the and thou shalt prayse me this is the thyrde commaundement Where soeuer this fayth is there is the holy goost which powreth loue in the harte loue is the fullfyllynge of the lawe Roma .xiij. 1. Cor. 13. Rom. 13. For loue honoureth father mother and she is obedient to the hyer powers This is the fourth commaundement Loue kepeth her selfe from anger she is meke and gentyll towardes all men kylleth not neyther can beare any malyce in the harte In the .v. commaundement Loue hath not in her harte to put her neyghbour to dishonestie or wronge concerning wyfe and children 1. Co. 13. in the .vi. commaundement Loue stealeth not but she geueth and helpeth wher soeuer she can and maye in the .vii. commaundement Loue bereth no false witnes but assysteth the truthe she helpeth to saue her neyghbours honestye to couer and defende his faultes in the .viij. commaundement Loue coueteth not her neyghbours goodes wyfe nor chylde but rather helpeth him to kepe the same in the .ix. and .x. commaundement Thus do we see that faith which worketh by loue is the fountayne of al good workes Yf the worke shal be good than must it flowe out of such a faith endued with loue Faith must be there before the workes that it may make the person faith full and good Nowe when the personne hath faith and loue then doth he fyrst good workes and no rather Do what soeuer ye wyll yf ye haue not this faith your harte is not cleane youre workes are not good But this faith kepeth the ten cōmaundementes for it can setman to behaue him selfe vpryghtly towardes God and his neighbour Nowe whan we prayse and magnyfye this faith as the onely true ryghteousnes before God that is the worlde angry and supposeth that we do it of contempt and contumacye can not vnderstāde that we there with fyrst of all do teache and set vp the true good workes Whan we teache this faith because there is no worke good without this faith thē do we fyrst plante the tree 1. Cor. 7. after that do we plante the frute that is the true naturall ordinaunce For so hath Christe done lykewyse and the Apostles Marke well Nowe are there many thinges in the Christianite for a longe tyme season vsed and taken for good for goddes seruice whiche are cleane contrarye to this wholsome doctrine to this faith wherfore the same are iustely reiected and condemned And therfore rageth the worlde and can not vnderstande that it is done of a good zeale by the commaundement of God For the worlde can not vnderstāde the righteousnes of God the true faith in Christe the frutes therof She vnderstādeth onely the righteousnes of workes worshippinges of god or goddes seruices inuēted by mans owne brayne Out of this doth cheifely ryse al the cōtrouersie in the worlde Forasmuch nowe as out of the gospell of S Iohn 1. Rom. 4. Gala. 3. Ioh. S. Paules epistles to the Romaines Galathiās out of the true groūde of the lawe the Prophetes it is cleare euidently concluded that there is none other righteousnes of valour before god than the faith of the Gospell in Christe And forasmuche as there is none other waye to obtaine pardon remissiō of sinnes to be made good and righteous to be saued than the same faith in Christ whiche Christe was geuen vs of the father to thyntent that he onely by hys owne workes shoulde make vs good be him selfe our euerlastinge ryghteousnes lyfe and saluacion yf we beleue in him It followeth then without any contradiction of the same that in many poyntes from certaine hondreth yeres vnto this daye we haue grossely erred and that all other meanes and wayes which haue ben set vp for to obtayne by them remyssyon of synnes and grace or to be made good and ryghteous and to obtayne saluacion are nothing elles but Erronious by pathes and not the true Goddes seruice Nowe wyll I in a summe recyte the pryncypall Artycles and pointes of the false worshyppynge of God and false Goddes seruyce To thintēt that ye mayse that the controuersye of these dayes is not without great and vrgent causes Marke well Rom. 5. i. Pet. 3. He. 9.10 1. Ioh. 2. Thys faith in Christe doth surely affyrme and establyshe that Christe alone by hys onely oblacion vpon the crosse ones made for all hath made perfect satisfaction for all the synnes of the vnyuersall worlde so that nowe there is no newe sacryfyce or oblacion more for our synnes in the Christianite nor can be But onely an offeringe of geuinge ouer of oure selues a cōtryte penitēt harte and the prayse of God these are no synne offerynges but thanke offeringes This teacheth Paule throught out the whole Epystle to the hebreues But Christe hath left ordeined vnto his churche a dayly memoryal or remēbraunce of the same onely sacrifice Marke well The supper of the Lorde which is his supper wherin he fedeth and nourissheth the Christians spyrytually with his very body and bloude vnto euerlasting lyfe and the Chrystians receyue the Sacrament of the body and bloude of Christe with thankes and praise for this benefyte that Christe offered his bodye for vs and shed his bloude for the remission of our synnes and geue them selues ouer wyllyngly to dye concerninge synne to mortyfye the olde man and offer sacryfyces of thankesgeuinge and sacryfyces of prayse for al the mercys which God so wonderfully hath shewed vs through his sonne and one Christian loueth another in dede and trueth this is the true worshippinge seruice of God Wherfore it followeth of this Of the Masse that it is an errour and a false goddes seruice that men yet wyll vndertake to make a dayly newe massyng sacryfyce or oblacion for the synnes of the quicke and deade For this perfect satisfaction and reconcylyacyon cometh by the onely sacrifyce and oblacion made vpō the crosse where as Christe gaue ouer his body bare our sinnes shed his owne bloude for the remyssyon of our synnes Wherfore the masse can in no wyse be such a sacryfyce For it is an horrible errour that men wyll obtayne and purchace the satisfaction for synnes and the reconciliation of God any other waye than by the death of Iesus Chryste Yf synnes be releassed by offerynge of masses than died Christe in vayne There is more abhominacion hydden vnder this errour than can be thought expressed Forasmuche as the death and passyon of Christe is our cōforte by the which by nothing elles we be deliuered frō synne death let euery good christian iudge in his harte what a doctrine this is which so lytell regardeth the death of Christe that she maketh oure workes equall with the death of Christe yea obscureth and denyeth in a maner all the frutes of the bytter death and passyon of Christe The great holy appearaūce of the masse and the outwarde syghte pompe blyndeth
his heauenly father deserued for vs the holy goost with his giftes he rose agayne from the deade Mat. 23 Mar. 16 Ioh. 20. brought againe lyfe and declared the same vnto vs also commaunded the Apostles to publishe it vntill the last daye to thintent that whosoeuer beleueth in Christe and trusteth to hym for suche a helpe maye take suche a great worke of Christe for his owne be ryghteous and saue mat 3.7 Luce. 3. Therfore is the gospell such a predication which exhorteth euery man to amendement of lyfe and to cease from sinnes which to paye haue cost Christe so much that he dyeth for their sakes And admonisheth al men to beleue in Christe Mat. 11. and to come vnto hym as to the true sauiour of the world which onely can and wyll helpe both tēporally and euerlastingly Ioh. 14. .15.16 Onely in his name and for his sake will God be mercyfull vnto vs forgeue vs all oure synnes and excepte vs for his children that we maye be the chyldrē of God through the fayth in Christe heyres of God and fellowe heyres wyth Iesus Chryste our sauiour for euer Whosoeuer therfore beleueth the gospell of Christe Mat. 16. Ioh. 6 and doubteth not but that Christe is the very sonne of God both God and man that he hym selfe hath puryfyed vs from all synnes Esa 53. and bought vs from euerlastinge death wyht his precious bloude that we lyue through Christe in euerlasting saluatiō is made righteous good For this will the scrypture that the faith in Christ is oure righteousnes before God Rom. 4. Galat. 3 whan we truste to obtayne remyssyon of our synnes and the lyfe euerlastynge not by oure dedes or deseruinges but onely throug the mere mercy and grace of God and the infynyte merytes and great myghtye workes of Chiste Wher as suche a fayth is there followeth a right christen lyfe and ryght good workes Howe be it this faith is the worke of the holy goost he must so illumine our harte that fyrst it may knowledge his greate and many folde synnes aright for the whiche we haue deserued euerlastinge damnation Here must we consyder the intollerable earnest of the wrath of God ouer synne which he so hateth that he wyll not suffre it but punysshe it temporally and eternally And that the sinne is so wicked and greuous that no man can remedye nor clense it but onely the sonne of God of heauen hym selfe through his owne precious bloude Than is the harte abashed and afrayed euen from the botome for the straight iudgement of God and there is raysed a ryght and true repentaunce for the synnes sake after this doth also the holy goost illumme the humble and broken harte with the knowledge of the infynyte mercy of God promysed and geuen through Christe that the harte begynneth agayne to receyue conforte beleueth stedfastely that his synnes are nowe all amended an forgeuen hym through the holsome death of Iesus Christe And that God from thēcefurth wyll be no more a terryble iudge but a mercyfull father for Chistes sake which hath taken vs to him selfe and hath borne our iniquities and made satisfaction for our transgressyons Marke well This is the ryght and true Christen fayth The deuils and false Christians can also reade heare and remembre the passion of Christe But they haue not this lyuely fayth and this trust and confydence in God their harte loketh for no suche comforte and grace at Goddes handes But a Christen man is myghtely comforted of the gospell for he doth affyrme it in his harte to be true and getteth such a stronge and ioyful confydence in God that he trusteth to him as a childe to his father loketh for all comforte and helpe from God in all his aduersityes Mat. 7. he doubteth not but that which the Gospell teacheth is the euerlastinge vndoubted trueth and taketh God to be true in all his promyses and so mighty wyse Esa 49. and .66 Iere. 14. and mercyfull towardes vs that he hath a respect vnto vs and maketh al thynges good howe so euer it goeth with vs that he also alwayes and euery where hath his eyes vpon vs that he kepeth fedeth and defendeth vs euen as a father loketh to his deare chylde and for saketh it not in any necessytye Bryefly a Chrysten man doth surely holde and conclude in his harte that there is vnspeakeably more conforte helpe assystence faythfulnes loue and more goodnes of all thinges by God wherwith he wil helpe vs than any man euer is able to expresse thinke beleue or hope There becommeth than the herte mery in God that it loueth God as a father and lyueth frely with a lust to do good prayeth wyllingely and earnestly helpeth his neyghbour becōmeth an enemye to synne There serueth God mynystreth vnto the neyghbour not onely the hande the tunge and the fete outwardely but also the harte within the body meaneth truely without dissymulation Such a faith and knowledge of God is a high thinge it suffereth not the man to continue as he was before but it maketh him pure and vpryght that he getteth another mynde other thoughtes and lustes than he had before he hath a respect to the wyll of God in all thinges which he doeth and endeuoureth hym selfe to lyue accordynge to the same with luste and gladnes euen as a chylde doth gladly and wyth all his harte accomplyshe the wyll of his father But a seruaunt serueth for wages rewardes for feare of correction vnwillingly lothsomely for he woulde rather do otherwise Therfor it procedeth all of an vnwyllinge seruise harte what soeuer mā doth vnto god with out grace But whersoeuer is the grace of faith that man serueth wyllyngly and gladly in spyrite truth Therfore doth Christ magnifye and anaunce this faith in the gospel very highly for it doth great thinges and bringeth all goodnes It tourneth the harte towardes GOD that it may feare God trust in him loue him and hope in him onely this is the fyrst commaundement It styrreth vp the harte that it doth confydently call to God prayeth geueth thankes laudeth and prayseth the name of God and that it vseth God only to the honor and glory of God this is the seconde commaundement It chaungeth man that he denieth hym selfe and wholy geueth him selfe ouer into the handes of God and suffereth God to rule and to ordre vs as it pleaseth hym suffereth God to worke in vs that we be made a newe creature in Christe and stande in a stedfaste and cōtynuall exercyse of a godly lyfe and serue God accordinge to his worde vnder the crosse in pacience Heb. 12. Prou. 3. Apoc. 3. As they that know ryghtwell that God chasteneth his verely beloued chyldren that he maye make them good and wyll helpe them whā they call vnto him Psa 50. accordinge to his promyse Psalme .l. Call vnto me in the day of trouble and I wyll delyuer
those thinges which we haue to do before God in whose name we must call and praye to God and than God hath promised to heare vs. Hebr. 5.6.7.8.9 All this teacheth vs the Epistle to the Hebrewes and other scriptures and they do not shewe vs any other mediatour nor aduocate before God Of this it followeth that it is an vnsure false and erronious doctryne which the pope and his adherentes teache namely that they make Christ fearfull as though we must haue other mediatours in heauen to bringe vs fyrst to Christ Where is here the truste and confydence in Christ Nowe iudge your selues I pray you Do ye thinke yet that we striue for nought with the Papacye Is not the matter waighty ynough It toucheth our saluacion which is god him selfe what thing is there greater Yf we suffre oure selues to be brought to this beleue that we must and maye by oure owne workes satisfaction put out synnes deserue the grace of God be iustifyed and saued then haue we therby denyed the power of the death of Christe and his precious bloude Tell me then nowe where to wyll ye vse the death bloude of Christ yf it shoulde not wasshe awaye synnes puryfye and yustyfye vs Therfore let euery man pondre wyth hym selfe in his conscience and waye the whole matter for it is not so lyght as men thinke Yf we fall from our doctrine of faith then fall we from Christe then haue we no redemer then haue we no sacryfyce for our synnes than lyeth synne death and perpetuall damnation styll vpon vs than is God yet angry and not appeased there is no grace but mere wrath indignacion Hebr. x. and a fearfull lokynge for the iudgement Hebr. x. For noman nedeth to loke for any grace at Goddes hāde without Christ our onely mercy seate Thus is Christe with his merites obscured and darkened yea taken awaye from vs by the popystycall doctryne and oure trust and confydence tourned to oure owne workes Howe can we abyde this Yea saye they but the hier powers wyll not suffer this doctrine Answere I can not tell Marke well I suppose that they woulde suffre it well ynough yf it were exactely opened and declared vnto them And although they woulde not abyde it yet may here euery Christē man thinke that it is expedient for him to take holde on God and the trueth without contēpt of the hyer powers and in this case not to follow the wordly cōmaundemēt Act. 4.5 This doth also the spirituall or ecclesiastical law admytte for it is written .x. Distinc x. non lycet It becōmeth not the Emperour to pretende any thynge contrary to the lawe of God nor to do any thinge that is contrary to the rulers of the Euangelycall Prophetical or Apostolical truth Item agayne .xi. q. iii. Si dominus Yf it be euyll which the Emperour cōmaundeth than answere Act. 4.5 we must obeye God rather then men but in suche thinges as are not contrary to the commaundemēt of God we must obeye More ouer .x. q. iij. Qui resistit Whan the Emperour commaundeth oun thinge God another What doth the christen mā iudge There is God whiche is of greater power O Emperour pardon vs here ye treathen captiuitie god treateneth hel Ephe. 6. 2 Cor. 10 Sapi. 5. Here must ye take youre faith as a shelde by the whiche ye maye quenche all the fyery dartes of your enemies Marke well Yet saye they further The popisshe doctrin is olde yf she were not true thā must the churche erre Answere Yf ye be a christen man then beleue ye Christe stedfastely in his wordes of the gospell and ye do al so take the same worde for the very true doctryne of God Nowe if she be ryght and true then must it nedes be false and erronious whatsoeuer is contrary to the same what nede men to care much for the lenght of tyme The lēght of tyme cānot make a false thinge true Yf the scripture therfore be the true waye then must he nedes erre that forsaketh the same waye and walketh an other way whether he be great or small many or fewe holy or synners Yet saye they moreouer That these are the last dayes in the whiche we ought to beware of false Prophetes What yf the luterians for so do they call vs were the same false Prophetes Answer Serche the scripture Iohn 5. and iudge hardely whō ye hitte let him be hitted The scripture sayth 1. Tim. 4 2. Tim. 3 2. Pet. 3 Iudi. 1. 2. Tess 2 that the false Prophetes of the later dayes shall forbydde matrymonye and meates whyche God hath created they shall denye Christe that bought them that is they shall denye the same beinge they shall haue a shyne or a colloer of godlynes but they shall denye the power therof Marke well Yf ye fynde these tokens in the Lutherians as ye call thē then take them for false Propetes But if ye fynde them not by them than loke aboute you and ye shall soone perceyue who erreth Wherfore do the Lutheriās as ye call them suffre so muche sclaunderinge and persecution Euen for this cause 1. Cor. 7. Hebr. 13. that they wil haue matrimony fre and at lybertie euen as it is fre for euery man in the worde of God They wyll that for meates sake no mans conscience shall be burdened so that they geue the honoure onely to Christ that he through his passion hath bought vs out of euerlastinge death and that he puryfyeth vs all frō synne by his bloude Therfore do they reiecte the massynge sacrifyce whatsoeuer is done to that intent that therby mē wyll be deliuered from sinne and death They are also reuyled because they leade a commune simple lyfe in the state of wedloke as an honest laye man without any shyne of a pryuate holines with out shauen crounes graye amyses surplices stoles and such lyke abillemētes for the whiche thinges sake the estate of priesthode hither to in the worlde hath bē counted as holy contrary wyse the common state of layemen as vnholye and prophane For the spirituall fathers haue drawē to them selues appropriated to them selues the Christian offyces wherby their estate hath ben counted the State of perfection and holynes and the State of the laytie hath ben counted heathen and prophane for they woulde offer alone to God as the priestes in the olde testamēt offered for the people They haue estemed their prayer of greater valoure a great deale then the prayer of the leaye men And yet it is but bought solde and compelled gere which for the moost parte is done wythout faith and earnest zeale without spirite and trueth for moneys and legacyes sake For yf there were neyther money nor substaunce the monasteryes chauntryes and churches shoulde sone be styll without prayenge syngynge and massynge They haue kept the whole sacrament to them selues and geuen vs the one halfe And of these their manyfolde
errours and erronious occupyenges haue they made no iuste accompte as yet but haue onely alleged the scrypture in a wronge sence and the institucion of popes counseyls whiche neuertheles they haue not kept them selues as I can easely proue The fourth counsayll of Charthagen commaundeth that a bysshoppe shall haue a small poore house decking and lodginge and a poore table and lyuynge and that he shall seke the respecte of his dignitie by fayth and deseruing of his lyfe Where do they here kepe theyr counsayll Thinke ye that nowe there coulde not be founde a bysshoppe which besydes his Iewells and plate were of as great or greater abilitie than a tēporal Prince Yes truly I am sure of it The .xx Canon of the forsaide counsayll commaunded that a bisshoppe shal auoyde temporall eares do nothing elles but reade praye studye and preache Where is there one that doth this Or yf they counte it so smale a matter not to kepe the counsayles why do they thā make the transgressyons of the coūsayles so greuous vnto vs The .xiiij. Canon Concily Neocesariensis wyll that there shall be no more but seuen Deacons in a great citie Where haue they kept this Where as nowe is a small towne there are .x. or .xx. priestes where as the Chapelaynes as Deacons shoulde be for the poore as in the Apostles tyme Actu 6. ◠Tim. 3 and the Curate shoulde preache Of the other surte do we not nede half so many Euen in this counsayll it is commanded that whan a prieste taketh a wyfe he shall be prieste no longer This haue they weakened goodly although they do neyther kepe the same also for they punysshe it by death But this counsayll doth onely depose them from theyr offyce The fyrste canon of the fourth counsayll of carthagyne commaunded that noman shall be ordayned and made a bysshop except he be examyned before and founde to be well learned and exercysed in the holy scrypture sober dyscrete and mercyfull Howe many are there founde nowe that can the Catecismus Thus do they institute and commaunde many thynges and yet they kepe them not them selues The .vi. Canon amonge them that are called Canones Apostoles sayth A bysshop or priest shall in nowyse put awaye from him his wedded wyfe for relygions sake But yf he put her awaye from hym he shall be excommunicated and yf he so continue he shal be deposed Nowe haue they concluded of late that whosoeuer putteth not awaye his wyfe from him shall not be suffered The .vii. Canon of the Apostles Canons commaundeth that a bysshop prieste or Deacon shall in no wyse addicte hym selfe in worldely matters or cares or yf he do it he shall be deposed They that haue ben at Ausburgh at the conuocation there haue seene ryghtwell who woulde put hym selfe euen in the myddes of all the busynes But here are they mercyfull vnto them selues and they cā soone dispense therin But yf a yonge prieste to auoyde offence marieth a wyfe there is the fyre prepared and lesse mercy than in hell The fourth Canon Concely Gangiēsis sayth whosoeuer maketh any dyfference of a maryed prieste for wedlockes sake as though for wedlockes sake he myght not offer or saye masse or whosoeuer therfore doth with drawe hym selfe frō his masse accursed be he Nowe wil they not heare speakinge of wedlocke but styrre vp Princes and Lordes against vs and can in the meane season goodly defende there vnchastelyfe Item Dist lxxxi c. Si qui presbiteri forbyddeth the spiritual lawe to all priestes and deacons beynge whoremongers or fornicatours to entre into the churche sayenge on this wyse what priestes Deacons or Subdeacōs soeuer they be that liue in vnclēlines or whoredome to them we forbydde in the name of our almyghtie God and by the power and vertue of sayncte Peter the intraunce into the churche vntill they amende their lyfe But yf they wyll contynue in their synne then shall none of you heare their offyce for their blessynge is tourned into a curse and their prayer into sinne And whosoeuer wyll not obeye this holsome cōmaundement shall fal into the synne of Idolatrye This canon did Pope Gregory write vnto all Italians Doutchemen Who is there nowe amonge the spyritualtie that regardeth this cōmaundement I haue thought it good to shewe you a lyttell for an introduction howe the spiritualtie kepe not their own lawes euen were as they are beste And because the Emperours Kinges and Princes cease not cryenge Canons fathers coūsayls onely because the vnlearned should thinke their matter to be good notwithstandinge that it is euyll and wicked that they might teache and lyue not onely contrary to gods worde but also contrary to their owne lawes And yet wyl they blynde the worlde wyth open eyes and make them to beleue that they haue ruled well But howe is it with mannes institutions are they all to be despysed than wyll ther followe a madde and dissolute lyuinge Answer Yf the curates dyd so sore plye goddes cōmaundement as they do mennes institucions there woulde followe no madde and dissolute liuinge But to thintent that ye maye knowe the grounde of the matter thus it standeth with mennes institutions they are of many sortes Sap. 6. Pro. 20. and .24 Rom. 13. Tim. 3. 1 Pet. 2. Fyrst we speake not here of ordinaūces and institucions of the hier powers for they go ouer body and goodes conconcerninge the temporall lyfe and they ought to be kept peaceably whan they be not against God Rom. i. b. i. Pet. ij Secondarely the disputacion is of the institucions that haue ben made in the churche for goddes seruice or suche as are concerninge spyrytuall persons as they are called or goddes seruice Here do we teache by the foundations of goddes worde that the consciences must onely be taught ledde by goddes worde and not with mannes tradiciōs for this concerneth saluation or damnacion Here ought he onely to commaūde and to haue a do 2. pa. 20. Mat. 10 Luc. 12. that hath power to condemne or to saue body and soule Therfore all mās institucions that are made contrary to the worde of God as the forbiddinge of matrymony c. shall be in the conscience of lesse then of no repentation Also whā mennes institutions are made or commaunded to this intent that therby grace maye be obtayned God worshipped and men saued lyke as men are forced and compelled to certayne fastinge dayes crepyng to the crosse processyons forbyddinge of meates or howe soeuer they be called they shall be regarded of a christen man lesse then nothinge and they can not bynde the consciences For the christian lybertye is not onely of power that we are delyuered from synne and the power of the deuyll by Christe but also that Moses ceremonies and other ecclesiastical ordinaunces of dayes meates and of suche lyke do not bynde vs yf they be kept men are not saued by them yf they be transgressed without arrogauncye and offence mē committe no deadly synne But whan the bisshoppes make any institutions without burdeninge of mens consciences for a decent order whether it be holy dayes or other thinges to thintent that al thinges in the christianite maye he done after a comly sorte and a decent order not that it be necessary to saluacion the same wyll we kepe gladly and teache that they shal be kept All this is grounded Esaye xxix Mat. xv xxiij Colo. ij i. Timo. vi Rom. xvi Galat. i. iiij Tit. i. This did also Augustine teach aboue a thousande yeres a go in the Epistle to Ianuarius It is no newe thinge but the ryght olde catholyke doctrine For the Prophetes Christ and the Apostles are older then the pope the ecclesiasticals institucions and consayles Wherfore I beseche and exhorte you by the glorious comming of Iesus Christe at the last day Mat. 25 that ye wil shewe vnto this great entreprise this fauour whiche was wont to be shewed to a small worldely entreprise that is that ye be not to swifte in iudgement But that ye wyll fyrst by your selfe earnestly with a prayer vnto God through Christe for the spirite of trueth perpende and pondre the matter and afterwarde iudge And I beseche you take in worth this small instruction wrytten in haste for I seke nothinge elles but that our faithfull God and Lorde Iesus Christe may be exactely knowen of you and of many men to their righteousnes and saluacion which vouchesafe to sende vs his spirite and to make vs true christians Amen Salute all them that are with you and reioyce with vs of the aboundaūt grace of God through Christe as of our onely conforte Amen Finis ¶ Seke peace and ensue it Psalm xxxiij i. Pet. iij. Psal cxj. b. Prou. ix b. Iob. xxviij c. Eccle. i. c. The fear of the Lorde is the begynninge of wysedome ¶ Imprinted by me Gwalter Lynne dwellyng vpon Somers kaye by Byllynges gate In the yeare of our Lorde God M.D.Xlviij ⧠Cum gratia priuilegio ad imprimendum solum
were wyse ynough of her self in godly matters to what ende then shulde God haue sent Christe the Apostles What nede shuld we haue of the holy scriptures Naye whosoeuer wyll neyther fayle nor erre must nedes loke on Goddes worde euen there no where elles shall he fynde the right truthe and the ryght waye We reade that Christ is the lyght Iohn ◠to illumyne the worlde wherof it must nedes followe that she is darke ignoraūt in godly matters And Iohn .xiiij. Ioh. 14. sayth Christ I am the waye the truthe and the lyfe no man cometh vnto the father but by me But what maner of light waye he is and howe a mā may obtayne hym for his owne must be learned onely out of the gospell And Paule saith .ij. 2. Tim. 3 Tim. iij. That the scripture is able to instructe vs vnto saluation Is not this cleare plain ynough that whosoeuer wil knowe the truthe how he shal be saued must learne it out of the scrypture He saith not that he shall folowe hys owne mynde and good intencion Moreouer Moises writeth Deu. xij Deu. 12. that nomā shall do what semeth hī good whiche is as much to say he that will do well be good righteous serue God must learne it of God in his worde and not of his owne wysdome or of menne And Christ sayth Mat. 15 that God is worshypped in vayne wyth mennes preceptes this is spoken playne ynough Yf ye will serue God truely than do it not wyth mennes tradicions for it is in vayne But do it accordinge to the worde of God and than can ye not erre nor do amysse For asmuche nowe as no man by his owne inuented wayes mannes institutions can truely serue God be delyuered from his synnes and be made righteous but muste before all thinges haue Christe to the same We wyll shewe and declare howe and after what sorte the same is done whereby euerye man shal easely perceiue what an Erronious doctryne hath ben preached a great whyle in the Christianitie Therfore note that a man maye be made good and ryghteous after two sortes Marke well First before the worlde euē as a scole-maister kepeth a boye in awe and constrayneth hym weth the rodde and feare of correction to walke regularely and to hurte noman or euen as a magistrate correcteth the euyll doers so strayghtly that the many mē outwardely leade an honeste lyfe for feare of punisshemēt they steale not they kyll nomē they paye theyr debtes they are not ouerous to their neyghbours neyther concernynge his body wyfe nor chylde so that it may be saide they are good honest men suche behaueour and honest conuersacion is good and God doth also require it Therfore hath he in the worlde ordeyned the sworde to the temporall powers Sapi. 6. Rom. 13. 1. Petr. 2 Titu 3. Pro. 20. and. 24. and chastysement of children to thintent that the people maye leade an honest good and stil lyfe not after their owne lustes but that they maye be compelled so to walke that the neighbour maye perceyue it that good peace and outwardely and honest conuersacion maye continue amonge men But yet this is nothynge elles but worke holynes cyuyle policye and wordely ryghteousnes whiche also may be founde well ynough amonge the infydelles which through the lawe of nature in their opinion iudge it good righteous that a man leade an honenest lyfe and conuersacion committe none adultery do no murther steale not lye not and deceaue no man c. to saye for there is no thefe hanged for his thoughtes because he mindeth or intendeth to steale as longe as he doth not accomplysshe the dede But all this is not suffycient before God for he seeth in the harte and wyll that men shall behaue them selues godly in truthe and from the botome of the harte so that the harte mouth and hāde be good ryghteous When is that done Whan ye haue a luste in youre harte to be honeste sober chaste frendlye towardes all men And whan ye haue a lothsomnes and prkesomnes to euil as dronkenes vnclenlynes thefte maliciousnes murther and suche lyke But this is nature not able to do of her selfe Iob. 4.15.25 Psa 14.53 143 Rom. 3. Psal 51. because that the lust of euyll cleaueth so fast vnto vs frō our original natiuite powred into our nature through the fyrste synne in so moch that the scripture doth openly call vs euill peruerse euen from our mothers wōbe Therfore must the harte fyrst be clensed from such vnclenlynes gette pure thoughtes lustes and affections afterwardes may a mā do right good workes than is a man made right good righteous both inwardely and outwardely Nowe teacheth the scrypture that our hart is purifyed by none other thynge but by the true faith in Christe Actu xv Faith commeth by the workinge and illuminatiō of the holy goost Actu 15. by the hearynge of the gospell Rom. x. Rom. 10 Wherfor he that wyll truely be made righteous must purely and syncerely heare and receyue the gospell of Christe or elles he cōtinueth a natural man without grace What is the gospell Marke well It is a predication of Christe what he is and what he doth Math. 9 and .15 Luc. 19. Ioh. 3.12 Roma 5 1. tim 1.2 1. Ioh. 4 Gene. 2. Rom. 6. and .5 as that he was sent from the father of mere loue and fauoure to helpe the synner But howe doth he helpe The synner stycketh faste in synne which he can not amende or put out him selfe he stycketh in death for death is the rewarde of synne Whosoeuer committeth sinne hath after the righteous iudgement of God deserued to dye both temporally and perpetually and to be the deuils owne vnto damnaciō out of which captiuitie noman is able to escape by hys owne power or strēght Man is in such myserable and pyteous case because of his fyrst birth of Adam 1 Co. 15. that he is a synner borne condemned to death and damnation captiue vnder the power of the deuyll in the kingdome of darkenes with body and soule to euerlastinge payne Nowe yf there shulde come a man and paye for the sinne which is deathes stinge and make vs cleane ryghteous destroye the fearfull death make that we myght lyue for euer in body and soule ouercome the deuill make vs fre from his power so that neyther synne deuyll nor death might hurte vs animore were not this well holpen Nowe are not we able to do the same neyther any angell but onely God can do it wyll also do it wherfore he hath sent his onely begotten sonne to become man euen as we a very man in all pointes onely synne excepte which dyed for oure synnes and hath by the onely sacryfyce of his body vpon the crosse and the shedinge of his bloude made amendes for oure sinnes made a perfect satisfaction reconsiled vs to