yet because he is a man as am I hath in him the image of god as I haue hath a soule as well as I to be saued whatsoeuer he be therfore he is my neighbor Ensample The parable of the Samaritane what a neyghborly parte hee shewed to the Iewe and euen the same affection of neyghborly loue is required of vs It is a greate loue that God here requireth Diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum thou shalte loue thy neyghbor as thy selfe This word as thy selfe is a great matter a maruelous loue Quis vnquā odio habuit carn◅m suam Who at any time hated his owne fleshe Who loues not him self best at least in his owne conceyte Doo not our common prouerbes saye It is a deare colup is cut oute of the owne fleshe Neare is my coate but nearer is my shirt And for this the diuell desired so mutche to touche but the skinne of Iob for hee knewe that passed losse of goodes and cattell of seruauntes and children and touched hym to the quicke and then he durste haue layd Skynne for skynne all that euer a manne hath hee will gyue for his lyfe But this loue that a man hath to him selfe God requireth to bee imparted to his neyghboure also this thē is a maruelous great loue that god requireth But where is this loue becom no man can attain to the perfection thereof Nay where is the other neighborly loue become of them that dwell about vs Surely it is gone to the Turkes and Iewes and almost cleane it from Englande It is wonder to see how Turkes will holde together howe Iewes will one helpe another how theeues wyll conspire howe beastes will agree howe Papists will vaunt of vnitie how dyuells will nestle them selues seuen diuels in one man yea a whole legion together in a man and two neighbours bothe professing them selues christians both but falsely callyng them selues Gospellers cannot abide the one the other but hateth persecuteth vndermyneth and woulde eate vp one an other if they could Scarce one towne one citie one country can holde two men nay will two townes two cities two coūtries hold one man This is not one for an other and God for vs al but euery one for himself the diuel for all Suche vnsatiable couetousnesse and implacable hatreds reigne in our hartes that this neighborly loue is gone except in fewe yet all wil babble of this loue of God but in dede al is but babbling Litle care they for this loue of God to them that set so little by his commaundemente that loued them For this is his cōmaundement that we beleue in the name of his sonne Iesus Christe and loue one an other as he gaue cōmaundement VVhich if we do not we are in darknesse our eyes are blinded and knowe not whether we go yea we hate God bicause we hate his creature For if any mā saye I loue God and hate his brother hee is a lyer Howe can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whom he hath not seene Let vs therfore reconcile our selues betimes if any mā haue ought against his brother or thy brother haue ought against thee agree with thine aduersarie quickely lest thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the iudge the iudge deliuer thee to the sergeant and thou be cast in prison verily thou shalte not come out thence tyll thou haue payde the vtmost farthing Be therefore affectioned one to loue an other with brotherly loue Owe nothing to any man but one to loue an other For he that loueth an other hath fulfilled the lawe For this commaundement Thou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalte not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse thou shalt not couet and if there be any other commaundement it is briefly comprehēded in this saying euen in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy self Loue doth not euil to his neighbor therfore loue is the fulfilling of the law On the contrary parte though I speake with the tongs of men and angels and haue not loue I am as a soūding brasse or a tinkling cimbal though I had the gift of prophecie and knew all secrets and all knowledge vea if I had al faith so that I could remoue moūtaines and had not loue I were nothing although I fede the pore with al my goods though I geue my body that I be burned haue not loue it profiteth me not Loue suffreth lōg loue is bountiful loue enuieth not loue doth not bost it self it is not puffed vp it disdaineth not it seketh not her own it is not pro uoked to anger it thinks no euil it reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyseth in the truthe it suffreth all things it beleuethe all things it hopeth all things it endureth all things loue dothe neuer fall away c. Nowe be it for all this high commendation of neyghbeurly loue when it once entreth comparison wyth thys surpassyng loue of God it hathe so many du◅ties to bynde it and so many infirmities to lose it that So God loued the worlde that no brotherly loue of neyghbors one to an other were it neuer so entier a loue is able to compare therwith We reade in stories of great loue that fathers and mothers haue borne theyr children and that chyldren againe haue borne their parentes This also is a godly loue and worketh so effectually in the hearts of the ◅ne the other with such priuy linkes of natures chayne of loue that not only the ciuile people but the most barbarous Scythians are moued there withall Whome when Darius pursued with an armie royall from place to place in the holtes and deserts of they ▪ countrey at the length demaunding of them by his Heralt when they would once m◅ke an ende of ◅light and a beginning of fight they answered that they had neither towns nor lands for the which they woulde conten◅e but if he draue them once to the toombs of their parents Darius shold then feele that the Scythians coulde and would lay aboute them In the whyche one onely so notable an aunsweare saith Valerius the wilde and barbarous nations haue fully cleered them selues of the name of sauage For nature is such a cunning schoolmistresse that needing no teachyng of the voyce or vse of letters euen of her propre and hiddē force she instilleth a loue of the parents into the hearts of the children Thus wrote the Heathen Chronicl◅r of the Romains that knewe not God nor ascrib◅d this loue to him Mutch more then should we be ashamed to degenerate from this naturall loue hauinge the commaundement of God to binde vs thervnto Honor thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be prolonged in the lande whiche thy Lorde thy God hathe giuen thee This is the first comaundement sayeth S. Paule that hath a promise annexed thervnto and therfore we ought a greate deale more to embrace the same yea it is
endorsed with a curâ—…e on the contrary not only of putting the disobedient childe to death but if this lawe were not at all yet the parents curse should pull vp the house by the roots â—…nsaÌ„ple the cursed seede of Cham ensample the late storie if it bee be true that is written of credible authors to be done in Germanie within this twenty yeres of a father that hauyng â—…idden his chylde goe on his his errand when the chylde stoode still and would not goe the vnaduised father in his fumish anger cuâ—…sed him and said Standest thou still stand still then so still standing I pray God thou mayst abide And euen sodeinly so soone as the curse was spoken the childe stode still and so standing there aboade till the day of his death A terrible ensample of the wrathe of GOD against childrens disobedience and to the confirmation of the authoritie that God hath giuen the parentes ouer their children For of our parents we haue not only our bodily goods but euen our bodies and al. And shal we not then loue them by whose loue we haue our being our life our norishing and vnder God the beginnings of all wee haue Many fathers and mothers now a days complain of the disobedieÌ„ce wilfullnesse and lacke of loue in their children more than they had wont to do What is the cause here of first this is a general obseruatioÌ„ although in particulers it be not altogether true that the parents loue is greter to his child than the childs loue is to his parents where of the townsmen of 〈◊〉 set vp a monument For wher as on a time they had condemned a father and his sonne for certain notorious crimes committed on muche entreatie made to the senate for theÌ„ it was at length graunted that but one of them shoulde die and that on this condition that the one shoulde do the execution on the other and he that executed the other shoulde him selfe escape agree on the matter as they could which of them should suffer The sonne being asked refused to die for the father and had rather execute his father thaÌ„ his father shold execute him The father being demaunded was conteÌ„t to suâ—…fer death him self of his sonnes hand though his sons vnnaturalnesse did greue him rather thaÌ„ he wold put his sonne to death Whervppon this monument was erected for a perpetuail memorie the pictures of bothe father and sonne the son behâ—…dding his father engrauen in marble and this poesie writen vnderneth Amor descendit nâ—…n asceÌ„dit Loue descendeth but not ascendeth And so the ryuers course descendeth but not ascendethe A stone naturally descendeth not ascendeth And the scripture coÌ„mendeth many fathers vnto vs that ful entierly haue loued their sons but few sons like Isaac Ioseph and Tobie are commended vnto vs for the like loue againe vnto their fathers This naturall loue wrought not in the vnnaturalâ—… sonne Absalon but it wrought so deepe in the father Dauid that he cryed out againe Absalon fili mi fili mi Absalon fili mi c. O Absalon my sonne my son Absalon my sonne woulde to God I myghte die for thee O Absalon my sonne my sonne The seconde reason of the sonnes disobedyence is the fathers cockeryng And that was the cause of Dauids weepyng and Absalons destruction euen hys fathers indulgence Thys destroyed Hely and his sonnes also And hathe broughte many foolyshe fathers to their graue with heauinesse and hath brought many sonnes to the Gallowes wyth wrâ—…tchednesse Remember the Fable of the chylde that bitte of his mothers nose when hee went to hanging bicause she would not bite his breche with a good rod when he went to filching A great many mothers nowe a dayes can not abide to 〈◊〉 their children beaten and a number of fathers as wise as the mothers the Schoolemaster that shoulde fetche bloudde of theyr chylde oute alas It were a pityfull syghte But were it not a more pitifull syghte to see howe myserablye the one destroyeth the other they thinke it loue it is more than mortaâ—…l hatrede this foolyshe coâ—…heryng of theyr chyldren Whiche if they feele not in the miseries of this life wherby repentance may saue the soule howesoeuer the body abye the follie of this hatefull cockering loue if not yet after this life the father and mother may mete the sonne in helle and there repeate those heauie and horrible curses that Gregorie teâ—…s of Cuâ—…sed be the houre sayth the father that euer thou wast borne Cursed be the tyme sayeth the sonne that euer thou begattest me and thus the one shall curse baâ—… the other and al bicause of this their cursed cockering Dye fathers and morhers especially you of this noble citie of London shaâ—…e not youre Citie vndoe not youre children and youre selues also We are thorough out all the Realme called cockneys that are borne in London or in the sounde of Bow bell this is your shame recouer this shame as god be praised ye do more than euer was wont to be done It had went to be an olde saying that fewe or none but were vnthâ—…ifts and came to nothing that were cockneys borne for so are we termed abroade But God be praised this is nowe a false rule and hath ben a good while since chiefly since the Gospels light hath shined on this noble citie it hath brought for the many worthy gouernors â–ª not able preachers godly pastors wise couÌ„selors pregnaÌ„t wits graue students welthy citiâ—…ens and is ful of maruellous towardes youth God blesse them and I trust will euery day more and more so blesse this renoumed citie that where before for wâ—…nton bringing vp it hath bene althoughe in other thyngs famous inâ—…ug he yet in this poynt of our births place a speck of blushing a terme of cockney a note of nipping vs It shall hereafter by Godly education be a thing to glory in that we borne in sutche a glorious citie as not only God hath made the hed of other in welth and honor but also a myrror of other in godlinesse and religion And that this may be loue your children but hate cockering Read and reade ouer twentie times and write it in steele and iron as Iob saith that is graue it in youre memorye that woorthie chapter in this pointe the thirtie chapter of Iesus the sonne of Syrach and there thou shalt see what the cockering of the chyld will bring bothe father and chyide vnto and what the contrary The third cause of childrens disobedience is the yll ensample of their parentes soone crookes the tree that good camocke will bee It soone prickes wil be a thorne the yong cockrel will learne easily to crow as he heareth the old cocke A great many suche crauen cockes there are that crowe full yll fâ—…uoredly and teach their cockrels to do the same scarse ere they be out of the shell We are prone inough and to proue of our selues to all vice without a teacher and
death hell sinne and sathan cancel the hande writing against vs triumphe ouer all our enemies transforme vs into a new man enter into heauen like a victorious conquerer in our behalfe and purchace for vs the hope of a better inheritance sende vs downe the holy ghost to comfort and strengthen vs in our iorney thether make vs haue bolde accesse vnto God the father and call him our father and clayme sonship of him No man no woman no angell no creature no earthly or heauenly bodely or spiritual thing could haue wrought these mighty works for vs but only the only begotten sonne of God. Nor any thing that we can cōceaue could so haue set forth the fathers loue in these doings as this that he vouchsafed to geue his only begotten sonne to do it What madnesse then hath bewitched the Papists mindes to seeke other mediatours than the sonne of God other satisfactions other gifts other reconciliations other means to saluation and pardon of their sinnes than that which God him selfe of sutche highe loue and fauoure hathe geuen vs as a most excellent and effectuall worker of all these things the only begotten sonne of God Is not this a greate vnthankefulnesse a foule beastlynesse a very follie or by what worthie name maye I cal their vnworthy demeanour to GOD to them selues to the sonne of God to the world to refuse so notable a loue and forsake so fre and riche a gifte to seke trifles and let go the principall to run to puddles of errour and goe from the flowing streame of grace and fountaine of life to cleaue to them selues and to renownce the sonne of god O brutishe Papistes and vnsensible or rather ledde too much by sensualitie O horse and Mule in whome there is no vnderstanding O Image makers howe lyke bee yee vnto your images Of whome sayeth Dauid they are lyke to them that made them hauyng eares to heare and heare not eyes to see and see not noses to smell and smell not For if ye hadde eyther hearyng seeyng smellyng or sauouryng of anye thyng petteynyng to GOD yee coulde not bee thus senselesse But this sheweth ye are but fleshe and blood whiche canne not reueale the sonne of the liuing god Good Lorde what is manne if hee be caste off of God and lefte to him selfe gyuen ouer to his owne lusts and a reprobate sense ▪ But the saying of Esaye is verified on them He hath blynded their eyes and hardened their heartes that they shoulde not see wyth theyr eyes nor vnderstande with their heartes and shoulde bee conuerted and I shoulde heale them For were it not that God had sent them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes and be damned whiche beleeued not the truthe but hadde pleasure in vnryghteousnesse they wold neuer so like swine haue trod vnderfote this most precious perle the sonne of God and delight to wallowe in the mire of mens traditions and durtie deedes of their owne righteousnesse as they doo and had rather like Grillus that was bewitched of Circes be still a swine and sosse in swil than returne to the forme of a manne and be with wise Vlisses had rather liue in Egypte with sclauish bondage and foode fit for sclaues onions leekes and garlike than liue in libertie trauailyng to the lande of promise and be fedde with angels foode Here is a notable gifte if we value it well all the riches in the worlde is but drosse vnto it How do the Papists value this excellent iewell Lette vs see yf they be good iewels yea or no or if they bee as wyse prysers of the valew hereof as Esops donghyll Cocke who fynding a precions stone hadde rather haue had a sillye barley corne to cramme his croppe than all the precious stones in the worlde And doo not the Papistes as fondly esteeme and worse handle this precious Iewell that GOD the Father hath gyuen vs His onely begotten sonne Howe doo they value Christe That traytour Iudas valued hym but at an easy price when hee solde hym for thirtie pence to the Priestes Thys was too mutche vnder foote in conscience for sutche a Iewell But theeues haue no conscience they wyll make Robyn Hoodes penywoorthes to dispatche and away wyth all that they can come by Well Iudas solde hym for thyrtie pence to the Priestes but the Priestes since that haue esteemed him at a greate deale lesser value than Iudas did They beare vs in hande that that little rounde white cake whyche the Priest at his Masse dothe consecrate as they call it is Christe hym selfe But ye shoulde haue hadde any morrowe Masse priest haue solde ye thyrtie Masses thyrtie consecrations for thirtie groates a whole Trentall for a royall and so the price of Christ was come downe to foure pence mutche vnder Iudas price But there was a reason of the fall of the price For why the makyng of Chryste was so easye and there were sutche a companie of those Christmakers and of those Christes Here is Christe and there is Christe that thys pulled downe the markette But yf that were Christe howe ordered they hym Forsoothe they ordered hym euen as they prysed hym that whiche they might haue of so easie a price a fourepenie matter was ordered euen thereafter Fyrste they turned Chryst out of his owne likenesse and made him looke lyke a reunde cake nothyng lyke to Iesus Christe no more than an apple is lyke an oyster nor so mutche for there appereth neyther armes nor handes feete nor legges backe nor belly heade nor body of Chryst but all is visoured and disguysed vnder the fourme of a wafer as lyghte as a feather as thinne as a paper as whyte as a kerchiefe as round as a trenchour as flat as a pancake as smal as a shilling as tender as the Priestes lemman that made it as muche taste as a stycke and as deade as a dore nayle to looke vppon O blessed GOD dare they thus disfigure our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ or can they make suche a strange Metamorphosis of the sonne of God They saye they doo thys But now what do thei with him hauīg thus trāsformed him Forsoth euen as the cat doth with the mouse play with it dandle it vp downe hoise it euer her head tosse it hither thyther then eate it cleane vp euen so for al the world did they order Christ. Mark a Priest at Masse and marke a Cat with a mouse tel me then what differēce Now if Christ were not eaten vp of the Priest did he so escape the Priests handes Nay euen as a mouse kept in a trap till she pine to death as a birde in a pitfal til she be st◅rued as a caytif in a dungeon til he be famished so was Christ thrust vp into a copper pixe and there hanged vp tyll euen the wormes did eate hym and scraule all ouer hym and the very hoarie moulde dydde rotte him and then was he
is 〈◊〉 causantiuÌ„ causarum the cause of al causings and of all causes when we here it is Gods purpose so to be shal we not think eâ—…en this purpose of god the causer to be cause sufficient but we will seke for other causes in the causes inferior things that themselues are caused What absurditie were this in man and what presumption ahainst god sith we heare it is gods purpose and we are not content therwith Well say the Papists be it the cause be only in God and not in man nor any creature that he purposed to bestowe this benefite on the world yet she we me a cause in god himselfe that moued him hereunto Why is not this a sufficient cause of it selfe that we haue sayd al this while it was Gods purpose If this will not suffise thee what will suffise thee Shall I say it is Gods determination that is al one with purpose Shal I say it is Gods appoyntmente this is all one also Shall I say it is his good wil and pleasure what is this but in effecte the same also what shall I saye then that shall contente them Surely neyther I nor all the world shal be able to say any thing that can satisfie a warbling Papist in this matter For how should we satisfie him that is not satisfied with the purpose determination appointment wil and pleasure of God but he will needes know why God purposed determined and appointed why it was his will and pleasure But see euen here if this will content the Papist wee haue a further cause expressed in the firste begynnyng of this sentence Sic dilexit So God loued the Worlde Lo loue is the cause therof Yea but what made him loue the worlde saith the Papist nothing yes euen bycause hee would vouch safe so to doo Why sayeth he this commeth to the former cause hee loued it bicause he would But wherfore woulde he loue it Here the Papist setteth mee I confesse neyther will I search nor can I find any further cause than this neyther am I ashamed to be so sette of a Papist that I can go no further wheÌ„ I come to the loue good wil of God of which if it were so easy a matter to shew a further cause why was not S. Paul ashamed when he came to the alleaging of Gods will to crye oute that the Iudgementes of God were vnsearchable and durste goe no further after he had alleaged it to be Gods wil bycause beyond this cause he coulde fynde no cause hygher his fadome coulde reache no further Heere was abyssus abyssum inuocat Here was sette the Cherubin and the flamyng sworde to stoppe the entrie into this vnsearcheable Paradyse Here were the boundes of Gods Mountayne Sina limited that the people nor the Priestes nor any else durste or coulde enter into but onely our heauenly Prophete lyke to Moyses Iesus Christe not only man but GOD himself also And wil a beast a Papist a brutishe fleshly man presume to come neare thys mountayn yea to go beyond the boundes appoynted Shall not a dart be cast through him that dare presume thus beastely What is man that he should not be content when he heareth platte and playne it is Gods wyll but he wil demaund a reason of the same Iob neuer durste presume thus farre as the Papists doo yet when in the anguishe of his mynde hee wente beyonde hys reache The Lorde out of the whyrle wynde sayde Whoe is thys that darkeneth the counsell by woordes without knowledge Gyrde vp now thy loynes lyke a manne I wyll demaunde of thee and declare thou vntoo mee Where waste thow when I layde the foundations of the earthe Declare yf thou haste vnderstandynge c. Wylte thou disanull my Iudgemente or wylte thou condemne mee that thou mayste bee iustified or haste thou an arme lyke GOD or doest thou thunder wyth a Voyce lyke hym Decke thy selfe nowe wyth Maiestie and excellencye and arraye thy selfe wyth Beautie and glorye Caste abroade the indignation of thy wrathe and beholde euery one that is prowde and abase hym looke on euery one that is arrogante and bryng hym lowe and destroye the wycked in theyr place hyde them in the duste together and bynde theyr faces in a secrete place then wyll I confesse vnto thee also that thy ryghte hande can saue thee Thys presumption then not to bee content wyth the expressed good wyll of GOD but to searche further causes of his wyll then hee hath expressed that is his loue is euen to make our owne right hande our Sauiour as the Papistes doo Let vs therefore be content with this cause of Gods purpose that it is his good wil and procedeth of his mere loue And that his loue is the very and onely cause hereof as oure Sauioure Chryste hathe sayde Sic Deus dilexit mundum GOD so loued the worlde The loue of God is the cause of the Worldes saluation than the whyche what can bee a more notable cause and more comfortable herein than the loue and good wyll of god But the Papist whose mouth is not yet stopped nor hys ambitious mynde contented groynethe hereat that all shoulde proceede from the good wyll and loue of GOD Did not wee saithe he loue him before and then he loued vs No Papist we loued him not wee hated him as is already she wed In hoc est charitas non ê™ nos dilexerimus Deum sed quod ipse dilexit nos Loue consisteth herein sayeth S. Iohn not that we loued him but that he loued vs Prior dilexit nos he loued vs before and not we him before for then were all this in vayne then were the cause in vs not in God then were it no godamercie to God that we are saued but gramercie myne owne selfe for God requited me but loue for loue What a pawne checkemate were this to the loue of God But herein commendat charitatem suam Deus in nobis quoniam cum adhuc peccatores esâ—…emus God not onely loueth vs but herein he maruellously setteth out the glory and praise of his infinite loue vnto vs that euen when we were sinners when we were enemies he loued vs The only and whole cause then of Gods purpose to our saluation is the fauour loue of god Wherfore was Iacob preferred before hys brother Esau Iacob dilexi I loued Iacob Wherefore chose he the seede of Abraham Isaac and Iacob to be hys people for any merite of these their fathers which were holy patriarkes No Quia dilexit patres tuos forbicause hee loued their fathers Wherfore saith God vnto the Israelites The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a precious people vnto hym selfe aboue all people that are vpon the earthe The Lorde did not set his loue vpon you nor chose you bicause ye were mo in number than any people for ye were the fewest of al people but bicause the Lord loued you Wherfore is the
churche of Christe so often called the spouse the wyfe the welbeloued of Christ but bicause the Lorde of his only loue mercie chose her Wherefore was Dauid chosen king from following the sheepe but bicause hee was a man SecuÌ„dum cor meum eueÌ„ after the hart of God that is to say whom God delighted in and loued Wherfore was Salomon chosen to sitte in the seate of Dauid before all his brethren but bicause Dominus dilexit cum The Lord loued him Wherfore did Christ choose the twelue Disciples before all other in the worlde Non vos me eligistis sed ego elegi vos You chose not me but I chose you But bicause sayth he as my father loued me so haue I loued you Wherefore leaned Iohn on the breast of Iesu and durst aske him more boldly than the other Disciples but bicause he was the disciple Quem diligebat Dominus whom the Lorde loued Wherefore are we chosen to be the people of God in the Iewes place But euen bycause God hath sayd Vocabo non plebem meam plebem meam non dilectam dilectam non misericordiam consecutam misericordiam coÌ„secutam I will call them my people whiche were not my people and her beloued whiche was not beloued and her to haue obteined mercy which had not obteyned mercy Wherfore now that we are chosen of God are we afflicted Quos diligit Dominus castigat The Lorde correcteth whome he loueth Wherfore can no affliction ouercome vs make vs fall from God as doo the reprobate the chaffe and seede in the stonie grounde but the Electe are purifyed in tribulation as golde in the forneys In his omnibus superamus per eum qui dilexit nos In all these thyngs wee ouercome through hym that loued vs Wherfore haue we in those afflictions sutche a confident truste in God that they shall not hurte vs Quia charitas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum Sanctum qui datus est nobis Bycause the loue of GOD is shead abroade in our hartes by the Holy Ghost whyche is gyuen vnto vs Then the fountayne and onely cause of all the grace and fauour that wee receyue of God is the loue of god Propter multam suam dilectionem qua dilexit nos Euen for the greate loue that hee loued vs withall And therefore Christe whyche is the well beloued sonne of God Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo mihi complacui Thys is my well beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased and in whom wee are made also the beeloued sonnes of God and who hath so loued vs that hee gaue his lyfe for vs than the whiche no man can haue a greater loue hee hath fully declared in the very fyrste woordes of thys Sentence the very fyrst and principall cause of the Worldes saluation saying Sic DEVS dilexit So God loued the worlde there is no cause hereof in manne but onely and all in god I doo not thys for youre sakes O Israell sayeth the Lorde God but for myne owne names sake You shall remember your owne wycked wayes and youre deedes that were not good and shall iudge your selues worthy to haue bene destroyed for your iniquities and for your abhominations Bee it knowne vnto you that I doo not thys for youre sakes sayeth the Lorde God. And as God dothe thys mercyfully vnto his Electe not for any cause in them but for his owne names sake The cause is altogether in him not in vs so the cause that moued hym is his mere goodnesse his infinite mercye his owne good wyll and his very loue vnto vs. What shal we say then to those false prophets that haue so sotted vs in our owne loue that they haue made vs beleue the cause to be in vs of oure saluation our pure naturall qualities our preparatiue workes oure free will oure good deedes and satisfactions to bee the cause why wee escape perdition our merits and our righteousnesse to be the cause why wee receyue eternall lyfe Our election to be the cause of Gods election our loue of God to be the cause of Gods loue to vs Nay soft sayth the Papist ye tell oure tale amisse we say not that these be the only causes neither grauÌ„t we that the loue of God is the only cause but ther are causes in both these parties God and the worlde which causes both ioyntly coÌ„curring together we are therby saued from perdition receiue eternal life We here what they say but what sayeth S. Paul These two saith he caÌ„ not in this matter be compartners Reliquiae secundum electionem gratia Dei saluae factae sunt si autem gratia iam non ex operibus alioquin gratia noÌ„ est gratia The remnaunt shall bee saued accordyng to the Election of the grace of GOD but yf it bee by grace then is it not by woorkes For otherwise grace were not grace And so on the contrary parte if it be of works then is it not of grace for otherwyse workes were not works And the reason is bicause of the opposition betwene grace and workes that the one hath to the other in the cause of Iustification for although in those that be alredy iustified workes are not seuered from grace nor grace from workes but rather al their workes be graces and gifts of God as S. Hierome sayeth Deus in nobis operatur opera â—…am omnia opera nostra operatus es domine ait propheta de eius dono c. God worketh all our workes in vs of his gyft for as the Prophet sayth Thou Lorde haste wrought all our workes Yet in this poynt of the causes of our saluation whether they be altogether of God or altogether of maÌ„ or ioyntly of God and man together that is to saye of Gods grace and mans works concurrent in this poynt grace and workes do so disagree and are become Membra diuidentia haue such a contrary aspect the one to the other that they can not here be ioyned without confounding them yea the one taketh awaye the nature of the other For first grace which signifieth free fauor and gift as S. Augustin saith Gratis datur propter ê“ gratia nominatur It is giuen freely or gratefully whervppon it hathe his name Grace But admitte there can be founde any cause in the partie to whoÌ„ it is giuen that by any meanâ—…s did deserue to haue it giuen him then is it not a mere free gift proceding only of gracious fauour and so is it not grace Likewise on the contrary part for works To him that worketh reward sayth saint Paule is not giuen according to grace or fauour but according to duetie Hee that hathe wrought for any thing be it little or much that he hath wrought so litle so much it debarreth from the nature of grace It is not of mere and free fauour that he hath any
alas shal the father and mother teache it them nay it is no meruaile how coulde the olde Crabbe teache the yong Crab to goe but a byas They haue nousâ—…ed vp them selues in all wickednesse and so they teache their children so that as it were they clayme hel by inheritance It is a world to see how â—…oone wee are decked vp to be proude or ere we knowe what pride meaneth What a laughter and sport it is to the parentes to se their yong chyld do any vnhappy touch But Extrema gaudij luctus occupat this wicked beginning must nedes haue a wretched endyng Wilte thou loke thou foolish father to reape vertue and sowedst nought but vice thou wast disobedient to God and wilt theu loke thy chyld shal be obedient to thee Nay loke how thou hast done to thy children thy children wyll doo the lyke to thee What measure yee mete withall shal be met to you againe Beware therfore of nourishing them in vice of giuing euill ensample to them tinder wil not so sone take fyre as the child wil take hold of euil ensample And he that offendeth one of these little ones sayth Christe that beleueth in me it were better a mylstone were tied about his necke and he throwen into the bottome of the sea Neyther dothe Christe here excepte father mother or any other but who so euer he be that is occaâ—…ion of sinne to the childe by ensample instruction encoraging or by any other meanes this heauie sentence is pronounced on him Thou father therfore if thou loue thy childe yea if thou loue thy selfe bothe for his parte and for thine owne parte beware of euel ensample The fourthe cause of disobedience is the lacke of knowledge of his duety Thou bringest vp thy sonne in ignorance and idely and howe can he then but proue a stubborn pece chiefly when he hath no knowledge nor fear of god Now wil he stande in awe of thee or know his duetie to thee Dost thou loue in dede thy child loue thaÌ„ the more principall parte of him loue his soule more than his bodye loue the eternall life of him better than this temporall lyfe For else thou louest him not For proofe that thou louest hym thou shewest me what riches thou hast gathered for him what laÌ„des and rentes thou hast purchased for him what lyuings and offices thou haste prouided for him what payne what coste what trouble what sute what trauel what cares and God knowes withall what conscience thou haddest to compasse these things for thy chylde and is not all this a sufficient argument to proue thou louest him No surely is it not But I will healpe thee with a better argument Thou art content for thy chyld to goe lyke a carle to the dyuell before that thy chylde may come after to the diuel like a gentlemaÌ„ This is a token thou louest thy child that art content so thy chyld may be daÌ„ned thou wilt be damned too Now likest thou this loue is it not more worthy to be called hatred and worse it thou canst deuise â—… worser name for it this preposterous loue of thine to thy child Ah saist thou shal I not then prouide for my childe then were I worse sayeth Saincte Paule than an infidel I deny not but thou mayst yea and oughtest to prouide for him by all conuenient and godly meanes thou canst But the principall thyng that thou oughtest to prouyde for thy chylde is the Riches of the soule the knowledge the feare and the loue of god Primum quaerite regnum Dei 〈◊〉 omnia adijcientur â—…obis Fyrst seeke that thy chylde maye bee a Citizen of the kingdome of God that thy sonnes as Dauid sayeth maye bee As plantes growyng vp in thâ—…yt youthe in all Grace and Uâ—…ttue that thy daughters may bâ—… polished lyke the corner stones of the temple of God shining in the cleere beawty of shamefastnesse and modestie and become olde mothers in Israel And then all other things shall be cast vnto them by Gods prouidence When thou art dead and faire buried they shall haue inoughe to liue on and doe full well although thou hadst lefte them neuer a penie I was yong and now am oldâ—… saithe Dauid as who should saye I haue sene greate experience of many things in my dais yet neuer saw I the rightouse man forsaken and his seed beg their bred No though his father die yet is he as though he were not dead for he hath left one behinde him that is like him In his life he saw him and had ioy in him and was not sory in his death neither was he ashamed before his enemies he left behinde hym an auenger agaynst his enemies and one that should shew fauour to his frends Lo thus shall they be blessed that feare the Lorde bycause they bring vp their children in instructioÌ„ and information of the Lorde This is the true loue of the fathers and mothers to their children And this shall make if any thing wil make this loue of the parents descending to the children to ascende againe from the children to the parents so effectually that no earthly loue can be of greater force But be this loue also neuer so excellent when it once entreth this comparison of gods loue bicause it is so tied with the linkes of nature and bounden dewty on either parte although it somwhat resemble this loue of God our Father in heauen to vs his adopted sonnes in earth Wherby Dauid saith Sicut pater miseretur filioruÌ„ misertus est nostri dominus As the father hath mercie on his children so God hath had mercy on vs Can the mother forget her infant that she should not pitie the childe of her wombe although the mother coulde forget hir child sayth the Lorde yet will not I forget thee for I haue grauen thee vppon the palmes of my hands thy walles are euer in my sight Therfore I conclude on this loue as of the other that So God loued the worlde that no naturall loue of fathers and mothers to their children of children to their fathers and mothers is lyke this loue of God out heauenly father to vs. We reade of greate loue that seruauntes haue borne theyr maysters that maisters againe haue born theyr seruants the one hath suffred death to saue the other This was a notable loue Where are suche maisters and seruants now become nay it is now the old prouerbe vp downe trim tram such maister suche man suche cuppe suche couer neyther barrell better herring bothe maister and man may go in a line together for a great many of men and maisters now a dayes In many places where I come I heare the maisters complaine of their seruantes stubbornesse and vnfaithfull dealing of their seruantes dissolutenesse and lacke of awe But the maister seeth not howe God punisheth hym with his owne rodde howe his owne selfe is the cause here of He would haue his seruant all for
Faythe and take holde of Chryste No sayeth Christe hymselfe Hoc est opus Dei vt credatis in eum This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in hym whome hee hathe sente It is not your worke Donum Dei est It is Gods gift Then man hath nothyng at all in hym selfe not so mutche as to put out his hande and receyue this gifte excepte GOD geue hym this gyfte also to receaue it except God geue him this hand to put out howe can he put out that he hath not it muste needes bee then that those that receyue this gift the sonne of GOD are euen the elect of god Crediderunt quotquot praeoidinati fuerunt ad vitam aeternam Euen so many beleued as were ordeyned to eternall lyfe And further then thys we will not we dare not we can not wade howe soeuer the diuell the worlde the fleshe the Papists doo startle hereat but moste humbly lette vs prayse and magnifie God for this and saye with Christe Confiteor tibi pater c. I giue thee thankes O Father Lorde of Heauen and earth bicause thou haste hidden these thyngs from the wyse and prudent and haste opened them vnto babes it is so father bycause thy good pleasure was such It is not so bicause it was oure pleasure oure will oure merite our worke our preparatiue or any thyng in vs But GOD hath only of his mere mercyful loue begunne it wrought it and performed it in his choyse vessels of mercie thorough his onely begotten sonne oure Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe Thus haue I derely beloued in the lord a great deale to long I graunt deteined your pacience but the matter for me I hope wil pleade my pardon A matter of no lesse momente in it selfe than conteyning the weyghtiest poynts of our religion the chiefest controuersies of oure contention and all the causes of our saluation Neither myghte wee passe through these matters hauing to deale with suche crafty and warbling aduersaries so soone as the ordinarie time in this place dothe require but I haue presumed in this extraordinarie Sermon or rather was driuen thereto to driue out the time extraordinarily for the aduersaries to step their mouths and if it please God to win their harts also at least for our selues to confirme strengthen ours against all theyr cauillations Which effect that it may worke in them and vs let vs neuer forget this most worthie sentence So god loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that all that beleue in him shold not perishe but haue eternall life Let vs remember all the foure parts into the which I deuided this sentence In the firste let vs seriously set before vs these two endes Euerlasting death and Euerlasting life Secondly these two parties God and the world chiefly considering the eternall purpose and election of God the first cause and originall of our saluation In the second parte let vs consider what moued God to elect vs to life euerlasting nothing in the world but all in him selfe euen only his owne mere loue Wherin remember withall howe greatly they haue abused you or rather abused God by little and litle in taking all from God and let vs render all to him from whose loue all procedes to vs In the third parte consider by what meanes god hath wrought it euen by Iesus Christ His only begotten sonne What a passing loue thys was surmounting all kindes of loue what an excellente gifte it was and how the Papists trode it vnder foote and let vs beware least we misuse this gifte by securitie of life as they by false doctrine dyâ—… deface it Laste of all let vs receaue thys gifte by faith the only meanes we take it by and take hede of them for in euery thing they haue shewed them selues to God and man vnfaithfull neither know they what faith meanes and therefore are they suche enemies of this doctrine that only a stedfast faithe apprehending The sonne of God doth make vs acceptable vnto the father But let vs leauing them to Gods iudgemeÌ„ts to come vpon them admit and beleue this his eternall truth and prayse God for these his vnspeakable mercies poured on vs in Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with the father and the holy ghost three persons and one most perfecte and euerliuing Godhed be all prayse and glory now and for euer Amen FINIS 1. Cor â–ª 2. Luc. 14. Philip. 3. Prou. 2. Rom. 6. Ludouiâ—… Viues Eccl 7. 3. Reg. 2. Osee. 13. Rom. 6. Math. 16. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 9. Matth. 20 Matth. 2â—… Mark 9. Luc. 16. Matth. 15. Iohn 14. Iohn 10. Ierem. 7. 2. Pet. â—… Matt. 22. Mat. 22. Luc. 12. 1. Peter 4. Hebr. 10. Apoc. 3. Matth. 24 Matth. 25. Matth. 10. 1 Iohn 5. â—… Ion. 2. 1. Iohn 2. Iohn 1 Mare 16. Legenda in vita S. Francis. Iohn 17. 1. Iohn 2. Matth. 7. Iohn 6. Ephes. 1. Rom. 8. Iohn 13. Iohn 5. 1 Cor. 6. Gen. 3. Gala. 6. Iohn 12 Iohn 17. Rom. 10 Marc. 16. Rom. 10. Gala. 3. Rom. 4. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 2. Lbi. 1. Dâ—… doct christiana 1. Tim. 2. Rom 9. Prouer. 15. Rom 9. Rom. 9. Matth. 26. Ephes. 1. Rom. 8. Aug li. 50. Homiliâ—…r Homili 17. Act. 9. Psalm 117 Phil. â—… Iohn 6. Iohn 17. Ephes. â—… Rom. 9. Ezech. 33. 1. Tim. 2. Matth. 23. Psalm 17. Exod. 6. Malach. 3. Rom. 〈◊〉 Hebr. 13. Exod. 3. 2 Cor. â—… Lâ—…c â—… Rom. 8. Psalm 13. 1. Tim. â—… Matth. 6. Matth. 5. â—… Tim. 3. Ierem 2. Iohn 4. Gen 3. Rom. 13. Esa 48 Prouer. 25 1 Pet 4. 1 Cor. 13. â—… Cor. 11. Matth. 22. Matth. 10. Iohn 8. 2. Cor. 6. Iohn 8. Matth. 4. 1. Iohn 2. Matth. 4. Luc. â—…2 Iob. 1. â—… Pet 5. Matth. 16. 2. Cor. 12. Iob. 13. Rom. 5. Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 3. Collos. 1. Marc. 8. 2 Reg. 6. Gen. 19. 4 Reg 6. 2. Tim 3. Luc 10. 2. Tim. â—… 2. Tim. 1. Rom. 3. Rom 8. Rom 4. Psalm 126 Rom. 11. Ezech. 16. Ezech. 16. Esai 1. 57. Gen 12. Iosu. 24. â—…sa 59. Act. 7. Rom. 5. Gal. 5. Rom. 3. Rom. 3. Rom 6. Gal. 3. Gen. 18. Rom. 7. Matth 7. Luc. 6. Iohn 15. Ephes. 1. 1 Cor. 2. Psalm 48 Psalme 31. 2. Cor. 2. Rom. 5. Ephes. 2. Rom. 7. Iacobi 1. Rom. 8. Rom. 7. Matth 12. Poueâ—…b 〈◊〉 Matth. 15. Ierem 17. Gen. 6. Gen. 8. Psalm 13. Pigghius de origin peccato Rom 5. 1. Iohn 3. Iob. 14. Psal. 50. Ruth 4. 1. Cor 7 â–ª Heb. 1â—… Iohn 3. Gen. 2. Rom. 5. Rom. 6. Iohn 8. Rom 8. Rom 8. Rom 5. Rom. 5. Rom. 8. 2. Tim 1. Gala. 3. Tit 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…phes 2. Gala. 5. Ad 〈◊〉 lib. quâ—…st 2 De â—…ide operibus cap 14 â—… Thâ—…ss 2 Rom 9. 〈◊〉 13. 1. Cor. 2. Augu in Psal. 6â—… Psaâ—…m 1â—… Iob. 〈◊〉 Iohn 17. â—…xod 9. Rom 9. Psalm 77. Iud epist. Psalm 15. Gen 3. Heb. 12. Exod. 19. Iob