirits worse then him selfe and they enter in and dwell there and the ende of this man becommeth worse then the beginning Heereby it may be easily perceiued of howe great importaunce it is either to imbrace and beleeue the worde of GOD or in our heart and lyfe to decline againe shamefully from it and to expell the holie Ghoste beeing sorowfull from his habitation Furthermore whosoeuer doe boaste of fayth and yet doe in the meane season liue wickedly doe moste impudently reprooue and conuince themselues of vntrueth For inasmuch as they boast those thinges whiche they haue not they are like vnto babling Thrasoos which stick not with their mouthes to promise golden mountaines when is very deede they of all other be moste bare and needie The errour of these people is confirmed by this that they thinke that GOD doeth not more inwardely searche and looke into the heartes of men then men them selues But they are much deceiued For man seeth onely the outwarde appearaunces but GOD seeth not those thinges onely but hee also looketh into the hearte it selfe GOD therefore can not bee deceiued although thy heart thinketh otherwise then thy mouth speaketh Therfore it is that Iames requireth an agreement of the woorde and thought so that the outwarde works of the life should bee aunswerable the faith which is saide to be in the heart euen as it is to bee seene in the example of Abraham For it is certaine that the hearte and the woorkes doe agree and are aunswerable one to the other so that wheresoeuer there is an euill heart the woorkes of the same must in like case of necessitie followe euill according to the rule of Christe A good tree bringeth foorth good fruites Wee see therefore manifestly how impudently they reproue them selues of vntrueth which boastinge of faythe in the meane time neither haue nor passe for good woorkes dooing therein as if a man had a Crowne set vpon his head hee would therefore straightway bee esteemed and called a King These are such whome in name onely but not in very trueth and deede a man may call Christians To conclude who soeuer boasteth of Christe and will bee accoumpted and called a Christian whiche is baptized and bosteth his faith and vseth the Supper of Lorde and notwithstanding doth in the meane season liue wickedly the same doth by open offence plucke away the mindes of many from the GOSPEL and is vnto them an occasion of damnation Paule in the 1. Corin. 8. where he intreateth of those which abuse Christian libertie in thinges lawfull to the offence of others affirmeth that they by abusing of their knowledge and Christian libertie doe destroy the weake brother for whome Christe dyed Howe much more then shall he bee in faulte which through his corrupte wickednesse giueth occasion to others to think euilly and to speake blasphemously of the moste holie Gospell and Christian Religion In Rom. 2. Paule accuseth the Iewes of the wickednesse of their life and saith that through them the name of God is therefore blasphemed among the Gentiles And in the 1. Timo. 6. He giueth commaundement to seruants which are beleeuing and regenerate that they should esteeme their maysters not yet cōuerted nor beleeuing worthy of all honour That the name of God his doctrine be not euill spoken of And that there shoulde come such people in the laste times the holie Apostle Peeter foretolde in the 2. Pet. 2. Thou feest therefore howe great the heuynesse of this sinne is whereby a man is author not onely of his owne destruction and also giueth occasion to many with the hurte of their owne saluation and blaspheming of the name and doctrine of God to refuse and contemne the GOSPELL of Christe There is no doubte but many amonge the Turkes at this day doe for this cause also pursue with hatred the Gospell of Christe for that they see Christian people to liue so loosely and and wickedly And who may doubt that there be not many amongst the Papists which persecute the Gospell of Christe or nothing at all esteeme it for that there bee so many whiche boast of the Gospell but so fewe which liue according to the Gospell But what should I say of those which haue receiued with vs the pure doctrine of the Gospell whose mindes are yet weake and wauering Doubtlesse thou mayst see many of these either to withdrawe their mindes or to preferre the manners and times vnder whiche wee liued in the Papacie before the manners of this age so wanton and laciuious What other thinge thinkest thou would these doe if any persecution or chaunge of Religion should fall in then that not vnwillingly they would suffer Idolatrie and the olde mockeryes of the Roomish Antichriste to be againe thrust vppon vs But through whose faulte commeth this to passe but only of those which should be as leaders and lightes vnto others and according to the counsaile of Paule shoulde in all things that is to say in woorde woorke and life set foorth the doctrine of the Lorde and our Sauiour Iesu Christe Heereof therefore wee conclude that it becommeth all those which beleeue in Christe to set the Lawe of GOD before them as the glasse of their liues according vnto which they should direct al their doings to the glory of God their owne commoditie and the edification of others whereby it may be brought to passe that the woorks of the deuil might be destroyed and the woorkes of God might increase to the glory of God the father euerlasting who of his owne meere mercy through faith without any our desertes or works hath saued regenerated vs that we should liue vnto him walke in all good works Ephe. 2. The thirde Doctrine THE THIRD DOCTRINE whiche in the beginning of this little boke I proponed to bee explicated is concerning Our Lord Iesu Christ in the true knowledge of whom alone consisteth life euerlasting as he himselfe saith Iohn 17. This is euerlasting life to knowe thee to be the true God and whome thou haste sent IESVS CHRISTE After that Christe had answered the Pharises to the question propounded by them to him hee againe demaundeth of them what they thought of Christe This question he moueth that occasion might be giuen to them to searche the scriptures out of which they might learne what they should certainly holde concerning Christ Beholde therfore with how great diuersitie of minde these things are doone
neuer sinned or offended GOD and that we should feele a true greefe sorrowe of heart for our sinnes committed Hee which is gone so farre forwarde hee at the length rightly acknowledgeth how ioyfull that message of the Gospell is which offereth to the beleeuers Remission of sinnes the fauour of GOD Righteousnesse and life euerlasting But what is FAITH These two manners of speaking namely To beeleeue in Christ And To beleeue in the name of Christe will plainly declare vnto vs the substance of Fayth The former sentence namely To beleeue in Christe sheweth Christe onely to be the obiect of Fayth or sure confidence so that Saluation is not to be hoped for but in him alone The latter namely To beleeue in the name of Christe sheweth the qualitie of Fayth that is to say that our confidence in Christe should be such as his name is in the Gospell and as his doinges are which testifie of him When as Christe therefore is in the Gospell named the Sauiour of all whiche beleeue in him very GOD very MAN one true and eternall person and the Lambe of GOD taking away the sinnes of the worlde And many examples doe testifye that the dooinges of Christe doe aunswere vnto this honourable name as the example of the Theefe vpon the Crosse the example of Mary Magdalen of Paule Peeter and innumerable others it appeareth that true Fayth in CHRISTE is A liuely and constant confidence of the heart whereby it is surely decreede that CHRISTE is the Sauiour of all those whiche beleeue in him as hee whiche is able to bring to passe all thinges whiche hee will as GOD whiche wylleth the beste vnto vs as MAN by the societie of nature ioyned vnto vs whiche muste as the Mediatour betwene GOD and vs appointed of the Father whiche hath giuen himselfe a pryce of redemption for vs that euery one whiche beleeueth might bee cleansed from Sinne by his bloode might bee iustifyed by his obedyence regenerated to euerlastinge lyfe by his spirite through the vnmeasurable mercie of GOD the Father which so loued the worlde that hee woulde giue his onely begotten Sonne that ALL VVHICHE BELEEVE IN HIM should not perish but haue life euerlasting This fuller description of a constant faythe may bee drawne more narowe and that out of the words of Iohn Baptist Hee which beleeueth in the Sonne hath eternall life in this manner Faith is a knowledge of Christe and a sure cōfidence of obtayning eternall life through him Such was the faith of the Theefe vpon the crosse which from a sure trust sayde Remember me Lorde when thou commest into thy kingdome To whom it was answered of the Lord This day shalt thou be with me in Paradice Such was the faith of the sinfull woman in the 7. of Luke which heard of the Lord Thy faith hath saued thee In like manner of the Publicane Luke the 18. praying on this wise God bee mercifull vnto me a sinner And of Dauid Psal 25. Be mercifull vnto my sinne O Lord for thy name sake All these doe agree to the rule in Psal 2. Blessed are all they which put their trust in him Now after that we haue described FAITH we wil recite fiue properties of y e same by which as by infallible notes euery one may knowe whether he hath the True Faith or no. The first propertie of faith is That it is felte in the heart The second is That it offereth it selfe to bee seene in the outwarde deedes The third is That it suffereth it selfe to be tryed vnder the Crosse The fourth That it ouercōmeth the world The fift That it perseuereth vnto the ende which is as Peter witnesseth The saluation of Soules The first propertie of Faith is this That it liueth in the heart of man so that there may bee felte an vnspeakeable consolation against the malediction of the lawe the power of death and the tyranny of the Deuill that there may bee felte a ioy vnable to be tolde of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and a spirituall securitie of the fauour and freendship of God that the dwelling of the holy Ghoste and his presence in the heart of the man may be perceiued that the force of the holy Ghoste stirring vp fayth to call vpon God may be perceiued that a burning desire to obey the will of God and to resist the Deuil may bee perceiued that a spirituall ioy of the beginning of the life eternall may bee felte that thankfulnesse towarde God may be perceiued Breefely wheresoeuer a Christian faith is in man there it must needes be that she must shew foorth her selfe by true godlynesse by a holy porpose of lyuing well and by reioycing in the holy ghost Secondly I affirme this to be the property of Faith That in outwarde woorkes shee offereth her selfe to be seene For the outwarde woorkes doe beare witnesse of the affections of the heart Therefore Christe sayth By their frutes ye shall know them It is therfore impossible that whersoeuer true faith florisheth in the heart by the holy Ghoste dwelling in the heart of man that there should not therewithall bee present good woorks testifying of the hart These workes of faith are in generall to eschue euil and to doe good so that faith be the foundation the beginning the leader and gouernesse of all vertues and good actions For first of all Fayth is the piller or foundation wherupon is stayed and vpon the whiche is builded all obedience vertue and euery good woorke Furthermore it is the beginning from which as from a liuing fountain the riuers of all honest workes and doings doe flowe out Moreouer It is the leader whiche holdeth man in the right way least hee shoulde decline either to the right hand that is to say to good intentions of men as they call them which wil worship God according to their owne wisedome and traditions or vnto the left that is to say to the workes of the Deuill whereunto this worlde with the members of the Deuil hath wholy giuen and bound it selfe Yea Eayth beeing the Captaine of all vertue and Christian works neuer resteth it self in any deede obiected or set before it before y t it heare this worde So the mouth of the Lorde speaketh Therfore Dauid through fayth prayeth in the 25. Psal Shew me thy wayes O Lord and teach me thy pathes And Psal 119. he sayth Blessed are the vndefiled in the way that is they whiche through faith shew obedience vnto GOD so that they goe forward in the right way declining neither to the right hand nor to the left Last of all faith is also the Gouernesse directing the whole life of man and all his works to this marke namely to the glory of God the edificatiō of the church and y e vtilitie of his neighbour All these works of Faith already remembred may bee called backe to these foure pointes following The first is a declaration of godlynesse in the outward workes of this life namely in the
regenerated so wee beeing cleansed and regenerated are spiritually fed and nourished by the benefite of the body and blood of Christ rightly vsing the Supper of the Lord according to his owne institution Fourthly the Supper of the Lord is a testimonie of the new Testamente that is to say of A NEVV COVENANT betweene God and man touching remission of sinnes wherby God testifyeth that hee will receiue into fauour and forgiue sinners for the merite of the death passion of Christ to All which beleeue in HIM Therfore he himselfe sayth This Cup is the new Testament in my blood that is This Cuppe is a firme and vnmoueable seale of the moste ample promise of god cōcerning y e forgiuenes of sinnes Whosoeuer therefore with a true and liuely faith vseth this Sacrament receiueth the testimonie of God himselfe whereby he testifyeth that he hath deliuered his sonne shedding his blood vpon the Altar of the Crosse for the remission of sinnes that through him as many as beleeue in him may obtaine saluation Fiftly The Supper of the Lord admonisheth vs of the secret and spirituall communion whereby we whiche doe partake this Sacrament together are vnited as it were into one body Of which thing Paule saith Because wee beeing many are one bread and ONE BODY inasmuch as we are all partakers of one breade This knitting of the Christians into one body dependeth heereon that we all as it is already said are vnited to the body of Christe by the partaking of his body and blood Sixtly The Supper of the Lord requireth mutuall loue betweene the Communicantes whereby the misticall members of the same body as we haue said shoulde with heart word and worke performe duetyes one towardes the other This Loue of Christian people which from the head CHRISTE floweth into the rest of the members that is to say the Citizens of his Church doth not take away the degrees of persons but rather confirmeth the diuersities of callings in the Congregation of all whiche there is one marke namely The Glory of God and the commoditie of thy neighbour Whosoeuer feeleth not in his heart the sparckle of this mutiall dilection and without a purpose of well dooing to his member that is to say to his neighbour commeth to the Supper of the Lorde it were better for him to abstaine vtterly from the Sacrament For who would not affirme that manne to bee mad and out of his minde whiche would set his owne members at strife one with another amongest themselues so that the handes might plucke out the eyes or cut of the feete I woulde to GOD that Christians could after the same manner marke their owne madnesse whiche they doe manifestly betray and showe forth whilste through mutuall hatreds and contentions of minde they set themselues one against another Seuenthly The Supper of the Lord is a pledge and signification of our resurrection life and eternall saluation and that by the power of Christe risen againe from the dead For whatsoeuer hath beene hetherto spoken of the Supper of the Lord are al to be referred to this principall end that they may bee vnto vs in steade of a pledge sealing of life euerlasting through Christe whose members we are made And so that is fulfilled which Christ saith He which eateth my flesh and drincketh my blood hath eternall life and I will rayse him vp in the last day By these Articles which we haue brought abroade out of the holy Scripture to the declaring of this doctrine of the supper of the Lorde euery man may easily vnderstand how needeful it is with a hygh godlynesse of minde and reuerence to approch to this supper to proue him selfe before he eate of this bread or drinke of the Cup of the Lorde For as Paule saith He which eateth and drincketh vnworthyly eateth and drincketh his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords body Christ affirmeth the same thing of the Gospell Hee which beleeueth not sayth he shalbe condemned And Augustine sayth of Baptisme Euen as he whiche vnworthyly eateth the body of the Lorde and drinketh his blood eateth and drincketh his omne damnation so he which receiueth Baptisme vnwoorthily which thing many Iewes doe at this day receiueth to himself damnatiō not saluation Furthermore Least any man shoulde communicate the Supper of the Lord vnworthyly let him followe the counsayle of Paule 1. Corinth 11. Let a man proue himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cuppe for he which eateth and drinketh vnworthyly eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not descerning the Lords body that is to say hee calleth vnto himselfe the punishment and Iudgement of GOD. What therefore is the true manner of prouing himselfe The same Paule prescrybeth 2. Cor. 13. when he saith Try your selues whether ye be in faith or no proue your owne selues Knowe yee not your selues that Iesus Christe is in you Heereby it appeareth that the true tryall of proouing consisteth in this that a liuely faith bee truely felt and the presence of Christe in vs by the vertue of his spirit stirring vs vp to the study of godlynesse Breifely he is truely prooued which reuerently in the feare of GOD in true repentance in true confidence and with an holy purpose commeth to this Supper And contrarywise he which is without the true feare of God and earnest repentance and wanteth liuely fayth and an holy purpose the same eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe bothe temporall and eternall vnlesse he be againe by faith in Iesus Christe conuerted And I nothing doubt but the greatest parte of moste heauy calamities euery where reigning in many places is therefore sente because they bee so common which participate the supper of the Lord without true and earnest repentance Paule writeth that the Corinthyans were plagued because they touched vnreuerently the holy Supper For this cause sayth he many are feeble and weake among you and many are fallen a sleep For if wee had iudged our selues wee should not haue beene iudged but when we are iudged of the Lorde we are instructed that we should not bee damned with the worlde I would to God that many at this day would not builde vpon a feeble foundation and be much deceiued with their owne opinion which then suppose themselues to come woorthyly to the Supper of Christ when they haue confessed their sinnes before the preist and obtayned absolution of him He which beleeueth him God absolueth for the death and passion of Iesus Christe For he which beleeueth saith Iohn hath eternall life If therefore the beleeuer hath eternall life hee is also without all doubt absolued from all his sinnes For Absolution is no other thing than a deliuerance from sin which is in the power of GOD alone Therefore the Ministers of the woord cannot absolue him which is without the feare of God a liuely faith and a purpose of good liuing from the least offence And he which is such
a one yet notwithstanding dare require absolution of the Minister of the worde to him forasmuch as hee is before God a lyer and before the Minister of God and hypocrite the absolution turneth vnto damnation For this outwarde absolution answereth to the faith and purpose of the innermoste heart The Priest is the minister of God therefore let him behaue himselfe according to the commaundement of his Lord neither let him arrogate greater power vnto himselfe then hee hath receiued of the Lorde He hath power to shew foorth aswell remission of sinnes to all the beleeuers as also euerlasting condempnation to those whiche turne not themselues vnto God These are the keyes of the Church of Christe so that if any Minister of the Gospel should goe beyond these bounds he shall not cary this rashnes vnpunished of God What is then to be thought of priuate confession and outwarde absolution There be many and weightie causes why the holy fathers did institute this talke or Colloquie whiche is had betweene the partie confessing and the Minister of the woorde The first that the rude and ignoraunt might be the more profitably instructed beeing demanded of euery principle of the Christian Religion For when as many doe many yeeres heare the holy preachings yet doe very little or nothing at all profit such verely shal with greater profit talke together with the learned and godlye minister of the woorde whiche may inquire of what matters they stande in doubte and may teache them those thinges whereof they bee ignoraunt Secondly That in this talking together the profiting of the youth and younge persons might bee tryed For it is the parte of a good Pastour not onely to teach openly but also accordinge to the example of Paule to make a tryall at home how farre euery one of his hearers haue gone forwarde in the course of godlynesse Thirdly that a reason of the fayth might be required of those of whose Fayth and Religion iust doubte might be had and that vnto such as in any heresie were stubbernely obstinate the Supper of the Lord should be prohibited Fourthly that in this Colloquie the doubtful consciences and such as for the scruple of their sinnes were vnquieted might by doctrine counsaile and consolation be releeued Fifthly that in this priuate talke they might heare the voyce of the Gospell pronouncing forgiuenes of sinnes to those which beleeue in Christe For in asmuch as Christe sayth Hee that heareth you heareth mee it is much auayleable to heare the Minister of the worde in the name of Christ according to his cōmandement shewing foorth the remission of sinnnes ¶ Priuate Absolution may be made in this manner Because my Brother thou doost not only confesse thy selfe to be a sinner and guiltie in the sight of God And art sory that thou haste offended God but also beleeuest the promise of the Gospel concerning forgiuenesse of sinnes namely That vnto the beleeuer is giuen eternall life I declare vnto thee in the name of Christe the forgiuenesse of thyne offences In the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghoste Amen Goe in peace and sinne no more Hetherto we haue heard of the last thing which I propounded was to bee considered in the Messiah our Lorde IESV CHRISTE namely How we are made partakers of his benefites But because there be many founde whiche protract repentance vnto the last breath of lyfe I will yet ad hereunto and declare two things First touching the causes whiche should inuite vs to the ripening or hastening of Repentaunce The other by what meane a Christian may perseuer vnto the ende that hee loose not faith and the benefites of Christe VVhat then shall inuite vs to the hastening of Repentaunce Albeit there bee many and moste weightie causes which should mooue vs that we should not delay repentance which alas for sorowe many doe at these dayes with great securitie yet notwithstanding I will at this season bring foorth tenne Argumentes at the leaste wherby euery man may woorthyly bee moued betymes to repent The first is The vncertaine end of this life For no man knoweth in what hower in what moment or in what manner he shall departe from hence This vncertaintie shoulde woorthyly mooue vs to hasten repentaunce Christe going about to exhorte his disciples to watchfulnesse taketh an Argument hereof when he sayeth VVatch and pray because yee knowe neither the day nor the howre And in Luke the 12. the Lorde propoundeth a Parable of a rich man beeing carelesse and delaying Repentance The ground saith he of a certaine rich man brought forth plentiful fruites therfore he thought with himselfe saying what shall I doe because I haue not rowme wherein to gather my fruites together and he sayde thus will I doe I will destroy my Barnes and builde greater and thither will I gather together my fruites and my goods and I will say vnto my soule Soule thou haste much goodes layde vp in store for many yeeres take thine ease eate drincke and be mery But God sayd vnto him Thou foole this night will they require againe thy soule from thee whose then shall those thinges bee which thou hast prepared So is it with him that hoordeth vp riches to himselfe and is not riche towards GOD. Heereof afterwarde the Lord inferreth this But rather seeke yee the kingdome of GOD and the righteousnesse thereof and afterwards all other things shall be giuen vnto you Item In such an hower as ye think not will the Sonne of man come And Augustine saith God giueth thee a space of amendement but thou more louest delayment than amendement Thou drawest the time a long and of the mercy of GOD thou promisest vnto thy selfe many things as though he whiche hath promised thee saluation through repentaunce had also promised thee long lyfe How knowest thou what the morrowe day will bringe foorth Thou sayest well in thine heart when I shal amende me God wil forgiue me all mine offences VVe cannot deny but that vnto the amended and conuerted God hath promised fauour But in what Prophet readest thou that because God hath promised fauoure to the amended doost thou also reade that he hath promised thee long lyfe This vncertaintie therefore of the tearme of this life should admonish vs of the ripening or hastening of repentance leaste sooner then wee thinke we fall vpon the darcke mountaines as Ieremie speaketh and so be ouerwhelmed with the iuste Iudgement of GOD. There haue been many which hoped that they might continewe foorth their life vnto olde age but in the middle flower of their age they haue fallen downe flat Many haue looked for a quiet ende of life but haue perished in exile Many haue purposed to haue the comforts of their freendes and acquayntaunce in the agonie of death but they haue miserablye perished amonge enemyes Many haue promised to themselues a time in which lying in their bed they would mourne repent but they haue beene soudainly taken foorth
them and shew them selues very carefull of their saluation But wherof commeth this so fyery and insatiable hatred of the Pharises towarde Christe CHRIST reprehended their great manifolde sinnes namely Arrogancie Hypocrisie Couetousnes erronious Doctrine wherby they led awry both them selues others Arrogant and proude people are of such malice of minde that they take it greeuously that they should be admonished do with great contention persecute those which dare be so bold as once to minish or hinder their false conceiued opinion of the great estimation of thēselues Wherfore it is the lesse to be meruailed that these so proude arrogant Pharisies doe with hatred persecute Christe which euery where and continually tolde them to their teeth and condempning them obiected vnto them this their filthy pride especially whē as they in the meane time considered not that this was doone of Christe for their profit and saluation But forasmuch as these are Hypocrites which repute thēselues to be righteous before God and man albeit they bee inwardly filled with all filthynesse and malice yea altogether like vnto dead mennes graues whiche although they shewe outwardly whited and garnished yet inwardly they abounde with poysoned and abhominable filthynesse therfore they doe not gladly suffer those whiche reprehende and condemne them of sinne And for this cause these Hypocrites will not graunt vnto Iesus Christ this glory That he alone is righteous and that whosoeuer wil be made righteous doe obtaine the same by this our onely Lorde Iesus Christe Therefore in the 21. of S. Matthew Christe saith vnto them Publicanes and sinners shall enter into the kingdome of God before you Moreouer if you inquire why these things be so the cause is in a redynesse for Hypocrites doe presume that they are without all sinne and trust to their owne righteousnesse whiche they haue not but Publicanes and sinners doe knowe and confesse them selues to haue sinned and to haue no righteousnesse of their owne wherby beeing vpholden they may make their boast When they therefore doe heare sinne reprooued they doe foorthwith very easily in comparison of the Hypocrites acknowledge their sinnes and imbracing with ioy the preaching of grace doe repent forsake the conuersation of their former life conuert them selues vnto God by faith in Iesus Christe bring foorth fruites of faith An example of this thing is to be seene in Luke Chap. 18. in the Publicane the Pharisie of the which two the Publicane standing in the Churche afarre of prayed the Pharisie with great pride boasted of his owne righteousnesse Likewise Luke 7. In Simeon that hooste of Christe and in that sinfull woman whiche there hauing washed the feete of Christe with her teares wiped them with the heary lockes of her head This waywardnesse is moreouer very like vnto couetousnesse for that it suffereth it selfe to be reprehended of no body but indeuoureth to couer it selfe with the cloke of wisdome sedulitie and sparefulnesse when as notwithstanding it is in very deed as Paul teacheth meere Idolatrie for the couetous man reposeth more hope in these momentanie goods of the world than in the liuing God Therefore it is not to be meruailed that the Pharisies hated Christe and with all their power persecuted him which iustly reproued their wicked couetousnesse and execrable Idolatrie That Christe also did in like manner reprehende their errours about the heauenly doctrine neither did they take y t with quiet mindes For they dreamed that the keyes of wisdome were in their powers alone wherewith euery of them supposed that he might open and shut vp heauen at his pleasure wheras they notwithstandinge were in the meane time voyde both of the true vnderstandinge of the Lawe and of the true knowledge of the Messias this their blindenesse they could at no hand suffer to bee reprooued of Christe LASTLY The Pharises toke this thinge also greeuously in Christ that hee not onely reprooued them of their owne wandringe out of the way but that they also through their erronious Doctrine did leade other awrye from the true shepheard and way of Saluation Of these so great offences Christ accused the Pharises that either amending themselues they might bee saued or els continuing in their sinnes they should looke for both here in this worlde the iuste punishmentes of God as also after this life euerlastinge dampnation But howe did the Pharises take these thinges of Christe Euen altogeather after the same manner as a madde man is affected agaynst him which goeth about to delyuer him from his disease and madnesse For euen as a man distraught of minde doth with feete nayles and byting enemylike assayle him which laboureth to laye medicinable handes vpon him so the Pharises with handes and feete applye to this thinge that they maye sclaunder Christe and take him out of the waye and therfore they solempnely sent their messengers thrise vnto him the tuesday next beefore they crucifyed him In the first Embassage were the Pharises with the Herodians which demaunded whether it were lawfull to giue tribute to Caesar or not And that thing they doe with this intent that if Christe did affirme the question propounded the common people might forsake him and so it might be easily lawful to deliuer him to death but if he did deny it he might fal into the hands of Herodes seruaunts who hauing taken him might kill him as a seditious man But in vaine doth the craftinesse of man wery it selfe against the wisdome of God Christe answereth neither affirmatiuely nor negatiuely but the coyne being shewed by them he saith whose Image and inscription is this They answered him Caesars And hee said vnto them Giue vnto Caesar the things which are Caesars and vnto GOD those things whiche are Gods so that of this answere of Christe neither y e Herodians nor the common people found why they might iustly be offended THE SECOND Embassage was of the Saduces which deny the resurrectiō of the dead These men thought that out of the doctrine of Christe teaching that all people should rise againe in the last day they might inferre some absurditie in this maner There were say they with vs seuen bretheren and the firste hauing maryed a wife deceased and hauing no seede left his wife vnto his brother likewise the second and the thirde vnto the seuenth laste of all the woman also dyed In the resurrection therefore whose wife shall she be of the seuen They supposed now that Christe would appointe her either to one of them or to al of them together whiche if hee had doone they would haue cryed out that y e coulde not be conuenient for the coutentions hatreds and abhominable filthynesses that would followe therof By this way they hoped that they should confute the doctrine of Christe to deliuer Christ to iudgement as gilty of vntruth to be punished Let vs heare what Christ answereth vnto them Ye erre saith he not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God and are ignorant
other is accompted good and lawfull Furthermore wee must discerne also betweene the person of man and that corruption whiche sticketh in man Man is sometime affected towardes him selfe with a blinde vnwise and hurtfull loue springing from the corrupte and depraued nature that is to say from the fountaine of sinne which by our sinne of heritage dwelleth in vs. This loue shall not be the rule of the loue of thy neighbour for to loue him after this maner were plainly before God to hate thy neighbour There is besides this a nother manner of louing him selfe and the same is lawfull and graunted whiche springeth from the holie Ghoste and faith in IESVS CHRISTE when a man directeth all his counsailes to that end that he may doe those things which are acceptable vnto God and healthsome to himselfe This loue beeing lawfull and lawdable shalbe the rule of the loue wherewith we should loue our neighbour so that from the very heart we should reioyce with him ouer all those things which may redounde to his profit and saluation by godly desires wishing him all goodnesse and by faithfull counsailes labour goods and prayers setting him forwarde and on the other parte by turning away studiously with all the minde and heart what soeuer either to his life or soule or to be short either to his goods or fame may be hurtful In another place our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe setteth beefore vs his owne example in place of a rule to be followed Loue ye saith he one another euen as I haue loued you And therfore Christ calleth this A newe Commaundement Whereby he would teach vs that we should helpe our neighbour if necessitie require euen with the peril of our life not hauing so great regarde of our owne commodities as of the health profit of our neighbour In what manner Christe hath loued vs Paule sheweth in the 5. Chap. to the Romaines as heereafter in the thirde Doctrine shalbe saide more at large The second thing which I gaue warning of to be considered in this chiefe commaundement of the loue of our neighbour is The difference betweene the person of the man and that corruption which cleaueth vnto him The corrupt and wicked man as much as appertaineth to his corruption and wickednesse it selfe it is lawfull to hate but as much as appertayneth to the person as farre foorth as it is man partaker of humane nature with vs the same is to be loued so that what we hate in him namely sinne and corruption it selfe that wee should reprehende and againe we should loue in him that whiche deserueth loue that is y t beeing man he might be conserued as Augustine teacheth Let these things suffise touching the first member which I admonish in the beginning to be obserued concerning the law Of the second ANother thinge which I propounded was touching the errours which false teachers sowe abrode aboute the doctrine of the lawe Of these there be foure sortes In the first order are they whiche flatly reiect the lawe and vtterly deny it to be taught in Christian Churches In the seconde are they which in deede retaine the Lawe but they teache that man is able through his owne power to satisfye the law Next vnto these are they which affirme that man is not able to fulfill the whole lawe but yet some parte thereof They occupy the fourth rome which say that euery religion hath her law which is sufficient to saluation to him that fulfilleth it Theese foure errours through their poysoned contagion are very mischieuous neither are they staied vpon any other foundation then vpon the deceiptes and lyinge subtilties of the Diuell which stirreth vp men to seduce one another from the puritye of the true Doctrine of the Lawe and the Gospell I will therfore refute these erroures one by one in the same order as they were beefore of mee rehearsed THE ANTINOMIANS which flatlye reiecte the Lawe and denye it to bee taught in the congregations of Christians are scant worthy that their opinion should bee refuted with many wordes as agaynst whom not only true reason of man but also CHRIST himselfe and his Apostles and as many as haue beene faythfull teachers in the Church of Christ doe resist The Argumentes wherwith they vphold their opinion are these Christians say they haue nothing to do with Argument 1 Moses Therfore neither are they subiect to his Lawe Argument 2 Item Christians are made free by Christe Therfore Christe commaunded the Gospell to bee preached to all creatures of preachinge the lawe hee commaunded nothing at all Lastly The holy Ghoste say they is the teacher of Christians what vse then shall there bee of the law amongest them With these and other like reasons they suppose themselues to proue that the Law is neither to bee reteyned nor taught in the congregation of Christians But a man may first demaund of these men Doth it beecome Christians to loue GOD and their neighbour I beleeue there is none so possessed of the Diuell that hee dare denye this Seeinge then that Christians must loue GOD and their Neighbour why shall it not bee also lawfull for them to knowe in what sorte they ought to perfourme the same For what thing shall the woorke of loue bee vnlesse it bee directed by some certayne manner But forasmuch as the Lawe of God that is to say the tenne Commaundements doth teach vs both namely that wee should loue GOD and our Neighbour and also in what manner the same should bee doone of vs what is hee that seeth not these men manifestlye to erre which would abolishe the Lawe of God and forbidde that it should not sounde in the Christian congregations 1. Where as they obiect and say Christians haue nothing to doo with Moses that is true as farre as apperteyneth to the ceremoniâ—all and forensicall lawes of Moses the sacrifices Circumcision and such like outward ceremonies which ought to endure vntill the comminge of Christe onely and afterwarde to cease but it is not true as touchinge the lawe of GOD that is to say the Decalogus which was giuen vnto man in his first creation and afterwarde repeated and written in two tables of Stone that the remembraunce therof might bee perpetuall I will ceasse heere to speake howe that Christe him selfe bothe taught the lawe and expounded it at large as did also the holy Prophets and their successors 2 But that which the Antinomians affirme in the second place Christians not to bee vnder the lawe but vnder Grace I graunt this also so that it be rightly vnderstoode as Saint Paule himselfe expoundeth it Christians are not vnder the Lawe that is to say they which beleeue in IESVS CHRIST are not vnder the condemnatory sentence of the law because there is no condemnation to them which are ingraffed into Iesus Christ Rom. 8. But the Christian hath neede of the Doctrine of the lawe whiche must bee the rule of his life shewing him what doth please God and what is
alwayes bente vnto euill Iob. 9. I know for a truth that it is so that manne shall not bee iustified in the sighte of GOD if hee would contende with him hee shall not bee able to aunswere him one for a thousande And a litle after Iobe sayth of himselfe If I would iustifie my selfe my mouth will condempne mee Psalm 14. They are beecome corrupt and abhominable in their dooings there is none which doth good no not one The Lorde looked downe from Heauen vpon the children of men that hee might see if any did vnderstand and inquire after GOD. They haue all gone out of the way they are altogeather become vnprofitable there is not one that dooth good no not one Psalm 130. If thou Lorde shalte marke our iniquities O LORDE who may abide it For this cause Dauid in the 143. Psalme prayeth on this manner Enter not into Iudgement with thy seruaunt O LORDE for none lyuinge shalbee found righteous in thy sight Poruerb 20. VVho can say my heart is cleane I am cleare from sinne Esaye 64. VVee are beecome vncleane all the sorte of vs and our righteousnesse is as a steyned Cloath VVee haue all fallen awaye as a leafe and our iniquities haue as the winde snatched vs away CHRISTE in the thirde of Iohn sayth That which is borne of the fleshe is flesh Paule Rom. 3. VVee haue shewed causes beeing rendred that both Iewes and Greekes are all vnder sinne Ephe. 2. VVee are by nature the Children of wrath Out of theese now recyted and many other testimonies of the Scripture it is manyfestlye conuinced That no mortall man can fulfill the Law of GOD. The sixte Argument of this our asseueration is set downe by Paule to the Galathians Chap. 2. In these woordes If righteousnesse come by the Law then CHRIST dyed in vayne For Christe came into the worlde to fulfill the Lawe which was impossible for all menne in the whole world to perfourme But as many as beeleeue in him to them shalbee imputed the righteousnesse of the Lawe which Christ in his owne person hath doone and obteyned Thus I haue prooued by sixe moste firme and euident Argumentes the opinion of the Papistes to bee false who in teachinge writing and declayming dare affirme against their owne conscience that man is able to fulfill the lawe of God and so by woorkes to bee reputed righteous in the sight of GOD. AMONGEST THOSE which teache not rightly of the Lawe they are to bee placed in the thirde roome which doo graunte that man can not in parte satisfie the Lawe of God yet notwithstandinge hee may in many thinges perfourme obedyence to the Lawe And therfore say they by how much the more stoare of good woorkes bee doone accordinge to the Lawe by so much the greater shalbee mannes righteousnesse by the Lawe and that which lacketh is to bee borrowed by Prayer of Christe This opinion although it sticke in manye chiefely in politique menne it is notwithstanding false and contumelious agaynst the sonne of God our Lorde IESVS CHRISTE who alone taketh away the sinnes of the world and iustifyeth those which beeleeue in him And that this opinion also was not the leaste cause of the castinge awaye the Iewes Paule teacheth Rom. 10. They sayth hee beeinge ignoraunt of GOD his rightuousnesse and seeking to establish their owne righteousnesse haue not been obedient to the righteousnesse of GOD for CHRIST is the ende of the Lawe to iustifie all that beeleeue that is to say whosoeuer beleeueth hath that thinge which the Lawe requireth namely Righteousnesse which Christe imputeth to the beleeuer Likewise Phillip 3. Paule geueth a difference beetweene the righteousnesse of the Gospell and the righteousnesse of the Law The Righteousnesse of the Gospell as the faythfull do obteyne but the Righteousnesse of the Lawe none can atteyne by his owne woorkes Christe onely excepted Besides this no man can beginne any good woorke according vnto the Lawe wherby hee may bee able to stande sure beefore the Iudgement seate of GOD beefore hee be made righteous through fayth in CHRIST For as Paule witnesseth in an other place It is impossible to please God without fayth Some woorcks in deede may bee doone which amonge men haue a shewe of goodnesse and which are also profitable for the life and conuersation of man in this world but that rightuousnesse should bee atteyned vnto by them it is impossible for hee which offendeth agaynst one Commaundement hee is made giltye of all sayth Iames Neyther can any thinge please God which is doone of him which is not a member of Christ and made righteous by the obedience of him For as by the disobedience of onely Adam wee are all made gilty of damnation so all wee as many as beleeue in Iesus Christ are made righteous by the onely obedience of him It is euident therfore that they doe erre which wilbee made righteous partly by their owne woorkes and partely by the merite of Christe so that by how much the more a man doth abounde with good workes hee may by so mutch the more boaste himselfe to bringe of his owne and to seeke at Christe the reside we which are wanting THOSE VVHOM I haue named in the in the fourth place to erre about the doctrine of the Lawe haue spronge from the Schoole of Mahomet Mahomet to the ende that he might the rather keepe his disciples and vnderlings addicted to his diuelishe subtilties did teache that euerye man was saued by the keepinge of that law to which hee was a subiect That is If the Iewe did keepe his Ceremonies and Circumcsiion hee should by that his obedience merite saluation And if the Turcke or Mahometist sayth hee dooth keepe his law by the same reason hee also shalbe saued So in like case the Christian obteyneth saluation by the Law of the Gospell Some politique men there bee which are full stuffed with this wicked opinion which neither rightlye consider the heauye weighte of sinne nor the benefites of CHRIST Agaynst all these which in this manner doe seeke saluation by their Lawe to which they bee subiecte in what place so euer they leade their lyues I set theese playne woordes of the vnmooueable veritie Iohn 3. Hee which beeleeueth in the sonne hath eternall lyfe but hee which beeleeueth not in the sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of GOD abydeth vpon him Of the thirde THE THIRDE THINGE followeth which I propounded concerninge the Lawe namely to what ende the lawe auayleth and what y e true vse therof is amonge menne chiefly in the Christian congregation Wee haue hearde beefore what the lawe requireth and that none is able to fulfill It is therfore thirdly demaunded what the vse thereof is seeinge no man can fulfil it nor any man by the works therof can obteyne righteousnesse in the sight of GOD. The vse of the Law is of three sortes namely Externall Internall and Spirituall Of the Externall or outward vse of the Lawe THE EXTERNAL or outward VSE
at large beneath in the third doctrine now let vs passe to the third vse of the Law Of the spirituall vse of the Lawe THE THIRDE VSE of the Law which is called SPIRITVALL hath place in the regenerate which beleeuing in Christe haue obteyned by the death and intercession of Christe remission of their sinnes and are counted righteous in the sight of GOD through the righteousnes of Christ imputed vnto them Where this faith is liuely and voyde of hypocrisie there withall dwelleth the holie ghost which both worketh faith in the harts of men by hearing the healthfull doctrine of the Gospell and regenerateth man and stirreth him vp to thank fulnesse towards God whereby it commeth to passe that man more esteemeth the will of God and his commaundements then all the goods of the whole world how beawtifull and precious so euer they may be esteemed and continueth in purposing good keeping faith and a good conscience Then because the man that is borne anew would shew obedience vnto God he looketh againe into the lawe and setteth the same as an infallible rule before him that he may vnderstand what hee shoulde doe and what hee should leaue vndone in y e right seruing of God And although no man doth fulfill the Lawe by his owne woorks yet notwithstanding the obedience of the faithful pleaseth God because he is set free from the malediction of the Lawe and is by the meanes of Christe vnder grace For so Paul saith There is no damnation to them which are in Iesu Christe which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirit This obedience is 〈◊〉 onely acceptable vnto God as who of his fatherly goodnes coÌ„maundeth willeth the faithfull to loue him and to exercise charity toward their neighbour but hee also addeth a promise of rewarde that hee will recompence all good doinges so that he which shall giue a cuppe of colde water in the name of Christe shall not bee voyde of his reward Hereof it commeth to passe that examples do remayne of many of the godlye which for their obedience perfourmed to God through fayth haue receyued both spirituall and corporall blessinges But they which say they do beleeue and yet notwithstandinge purpose not to eschue sinne but suffer them selues to bee ruled by their owne corrupt concupiscence and to bee drawne away of the desires of the fleshe these treade not in the steppes of Abraham which had leiffer kill his onely Sonne and heyre then by turninge backe to commit any thinge against the commaundement of God They doo also agaynst the doctrine of Sainct Paule which commaundeth the beleeuers and such as with Abraham would bee made partakers of the grace of God that they should declare their fayth by obedience towardes God which hath set foorth his vnmeasurable grace towardes all men in that that hee hath deliuered his only begotten Sonne for them But how wicked and not to bee vttered is this argument which some beeinge gone forwarde vnto that state of vngodlynesse dare vtter VVee are Iustified and made free freely by fayth to what end then shall we neede to apply our selues to doe good woorks Hearken what Paule answereth to these people whose damnation saith hee is iust yea truely Iust forasmuch as they by this errour doe draw sinnes vnto them selues as dark cloudes For first they are coutemelious against God moreouer they treade vnder their feete the precious blood of Christ Furthermore they expell the holie ghost Besides this they reproue themselues of vntrueth Lastly by giuing offeÌ„ce they offend many and instraunging their mindes from the doctrine of the Gospel obedieÌ„ce them foreward to perdition and destruction First of all I say they are coÌ„tumelious against God which by his infinite mercy desireth to haue them free from sinne and condemnation These â—ontruely are to be compared as it seemeth to me to disobedient children which hauing beene sometime for their manifolde malice wickednesses excluded froÌ„ all hope of successioÌ„ in their fathers riches yet notwithstaÌ„ding being againe becoÌ„e suppliaÌ„t and receiued into fauoure haue returned backe againe to their former disposition and contemning their fathers commaundement haue againe abused his goodnesse and gentlenesse what other thing heere shall the father put in practise but to deale with them by extreme iustice euen as their stubbernesse requireth Moreouer these do tread vnder their feete the pricious blood of CHRIST which was shed vpon the crosse for the remission of sinnes As though Christ had therfore shed his blood and stretched foorth his hands armes and feete yea and his whole body imbrewed with blood vpon the gibbet of the crosse that it might bee lawfull for vs to prostitute our hartes our handes our feete and our whole body to all filthinesse wantonnes tyranny vnrighteousnes craftines deceipt subtiltie as I may speak in one word to all these together to the which the corruption of the world and the lust of the flesh prouoketh vs and yet notwithstanding in the meane time to say CHRISTE is my sauiour I will beleeue in him and I will wholy cleaue vnto him Who so in such sorte frameth his life is altogether like to an vnfaithfull traitour which doeth his businesse hypocritically vnto his Lorde whose wages he taketh and in the meane time fauoureth his enemie and laboureth by all the meanes that hee may to please him and with his diligence to serue him Euen in like manner to boaste of faith in Christe and in the meane time to liue loocely and wickedly what other thinge is it then to speake outwardely those things with our mouthes from which both the heart it selfe and all the studyes and actions of our whole life doe disagree The Iewes boasted them selues to be the sonnes of GOD and the seede of Abraham but what saide Christe to these things Ye saith he are of the Deuil because ye doe the woorkes of him from which Abraham was farre of It is therefore an horrible thing and ioyned with extreame daunger of damnation to cary Christe outwardly in our mouth and priuely to hide his enemie in our heart and with all our members aswell inwarde as outwarde to frame our selues to obey him What is this els I say then to spurne with our feete the precious blood of Christe to set at nought his bitter passion and death which he suffered for our sinnes not that there might lye open for vs a libertie to sinne but that we by faith receiuing forgiuenesse of our sinnes might keepe him in our hearts and denying the diuell with all his woorkes namely sinne and iniquitie should yeelde pure and continuall obedience to this our onely Lord and redeemer Thirdly whosoeuer by hearing of the healthfull doctrine of the Gospel are iustified by faith in CHRISTE and doe againe fall back into manifest wickednesses are led and gouerned by the rule of the flesh the world and the Diuel these doe make sorowfull the holie Ghoste and expell him foorth of their heartes
congregatiō felowship of the Christians to heare the word of God and to cal vpon him openly to professe thy faith vse the sacraments In like maner with thy counsail substance and diligēce to set forwarde the glory of GOD in such sorte that thou maist be knowne to bee earnestly affected in the businesse cause of God This is that which Dauid saith Psal 122. I was glad when they said vnto me we will go into the house of the Lorde Item Because of the house of the Lorde our GOD I will seeke to doe thee good In which wordes Dauid sheweth that hee bent himselfe wholy vnto this thing that his subiectes might vnderstand that he went about this thing with greatest indeuor that he might shew himself to be a minister of God in the publique congregation of the godly Which example of Dauid it becōmeth Kings princes magistrats subiects to imitate that by this meanes they might declare their faith and pietie towardes God The seconde is The innocencie of the priuate life so that euery one of vs euen when he is alone doe thinke himselfe to be conuersaunte in the sight of God and therefore to abstayne from all wantonnesse and iniquitie Hereof it is that God sayd to Abraham VValke before mee For God doth not onely see those thinges which are set foorth to the sunne light but hee also looketh into the inwarde cogitations of the hearte The third is Iustice and Loue to be exercised indifferently towardes all men So that euery man doe with a good conscience the dutie of his vocation that the inferiours to their magistrate and to others placed in authoritie doe yeelde due reuerence and obedience againe the superiours and potentates doe with counsaile and diligence assist their equals and with a fatherly care and discipline defend their subiects and moreouer as much as in them is comforte the afflicted and releeue with their plentie the poores necessitie yea doubtlesse they should esteeme al men to be members with them in our Lord Iesu Christe And therefore let them be of this minde towardes others that whatsoeuer they would to be doone to them selues the same they should do to them and neuer wittingly and willingly by any meanes through iniury and iniustice oppresse others Breefely that thou doe liue in such wise among men that thou maist haue among all men an honest testimonie of the fayth and life of a Christian The fourth is Diligence in eche mans vocacation whether it bee in the Church or in the householde or in the common wealth or in what soeuer kinde of office which beeing with fedelitie and honestie performed doth serue to the commoditie of the weale publique and common societie In this behalfe the rule of Paule Rom. 12 is to be followed by whiche he commaundeth euery man to shewe in his office faithfulnesse and diligence And that no man should forsake his lawfull vocation bothe Paule and Iohn Baptist doe giue counsaile the Commandement of Paule is this Let euery man abide in that vocation to the which he is called Iohn counsayleth that euery one bee iust in his calling When the Romane souldiers flocked together vnto him that they might be baptized of him and demaunded what they should doe he had them not forsake their offices of warfare or withdrawe themselues into the wildernesse or to put a Coule vpon them the common couering of slouthfull vnthrifts but he answered vnto them Hurte not nor quarell with no man and be content with your wages Beholde here what fruites of faith among men Iohn requireth of the Souldiers Let euery Christian set before himselfe this example euery one in his kinde of life neither let them vniustly oppresse any man but rather bestow their diligence to doe iustly the works of their vocation which may be accomplyshed with the commoditie and and vtilitie of others I wil therfore collect fiue things as it were poynts to the whiche euery one ought to haue respect in his vocation that he wander not out of the way FIRST Let the vocation be grounded vpon the worde of GOD according vnto this rule Euery office promoting the glory of GOD and making to the vpholding beautifiyng of the states ordayned by God as the politicall oeconomicall and Ecclesiastical states is commaunded by the first and fourth Commaundements Secondly Fayth and Charitie are the rules of all actions in eche vocation Thirdly If any aduersitie chaunce we must looke back to the word of God where vpon the vocation is founded and from thence consolation is to be required Fourthly let the vocation be alwayes referred to the glorye of God and the profit of the common wealth wherein eche man liueth Fiftly God is to be continually called vpon for whether the vocation be more honorable or more profitable without the ayde of God nothing can be either hapily begun or brought to perfection All these things Dauid in the 37. Psal comprehendeth in these wordes Hope thou in the Lorde and be doing good dwell in the land and verely thou shalt be fedde The thirde instrument or meane whereby Christe applyeth his benefits vnto vs are the Sacraments and seales of his grace and will But before that I come to y e handling of the sacraments of the new Testament I will weigh two things moste necessary to be knowne The first is What the custome of God hath beene in opening his will vnto men The other Why God hath giuen to the signes and sacraments instituted by him their names First therfore it is to be knowne that God from the beginning of the worlde hath accostomed to make open his wil vnto men by two meanes namely By manifest VVord and By outward Signe that by this meanes he might assist the saluation of man When God had created Adam and placed him in Paradise he opened his will vnto him by expresse worde to the which he added a double signe namely the tree of life the tree of knowledge of good and euil so that if he did obay the worde he should not waxe olde but should eate of the tree of life liue blessed for euer but if he did transgresse the cōmandement of God eate of the forbidden tre of knowledge he should die To Abraham likewise he proponed his worde wherunto he adioyned the externall signe of circumcisiō which he called his couenant Furthermore he promised vnto Moses y t he would bring his people out of the seruitude of Egypt into the land of promise to this his promise he added a signe namely the paschall Lamb. Afterwarde God promised y t he would giue vnto his people the lande of Canaan to possesse as long as they shuld obey him kepe his testament his couenant to this his word he also added an outward signe namely y e blood of the red Cow wherwith the Priest sprinkled the people and many other signes which he named by y e name of couenant Altogether after the same manner Christ in
worship and honour this only true GOD namely The Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste The Father which so loued thee y t hee hath deliuered his owne only begotten sonne to death for thee The Sonne whiche dying for thee clenseth thee from all sinne by his precious blood shed vpon the Altar of the crosse for the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes and which moreouer clothed thee with his righteousnes yea maketh thee a member of his owne body so that by his meanes thou art called the sonne of God The holy Ghost also who regenerateth and sanctifyeth thee vnto life eternall that thou beeing knit vnto God mayst with him inioy saluation without end This is the most simple and plaine sentence of y e words of Baptisme which beeing gathered out of the holy scriptures I comprehend in this one little forme of speech I Baptize thee In the name For in the worde NAME is contayned bothe a confessing of GOD and beside whatsoeuer this Confession requireth of man By these thinges it is easye to bee perceiued what manner of couenant betweene God and man baptisme is God promiseth vnto man forgiuenesse of sinnes righteousnesse and euerlasting life and this his promise he sealeth by Baptisme the partie which is baptized doth againe by faith binde himself vnto God and promiseth that he will deny the Deuil with all his works and by a sure faith inuocatiō worshipping fear and in all things by due obedience cleaue vnto GOD. For this cause Peter calleth Baptisme A COVENANT wherin a mutuall promise is made of God demaunding and promising grace to the partie baptized and againe of him which is Baptized answering and affirming that hee will constantly abyde in the mutuall knot and couenant In the seconde place Baptisme warneth vs VVhat we shoulde doe to our selues As we are dipped in the water of Baptisme and tary vnder the water and are drawen from thence againe so we should mortifye sinne and choke the vitious affections desyres of sinne and corrupt concupiscences in vs rise againe in newnesse of life Of this thing Paule Rom. 6. doth admonish vs where he inueigheth against those which supposed that libertie to sinne was graunted because that Paule had sayd VVhere sinne did abounde there Grace did more abounde Whom hee confuteth with these words VVhat shall we say then shall wee abide in sinne that Grace may abounde God forbidde Howe shall we which are deade to sinne that is to say whose sinne is deade liue any longer therein Knowe yee not that wee whiche are Baptized into IESVS CHRISTE are Baptized to dye with him that is to say we which are baptized doe in Baptisme put on Christe whose death doth effectually kill and keepe vnder sinne in vs that it shoulde not reigne in vs. VVee are therefore buryed together with him by Baptisme for to dye that is that sinne might bee deade in vs that euen as Christ was raysed vp frō death by the glory of the father so we also shoulde walke in newnesse of life For if we be ingraffed into death like vnto him so shall wee also bee partakers of his resurrection Knowing this that our olde man that is the corrupt nature is crucifyed with him that the body of sinne might be abolished that is the corrupte affections that wee should no more bee seruants vnto sinne And so it appeareth how Paule by the reason of our Baptisme teacheth vs to mortifye sinne to destroy the wicked concupiscences and to walke in a new life Whereunto he also directeth the scope of his whole disputatiō which he setteth downe in these wordes And so doe ye also esteeme your selues to be dead vnto sinne But to liue vnto GOD in Christe Iesu our Lorde Let not sinne therefore reigne in your mortall bodyes that ye should obay thereunto by the lustes thereof As often therefore as the corruption of our nature shall prouoke vs to sinne let vs call to remembraunce our Baptisme which admonisheth vs of innocencie of manners and newnesse of life to the glorye of GOD through IESVS CHRISTE THIRDLY Baptisme teacheth vs VVhat we must suffer For euen as Christe whome in Baptisme wee doe put on was baptized with the crosse so we also as long as we remaine in this worlde let vs prepare our selues to the Crosse and aduersities Yea GOD will by this meanes haue his adopted sonnes to be made like to his onely begottē sonne that they may reign together with him in his glory This is that which Paule saith in Rom. 8. If wee be sonnes then are we also heyres the heyres I meane of God and heyres annexed with Christe so that if we suffer together with him we shall also bee gloryfyed together with him And Paule addeth there this consolation that the Crosse worketh for the best to such as loue GOD. Of this crosse of the godly he also speaketh in the Epistle to Timothie VVhosoeuer saith he will liue godly in our Lord Iesu Christe shall suffer persecution The history of the Passion of our Lord Iesu Christ setteth before vs three kindes of crosses vnto which may be referred the diuerse sortes of all calamities which may happen vnto man in this life The first Crosse is the crosse of Christ which is seene in the middle betwene two others The second is of the Theefe hanging on the right hand The third of the Theefe hanging on the left hand Christe asmuch as concerneth his owne person suffered beeing innocent but bothe these Theeues suffred iustly for their offences But he which hanged at the right hand repented vnder the Crosse and beeing conuerted vnto Christe obtayned comforte and saluation The other at the left hand continued stifly in his malice and dying without repentaunce was condempned After this same manner it also goeth at this day The greatest parte of the godly Christians doe suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake which happeneth to many holie Martyrs whome Christe pronounceth blessed in Matth. 5. Blessed saith he are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and shall falsely say all manner of euill against you for my sake Reioyce and bee glad for great is your reward in heauen for so did they persecute the prophets which haue beene before you Many doe also suffer as the theefe vpon the right hand These are they which for their certaine offences are punished of God namely by taking away their goodes Children powers helth body or els doe fall into the hands of the Magistrate and are drawen vnto punishment as also vnto this Theefe it happened These beeing oppressed with calamities and punishments do confesse themselues to be iustly punished for their sinnes and flying vnto Christ doe with a firme faith desire forgiuenes of their offences And by this meanes they obtaine pardon of God whiche accepteth their crosse as a sacrifice pleasant vnto him through Iesus Christe The example of this Theefe is by the singular
of this life Seneca very notably admonisheth when he sayth Truste not to this quiet calme for the Sea is turned backe agayne in a moment and in the same day where the shippes haue played they haue beene drowned Briefely seeing no man knoweth whether he may call backe againe the breath sente foorth of his nosethrils they doe very foolishly whiche with the contumely of God doe procrastinate repentaunce as if they had the momentes of time in their hands The seconde is A moste pernitious heape of wicked offences of the anger of God and of punishmentes is by delaying of repentaunce gathered together Whereof Paule Rom. 2. sayth But thou after thy hardnesse and heart which cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of vengeaunce For the sinne which is not suppressed by repentaunce foorthwith by the weight thereof draweth into another and againe from that into another vntill an infinite heape of sinnes be layde together And as a moste naughtie roote beeinge not plucked vp out of the grounde doth continually growe and budde more and more Euen so sinne when thou cherishest it dooth get dayly new strength vnto it vntill a monstrous floud of sinnes haue ouercome thee For he whiche in this sorte abuseth the mercie of GOD is wicked agaynst GOD as he which hath purposed to serue the Deuill a lōger time than GOD. By this his securitie he also offendeth the Aungels of GOD. For as they doe reioyce at the repetaunce of the vngodly so with out doubte they are sorowfull for their vnrepentaunce It greeueth them that so noble a Creature of God should perish through her owne faulte Hee is also cruell against himselfe For hee will rather bee euill than good or rather bee sicke than sounde or rather bee the bondslaue of Sathan than the freeman of Christe or rather be a begger in heauenly good things than rich Briefly he wil rather perish than be saued than the which crueltie doubtlesse none can bee greater I ceasse to speake that he is iniurious against the creatures of God Whereof Paule affirmeth that the creatures doe mourne because the wicked doe abuse them and doe wait for the freedome of the glory of the Children of God Oedipus perceiuing the incest committed with his owne mother plucked out his owne eyes that by this meanes he might at y e least auoyde the sight of the Sunne and all the creatures For he sawe that all the creatures of God were beholders of his vnspeakeable and moste filthy wicked acte and that they all with one consent did condemne him In like manner at this day whosoeuer doe liue wickedly do perceiue themselues to bee accused of all the creatures before the tribunall seate of God The third is The enstraunging of the minde from God And finall Induration For by howe much y e longerrepentāce is differed by so much is it become the harder For euen as the matter goeth in the diseases of the body so is it also in the disease of the minde which is sinne For by how much the longer the medicine of the body is differed by so much the disease is made the more daungerous and is the hardlyar cured yea sometime through continuance it becommeth vncureable as it appeereth in the disease of a Canker where if the malady bee not forthwith in the beginning kepte vnder by fire or iron it is to bee feared least by little and little it will growe so strong that it will vtterly take the man away This is the same thing whiche Salomon sayth A young man walking after his owne wayes when he is olde shall not goe backe from the same And Ieremie sayth If the man of India may chaunge his skinne and the Cat of the Mountaine her spottes ye also may doe well when yee haue doone euil For dayly custome is made another nature This daunger of Induration should woorthyly mooue vs to the ripening or hastening of repentance The fourth is An euill conscience than the which there is nothing more greeuous nothing more heauy nothing more miserable They whiche are delighted in the myre of sinne are compelled to beare about with them this witnesse of their owne wickednesse An euill conscience sayth Bernarde is her selfe a witnesse of our offences she is the Iudge she is the tormentour she accuseth she Iudgeth she punisheth she condemneth Albeit the same be cut of for a time and as it were seared with an hot iron yet notwithstanding she will sometimes shew foorth her selfe and if not before yet at the leaste in the agonie of death she wil be present as a thousand witnesses she will accuse she will condemne she will punish For an euill conscience is a certaine diuine testimony imprinted in the mindes of men of the Iudgement heereafter to come vppon the obstinate and of the punishments which they shall iustly sustayne The fifth is Offence and guiltinesse of the sinnes of others For in an offence giuen there is a double euill namely The deede and the example As through the fact by it selfe the lawe of God is violated so by the example thy neighboure is hurt for immitation or following therof Heereof proceedeth that lamentable exclamation of Christ VVo be vnto the man by whom the offence cōmeth And againe He which offendeth one of these little ones which beleeue in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Paule pronounceth those to sin against Christe to destroy the weake brethren which vse indifferent thinges with offence But what is to be thought of him which either through erronious doctrine or wicked life leadeth many into destruction That so great wickednesses doe abounde in the worlde at this day commeth it not hereof that one thincketh that lawfull for him which he seeth another doe whom by and by another immitateth and him another vntill through the scabbednesse of one member the whole body almoste of the Church beeing infected is deformed The sixth is The priuation of spirituall riches of which onely the holie in the Church of Christ are partakers For so longe as manne lyueth without repentance hee is without the ioy of the holie Ghoste hee is destitute of the peace of conscience hee is depriued of spirituall consolations in his misery neither is hee partaker of the prayers of the godly Christians The seuenth is The delicates or daynties of the Diuell For as the Aungels in heauen doe reioyce ouer man when hee repenteth so the Diuell is throughly imbrewed with highest delights and as it were with moste pleasant pleasures when he seeth men specially those which haue giuen their names vnto Christe to liue without repentaunce For the sinnes of men are as certayne of the fathers say the delicate dishes of wicked Diuels The eight is The consideration of the tragicall examples of many menne whiche for their contumacie haue beene caste of GOD into paines eternall In the number of whome are Cayne Pharao