bâ—e handled as seruaâ—â—â—â—â— and hild in awe vntill they come to taste and feele how sweete and pleasant the Lord is and vntill such time as fayth worke his effectes in them that they haue so much childly loue as may suffize to keepe maintaine theÌ„ in honestie of christeÌ„ conuersation and in folowing the example of our lord Iesus Christ. And wheÌ„ the selfsame scripture exhorteth y christiaÌ„s to y true fear it meaneth not that they should feare the iudgement and wrath of god as though it were presently ready to condemne them for as I haue said already by the record which the holy ghost giueth to thier spirit they knowe that God hath chosen them and called them of his owne mere mercy and not for their desertes By reason whereof they doubt not at al but that by the selfsame goodnes mercie he will mainteine theÌ„ in the happy state wherin he hath placed them And after suche maner the scripture exhorteth them not too flauish feare but to childly feare that is too wit that like good children they should bée loth to offend against the christen Religion or to commit any thing against the deutie honestie of Gods true children and likewise to gréeue the holy ghost that dwelleth in theÌ„ to the ende that knowing the corruptednesse of our nature we shouâ—â— always be héedfull and diligent and neuer haue any tâ—ust in our selues for in our flesh and in our mynds do the appetites and affections continually dwell which as deadly enemies of y soule lay a thousand snares and baytes for vs incessantly labouring to make vs proud ambitiouse lecherous and couetouse This is the feare whereunto the whole scripture exhorteth the Christians that haue once fasted howe swéet the Lord is and which bestowe all their indeuer in followinge Christes footesteps who cast not froÌ„ theÌ„ this holy fear bycause they labour to put off the old man And the good christians must neuer beréeâ—â— themselues quyte and cleane of this childlie feare which is the singular friend of christeÌ„ charitie like as the slauish feare is suche an enemie vnto it as they can by no meanes dwell togither And by the foresayd things a man may plainely perceiue that the good Christian ought neuer to doubt of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes nor of Gods fauour Neuerthelesse for the better satisfying of the Reader I purpose to set downe here vnder certaine authorities of y holy Doctors which confirme this foresayd truth Sainct Hilary in his fifth Canon vppon Matthewe sayth it is Gods will that wée should hope without any douting of his vnknowen will. For if the beléefe be doubtfull there can bée no rightuousenesse obteyned by beléeuinge And thus wée sée that according to Sainct Hilarie a man obteyneth not forgiuenesse of his sinnes at Gods hand except he beléeue vndoubtedly to obteyne it And good right it is that it should be so For he that douteth is like a waue of the Sea which is tossed turmoyled with the wynd And therfore let not such a one think to obteyne any thing at gods hande But let vs here sainct Austin who in his Manuel counseleâ—h vs to driue away the sayd foolish imagination which intendeth to dispossesse vs of the foresayd good and sage assurednes Let such foolish imagination sayeth he murmur as much as it listeth saying who art thou how great is that glorie by what desertes hopest thou to obteyne it I answer assuredly I know in whome I haue beléeued and I know that he of his great loue hath made me his sonne I know he is trew of his promis and able to performe his word for he can do what he will. And when I thinke vppon the Lords death the multitude of my sinnes cannot dismay mee for in his death doe I put all my trust His death is my whole desert it is my refuge it is my saluation my life and resurrection the mercie of the Lord is my desert I am not poore of desert so long as the lord of mercie fayleth me not And sith the mercies of the Lord are manie manie also are my deseruings The more y he is of power to saue the more am I sure to be saued The same sainct Austin talking with GOD in another place sayeth that he had despayred by reason of his greate sinnes and infinite negligences if the woord of god had not becommne flesh And anon after he sayth theis words All my hope all the assurance of my trust is settled in his preciouse blud which was shed for vs and for our saluatioÌ„ In him my poore hart taketh breth and putting my whole trust in him I longe to come vnto thée O father not hauing myne owne ryghtuousenes but y ryghtuousenes of thy sonne Iesus christ In theis two places sainct Austin sheweth playnly that the christiaÌ„ must not be afrayd but assure himselfe of ryghtuousenes by grownding himselfe not vppon his own works but vppoÌ„ the preciouse blud of Iesus Christ which clenzeth vs from all our sinnes and maketh our peace with god Sainct Barnard in his first sermoÌ„ vppon the Annunciation sayeth most euidently that it is not ynough to beleue that a man can haue forgiuenes of his sinnes but by gods mercie nor any one good desyre or abilitie to doe so much as one good worke except God giue it him no nor that a man cannot deserue eternall lyfe by his workes but if GOD giue him the gift so to beleeue But besydes all theis thinges sayeth Sainct Bernard which ought rather to be counted a certayne entrance and foundation of our faith it is néedfull that thou beléeue also that thy sins are forgiuen thée for the loue of Iesus christ Sée how this holy man confesseth that it is not ynough to beléeue generally the forgiuenesse of sinnes but he must also beléeue particularly that his owne sinnes are forgiuen him by Iesus Christ and the reason is ready at hand namely that forasmuch as God hath promised thée to accept thée for rightuouse through the merites of Iesus Christ if thou beléeue not that thou art become rightuouse through him thou makest GOD a lyer and consequently thou makest thy selfe vnworthie of his grace and liberalitie But thou wilt say to me I beléeue well the forgiuenesse of sinnes and I know that god is true but I am afrayd that I am not worshie to haue so great a gift I aunswer that the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes shall not bée a gift or frée grace but a wages if God should giue it thée for the worthines of thy works But I replie vppon thée that God accepteth thée for rightuouse and layeth not thy sin too thy charge bicause of Christs merits which are giuen vnto thée and become thyne by fayth Therefore following the councell of Sainct Bernard beleue thou not only the forgiuenesse of sinnes in generall but also apply the same beléefe to thine own particular person by beleuing without any dout y all
of them as of our owne bodies for they be members of our bodie whereof Christe is the heade And this is the godly loue and charitie which springeth and procéedeth of the true vnfeyned faith which god hath breathed into his electe which faith as sayeth Saint Paule worketh by loue Howbeit for asmuch as the lyfe of our Lorde Iesus Christ wherewithall wée must bée clothed was a continuall crosse full of troubles reproches and persecutions if wee will fashion our selues like vnto his life we must continually beare the crosse as hée him selfe sayeth If any man will come after mée let him forsake him selfe and take vp his crosse and followe mée But the chief cause of this crosse is for that our GOD purposeth to mortifie the affections of our minde and the luftes of our fleshe by that exercise to the end wée may conceyue in our selues the great perfection wherein wée bée comprised by our Lord IESUS Christ by being graffed into him Also his will is that our fayth béeing fyned like golde in the fornace of troubles should shine bright to his glorie Moreouer his intent is that we by our infirmities should set out his great power which the worlde in dispite of it beholdeth in vs in asmuch as our frayeltie becommeth strong by troubles and persecutions and the more that it is beaten downe and oppressed so much the more is it strong and stedfast Whereof the Apostle Sainct Paule sayeth we carrie this treasure in earthen vesselles that the excellencie of the power might bée Gods and not ours On all sides wée suffer tribulation but we are not ouercomme wée be poore but not ouercomme of pouertie wée suffer persecution but yit are we not forsaken we be dispised but yit we perish not and so we dayly beare about vs the dying of our Lord Iesus Christ in our bodie that the life of Iesus Christe may also be openly shewed in vs And séeing the case is so that our Lord Iesus christ and all his deare Disciples glorified God by tribulations let vs also imbrace them ioyefully and saye with the Apostle Saincte Paule GOD forbid that I should glory saue in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ and let vs so deale as the world may whither it will or no perceiue see with his eies the woÌ„derful effects that god worketh in such as sincerely imbrace the grace of his gospell Let vs so deale I say as the worldlings may sée with how great quietnes of mynd the trew christians indure the losse of their goods y death of their children flaunders the diseases of y bodie the persecutions of false christians and also that they may sée how the only true christians do worship God in spirit truth taking in good worth at his hand whatsoeuer happeneth holding al that he doth to be good rightfull holie praising him alwaies for the same whither it be in prosperitie or aduersitie thaÌ„king him as a most graciouse and louing father and acknowledging it for a right great gift of gods goodnes to suffer any aduersitie and cheâ—â—y for the gospell for folowing the steps of Christ specially forasmuch as we know that tribulation ingendreth patience and patience triall and trial hope and hope maketh vs not ashamed I say that patience ingendreth triall bicause that wheras God hath promised help in truble to such as trust in him we find it by experieÌ„ce in that we continew strong and stedfast all the while and are vpholden by the hand of God which thing we could not doo with all the powers that we haue of our owne So then by patience we fynd that our Lord gyueth vs the help that he hath promised vs at our néede whereby our hope is confirmed And it were an ouergreat vnthankfulnesse not to trust to such an ayd and fauour for the tyme to come as we haue found by experience to be so certein and stedfast heretofore But what néede we so manie wordes It ought to suffyze vs to knowe that the trew christians are through tribulation clothed with the image of our lord Iesus christ crucifyed which if we beare willingly with a good hart we shall in the ende be clothed with the image of Iesus Christ glorifyed For as the passions of Iesus Christe doe abound so through him shal the consolations ouerabound if we suffer with him here bylowe for a tyme we shal also reigne with him there aboue for euer The sixt Chapter ¶ Certein remedies against distrust BUt forasmuch as the diuell mans wisedome labour continually to dispossesse vs of this most holy fayth wherthrough we beleue that all our sinnes are chastized punished in Iesus christ that 〈…〉 preciouse bludshed we be reconcyled to the maiestie of god it is verie néedful for a christiaÌ„ to haue his weapons alwaies in a redines to defend himself from y sayd most mischeuouse temptation which séeketh to beréeue the sowle of hir lyfe Among the sayd weapons in my iudgment y mightiest and best are Prayer the often vse of the holie Communion the rememberinge of holie Baptim and the minding of predestination In our Prayer wée may well say with the father of the poore Lunatik person of whom mencion is made in the Gospell of Saynct Mark Lord Iesus help myne vnbeléef Or else we may say with the Apostles Lorde increace our fayth And if there reigne in vs a continewall desyre to grow in fayth hope and Loue we will continewally pray as sainct Paule instructeth vs. For Prayer is nothing else but a feruent mynd settled vpoÌ„ god By the remembering of Baptim we shall assure our selues that we are at peace with God. And forsomuch as â— Peter sayeth that y Ark of Noe was a figure of Baptim therefore like as Noe was saued from the flud by the Arke bycause hée beléeued the promises of GOD so also are we by fayth saued in baptym from Gods wrath Which faith is greunded vppon the woord of our Lord Iesus Christ who saieth that he which beléeueth and is baptized shal be saued And good right it is for in baptisme wée put on Iesus Christ as the Apostle Sainct Paule affirmeth and consequently we bée made partakers of his rightuousenesse and of all hys goods and vnder this preciouse robe the sinnes that our frayelty committeth lye hieden and couered and are not imputed vnto vs And so according as Saint Paule sayeth the blissednesse which the Psalmist speaketh of apperteineth to vs namely Blissed are they whose misdooinges are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blissed is the maÌ„ to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne But it standeth a christian in hande to take good héede that vpon these wordes he take not libertie to sinne for this doctrine belongeth to none such as honor them selues with the name of Christians confessing Christe with their mouth and yit denie him in their déedes
THE BENEFITE that Christians receiue by Iesus Christ Crucifyed Translated out of French into English by A. G. 1573. IMPRINTED AT London for Lucas Harison and George Bishop ¶ To the English Reader THou hast here deliuered to thee good Reader a litle tretise first writtē in the Italian tonge printed at Venise after that translated into the French langage and printed at Lyons and now translated printed for thee to reade in the English tounge Enquire not of the Author he is vnknowen and to know him would do thee but litle good Reade the booke deuowtly regard the mater of it attentyuely it may do the much good in theis euill dayes This may be counted among the greatest euils with which this age is infected that thei which are called christians are miserably diuided about Christ. And yet in truth as the apostle saith vnto vs ther is but one God which is the father of whom are all things and we in him and our lord Iesus Christ by whō are al things we by him To discourse on this diuision and the cause thereof would be to some pleasing to some it would be displeasing For what one truth can please myndes so diuersly diuided wold God it could please all to become one in that one Christ whose name we al do carie In this litle booke is that benefite which cōmith by Christ crucified to the Christians truly comfortably handeled which benefite if all christians did truly vnderstand and faithfully embrace this diuision would vanish away and in Christ the christiās shold become one To this end reade this booke and much good in Christ may it do to all them which do reade it Amen ¶ The Translater sendeth greeting to all Christians that are vnder Heauen I Cannot maruell ynough wherof it commeth that all of vs are more moued by iniuries than by benefyts and that we take the one so much to hart imprinting them in our rememberance and forget the other so suddenly Truly vve cannot deny but that among so manie other imperfections vvherwith we are vnhappely defyled we haue also takē this of the great corruption and maymednesse of our earthly transitorie humane nature vvherin ther cannot be imagined any thing more vnconuenient nor more hurtfull than reprochefull vnthankfulnesse vvhich a man myght ryghtly terme the welspring of al vyces For by it our minds are so drawen away peruerted that the more we be beset rownd about and loden with the benefits of GOD our souerein Father so much the more become we blookish and as it were distraught and out of our wits ronning after our owne lustes and vanities where through as though wee had drunke of the riuer Lethe we fouget our selues and mispend our whole time bwisying our heads like litle children that go seeking of pinnes in the sand wherabout they are so wholly occupyed that although a man cal them they here him not or at leastwise make as though they herd him not frō whence if we did now and thē lift vp our eyes vnto heauē inforce our selues to remember the great benefits that we dayly receiue of his right fatherly goodnesse and mercie it were not to be dowted but we shold be more inclined to loue him to obei his holy will than we be wheras which worse is we be not only careles to yeald dew thākes vnto him but also at all times cease not to offende him so deepely is the vyce of vnthākfulnes rooted in vs Ryghtly may he be blamed for vnthankfulnesse which acknowledgeth not the good that hath bin done to him at leastwyse by saying gramercie Vnthankfull is he that forgetteth it but toto vnthākfull is he that rēdereth euil for good VVherfore we cā find no lawfull excuse bicause that which waye soeuer we turne our selues the bountifulnesse of this great GOD shyneth throughot vppō vs Let vs a little sturre vp our wits and let vs looke about vs as farre and wyde as this howge frame of the worlde may extende so deuynely set togither and garnished with so great diuersitie of goodly creatures so well compassed and in such an order so vvysely compacted that there is nothing superfluouse nothing vnprofitable nothing wherof ther may not be rēdred a rason This howge Sonne the fountayne of all lyght and heate and the cause of all earthly generacion the Moone which marketh vs out the yeeres the monethes and the seasons the Sky so trimly azured and richely sette with glistering starres this howge Sea which beateth vpon al sydes of the earth the weyght wherof is born vppon his own round counterpeis the great nomber of liuing creatures that are vppon it whereof some flye in the ayre euerywhere dispersed and othersome dwell in the holow caues of it which nature hath fashioned of set purpose for them vvhat shal I say more So many high moūtaines within whose veynes are found innumerable tresures And others from whēce issew many a fayre spring spowting out their thinne and cleere water And othersome wheroutof doo gush violent streams and plesāt riuers nourishing infinite nombers and kindes of fishes So many trees and plants yelding most delicate fruites and sweete sauours Such store of medicinable herbes and rootes So many plaines and vallyes most fruitfull Such store of medowes beawtifyed with their louely flowers And to be short the ful howgenesse of the whole the power of the Elemēts and the natural beawtie of the creatures what are they else but the vtteraunce and open shewing of gods loue great liberality towards vs of which eche one in his kinde giueth glory to the Lorde yea aske euen the beasts and they will informe thee demaund of the fowles of the aire and they wil tell thee or else speake to the earth and she will report vnto thee and to the fisshes of the Sea and they wil answer thee The Lord spake the word and we were made he commaunded and we were created For in his hand is the life of euery liuing thing Aud by him haue al of vs our being mouing continewance Such is the speech of all creaturs Onely man who is made after the image and likenesse of god indewed with vnderstāding memorie and reason shewing himselfe in that beehalfe more vnhappie than the brute beasts passeth ouer the abundāce of so great benefyes with his eyes shet betrampling and beraying them with his feete as a swyne doth precious stones In somuch that after he hath once wholly buryed remembrance ther insueth ignorance vtter blyndnesse O lamentable state of reasonable man who can hope for any change in thee except it be from euil to worse seing thou hast no knowledge at all of God and that all his benefits are despysed through thyne extreme vnthankfulnesse in this behalfe If so many creatures wherwith this whole howge worlde is garnished to thy vse and to touch thee yit more neerely if the cunning compacting togither of thyne owne bodie which may well be called a little world as
wherin a man may behold the souerein wisedom of the workmaister if thy soule wherin shineth the inuisible image of of the euerlasting God if thyne owne lyfe if the consideration of so great abundance of good things whereof he giueth thee the vse euery day are not sufficiēt ynough to moue the affections of thy hart at leastwise yit oughtest thou of reason to be inflamed and prouoked by the benefyte of all benefyts and by that most precious gift which he hath made vnto thee of his owne propre and only Sonne who is the very image of his substāce in whom dwelleth the whole fulnesse of the Godhead togither with all the treasures of wisedom al knowledge Yea so much ought it to moue thee the more bicause that without hauing regard that thou wart his great enemie he hath layd all thyne infirmities vpon his backe and made him to dye vpō the crosse for thy sake punishing thy sinnes in him for the which thou thy selfe haddest deserued eternall damnatiō Go now thou vnthankful persone and deuise all the excuses that thou wilt and they shall serue thee to no purpose but to accuse thee and to giue sentence againste thy selfe The wonderfull creation order and gouernmēt of this howge world can giue thee knowledge of his fatherly loue wisedome and infinite power although not in all poynts to the full But in Iesus Christ crucifyed all the bowells of gods mercie are opened vnto thee at large and perfectly There is no more any veyle that can hinder thee from the knowing of so great loue Seest thou not how that at his deathe the veyle vvas rent asunder in the myddes And when he cryed that all was finished bowed down his holy head he gaue a tokē that peace was made betwene God and man Let vs therfore henceforth learne O my brethren to acknowledge the souerein benefyte which we haue receiued by Iesus Christe crucifyed Let vs behold the perfectnesse of his lyfe and his most holy Doctrine Let vs open our eyes at the vnmeasurable bryghtnesse of his euerlasting truth and let vs withall our force folow the way wherein he hath gone afore vs Let vs with a cheerful and glad hart imbrace the crosse which he hath set afore vs and discharging our shoulders from all burthens and al sinne wherin we are wrapped let vs ronne with pacience to the combat that is appointed for vs hauing an eye to the beginner accōplisher of faith Iesus Christ vvho in stede of worldly glory susteyned the crosse and despyzed all the shame therof Let vs put of the old man with all his vvretched and combersom dooinges and greuous burthens and cloth our selues with the new man vvhose yoke is sweete and burthen lyght Let vs by trewe fayth runne betweene the armes of his mercy and pray him too voutsafe too lyghten vs and too make vs capable of al his graces and specially of the great benefite that vve haue receiued of him by his crosse Concerning the which forasmuch as ther is lighted into my handes a little treatyze compiled in the Italian toung wherin he is maruelously vvell and liuely drawen vvith another maner of pensil than peinters vse I thought it good to put it into French to the end that my coūtrymen also might take profite by it and receyue lyke comfort as I haue receyued by it And specially the simple people and such as haue no great depth of knowledge For it feemeth that the Author vvhosoeuer he vvas vvas vvholy mynded to apply all things vntoo them without seeking or affecting anye finenesse of speech or great darknesse of sentences But euen as in Sōmertyme we see the Riuer Saon go gently to ioyne himself vvith the Riuer of Rhone without doing anye domage to any bodye euen so goeth this man slyding so smothely into the bosome of hys deere spouse Iesus Chryst without staying at any other thing that ouermaliciouse should he bee which would looke awrye on him or by any meanes let him of his course And thus my brethren fareye well in God who inriche you with his graciouse giftes from day to day Amen Of the benefyt that christians receyue by Iesus Christ crucifyed The fyrst Chapter ¶ Of Originall sinne and of mans vvretchednesse THe holy Scripture saith that GOD created man after his owne Image likenesse making him as in respect of his bodie impossible and as touching his Soule rightuouse true good mercifull and holie But after that he being ouercome with desyre of knowledge had eaten of the Apple that God had forbidden him he lost the sayd image likenesse of God and became like the brute beasts like the diuel who had abused him For as touching his Soule he became vnrightuous vntrew cruell pitilesse and the enemie of God and as touching his bodie he became passible and subiect to a thousand inconueniences and diseases and not onely like but also inferiour to brute beasts And euen as if our forefathers had obeyed God they should haue left vs their rightuousenes and holines as an heritage euen so by being disobedient vnto God they haue left vs the inheritance of vnrightuousenesse wickednes and gods displeasure in such sort as it is vnpossible for vs through our own strength to loue God or to frame our selues vnto his holy will. Nay we be enemies vnto him as to one that must punish our sinnes bycause he is a iust iudge and therfore can we not any more trust wholly to his holy mercie To be short our whole nature was corrupted bi Adams sin And like as erst it had superioritie aboue all creatures so became it an vnderling to all y bōdslaue of satā sin death condemned to the miseries of hell Also he lost his iudgment altogither began to saye that good was euil and euil good estéeming falfe things to be trew trew things to bée false Which thing the prophet considering saith that all men are lyers and that ther is not one that doth good bicause the diuel like a stout man of armes ruleth his own palace that is to wit the world wherof he became the prince and lord There is no tunge that can expresse the thousandth part of our miserie in that we being created by gods owne hand haue lost the said image of god and are become like the deuil and too like to him in nature and condicion willing whatsoeuer he willeth likewise refuzing whatsoeuer he mislyketh By reason wherof being giuē vp for a prey to that wicked spirit ther is no sinne so gréeuouse which euery one of vs would not be redie to doe if the grace of god stay vs not And this our depriuaciō of rightuousenes and this foreward inclination to all vnrightuousnes and naughtines is called origiall sinne the which we bring with vs from out of our mother◠womb so as we be borne the children of wrath and it hath had his first spring from our first fathers is the cause and
fountaine of all the vyces iniqâ—ities that we commit wherfrom if we wil be deliuered returne again to our first innocencie to recouer the image of god first of all it staÌ„deth vs on hand to know our own wretchednes For like as no man will euer séeke to the Phisicion except he know himselfe to be diseased or acknowledge the excellencie of the Phisicion and how much he is bownd vnto him except he know his own disease to be pestilent and deadly euen so no man acknowledgeth Iesus Christ the onely Phisicion of our soules except he first know his own soule to be diseased neyther can he perceiue y excellencie of him nor how much he is bound vnto him except he first enter in to the knowledge of his owne outrageouse sinnes of the incurable infirmitie which we haue receiued through y infection of our first fathers The second Chapter ¶ Hovv the Lawe was giuen by God to the end that we knowing our sinne and hauing not any hope of ability to make our selues righteouse by our own works should haue recourse to gods mercie vnto the ryghtuousenesse of fayth OUR God therfore mynding of his infinite goodnesse mercâ—e to send his only Sonne to sette frée y wretched children of Adam knowing that first of all it behoued him to make theÌ„ vnderstand their own miserie chose Abraham in whose séed he promised to blisse al nacions accepted his ofspring for his peculiar people vnto whoÌ„ after their departure out of Aegypt deliuerance from the bondage of Pharao he by the meanes of Moyses gaue the Lawe which forbiddeth all iusting and commaundeth vs to loue GOD with all our hart with all our soule and with al our strength in such wise as our whole trust be reposed in him we redy to leaue our life for his sake to suffer all torments in our members and to be bereâ—t of all our goods dignities honours for the loue of our god choosing to dye rather than to do any thing that may mislike him be it neuer so little and doing al things in that behalfe with a merie hart and with all forewardnes and cherefulnes Moreouer the Lawe coÌ„maundeth vs to loue our neighbour as our selfe mening hy the Neyghbour all maner of men as well frends as foes it willeth vs to do to euery man as we wold be done vnto and to loue other menns caces as our owne And so by looking in this holye Lawe as in a cléere lookingglasse man doth out of hand espye his own great imperfectioÌ„ vnablenes to obey gods commauÌ„dements and to reÌ„der him the honour and loue which he ought to yéeld to his maker The first office of the Lawe then is to make sinne knowen as sainct Paule affirmeth And in another place he saith I had not knowen what sinne is but by the Lawe The second office of the Lawe is to make sinne increace forasmuch as we being quyte gâ—ne from the obeying of God and become boÌ„dslaues to the diuell being full of wicked works and inordinate affectioÌ„s cannot abyde that god shold forbid vs to lust which increaseth so much the more as it is the more prohibited by reason wherof S. Paule sayth that sinne was dead but the Lawe came and raysed it vp againe and so it became out of measure great The third office of the Lawe is to shew the wrath and iudgment of God who threatneth death and euerlasting punishmeâ—t to such as kéepe not the Lawe throughout in all points For the holy Scripture saith Cursed is he y performeth not throughly al the things that are written in the booke of the Lawe And therfore sainct Paule saith y the Law is a ministerie and that it bringeth foorth wrath The Lawe then hauing discouered sinne and increaced it and shewed foorth the wrath indignation of God who threatneth death executeth his fourth office which is to put a man in feare who there vppoÌ„ falleth into sorowfulnes would fayre satisfie the Law but forasmuch as he séeth clerely that he is not able he wexeth angry against God and wold with all his hart that ther wer no god bicause he feareth to be sore chastized punished by him according as sainct Paule saith that the wisedome of the flesh is the enemie of God bicause it neyther is nor can be subiect to the Lawe of God. The fifth office of the Lawe which is the principal ende and the most excellent and necessarie office of it is to constraine a man to goo vnto Iesus Christ in lyke wyse as the Hebrues being dismayed were constrained to appeale vnto Moyses saying Let not the Lord speake vnto vs least we dye but speake thou vnto vs we will obey thée in al things And the Lord answered verely they haue spokeÌ„ exceding well Yea they were not praysed for any other thing than for theÌ„yr desyring of a Mediator betwixt GOD and them which was Moyses who represented Iesus Christ that should be the aduocate Mediator betwene God and man In respect whereof God sayd vnto Moyses I will rayse vp a Prophet among theyr brethren like vnto thée I will put my word in his mouth he shall speake vnto them all the thinges that I shall commaund him and I will punish all those that wyll not obey my word which he shal speake in my name The third Chapter ¶ How the forgiuenesse of our sinnes our iustification our saluation depend vppon Iesus Christ. WHen as our God then had sent the said great Prophet which he had promised vs who is his onely sonne to the end that he shold set vs frée froÌ„ the curse of the Law and reconâ—yle vs vnto our God that he shold make our will fit for good woorkes healing our frée will and repayring in vs the foresaid image of god which we had lost through the fault of our first parentes forasmuch as we knowe that vnder heauen there is nonâ— other name giueÌ„ vnto men wherby we may be saued but the name of Iesus Christ Let vs ronne vnto him with the feete of lyuely fayth cast our selues betweÌ„ his armes sith he allureth vs so graciousâ—i crying come vnto mée all you that labour and are heauy loden and I wyll refresh you What comfort or what ioy in this lyfe can be comparable to this his saying there when as a man feling himselfe oppressed with the intollerable wayght of his sinnes vndersâ—andeth so swéete and amyable words of the Sonne of God who promiseth so graciously to refresh rid him of his great peyns But al the matter lyeth in acknowledging our owne weaknesse miserie in good earnest For he shall neuer knowe what is swéete who hathe not tasted of the sowre And therfore Iesus Christ sayth If any man thirst let him come to me and drink as if he had ment to say if a man know not himselfe to be a sinner nor
that the iustification by fayth was sufficient of it selfe but went about stil to be made rightuous by the law Unto whom S. Paule saieth Iesus Christe shall nothing profyt you that iustifie your selues by the Lawe for you be falne from grace bicause that we thorough the spirit of fayth wayte for the hope of rightuousnesse Now if the séeking of rightuousnesse forgiuenes of sinnes by the kéeping of the lawe which God gaue vppon mount Sinai with so great glorie and maiestie be the denying of Christ and of his grace what shal we say to those that will néedes iustifie themselues afore God by their owne lawes and obseruaÌ„ces I would wish that such folkes should a little compare the one with the other and afterward giue iudgment themselues God myndeth not to doe that honour nor to giue that glorie to his owne lawe and yit they will haue him to giue it to mennes lawes ordinances But that honour is giuen onely to his onely begotten sonne who alone by y sacrifice of his death and passion hath made full amends for all our sinnes past present and to come as sainct Paule and sainct Iohn declare Wherfore as ofteÌ„ as we apply this satisfactioÌ„ of Iesus Christs vnto our soules by fayth out of all dout we obteyne forgiuenes of our sinnes and become good rightuouse before God through his ryghtuousnes And therefore after that sainct Paule hathe said that as touching the ryghtuousenes of y lawe he had liued vnblameable he addeth yit whatsoeuer I haue gayned by it I haue accounted it in al respects to be but losse for the loue of christ And specially I esteme al things to be losse for the excelleÌ„t knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord for whome I haue counted all thinges to be losse déeme them but as dung so I may win Christ bée fouÌ„d in him not hauing myne owne rightuousenesse which is of the lawe but the righteousnesse which is by the fayth of Iesus Christ which rightuousnes is giuen of god I mene the rightuousnes of faith that I may come to the knowledge of Iesus Christ. O most notable wordes which all Christians ought to haue ingrauen in their hartes praying God to make them to tast it perfectly Lo how S. Paule sheweth plainly that whosoeuer knoweth Christ aright estéemeth all the works of the law to bée hurtful for so much as they make vs to swarue from our trust in Iesus Christ to whom euery man ought to impute his saluation to trust only vnto him alone And to inforce this sentence the more he addeth further that he estéemeth all things but as dung so he may gayne Christ and be fouÌ„d incorporated in him declaring thereby that whosoeuer trusteth in his own workes and pretendeth to iustifie him selfe by them getteth not Iesus Christ nother is ingreffed into him â–ª And forasmuch as the whole mistery of our faith consisteth in the truth hereof â—o the end we might the better vnderstand what he ment to say he addeth and repeteth oftentimes y he had nothing to doo with al the outward iustification al the rightuousnes that is grouÌ„ded vppon the keping of the law but that he wold cloth him selfe with y rightuousnes which God giueth by faith to al theÌ„ y beleue that all our sinnes are fully chastized punished in Iesus Christ that Iesus Christ as S. Paule saieth is made our wisdome rightuousnes holines redemption to the end as it is written y he which will glorie should glorie in the lord not in his own workes Uery true it is that in the holy scriptures ther are some texts to be found which being misvnderstode séeme to gaynsay this holy doctrine of S. Paules to attribute iustification remission of sinnes vnto works to charitie But those authorities haue alredy bin wel expounded by somme who haue shewed playnly y such as haue vnderstode theÌ„ in the sence aforesaid vnderstode them not aright Wherfore my déerebeloued brethren let vs not folow the fond opinion of y bewitched GalathiaÌ„s but rather let vs folow y truth which s. Paul teacheth vs let vs giue the whol glorie of our iustification vnto Gods mercy to y merits of his sonne who by his own bludshed hath set vs frée froÌ„ y souereintie of the law from y tyrannie of sin death hath brought vs into y kingdom of god to giue vs life and endlesse felicitie I say yet further y he hath deliuered vs from y dominion of the lawe insomuch as he hath giuen vs his holy spirit who teacheth vs all truth and that he hath satisfied the lawe to the full giuen the same satisfaction vnto al his members that is to wit to all true Christians so as they may safely appéere at Gods throne bicause they be clothed with the rightuousnesse of hys Christ and by him deliuered from the curse of the lawe Then cannot y lawe any more accuse vs or condemne vs nor moue our affections or appetites nor increase sin in vs And therefore Sainct Paule saieth that the Obligacion which was against vs is cancelled by Iesus Christ discharged vppon the trée of the crosse insomuch as he hath set vs frâ—e from the subiection of the lawe and coÌ„sequently from the tyrannie of sin death which can no more hereafter hold vs oppressed bicause it is ouercome by Iesus christ in his resurrectioÌ„ so coÌ„sequently by vs which are his members in such maner y wée may say with Saincte Paule and with the Prophet Osee Death is quytâ— vanquished destroyed O Death wher is thy 〈◊〉 O Hel wher is thy victorie The sting of Death is â—in and the strength of sin is the lawe But God bée praysed who hath graunted vs vicâ—orie by our Lord Iesus Christ. He is the blesâ—ed séede that hathe crusshed the head of y veâ—emous Serpent that is to wit of the Diuell insomuch that all those which beléeue in Ieâ—us Christ reposing their whole trust in his grace doo ouercome sin death the Diuel and Hell as Christ hath done Hée is that blessed séede of Abraham in the which god hath promised blissednesse to all NacioÌ„s It behoued euery particuler person to fight with the sayd horrible Serpent and too deliuer hym selfe from that curse But that enterprise was so great that all the force of the whole world knitte together was not able too go through with it Wherfore our God y father of mercie being moued with compassion of our miseries hath giueÌ„ vs his only begotteÌ„ sonne who hath deliuered vs from y veniâ— of the Serpent is him selfe become our blissednesse rightuousnes condicionally y we accept the same renouÌ„cing al our own otward iustifications Then my déere bréethren let vs imbrace the rightuousnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ and lette vs make it ours by means of fayth let vs assure our selues that we bée rightuouse not for our
owne works but through the merites of Iesus Christ let vs liue merily assured that the rightuousnes of Iesus Christe hath vtterly done away all our vnrightuosnes made vs good rightuouse and holie before God who beholding vs ingreffed into his sonne by fayth estéemeth vs not now any more as the childreÌ„ of Adam but as his owne children and hath made vs heirs of al his riches with his own begotten sonne The fourth Chapter ¶ Of the effectes of liuely faith and of the vnion of mans Soule with Iesus Christ. THis holie faith worketh after such a sort in vs y he which beleueth y Iesus Christ hath taken all his sins vppon him becoÌ„meth like vnto Christ ouercoÌ„meth sin the diuel death Hell. And the reason thereof is this namely that the church that is to wit euery faithfull Sowle is Christes wyfe Christ is hir husband For we know how the lawe of mariage is that of two they become one selfesame thing being two in one flesh and that the goods substance of either of them become comon to theÌ„ both by means wherof the husband saieth that the dowrie of his wyfe is his likewise the wyfe sayeth that hir husbands house all his riches are hirs and of a truth so they are for otherwise they should not be one flesh as the scripture saith After the same maner hath God maryed his onlibegotteÌ„ déerbeloued sonne to the faythful soule which hath not any other thing peculiar of hir own saue only sin yit the soÌ„ne of God hath not disdeyned to take hir for his welbeloued spowse togither with hir peculiar dowrie which is sin And now by reason of y vnion which is in this holie mariage looke what y on hath is also y others Iesus christ therefore saieth thus The dowrie of mans soule my déere wife that is to wit hir sins and transgressings of the lawe Gods wrath ageinst hir the boldnes of the diuill ouer hir the prison of Hell and all other hir euils are become myne are in my power to do what I list with theÌ„ Wherfore it is at my choyse to deale with them at my pleasure and therfore I will put out the hand writing which is agaynst the soule â—y wyfe I will take it oute of the waye I wyll fasten it too my crosse in myne owne bodie and in the same wyll I spoile principalities and powers and make a shew of theÌ„ openlye triumphe ouer them and consume theÌ„ vtterly vnto nothing Now when GOD sawe his sonne who knewe no â—nne neither had any sin in him thus wyllingly taking on him the fowlenes of our iniquitie he made him to be sinne for vs euen the very sacrifice for our sinne did sharply punish our sinne in him putting him to death euen the death of the crosse Howbeit forasmuch as hée was his welbeloued obedient sonne hée would not leaue him in death nor suffer his holy one to sée corruption but raysed him vp from death to lyfe giuing him al power in heauen and earth and set him at his ryght haÌ„d in glory Now then the wyfe likewise with exceding great ioye doth saye the Realmes and Kingedomes of my most déere husband and sauiour are mine by him I am an heire of heauen my husbands riches that is to wit his holines his innocencie his rightuousenes his godhead togither with al his vertue myght are mine and for me and therfore in him I am holie innocent ryghtuouse and godly ther is not any spot in mée I am well fauored fayre inasmuch as my lawful husband hath not any blemishe in him but is altogither goodly and fayre And sith that he is wholly myne and so consequently all that he hath is myne and all that he hath is pure and holie it foloweth that I also am pure and holie Therfore to begin at his most innoceÌ„t birthâ— he hath thereby sanctifyed the birthe of his spouse conceiued in sinne The godly chyldhod and youth of the brydegroome hath iustified the childish and youthful lyfe of his déerbeloued bryde For the loue and vnion that is betwixt the sowle of a trew christian and the bridegroome Iesus Christ maketh al the woorks of eyther of them to be comon to theÌ„ bothe By reason wherof when a man saith Iesus Christ hath fasted Iesus Christ hath prayed Iesus Christ was herd of the father raysed the dead draue diuells out of men healed the sicke dyed rose again and ascended into heauen Likewise a man may say that a Christen man hath done all the selfe-same woorkes forasmuch as the workes of Christ are the workes of the Christian bycause he hath doone them for hym Uerely a man may say y the Christian hath bin nayled too the crosse buried raysed again is gone vp into heauen become the child of God and made partaker of the Godhead On the other side all the workes y a Christian man doeth are Christes workes bycause it is his will to take them for his And forasmuch as they be vnperfect and he throughly perfect cannot away with any vnperfect thing he hath made them perfect with his vertues to the end that his wife should be alwaies ioyful well coÌ„tentid and not be afraid of any thing assuring hirself that although ther be yit stil some default in hir workes yitnotwithstanding they be acceptable to God in respect of his sonne vppoÌ„ whoÌ„ he hath his eyes alwais fastened O y vnmeasurable goodnes of god how greatly is the christiaÌ„ bound vnto god Ther is no loue of man be it neuer so great that may be compared with y loue that god beareth to the sowle of euery faythfull christian wherof Christ is y bridgrome Whervppon s. Paule sayeth that Iesus Christ hath so loued his wif the church which is builded of liuing stones that is of the soules of y beleuing christians that for to sanctifie hir â— he hath offered himself to the death of the crosse clenzing hir with the washing of water by his word to ioyne hir to himself a gloriouse church without spot or wrincle or other like thing but that she should be holie and vnblamable that is to wit like vnto him in holinesse innocencie and also be the trew and lawfull daughter of god who hath loued the world so well that as Iesus Christ himself saieth he hath giueÌ„ his onlibegotten sonne to the end that euerie one which beleueh in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting For God sent not his sonne into the world to condemne the worlde but to the ende that the Worlde myght bée saued by him insomuch that he which beléeueth in him shall not bée damned Some man might demaund after what maner the vnion of this holie Mariage is made and how the Sowle which is the Bryde and hir Bridegrome Iesus Chryste are knitte togither What assurance can I haue that my Sowle ys vnited vntoo Iesus Christe and become
lyght of our trust which hath great recompence reward But thys so holy and diuine affiance is gendred in our harts by the working of the holie ghost who is coÌ„municated vnto vs by fayth which neuer goeth without the loue of god And hereof it commeth that wée bée prouoked to dooe good works with a certeine liuelines and effectuall cherefulnes wherby we gather such a strength and inclinacion to doo theÌ„ as wée be throughly redie and foreward to doo and suffer all intollerable things for the loue and glorie of our moste graciouse and mercyfull father who hath inryched vs wyth so abundaunt grace through Iesus Christ and of his enemies made vs hys moste déere children This treue fayth is no sooner gyuen a man but he is by and by indewed and imprinted with a certeine violent loue of good works to yéeld right swéet and amiable frutes both vnto God and likewise to his Neybour as a verie good frutefull trée And it is no more possible that he should bée otherwise than it is possible that a fagot should be set on fyre not cast light immediatly This is the holye fayth without the which it is vnpossible that anie man should please God and wherby all the holie men as well of the old TestameÌ„t as of the new haue bin saued according as Sainct Paule witnesseth of Abraham concerning whome the Scripture sayeth that Abraham belâ—â—ued GOD and it was reckened too him for rightuousenesse And therfore hée sayth a little before We beléeue that a man is iustified by fayth without the déedes of the Lawe And in another place he saith Sothen in that time shall the remnant be saued according to the election of grace and if they be saued by grace then is it not by workes for then were grace no grace And to the Galathians he sayeth it is a manifest matter that no man becommeth rightuouse before God by the Lawe bicause the rightuouse liueth by faith And the lawe consisteth not in beleefe but he that performeth the thinges that the Lawe commaundeth shall liue by that performance And further hée sayeth that a man cannot become rightuouse by the déedes of the law but onely by beléeuing in Iesus Christ. Agein a little after he sayeth that if a man can become rightuouse by the Lawe Iesus Christ dyed in vayne Moreouer to the Romaines making comparison betwene the rightuousnesse of the Lawe and the rightuousnesse of the Gospell he sayeth that the one consisâ—eth in the dooing of workes and the other in beleuing For if thou confesse our Lord Iesus Christ with thy mouth and beleue in thy hart that God hath raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued For the beléef of the hart maketh a man rightuouse and the confession of the mouth maketh him safe Lo how this good teacher Sainct Paule sheweth euidently that faith maketh a man rightuouse without any workes And not only Sainct Paule but also the holy Doctors that came after him haue confirmed and allowed this most holy trueth of Iustification by fayth among whome Sainct Augustin is the chiefe who in his booke of fayth and workes and in his booke of the Spirit and the Letter and in his booke of fourescore and thrée questions and in his booke which he did write to Boniface and in his treatise vpon the xxxj Psalme and in many other places defendeth this article shewing that we become rightuous by faith without any help of good works howbeit that good works are the effects of rightuousnesse and not the cause of it And he sheweth that y wordes of S. â—ames being soundly vnderstood are nothing contrary to this article Whith thing Origen doth also affirme in his fourth booke vpon the Epistle to the Romanes saying y S. Paules meaning is that fayth only is sufficiente to make men rightuouse insomuch that a man becommeth rightuouse only by beléeuing although he haue not doone anye good work at all For so it is that the théefe became rightuouse without the workes of the lawe forasmuch as the Lord sought not what good workes he had done in time past nor wayted vntill he had done any after he had beléeued but hauing accepted him for rightuouse vpon his only confession tooke him for hys companion euen when he should enter into Paradyse Likewise that so renowmed woman in the gospel of Sainct Luke while she was yit at the féete of Iesus Christ herd it sayd vnto hir thy sins are forgiuen thée And a little after he saieth vnto hir thy faith hath saued thée goo thy way in peace Afterward Origen sayth In many places of the Gospel a man may sée how our Lord Iesus Christ hath spoken in such wise as he sheweth that fayth is the cause of the saluation of the beleuers TheÌ„ is a maÌ„ made rightuouse by faith and the workes of the lawe further him nothing at all On the contrarie where faith is not which faith maketh the beléeuer rightuouse although a man doo the workes which the law coÌ„maundeth yit notwithstanding forasmuch as they be not builded vppon the fouÌ„dation of faith albeit y to outward appearance they séeme good yit can they not iustifie him that doeth them bicause he wanteth fayth which is the marke of theÌ„ that are become rightuouse before god And who is he that caÌ„ boast himselfe to be rightuouse wheÌ„ he hereth God say by his Prophet â—say that all our rightuousnesse is as a defiled cloth of a menstruouse woman Then can wée not iustly glorie in our selues but in y only faith of the crosse of Iesus Christ. S. Basill in hys Homilie of humilitie sayeth y the Christian ought to hold himself for rightuouse through beléefe in Iesus Christ and his wordes are theis The Apostle sayeth that he which glorieth should glorie in the Lord in that God hath made Iesus Christ to be our wisedome rightuousenes holinesse and redemption to the end y he which would glorie should glorye in the Lord bicause that the perfect and sound glorying is to glorye in the lord For in so doing a man presumeth not vppon his owne rightuousenes but acknowledgeth his want of the true rightuousenes and that he is made rightuouse only by beléeuyng in Iesus Christ. And Sainct Paule gloryeth of the despyzyng of hys owne rightuousenesse and of his séeking of Christes rightuousnes by fayth which commeth of god Sainct Hilary in his ninth Canon vppon the exposition of Sainct Matthew sayeth these words The Scribes considering Iesus Christe but only as maÌ„ were troubled that a maÌ„ should forgiue sinnes and pardon that thing which the Lawe could not doe bicause that onely fayth iustifieth Sainct Ambrose in expounding these wordes of Sainct Paule vnto him that beleeueth in him vvhich iustifieth the vngodly his fay the is accounted for rightuousnesse according to the purpose of Gods grace like as Dauid also sayeth that the man is blissed whom God accompteth rightuouse
But it concerneth the true Christians who though they fight manfully agaynst the fleshe the worlde and the diuill doe notwithstanding fall darly and are constreyned to say Lord forgiue vs our offeÌ„ces Theis are they to whom we speake to comfort them and to hold them vp that they fall not into despayre as though the blud of christ washed vs not from all sin and that he were not our aduocate and the attonementmaker for his members And therfore when we be prouoked to dowt of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes that our own conscience beginneth to trubble vs Then must we furnish our selues with trew fayth and out of hand haue recourse to y preciowse blud of Iesus Christ shed for vs vppon the alter of the Crosse and distributed to his Apostles at his last supper vnder the veyle of a most holie Sacrament which was ordeyned by Christ to the end y we should celebrate the remembrance of his death that by the same visible Sacrament our trubbled consciences myght be assured of our attonement with god The blissed Iesus christ made his last wil when he said This is my bodie which is giuen for yow and this is my blud of the new Testament which is shed for manie to the forgiuenes of their sinnes We knowe that a Testament sayeth Sainct Paule although it be but a mans Testament yet neuertheles if it be allowed no man despyzeth it or addeth anie thing to it and that no testament is of force till the testator be dead but hathe full poure after the parties decease Then did Iesus Christ make his Testament wherin he promisethe forgiuenesse of sinnes and the grace and good fauour of himselfe and his father togither with mercie and euerlasting lyfe And to the intent that the sayd Testamente should be of full force he hathe confirmed it with his owne preciowse blud and with his owne death By reason wherof sainct Paule sayeth that Iesus Christe is the mediator of the new TestameÌ„t that by his dying for the redemption of those transgressions which were in the former testament they that are called might receyue the promis of the eternall inheritance For whersoeuer is a Testament there must also be the death of the Testator for the Testament is confirmed by the deathe of the partie insomuch as it is of no valu so long as the maker of it is aliue Wherfore we be verye certein and assured by the death of Iesus Christ that his Testament is auaylable wherby all our misdéeds are pardoned and we made heyres of eternall life And for a token and faythful pledge hereof in sted of a Seale he hathe left vs this diuine Sacrament which not onely giueth our sowles assured hope of their euerlasting Saluation but also warrantâ—th vnto vs the immortalitie of our flesh forasmuch as it is euen now quickned by that immortall flesh of his and in a certein maner becoÌ„meth parttaker of the immortalitie therof and he that is parttaker of that diuine flesh by faith shall not perish for euer But vnto him that receyueth it withowt the sayd fayth it turneth to a daungerouse poyson becawse that like as when bodily sustenance fyndeth the stomacke incumbred with euill humors it corrupteth likewyse and woorketh greate anoyance euen so if this spirituall féede lyght into a sinfull sowle that is full of malice and misbelef it casteth it headlong into some greater ruine not through it owne default but bycause that to the vncleane and vnbeleuer al things are vncleane notwithstanding that the things be sanctified by the Lordes blissing For as sayeth Sainct Paule he that eateth of that bread and drinketh of that cup vnworthely is giltie of the bodie and blud of the Lord and he eateth and drinketh his owne damnation bycause he maketh no difference of the Lordes bodie For he maketh no difference of the Lords bodie which presumeth to the Lords supper without fayth charitie And forasmuch as he beleueth not that bodie to be his lyfe and the clenzer of al his sinnes he maketh Iesus Christe a lyer and treadeth the sonne of God vnder foote estemeth the blud of the Testament wherby he was faÌ„ctified but as a comon or worldly thing doeth greate wrong to the spirit of grace and he shal be punished verye sore at Gods hand for this his vnbéelef and wicked hipocrisie For wheras he reposeth not y trust of his iustificatioÌ„ in the passioÌ„ of our lord sauiour Iesus christ yit neuerthelesse he receyueth this moste holie Sacrament maketh protestation that he putteth not his trust in anie other thing Wherby he accuseth himself and is a witnesse of his owne iniquitie and condemneth himself to euerlasting death by refuzing the lyfe which god promiseth him in that holie SacrameÌ„t And in this poynt when the Christian féeleth that his enemies are lyke to ouercome him the is to wit when he beginneth to dout whether he haue receiued forgiuenes of his sinns by Iesus Christ that he shal not be able to withstand the diuel and his teÌ„ptatioÌ„s that the accusation of his owne dowtfull conscience comes to presse him so as he beginneth to feare least helfyre shold swallow him vp and death hold him in his euerlasting bands by reason of Gods wrath I saye when the good christian féeleth himself in such agonie Let him get him to this holie Sacrament with a good hart and stowt courage and receiue it deuoutly saying in his hart and answering his enemies thus I coÌ„fesse I haue deserued a thousand hells euerlasting death by reason of the great sinnes which I haue committed But this heauenly sacrament which I receyue at this present assureth me of the forguiuenes of all my misdoings of myne attonement with god For if I haue an eye to my works ther is no dowt but I acknowledge my self a sinner and condemne myne owne selfe in suche wise as my conscience should neuer be quiet if I should think that my sinnes are pardoned me for my workes sake But when I looke to the promises and couenantes of God who promiseth me forgiuenes of my sinnes by the blud of Iesus Christ I am as sure that I haue obteyned it and that I haue his fauour as I am sure that he which hath made the promises and couenants cannot lye nor deceiue and through this stedfast fayth I become ryghtuouse by Christes rightuousenes wher through I am saued and my conscience quieted Hath he not giuen his most innocent bodie into the handes of sinners for our sinnes Hath he not shed his blud to wash away my iniquities Why theÌ„ doost thou vex thy self O my soule put thy trust in the Lord who beareth thée so great loue that to deliuer thée from eternal death it hath pleased him that his only sonne should suffer death and passion who hath taken vppon himselfe our pouertie to giue vs his riches layd our weakenesse vppon himself to stablish vs in
vnto vs not only allureth vs to giue our selues one to another but also by making himself common to vs all maketh vs also to be all one selfsame thing in him In respect wherof wée ought to couet and procure that in all of vs there may be but one mind one harte one tung accorded and vnited togither in thoughtes words and déeds And we must mark well that as oft as we receyue this holy and worthy Sacrament we bind our selues to al the deuties of charitie as not to offende any of our brethren nor to leaue anything vndon that may be profitable and helpfull in their necessitie But if there come any to this heauenly table of the Lord that are diuided at variance with their brethreÌ„ the same must assure themselues that they eate vnworthely and are gilty of the bodie and bloud of the Lorde and that they eate and drinke their own damnation for that there wanted nothing on their behalf but that the body of Iesus christ was rent and plucked in péeces again whilest they by hatred are deuided froÌ„ their brethren that is to wit from the members of Iesus Christ and haue not any parte with him and yit neuertheles in receiuing this holy communion pretended to beléeue that their whole saluation consisteth in the participation and vnion with Iesus Christ. Then let vs go my brethreÌ„ to the receiuing of this heauenly bread to celebrate the remembrance of our Lordes passion and to strengthen and fortifie the beléefe and assurance of the forgiuenes of our sinnes with the remembrance thereof and to quicken vp our myndes and tungs to prayse and exalt the infinite goodnes of our God and finally to cherish brotherly loue and to witnes the same one to another by the streyght vnion which all of vs haue in the bodie of our lord Iesus christ Besydes prayer thé remembring of Baptim and the often resorting to the most holy communion ther is one other verie good remedy against distrust and fearfulnes which is no lesse fréende to christian charitie namely the remembrance of our predestination and election to eternall lyfe grounded vppon the word of God which is the sword of the holie Ghoste wherwith we may beate backe our enemies Reioyce yée in this sayeth the Lorde that your names are written in heauen There is no greater ioy in this life nor any thing that more comforteth the christian that is afficted tempted or falne into anie sinne than the rememberance of predestination and the assuring of our selues that we be of y nomber whose names are written in the booke of lyfe and which are chosen to be fashioned like vnto the image of Iesus Christ. O how vnspeakable is the comfort of him that hath this fayth museth coÌ„tinually in his hart vppon this exceding swéete predestination whereby he knoweth that although he fall often yit notwithstanding god his father who hath foreordeined him to euerlasting life holdeth him vp and reacheth out his hand vnto him continually And he sayeth continually in himselfe if god haue chozen me and predestinated me to the glorie of his children who can hinder me If God be with vs sayeth sainct Paule who can be ageinst vs Nay rather to the ende that the predestination may be accomplished in vs he hath sent his déere beloued sonne who is a most sure earnest penny and pledge vnto vs that we which haue receyued the grace of the Gospell are gods Children chozen to eternall lyfe This holie predestination maynteyneth the trew Christian in a continuall spirituall ioye increaceth in him the indeuer of good works inflameth him with the loue of god maketh him enemie to the world to sinne Who is so fearce hardharted which knowing y god of his mercy hath made him his child froÌ„ euerlasting will not by and by bée inflamed to loue GOD Who is of so vyle and baâ—e courage that hée will not estéeme all the pleasures all the honours and all the riches of the world as filthy myre wheÌ„ he knowes y god hath made him a citizen of heaueÌ„ yea theis are thei y worship god rightly in spirit truth receyuing all things as wel in prosperitie as in aduersitie at the hand of God their Father and euermore praysing and thaÌ„king him for all as their good father who is rightuouse and holy in all his workes These being inflamed with the loue of God and armed with the knowledge of their predestination feare neither death nor sin nor the Diuill nor hell neyther knowe they what the wrath of god is for they sée none other thing in god but loue fatherly kindnesse towards them And if they fall into any troubles they accept them as tokens of gods fauour trying out with S. Paule who is it that shall separate vs from Gods loue shall tribulations shall anguish shall persecution or hunger or nakednesse or perill or sword as it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long and counted as shéepe appointed to the slaughter But in all these things we get the vpper hand thorough him that hath loued vs Wherefore it is not for nought that sainct Iohn sayeth how the true christians know right well that they must be saued and glorified and that by reason of the same affiance they make themselues holy as Iesus Christ is holy And when Saint Paule exhorteth his Disciples to a good and holy life he is wont to put them in remembrance of their election and predestination as of a thing of very great force to stirre vp the mynds of the true Christians to the louing of God and to the performance of good works And for the same cause our good lord Iesus christ speaketh openly of this holy predestination as one that knew of howe great importance the knowledge thereof is to the edifying of his elect But perchaunce thou wilt say to me I know wel that they whose names are written in heauen haue cause to liue in continuall ioy and to glorifie GOD but in word and deed but I know not whither I am of that number or no and therefore I liue in continuall feare specially bycause I knowe my selfe to bée an excéedinge weake and frayle sinner from the violence wherof I am not able to defend my self but that I am ouercome of it daily And furthermore for asmuch as I se my self coÌ„tineually afflicted and troubled with dyuerse temptations methinks I do as it were behold with myne eyes the wrath of God squorging me Too answere to theis dowtes of thyne I say my ryght dere brother that thou must assure thy selfe that al theis are but temptations of the deuill who by all meanes séeketh to rob vs of that faith and confidence that springeth of faythe and assurethe vs of Gods good will towardes vs He laboreth to strip our sowle out of this preciouse garmeÌ„t for he knoweth that none is a trew Christian except he beleue Gods
some one may say to mée that the christian can not by any means know that he is in gods fauour without some speciall reuelation and so consequently that he cannot knowe whither he be predestinated or no. And hée may specially alledge these woordes of Salomon A man knoweth not whither he be worthy of hatred or of loue and also these wordes of the Apostle Sainct Paule to the Corinthians I féele not my selfe gilty of any thing and yit féele I not my selfe iustifyed for all that It séemeth to be sufficiently declared by the textes of holy Scripture that the saide opinion is false and now remaineth onely to be shewed briefely that these two textes whereuppon the same opinion is chiefly grounded ought not to be taken in that sence As touchinge Salomons sentence although it bée scarse well and faythefully translated in the common translation yit is there not any man so dul who in reading Salomons whole discourse may not playnely perceyue by saying so he ment that if any man will take vppon him to iudge by the casualties â–ª that happen in this lyfe who is loued or hated of GOD he laboreth in vayne considering that the selfesame chaunces which light vppon the rightuouse light also vppon the vnrightuouse vppon him that Sacriâ—â—zeth as wel as vpon him that sacrifizeth not as soone vpoÌ„ the good maÌ„ as vpoÌ„ y sinner Wher of it may be gathered y god doth not always shew his loue towards those whoÌ„ he indueth with outward prosperities contrariewyse that he sheweth not his displeasure towards those whom hee punisheth Then my right deere brethren in Christ Iesus our Lorde doe you thinke it reason to conclude that a man cannot be sure of Gods fauour bycause the same surenesse cannot bee perceyued by the sundrie chaunces that happen euery day in theis transitory temporal things A litle afore SalomoÌ„ saith y a man can not discerne any difference betwene y soule of a maÌ„ the life of a beast for it is seene that both maÌ„ beast die after one maner Shal we then conclude by this outward accident y the persuaâ—ioÌ„ which we haue conceiued of the immortality of the soule is grouÌ„ded but only vppon coniecture No surely and it were a great follye to stande vppon a thing so notablye knowen And as for Saincte Paules words I say that for asmuch as he was spâ—aking of the administration of the gospell hée ment that his hart misgiues him not of any misdealing therin and yit for all that that he is not sure he hath done his whole duetie to the full and therein obteyned the prayse of rightuousenes to Godward as if hée had done all that pertained and was conuenient to be done by a faithfull Steward and therfore in speaking of his office like a iust and discrete persone he durst not iustifie himself nor auow that he had discharged his deutie to the vttermost and satisfyed his lords wil but â—eferred all things to the only iudgemeÌ„t of his lord And verely who soeuer readeth these words of the Apostle Sainct Paule and considereth the wordes going afore them with some iudgement and likewise the woordes that folowe will not doubt but this is the true sence of them I know well that some men in expounding these words of the Apostle sainct Paule say that although he knewe himself to be without sin yit he knewe not whether he were rightuouse to Godward or no accordinge as Dauid affirmeth that no man can perfectly knowe his owne sinnes But these meÌ„ perceiue not that Saint Paule groundeth not rightuousenes vppon woorks but vpon faith and that hée vtterly refuseth his own rightuousenesse to imbrace only the rightuousnes which God hath giuen vs thorough our Lord Iesus Christ. Also they consider not that he was most certein to bée accepted for rightuous in maynteining the soundnesse and purenesse of the christeÌ„ faith and that he knewe well howe the crowne of that righteousnes was layd vp for him in heauen and also that hee was fully assured that no creature in heauen earth nor hell was able to separate him from the loue of God and that he longed to dye bicause hée knew for a truth y after his death he should be with Iesus Christe All which thinges should be false if he had not bin well assured that he was rightuouse I meane by faith not by works Therfore my déerbeloued brethren let vs cease to speake that thing of the Apostle Sainct Paule which he neuer once thought of himself but féersly fought agaynst it continually in answering such as measured rightuousenes by woorks not by faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. But besides these two auctorities of Salomon and sainct Paul a man might alledge some other places of holy scripture which wheras they warne and incorage men to feare God séeme to be contrarie to the assurance of this our predestination And if I would declare them all particularly I should be ouer long But I say generally that y feare of punishment was proper to the old TestameÌ„t and childly loue to the new Testament according as S. Paule witnesseth when he sayeth to the Romanes ye haue not receyued the spirit of bondage to feare but ye haue receiued y spirit of adoptioÌ„ wherby we â—rye father father And likewise vnto Timothie he sayeth y god hath not giueÌ„ vs y spirit of fearfulnes but rather of power and loue which spirit Iesus Christ hath giuen vs according to the promis made by the mouth of the holy Prophets and brought to passe that we being deliuered out of our enemyes handes may serue him without feare before his holy presence in all holinesse and rightuousenesse all the dayes of our life By theis many other places of the holy Scripture a man may plainly gather that y peynfull and slauish fearfulnesse agreeth not with a Christian and this is alredie confirmed by this that such maner of fearfulnesse is vtterly contrarie to the spirituall cherefulnes and ioy which is peculiar to the christian as the Apostle Sainct Paule sheweth openly to the Romanes saying that the kingdome of God is rightuousenesse peace ioy in the holy ghost that is to say y euery man which entereth into the kingdome of the grace of the gospel is become rightuouse through fayth and afterward addeth peace of conscience which consequently bréedeth such a spiritual and holy rest gladnesse in respect wherof the same Sainct Paule doth oftentimes incorage the christians to liue merily And sainct Peter sayeth that all they which beleeue in Iesus Christ do continually reioyce with an vnspeakable and gloriouse ioy notwithstanding that they be afflicted with diuerse temptations And therfore wheÌ„ the holy scripture threateneth and frayeth the christians they must vnderstand that it speaketh to such as are so licenciouse that forsomuche as they kepe not the thankfulnesse and honestie that belong to GODS children they must
thy misdoinges are pardoned thée through Iesus christ And in so doing thou shalt giue y glorie vnto God by confessing him to be mercifull and trew shalt become rightuouse and holy before God forsomuch as by the same confessioÌ„ y holines righteousnesse of Iesus Christ shal be communicated vnto thée But to returne to our purpose of predestinatioÌ„ I say that by the thinges aboue mencioned a man may euidently perceyue that the assuraunce of predestination doth not hurt but rather greately profit the trew Christians And I thinke not that it can hurte the false Christians and reprobates For albeit that such maner of folk would beare them selues in hand and pretend to the worldward to be of the nomber of the predestinate yit can they neuer perswade their owne consciences which wil euer bée gnawing and crying out to the contrarie But yit it séemeth greatly that the doctrine of predestination may hurt them For they be wont to say If I bée of the nomber of y reprobates what shall it auaile mée to do good works And if I be of y nomber of the predestinate I shal be saued without any laboring of myne to do good works I answer thée at fewe wordes that by suche diuelish argumeÌ„ts they increace gods wrath ageinst themselues who hath disclozed the knowledge of predestination to the Christians to make them whot and not câ—ld in the loue of God and to set them foreward and not backward vnto good workes And therfore the trew Christian on the one side holdeth himself assuredly predestinated vnto euerlasting lyfe and to be saued not at all by his owne merites but by Gods electioÌ„ who hath predestinated vs not for our own workes lakes but to shewe the greatnesse of hys mercie And on y other side indeuereth himselfe to do good workes after the example of Iesus Christ as much as if his saluation depended vppon his own policie and paynestaking As for hym that ceasseth to do good bycause of the Doctrine of predestination saying if I be predestinated I shalbée saued without streyning of my self to do good workes he sheweth euidently that his traueling is not for the loue of God but for the loue of himself By reason whereof the workes that he doth may perhaps be good and holy to the sight of men but they be wicked and abhominable before the Lorde God who hath an eye to the intent And hereuppon it may be gathered that the doctrine of predestination worketh rather good than harme to the false christians For it discouereth their hipocrisie which can not cure it selfe so long as it lyeth hidden vnder the mantel of outward works But I would haue them that saye I will not streyne my self to do well for if I be predestinated I shal be saued without tyring of my self so much I say I would haue them tell mée how it happeneth that when they be diseased they say not also I wil haue neyther Phisicion nor phisick for looke what God had determined vppon mée cannot but come to passe why eate they why drincke they why till they the ground why plant they Uines and why bée they so diligent in dooing all thinges conuenient for too susteyne the body why saye they not also that all theis turmoylynges pollices and trauels of ours are superfluouse forasmuch as it is not possible but that what soeuer God hath foreséene and determined concerning our lyfe and death muste néedes come to passe And therefore if Gods prouidence make them not negligent and idle in things perteining to the body Why should it make them more slothfull and negligent in that which concerneth the Christen perfection which without all comparison is farre nobler than the bodie But for asmuch as wée sée that neither Iesus Christe nor Sainct Paule for any doubt of offending the reprobates haue forborne to preache the trueth which is necessarie to the edifying of the chosen for the loue of whom the euerlasting Sonne of GOD became man and was put to death vppon the crosse wee also in like wise ought not to forbeare the preaching of predestination to the true Christians for asmuch as wee haue seene that it importeth great edification Now are we come to the end of our purpose wherein our chief intent hath bin according to our small power to magnifie the wonderfull benefite which the Christen man hath receyued by IESUS Christ crucified and to shewe that faith of hir self alone iustifieth that is to witt that God receyueth and holdeth them for rightuouse which beleeue stedfastly that Chryste hath made full amends for their sinnes how beit that as light cannot be separated from Fyre which of it selfe burneth and deuoureth all things euen so good woorks can not bee separated from fayth which alone by iâ—selfe iustifieth And this holy doctrine which exalteth Iesus Christ and represseth and abateth the pryde of man hath and alwayes shal be reiected and fought against by such Christians as haue Iewish mindes But happy is hee who folowing the example of Sainct Paule spoileth himselfe of his owne rightuousenesse and would haue none other rightuousenesse than that which is of Iesus Christ wherwith if he be clothed and apparelled he may most assuredly appeere before God and shall receiue his blissing and the heritage of heauen earth with his only Sonne Iesus Christ our lord to whom be all honor praise glory from this time forth for euermore Amen Christ is the ende of Law. â— Cor. 8. Iob. 12. The statâ— of man before and after that he had 〈◊〉 Psal. 114. Psal. 14. Originall sâ—n A verye good compaâ—ison Who is our neybour The 〈◊〉 office or dewtie of the lawe Rom. 3. and 7. The second office of the lawe The third office of the lawe Deu. 27. 2. Cor. 3. The forth office of the Lowe Rom. 4 The fifth office of the lawe Exod. 20 Coloss. 3 Act. 4. Mat. 11. Iohn 7. Iohn â— Gal. 3. Iohn 8. 1. Cor. 15. Psal. 50 Rom. 5 The greatneâ—â—e of sin 〈◊〉 not to cause despayre â— Cor. 5. Gala â— An excellent comparison of the â—â—â—bilitie of our owne woorks Hebr. 7. Iohn 12. Phil. 3 â— Cor. 1. How man is deliuered and set free from the curse of the lawe Gal. 3. Rom. 8. Colost 2 1. Cor. 15 Gen. 3 How we 〈◊〉 the likenesse of God. A very good sâ—militude expressing the maner how our 〈◊〉 are taken away by Christ. Math. 28 Phil. 2 Ephe. 5. Iohn 3. How the faithfull mans sowle is assuâ—ed of his being maried vnto Christ. Act. 5 Mat. 2 2. Cor. 3. Iohn 6 Iohn 3 Iohn 11. Iohn 12. 1. Iohn 4 Hebr. â— A very goodly sâ—â—ilitude â—it for the expressing of the free for giuensse of siâ—â—es for Iesus Christes sake â— Cor. 1. Heb. 4 Heb. 10. Heb. 8 Rom. 4. Gen. 1â— Rom 2. Gala. 3. Abac. 2. Gal. 3. Rom. 10. S. Augustin Origen * Marie magdalen Luke 6. Fayth is the mark of those that are iustified Esai 64. S. Basil. S. Hilary S. Ambrose Rom. 4 Psal. 31 S. Bernard Gen. 17. A very good comparisoÌ„ how we be clothed with the rightuousenesse of Iesus Christ. No man 〈◊〉 boast of the performaÌ„ce of gods lawe Psal. 102. Pro. 20. Iob. 1â— â—â—ohn 2. Math. 6. Luke 17 Acts. 1â— How the workes of y faithfull though thei be vnperfect please GOD. Math. 2â— In whaâ— maner faith iustifyâ—th Ephe. 3. Mat. 12. Rom. 6. Sainct Paule calleth them Sainctes whom we call Christians He that beleueth cannot be with out good workes Markâ— 9. Iames. 2. Apoc. 3. A liuely coÌ„parison Whâ—t S. Iames ment concerning workes Iames. 2. â— heauenly 〈◊〉 Iohn 17. Rom. 4. 2. Cor. 6. 1. Peter 2 Gala. 3. Hebr. 9. Gala. 6. Luke 2. Tit. 2. Rom. 8. Gala. 3. Rom. 8. Iesus Christ y trew exaÌ„ple of chriâ—â—â—ans 1. Peter 2 Ephe. 4. Rom. 15. Phil. 2. Math. 1â— 2. Tim. 2 Rom. 12. 1. Tim 1 Gala. 5 Luke 9. Iohn 15. Phil. 3. 2. Cor. 12 2. Cor. 4. Gala. 6. Rom. 5. After what sort patience ingendereth triall Rom. â— 2. Cor. 2. Mark. 9. Foure remedies against the teÌ„ptacioÌ„s of distrust Prayer Math. 9. 1. Thes. 5 Tru prayer Baptisme 1. Pet. 3. Mark. 16 Gala. 3. Rom. 4. Psal. 36. The supper of the Lord. Luke 22 Mark. 16 Gala. 3. Hebr. 9. Ireneus Lib. 1. Iohn 6. 1 Cor. 11. What is ment by not making a difference of the lords bodie He y receiueth this Sacrament protesteth himself to trust in none other thing than the blud of Christ. Uery coÌ„fortable counsel Rom. 4. Rom. 8. Why the holy SacrameÌ„t of thankesgiuâ—ng was ordeyâ—ed Christen peace and vnyoâ— are betokened by the bread and Wyne â—e that offendeth one of his Christen brethren offendeth Christ himself A preparatioÌ„ to y receyuing of y holy Sacrament He that receyueth y SacrameÌ„t byndeth himself to al y dewlies of charitie The trew and for which the holy Sacrament is ordeined The fourth remedie against distrust Ephe. 5. Luke 10 Psal. 36. Rom. 8. He y reâ—eyueth y Gospel is sure y he is predestinated â— he effect y precede of y knowleg for predestination Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 3. â—phe 1. Hebr. 3. Hebr. 10 AfflictioÌ„s at no signes of reprobation Pro 5. 〈◊〉 trew 〈◊〉 to know â—â—ods children by â—phe 2. Wherefore y Apostle calleth y holy Gost y sâ—irit of 〈◊〉 Gala. 3. Rom. 8. Rom. 8. A true mark of predestis nation 1. Cor. 2. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 12 He that glorieth not y he hath y holy ghost is no true ChristiaÌ„ Iohn 14. Eccle. 6. 1. Cor. 4. A Man may knowe y he is in Gods faâ—or By the chaunces Of this life no maÌ„ caÌ„ iudge whther a maÌ„ be in Gods fauor or displeasure Rom. 3. 5 Phil. 3. 2. Tim. 4 Rom. 8. Phil. 1. The two â—ortâ—s of feare child y 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 2. Tim. â— Rom. 14 Ephe. 6. Phil. 4. 1. Peter 1 The slaâ—ish feare threateneth the wicked and the childly feare 〈◊〉 y chozen The effects of childly fear Eph 4. The christian may warrant him self y forgiuenes of his slunes S Hilary Iames. 1. S. Augustin S. Bernard Eche one must beleue particularly that hie sinnes are released forgiueÌ„ him freely Eche one must beleue particularly that his sinnes are released forgiueÌ„ him freely ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas East for Lucas Harison and George Bisshop